by Fergus Hume
CHAPTER III
THE LADY OF THE MANOR
Haverleigh's face did not continue to wear its sunny expression after heleft the American. He frowned and bit his moustache, and in theannoyance of the moment spurred his horse full speed up the castle road.Only when he was within the avenue and nearing the porch did he slackenspeed, for his mother--so he called her--might be looking out of somewindow. If so, she would assuredly accuse him of ill-using his horse.Mrs Gabriel rarely minced matters in her dealings with Leo. He was neverperfectly sure whether she loved or hated him.
Mindful of this, he rode gently round to the stables, and, afterthrowing his reins to a groom, walked into the castle by a side door. Ashe had been absent all the morning, he was not very sure of hisreception, and, moreover, he had eaten no luncheon. The butler informedhim that Mrs Gabriel had asked that he should be sent to her the momenthe returned. At once Leo sought her on the south terrace, where she waswalking in the hot June sunshine. He augured ill from her anxiety to seehim. A memory of his debts and other follies--pardonableenough--burdened his conscience.
"Here I am, mother," he said as he walked on to the terrace, looking ason of whom any woman would have been proud. Perhaps if he had reallybeen her son, instead of her nephew, Mrs Gabriel might have been morelenient towards him. As it was she treated him almost as harshly asRoger Ascham did Lady Jane Grey of unhappy memory.
"It is about time you were here," she said in her strong, stern voice."As you are so much in London, I think you might give me a few hours ofyour time when you condescend to stay at the castle."
Leo threw himself wearily into a stone seat and played with his whip.This was his usual greeting, and he knew that Mrs Gabriel would go onfinding fault and blaming him until she felt inclined to stop. His onlydefence was to keep silent. He therefore stared gloomily on the pavementand listened stolidly to her stormy speech. "No reverence forwomen--after all I have done for you--clownish behaviour," etc.
Some wit had once compared Mrs Gabriel to Agnes de Montfort, thatunpleasant heroine of the Middle Ages. The comparison was a happy one,for Mrs Gabriel was just such another tall, black-haired, iron-facedAmazon. She could well have played the _role_ of heroine in holding thecastle against foes, and without doubt would have been delighted tosustain a siege. The present days were too tame for her. She yearned forthe time when ladies were left in charge of the _donjon_ keep, whiletheir husbands went out to war. More than once she fancied that if shehad lived in those stirring times, she would have armed herself likeBritomart, and have gone a disguised knight-errant for the pleasure anddanger of the thing. As it was, she found a certain relief in the powershe exercised in Colester. Her will was law in the town, and her rulequite feudal in its demand for absolute obedience.
Report said that the late John Gabriel had not been altogether sorrywhen he departed this life. Undoubtedly he was more at rest in the quietgraveyard near the chapel than he had ever been before. Mrs Gabrielmourned him just as much as she thought proper. She had never professedto love him, and had married him (as she calmly admitted) in order tobecome mistress of the grand old castle. Besides, Gabriel had alwayshampered her desire to rule, as he had sufficient of the old blood inhim to dislike being a cypher in his ancestral home. Consequently,husband and wife quarrelled bitterly. Finally, he died, gladly enough,and the Amazon had it all her own way. It was about two years after hisdeath that Leo came to live with her, and everyone was amazed that sheshould behave so kindly towards the child of her dead brother, whom, asit was well known, she hated thoroughly.
However, Leo came, and from the moment he entered the house she bulliedhim. Spirited as the boy was, he could not hold his own against herstern will and powers of wrathful speech. When he went to school andcollege he felt as though he had escaped from gaol, and always returnedunwillingly to Colester. Mrs Gabriel called this ingratitude, and onevery occasion brought it to his mind. She did so now; but even thiscould not induce Leo to speak. He declined to furnish fuel to her wrathby argument or contradiction. This also was a fault, and Mrs Gabrielmentioned it furiously.
"Can't you say something?" she cried, with a stamp. "Is it any use yoursitting there like a fool? What explanation have you for me?"
