Part 40 (1/2)

”I am sure there's nothing like change and amus.e.m.e.nt for one growing convalescent,” said Charlotte.

”Will you let us contribute in some little way to it?” asked Mrs.

Hastings of George. ”If a few hours' sojourn in our quiet house would be agreeable to you, you know that we should only be too happy for you to try it.”

”I should like it of all things,” cried George, impulsively, ”I cannot walk far yet without resting, and it is pleasant to sit a few hours at my walk's end, before I begin to start back again. I shall soon extend my journeys to Prior's Ash.”

”Then come to us the first day that you feel able to get as far. You will always find some of us at home. We will dine at any hour you like, and you shall choose your own dinner.”

”A bargain,” said George.

They rose to pursue their way to Ashlydyat. Mrs. Hastings offered her arm to George, and he took it with thanks. ”He would not take mine!”

thought Charlotte, and she flashed an angry glance at him.

The fact was, that for some considerable time Charlotte Pain had put Maria Hastings almost out of her head, as regarded her relations to George G.o.dolphin. Whatever reason she may have seen at Broomhead to believe he was attached to Maria, the impression had since faded away.

In the spring, before his illness, George had been much more with her than with Maria. This was not entirely George's fault: the Rectory did not court him: Charlotte Pain and the Folly did. A week had now pa.s.sed since Mr. Verrall's departure for town, when George and his sticks appeared at the Folly for the first time after his illness; and, not a day of that week since but George and Charlotte had met. Altogether, her hopes of winning the prize had gone up to enthusiastic heat; and Charlotte believed the greatest prize in the world--taking all his advantages collectively--to be George G.o.dolphin. George went at once to his sister Janet's chamber. She was in it, dressing for dinner, after bringing her aged guest, Mrs. Briscow, from the station. He knocked at the door with his stick, and was told to enter.

Janet was before the gla.s.s in her black silk dress, trimmed heavily with c.r.a.pe still. She was putting on her sober cap, a white one, with black ribbons. Janet G.o.dolphin had taken to wear caps at thirty years of age: her hair, like Thomas's, was thin; and she was not troubled with cares of making herself appear younger than she was.

”Come in, George,” she said, turning to him without any appearance of surprise.

”See how good I am, Janet!” he cried, throwing himself wearily into a chair. ”I have come back to dine with you.”

”I saw you from the window. You have been walking too far!”

”Only to the Folly and back. But I sauntered about, looking at the flowers, and that tires one far worse than bearing on steadily.”

”Ay. Lay yourself down on that couch at full length, lad. Mrs. Hastings is here, I see. And--was that other Charlotte Pain?”

”Yes,” replied George, disregarding the injunction to lie down.

”Did she come from the Folly in that guise?--Nothing on her head but those flowers? I could see no bonnet even in her hand.”

”It is to be sent after her. Janet”--pa.s.sing quickly from the other matter--”she has come to dine with us.”

Miss G.o.dolphin turned in amazement, and fixed her eyes reproachfully on George. ”To dine with us?--to-day? Have you been asking her?”

”Janet, I could not well help myself. When I got to Lady G.o.dolphin's Folly, I found Charlotte alone: Mrs. Verrall has departed for town. To break through my engagement there, I proposed that Charlotte should come here.”

”Nay,” said Janet, ”your engagement was already broken, if Mrs. Verrall was away.”

”Not so. Charlotte expected me to remain.”

”Herself your sole entertainer?”

”I suppose so.”

A severe expression arose to Miss G.o.dolphin's lips, and remained there.

”It is most unsuitable, Charlotte Pain's being here to-day,” she resumed. ”The changes which have taken place render our meeting with Mrs. Briscow a sad one; no stranger ought to be at table. Least of all, Charlotte Pain. Her conversation is at times unfeminine.”