Part 42 (2/2)

”Oh, no, father.”

”It is not, I say, that he is a lord, or that he is rich, or that he is comely to the eyes, that I would have thee go to him as his wife.

It is because thou and he love each other, as it is the ordinance of the Lord Almighty that men and women should do. Marriage is honourable, and I, thy father, would fain see thee married. I believe the young man to be good and true. I could give thee to him, lord though he be, with a trusting heart, and think that in so disposing of my child I had done well for her. Think of this, Marion, if it be not already too late.” All this he had said standing, so that he was able to leave the room without the ceremony of rising from his chair.

Without giving her a moment for reply, having his hand on the lock of the door as he uttered the last words of his counsel to her, he marched off, leaving her alone.

It may be doubted whether at the moment she could have found words for reply, so full was her heart with the feelings that were crowded there. But she was well aware that all her father's words could go for nothing. Of only one thing was she sure,--that no counsel, no eloquence, no love would ever induce her to become the wife of Lord Hampstead.

CHAPTER VII.

MRS. DEMIJOHN'S PARTY.

Mrs. Demijohn presents her compliments to Mr. Crocker, and begs the honour of his company to tea at nine o'clock on Wednesday, 31st of December, to see the New Year in.

R.I.V.P. (Do come, C. D.)

10, Paradise Row, Holloway.

29th December, 18--.

This note was delivered to Crocker on his arrival at his office on the morning of Sat.u.r.day, the 27th.

It must be explained that Crocker had lately made the acquaintance of Miss Clara Demijohn without any very formal introduction. Crocker, with that determination which marked his character, in pursuit of the one present purport of his mind to effect a friendly reconciliation with George Roden, had taken himself down to Holloway, and had called at No. 11, thinking that he might induce his friend's mother to act on his behalf in a matter appertaining to peace and charity. Mrs.

Roden had unhappily been from home, but he had had the good fortune to encounter Miss Demijohn. Perhaps it was that she had seen him going in and out of the house, and had a.s.sociated him with the great mystery of the young n.o.bleman; perhaps she had been simply attracted by the easy air with which he c.o.c.ked his hat and swung his gloves;--or, perhaps it was simply chance. But so it was that in the gloom of the evening she met him just round the corner opposite to the ”d.u.c.h.ess of Edinburgh,” and the happy acquaintance was commenced.

No doubt, as in all such cases, it was the gentleman who spoke first.

Let us, at any rate, hope so for the sake of Paradise Row generally.

Be that as it may, before many minutes were over she had explained to him that Mrs. Roden had gone out in a cab soon after dinner, and that probably something was up at Wimbledon, as Mrs. Roden never went anywhere else, and this was not the day of the week on which her visits to Mrs. Vincent were generally made. Crocker, who was simplicity itself, soon gave her various details as to his own character and position in life. He, too, was a clerk in the Post Office, and was George Roden's particular friend. ”Oh, yes; he knew all about Lord Hampstead, and was, he might say, intimately acquainted with his lords.h.i.+p. He had been in the habit of meeting his lords.h.i.+p at Castle Hautboy, the seat of his friend, Lord Persiflage, and had often ridden with his lords.h.i.+p in the hunting-field. He knew all about Lady Frances and the engagement, and had had the pleasure of making the acquaintance of her ladys.h.i.+p. He had been corresponding lately with Lord Hampstead on the subject. No;--he had not as yet heard anything of Marion Fay, the Quaker's daughter. Then Clara had something to say on her side. She quite understood that if she expected to be communicated with, she also must communicate; and moreover, young Mr. Crocker was by his age, appearance, and s.e.x, just such a one as prompted her to be communicative without loss of self-respect. What was the good of telling things to Mrs. Duffer, who was only an old widow without any friends, and with very small means of existence? She had communicated her secrets to Mrs. Duffer simply from want of a better pair of ears into which she could pour them.

But here was one in telling secrets to whom she could take delight, and who had secrets of his own to give in return. It is not to be supposed that the friends.h.i.+p which arose grew from the incidents of one meeting only. On that first evening Crocker could not leave the fair one without making arrangements for a further interview, and so the matter grew. The intimacy between them was already of three days'

standing when the letter of invitation above given reached Crocker's hands. To tell the very truth, the proposed party was made up chiefly for Crocker's sake. What is the good of having a young man if you cannot show him to your friends?

”Crocker!” said Mrs. Demijohn to her niece; ”where did you pick up Crocker?”

”What questions you do ask, aunt! Pick him up, indeed!”

”So you have--; picked him up, as you're always a doing with young men. Only you never know how to keep 'em when you've got 'em.”

”I declare, aunt, your vulgarity is unbearable.”

”I'm not going to have any Crocker in my house,” said the old woman, ”unless I know where he comes from. Perhaps he's a counter-skipper.

He may be a ticket-of-leave man for all you know.”

”Aunt Jemima, you're so provoking that I sometimes think I shall have to leave you.”

”Where will you go to, my dear?”

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