Volume I Part 3 (1/2)
There was Mr. Powle, a st.u.r.dy, well-to-do, country gentleman; looking it, and looking besides good-natured, which he was if not crossed.
There was Eleanor's mother, good-natured under all circ.u.mstances; fair and handsome; every inch of her, from the close fair curls on each side of her temples, to the tips of her neat walking shoes, shewing the ample perfection of abundant means and indulgent living. There were some friends that formed part of their household just then, and the young people of a neighbouring family; with the Miss Broadus's; two elderly ladies from the village who were always in everything. There was Dr. Cairnes the rector, and his sister, a widow lady who spent part of every year with him. All these Eleanor's eye pa.s.sed over with slight heed, and busied itself furtively with the remaining two; the great man of the party, and the other, the one certainly of least consideration in it. Why did she look at him, Eleanor asked herself? Mr. Carlisle was a mark for everybody's eyes; a very handsome man, the future lord of the manor, knowing and using gracefully his advantages of many kinds.
What had the other,--that tall, quiet man, gathering flowers with Julia in the angle of the old tower? He could not be called handsome; a dark thick head of hair, and somewhat marked features alone distinguished him; except a pair of very clear keen eyes, the penetrating quality of which Eleanor had felt that morning. ”He has a good figure, though,”
she said to herself, ”a very good figure--and he moves well and easily; but what is there about him to make me think of him? What is the difference between his face and that other face?”
”That other face” made frequent appeals for her attention; yet Eleanor could not forget the group in the corner, where her sister seemed to be having a time of more lively enjoyment than any one else of the company. No other person paid them any attention, even in thought; and when the collation was spread, Eleanor half wondered that her morning's friend neither came forward nor was for some moments asked to do so.
She thought indeed she heard Julia ask him, but if so it was without effect. Mr. Rhys remained in the distant angle, studying the stones there; till Mr. Powle shouted to him and brought him into the company.
Having done this good action, the squire felt benevolently disposed towards the object of his care, and entered into conversation with him.
It grew so satisfactory to Mr. Powle, that it absorbed his attention from all but the meats and wines which were offered him, the enjoyment of which it probably heightened; the talk was prolonged, and seemed to grow more interesting as it went on. Eleanor could not hear what it was about, her own ear was so much engaged with business nearer at hand.
The whole play had not escaped her, however; and between question and answer of the rattling gaiety going on about her ears, and indeed on her own tongue, she found time to wonder whether Mr. Rhys were shy, or kept back by a feeling of inferiority; so marked his conduct was by the absence of all voluntary self-a.s.sertion, She could not determine that he was either. No look or word favoured the one or the other supposition. And Eleanor could not look at those keen eyes, without feeling that it was extremely unlikely they would quail before anybody or anything. Very different from those fine hazel irids that were flas.h.i.+ng fun and gallantry into hers with every glance. Very different; but what was the difference? It was something deeper than colour and contour. Eleanor had no chance to make further discoveries; for her father engrossed his new acquaintance all the way home, and only did not bring him to Ivy Lodge to tea because Mr. Rhys refused it; for the invitation was given.
CHAPTER II.
AT THE GARDEN-DOOR.
”To die--to sleep.
To sleep! perchance to dream; ay, there's the rub; For in that sleep of death what dreams may come”--
The family at Ivy Lodge gathered round the tea-table with spirits rather whetted, apparently for both talking and eating. Certainly the one exercise had been intermitted for some hours; the other however had gone on without cessation. It went on still. The party was now reduced to the home party, with the addition of Miss Broadus; which lady, with her sister, was at home at Ivy Lodge, as she was everywhere else.
Elderly, respectable and respected old ladies they were; and though they dealt in gossip, would not willingly have hurt a fly. They dealt in receipts and in jellies too; in fas.h.i.+ons, and in many kindnesses, both received and given by all the neighbourhood. They were daughters of a former rector of the parish, and poor, and asked n.o.body to help them; which indeed they had no need to ask.
”You seemed to like your afternoon's acquaintance, papa?” said Eleanor.
”He is a fine fellow,” said the squire. ”He's a fine fellow. Knows something. My dear, he teaches a small school at Wiglands, I hear.”
”Does he. I wonder who goes to it,” said Mrs. Powle.
”I don't know,” said the squire; ”but I mean to send Alfred.”
”My dear Mr. Powle! to such a school as that? n.o.body can go to it but some of the farmers' children around--there is no one else.”
”It won't hurt him, for a little while,” said the squire. ”I like the master, and that's of more importance than the children. Don't you worry.”
”My dear Mr. Powle! But I never heard of such a thing in my life. I do not believe Dr. Cairnes will like it at all. He will think it very strange, your sending your boy to a man that is not a Churchman, and is not anything, that anybody knows of.”
”Dr. Cairnes be hanged!” said the squire,--”and mind his own affairs.
He wouldn't want me to send Alfred to _him_.”
”My dear Mrs. Powle,” said Miss Broadus, ”I can tell you this for your comfort--there are two sons of Mr. Churchill, the Independent minister of Eastcombe--that come over to him; besides one or two more that are quite respectable.”
”Why does not Mr. Churchill send his boys to school it Eastcombe?”
”O well, it doesn't suit him, I suppose; and like goes to like, you know, my dear.”