Part 21 (1/2)

”We shall learn all, my dear lady, when we reach the Hall,” returned Bluewater; ”and the sooner we reach it, the sooner our doubts will be removed. Before we enter the carriage, let me make you acquainted with my young friend, Lord Geoffrey Cleveland, whom I have presumed to invite to be of the party.”

The handsome young mids.h.i.+pman was well received, though Mrs. Dutton had been too much accustomed, in early life, to see people of condition, to betray the same deference as her husband for the boy's rank. The ladies occupied, as usual, the hind seat of the coach, leaving that in front to their male companions. The arrangement accidentally brought Mildred and the mids.h.i.+pman opposite each other; a circ.u.mstance that soon attracted the attention of the admiral, in a way that was a little odd; if not remarkable. There is a charm in youth, that no other period of life possesses; infancy, with its helpless beauty, scarcely seizing upon the imagination and senses with an equal force. Both the young persons in question, possessed this advantage in a high degree; and had there been no other peculiarity, the sight might readily have proved pleasing to one of Bluewater's benevolence and truth of feeling. The boy was turned of sixteen; an age in England when youth does not yet put on the appearance of manhood; and he retained all the evidences of a gay, generous boyhood, rendered a little _piquant_, by the dash of archness, roguery, and fun, that a man-of-war is tolerably certain to impart to a lad of spirit. Nevertheless, his countenance retained an expression of ingenuousness and of sensitive feeling, that was singularly striking in one of his s.e.x, and which, in spite of her beauty of feature, hair, and complexion, formed the strongest attraction in the loveliness of Mildred; that expression, which had so much struck and charmed Bluewater--haunted him, we might add--since the previous day, by appearing so familiar, even while so extraordinary, and for which he had been unable to recollect a counterpart. As she now sat, face to face with Lord Geoffrey, to his great surprise, the rear-admiral found much of the same character of this very expression in the handsome boy, as in the lovely girl. It is true, the look of ingenuousness and of sensitive feeling, was far less marked in young Cleveland, than in Mildred, and there was little general resemblance of feature or countenance between the two; still, the first was to be found in both, and so distinctly, as to be easily traced, when placed in so close contact. Geoffrey Cleveland had the reputation of being like his mother; and, furnished with this clue, the fact suddenly flashed on Bluewater's mind, that the being whom Mildred so nearly and strikingly resembled, was a deceased sister of the d.u.c.h.ess, and a beloved cousin of his own. Miss Hedworth, the young lady in question, had long been dead; but, all who had known her, retained the most pleasing impressions equally of her charms of person and of mind. Between her and Bluewater there had existed a tender friends.h.i.+p, in which, however, no shade of pa.s.sion had mingled; a circ.u.mstance that was in part owing to the difference in their years, Captain Bluewater having been nearly twice his young relative's age; and in part, probably, to the invincible manner in which the latter seemed wedded to his profession, and his s.h.i.+p. Agnes Hedworth, notwithstanding, had been very dear to our sailor, from a variety of causes,--far more so, than her sister, the d.u.c.h.ess, though _she_ was a favourite--and the rear-admiral, when his mind glanced rapidly through the chain of a.s.sociation, that traced the accidental resemblance of Mildred to this esteemed object, had a sincere delight in finding he had thus been unconsciously attracted by one whose every look and smile now forcibly reminded him of the countenance of a being whom, in her day, he had thought so near perfection. This delight, however, was blended with sadness, on various accounts; and the short excursion proved to be so melancholy, that no one was sorry when it terminated.

CHAPTER XII.

”Nath. Truly, Master Holofernes, the epithets are sweetly varied, like a scholar at the least. But, sir, I a.s.sure ye, it was a buck of the first head.

_Hol._ Sir Nathaniel, _haud credo_.

_Bull. 'Twas not a _haud credo_, 'twas a p.r.i.c.ket.”

LOVER'S LABOUR LOST.

Every appearance of the jolly negligence which had been so characteristic of life at Wychecombe-Hall, had vanished, when the old coach drew up in the court, to permit the party it had brought from the station to alight. As no one was expected but Mrs. Dutton and her daughter, not even a footman appeared to open the door of the carriage; the vulgar-minded usually revenging their own homage to the powerful, by manifesting as many slights as possible to the weak. Galleygo let the new-comers out, and, consequently, he was the first person of whom inquiries were made, as to the state of things in the house.

