CHAPTER IV
THE GOLDEN HEART
The day after Dorothy's first meeting with Manners at Overhaddon she wasrestless and nervous, and about the hour of three in the afternoon shemounted Dolcy and rode toward Bakewell. That direction, I was sure, shetook for the purpose of misleading us at the Hall, and I felt confidentshe would, when once out of sight, head her mare straight for Overhaddon.Within an hour Dorothy was home again, and very ill-tempered.
The next day she rode out in the morning. I asked her if I should ridewith her, and the emphatic "No" with which she answered me left no roomfor doubt in my mind concerning her desire for my company or herdestination. Again she returned within an hour and hurried to herapartments. Shortly afterward Madge asked me what Dorothy was weepingabout; and although in my own mind I was confident of the cause ofDorothy's tears, I, of course, did not give Madge a hint of my suspicion.Yet I then knew, quite as well as I now know, that John, notwithstandingthe important business which he said would bring him to Overhaddon everyday, had forced himself to remain at home, and Dorothy, in consequence,suffered from anger and wounded pride. She had twice ridden to Overhaddonto meet him. She had done for his sake that which she knew she should haveleft undone, and he had refused the offering. A smarting conscience, anaching heart, and a breast full of anger were Dorothy's rewards for herevil doing. The day after her second futile trip to Overhaddon, I, to testher, spoke of John. She turned upon me with the black look of a fury, andhurled her words at me.
"Never again speak his despised name in my hearing. Curse him and hiswhole race."
"Now what has he been doing?" I asked.
"I tell you, I will not speak of him, nor will I listen to you," and shedashed away from me like a fiery whirlwind.
Four or five days later the girl rode out again upon Dolcy. She was awayfrom home for four long hours, and when she returned she was so gentle,sweet, and happy that she was willing to kiss every one in the householdfrom Welch, the butcher, to Sir George. She was radiant. She clung toMadge and to me, and sang and romped through the house like Dorothy ofold.
Madge said, "I am so glad you are feeling better, Dorothy." Then, speakingto me: "She has been ill for several days. She could not sleep."
Dorothy looked quickly over to me, gave a little shrug to her shoulders,bent forward her face, which was red with blushing, and kissed Madgelingeringly upon the lips.
The events of Dorothy's trip I soon learned from her.
The little scene between Dorothy, Madge, and myself, after Dorothy'sjoyful return, occurred a week before the momentous conversation betweenSir George and me concerning my union with his house. Ten days after SirGeorge had offered me his daughter and his lands, he brought up thesubject again. He and I were walking on the ridge of Bowling Green Hill.
"I am glad you are making such fair progress with Doll," said Sir George."Have you yet spoken to her upon the subject?"
I was surprised to hear that I had made any progress. In fact, I did notknow that I had taken a single step. I was curious to learn in what theprogress consisted, so I said:--
"I have not spoken to Dorothy yet concerning the marriage, and I fear thatI have made no progress at all. She certainly is friendly enough to me,but--"
"I should say that the gift from you she exhibited would indicateconsiderable progress," said Sir George, casting an expressive glancetoward me.
"What gift?" I stupidly inquired.
"The golden heart, you rascal. She said you told her it had belonged toyour mother."
"Holy Mother of Truth!" thought I, "pray give your especial care to mycousin Dorothy. She needs it."
Sir George thrust at my side with his thumb and continued:--
"Don't deny it, Malcolm. Damme, you are as shy as a boy in this matter.But perhaps you know better than I how to go at her. I was thinking onlythe other day that your course was probably the right one. Doll, Isuspect, has a dash of her old father's temper, and she may prove a littletroublesome unless we let her think she is having her own way. Oh, thereis nothing like knowing how to handle them, Malcolm. Just let them thinkthey are having their own way and--and save trouble. Doll may have more ofher father in her than I suspect, and perhaps it is well for us to moveslowly. You will be able to judge, but you must not move too slowly. If inthe end she should prove stubborn, we will break her will or break herneck. I would rather have a daughter in Bakewell churchyard than a wilful,stubborn, disobedient huzzy in Haddon Hall."
Sir George had been drinking, and my slip concerning the gift passedunnoticed by him.
"I am sure you well know how to proceed in this matter, but don't be toocautious, Malcolm; the best woman living loves to be stormed."
"Trust me," I answered, "I shall speak--" and my words unconsciously sankaway to thought, as thought often, and inconveniently at times, grows intowords.
"Dorothy, Dorothy," said the thoughts again and again, "where came you bythe golden heart?" and "where learned you so villanously to lie?"
"From love," was the response, whispered by the sighing winds. "From love,that makes men and women like unto gods and teaches them the tricks ofdevils." "From love," murmured the dry rustling leaves and the ruggedtrees. "From love," sighed the fleecy clouds as they floated in the sweetrestful azure of the vaulted sky. "From love," cried the mighty sun as hepoured his light and heat upon the eager world to give it life. I wouldnot give a fig for a woman, however, who would not lie herself black inthe face for the sake of her lover, and I am glad that it is a virtue fewwomen lack. One who would scorn to lie under all other circumstanceswould--but you understand. I suppose that Dorothy had never before uttereda real lie. She hated all that was evil and loved all that was good tilllove came a-teaching.
