Thereby Hangs a Tale Part 66

"Yes, ma. Wrote to Captain Vanleigh at his club, and told him all about how pa said poor Richard was not to be mentioned in the house, and how we were all brought up to town for change."

"I don't think Aunt Matty would do anything so foolish, my dear," said mamma.

"Then how came they to call as soon as we had been up two days?" said Fin. "Aunt Matty would do anything she thought was for our welfare, even if it was to poison us."

"Oh, Fin, my dear!"

"Well, I can't help it, ma, dear; she is so tiresome. Aunt Matty is so good; I'm glad I'm not, for it does make you so miserable and uncharitable. Oh, ma, darling, what a dreadfully wicked little woman you must be!"

"Oh, my dear!"

"I'm sure Aunt Matty thinks you are. I often see her looking painfully righteous at you when you are reading the newspaper or a story, while she is studying 'Falling Leaves from the Tree of Life,' or 'The Daily Dredge.'"

"My dear Fin, don't talk so," said Lady Rea. "Aunt Matty means all for the best."

"Yes, ma, dear," said Fin, with a sigh, "that's it. If she only meant things for the second best, I wouldn't care, for then one might perhaps be comfortable."

"But, my dear, don't talk so," said Lady Rea; "and I think you are misjudging Aunt Matty about her sending to Captain Vanleigh."

"Oh no, ma, dear," cried Fin. "It's quite right. That dreadful noodle, Sir Felix, let it all out to me just now in the dining-room, while the Captain was upstairs with you."

"Has he been speaking to you, then?" said Lady Rea, eagerly.

"Yes, ma," said Fin, coolly; but there was a pretty rosy flush in her little cheek.

"What did he say, dear?"

"He-haw, he-haw, he-haw-w-w-w!" said Fin, seriously.

"Fin!"

"Well, it sounded like it, ma," said Fin, "for I never did meet such a donkey."

"But, my dear Fin--"

"Well, I know, ma," exclaimed Fin, "it's rude of me; but I'm naturally rude. I've got what Aunt Matty would call the mark of the beast on me, and it makes me wicked."

"Tut, tut, tut! Fin, my dear," said Lady Rea, drawing her child to her, till Fin lay with her head resting against her, but with her face averted. "Now, come, tell me all about it. I don't like you to have secrets from me."

"Well, ma, he met me, and begged for five minutes' interview."

"Well, my dear?"

"Well, ma, I told him it was of no use, for I knew what he was going to say."

"Oh, Fin, my dear child, I'm afraid they neglected your etiquette very much at school."

"No, they didn't, ma," said Fin, with her eyes twinkling--"they were always sowing me with it; but I was stony ground, as Aunt Matty would say, and it never took root. Oh, ma, if you had only seen what a donkey he looked!--and he smelt all over the room, just like one of Rimmel's young men. Then," continued Fin, speaking fast and excitedly, "he went on talking stuff--said he'd lay his t.i.tle and fortune at my feet; that he'd give the world to win my heart, and I told him I hadn't got one; said he should wait patiently, and kept on talk, talk, talk--all stuff that he had evidently been learning up for the occasion; and I'd have given anything to have been able to pull his ears and rumple his hair, only he might have thought it rude."

"Oh yes, my dear," said mamma, innocently.

"And at last I said I didn't think I should ever accept any one, for I hated men; and then he sighed, and looked at me side-wise, and wanted to take my hand; and I ran out of the room, and that's all."

"But, Fin, my dear--"

"Oh, I know, ma, it was horribly rude; but I hate him. Pf! I can smell him now."

Lady Rea sighed.

"And now, I suppose," said Fin, "we are to be pestered--poor Tiny and your humble servant; they'll follow us to church, get sittings where they can watch us, and carry on a regular siege. I wish them joy of it!"

Lady Rea only sighed, and stroked the glossy head, till Fin suddenly jumped up, and ran out of the room; but only to come back at the end of a minute, and stand nodding her head.

"Well, my dear, what is it?" said Lady Rea.

"You'll have to put your foot down, mamma," said Fin, sharply.

Lady Rea glanced at her little member, which, in its delicate kid boot, looked too gentle to crush a fly; and she sighed.

"A nice state of affairs!" said Fin.

"There's Tiny, up in her bedroom crying herself into a decline, and Aunt Matty in the study with papa conspiring against our happiness, because it's for our good. Now, mark my words, mamma--there'll be a regular plot laid to marry Tiny to that odious Bluebeard of a Captain, and if you don't stop it I shall."

Lady Rea sat, with wrinkled brow, looking puzzled at the little decisive figure before her; and then, as Fin went out with a whisk of all her light skirts, she sat for a few moments thinking, and then went up to her elder daughter's room.

Volume 3, Chapter VII.

FRANK A VISITOR.

Richard felt very sanguine of success during the first weeks of his stay in London. He was young, ardent, active, and a good sailor. Some employment would be easily obtained, he thought, in the merchant service; and he only stipulated mentally for one thing--no matter how low was his beginning, he must have something to look forward to in the future--he must be able to rise. But as the days glided into weeks, and the weeks into months, he was obliged to own that it was not so easy to find an opening as he had expected, and night after night he returned to his solitary lodgings weary and disheartened.

Mrs Fiddison sighed, and said he was very nice--so quiet; her place did not seem the same. And certainly the young fellow was very quiet, spending a great deal of his time in writing and thinking; and more than once he caught himself watching the opposite window, and wondering what connexion there could be between Vanleigh and his neighbours.

This watching led to his meeting the soft dark eyes of Netta, as she busied herself at times over her flowers, watering them carefully, removing dead leaves and blossoms, and evidently tending them with the love of one who longs for the sweet breath of the country.

Then came a smile and a bow, and Netta shrank away from the window, and Richard did not see her for a week.

Then she was there again, showing herself timidly, and as their eyes met the how was given, and returned this time before the poor girl shrank away; and as days pa.s.sed on this little intercourse grew regular, till it was a matter of course for Richard to look out at a certain hour for his pretty neighbour, and she would be there.

This went on till she would grow bold enough to sit there close to the flowers, her sad face just seen behind the little group of leaves and blossoms; and, glad of the companions.h.i.+p, Richard got in the habit of drawing his table to the open window, and read or wrote there, to look up occasionally and exchange a smile.

"I don't see why I shouldn't know more of them," he said to himself, one morning; and the next time a donkey-drawn barrow laden with Covent Garden sweets pa.s.sed, Richard bought a couple of pots of lush-blossomed geraniums, delivered them to Mrs Jenkles, and sent them to Miss Lane, with his hope that she was in better health.

Mrs Jenkles took the pots gladly, but shook her head at the donor.

"Is she so ill?" said Richard, anxiously.

"I'm afraid so, sir," said Mrs Jenkles. "Her cough is so bad."