Daisy Ashford: Her Book Part 42

Gladys as I have already said was attired in a white satin trained dress made to fit her slender figure to perfection and covered with thin tule.

She wore orange blossom in her hair and on her dress and a magnificent diamond crescent caught up her veil.

Helen and Mina Lincarrol were the bridesmaids they also wore white.

Their dresses were exactly alike, but to colour them a little, they were delicately shaded with primrose yellow; long satin streamers hung from the bouquets they carried and both being dark girls the colour suited them admirably.

The page, a little Spanish cousin of Mulberry's was attired in white and yellow satin also and very pretty he looked, being just five years old and very dark with an olive complexion.

Lionel Lincarrol a tall handsome man of five or six and twenty gave his sister away as his father could not come up for the ceremony.

The mighty cathedral was filled to overflowing; the most part of the people were invited guests as Lord Beaufort was very popular in society; but a great many ordinary people had just dropped in to try and catch a glimpse of the bride and bridegroom as they marched up the church.

At last the service drew to a close, and the guests got into their carriages to drive back to Portman Square where the wedding breakfast was to take place.

One of the enormous reception rooms had been beautifully decorated with sprays of real orange blossom from Lord Beaufort's hot house and many other bridal decorations. A magnificent breakfast was then partaken of, every article being of the highest quality for Mulberry Beaufort prided himself on never half doing things.

The guests then repaired to another room to inspect Gladys's wedding presents, which were numerous and costly.

And so the day wore on and 5 o'clock found Gladys, Mulberry, Helen, Mina, Lionel and Lawrence all at the railway station waiting for the boat train to take Gladys and Mulberry to Newhaven for whence they were to cross the channel.

Gladys's travelling dress was extremely pretty being made of pale blue grey which suited her very well.

At last the train came slowly into the station and the happy pair got in.

The goodbyes were brief and cheerful, good luck being wished on every side.

Mulberry expected to be in London again by the end of Febuary and by that time Helen and Lawrence would probably be one.

At last the whistle sounded and those left on the platform watched the train till it rushed into the tunnel, and then they turned and went on to the opposite platform to take the train for Norfolk.

It was a long journey and they were all tired when they got there.

The brougham had been sent to meet them and though the others all knew the road to their house so perfectly, Helen looked out of the window with a new interest for it was all strange to her.

After a drive of 1/4 of an hour or more the carriage drew up in front of a fine old house standing rather back from the road and with a beautiful carriage sweep in front. In the moonlight it presented a very pretty picture.

Before the coachman had time to ring Lawrence had jumped out and opened the front door.

They then crossed the hall and entered the drawing room a beautifully furnished room.

Mrs. Lincarrol was reading by the fire when they all entered. She was a very tall thin woman with reddy coloured hair done very high on her head and small winky blue eyes. Her features were fairly good, but she was powdered profusely and indeed her hair looked as though it had seen a good many bottles of hair dye. She was attired in an evening dress of purple velvit trimmed with black satin and jet. Helen glanced at her as she rose from her chair and wondered how she came to have such a good looking family. But she quickly became aware that the room contained two other occupants. Two girls were seated at the piano trying some duets.

They were both tall and fair with blue eyes and pale complexions and they wore rose coloured dresses. From Gladys' discription Helen knew why they were the twins Ethel and Elsie.

Mrs. Lincarrol rose as they entered and having embraced her family turned with a queer look in her eyes to Helen.

"So this is Helen Winston?" she said holding out her hand, "my niece I think"

Helen did not quite know what to say so she merely smiled and she was then introduced to Ethel and Elsie, both of whom she liked very much, especially the former.

"Now I think you'd better go and see your father" exclaimed Mrs.

Lincarrol at last "you will find him in the library with Hugh, no doubt Helen would like to make her uncle's acquaintance."

"I should" replied Helen.

So they all marched accross the hall and opening another door entered the library.

"So here you all are again" cried a cheery voice from within and at the same moment a tall well built man came forward. He was a contrast to his wife in every way, being fairly stout, dark and brown eyed. He had a kind though stern looking face. He greeted Helen very cordially with none of the s.h.i.+fty glances his wife had made use of and then introduced Hugh to her. He was only 17-1/2 with dark hair and eyes and very much resembled Lionel.

"Well I'm glad to see you all back." cried Mr. Lincarrol, "but you all look tired, I suppose the journey was long?"

"Not very" replied Minna who had hitherto kept a discreet silence, "but I'm very hungry.

"Why of course you must be, ring the bell Hugh" cried Mr. Lincarrol heartily "and I'll see you get something at once."

A very good meal was soon brought up and it was quickly disposed of.

"Well Helen I'm going to bed now" said Minna at last, "if you come now I'll show you your room."

"Oh thank you" replied Helen and with that they both walked upstairs together.

Lionel and Hugh soon followed their example and so Lawrence was left alone with his father.

"A very nice girl Helen Winston seems" cried Mr. Lincarrol, "I admire your taste Lawrence."

"I'm glad you do" answered Lawrence, "I was struck with her when I first met her."

"Yes I certainly admire your choice" replied Mr. Lincarrol, and after a few more words they both retired to bed.

CHAPTER 34

FIVE YEARS LATER

Five years have elapsed since we last saw Helen. Let us choose a favourable moment to view our heroine after the lengthy interval.

Seated in a large and wealthily furnished drawing room by a bright fire, writing at a neat little table, sits Helen, now no longer Helen Winston but Mrs. Lincarrol. The clock has just struck 4. and the shades of the December evening are fast drawing in. By the light of the fire however we can get a tolerably good view of Helen. She has altered but little during the five years of her married life. She looks a trifle older, but the change is so slight as to be scarcely perceptible. She has still the luxurious black hair and long lashes shading her soft eyes.

She is clothed in a rich tea-gown of a delicate green. She is writing diligently and seems intent on her work but she occasionally looks up to address a word or two to a delicate looking little girl of about three years who is playing on the hearth with a little fox terrier. This is little Nellie, the only child, a pale-faced fair-haired little thing, who has attained her third year today.

At length it grows too dark to see, so closing her blotter with a snap, Helen walks to the window and holding aside the heavy velvit curtain gazes out accross the frost-bitten garden and the roofs of the houses, which are dotted about the town of B----.

"Dear me" she says "it is beginning to snow, I think dear" she adds turning to her child "it is time you went up to the nursery tea will be ready I expect."

So saying she rings a bell and Marshland appears, looking very different to when we last saw her, in her black dress and clean cap and ap.r.o.n.

Having stuck to Helen in the hour of trial she now finds herself the much-respected nurse of little Nellie.