The Star-Gazers Part 16

"Ben Hayle's a fool," cried Rolph, angrily, "and you and Madge here are half-crazy. Let's have an end of it. Once for all, mother, I mean to do exactly as I like, and I have done as I liked."

Mrs Rolph started forward in her chair, and Marjorie's lips tightened.

"What do you mean, Rob?" cried the former.

"You want to see me married, I believe?"

"I want to see you prove yourself an honourable gentleman--a worthy son of your father, not a man for whom I should blush."

"All right, then. I've taken the right steps for settling into a quiet, country gentleman. I'm going to be married."

Marjorie's eyes flashed.

"Rob, you will not be so mad as to marry that girl?"

"Yes, I shall," he said coolly.

"Then I have done with you for ever. Judith Hayle may come here when I am in my grave, but till then--"

"Let the churchyard alone, mother. Do you think I'm such a fool as to marry a poacher's daughter?"

"Rob! Then you have repented!" cried Mrs Rolph excitedly, and Marjorie trembled and sank upon her knees to cling to her aunt's waist.

"Oh, yes, I've repented, and I'm going to be a very good boy and get married soon."

"Madge, my dear child!" cried Mrs Rolph, embracing the girl at her feet.

"There, don't get filling her head full of false hopes, the same as you did Judy Hayle's mother," said Rolph brutally. "I went yesterday and proposed, and have been accepted."

Marjorie's breath came and went in a low hiss as she turned her wild eyes upon her cousin.

"Proposed? To whom? Rob, not to that pert, penniless girl at The Firs?"

"What, the moon-shooter's sister!" cried Rolph. "Hah! nice, little, bright-eyed thing. But no: try again."

Mrs Rolph rose excitedly from her chair, and Marjorie's hands dropped from her waist as she crouched lower upon the carpet.

"Not John Day's daughter--Glynne?"

"Good guess, mother. Glynne Day is to be my wife by-and-by. The old man is agreeable and the major isn't. So now, the sooner you go and call upon them and make it all right the better."

Poor Marjorie dropped out of Mrs Rolph's sight.

"Rob! my dear boy!" she cried as she flung her arms about her son's neck to kiss him fondly, while Marjorie rose slowly, looking white even to her lips, and with a peculiar smile dawning upon them as her eyes flashed upon the group before her.

"I knew I could trust you, Rob," cried Mrs Rolph; and then, recollecting herself, "Madge, my poor child, I am very sorry, but, you see, it was not to be."

"No, auntie dear," said the girl, with the smile growing more marked; "marriages are made in Heaven, you know. I shall not mind--much. Of course the great aim of all our lives was to see dear Rob happy. Glynne Day is very beautiful and sweet, and a daughter of whom you will be quite proud. I should be deceitful if I did not own to being grievously disappointed, but, as was natural, Rob's love for me has only been that of a brother for a sister"--she fixed Rolph's eyes as she spoke, and his turned s.h.i.+ftily away--"and if I have been a little silly, the pain will soon wear off. Glynne Day. How nice. I'm sure I shall love her very much, though she is rather cold. Isn't she, Rob?"

"That is very nice of you, Madge, my dear," said Mrs Rolph, embracing her niece. "And who knows how soon another prince may come, my dear."

"Oh, aunt!"

"And you will try to forget all this?"

"Of course, aunt, dear. It was fate," said the girl innocently.

"And--and you will not mind going over to Brackley with me to call?"

"I, mind? Oh, auntie, I should be horribly disappointed if you did not take me. There, Rob," she continued, with a little sigh, "that's all over, and I congratulate you--brother; and I shall kiss dearest Glynne as I kiss you now."

"Humph! thought she was going to bite me," muttered Rolph. Then aloud, "Well, Madge, it was a bit of a flirtation, I own. Now, then, as you've behaved like a trump, so will I. What shall it be--a pearl locket, or diamonds, or a bracelet?"

"Oh, how good and generous you are, Rob dear. How nice of you!" cried Marjorie in gus.h.i.+ng tones. "I have so often longed for a sapphire bracelet."

"Then you shall have one," said Rolph, but not quite so warmly as he had spoken before. "I'm off now."

"Won't you stay to lunch, dear?" said Mrs Rolph.

"No. I shall have a sandwich in my room. I'm training. I say! can you go over this afternoon?"

"Of course we will, dear," said Mrs Rolph, warmly; and there was a look of relief in her eyes.

"Then that's all settled," said Rolph; and he left the room, not noticing the hard look in his cousin's eyes. "Sorry about poor old Ben Hayle," he muttered as he went to his own room. "But perhaps it's best.

Going to be married, and must be a good boy now."

Then a thought struck him, and he hurried back to the drawing-room, to surprise Marjorie upon her knees, with her face buried in Mrs Rolph's lap.

"Oh, beg pardon," he said, hastily; "but look here, mother; don't be quite so hard on Ben Hayle. I mean as to a day or two."

"Leave that to me, Rob--please," said Mrs Rolph.

"Oh, all right," he cried, and he went right off this time. "Poor little Madge! but she won't be long before she hooks another fish. Bet a sov. she tries it on with the astronomer; but I must go and smooth it down a bit at the lodge. What a blessing it is to have nearly enough coin. That bracelet did wonders; but Judy mustn't play quite so high, and, as for Ben--well he's my mother's man, and--I know; I'll let him keep that old gun."

Volume 1, Chapter IX.

ATTRACTION AND REPULSION.

Rolph dined at Brackley that evening, and found Sir John in the best of spirits. Glynne was bright and eager to show him the progress she had made with her painting, at the sight of which he started as they stood together in the drawing-room.

"But I say, Glynne, you know, this is doosid clever and ought to go to the Academy; only, hang it all! you mustn't get painting fellows like that."

"Why not?"

"Because--because--well, you see the fellow's a regular scamp--dangerous sort of a character, you know--been in prison for poaching, and that sort of thing."

"But he's such a patient model."

"Model, eh? Not my idea of a model. Look here, if you want some one to sit, you shall have me."