Part 38 (1/2)

HOW LADY HELENA TOOK IT.

But the driving-party did not come off. The ruins of Eastlake Abbey were unvisited that day, at least. For while Edith and Trixy's somewhat unpleasant interview was taking place in one part of the house, an equally unpleasant, and much more mysterious, interview was taking place in another, and on the same subject.

Lady Helena had left the guests for awhile and gone to her own rooms.

The morning post had come in, bringing her several letters. One in particular she seized, and read with more eagerness than the others, dated London, beginning ”My Dear Aunt,” and signed ”Inez.” While she sat absorbed over it, in deep and painful thought evidently, there came a tap at the door; then it opened, and her nephew came in.

She crumpled her letter hurriedly in her hand, and put it out of sight.

She looked up with a smile of welcome; he was the ”apple of her eye,”

the darling of her life, the Benjamin of her childless old age--the fair-haired, pleasant-faced young baronet.

”Do I intrude?” he asked. ”Are you busy? Are your letters _very_ important this morning? If so--”

”Not important at all. Come in, Victor. I have been wis.h.i.+ng to speak to you of the invitations for next week's ball. Is it concerning the driving-party this afternoon you want to speak?”

”No, my dear aunt; something very much pleasanter than all the driving-parties in the world; something much more important to me.”

She looked at him more closely. His face was flushed, his eyes bright, a happy smile was on his lips. He had the look of a man to whom some great good fortune had suddenly come.

”Agreeably important, then, I am sure, judging by your looks. What a radiant face the lad has!”

”I have reason to look radiant. Congratulate me, Aunt Helena; I am the happiest man the wide earth holds.”

”My dear Victor!”

”Cannot you guess?” he said, still smiling; ”I always thought female relatives were particularly sharp-sighted in these matters. Must I really tell you? Have you no suspicions of my errand here?”

”I have not, indeed;” but she sat erect, and her fresh-colored, handsome old face grew pale. ”Victor, what is it? Pray speak out.”

”Very well. Congratulate me once more; I am going to be married.”

He stopped short, for with a low cry that was like a cry of fear, Lady Helena rose up. If he had said ”I am going to be hanged,” the consternation of her face could not have been greater. She put out her hand as though to ward off a blow.

”No, no!” she said, in that frightened voice; ”not married. For G.o.d's sake, Victor, don't say that!”

”Lady Helena!”

He sat looking at her, utterly confounded.

”It can't be true,” she panted. ”You don't mean that. You don't want to be married. You are too young--you are. I tell you I won't hear of it! What do boys like you want of wives!--only three-and-twenty!”

He laughed good-humoredly.

”My dear aunt, boys of three-and-twenty are tolerably well-grown; it isn't a bad age to marry. Why, according to Debrett, my father was only three-and-twenty when he brought home a wife and son to Catheron Royals.”

She sat down suddenly, her head against the back of a chair, her face quite white.

”Aunt Helena,” the young man said anxiously, approaching her, ”I have startled you; I have been too sudden with this. You look quite faint; what shall I get you?”

He seized a carafe of water, but she waved it away.