Part 3 (1/2)
Chapter 3: The Lost Treasure.
”And so it is to London thou wilt go--to the worthy wool stapler on the Bridge?” and Kate, mindful of her promise to her parents, strove to suppress the little grimace with which she was disposed to accompany her words--”at least so my father saith.”
”Yes: he has been giving me good counsel, and methinks that were a good beginning. I would gladly see London. Men talk of its wonders, and I can but sit and gape. I am aweary of the life of the forest--the dreary life of the Gate House. In London I shall see men--books--all the things my heart yearns after. And my mother's kindred will scarce deny me a home with them till I can find somewhat to do; albeit I barely know so much as their name, and my father has held no manner of communication with them these many years.”
”Perchance they will not receive thee,” suggested Kate, with a laughing look in her eyes. ”Then, good Cuthbert, thou wilt be forced to trust to thine own mother wit for a livelihood. Then perchance thou wilt not despise my poor little letter to my good cousin Lord Culverhouse.”
”Despise aught of yours, sweet Kate! Who has dared to say such a thing?” asked Cuthbert hotly. ”Any missive delivered to my keeping by your hands shall be doubly precious. I will deliver it without fail, be it to mine own advancement or no.”
”Belike I shall claim your good offices yet, Master Letter Carrier,” answered Kate, with a laugh and a blush; ”and I trow my cousin will like you none the less for being bearer of my epistle. But I am not to commend you to his good graces, as once I meant. It is to your relatives you are first to look for help. It is like rubbing the bloom off a ripe peach--all the romance is gone in a moment! I had hoped that a career of adventure and glory lay before you, and behold the goal is a home beneath a wool stapler's roof!”
But there Kate caught herself up and blushed, bethinking what her parents would say could they hear her words.
But Cuthbert did not read the underlying scorn in merry Kate's tones. He was a very simple-minded youth, and his life and training had not been such as to teach him much about the various grades in the world, or how greatly these grades differed one from the other. He was looking at his cousin's bright face with thoughtful, questioning eyes, so much so that the girl asked him of what he was thinking.
”Marry of thee, Mistress Kate,” he answered; for though encouraged to speak on terms of equality with his kinsfolk, he found some difficulty in remembering to do so, and they certainly appeared to him in the light of beings from another and a higher sphere than his own. ”I was longing to ask of thee a question.”
”Ask on, good Master Cuthbert,” was the ready reply; ”I will answer to the best of my humble ability.”
”I have heard of this Lord Culverhouse from many beneath this roof since I have been here. I would fain know who he is.”
”That is easy told. He is the eldest son of mine uncle, my mother's brother, the fourth Earl of Andover. His eldest son bears the t.i.tle of Viscount Culverhouse, and he is, of course, our cousin. When we were in London we saw much of these relatives of ours, and were grieved to part from them when we left. Now, is it understood?”
”Yes, verily. And tell me this one thing more, fair cousin, if it be not a malapert question. Is it not true that thou art to wed with this Lord Culverhouse one day?”
Kate's face was dyed by a most becoming blush. Her eyes sparkled in a charming fas.h.i.+on. Her expression, half arch, half grave, was bewitching to see, but she laid her fingers on her lips as she whispered:
”Hush, hus.h.!.+ who told thee that, good Cuthbert? Methinks thou hast over-sharp eyes and ears.”
”I prithee pardon me if I have seen and heard too much,” answered Cuthbert; ”but I had a fancy--”
He stopped, stammering, blus.h.i.+ng, and Kate took pity on his confusion.
”I am not vexed,” she said, smiling; ”and in very sooth thou hast divined what is in part the truth. But we do not dare talk of it yet. There be so many weighty matters against us.”
Cuthbert looked keenly interested. He was very fond of this sprightly cousin of his, who was so amusing, so kindly, and so sisterly in her ways. She had more ease of manner, as well as brightness of temperament, than her sisters, and her company had been a source of great pleasure to him. The girl saw the look of sympathetic curiosity upon his face, and she drew her chair a little nearer to that which he occupied, stirring up the logs upon the glowing hearth into a brighter blaze.
”I' faith, Cuthbert, I will gladly tell thee all there is to know, it is not much; and I like thee well, and trust thee to boot. Nor is it such a mighty secret that Culverhouse would fain make me his bride, and that I would give myself to him tomorrow an I might. I am not ashamed of loving him,” cried the girl, her dark eyes flas.h.i.+ng as she threw hack her dainty head with a gesture of pride and womanly dignity, ”for he is a right n.o.ble gentleman, and worthy of any maiden's love; but whether we shall ever be united in wedlock--ah, that is a vastly different matter!” and she heaved a quick little sigh.
”But wherefore not?” asked Cuthbert quickly. ”Where could he find a more beauteous or worthy wife?”
Kate gave him a little bow of acknowledgment for his compliment, but her face was slightly more grave as she made answer:
”It is not, alack! a question of dislike to me. Were that all, I might hope to win the favour of stern hearts, and bring the matter to a happy conclusion. But no; mine uncle of Andover likes me well. He openly says as much, and he has been a kind friend to us. And yet I may not wed his son; and his kindness makes it the harder for Culverhouse to do aught to vex or defy him.”
”But why may you not?” asked Cuthbert quickly.
”There be more reasons than one, but I will tell you all in brief. My own father mislikes the thought of the match, for that we are cousins of the first degree; and though we Trevlyns of the older branch no longer call ourselves the servants and followers of Rome, yet old traditions linger long in the blood, and my father has always set his face against a marriage betwixt cousins nearest akin.”