”Well,” said Admiral Bluewater, looking earnestly at the steward; ”how is Sir Wycherly, and what is the news?”

”Sir Wycherly is still on the doctor's list, your honour; and I expects his case is set down as a hard 'un. We's as well as can be expected, and altogether in good heart. Sir Jarvy turned out with the sun, thof he didn't turn in 'till the middle-watch was half gone--or _two_ bells, as they calls 'em aboard this house--_four_ bells, as we should say in the old Planter--and chickens, I hears, has riz, a s.h.i.+llin' a head, since our first boat landed.”

”It's a melancholy business, Mrs. Dutton; I fear there can be little hope.”

”Yes, it's all _that_, Admiral Blue,” continued Galleygo, following the party into the house, no one but himself hearing a word he uttered; ”and 'twill be worse, afore it's any better. They tells me potaties has taken a start, too; and, as all the b'ys of all the young gentlemen in the fleet is out, like so many wild locusts of Hegypt, I expects nothing better than as our mess will fare as bad as sogers on a retreat.”

In the hall, Tom Wychecombe, and his namesake, the lieutenant, met the party. From the formal despondency of the first, every thing they apprehended was confirmed. The last, however, was more cheerful, and not altogether without hope; as he did not hesitate openly to avow.

”For myself, I confess I think Sir Wycherly much better,” he said; ”although the opinion is not sanctioned by that of the medical men. His desiring to see these ladies is favourable; and then cheering news for him has been brought back, already, by the messenger sent, only eight hours since, for his kinsman, Sir Reginald Wychecombe. He has sensibly revived since that report was brought in.”

”Ah! my dear namesake,” rejoined Tom, shaking his head, mournfully; ”you cannot know my beloved uncle's const.i.tution and feelings as well as I!

Rely on it, the medical men are right; and your hopes deceive you. The sending for Mrs. Dutton and Miss Mildred, both of whom my honoured uncle respects and esteems, looks more like leave-taking than any thing else; and, as to Sir Reginald Wychecombe,--though a relative, beyond a question,--I think there has been some mistake in sending for him; since he is barely an acquaintance of the elder branch of the family, and he is of the half-blood.”

”_Half_ what, Mr. Thomas Wychecombe?” demanded the vice-admiral so suddenly, behind the speaker, as to cause all to start; Sir Gervaise having hastened to meet the ladies and his friend, as soon as he knew of their arrival. ”I ask pardon, sir, for my abrupt inquiry; but, as _I_ was the means of sending for Sir Reginald Wychecombe, I feel an interest in knowing his exact relations.h.i.+p to my host?”

Tom started, and even paled, at this sudden question; then the colour rushed into his temples; he became calmer, and replied:

”_Half-blood_, Sir Gervaise,” he said, steadily. ”This is an affinity that puts a person altogether out of the line of succession; and, of course, removes any necessity, or wish, to see Sir Reginald.”

”Half-_blood_--hey! Atwood?” muttered the vice-admiral, turning away towards his secretary, who had followed him down stairs. ”This may be the solution, after all! Do you happen to know what half-_blood_ means?

It cannot signify that Sir Reginald comes from one of those, who have no father--all their ancestry consisting only of a mother?”

”I should think not, Sir Gervaise; in that case, Sir Reiginald would scarcely be considered of so honourable a lineage, as he appears to be.

I have not the smallest idea, sir, what half-_blood_ means; and, perhaps, it may not be amiss to inquire of the medical gentlemen.

Magrath is up stairs; possibly he can tell us.”

”I rather think it has something to do with the law. If this out-of-the-way place, now, could furnish even a lubberly attorney, we might learn all about it. Harkee, Atwood; you must stand by to make Sir Wycherly's will, if he says any thing more about it--have you got the heading all written out, as I desired.”

”It is quite ready, Sir Gervaise--beginning, as usual, 'In the name of G.o.d, Amen.' I have even ventured so far as to describe the testator's style and residence, &c. &c.--'I, Sir Wycherly Wychecombe, Bart., of Wychecombe Hall, Devon, do make and declare this to be my last will and testament, &c. &c.' Nothing is wanting but the devises, as the lawyers call them. I can manage a will, well enough, Sir Gervaise, I believe.

One of mine has been in the courts, now, these five years, and they tell me it sticks there, as well as if it had been drawn in the Middle Temple.”