Thereby Hangs a Tale Part 38

Fin began to bristle on the instant; her bright eyes flashed, and the laughing dimples fled as if in dismay, as she threw down her challenge to her aunt.

"Why, aunt," said the girl, quickly, "one of the grooms said pa didn't hardly know a horse's head from its tail."

"Oh, Fin, my dear!" cried mamma.

"Which of the grooms made use of that insolent remark?" cried Aunt Matty. "If I have any influence with your papa, that man will be discharged on the instant."

"I think it was Thomas, aunt, who makes so much fuss over Pepine," said Fin, maliciously.

"I'm quite sure that Thomas is too respectable and well-conducted a servant to say such a thing," said Aunt Matty. "It was my doing that your papa engaged him; for he came with a letter of introduction from the Reverend Caius Carney, who spoke very highly indeed of his honesty and pious ways."

"Oh, aunty," cried Fin, "and he swears like a trooper!"

Aunt Matilda went into a semi-cataleptic state, so rigid did she grow; and her hand, with which she was taking a little more dog by friction, closed so sharply on the scruff of the little terrier's neck, that it yelped aloud.

"You mustn't say so, my dear, if he does," said Lady Rea, rather sadly.

And to turn the conversation, Trevor asked her if she liked flowers.

"Oh yes, Mr Trevor," she exclaimed, beaming once more. "And you've got some lovely gladioluses--li--oli," she added, correcting herself, and glancing from one to the other like a tutored child, "in your grounds, of a colour we can't get. May I beg a few?"

"The gardener shall send in as many as you wish for, Lady Rea--anything in my place is at your service."

Poor Tiny! His eager, earnest words began to wake up such a curious little tremor in her breast. It was all so new--so strange. Now she told herself she was foolish, childish, and that she was giving way to silly, romantic fancies; only Fin was evidently thinking something too, and gave her all sorts of malicious looks. As for Aunt Matty, she sat now with her eyes closed, sucking a mental lozenge about patience; and Fin's champions.h.i.+p was in abeyance for the rest of the visit--the conversation being princ.i.p.ally between Lady Rea and their visitor.

"It's very kind of you to say so, I'm sure," said Lady Rea. "We saw them, you know, when we went over your place, once or twice, for Mrs Lloyd was good enough to say we might. And a very beautiful place it is."

"It's a dear old home, Lady Rea, indeed," said Trevor, enthusiastically.

"Though you must have found it very _sad_," said Lady Rea.

"No," said Trevor, frankly; "it would be mockery in me to say so. My parents died when I was so very young, that I never could feel their loss: I hardly knew what it was to have any one to love."

"Let him look at her now, if he dare," thought Fin, with her eyes sparkling.

But Trevor did not dare; he only gazed in Lady Rea's pleasant face, and she made Aunt Matty s.h.i.+ver--firstly, by laying her hand in a soothing way upon the young man's arm; secondly, by saying she would put herself under an obligation to this dreadful seafaring person, by accepting his offer of flowers; and thirdly, by the following terribly imprudent speech--

"I'm sure I don't know where dear papa can be gone; but as he's not here, Mr Trevor, you must let me say that whenever you feel dull and lonely, you must come up here and have a chat, and some music, or something of that sort. We shall always be delighted to see you."

"Er-rum! Er-rum!" came from the garden.

"Oh! here's papa!" cried Lady Rea. "I'm glad he's come!"

"Er-rum!" came again, and then steps and voices were heard in the conservatory--voices which made Trevor rise and look annoyed.

The next moment Sir Hampton ushered two gentlemen into the drawing-room through the conservatory.

"Lady Rea--Tiny dear," he said, loudly--"er-rum, let me make you known to my friends--Sir Felix Landells and Captain Vanleigh."

Volume 2, Chapter VII.

AUNT MATTY IS CROSS.

Sir Hampton started as his eyes fell upon Trevor, and his pink complexion began to grow red.

"Oh, Fin!" whispered Tiny, heedless of the admiring gaze of Vanleigh, who now advanced; while after saluting Lady Rea, Landells turned to Fin.

"This is Mr Trevor, called to see us, dear," said Lady Rea.

"Er-rum!" went Sir Hampton, and he bristled visibly; but Trevor approached with extended hand.

"Sir Hampton," he said, "I came to apologise for my very hasty behaviour to you. I'm afraid I gave you a very bad opinion of your neighbour."

"Er-rum! I--er? I--er-rum," said and coughed Sir Hampton, hesitating; but there was the hand of amity stretched out, and he was obliged to take it--moving with great dignity, and looking at Trevor as if he had just pardoned a malefactor for committing some heinous crime.

"Didn't 'spect to see; here," said Sir Felix, making play with his gla.s.s at everybody in turn.

"The surprise is mutual," said Trevor.

"Odd coincidence," said Vanleigh, who had crossed now to Miss Matilda, like a good diplomatist. "We were walking, after you ran away from us, and met Sir Hampton."

"Er-rum--Mr Trevor," said Sir Hampton, pompously, "I am in your debt; your friends here were kind enough to give my daughters and myself the use of your carriage after a very--er-rum--narrow escape from a terrible--er-rum--catastrophe. I am very much obliged."

"Don't name it, Sir Hampton, pray," said Trevor. "Out here in this place, we are all obliged to rely upon one another for a little help. I shall have to beg favours of you, some day, I hope."

"Er-rum--you are very good," said Sir Hampton, stiffly.

"Yes, Hampton, dear," said Lady Rea, "Mr Trevor is really very kind: he has promised us a lot of those beautiful gladioli that you admired so when you went over Penreife grounds."

Sir Hampton bowed to Trevor, and looked daggers at his wife, who glanced then at Fin, as much as to say--"What have I done now!"

"A particularly fine specimen, I should say," Vanleigh was heard to remark. "Do you think so?" said Miss Matilda.

"I should say perfectly pure," said Vanleigh, stooping to caress Pepine, who snarled and tried to bite.

"Fie, Pepine, then!" said Miss Matilda. "Don't be afraid of him, Captain Vanleigh."

"I am not," said Vanleigh, showing his white teeth, and taking the terrier in his hands. "Look here, Landells, what should you say of this dog?"

Sir Felix fixed his gla.s.s, and crossed to his friend.

"'Markably fine terrier," said Sir Felix, "most decidedly."

And he touched Pepine, and was bitten spitefully on the glove.

"You remember the dog you sent to the Palace Show?"

"'Member perfectly," said Sir Felix; "splen' collection."