"To what?" asked Leo, wearily; the question had been asked so often."You have accused me of so many things."
"Then why do you do wrong? I am talking of those debts you have incurredin London. You gave the list to me before you went out riding."
"I know, mother. I thought it best to avoid a scene. But it seems thereis no escape. When you have quite done perhaps you will let me speak?"
"You shall speak when I choose," rejoined Mrs Gabriel, fiercely. "All Iask you now is, how comes it that your debts run up to three hundredpounds? I allow you that income. You should make it do."
"Perhaps I have been a little foolish," began Leo, but she cut himshort.
"A little foolish, indeed! You have behaved like a fool, as you alwaysdo. What right have you to be extravagant? Are you in a position to beso? Have I not fed and clothed and educated you?"
"You have done everything that a charitable woman could have done."
"You mean that a _mother_ could have done. Had you been my own child--"
"You might have been kinder to me," finished the young man.
Mrs Gabriel stared aghast at this speech, and at last broke outfuriously, "Had you been my own child you would have been a strongerman; not a weak fool squandering money, and defying your benefactress.You ought to be ashamed of yourself."
"I am," replied Leo, bitterly, "ashamed that I have endured thishumiliating position for so long. I was only a child when you brought mehere, and had no voice in the matter. Yet, out of gratitude, I haveborne with your injustice, and--"
"Injustice!" broke in Mrs Gabriel. "What do you mean?"
"My meaning is not hard to gather, mother. You have never been just tome, and the bread with which you have fed me has been bitter enough toswallow. Do you think that I can go on listening to your angry wordswithout a protest? I cannot. My position is not of my own making, andsince you find me a burden and an ungrateful creature, the best thingwill be to put an end to the position."
"Indeed!" sneered the woman. "And how do you propose to do that? You arequite unable to earn your own living."
"Oh, there is one way of doing that," replied Leo, grimly. "It does notneed much education to be a soldier."
"A soldier!" screamed Mrs Gabriel.
"Yes. I made inquiries while I was in London, as I knew very well whatwelcome you would give me. It is my intention to volunteer for the war."
"You'll do nothing of the sort."
"I beg your pardon. I have made up my mind."
"Then I shall have nothing more to do with you."
"That is as you please, Mrs Gabriel. You are my aunt, and I suppose youhave the right to support me out of charity. At any rate, you have noright to keep me here and taunt me all the time with my inability tokeep myself. Again I say that the position is none of my making.However, I intend to relieve you of the burden of a useless man. Nextweek I shall enlist. Then you will be well rid of me."
Mrs Gabriel gasped. "I forbid you!" she cried, with a stamp.
"I am afraid I must decline to accept the command," said Haverleigh,with great coolness. "You have told me often enough that I am a beggarand a loafer. You shall do so no longer. As to my debts, I shall see tothem myself. You need not pay them, nor need you continue my allowance.I earn my own bread from this moment."
"How dare you, Leo? Do you not owe me something?"
"No! You have cancelled all obligation by the way in which you havetreated me. Everything you have done has been done grudgingly. If youdid not intend to behave as a woman should, why, in Heaven's name, didyou not leave me to be dependent on strangers? They could scarcely havebeen more harsh to me than you have been. But this is the end of it. Irelieve you from this hour of the burden you complain of."
"Take care. I intended you to be my heir, an
d--"
"I decline to accept further favours at your hands," said Leo, proudly;"for what you have done I thank you, but I do not care to accept aninheritance as a favour. Now you know my intentions and I shall notchange them."
Mrs Gabriel raged for twenty minutes without making the least impressionon the young man. He was determined to put an end to the position, andshe found that she could not longer dominate him by her wrath. Then MrsGabriel became aware that she had driven him like a rat into a corner,and that, like a rat, he had turned to fight. For reasons best known toherself she did not wish him to leave her. Forthwith she abandoned hertyrannical attitude, and took refuge in the weakness of her sex.Considering her boasting, this was ironical.
