Part 35 (1/2)

”Then they did send the bouquets,” thought Clotilde; and her heart sank at the thought of their aunts' innuendoes meaning anything serious.

Had she or her sister any doubts, they were soon chased away; for, though this was made quite a formal visit, there was a something quite unmistakable in their visitors' ways.

Lord Henry and Elbraham had encountered close by the door, and a look of distrust overspread their features as they exchanged an exceedingly cool salutation; but soon after their meeting the elder and the younger sisters, matters seemed so satisfactory, that their b.r.e.a.s.t.s expanded with quite a brotherly feeling.

Elbraham had the natural dislike of a man of his stamp for one who happened to be high-born, and was by nature refined and amiable; while Lord Henry, with his gentlemanly notions of polish, felt rather a shrinking from the blatant man of the world, whose manners were not always separated from the dross that clings to badly-refined metal. But in a very short time each saw that he was on a different route, and that there was no likelihood of their clas.h.i.+ng in their onward journey.

The Honourable sisters were amiability itself, and played most cleverly into their visitors' hands; while, in spite of a feeling of repugnance and disgust at the idea of their being, as it were, sold into bondage to men so much older than themselves, and so very far from their hearts'

ideal of a lover, both Clotilde and Marie felt flattered.

For as Clotilde listened to Elbraham's deep voice, and gazed unflinchingly in his coa.r.s.e face, she saw through him, as it were, and beyond him, visions of life and gaiety, of a princely establishment, with servants and carriages and plate, and, for her own special use, the richest of dresses, the brightest of bonnets, and jewels as many as she would.

Marie, too, as she listened to the polished, deferential remarks of Lord Henry Moorpark, and saw the deep interest and admiration that beamed from his eyes, could not help thoughts of a similar character crossing her mind. Lord Henry was certainly old, but he was the perfection of all that was gentlemanly, and his deference for the young and beautiful woman to whom he was certainly paying his court had for her something that was very grateful to her feelings, while it was flattering to her self-esteem.

But interposing, as it were, between them and the visitors, the frank, manly countenance of Marcus Glen was constantly rising before the young girls' vision, making them thoughtful and distant as their visitors chatted on. This, however, only added to their attraction, especially in Lord Henry's eyes. To him even the shabby furniture and their simple dresses lent a piquancy that he would have missed had they been elsewhere; and at last, when he rose to take his leave, both gentlemen stepped out into the open air feeling as if their paths were in future to be strewn with roses, and ready to become brothers on the spot.

”Shall we take a walk in the gardens for a few minutes, my lord?” said Elbraham, as they stood together outside.

”With much pleasure, Mr Elbraham,” replied Lord Henry.

”Then I'll just hook on,” said Elbraham.

He did ”hook on”--to wit, he took Lord Henry's arm; and that gentleman did not shrink, but walked with the millionaire down one of the broad walks between the trim lawns, both for the time being silent.

”I'm a man of the world,” said Mr Elbraham at last.

”Indeed,” said Lord Henry.

”Yes, my lord, and I'm going to speak out like a man of that sort.”

Lord Henry bowed and smiled, for he had Marie's great dark eyes before him, and the memory was very pleasant at the time.

”Just an hour ago, my lord, when I met you at that door, I felt as if we two were to be enemies.”

”Indeed,” said Lord Henry again. ”Yes, my lord; but now I don't think we are.”

”Surely not.”

”To be plain then, my lord, I am going to propose in due form for the hand of Miss Clotilde.”

Lord Henry stopped short, with his eyes half-closed, and one foot beating the gravel as if he were thinking out an answer to the remark made by the man who held his arm.

”Well, my lord, what have you got to say?”

”Not much,” said Lord Henry, rousing himself; ”but I will be frank and plain to you, Mr Elbraham, though no one is more surprised at this change in my prospects than I. You are going to propose for the hand of Miss Clotilde, one of the most beautiful women I ever saw.”

”Eh!” exclaimed Elbraham, whose jaw dropped, ”don't say that.”

”But I do say it,” said Lord Henry, smiling, and looking very dreamy and thoughtful: ”the most beautiful woman I ever saw--except her sister--for whose hand I shall become a candidate myself.”