Part 30 (1/2)
Mr. Musgrave on acquaintance proves as great a success as his cousin: indeed, to like one is to like the other, as no twins could be more similar. He takes very kindly to the house and all its inmates, and is, after one day's a.s.sociation, as much at home with them as though they had been his chosen intimates all his life.
His disposition is certainly sweeter than Lilian's,--bad temper of any sort being quite unknown to him; whereas Miss Chesney possesses a will of her own, and a very quick temper indeed. He is bright, sunny, lovable in disposition, and almost ”without guile.” So irresistible is he that even Miss Beauchamp smiles upon him, and is singularly gracious to him, considering he is not only a youngster but--far worse--a detrimental.
He has one very princ.i.p.al charm. Unlike all the youthful soldiers it has been my misfortune to meet, he does not spend his days wearying his friends with a vivid description of his rooms, his daily duties when on parade, his colonel, and his brother officers. For this grace alone his familiars should love him and be grateful to him.
Nevertheless, he is so far human that, the evening after his arrival, he whispers to Lilian how he has brought his uniform with him, for her inspection only. Whereupon Lilian, delighted, desires him to go up that instant and put it on, that she may pa.s.s judgment upon him without delay. No, she will not wait another second; she cannot know peace or happiness until she beholds him in all his grandeur.
After a faint demur, and the suggestion that as it is late he could scarcely get it on and have time afterward to dress for dinner, he gives in, and, binding her to secrecy, runs up-stairs, having named a certain time for her to follow him.
Half an hour later, Miss Beauchamp, sweeping slowly along the corridor up-stairs, hears the sound of merriment coming from young Musgrave's room, and stops short.
Is that Lilian's voice? surely it is; and in her cousin's room! The door is almost closed,--not quite; and, overcome by curiosity, she lays her hand against it, and, pus.h.i.+ng it gently open, glances in.
Before the dressing-table, clothed in military garments of the most _recherche_ description, is Taffy, while opposite to him, full of open admiration, stands Miss Chesney. Taffy is struggling with some part of his dress that declines to fall into a right position, and Lilian is flouting him merrily for the evident inexperience he betrays.
Florence, astonished--nay, electrified--by this scene, stands motionless. A young woman in a young man's bedroom! Oh, shocking! To her carefully educated mind, the whole thing borders on the improper, while to have it occur in such a well-regulated household as Chetwoode fills her with genuine horror.
So struck is she by the criminality of it all that she might have stayed there until now, but that a well-known step coming up the stairs warns her that eavesdropping is not the most honorable position to be caught in. She moves away, and presently finds herself face to face with Guy.
He is coming lazily along the corridor, but stops as he sees her.
”What is it, Florence? You look frightened,” he says, half jestingly.
”No, not frightened,” Florence answers, coldly, ”though I confess I am a good deal amazed,”--her tone says ”disgusted,” and Guy knows the tone.
”Really, that girl seems absolutely ignorant of the common decencies of society!”
”Of whom are you speaking?” asks Guy, coloring.
”Of whom can I say such things but Lilian? She is the only one of my acquaintance deserving of such a remark, and it is not my fault that we are acquainted. I think it is clearly Aunt Anne's duty to speak to her, or yours. There are moments when one positively blushes for her.”
”Why, what has she been doing?” asks Guy, overcome with astonishment at this outburst on the part of the usually calm Florence.
”Doing! Do you not hear her in her cousin's room? Is that the proper place for a young lady?”
At this instant a sound of laughter coming from Mr. Musgrave's apartment gives truth to her accusations, and with a slight but expressive shrug of her white shoulders, Florence sails majestically down the stairs, while Sir Guy instinctively moves on toward Taffy's quarters.
Miss Beauchamp's touch has left the door quite open, so that, standing on the threshold, he can see clearly all that is within.
By this time Taffy is quite arrayed, having finally resorted to his cousin's help.
”There!” says Lilian, triumphantly, ”now you are ready. Oh! I say, Taffy, how nice you do look!”
”No; do I?” returns Mr. Musgrave, with admirable modesty, regarding himself bashfully though complacently in a full-length mirror. His tall young figure is well drawn up, his head erect; unconsciously he has a.s.sumed all the full-blown, starchy airs of a military swell. ”Does the coat fit well, do you think?” he asks, turning to await her answer with doubtful anxiety.
”It is simply perfection,” returns she rea.s.suringly, ”not a wrinkle in it. Certainly you owe your tailor something for turning you out so well.”
”I do,” says Taffy, feelingly.
”I had no idea it would make such a difference in you,” goes on Lilian; ”you look quite grown up.”