"It is cruel of you, Leo, to behave thus to a woman who loves you!"
Leo, leaning over the parapet, shrugged his shoulders and repliedwithout looking round. "That is just the point," he said. "You really donot love me--no, not one little bit."
"I do. See how I have looked after you all these years."
"And made me feel that I was a pauper all the time," he retorted. "Butis it necessary to go over all the old ground? I have made up my mind."
"You shall not enlist."
"I tell you I shall."
The two faced one another, both pale and both defiant. It was a contestof will, and the weaker would be sure to yield in the long run. MrsGabriel quite expected that her adopted son would give in, as he hadoften done before, but this time she found to her surprise that hedeclined to move from his attitude of defiance. Seeing that she wasbeaten, she suddenly calmed and proceeded to win the necessary victoryin another and more crafty way.
"Sit down, Leo," she said quietly. "It is time we had an explanation.You are behaving very badly, and I must request you at least to listento me."
Haverleigh had been doing nothing else for nearly an hour, so thisspeech was a trifle inconsistent. However, he could not be brutal, sowith another shrug he resumed his seat. All the same he was resolved inhis own mind that no argument she could use should make him alter thecourse he had determined upon. Leo could be obstinate on occasions.
"I do everything I can for your good," said Mrs Gabriel in a complainingtone, "yet you thwart me at every turn." Then she proceeded to recounthow she had sent him to Eton, to Oxford, how she had permitted him to goto London and allowed him money, and how he had behaved foolishly. Itwas at this point the young man interrupted her.
"I admit that I have been foolish, but that comes from want ofexperience. You can't expect me to have an old head on young shoulders."
"Don't interrupt me, please," said Mrs Gabriel, sharply. "Now that youhave sown your wild oats, I want you to come here and take your positionas my heir. I am no longer so young as I was, and I need someone to helpme in administering the estate. Besides, I want you to marry."
Leo rose from his seat. "You wish me to marry," said he; then, after apause, he proceeded sarcastically, "And I suppose you have chosen me awife?"
"Just so," said Mrs Gabriel, coolly. "I want you to marry Miss Hale."
"Not if there was not another woman in the world!"
"That's all nonsense, Leo. She has a good dowry and she is an agreeablegirl. You _shall_ marry her."
"I don't love her," protested Leo.
"No matter; she loves you. Her brother told me so, and I am woman enoughto see that she is deeply attached to you."
"I won't marry her!" said Leo, doggedly. "I have a right to choose awife for myself, and Miss Hale is not my choice."
"Ah! Then what I have heard is true?"
"What have you heard?" he demanded, with a dangerous look in his blueeyes. Mrs Gabriel was going too far.
"That you are in love with Sibyl Tempest."
"That is true. She is a beautiful and charming girl."
"And a beggar!" burst out Mrs Gabriel, savagely. "Her father has nothingbeyond his stipend, and that he spends on books. When he dies she willbe a beggar. If you married her she would bring you no dowry."
"She will bring me herself," replied Haverleigh, "and that is goodenough for me. I love Sybil with my whole soul."
"And how do you propose to keep her?" sneered Mrs Gabriel.
"Not as the heir to your property," said Leo, wrathfully. "In some wayor another I shall make my way in the world. Sybil is quite willing towait for me. We are engaged."
"Ha! You seem to have settled the whole matter."
"We have. And it will not be unsettled by anyone."
The young man looked so determined, there was such fire in his eye, sucha firmness about his closed mouth, that Mrs Gabriel felt that she wasbeaten. For the moment she retreated gracefully, but by no means gave upher point. By nagging at Leo she might be enabled to bring about thingsas she wished. "Well, have it your own way," she said, rising. "I havesaid my say, and you are behaving abominably."
"I am sorry you should think so, but I really cannot submit to this lifeany longer. You quite understand that next week I go to London?"
"As you please." Mrs Gabriel was outwardly calm, but inwardly furious."I hope you have well considered what you are doing?"
"I have. My mind has been made up for some time."