I quickly invented an excuse to leave Sir George, and returned to the Hallto seek Dorothy. I found her and asked her to accompany me for a fewminutes that I might speak with her privately. We went out upon theterrace and I at once began:--
"You should tell me when I present you gifts that I may not cause troubleby my ignorance nor show surprise when I suddenly learn what I have done.You see when a man gives a lady a gift and he does not know it, he is aptto--"
"Holy Virgin!" exclaimed Dorothy, pale with fear and consternation. "Didyou--"
"No, I did not betray you, but I came perilously near it."
"I--I wanted to tell you about it. I tried several times to do so--I didso long to tell somebody, but I could not bring myself to speak. I wasfull of shame, yet I was proud and happy, for all that happened was goodand pure and sacred. You are not a woman; you cannot know--"
"But I do know. I know that you saw Manners the other day, and that hegave you a golden heart."
"How did you know? Did any one--"
"Tell me? No. I knew it when you returned after five hours' absence,looking radiant as the sun."
"Oh!" the girl exclaimed, with a startled movement.
"I also knew," I continued, "that at other times when you rode out uponDolcy you had not seen him."
"How did you know?" she asked, with quick-coming breath.
"By your ill-humor," I answered.
"I knew it was so. I felt that everybody knew all that I had been doing. Icould almost see father and Madge and you--even the servants--reading thewickedness written upon my heart. I knew that I could hide it fromnobody." Tears were very near the girl's eyes.
"We cannot help thinking that our guilty consciences, through which we seeso plainly our own evil, are transparent to all the world. In that factlies an evil-doer's greatest danger," said I, preacher fashion; "but youneed have no fear. What you have done I believe is suspected by no onesave me."
A deep sigh of relief rose from the girl's heaving breast.
"Well," she began, "I will tell you all about it, and I am only too gladto do so. It is heavy, Malcolm, heavy on my conscience. But I would notbe rid of it for all the kingdoms of the earth."
"A moment since you told me that your conduct was good and pure andsacred, and now you
tell me that it is heavy on your conscience. Does onegrieve, Dorothy, for the sake of that which is good and pure and sacred?"
"I cannot answer your question," she replied. "I am no priest. But this Iknow: I have done no evil, and my conscience nevertheless is sore. Solveme the riddle, Malcolm, if you can."
"I cannot solve your riddle, Dorothy," I replied; "but I feel sure it willbe far safer for each of us if you will tell me all that happenshereafter."
"I am sure you are right," she responded; "but some secrets are sodelicious that we love to suck their sweets alone. I believe, however,your advice is good, and I will tell you all that has happened, though Icannot look you in the face while doing it." She hesitated a moment, andher face was red with tell-tale blushes. She continued, "I have acted mostunmaidenly."
"Unmaidenly perhaps, but not unwomanly," said I.
"I thank you," she said, interrupting my sentence. It probably was wellthat she did so, for I was about to add, "To act womanly often means toget yourself into mischief and your friends into as much trouble aspossible." Had I finished my remark, she would not have thanked me.
"Well," said the girl, beginning her laggard narrative, "after we saw--sawhim at Overhaddon, you know, I went to the village on each of threedays--"
"Yes, I know that also," I said.
"How did you--but never mind. I did not see him, and when I returned homeI felt angry and hurt and--and--but never mind that either. One day Ifound him, and I at once rode to the well where he was standing by hishorse. He drew water for Dolcy, but the perverse mare would not drink."
"A characteristic of her sex," I muttered.
"What did you say?" asked the girl.
"Nothing."
She continued: "He seemed constrained and distant in his manner, but Iknew, that is, I thought--I mean I felt--oh, you know--he looked as if hewere glad to see me and I--I, oh, God! I was so glad and happy to see himthat I could hardly restrain myself to act at all maidenly. He must haveheard my heart beat. I thought he was in trouble. He seemed to havesomething he wished to say to me."
"He doubtless had a great deal he wished to say to you," said I, againtempted to futile irony.
"I was sure he had something to say," the girl returned seriously. "He wasin trouble. I knew that he was, and I longed to help him."
"What trouble?" I inquired.
"Oh, I don't know. I forgot to ask, but he looked troubled."
"Doubtless he was troubled," I responded. "He had sufficient cause fortrouble," I finished the sentence to myself with the words, "in you."
"What was the cause of his trouble?" she hastily asked, turning her facetoward me.
"I do not know certainly," I answered in a tone of irony which should havepierced an oak board, while the girl listened and looked at me eagerly;"but I might guess."
"What was it? What was it? Let me hear you guess," she asked.
"You," I responded laconically.
"I!" she exclaimed in surprise.
"Yes, you," I responded with emphasis. "You would bring trouble to anyman, but to Sir John Manners--well, if he intends to keep up thesemeetings with you it would be better for his peace and happiness that heshould get him a house in hell, for he would live there more happily thanon this earth."
"That is a foolish, senseless remark, Malcolm," the girl replied, tossingher head with a show of anger in her eyes. "This is no time to jest." Isuppose I could not have convinced her that I was not jesting.
