Part 10 (1/2)

”I wish we could make you think better of it.”

”Of course I should like to stay, but--”

”Yes, there's always a but. I should have thought that, of all people in the world, you were the one most able to do just what you please with your time.”

”We have all got duties to do, John.”

”Of course we have; but why shouldn't it be your duty to make your relations happy? If you could only know how much I like your being here?”

Had it not been that she did not dare to do that for the son which she had refused to the mother, I think that she would have given way.

As it was, she did not know how to yield, after having persevered so long.

”You are all so kind,” she said, giving him her hand, ”that it goes to my heart to refuse you; but I'm afraid I can't. I do not wish to give my brother's wife cause to complain of me.”

”Then,” said Mr Ball, speaking very slowly, ”I must ask this favour of you, that you will let me see you alone for half an hour after dinner this evening.”

”Certainly,” said Miss Mackenzie.

”Thank you, Margaret. After tea I will go into the study, and perhaps you will follow me.”

CHAPTER VII

Miss Mackenzie Leaves the Cedars

There was something so serious in her cousin's request to her, and so much of gravity in his mode of making it, that Miss Mackenzie could not but think of it throughout the day. On what subject did he wish to speak to her in so solemn and special a manner? An idea of the possibility of an offer no doubt crossed her mind and fluttered her, but it did not do more than this; it did not remain fixed with her, or induce her to resolve what answer she would give if such offer were made. She was afraid to allow herself to think that such a thing could happen, and put the matter away from her,--uneasily, indeed, but still with so much resolution as to leave her with a conviction that she need not give any consideration to such an hypothesis.

And she was not at a loss to suggest to herself another subject. Her cousin had learned something about her money which he felt himself bound to tell her, but which he would not have told her now had she consented to remain at the Cedars. There was something wrong about the loan. This made her seriously unhappy, for she dreaded the necessity of discussing her brother's conduct with her cousin.

During the whole of the day Lady Ball was very courteous, but rather distant. Lady Ball had said to herself that Margaret would have stayed had she been in a disposition favourable to John Ball's hopes.

If she should decline the alliance with which the b.a.l.l.s proposed to honour her, then Lady Ball was prepared to be very cool. There would be an ingrat.i.tude in such a proceeding after the open-armed affection which had been shown to her which Lady Ball could not readily bring herself to forgive. Sir John, once or twice during the day, took up his little sarcasms against her supposed religious tendencies at Littlebath.

”You'll be glad to get back to Mr Stumfold,” he said.

”I shall be glad to see him, of course,” she answered, ”as he is a friend.”

”Mr Stumfold has a great many lady friends at Littlebath,” he continued.

”Yes, a great many,” said Miss Mackenzie, understanding well that she was being bullied.

”What a pity that there can be only one Mrs Stumfold,” snarled the baronet; ”it's often a wonder to me how women can be so foolish.”

”And it's often a wonder to me,” said Miss Mackenzie, ”how gentlemen can be so ill-natured.”

She had plucked up her spirits of late, and had resented Sir John's ill-humour.

At the usual hour Mr Ball came home to dinner, and Miss Mackenzie, as soon as she saw him, again became fluttered. She perceived that he was not at his ease, and that made her worse. When he spoke to the girls he seemed hardly to mind what he was saying, and he greeted his mother without any whispered tidings as to the share-market of the day.

Margaret asked herself if it could be possible that anything was very wrong about her own money. If the worst came to the worst she could but have lost that two thousand five hundred pounds and she would be able to live well enough without it. If her brother had asked her for it, she would have given it to him. She would teach herself to regard it as a gift, and then the subject would not make her unhappy.