Part 38 (1/2)

”You remember I informed you in Mobile I meant to sell my Orleans property, as I would not occupy it under existing rule;” to which explanation Matthew Loring actually beamed commendation, ”well, I left it in the hands of my business man with orders to invest the money from the sale in some interior plantations not under Federal control.

I wanted a house furnished, colonial by choice--some historical mansion preferred. The particular reason for this is, I have no relatives, no children to provide for, and the fancy has come to me for endowing some educational inst.i.tution in your land, and for such purpose a mansion such as I suggested would, in all ways be preferable. Well, they forwarded me a list of properties. I sent them back unread lest I should covet them all, for they all would cost so little! I repeated to them the description Madame McVeigh had given me of your ancestral home, my dear sir, and told them to secure me a property possessing just such advantages as yours does--near enough to the coast for yachting, and far enough from cities to be out of social chains, except the golden one of friends.h.i.+p,” she added, letting her eyes rest graciously on her listeners. ”Well, can you surmise the result of that order?”

Each looked at the other in wonder; her smile told half the truth.

”I am afraid to put my surmise in words,” confessed Mrs. McVeigh, ”for fear of disappointment.”

”I'm not!” and Evilena flourished her napkin to emphasize her delight, ”its Loringwood! Oh, oh, Madame Caron, you've bought Loringwood!”

Margeret was entering the room with a small tray containing something for Mr. Loring, whose meals she prepared personally. Delaven, who was facing her, saw her grow ashen, and her eyes closed as though struck a physical blow; a gla.s.s from the tray s.h.i.+vered on the floor, as he sprang up and saved her from falling.

”What ails you, Margeret?” asked Gertrude, with the ring of the silver sounding through her tones. ”There--she is all right again, Dr.

Delaven. Don't come into the dining room in future unless you feel quite well. Uncle can't endure crashes, or nervous people, about him.”

”I know; I beg pardon, Miss Gertrude, Mistress McVeigh,” and Margeret's manner was above reproach in its respectful humility, though Delaven observed that the firm lips were white; ”the kitchen was very warm. I--I was faint for a minute.”

”Never mind about the gla.s.s, Caroline will pick it up,” said Mrs.

McVeigh, kindly; ”you go lay down awhile, it is very warm in the kitchen. Dilsey always will have a tremendous fire, even to fry an egg on; go along now--go rest where it's cool.”

Margeret bent her head in mute acknowledgment of the kindness, and pa.s.sed out of the room. Mr. Loring had pushed his plate away with an impatient frown, signifying that breakfast was over for him, any way.

Delaven, noticing his silence and the grim expression on his face, wondered if he, too, was doubtful of that excuse uttered by the woman.

The kitchen, no doubt, was warm, but he had seen her face as she heard Evilena's delighted exclamation; it was the certainty that Loringwood was actually sold--Loringwood, and that grave under the pines?

Possibly she had fostered hope that it might not be yet--not for a long time, and the suddenness of it had been like a physical shock to the frail, devoted woman. He had reasoned it out like that, and his warm, Irish heart ached for her as she left the room, and, glancing about the table, he concluded that only Matthew Loring and himself suspected the truth, or knew the real reason of her emotion, though the eyes of the Marquise did show a certain frank questioning as they met his own.

”Margeret's fit just frightened the plantation away for a minute,”

resumed Evilena, ”but do own up, Madame Caron, is it Loringwood?”

”Yes,” a.s.sented Judithe, ”the letter from my lawyer, this morning, informs me it is really Loringwood.”

”I am very much pleased to hear it, Madame,” and Matthew Loring's tone was unusually hearty. ”Since we part with it at all, I am pleased that no scrub stock gets possession. The place is perfectly adapted to the use you have planned, and instead of falling into neglect, the old home will become a monument to progress.”

”So I hope,” replied Judithe, with a subtle light, as of stars, in the depths of her eyes; ”I am especially delighted to find that the old furnis.h.i.+ngs remain; it would be difficult for me to collect articles so in keeping with the entire scheme of arrangement, and it would make a discord to introduce new things from the shops.”

”You will find no discords of _that_ sort at Loringwood,” said Gertrude, speaking for the first time; ”and, I hope, not many of any kind. Many of the heavy, ma.s.sive old things I disliked to part with, but they would be out of place at the Pines, or, in fact, in any house less s.p.a.cious. Like uncle, I am pleased it goes into the keeping of one who appreciates the artistic fitness of the old-fas.h.i.+oned furnis.h.i.+ngs.”

”Which she has never seen yet,” supplemented Evilena, as Judithe received this not very cordial compliment with a little bow and a brilliant smile.

”We will remedy that just as soon as we can secure an invitation from the present lady of the manor,” she said, in mock confidence to Evilena, across the table, at which the rest laughed, and Mr. Loring declared that now she was the lady of the manor herself, and his one regret was that he and his niece were not there to make her first entrance a welcome one.

”That would certainly add to the pleasure of the visit,” and her smile was most gracious. ”But even your wish to welcome me makes it all the more delightful. I shall remember it when I first enter the door.”

Gertrude made an effort to be cordial, but that it was an effort Mrs.

McVeigh easily discerned, and when they were alone, she turned to her in wonder: