Beechcroft at Rockstone

by Charlotte M. Yonge

  The expected telegram arrived two days later, requesting Miss Mohun tofind a lodging at Rockstone sufficient to contain Sir Jasper and LadyMerrifield, and a certain amount of sons and daughters, while theyconsidered what was to be done about Silverfold.

  'So you and I will go out house-hunting, Gillian?' said Aunt Jane, whenshe had opened it, and the exclamations were over.

  'I am afraid there is no house large enough up here,' said her sister.

  'No, it is an unlucky time, in the thick of the season.'

  'Victoria said she had been looking at some houses in Bellevue.'

  'I am afraid she will have raised the prices of them.'

  'But, oh, Aunt Jane, we couldn't go to Bellevue Church!' cried Gillian.

  'Your mother would like to be so near the daily services at the Kennel,'said Miss Mohun. 'Yes, we must begin with those houses. There's nothingup here but Sorrento, and I have heard enough of its deficiencies!'

  At that moment in came a basket of game, grapes, and flowers, with LadyRotherwood's compliments.

  'Solid pudding,' muttered Miss Mohun. 'In this case, I should almostprefer empty praise. Look here, Ada, what a hamper they must have hadfrom home! I think I shall, as I am going that way, take a pheasant andsome grapes to the poor Queen of the White Ants; I believe she is reallyill, and it will show that we do not want to neglect them.'

  'Oh, thank you, Aunt Jane!' cried Gillian, the colour rising in herface, and she was the willing bearer of the basket as she walked downthe steps with her aunt, and along the esplanade, only pausing toreview the notices of palatial, rural, and desirable villas in thehouse-agent's window, and to consider in what proportion their claims toperfection might be reduced.

  As they turned down Ivinghoe Terrace, and were approaching the rustygarden-gate, they overtook Mrs. Lee, the wife of the organist of St.Kenelm's, who lodged at Mrs. White's. In former times, before hermarriage, Mrs. Lee had been a Sunday-school teacher at St. Andrew's, andthough party spirit considered her to have gone over to the enemy, therewere old habits of friendly confidence between her and Miss Mohun, andthere was an exchange of friendly greetings and inquiries. When sheunderstood their errand she rejoiced in it, saying that poor Mrs. Whitewas very poorly, and rather fractious, and that this supply would bemost welcome both to her and her daughter.

  'Ah, I am afraid that poor girl goes through a great deal!'

  'Indeed she does, Miss Mohun; and a better girl never lived. I cannotthink how she can bear up as she does; there she is at the officeall day with her work, except when she runs home in the middle of theday--all that distance to dish up something her mother can taste, forthere's no dependence on the girl, nor on little Maura neither. Then sheis slaving early and late to keep the house in order as well as she can,when her mother is fretting for her attention; and I believe she losesmore than half her night's rest over the old lady. How she bears up, Icannot guess; and never a cross word to her mother, who is such a trial,nor to the boys, but looking after their clothes and their lessons, andkeeping them as good and nice as can be. I often say to my husband, I amsure it is a lesson to live in the house with her.'

  'I am sure she is an excellent girl,' said Miss Mohun. 'I wish we coulddo anything to help her.'

  'I know you are a real friend, Miss Mohun, and never was there any youngperson who was in greater need of kindness; though it is none of herfault. She can't help her face, poor dear; and she has never given anyoccasion, I am sure, but has been as guarded and correct as possible.'

  'Oh, I was in hopes that annoyance was suspended at least for a time!'

  'You are aware of it then, Miss Mohun? Yes, the young gentleman is comeback, not a bit daunted. Yesterday evening what does he do but drive upin a cab with a great bouquet, and a basketful of grapes, and whatnot! Poor Kally, she ran in to me, and begged me as a favour to comedownstairs with her, and I could do no less. And I assure you, MissMohun, no queen could be more dignified, nor more modest than she wasin rejecting his gifts, and keeping him in check. Poor dear, when he wasgone she burst out crying--a thing I never knew of her before; not thatshe cared for him, but she felt it a cruel wrong to her poor mother tosend away the grapes she longed after; and so she will feel these just aprovidence.'

  'Then is Mrs. White confined to her room?'