"At first we did not speak to each other even to say good day, but stoodby the well in silence for a very long time. The village people werestaring at us, and I felt that every window had a hundred faces in it, andevery face a hundred eyes."
"You imagined that," said I, "because of your guilty conscience."
"Perhaps so. But it seemed to me that we stood by the well in silence avery long time. You see, Cousin Malcolm, I was not the one who shouldspeak first. I had done more than my part in going to meet him."
"Decidedly so," said I, interrupting the interesting narrative.
"When I could bear the gaze of the villagers no longer, I drew up my reinsand started to leave The Open by the north road. After Dolcy had climbedhalfway up North Hill, which as you know overlooks the village, I turnedmy head and saw Sir John still standing by the well, resting his hand uponhis horse's mane. He was watching me. I grew angry, and determined that heshould follow me, even if I had to call him. So I drew Dolcy to a stand.Was not that bold in me? But wait, there is worse to come, Malcolm. He didnot move, but stood like a statue looking toward me. I knew that he wantedto come, so after a little time I--I beckoned to him and--and then he camelike a thunderbolt. Oh! it was delicious. I put Dolcy to a gallop, forwhen he started toward me I was frightened. Besides I did not want him toovertake me till we were out of the village. But when once he had started,he did not wait. He was as swift now as he had been slow, and my heartthrobbed and triumphed because of his eagerness, though in truth I wasafraid of him. Dolcy, you know, is very fleet, and when I touched her withthe whip she soon put half a mile between me and the village. Then Ibrought her to a walk and--and he quickly overtook me.
"When he came up to me he said: 'I feared to follow you, though I ardentlywished to do so. I dreaded to tell you my name lest you should hate me.Sir Malcolm at The Peacock said he would not disclose to you my identity.I am John Manners. Our fathers are enemies.'
"Then I said to him, 'That is the reason I wish to talk to you. I wishedyou to come to meet me because I wanted to tell you that I regret anddeplore the feud between our fathers.'--'Ah, you wished me to come?' heasked.--'Of course I did,' I answered, 'else why should I be here?'--'Noone regrets the feud between our houses so deeply as I,' replied Sir John.'I can think of nothing else by day, nor can I dream of anything else bynight. It is the greatest cause for grief and sorrow that has ever comeinto my life.' You see, Cousin Malcolm," the girl continued, "I was right.His father's conduct does trouble him. Isn't he noble and broad-minded tosee the evil of his father's ways?"
I did not tell the girl that Sir John's regret for the feud between thehouses of Manners and Vernon grew out of the fact that it separated himfrom her; nor did I tell her that he did not grieve over his "father'sways."
I asked, "Did Sir John tell you that he grieved because of his father'sill-doing?"
"N-o, not in set terms, but--that, of course, would have been very hardfor him to say. I told you what he said, and there could be no othermeaning to his words."
"Of course not," I responded.
"No, and I fairly longed to reach out my hand and clutch him,because--because I was so sorry for him."
"Was sorrow your only feeling?" I asked.
The girl looked at me for a moment, and her eyes filled with tears. Thenshe sobbed gently and said, "Oh, Cousin Malcolm, you are so old and sowise." ("Thank you," thought I, "a second Daniel come to judgment atthirty-five; or Solomon and Methuselah in one.") She continued: "Tell me,tell me, what is this terrible thing that has come upon me. I seem to beliving in a dream. I am burning with a fever, and a heavy weight is hereupon my breast. I cannot sleep at night. I can do nothing but long andyearn for--for I know not what--till at times it seems that somefrightful, unseen monster is slowly drawing the heart out of my bosom. Ithink of--of him at all times, and I try to recall his face, and the tonesof his voice until, Cousin Malcolm, I tell you I am almost mad. I callupon the Holy Virgin hour by hour to pity me; but she is pure, and cannotknow what I feel. I hate and loathe myself. To what am I coming? Wherewill it all end? Yet I can do nothing to save myself. I am powerlessagainst this terrible feeling. I cannot even resolve to resist it. It cameupon me mildly that day at The Peacock Inn, when I first saw him, and itgrows deeper and stronger day by day, and, alas! night by night. I seem tohave lost myself. In some strange way I feel as if I had sunk intohim--that he had absorbed me."
"The iron, the seed, the cloud, and the rain," thought I.
"I believed," continued the girl, "that if he would exert his will
I mighthave relief; but there again I find trouble, for I cannot bring myself toask him to will it. The feeling within me is like a sore heart: painful asit is, I must keep it. Without it I fear I could not live."
After this outburst there was a long pause during which she walked by myside, seemingly unconscious that I was near her. I had known for some timethat Dorothy was interested in Manners; but I was not prepared to see sucha volcano of passion. I need not descant upon the evils and dangers of thesituation. The thought that first came to me was that Sir George wouldsurely kill his daughter before he would allow her to marry a son ofRutland. I was revolving in my mind how I should set about to mend thematter when Dorothy again spoke.
"Tell me, Cousin Malcolm, can a man throw a spell over a woman and bewitchher?"
"I do not know. I have never heard of a man witch," I responded.
