Lancaster's Choice

by Mrs. Alex. McVeigh Miller

  She was very thoughtful for an instant. She seemed to be making up hermind.

  "You must not say no," he said, hastily. "I assure you that LadyLancaster will have no objection to my doing so, if your aunt willpermit me. May I come?"

  Leonora raised her eyes gravely to his face.

  "Yes, you may come," she answered, and then turned quickly away.

  CHAPTER XXXV.

  The impulses of men in love are as various as their natures. Where onewill linger around the fatal charmer and hug his pain, another will flyfrom

  "The cruel madness of love, The honey of poison-flowers, and all the measureless ill."

  Lancaster, being wise, chose the latter part. He had an innateconviction that Leonora would accept Lieutenant De Vere. He did notfeel strong enough to witness his friend's happiness just yet. He feltthat if he remained he might betray his passion and be laughed at forhis pains. He sought safety from himself in ignominious flight.

  What was Lady Lancaster's dismay next morning, when she arose to herlate breakfast, to find a note awaiting her from that troublesomenephew. She was in a great rage when she read it. She pushed back herdainty, untasted repast, which had been served in the privacy of herown room, and rang her bell violently.

  "Present my compliments to Lieutenant De Vere, and ask him to come tome for ten minutes," she said, sharply, to the servant who answered thesummons.

  He came immediately, full of wonder at this abrupt summons, and foundher pacing up and down the floor in a great rage which she did not takeany pains to conceal.

  "Did you know of any reason Lord Lancaster could have for going up toLondon this morning?" she asked him, after they had gone through thepreliminaries of a hasty good-morning.

  "No," he replied, gazing at her in surprise.

  "Well, he has gone--did you know that?" she demanded.

  "Yes, I heard from his groom that he went at daylight this morning," hereplied.

  "Here is a note he left for me," she said, angrily. "He says he hasbeen suddenly called away by urgent business--may be detained a week ormore, and wishes me to present excuses and regrets to you and the restof the company."

  "I am very sorry he had to go," said the lieutenant.

  "But do you believe that he really has business?" she inquired,peevishly.

  "Of course he had--or why should he have gone?" inquired the handsomeyoung fellow, staring at her in amazement.

  "I don't know--but I have my suspicions. I half believe that he has runaway from me and Lady Adela. If I were quite sure of it, I'd have myrevenge," she muttered, irascibly.

  "What an old shrew! I don't blame Lancaster for running away. I'm quitesure I should do so, too, if she bullied me as she does Lancaster,"said the young fellow to himself, but aloud, he said, with an air ofsurprise:

  "My dear Lady Lancaster, I am sure you wrong my friend. Why should herun away from you, his kind friend, and from the beautiful Lady Adela?"

  "Ah, why? I have my suspicions, Lieutenant De Vere, but I shall notimpart them to any one--at least not yet. But he has behaved verybadly, going off like this. I do not know how to make excuses for him,least of all to Lady Adela. She was jealous last night. I could seethat. What will she say now? Clive has been playing fast and loose withme ever since last fall. It can not go on forever. I shall make himunderstand that."

  "Do not be too hard upon him. Give him time, Lady Lancaster. He willnot brook harshness, he will break a tight rein and escape from it. Youshould know that much of all men's natures," said De Vere, pleading forhis friend.

  "I have not been hard upon him. I have been most patient; but hisbehavior is inexplicable," cried she. "I have offered a wife and afortune to him--a beautiful, high-bred, high-born wife, and a splendidfortune--yet he is indifferent to both. All Lady Adela's beauty makesno impression on him. He is barely civil to her. What is the matterwith him, Lieutenant De Vere? Is he going to be fool enough to fly inthe face of his own good fortune?"

  "I hope not," said Lieutenant De Vere, but he looked very anxious. Heremembered that "whom the gods wish to destroy they first make mad."

