Part 17 (1/2)
”Yes, Rex. Don't be afraid! If your father speaks to me I shall advise him to let you go. You have kept your share of the bargain: it is for him to keep his,” said Norah steadily. ”And it appears that you _want_ to go away and leave us.”
”You will live in London now for the greater part of the year. If I were at home I should only see you at long intervals. I should not settle in this neighbourhood. Our life would be quite different...”
”Oh yes, quite different! Everything will be different now. You will have gone, and--Lettice too! Rex! don't be angry if I ask you something. I will try to persuade your father to give you your way, but--tell me this before you go!-- Has the news about Lettice had anything to do with your decision?”
Rex stopped short, and stared at her in amazement.
”This news about Lettice! Norah, what do you mean?”
”About her engagement! I always thought that you liked her yourself.
You remember what you used to call her--'Lovely Lettice'?”
”Well, and so she was lovely! Anybody might have seen that. Of course I liked her, but if you mean that I am jealous of Arthur Newcome--no, thank you! I should not care for a wife who would listen to the first man who came along, as Lettice has done. She was a jolly little girl, and I took a fancy to her at first sight, but--do you remember our adventure in the old pa.s.sage, Norah? Do you think Lettice would have stuck to me, and been as brave, and plucky, and loyal as you were in the midst of your fright? I never forgot that day. It was last night that I spoke to my father, before I heard a word about Lettice, or her matrimonial intentions.”
”So it was; I forgot that!” Norah smiled with recovered cheerfulness, for Rex's words had lifted a load from her mind, and the future seemed several shades less gloomy than it had done a few minutes before.
”And if you went, how soon would you start?”
”As soon as possible. I have wasted too much time already. The sooner I go, the sooner I can make my way and come home again to see you all.
Three or five years, I suppose. You will be quite an old woman, Norah.”
”Yes; twenty-three! Lettice will be married; Hilary too, very likely.
The Mouse will be as big as I was when you first knew us, and Raymond a doctor in practice. It will all be different!” Norah's voice was very low as she spoke the last words, and her face twitched as if she were about to break down once more.
Rex looked at her with the same odd mingling of tenderness and vexation which he had shown a few minutes earlier.
”Of course it will be different! We are not children any longer, and can't expect to go on as we have been doing. What was the Vicar's text the other Sunday?--'As an eagle stirreth up her nest'--I liked that sermon! It has been very happy and jolly, but it is time we stirred out of the old nest, and began to work for ourselves, and prepare for nests of our own. I am past twenty-one, my father need not be afraid to trust me, for I can look after myself, and though the life will be very different out there, I'll try to do nothing that I should be ashamed to tell you, Norah, when I come home!”
Norah turned round with a flush, and an eager, outstretched hand, but only to behold Mr Rex marching along on the edge of the very flowerbeds, with a head in the air, and a ”touch me if you dare”
expression, at the sight of which his companion gave a dismal little smile.
That was Rex all over! In spite of his masterful ways, he was intensely shy where his deeper feelings were concerned. To say an affectionate word seemed to require as painful an effort as to drag out a tooth, and if by chance he was betrayed into such an indiscretion, he protected himself against its consequences by putting on his most ”p.r.i.c.kly” airs, and freezing the astonished hearer by his frigid tones. Norah understood that having shown her a glimpse of his heart in the last remark, he was now overcome with remorse, and that she must be wise and take no notice of the indiscretion.
CHAPTER TWENTY.
MORE CHANGES.
For the next ten minutes conversation was of the most desultory character; then the sound of wheels was heard in the distance, and Rex became eager and excited once more.
”There's my father! Go and meet him, Norah. Get hold of him before Hilary comes with her everlasting chatter. He wants to speak to you.
Bring him along here, and I'll go into the house!”
Norah sped off obediently, and met the Squire as the cart turned in at the gate. He pulled up at once, handed the reins to the man, and jumped down to join her. His ruddy face looked drawn and anxious, and the first glance at the girl showed that she was, like himself, in a woe- begone state of mind.
”Oh, you know all about it! That boy of mine has been talking to you, I can see!” he said, as they shook hands, and turned along the winding path. ”Well, well, this is a fine ending to all my hopes. The lad's as obstinate as a mule--I am sure I don't know where he got his disposition; if he once takes a thing in his head there's no moving him.
Now he wants to go and bury himself in the wilds of India! I've talked until I am tired, and I can't make him see what mad folly it is. After an expensive college education--”