Part 53 (1/2)
Charlotte had. Charlotte had bowed. Bowed to Maria with a look of cool a.s.surance of triumph--as much as to say, You are sitting alone, and your husband is with me. At least, it might have worn that appearance to one given to flights of fancy, which Maria was not; and she returned the bow with a pleasant smile. She caught George's eye when he turned, and a flush of pleasure lighted her face. George nodded to her cordially, and raised his hat, sending back a smile at the idea of his not having seen her.
”It was papa, was it not, darling!” said Maria, gleefully, bending over to her little girl.
But Maria did not notice that Margery's head had given itself a peculiar toss at sight of George's companion; or that a severe expression had crossed the face of Mrs. Hastings. An expression which she instantly smoothed away, lest Maria should see it.
The fact was, that gossiping Prior's Ash had for some time coupled together the names of George G.o.dolphin and Charlotte Pain in its usual free manner. No need, one would think, for Mrs. Hastings or Margery to give heed to such tattle: for they knew well what the stories of Prior's Ash were worth.
CHAPTER II.
WHY DID IT ANGER HIM?
The drawing-rooms at Lady G.o.dolphin's Folly were teeming with light, with noise, with company. The Verralls lived in it still. Lady G.o.dolphin had never given them their dismissal: but they did not spend so much time in it as formerly. London, or elsewhere, appeared to claim them for the greater portion of the year. One year they did not come to it at all. Sometimes only Mrs. Verrall would be sojourning at it; her husband away: indeed, their residence there was most irregular. Mrs. Verrall was away at present: it was said at the seaside.
A dinner-party had taken place that day. A gentleman's party. It was not often that Mr. Verrall gave one: but when he did so, it was thoroughly well done. George G.o.dolphin did not give better dinners than did Mr.
Verrall. The only promised guest who had failed in his attendance was Thomas G.o.dolphin. Very rarely indeed did he accept invitations to the Folly. If there was one man in all the county to whom Mr. Verrall seemed inclined to pay court, to treat with marked consideration and respect, that man was Thomas G.o.dolphin. Thomas almost always declined; declined courteously; in a manner which could not afford the slightest loophole for offence. He was of quiet habits, not strong in health of late, and though he had to give dinner-parties himself, and attended some of George's in the way of business, his friends were nearly all kind enough to excuse his frequenting theirs in return.
This time, however, Thomas G.o.dolphin had yielded to Mr. Verrall's pressing entreaties, made in person, and promised to be present. A promise which was not--as it proved--to be kept. All the rest of the guests had a.s.sembled, and they were only waiting the appearance of Mr.
G.o.dolphin to sit down, when a hasty note arrived from Janet. Mr.
G.o.dolphin had been taken ill in dressing, and was utterly unable to attend. So they dined without him.
Dinner was over now. And the guests, most of them; had gone to the drawing-rooms; teeming, I say, with light, with the hum of many voices--with heat. A few had gone home; a few had taken cigars and were strolling outside the dining-room windows in the moonlight: some were taking coffee; and some were flirting with Charlotte Pain.
Mrs. Pain now, you remember. But Charlotte has worn weeds for her husband since you last saw her, and is free again. About four years after their marriage, the death of Rodolf Pain appeared in the county papers. None of the Verralls were at the Folly at the time; but Charlotte in her widow's dress came to it almost immediately afterwards, to sob out her sorrow in retirement. Charlotte emerged from her widowhood gayer than before. She rode more horses, she kept more dogs, she astonished Prior's Ash with her extraordinary modes of attire, she was altogether ”faster” than ever. Charlotte had never once visited the neighbourhood during her married life; but she appeared to be inclined to make up for it now, for she chiefly stayed in it. When the Verralls, one or both, would be away, Charlotte remained at the Folly, its mistress. She held her court; she gave entertainments; she visited on her own score. Rumour went that Mrs. Pain had been left very well off: and that she shared with Mr. Verrall the expense of the Folly.
Charlotte managed to steer tolerably clear of ill-natured tongues.