"No?" asked the girl.
"But," I continued, "I do know that a woman may bewitch a man. JohnManners, I doubt not, could also testify knowingly on the subject by thistime."
"Oh, do you think he is bewitched?" cried Dorothy, grasping my arm andlooking eagerly into my face. "If I could bewitch him, I would do it. Iwould deal with the devil gladly to learn the art. I would not care for mysoul. I do not fear the future. The present is a thousand-fold dearer tome than either the past or the future. I care not what comes hereafter. Iwant him now. Ah, Malcolm, pity my shame."
She covered her face with her hands, and after a moment continued: "I amnot myself. I belong not to myself. But if I knew that he also suffers, Ido believe my pain would be less."
"I think you may set your heart at rest upon that point," I answered. "He,doubtless, also suffers."
"I hope so," she responded, unconscious of the selfish wish she hadexpressed. "If he does not, I know not what will be my fate."
I saw that I had made a mistake in assuring her that John also suffered,and I determined to correct it later on, if possible.
Dorothy was silent, and I said, "You have not told me about the goldenheart."
"I will tell you," she answered. "We rode for two hours or more, andtalked of the weather and the scenery, until there was nothing more to besaid concerning either. Then Sir John told me of the court in London,where he has always lived, and of the queen whose hair, he says, is red,but not at all like mine. I wondered if he would speak of the beauty of myhair, but he did not. He only looked at it. Then he told me about theScottish queen whom he once met when he was on an embassy to Edinburgh. Hedescribed her marvellous beauty, and I believe he sympathizes with hercause--that is, with her cause in Scotland. He says she has no good causein England. He is true to our queen. Well--well he talked so interestinglythat I could have listened a whole month--yes, all my life."
"I suppose you could," I said.
"Yes," she continued, "but I could not remain longer from home, and when Ileft him he asked me to accept a keepsake which had belonged to hismother, as a token that there should be no feud between him and me." Andshe drew from her bosom a golden heart studded with diamonds and piercedby a white silver arrow.
"I, of course, accepted it, then we said 'good-by,' and I put Dolcy to agallop that she might speedily take me out of temptation."
"Have you ridden to Overhaddon for the purpose of seeing Manners manytimes since he gave you the heart?" I queried.
"What would you call 'many times'?" she asked, drooping her head.
"Every day?" I said interrogatively. She nodded. "Yes. But I have seenhim only once since the day when he gave me the heart."
Nothing I could say would do justice to the subject, so I remained silent.
"But you have not yet told me how your father came to know of the goldenheart," I said.
"It was this way: One morning while I was looking at the heart, fathercame upon me suddenly before I could conceal it. He asked me to tell himhow I came by the jewel, and in my fright and confusion I could think ofnothing else to say, so I told him you had given it to me. He promised notto speak to you about the heart, but he did not keep his word. He seemedpleased."
"Doubtless he was pleased," said I, hoping to lead up to the subject sonear to Sir George's heart, but now farther than ever from mine.
The girl unsuspectingly helped me.
"Father asked if you had spoken upon a subject of great interest to himand to yourself, and I told him you had not. 'When he does speak,' saidfather most kindly, 'I want you to grant his request'--and I will grantit, Cousin Malcolm." She looked in my face and continued: "I will grantyour request, whatever it may be. You are the dearest friend I have in theworld, and mine is the most loving and lovable father that girl ever had.It almost breaks my heart when I think of his suffering should he learn ofwhat I have done--that which I just told to you." She walked beside memeditatively for a moment and said, "To-morrow I will return Sir John'sgift and I will never see him again."
I felt sure that by to-morrow she would have repented of her repentance;but I soon discovered that I had given her much more time than she neededto perform that trifling feminine gymnastic, for with the next breath shesaid:--
"I have no means of returning the heart. I must see him once more and Iwill give--give it--it--back to--to him, and will tell him that I can seehim never again." She scarcely had sufficient resolution to finish tellingher intention. Whence, then, would come the will to put it in action?Forty thieves could not have stolen the heart from her, though she thoughtshe was honest when she said she would take it to him.
"Dorothy," said I, seriously but kindly, "have you and Sir John spokenof--"
She evidently knew that I meant to say "of love," for she interrupted me.
"N-o, but surely he knows. And I--I think--at least I hope with all myheart that--"
"I will take the heart to Sir John," said I, interrupting her angrily,"and you need not see him again. He has acted like a fool and a knave. Heis a villain, Dorothy, and I will tell him as much in the most emphaticterms I have at my command."
"Dare you speak against him or to him upon the subject!" she exclaimed,her eyes blazing with anger; "you--you asked for my confidence and I gaveit. You said I might trust you and I did so, and now you show me that I ama fool indeed. Traitor!"
"My dear cousin," said I, seeing that she spoke the truth in charging mewith bad faith, "your secret is safe with me. I swear it by my knighthood.You may trust me. I spoke in anger. But Sir John has acted badly. That youcannot gainsay. You, too, have done great evil. That also you cannotgainsay."
"No," said the girl, dejectedly, "I cannot deny it; but the greatest evilis yet to come."
