Part 21 (1/2)
”To be sure I will; and I've got an idea in my head that will take the s.h.i.+ne out of your treaty for I'll have a display of fireworks.”
”There, Betsey, I never thought of no fireworks; and we might have had a regular show off. I never thought of them. Oh!”
”You could not have made the children happier, Mr Burge, if you had remembered the fireworks,” said Hazel, coming to the rescue. ”They thoroughly enjoyed themselves.”
”Well, I meant 'em to. Miss Thorne; I meant 'em to, indeed.”
”I agree with Miss Thorne,” said Canninge, ”and my first step will be to come here for your help.”
”And you shall have it too, sir, hearty; that you shall.”
”You will come and take off your things now, my dear,” said Miss Burge then. ”Mr Canninge will excuse us, I'm sure; and, bless me, if here isn't Mr Lambent coming up the drive.”
George Canninge felt disposed to go, but thought he would stay, and waited; while the bell was heard to clang, the steps of the servant followed, and a short colloquy was heard, resulting in the vicar leaving his card, and turning away.
”Why, he ain't coming in,” said Mr William Forth Burge, running to the door, and then halfway down the drive.
No; he would not come in, the vicar said quietly. Not to-day. He only wished to know if Miss Burge was well, and he walked away, frowningly thinking of George Canninge's horse, which he knew well by sight, as the groom was walking it slowly up and down by the entrance to the stable-yard.
He had not seen it till he was close up, and he felt disposed to turn back, but it was too late. He had heard from the servant that Hazel Thorne was present as well, and he parted from the giver of school treats soon afterwards, feeling bitter at heart and low-spirited more than he could account for at the time.
”He wouldn't come in,” said Mr William Forth Burge, hurrying back into the drawing-room panting and looking warm. ”I told him you was here.”
”Busy, perhaps,” said George Canninge quietly, though he told himself directly after that it was an absurd remark, for if the Reverend Henry Lambent had been busy he would not have devoted the day to making calls.
”Well now, you must excuse us, Mr Canninge, for brother will talk to you while we go upstairs.”
”I must ask you to excuse me too,” said George Canninge, rising and thinking of the vicar's visit, which it was certainly strange should have been paid at the time Miss Thorne was there. ”My horse is hot, and I must not leave him any longer. I met Miss Thorne on the way, and the sight of her reminded me of my want of civility in not coming sooner.
Now I'll say good-day. Miss Burge, I shall never forget your compliment.”
”Which it was not a compliment at all, sir, but just what I honestly thought,” replied Miss Burge, shaking hands.
”Then I shall esteem the remark all the more,” he said, smiling, and delighting the little lady by his frankness and hearty way. Then, turning to where Hazel was standing:
”Good-day, Miss Thorne,” he said; and there was something so frank and matter-of-fact in the way in which he shook hands that Hazel's eyes brightened; and he went away, mounting at the door, and walking his horse down to the gate, with stout Mr William Forth Burge holding on by the mane, and talking loudly the while.
George Canninge's replies sounded manly and ready enough, but all the time he was thinking of Hazel Thorne's sweet ingenuous smile, and he rode away at a brisk canter, as if he meant to go over Samuel Chute, seeing only that there was some one by the side of the road, for he was picturing that smile, and more than once he repeated to himself the words:
”Only a schoolmistress!”
Then, after a pause, as he was well clear of the town:
”Well, what of that? It is a most worthy pursuit and she is a thorough lady in every word and look.”
CHAPTER TWENTY.
THE COMING STRUGGLE.
Was there ever a young schoolmaster or mistress yet who did not view with a strange feeling of tribulation the coming of inspection day, when that awful being, Her Majesty's Inspector of Schools for such and such a district, is expected down to make his report and add to or deduct so many pounds sterling from the teacher's pay?