  'For more than a fortnight. For that matter the thing was easier, forshe had encouraged the young man as far as in her lay, poor thing,though my husband and young Alexis both told her what they knew of him,and that it would not be for Kally's happiness, let alone the offence tohis father.'

  'Then it really went as far as that?'

  'Miss Mohun, I would be silent as the grave if I did not know that theold lady went talking here and there, never thinking of the harm she wasdoing. She was so carried away by the idea of making a lady of Kally.She says she was a beauty herself, though you would not think it now,and she is perfectly puffed up about Kally. So she actually lent an earwhen the young man came persuading Kally to get married and go off toItaly with him, where he made sure he could come over Mr. White with herbeauty and relationship and all--among the myrtle groves--that was hisexpression--where she would have an association worthy of her. I don'tquite know how he meant it to be brought about, but he is one who wouldstick at nothing, and of course Kally would not hear of it, and answeredhim so as one would think he would never have had the face to addressher again, but poor Mrs. White has done nothing but fret over it, andblame her daughter for undutifulness, and missing the chance of makingall their fortunes--breaking her heart and her health, and I don't knowwhat besides. She is half a foreigner, you see, and does not understand,and she is worse than no one to that poor girl.'

  'And you say he is come back as bad as ever.'

  'Or worse, you may say, Miss Mohun; absence seems only to have set himthe more upon her, and I am afraid that Mrs. White's talk, though it maynot have been to many, has been enough to set it about the place; andin cases like that, it is always the poor young woman as gets theblame--especially with the gentleman's own people.'

  'I am afraid so.'

  'And you see she is in a manner at his mercy, being son to one of theheads of the firm, and in a situation of authority.'

  'What can she do all day at the office?'

  'She keeps one or two of the other young ladies working with her,' saidMrs. Lee; 'but if any change could be made, it would be very happy forher; though, after all, I do not see how she could leave this place, thehouse being family property, and Mr. White their relation, besides thatMrs. White is in no state to move; but, on the other hand, Mr. and Mrs.Stebbing know their son is after her, and the lady would not stick atbelieving or saying anything against her, though I will always bearwitness, and so will Mr. Lee, that never was there a more good,right-minded young woman, or more prudent and guarded.'

  'So would Mr. Flight and his mother, I have no doubt.'

  'Mr. Flight would, Miss Mohun, but'--with an odd look--'I fancy my ladythinks poor Kally too handsome for it to be good for a young clergymanto have much to say to her. They have not been so cordial to them oflate, but that is partly owing to poor Mrs. White's foolish talk, and inpart to young Alexis having been desultory and mopy of late--not takingthe interest in his music he did. Mr. Lee says he is sure some youngwoman is at the bottom of it.'

  Miss Mohun saw her niece's ears crimson under her hat, and was afraidMrs. Lee would likewise see them. They had reached the front of thehouse, and she made haste to take out a visiting-card and to beg Mrs.Lee kindly to give it with the basket, saying that she would not givetrouble by coming to the door.

  And then she turned back with Gillian, who was in a strange tumult ofshame and consternation, yet withal, feeling that first strange thrillof young womanhood at finding itself capable of stirring emotion, andtoo much overcome by these strange sensations--above all by the shock ofshame--to be able to utter a word.

  I must make light of it, but not too light, thought Miss Mohun, and shebroke the ice by saying, 'Poor foolish boy--'


  'Oh, Aunt Jane, what shall I do?'

  'Let it alone, my dear.'

  'But that I should have done so much harm and upset him so'--in a voicebetraying a certain sense of being flattered. 'Can't I do anything toundo it?'

  'Certainly not. To be perfectly quiet and do nothing is all you can do.My dear, boys and young men have such foolish fits--more in that stationthan in ours, because they have none of the public school and collegelife which keeps people out of it. You were the first lady this poorfellow was brought into contact with, and--well, you were rather agoose, and he has been a greater one; but if he is let alone, he willrecover and come to his senses. I could tell you of men who have haddozens of such fits. I am much more interested about his sister. What anoble girl she is!'

  'Oh, isn't she, Aunt Jane. Quite a real heroine! And now mamma iscoming, she will know what to do for her!'

  'I hope she will, but it is a most perplexing case altogether.'

  'And that horrid young Stebbing is come back too. I am glad she has thatnice Mrs. Lee to help her.'

  'And to defend her,' added Miss Mohun. 'Her testimony is worth a greatdeal, and I am glad to know where to lay my hand upon it. And here isour first house, "Les Rochers." For Madame de Sevigne's sake, I hope itwill do!'

  But it didn't! Miss Mohun got no farther than the hall before shedetected a scent of gas; and they had to betake themselves to the nextvacant abode. The investigating nature had full scope in the variousresearches that she made into parlour, kitchen, and hall, desperatelywearisome to Gillian, whose powers were limited to considering how thefamily could sit at ease in the downstairs rooms, how they could bestowed away in the bedrooms, and where there were the prettiest viewsof the bay. Aunt Jane, becoming afraid that while she was literally'ferreting' in the offices Gillian might be meditating on her conquest,picked up the first cheap book that looked innocently sensational, andleft her to study it on various sofas. And when daylight failed forinspections, Gillian still had reason to rejoice in the pastime devisedfor her, since there was an endless discussion at the agent's, over theonly two abodes that could be made available, as to prices, repairs,time, and terms. They did not get away till it was quite dark andthe gas lighted, and Miss Mohun did not think the ascent of the stepsdesirable, so that they went round by the street.

  'I declare,' exclaimed Miss Mohun, 'there's Mr. White's house lightedup. He must be come!'

  'I wonder whether he will do anything for Kalliope,' sighed Gillian.

  'Oh, Jenny,' exclaimed Miss Adeline, as the two entered thedrawing-room. 'You have had such a loss; Rotherwood has been herewaiting to see you for an hour, and such an agreeable man he broughtwith him!'

  'Who could it have been?'

  'I didn't catch his name--Rotherwood was mumbling in his quickway--indeed, I am not sure he did not think I knew him. Adistinguished-looking man, like a picture, with a fine white beard, andhe was fresh from Italy; told me all about the Carnival and the curiousceremonies in the country villages.'

  'From Italy? It can't have been Mr. White.'

  'Mr. White! My dear Jane! this was a gentleman--quite a grand-lookingman. He might have been an Italian nobleman, only he spoke Englishtoo well for that, though I believe those diplomates can speak alllanguages. However, you will see, for we are to go and dine with them ateight o'clock--you, and I, and Gillian.'

  'You, Ada!'

  'Oh! I have ordered the chair round; it won't hurt me with the glassesup. Gillian, my dear, you must put on the white dress that Mrs.Grinstead's maid did up for you--it is quite simple, and I should likeyou to look nice! Well--oh, how tired you both look! Ring for some freshtea, Gillian. Have you found a house?'

  So excited and occupied was Adeline that the house-hunting seemed tohave assumed quite a subordinate place in her mind. It really was anextraordinary thing for her to dine out, though this was only a familyparty next door; and she soon sailed away to hold counsel with Mrs.Mount on dresses and wraps, and to get her very beautiful hair dressed.She made by far the most imposing appearance of the three when theyshook themselves out in the ante-room at the hotel, in her softly-tintedsheeny pale-gray dress, with pearls in her hair, and two beautiful blushroses in her bosom; while her sister, in black satin and coral, somehowseemed smaller than ever, probably from being tired, and from the samecause Gillian had dark marks under her brown eyes, and a much more limpand languid look than was her wont.

  Fly was seated on her father's knee, looking many degrees better andbrighter, as if his presence were an elixir of life, and when he put herdown to greet the arrivals, both she and Mysie sprang to Gillian to askthe result of the quest of houses. The distinguished friend was there,and was talking to Lady Rotherwood about Italian progress, and there wasonly time for an inquiry and reply as to the success of the search for ahouse before dinner was announced--the little girls disappeared, and theMarquess gave his arm to his eldest cousin.

  'Grand specimen of marble, isn't he!' he muttered.

  'Ada hasn't the least idea who he is. She thinks him a great diplomate,'communicated Jane in return, and her arm received an ecstatic squeeze.

  It was amusing to Jane Mohun to see how much like a dinner at Rotherwoodthis contrived to be, with my lady's own footman, and my lord's valetwaiting in state. She agreed mentally with her sister that the otherguest was a very fine-looking man, with a picturesque head, and he didnot seem at all out of place or ill-at-ease in the company in whichhe found himself. Lord Rotherwood, with a view, perhaps, to prolongingAdeline's mystification, turned the conversation to Italian politics,and the present condition and the industries of the people, on all ofwhich subjects much ready information was given in fluent, good English,with perhaps rather unnecessarily fine words. It was only towards theend of the dinner that a personal experience was mentioned about theimpossibility of getting work done on great feast days, or of knowingwhich were the greater--and the great dislike of the peasant mind to newmethods.

  When it came to 'At first, I had to superintend every blasting withgelatine,' the initiated were amused at the expression of Adeline'scountenance, and the suppressed start of frightful conviction thatquivered on her eyelids and the corners of her mouth, though keptin check by good breeding, and then smoothed out into a resolutecomplacency, which convinced her sister that having inadvertentlyexalted the individual into the category of the distinguished, she meantto abide staunchly by her first impression.

  Lady Rotherwood, like most great ladies in public life, was perfectlywell accustomed to have all sorts of people brought home to dinner, andwould have been far less astonished than her cousins at sitting downwith her grocer; but she gave the signal rather early, and on reachingthe sitting-room, where Miss Elworthy was awaiting them, said--

  'We will leave them to discuss their water-works at their ease.Certainly residence abroad is an excellent education.'

  'A very superior man,' said Adeline.

  'Those self-made men always are.'

  'In the nature of things, added Miss Mohun, 'or they would not havemounted.'

  'It is the appendages that are distressing,' said Lady Rotherwood, 'andthey seldom come in one's way. Has this man left any in Italy?'

  'Oh no, none alive. He took his wife there for her health, and that wasthe way he came to set up his Italian quarries; but she and his childboth died there long ago, and he has never come back to this placesince,' explained Ada.

  'But he has relations here,' said Jane. 'His cousin was an officer inJasper Merrifield's regiment.'

  She hoped to have been saying a word in the cause of the young people,but she regretted her attempt, for Lady Rotherwood replied--

  'I have heard of them. A very undeserving family, are they not?'

  Gillian, whom Miss Elworthy was trying to entertain, heard, and couldnot help colouring all over, face, neck, and ears, all the more for somuch hating the flush and feeling it observed.

  Miss Mohun's was a very decided, 'I should have said quite the reverse.'

  'Indeed! Well,
I heard the connection lamented, for his sake, by--whatwas her name? Mrs. Stirling--or--'

  'Mrs. Stebbing,' said Adeline. 'You don't mean that she has actuallycalled on you?'

  'Is there any objection to her?' asked Lady Rotherwood, with a glance tosee whether the girl was listening.

  'Oh no, no! only he is a mere mason--or quarryman, who has grown rich,'said Adeline.

  The hostess gave a little dry laugh.

  'Is that all? I thought you had some reason for disapproving of her. Ithought her rather sensible and pleasing.'

  Cringing and flattering, thought Jane; and that is just what thesemagnificent ladies like in the wide field of inferiors. But aloud shecould not help saying, 'My principal objection to Mrs. Stebbing is thatI have always thought her rather a gossip--on the scandalous side.'Then, bethinking herself that it would not be well to pursue the subjectin Gillian's presence, she explained where the Stebbings lived, andasked how long Lord Rotherwood could stay.

  'Only over Sunday. He is going to look over the place to-morrow, andnext day there is to be a public meeting about it. I am not sure that weshall not go with him. I do not think the place agrees with Phyllis.'

  The last words were spoken just as the two gentlemen had come in fromthe dining-room, rather sooner than was expected, and they were takenup.

  'Agrees with Phyllis! She looks pounds--nay, hundred-weights better thanwhen we left home. I mean to have her down to-morrow on the beach for alark--castle-building, paddling--with Mysie and Val, and Fergus and all.That's what would set her up best, wouldn't it, Jane?'

  Jane gave a laughing assent, wondering how much of this would indeedprove castle-building, though adding that Fergus was at school, and thatit was not exactly the time of year for paddling.

  'Oh, ah, eh! Well, perhaps not--forestalling sweet St.Valentine--stepping into their nests they paddled. Though St. Valentineis past, and I thought our fortunes had been made, Mr. White, by callingthis the English Naples, and what not.'

  'Those are the puffs, my lord. There is a good deal of difference evenbetween this and Rocca Marina, which is some way up the mountain.'