"In that case, Leo, we may as well part good friends. I shall pay yourdebts and fit you out. Now do not contradict me. If you have any feelingof gratitude you will at least let me do this much."
Haverleigh did not like the proposition, as he felt that Mrs Gabriel waspreparing some snare into which he might blindly fall. However, as hecould not see his way to a refusal, and, moreover, was weary of thisbickering, he merely bowed. Mrs Gabriel had thus gained time, and insome measure had secured the victory. It remained to her to make thebest use of it. She was determined that Leo should marry Edith Hale.
"Have you had luncheon, Leo?" she asked, changing the subject.
"No. But I am not hungry now."
"Nonsense. A big man like you. Come in and have something to eat atonce."
As a refusal would only have meant another outburst, Leo accepted theinevitable, and moved towards the door with his mother. "By the way," hesaid, "I met Mr Pratt down below. He intends to ask us to ahouse-warming."
It might have been Leo's fancy, but he thought that Mrs Gabriel startedat the mention of the name. However, there was an emotion in her hardvoice as she replied, "I shall be rather glad to see the interior of hishouse, Leo. It is said that he has the most beautiful things. Will heask us to dinner?"
"Yes. Hale and his sister are coming."
"Ah!" said Mrs Gabriel in gratified tones.
"And the vicar and his daughter. Also Raston, the curate."
"The church party," said Mrs Gabriel, disdainfully. She had no love forTempest, whom she regarded as half insane, nor for Sibyl, who was toobeautiful for womanly taste, nor for Raston, who had frequently foughther on questions connected with parish affairs.
"By the way," said Leo, who had been meditating, "why has Mr Prattsettled in these parts? I should think he found it dull."
Mrs Gabriel smiled contemptuously. "Mr Pratt is not a foolish young manlike someone I know," she said; "he does not find pleasure in thefollies of the Town. For my part, I think he is wise to settle here inhis old age. He is a delightful neighbour and a pleasant companion."
"He is all that," assented Leo, heartily. He liked Pratt. "You haveknown him for many years, mother?"
"For ten or twelve," replied Mrs Gabriel, carelessly. "I met him inVienna, I think, and he called on me when I returned to London.Afterwards he came down here and fell in love with the place. For yearshe has been a rolling stone, but always said that when he settled downhe would come to Colester. He is liked, is he not, Leo?"
"He is more than liked. He is immensely popular--with our friends, ifnot with the villagers. You have done a good deed in introducing him toour dull parish."
"I don't think Mr Pratt, who has so many resources in himself, finds itdull, my dear. However, I shall be glad to accept the invitation to hisdinner. I should like to see hi
m married."
"Indeed! Have you chosen him a wife also?"
Mrs Gabriel laughed. "I thought he might take a fancy to Sibyl Tempest."
"Why, he's old enough to be her father. Besides--"
"Besides you love her," finished Mrs Gabriel, with a shrug. "Well, donot get angry, Leo. I should like to see Mr Pratt marry Sybil and youthe husband of Edith Hale. Then everything would be right."
"I don't think so at all," commenced Haverleigh in vexed tones. "Butdon't let us quarrel any more. I have the greatest regard for Pratt, butI do not care to go the length of letting him marry the girl I love."
"You know very little of Mr Pratt," said Mrs Gabriel, looking suddenlyat the young man, "how, then, can you regard him so--"
"Oh, I have seen him often in Town," broke in Leo; "sometimes when I wasin difficulties and did not want to tell you Pratt helped me."
"With money?" asked Mrs Gabriel, sharply.
"Of course with money. But I paid him back."
Mrs Gabriel made no answer, but, rising suddenly, passed out of theroom, and left Leo eating his luncheon alone. Her usually calm facelooked disturbed and her hands were restless. Leo's information hadannoyed her.
"What does Pratt mean?" she asked herself. "Can't he leave the boy aloneafter all these years? I wonder--" She broke off and pressed her hand toher heart as though she there felt a cruel pain. Perhaps she did, butMrs Gabriel was not the woman to show it.