  Lancaster was mad--mad with love for the beautiful, penniless Americangirl, Leonora West. De Vere had suspected it all along, he was sure ofit now. That song last night had opened his eyes. A pang of bitter,futile jealousy shot through his heart. He believed that his friend wasan unacknowledged rival. A vague terror of the end rushed over him. Whowould win, Lancaster or himself?

  Lady Lancaster came nearer to him--she looked anxiously at him with hersmall, bead-like black eyes.

  "You and Clive are intimate," she said; "you ought to know a greatdeal about him. Tell me what it is that makes him so blind to his owninterests? Is there any one in the way? Is there any woman in the case?"

  "I am not in Lancaster's confidence, believe me, Lady Lancaster," hereplied. "If there be any woman in the case, he has never told me so.Perhaps you are making a mountain out of a little mole-hill."

  She studied him attentively.

  "You are his friend. I shall find out nothing from you. I can seethat," she said.

  "You will never learn anything from me derogatory to his interests--besure of that," he replied, loyal to his friend in spite of hisreawakened jealousy.

  "And your own wooing--how does that prosper?" she inquired, withsomething like a sneer, abruptly changing the subject.

  He flushed indignantly.

  "You are pleased to jest on delicate subjects, Lady Lancaster," hesaid, stiffly.

  "I beg your pardon," she answered, quickly, "I did not know you were sosensitive, but I assure you that I take a great interest in your loveaffair."

  "Thank you. I understand the origin of your great interest," heanswered with a slight smile; and she winced perceptibly. She did notwant him to know whither her suspicions tended.

  "I dare say you think me a very meddlesome old woman," she said,abruptly; "but you have my best wishes for a successful suit. Miss Westis beautiful and accomplished, and with your wealth you can have nodifficulty in lifting her to your level."

  "She is the most beautiful of women," he answered, forgetting hismomentary ill-humor in the pleasure she awoke in him by her artfulpraise of Leonora.

  "And you will lose no time in making her your own? Delays aredangerous," she said, with a subtle meaning in her tone that made hisheart beat.

  "I know that. But I am a coward; I am almost afraid to ask her for theboon I crave most upon earth," he said, giving her in those few words aglimpse into his full heart.

  "Pshaw! you are a coward," said my lady, laughing. "Where is the womanwho is going to refuse you with your face and your fortune? You are aprize in the matrimonial market."

  "But I want to be accepted for myself, and not for my fortune, LadyLancaster," he answered, proudly, and yet not without a sense ofsatisfaction over these worldly advantages of his. It was very pleasantto be his own master, to be able to do as he pleased, to ask no one'sleave to marry whom he wished.

  Lady Lancaster laughed a very disagreeable laugh.

  "As I am such an old woman, you will forgive me for telling you not tobe a fool, Lieutenant De Vere," she said. "There are very few men whoare married for themselves alone in these days, and, let me add, thereare very few who deserve it. The average woman looks out for money andposition now. Be sensible, and thank your lucky stars that when you goto court Miss West you can carry a fortune in your hand, as well as aheart."

  "What a very disagreeable old woman!" he said to himself, reddeningwith vexation. "She is full of spleen and venom. I must go out or Ishall be tempted to say something sharp to her."

  He went, and as he was leaving, she fired a last shot at him:

  "Take my advice, and don't delay the proposal, young man. Don't letexcessive modesty deter you. Remember that faint heart never won fairlady."

  CHAPTER XXXVI.

  Sitting in the quiet little room of Mrs. West that morning, with thegolden sunlight of June shining in through the screen of flo
wers atthe window, the pretty American girl listened to the story of the_grande passion_ told in as eloquent phrases as the young soldier couldcommand--a story as old as the world, but ever sweet and new.

  Leonora listened with dewy eyes and flushing cheeks. She knew the valueof all that he was offering to her--knew that he was wealthy, that hewas heir to a title, that he had a warm, true, manly heart, and that inhis affection for her he was running counter to the wishes and desiresof all his friends. It was but natural that she should feel proud ofhis homage. She wished that she might have loved him in return. A senseof shame and embarrassment stole over her at the thought that while heoffered her so much she could give him nothing save the calm regard ofa friend.