"You must do something," I continued. "You must take some decisive stepthat will break this connection, and you must take the step at once if youwould save yourself from the frightful evil that is in store for you.Forgive me for what I said, sweet cousin. My angry words sprang from mylove for you and my fear for your future."
No girl's heart was more tender to the influence of kindness thanDorothy's. No heart was more obdurate to unkindness or peremptory command.
My words softened her at once, and she tried to smother the anger I hadaroused. But she did not entirely succeed, and a spark remained which in amoment or two created a disastrous conflagration. You shall hear.
She walked by my side in silence for a little time, and then spoke in alow, slightly sullen tone which told of her effort to smother herresentment.
"I do trust you, Cousin Malcolm. What is it that you wish to ask of me?Your request is granted before it is made."
"Do not be too sure of that, Dorothy," I replied. "It is a request yourfather ardently desires me to make, and I do not know how to speak to youconcerning the subject in the way I wish."
I could not ask her to marry me, and tell her with the same breath that Idid not want her for my wife. I felt I must wait for a further opportunityto say that I spoke only because her father had required me to do so, andthat circumstances forced me to put the burden of refusal upon her. I wellknew that she would refuse me, and then I
intended to explain.
"Why, what is it all about?" asked the girl in surprise, suspecting, Ibelieve, what was to follow.
"It is this: your father is anxious that his vast estates shall not passout of the family name, and he wishes you to be my wife, so that yourchildren may bear the loved name of Vernon."
I could not have chosen a more inauspicious time to speak. She looked atme for an instant in surprise, turning to scorn. Then she spoke in tonesof withering contempt.
"Tell my father that I shall never bear a child by the name of Vernon. Iwould rather go barren to my grave. Ah! that is why Sir John Manners is avillain? That is why a decisive step should be taken? That is why you cometo my father's house a-fortune-hunting? After you have squandered yourpatrimony and have spent a dissolute youth in profligacy, after the womenof the class you have known will have no more of you but choose youngermen, you who are old enough to be my father come here and seek yourfortune, as your father sought his, by marriage. I do not believe that myfather wishes me to--to marry you. You have wheedled him into giving hisconsent when he was in his cups. But even if he wished it with all hisheart, I would not marry you." Then she turned and walked rapidly towardthe Hall.
Her fierce words angered me; for in the light of my real intentions herscorn was uncalled for, and her language was insulting beyond endurance.For a moment or two the hot blood rushed to my brain and rendered meincapable of intelligent thought. But as Dorothy walked from me I realizedthat something must be done at once to put myself right with her. When myfit of temper had cooled, and when I considered that the girl did not knowmy real intentions, I could not help acknowledging that in view of allthat had just passed between us concerning Sir John Manners, and, in fact,in view of all that she had seen and could see, her anger was justifiable.
I called to her: "Dorothy, wait a moment. You have not heard all I have tosay."
She hastened her pace. A few rapid strides brought me to her side. I wasprovoked, not at her words, for they were almost justifiable, but becauseshe would not stop to hear me. I grasped her rudely by the arm andsaid:--
"Listen till I have finished."
"I will not," she answered viciously. "Do not touch me."
I still held her by the arm and said: "I do not wish to marry you. I spokeonly because your father desired me to do so, and because my refusal tospeak would have offended him beyond any power of mine to make amends. Icould not tell you that I did not wish you for my wife until you had givenme an opportunity. I was forced to throw the burden of refusal upon you."
"That is but a ruse--a transparent, flimsy ruse," responded the stubborn,angry girl, endeavoring to draw her arm from my grasp.
"It is not a ruse," I answered. "If you will listen to me and will help meby acting as I suggest, we may between us bring your father to our way ofthinking, and I may still be able to retain his friendship."
"What is your great plan?" asked Dorothy, in a voice such as one mightexpect to hear from a piece of ice.
"I have formed no plan as yet," I replied, "although I have thought ofseveral. Until we can determine upon one, I suggest that you permit me tosay to your father that I have asked you to be my wife, and that thesubject has come upon you so suddenly that you wish a short time,--afortnight or a month--in which to consider your answer."
"That is but a ruse, I say, to gain time," she answered contemptuously. "Ido not wish one moment in which to consider. You already have my answer. Ishould think you had had enough. Do you desire more of the same sort? Alittle of such treatment should go a long way with a man possessed of onespark of honor or self-respect."
Her language would have angered a sheep.
"If you will not listen to me," I answered, thoroughly aroused andcareless of consequences, "go to your father. Tell him I asked you to bemy wife, and that you scorned my suit. Then take the consequences. He hasalways been gentle and tender to you because there has been no conflict.Cross his desires, and you will learn a fact of which you have neverdreamed. You have seen the manner in which he treats others who opposehim. You will learn that with you, too, he can be one of the cruelest andmost violent of men."
"You slander my father. I will go to him as you advise and will tell himthat I would not marry you if you wore the English crown. I, myself, willtell him of my meeting with Sir John Manners rather than allow you thepleasure of doing so. He will be angry, but he will pity me."
