Part 64 (1/2)
”Oh, no, Aunt Catherine; you need not be afraid. I am not going to make love to one of my cousins; I know your views on the subject, and that would not suit my book at all. I am quite on your side there.”
”Surely you will tell me, my dear, if you are serious?”
”Oh, yes, when I have anything to tell; but I think I will have a good look round first.” And then, of his own accord, he changed the subject. He was a little sparing of his hints after that, even to his aunt.
It was shortly after this that he came into the Friary one evening and electrified his cousins by two pieces of news. He had just called at the vicarage, he said; but he had not gone in, for Miss Mattie had run downstairs in a great bustle to tell him her sister Grace had just arrived. Her brother had been down to Leeds and brought her up with him. Phillis put down her work; her face had become suddenly rather pale.
”Grace has come,” she half whispered to herself. And then she added aloud, ”Poor Mattie will be glad, and sorry too! She will like to have her sister with her for the New Year; but in a few weeks she will have to pack up her own things and go home. And she was only saying the other day that she has never been so happy in her life as she has been here.”
”Why can't she stay, then?” asked Sir Harry, rather abruptly. ”I don't hold with people making themselves miserable for nothing: that does not belong to my creed.”
”Oh, poor Mattie has not a choice in the matter,” returned Nan, who had grown very fond of her little neighbor. ”Though she is thirty, she must still do as other people bid her. They cannot both be spared from home,--at least, I believe not,--and so her mother has recalled her.”
”Oh, but that is nonsense!” replied Sir Harry, rather crossly for him.
”Girls are spared well enough when they are married. And I thought the Drummonds were not well off. Did not Phillis tell me so?”
”They are very badly off; but then, you see, Mr. Drummond does not want two sisters to take care of his house; and, though he tries to be good to Mattie, he is not so fond of her as he is of his sister Grace; and they have always planned to live together, and so poor Mattie has to go.”
”Yes, and I must say I am sorry for the poor little woman,” observed Mrs. Challoner. ”There is a large family of girls and boys,--I think Mr. Drummond told us he had seven sisters,--and Mattie seems left out in the cold among them all: they laugh at her oddities, and quiz her most unmercifully; even Mr. Drummond does, and Nan scolds him for it; but he has not been so bad lately. It is rather hard that none of them seem to want her.”
”You forget Grace is very good to her, mother,” broke in Phillis, somewhat eagerly. ”Mattie always says so.”
”By the by, I must have a look at this paragon. Is not her name among those in my pocket-book?” returned her cousin, wickedly. ”I saw Miss Sartoris at Oldfield that day, and she was too grand for my taste.
Why, a fellow would never dare to speak to her. I have scored that one off the list, Phillis.”
”My dears, what have you been saying to Harry?”
”Oh, nothing, mammie,” returned Dulce, hastily, fearing her mother would be shocked. ”Phillis was only in her nonsense-mood; but Harry is such a goose, and will take things seriously. I wish you would let me have your pocket-book a moment, and I would tear out the page.” But Sir Harry returned it safely to his pocket.
”What was your other piece of news?” asked Nan, in her quiet voice, when all this chatter had subsided.
”Oh, I had almost forgotten it myself! only Miss Middleton charged me to tell you that 'son Hammond' has arrived by the P. and O. Steamer the 'Cerberus,' and that she and her father were just starting for Southampton to meet him.”
CHAPTER XLII.
”COME, NOW, I CALL THAT HARD.”
Phillis was unusually silent during the remainder of the evening; but, as she bade Nan good-night at the door of her little room, she lingered a moment, shading the flame of her candle with her hand.
”Do you think Mattie will bring her sister round to see us, to-morrow?” she asked, in a very low tone.
”Oh, yes,--I am sure I hope so,” returned Nan, sleepily, not noticing the restrained eagerness of Phillis's manner. ”We can hardly call first, under our present circ.u.mstances. Mr. Drummond knows that.” And Phillis withdrew, as though she were satisfied with the answer.
Nothing more was said on the subject; and they settled themselves to their work as usual on the following morning, Dulce chattering and singing s.n.a.t.c.hes of songs,--for she was a most merry little soul,--Nan cheerful and ready for conversation with any one; but Phillis withdrew herself to the farthest window and st.i.tched away in grave silence.
And, seeing such was her mood, her sisters wisely forbore to disturb her.
At twelve o'clock the gate-bell sounded, and Dulce, who hailed any interruption as a joyful reprieve, announced delightedly that Mattie and a tall young lady were coming up the flagged walk; and in an instant Phillis's work lay untouched on her lap.