keeping in his rooms all the morning. He did drive one day to Rickworth with your father, otherwise he has been nowhere, only taking his solitary ride.’
‘I never was more surprised than to see him at Winchester!’
‘It was entirely his own proposal. You could not be more surprised than we were; but it has been of much benefit to him by giving his thoughts a new channel.’
‘He likes her, too,’ said Arthur.
‘I assure you he speaks most favourably of her.’
‘What did he say?’ cried Arthur, eagerly.
‘He said she was a lady in mind and manners, and of excellent principles, but he declared he would not tell us all he thought of her, lest we should be disappointed.’
‘Are you?’ said Arthur, with a bright, confident smile.
‘By no means. He had not prepared me for so much beauty, and such peculiarly graceful movements. My drawing days are nearly past, or I should be making a study of her.’
‘That’s right, mother!’ cried Arthur. ‘What a picture she would make. Look at her now! The worst of it is, she has so many pretty ways, one does not know which to catch her in!’
Perhaps Lady Martindale caught her aunt’s eye, for she began to qualify her praise. ‘But, Arthur, excuse me, if I tell you all. There is nothing amiss in her manners, but they are quite unformed, and I should dread any contact with her family.’
‘I never mean her to come near them,’ said Arthur. ‘Though, after all, they are better than you suppose. She has nothing to unlearn, and will pick up tone and ease fast enough.’
‘And for education? Is she cultivated, accomplished?’
‘Every man to his taste. You never could get learning to stick on me, and I did not look for it. She knows what other folks do, and likes nothing better than a book. She is good enough for me; and you must take to her, mother, even if she is not quite up to your mark in the ologies. Won’t you? Indeed, she is a good little Violet!’
Arthur had never spoken so warmly to his mother, and the calm, inanimate dignity of her face relaxed into a kind response, something was faltered of ‘every wish to show kindness;’ and he had risen to lead his wife to her side, when he perceived his aunt’s bead-like eyes fixed on them, and she called out to ask Lady Martindale if Lady Elizabeth Brandon had returned.
The young ladies came in late; and Arthur in vain tried to win a look from his sister, who kept eyes and tongue solely for Miss Gardner’s service.
At night, as, after a conversation with his brother, he was crossing the gallery to his own room, he met her.
‘Teaching my wife to gossip?’ said he, well pleased.
‘No, I have been with Jane.’
‘The eternal friendship!’ exclaimed he, in a changed tone.
‘Good night!’ and she passed on.
He stood still, then stepping after her, overtook her.
‘Theodora!’ he said, almost pleadingly.
‘Well!’
He paused, tried to laugh, and at last said, rather awkwardly, ‘I want to know what you think of her?’
‘I see she is very pretty.’
‘Good night!’ and his receding footsteps echoed mortification.
Theodora looked after him. ‘Jane is right,’ she said to herself, ‘he cares most for me. Poor Arthur! I must stand alone, ready to support him when his toy fails him.’
CHAPTER 4
They read botanic treatises
And works of gardeners through there,
And methods of transplanting trees
To look as if they grew there.
Theodora awoke to sensations of acute grief. Her nature had an almost tropical fervour of disposition; and her education having given her few to love, her ardent affections had fastened upon Arthur with a vehemence that would have made the loss of the first place in his love painful, even had his wife been a person she respected and esteemed, but when she saw him, as she thought, deluded and thrown away on this mere beauty, the suffering was intense.
The hope Jane Gardner had given her, of his return to her, when he should have discovered his error, was her first approach to comfort, and seemed to invigorate her to undergo the many vexations of the day, in the sense of neglect, and the sight of his devotion to his bride.
She found that, much as she had dreaded it, she had by no means realized the discomposure she secretly endured when they met at breakfast, and he, remembering her repulse, was cold—she was colder; and Violet, who, in the morning freshness, was growing less timid, shrank back into awe of her formal civility.
In past days it had been a complaint that Arthur left her no time to herself. Now she saw the slight girlish figure clinging to his arm as they crossed the lawn, and she knew they were about to make the tour of their favourite haunts, she could hardly keep from scolding Skylark back when even he deserted her to run after them; and only by a very strong effort could she prevent her mind from pursuing their steps, while she was inflicting a course of Liebig on Miss Gardner, at the especial instance of that lady, who, whatever hobby her friends were riding, always mounted behind.
Luncheon was half over, when the young pair came in, flushed with exercise and animation; Arthur talking fast about the covers and the game, and Violet in such high spirits, that she volunteered a history of their trouble with Skylark, and ‘some dear little partridges that could not get out of a cart rut.’
In the afternoon Miss Gardner, ‘always so interested in schools and village children,’ begged to be shown ‘Theodora’s little scholars,’ and walked with her to Brogden, the village nearly a mile off. They set off just as the old pony was coming to the door for Violet to have a riding lesson; and on their return, at the end of two hours, found Arthur still leading, letting go, running by the side, laughing and encouraging.
‘Fools’ paradise!’ thought Theodora, as she silently mounted the steps.
‘That is a remarkably pretty little hat,’ said Miss Gardner. Theodora made a blunt affirmative sound.
‘No doubt she is highly pleased to sport it. The first time of wearing anything so becoming must be charming at her age. I could envy her.’
‘Poor old pony!’ was all Theodora chose to answer.
‘There, they are leaving off,’ as Arthur led away the pony, and Violet began to ascend the steps, turning her head to look after him.
Miss Gardner came to meet her, asking how she liked riding.
‘Oh, so much, thank you.’
‘You are a good scholar?’
‘I hope I shall be. He wants me to ride well. He is going to take me into the woods to-morrow.’
‘We have been admiring your hat,’ said Miss Gardner. ‘It is exactly what my sister would like. Have you any objection to tell where you bought it?’
‘I’ll ask him: he gave it to me.’
‘Dressing his new doll,’ thought Theodora; but as Violet had not been personally guilty of the extravagance, she thought amends due to her for the injustice, and asked her to come into the gardens.
‘Thank you, I should like it; but will he, will Mr.—will Arthur know what has become of me?’
‘He saw you join us,’ said Theodora, thinking he ought to be relieved to have her taken off his hands for a little while.
‘Have you seen the gardens?’ asked Jane.
‘Are not these the gardens?’ said Violet, surprised,