  She drew away the hand of which he had possessed himself, and the richroses mantled her cheeks as she said, gently and sadly:

  "I thank you very much for the honor you have done me, and I wish thatI could love you, but--"

  "But what? Oh, Leonora, you are not going to be cruel to me--you arenot going to refuse me?" he cried, anxiously, and he looked so handsomeand so ardent that her heart ached for him, and she wished again thatshe might have loved him, and said yes instead of no to his manlyproposal.

  "I am very sorry," she said, and the pretty face looked so shy andtroubled, that he longed to gather her in his arms and kiss the sweetlips into smiles again. "I am very sorry, and I don't mean to be cruel,Lieutenant De Vere--but I must refuse, because I do not love you."

  "Let me teach you," he cried, ardently. "I know I have been toopremature. I have asked you to love me too soon; but I have been soafraid of a rival, my darling."

  Leonora smiled pensively and bitterly.

  "A rival," she said, with a quickly suppressed sigh. "Ah, you need nothave feared that! No one would sacrifice anything for my sake but you."

  He thought he understood the allusion, and his heart sunk. He gentlytouched the small hand that lay on her black dress.

  "Do not judge any one hardly, Miss West," he said. "There are many whowould love you and make sacrifices for you if they had the chance. Andyou know I should not have to make any sacrifice at all. I am rich inmy own right. I could lift you at once from the level you now occupyto one more worthy of you--one you would adorn, and where your beautyand accomplishments would be rated at their full value. Oh, Leonora! donot say no just yet. Let me woo you a little longer--a month, a year.In time you might learn to love me. Let me still hope on. I love you sodearly I can not give you up yet!"

  She blushed deeply, and the long lashes drooped over her cheeks, butshe answered, firmly:

  "It would be very cruel for me to let you keep on hoping like that,Lieutenant De Vere. I could never be yours if you waited months andyears. I will tell you the truth. There is"--a gasp--"some one--someone else that I love."

  A moment's dead silence. The girl drops her shamed face in her hands.Presently he says huskily, yet with manly courage:

  "It is some fortunate suitor you have left in America. Let mecongratulate you, Miss West."

  But she answers, in a sad, shamed voice:

  "No, you need not congratulate me. I am not any happier than you are.He--he does not love me."

  "Does not love you? Then he must be a stock or a stone," De Vere says,indignantly.

  "He is neither," says Leonora, with the pretty pensive smile she hasworn throughout their interview. "But let us speak no more of it. Ishould not have confessed to you only to show you how futile it wouldbe for you to go on loving me. I thought it but justice to you. It maymake it easier for you to forget me."

  "I shall never do that," he answers, with conviction.

  "You think so now, but time will console you," smiling. "I shall begone out of your life forever in a few weeks."

  "Gone?" he echoes, blankly.

  "Yes; I am going away in three weeks' time. Aunt West goes with me toAmerica."

  He starts.

  "Is it possible?"

  "Yes, we are going to seek a home in my own land. Bid me _bon voyage_,Lieutenant De Vere. You are the only friend I have made in England,that is, if I may call you my friend," wistfully.

  He gulps down a great sigh of disappointment, regret, and pain, andholds out his hand.

  "Yes, I am your friend, if I can not be your lover," he said, manfully.

  CHAPTER XXXVII.

  Something like a week later Lieutenant De Vere, strolling down a streetin London, comes suddenly face to face with Clive, Lord Lancaster.

  "What! not gone home yet?" says the former, in surprise, and Lancasterflushes guiltily.

  "No; but when did you come to London?" he inquires.

  "Several days ago," De Vere replies, carelessly, and scanning hisfriend curiously. Lancaster does not bear the scrutiny well. He is wanand haggard looking. There is no color in his usually florid face, andhis eyes are heavy and restless.

  "You have not finished your visit so soon, I trust," he observes, eyinghis friend in turn with a close scrutiny. De Vere has a worn air, too,as if dull and _ennuy?_.