"For God's sake, Dorothy, do not tell your father of your meetings atOverhaddon. He would kill you. Have you lived in the same house with himall these years and do you not better know his character than to thinkthat you may go to him with the tale you have just told me, and that hewill forgive you? Feel as you will toward me, but believe me when I swearto you by my knighthood that I will betray to no person what you have thisday divulged to me."
Dorothy made no reply, but turned from me and rapidly walked toward theHall. I followed at a short distance, and all my anger was displaced byfear for her. When we reached the Hall she quickly sought her father andapproached him in her old free manner, full of confidence in her influenceover him.
"Father, this man"--waving her hand toward me--"has come to Haddon Halla-fortune-hunting. He has asked me to be his wife, and says you wish me toaccept him."
"Yes, Doll, I certainly wish it with all my heart," returned Sir George,affectionately, taking his daughter's hand.
"Then you need wish it no longer, for I will not marry him."
"What?" demanded her father, springing to his feet.
"I will not. I will not. I will not."
"You will if I command you to do so, you damned insolent wench," answeredSir George, hoarsely. Dorothy's eyes opened in wonder.
"Do not deceive yourself, father, for one moment," she retortedcontemptuously. "He has come here in sheep's clothing and has adroitlylaid his plans to convince you that I should marry him, but--"
"He has done nothing of the sort," answered Sir George, growing more angryevery moment, but endeavoring to be calm. "Nothing of the sort. Many yearsago I spoke to him on this subject, which is very dear to my heart. Theproject has been dear to me ever since you were a child. When I againbroached it to Malcolm a fortnight or more since I feared from his mannerthat he was averse to the scheme. I had tried several times to speak tohim about it, but he warded me off, and when I did speak, I feared that hewas not inclined to it."
"Yes," interrupted the headstrong girl, apparently bent upon destroyingboth of us. "He pretended that he did not wish to marry me. He said hewished me to give a sham consent for the purpose of gaining time till wemight hit upon some plan by which we could change your mind. He said hehad no desire nor intention to marry me. It was but a poor, lame ruse onhis part."
During Dorothy's recital Sir George turned his face from her to me. Whenshe had finished speaking, he looked at me for a moment and said:--
"Does my daughter speak the truth? Did you say--"
"Yes," I promptly replied, "I have no intention of marrying yourdaughter." Then hoping to place myself before Sir George in a betterlight, I continued: "I could not accept the hand of a lady against herwill. I told you as much when we conversed on the subject."
"What?" exclaimed Sir George, furious with anger. "You too? You whom Ihave befriended?"
"I told you, Sir George, I would not marry Dorothy without her freeconsent. No gentleman of honor would accept the enforced compliance of awoman."
"But Doll says that you told her you had no intention of marrying her evenshould she consent," replied Sir George.
"I don't know that I spoke those exact words," I replied, "but you mayconsider them said."
"You damned, ungrateful, treacherous hound!" stormed Sir George. "Youlistened to me when I offered you my daughter's hand, and you pretended toconsent without at the time having any intention of doing so."
"That, I suppose, is true, Sir George," said I, making a masterful effortagainst anger. "That is true, for I knew that Dorothy would not consent;and had I been inclined to th
e marriage, I repeat, I would marry no womanagainst her will. No gentleman would do it."
My remark threw Sir George into a paroxysm of rage.
"I did it, you cur, you dog, you--you traitorous, ungrateful--I did it."
"Then, Sir George," said I, interrupting him, for I was no longer able torestrain my anger, "you were a cowardly poltroon."
"This to me in my house!" he cried, grasping a chair with which to strikeme. Dorothy came between us.
"Yes," said I, "and as much more as you wish to hear." I stood my ground,and Sir George put down the chair.
"Leave my house at once," he said in a whisper of rage.
"If you are on my premises in one hour from now I will have you floggedfrom my door by the butcher."
"What have I done?" cried Dorothy. "What have I done?"
"Your regrets come late, Mistress Vernon," said I.
"She shall have more to regret," said Sir George, sullenly. "Go to yourroom, you brazen, disobedient huzzy, and if you leave it without mypermission, by God, I will have you whipped till you bleed. I will teachyou to say 'I won't' when I say 'you shall.' God curse my soul, if I don'tmake you repent this day!"
As I left the room Dorothy was in tears, and Sir George was walking thefloor in a towering rage. The girl had learned that I was right in what Ihad told her concerning her father's violent temper.
I went at once to my room in Eagle Tower and collected my few belongingsin a bundle. Pitifully small it was, I tell you.
Where I should go I knew not, and where I should remain I knew even less,for my purse held only a few shillings--the remnant of the money QueenMary had sent to me by the hand of Sir Thomas Douglas. England was asunsafe for me as Scotland; but how I might travel to France without money,and how I might without a pass evade Elizabeth's officers who guardedevery English port, even were I supplied with gold, were problems forwhich I had no solution.
There were but two persons in Haddon Hall to whom I cared to say farewell.They were Lady Madge and Will Dawson. The latter was a Scot, and wasattached to the cause of Queen Mary. He and I had become friends, and onseveral occasions we had talked confidentially over Mary's sad plight.
When my bundle was packed, I sought Madge and found her in the gallerynear the foot of the great staircase. She knew my step and rose to greetme with a bright smile.