Latterly, indeed, people had got to say that Mr. George G.o.dolphin was at the Folly more than he need be. But, it was certain that George and Mr.
Verrall were upon most intimate terms: and Mr. Verrall had been staying at the Folly a good deal of late. George of course would have said that his visits there were paid to Mr. Verrall. Charlotte was popular in the neighbourhood, rather than otherwise; with the ladies as well as with the gentlemen.
Resplendent is Charlotte to-night, in a white silk dress with silver spots upon it. It is a really beautiful dress: but one of a quieter kind would have been more suited to this occasion. Charlotte had not appeared at dinner, and there was not the least necessity for embellis.h.i.+ng herself in this manner to receive them in the drawing-room. Charlotte was one, however, who did as she pleased; in the matter of dress, as in other things, setting custom and opinion at defiance. Her hair is taken from her face and wound round and round her head artistically, in conjunction with a white and silver wreath. White and silver ornaments are on her neck and arms, and a choice bouquet of white hot-house flowers serves her to toy with. Just now, however, the bouquet is discarded, and lies on the table near her elbow, for her elbow is resting there as she sits. She is coquetting with a white and silver fan, gently wafting it before her face; her sparkling eyes glancing over its rim at a gentleman, who stands, coffee-cup in hand, bending down to her.
It is not George G.o.dolphin. So do not let your imagination run off to him. For all the world saw, George and Charlotte were as decorous in behaviour with each other as need be: and where Prior's Ash was picking up its ill-natured scandal from, Prior's Ash best knew. Others talked and laughed with Charlotte as much as George did; rode with her, admired her.
The gentleman, bending down to her now, appears to admire her. A tall, handsome man of eight-and-thirty years, with clearly-cut features, and dark luminous eyes. He is the nephew of that Mrs. Averil to whom Maria and Mrs. Hastings went to pay a visit. He has been away from the neighbourhood, until recently, for nearly three years; and this is the first time he has seen Charlotte at Prior's Ash since she was Mrs. Pain.
What does Charlotte promise herself by thus flirting with him--by laying out her charms to attract him?--as she is evidently doing. Is she thinking to make a second marriage? to win him, as she once thought to win George G.o.dolphin? Scarcely. One gentleman in the vicinity, who had thrown himself and his fortune at Charlotte's feet--and, neither fortune nor gentleman could be reckoned despicable--had been rejected with an a.s.surance that she would never marry again; and she spoke it with an earnestness that left no doubt of her sincerity. Charlotte liked her own liberty too well. She was no doubt perfectly aware that every husband would not feel inclined to accord it to her as entirely as had poor Rodolf Pain. He--the one with the coffee-cup in hand, talking to her--is plunging into a sea of blunders. As you may hear, if you listen to what he is saying.
”Yes, I have come back to find many things changed,” he was observing; ”things and people. Time, though but a three years' flight, leaves its mark behind it, Mrs. Pain. If you will allow me to remark it, I would say that you are almost the only one whom it has not changed--except for the better.”
”Your lords.h.i.+p has not lost your talent for flattery, I perceive,” was Charlotte's rejoinder.
”Nay, but I speak no flattery; I mean what I say,” was the peer's reply, given in an earnest spirit. He was an admirer of beauty; he admired Charlotte's: but to flatter was not one of the failings of Lord Averil.
Neither had he any ulterior object in view, save that of pa.s.sing ten minutes of the evening agreeably with Charlotte's help, ere he took his departure. If Charlotte thought he had, she was mistaken. Lord Averil's affections and hopes were given to one very different from Charlotte Pain.
”But it must be considerably more than three years since I saw you,”
resumed Lord Averil. ”It must be--I should think--nearer seven. You did not return to Prior's Ash--if I remember rightly--after you left it on your marriage.”
”I did not return to it,” replied Charlotte: ”but you have seen me since then, Lord Averil. Ah! your memory is treacherous. Don't you recollect accosting me in Rotten Row? It was soon after you lost your wife.”