  'It must be very beautiful,' said Miss Ada.

  'Well, Miss Mohun, people do say it is striking.' And he was drawn intodescribing the old Italian mansion, purchased on the extinction of anancient family of nobles, perched up on the side of a mountain, whosefeet the sea laved, with a terrace whence there was a splendid view ofthe Gulf of Genoa, and fine slopes above and below of chestnut-treesand vineyards; and therewith he gave a hearty invitation to the companypresent to visit him there if ever they went to Italy, when he wouldhave great pleasure in showing them many bits of scenery, and curiousremains that did not fall in the way of ordinary tourists.

  Lady Rotherwood gratefully said she should remember the invitation ifthey went to the south, as perhaps they should do that very spring.

  'And,' said Ada, 'you are not to be expected to remain long in thisclimate when you have a home like that awaiting you.'

  'Don't call it home, Miss Mohun,' he said. 'I have not had that thesemany years; but I declare, the first sound of our county dialect, whenI got out at the station, made my heart leap into my mouth. I could haveshaken hands with the fellow.'

  'Then I hope you will remain here for some time. There is much wantingto be set going,' said Jane.

  'So I thought of doing, and I had out a young fellow, who I thoughtmight take my place--my partner's son, young Stebbing. They wrote thathe had been learning Italian, with a view to being useful to me, and soon; but when he came out, what was he but a fine gentleman--never hadput his hand to a pick, nor a blasting-iron; and as to his Italian, hetold me it was the Italian of Alfieri and Leopardi. Leopardi's Italianit might be, for it was a very mottled or motley tongue, but he mightas well have talked English or Double-Dutch to our hands, or better, forthey had picked up the meaning of some orders from me before I got usedto their lingo. And then he says 'tis office work and superintendencehe understands. How can you superintend, I told him, what you don't knowyourself? No, no; go home and bring a pair of hands fit for a quarryman,before I make you overlooker.'

  This was rather delightful, and it further appeared that he couldanswer all Jane's inquiries after her beloved promising lads whom he haddeported to the Rocca Marina quarries.

  They were evidently kindly looked after, and she began to perceive thatit was not such a bad place after all for them, more especially as hewas in the act of building them a chapel, and one of his objects incoming to England was to find a chaplain; and as Lord Rotherwood said,he had come to the right shop, since Rockquay in the spring was likelyto afford a choice of clergy with weak chests, or better still, withweak-chested wives, to whom light work in a genial climate would be thegreatest possible boon.

  Altogether the evening was very pleasant, only too short. It was acurious study for Jane Mohun how far Lady Rotherwood would give way toher husband. She always seemed to give way, but generally accomplishedher own will in the end, and it was little likely that she would allowthe establishment to await the influx of Merrifields, though certainlyGillian had done nothing displeasing all that evening except thatterrible blushing, for which piece of ingenuousness her aunt loved herall the better.

  At half-past ten next morning, however, Lord Rotherwood burst in toborrow Valetta for a donkey-ride, for which his lady had compoundedinstead of the paddling and castle-building, and certainly poor Valcould not do much to corrupt Fly on donkey back, and in his presence. Hefurther routed out Gillian, nothing loth, from her algebra, bidding herput on her seven-leagued boots, and not get bent double--and he wouldfain have seized on his cousin Jane, but she was already gone off for aninterview with the landlord of the most eligible of the two houses.

  Gillian and Valetta came back very rosy, and in fits of merriment. LordRotherwood had paid the donkey-boys to stay at home, and let him andGillian take their place. They had gone out on the common above thetown, with most amusing rivalries as to which drove the beast worst,making Mysie umpire. Then having attained a delightfully lonely place,Fly had begged for a race with Valetta, which failed, partly becauseVal's donkey would not stir, and partly because Fly could not bear theshaking; and then Lord Rotherwood himself insisted on riding the donkeythat wouldn't go, and racing Gillian on the donkey that would--and hemade his go so effectually that it ran away with him, and he pulled itup at last only just in time to save himself from being ignominiouslystopped by an old fishwoman!

  He had, as Aunt Jane said, regularly dipped Gill back into childhood,and she looked, spoke, and moved all the better for it.

  CHAPTER XV. -- THE ROCKS OF ROCKSTONE