"I have come to say good-by to you, Cousin Madge," said I. The smilevanished from her face.
"You are not going to leave Haddon Hall?" she asked.
"Yes, and forever," I responded. "Sir George has ordered me to go."
"No, no," she exclaimed. "I cannot believe it. I supposed that you and myuncle were friends. What has happened? Tell me if you can--if you wish.Let me touch your hand," and as she held out her hands, I gladly graspedthem.
I have never seen anything more beautiful than Madge Stanley's hands. Theywere not small, but their shape, from the fair, round forearm and wrist tothe ends of the fingers was worthy of a sculptor's dream. Beyond theirphysical beauty there was an expression in them which would have belongedto her eyes had she possessed the sense of sight. The flood of her vitalenergy had for so many years been directed toward her hands as asubstitute for her lost eyesight that their sensitiveness showed itselfnot only in an infinite variety of delicate gestures and movements,changing with her changing moods, but they had an expression of their own,such as we look for in the eyes. I had gazed upon her hands so often, andhad studied so carefully their varying expression, discernible both to mysight and to my touch, that I could read her mind through them as we readthe emotions of others through the countenance. The "feel" of her hands,if I may use the word, I can in no way describe. Its effect on me wasmagical. The happiest moments I have ever known were those when I held thefair blind girl by the hand and strolled upon the great terrace orfollowed the babbling winding course of dear old Wye, and drank in theelixir of all that is good and pure from the cup of her sweet, unconsciousinfluence.
Madge, too, had found happiness in our strolling. She had also foundhealth and strength, and, marvellous to say, there had come to her aslight improvement in vision. She had always been able to distinguishsunlight from darkness, but with renewed strength had come the power dimlyto discern dark objects in a strong light, and even that small change forthe better had brought unspeakable gladness to her heart. She said sheowed it all to me. A faint pink had spread itself in her cheeks and aplumpness had been imparted to her form which gave to her ethereal beautya touch of the material. Nor was this to be regretted, for no man canadequately make love to a woman who has too much of the angel in her. Youmust not think, however, that I had been making love to Madge. On thecontrary, I again say, the thought had never entered my mind. Neither atthat time had I even suspected that she would listen to me upon the greattheme. I had in my self-analysis assigned many reasons other than love formy tenderness toward her; but when I was about to depart, and sheimpulsively gave me her hands, I, believing that I was grasping them forthe last time, felt the conviction come upon me that she was dearer to methan all else in life.
"Do you want to tell me why my uncle has driven you from Haddon?" sheasked.
"He wished me to ask Dorothy to be my wife," I returned.
"And you?" she queried.
"I did so."
Instantly the girl withdrew her hands from mine and stepped back from me.Then I had another revelation. I knew what she meant and felt. Her handstold me all, even had there been no expression in her movement and in herface.
"Dorothy refused," I continued, "and her father desired to force her intocompliance. I would not be a party to the transaction, and Sir Georgeordered me to leave his house."
After a moment of painful silence Madge said:--"I do not wonder that youshould wish to marry Dorothy. She--she must be very beautiful."
"I do not wish to marry Dorothy," said I. I heard a slight noise back ofme, but gave it no heed. "And I should not have married her had sheconsented. I knew that Dorothy would refuse me, therefore I promised SirGeorge that I would ask her to be my wife. Sir George had always been myfriend, and should I refuse to comply with his wishes, I well knew hewould be my enemy. He is bitterly angry against me now; but when hebecomes calm, he will see wherein he has wronged me. I asked Dorothy tohelp me, but she would not listen to my plan."
"--and now she begs your forgiveness," cried Dorothy, as she ran weepingto me, and took my hand most humbly.
"Dorothy! Dorothy!" I exclaimed.
"What frightful evil have I brought upon you?" said she. "Where can yougo? What will you do?"
"I know not," I answered. "I shall probably go to the Tower of London whenQueen Elizabeth's officers learn of my quarrel with Sir George. But I willtry to escape to France."
"Have you money?" asked Madge, tightly holding one of my hands.
"A small sum," I answered.
"How much have you? Tell me. Tell me how much have you," insisted Madge,clinging to my hand and speaking with a force that would brook no refusal.
"A very little sum, I am sorry to say; only a few shillings," Iresponded.
She quickly withdrew her hand from mine and began to remove the baublesfrom her ears and the brooch from her throat. Then she nervously strippedthe rings from her fingers and held out the little handful of jewelstoward me, groping for my hands.
"Take these, Malcolm. Take these, and wait here till I return." She turnedtoward the staircase, but in her confusion she missed it, and before Icould reach her, she struck against the great newel post.
"God pity me," she said, as I took her hand. "I wish I were dead. Pleaselead me to the staircase, Cousin Malcolm. Thank you."
She was weeping gently when she started up the steps, and I knew that shewas going to fetch me her little treasure of gold.
Madge held up the skirt of her gown with one hand while she grasped thebanister with the other. She was halfway up when Dorothy, whose generousimpulses needed only to be prompted, ran nimbly and was about to pass heron the staircase when Madge gra
sped her gown.
