Part 23 (1/2)
”Dunno, sah; maybe witches roun'; 'spect dat de splanation ob de mattah.”
”Oh, of course,” laughed the gentleman; ”but one hardly expects such company at a wedding.”
Questions were put to Mr. and Mrs. Embury and others as the guests drew together again upon the conclusion of the meal, but no satisfactory answers were elicited.
A reception occupied some hours after that, then all returned to their homes, to meet again at Viamede in the evening, where a beautiful and bountiful entertainment awaited them.
The next evening a smaller party was given at the Parsonage, and on the following afternoon the bride and groom took their departure for a little trip northward, expecting to settle down in their own home upon their return.
CHAPTER XIII.
IT was only the next day after the departure of Betty and her husband that a letter was received by Mrs. Cyril Keith, informing her of the death of her aunt Delaford, leaving the bulk of her large fortune to her, and a fat legacy to each of the Conley brothers--Calhoun, Arthur, Walter, and Ralph--and the sisters Virginia and Ella.
Isadore was well satisfied with the provisions of the will, as were the others also, with the exception of Virginia, who frowned and grumbled audibly that she herself might have been made to share equally with Isadore, who had a good home and husband already, therefore really needed less than herself, ”lone and lorn, and poor as a church mouse.”
”But you have no children, Virgie,” said her cousin Elsie, in whose presence the remark was made, ”no one to support but yourself; and the interest of this money will be sufficient for your comfortable maintenance.”
”Possibly, if I had a home, as Isa has; but not without,” returned Virginia in a pettish tone, while her eyes flashed angrily.
Elsie bore patiently with the rebuff, and said no more at that time, but considered the matter earnestly, carefully, and prayerfully, in the privacy of her own room, then had a talk about it with her father, without whose approval she seldom took a step of any great importance.
Finding him alone on the veranda, ”Papa,” she said, taking a seat by his side, ”I want a few minutes' chat with you before we are joined by anyone else. You heard Virginia's complaint of yesterday--that she had no home of her own. I have been thinking it over, also of the fact that d.i.c.k and Bob are in the same condition, and it has occurred to me that I might invite them to take possession here while we are absent at our more northern home, giving employment to the servants, keeping the house in repair, and the grounds in order; that is, merely overseeing the work and looking to me for the means necessary to cover the expense, I to retain my present satisfactory overseer, and pay his wages out of the returns from the crops; also those of the laborers.”
”You mean that you would simply give a home here to your cousins?”
returned Mr. Dinsmore interrogatively.
”Yes, sir; a home without expense--except, perhaps, some small increase of the wages of the servants in consideration of the additional work made for them, and a share of the fruits, vegetables, fowls, and so forth, raised upon the plantation.”
”A share? meaning all they might want to use? the 'and so forth' I suppose, meaning milk, cream, b.u.t.ter, and eggs?”
”Yes, sir.”
”I should call it a very generous offer, and I have no objection to bring it forward, seeing that you are well able to afford it, if it is your pleasure so to do.”
”I am glad my project meets with your approval,” she said, with a smile, ”for otherwise, as I think you know, papa, it would never be carried out. Ah, how thankful I should be, and I hope I am, that I have been given the financial ability to do such kindness to others!”
”Yes,” he said, with an affectionate smile into the soft brown eyes looking into his; ”I know of no one who enjoys doing kindness more than my dear eldest daughter.
”What a delightful winter and early spring we have had here,” he continued after a pause; ”but it is now growing so warm that I think we must soon be moving northward.”
”Yes, sir; when the last arrivals have had a week or more of the enjoyment to be found in this lovely region of country.”
”Yes; they are enjoying it,” he said, with a pleased smile; ”the younger ones especially, the children of your brother and sister not less than the others. And by the way, daughter, I think you will be doing no little kindness to your cousins Cyril and Isadore by giving Virginia a home here.”
”Yes, I think their home life will be more peaceful,” she said in a.s.sent. ”Poor Virgie seems to be not of--the happiest or most contented disposition.”
”No, she never was,” said Mr. Dinsmore; ”a discontented, fretful, complaining creature she has always been since I have known her, and she was a very little child when our acquaintance began.”