  "Yes, I have finished my visit; I did not care to remain after my hosttook such a cavalier flight."

  "Ah, indeed!" sarcastically. "But I did not know that I was the objectof your visit."

  "You were not, particularly; but I came away because I had no longerany excuse for staying."

  The tone was so peculiar that Lancaster looked at him more closely. Hecaught De Vere by the arm a little nervously.

  "De Vere, you don't mean to tell me that _she_ has refused you?"

  "_She_ is so indefinite. Whom do you mean?" airily.

  "I thought there was but one _she_ in the case. Miss West, of course."

  "Oh!"

  "Has she refused you, I say, De Vere?" imploringly.

  "Yes."

  "Really?" with something like incredulous joy in his voice, though hetries hard to keep it out of it. He has been so jealously sure all thewhile that Leonora would accept "the goods the gods provided," that hecan scarcely take in the truth now.

  "Yes, Miss West has refused me, really. You seem glad of my ill-luck,Lancaster," in a tone of subdued bitterness.

  Lancaster is suddenly shocked at himself.

  "Oh, no, no! I beg your pardon a hundred times I did not mean it atall. I am sorry for you, old fellow, but I can not understand it,really."

  "Perhaps you are dull of comprehension. Take a cigar to brighten upyour understanding."

  They light their cigars and walk on together, and then De Verecontinues:

  "What is it about the affair that you can not understand?"

  "That she should refuse you. I thought she would be sure to accept."

  "Ah!" said Lieutenant De Vere, dryly, and then he took several moodypuffs at his cigar.

  "Yes, I honestly thought so. Did she give you any reason for refusingyou?"

  "Two reasons," De Vere replied, laconically.

  "One ought to have been enough," said his friend.

  "Yes, it ought to have been, I know," said De Vere, reddening warmly."But, you see, I did not want to take no for an answer, so when shesaid she couldn't marry me because she didn't love me I wanted her totake time. You see, I thought she might learn to love me. So, then, toescape my importunities, she had to put in another reason."

  "And that?" asked Lancaster.

  "I am not sure that I ought to tell. I think she told it me as asecret," he answered, thoughtfully.

  And then when he saw Lancaster's grave, disappointed face, he said,suddenly:

  "Tell me your secret, Lancaster, and I will tell you hers. Why did yourun away from Lancaster Park?"

  "Because I was a coward, De Vere--that is all," bitterly.

  "But why? Were you afraid that your aunt would marry you offwilly-nilly to the earl's daughter?"

  "Not exactly, although there was some danger of it," said Lancaster,smiling.

  "There was some other reason, then? Come, old fellow, are you ashamedto confess the truth?"

  "I should have been a week ago, I think I might ow
n it now with thebribe you offered in view."

  "What was it, then?" curiously.

  "This: I was madly in love with Leonora West, and too selfish, or toojealous, or too great a coward, to stay and witness your happiness asher accepted lover."

  "Hum! All the happiness you would have witnessed wouldn't have hurtyou," ruefully. "And so you ran away like a coward! What have you beendoing all this while, truant?"

  "All sorts of foolish things, I'm afraid. For one thing, I've beentrying to exchange out of my own regiment into one ordered to India."

  Lieutenant De Vere was betrayed into a whistle of profound surprise:

  "Whew!"

  "Yes," admitted the big, handsome fellow, shamefacedly.

  "But do you mean to tell me that you were going to throw over the wholething, Lady Lancaster, Lady Adela, and all--just because you weredisappointed in love?" queried De Vere, in wonder.

  "Yes, I believe I was--though I didn't think much about it. You see, Iwas just running away headlong from my own misery."

  "I did not really believe you were so romantic," said De Vere, after along pause.

  "You mean so foolish," said his friend, eying him closely.

  "Well, perhaps so," admitted the lieutenant.

  "A man must be far gone, indeed, to throw away twenty thousand ayear and an earl's daughter for the _beaux yeux_ of a pretty littlepenniless girl. Such luck is not met with every day."

  "Leonora is worth it all," said Lancaster, warmly.