"Please don't, Dorothy. Please do not. I beg you, do not forestall me. Letme do this. Let me. You have all else to make you happy. Don't take thisfrom me only because you can see and can walk faster than I."
Dorothy did not stop, but hurried past her. Madge sank upon the steps andcovered her face with her hands. Then she came gropingly back to me justas Dorothy returned.
"Take these, Cousin Malcolm," cried Dorothy. "Here are a few stones ofgreat value. They belonged to my mother."
Madge was sitting dejectedly upon the lowest step of the staircase.Dorothy held her jewel-box toward me, and in the midst of the diamonds andgold I saw the heart John Manners had given her. I did not take the box.
"Do you offer me this, too--even this?" I said, lifting the heart from thebox by its chain.--"Yes, yes," cried Dorothy, "even that, gladly, gladly."I replaced it in the box.
Then spoke Madge, while she tried to check the falling tears:--"Dorothy,you are a cruel, selfish girl."
"Oh, Madge," cried Dorothy, stepping to her side and taking her hand. "Howcan you speak so unkindly to me?"
"You have everything good," interrupted Madge. "You have beauty, wealth,eyesight, and yet you would not leave to me the joy of helping him. Icould not see, and you hurried past me that you might be first to give himthe help of which I was the first to think."
Dorothy was surprised at the outburst from Madge, and kneeled by her side.
"We may both help Cousin Malcolm," she said.
"No, no," responded Madge, angrily. "Your jewels are more than enough. Hewould have no need of my poor offering."
I took Madge's hand and said, "I shall accept help from no one but you,Madge; from no one but you."
"I will go to our rooms for your box," said Dorothy, who had begun to seethe trouble. "I will fetch it for you."
"No, I will fetch it," answered Madge. She arose, and I led her to thefoot of the staircase. When she returned she held in her hands a purse anda little box of jewels. These she offered to me, but I took only thepurse, saying: "I accept the purse. It contains more money than I shallneed. From its weight I should say there are twenty gold pounds sterling."
"Twenty-five," answered Madge. "I have saved them, believing that thetime might come when they would be of great use to me. I did not know thejoy I was saving for myself."
Tears came to my eyes, and Dorothy wept silently.
"Will you not take the jewels also?" asked Madge.
"No," I responded; "the purse will more than pay my expenses to France,where I have wealthy relatives. There I may have my mother's estate forthe asking, and I can repay you the gold. I can never repay yourkindness."
"I hope you will never offer to repay the gold," said Madge.
"I will not," I gladly answered.
"As to the kindness," she said, "you have paid me in advance for thatmany, many times over."
I then said farewell, promising to send letters telling of my fortune. AsI was leaving I bent forward and kissed Madge upon the forehead, while shegently pressed my hand, but did not speak a word.
"Cousin Malcolm," said Dorothy, who held my other hand, "you are a strong,gentle, noble man, and I want you to say that you forgive me."
"I do forgive you, Dorothy, from my heart. I could not blame you if Iwished to do so, for you did not know what you were doing."
"Not to know is sometimes the greatest of sins," answered Dorothy. I bentforward to kiss her cheek in token of my full forgiveness, but she gave meher lips and said: "I shall never again be guilty of not knowing that youare good and true and noble, Cousin Malcolm, and I shall never again doubtyour wisdom or your good faith when you speak to me." She did doubt meafterward, but I fear her doubt was with good cause. I shall tell you ofit in the proper place.
Then I forced myself to leave my fair friends and went to the gatewayunder Eagle Tower, where I found Will Dawson waiting for me with my horse.
"Sir George ordered me to bring your horse," said Will. "He seemed muchexcited. Has anything disagreeable happened? Are you leaving us? I see youwear your steel cap and breastplate and are carrying your bundle."
"Yes, Will, your master has quarrelled with me and I must leave hishouse."
"But where do you go, Sir Malcolm? You remember that of which we talked?In England no place but Haddon Hall will be safe for you, and the portsare so closely guarded that you will certainly be arrested if you try tosail for France."
"I know all that only too well, Will. But I must go, and I will try toescape to France. If you wish to communicate with me, I may be found byaddressing a letter in care of the Duc de Guise."
"If I can ever be of help to you," said Will, "personally, or in thatother matter, Queen Mary, you understand,--you have only to call on me."
"I thank you, Will," I returned, "I shall probably accept your kind offersooner than you anticipate. Do you know Jennie Faxton, the ferrier'sdaughter?"
"I do," he responded.
"I believe she may be trusted," I said.
"Indeed, I believe she is true as any steel in her father's shop," Willresponded.
"Good-by, Will, you may hear from me soon."
I mounted and rode back of the terrace, taking my way along the Wye towardRowsley. When I turned and looked back, I saw Dorothy standing upon theterrace. By her side, dressed in white, stood Madge. Her hand was coveringher eyes. A step or two below them on the terrace staircase stood WillDawson. They were three stanch friends, although one of them had broughtmy troubles upon me. After all, I was leaving Haddon Hall well garrisoned.My heart also was well garrisoned with a faithful troop of pain. But Ishall write no more of that time. It was too full of bitterness.
Dorothy Vernon of Haddon Hall Page 5