Heart Wins, and the Australian Aunt. By Mrs. Alexander. And other stories by various authors. (Fifth thousand.)

Front matter

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Chapter I

A bright, soft October morning was beaming over the richly-tinted woods, the russet lawns, the stubbly fields of a finely cultivated district in the midland counties. The distant stretches of country, the long hollows between the grassy hills were draped and filled with filmy mist like golden gauze in the early sunlight, and if the woods were not so full of song as in the youthful loveliness of spring, they were not yet quiet silent ; a cheerful chirping here and there and the sociable " caw, caw " of the rooks spoke of life and industry. Up a steep slope from a thicket of beech and ash, which gathered in a dingle through which a brawling busy brook forced its way, came a sportsman, his gun ou his shoulder, a shot-belt across his chest. A lithe, active, graceful figure, in a velvet shooting-jacket, leather leggings, a soft, picturesque felt hat shading a refined, proud face, lighted by a pair of dark gray eyes, and decorated by fair, tawny moustaches.

A dark brown pointer came close at his heels, sniffing right and left, and leaping the low fence which inter vened between them and an avenue of elms, neck-and neck with his master. The avenue of elms was long, and arched over hke a leafy cloister ; a narrow roadway ran down the middle ; on each side was a strip of intensely green, short mossy grass ; then came the massive trunks of the elm trees, with here aud there a bush of laurel or a stunted holly — the vista closed by the converging lines of branch and leafage. Stepping from beneath the shelter of the trees, the sportsman looked keenly right and left, as if in search of something or some one, nor did he seek in vain. At a little distance stood a young lady — a pretty, girlish figure, in a holland dress, a deep-red sash, a broad brimmed brown straw hat, and a spray of scarlet gera nium lying against the white frill that surrounded her throat.

She stood in profile to the sportsman, and held a holly leaf in one hand, while she seemed to count the spikes with the f jrefinger of the other. " To heel, Rover, to heel ! " said the sportsman, in a low, emphatic tone to his dog, who obeyed, while his master trod carefully and noiselessly on the thick green sward till he was abreast of the girl for whom he seemed to seek. " Yes, no. Yes, no." she was repeating, till she stopped at " No," and flung the leaf impatiently from her. " Trying your fortune, Kitty ? " said the sportsman, as he drew near. " Mr. Ashley ! " She turned with a start, showing a pair of bright dark eyes in which something suspiciously like tears glittered, a clear brunette complexion, and warm nut-brown hair ; a sweetly curved mouth, the red lips slightly parted, gave a glimpse of small white teeth — as dainty a maiden, in short, as a sportsman could wish to meet.

" Mr. Ashley ! I thought you were in Paris." " I never got so far, and I came back last night to — to — have a few days' more shooting before I quit the old place; but have you been trying your fortune, Kitty?" "Yes!" a laugh struggling with her tears; "when fortune is desperate like mine, one is driven in upon superstition and — nonsense." " Poor little Kitty 1 Have ' the powers that be ' been very intolerable?" She hesitated — pulled another holly leaf — threw it away — and then facing her companion, said with sud den frankness, " They have been quite intolerable — there ! I can't make pretty speeches any more. It is quite intolerable, and yet I am ashamed of com plaining. If I were not such a mean, shabby, little coward I would leave them, and look for an engage ment with any butcher, or baker, or candlestick maker that would give me a decent salary and common civility ; but I am so afraid of going away alone into the great awful, unknown world, I stay on and on, to be trodden upon by the woman who would not be where she is but for my father's bounty.

I — I ought not to trouble you with my grumblings, Mr. Ashley — but you knew my dear father so well — it is a comfort to speak to you." " 1 did indeed know him — what a splendid fellow he was — and " a pause, and a long look at the face half averted from him — " I wish I could help you, Kitty ! " " But you can't, unless you could help me to a first class situation with a large salary and no work. They say, too, you have enough on your own hands ? I hope not ! for you are always good-natured and kind." "Yes! succession to the Ashley estates has been a white elephant — I am but a receiver for the creditors, to whom personally I owe nothing." He looked away as he spoke over the fair country visible from where they stood between the trees. "Julia Wood arrived yesterday," said Kitty softly, and not without significance — " but you knew this probably."

" No — I did not ! " looking full at her. " It is curious, though, that she should turn up just as I arrive." " It is. " Who knows what it may lead to ? " said Ashley, laughing, yet watching his companion keenly. " These big fortunes, that want the only thing a poor devil like myself has to sell — position — are a terrible tempta tion 1 " " Don't talk like that," replied Kitty gravely, as she turned and began to stroll slowly along the road. " It is not like a gentleman. Julia Wood is not a bad kind of girl ; she is not a fine lady — nothing will ever make a gentlewoman of her ; but she is far from being false or heartless." " Kitty," exclaimed Ashley with a sudden impulse, " I am at my wits' end. You do not know, and I dare not tell you all the furies that are tearing my heart out ; but I can not part with the old hall, and I can not marry for money, and — I am a weak fool !

" "You are no fool, Dick," thoughtfully; "and I know what I would do were I in your place, though I forget myself, and talk as if you were still papa's pupil and I his spoiled child." " What would you do, Kitty? You were always a wise, plucky little woman." " I would let the hall — then you could give Mrs. Ashley and your sister all they need — and go to London. You were called to the Bar just before your poor brother died. Set to work, write, and report, and make your own living ; by-and-by you will make a fortune, aud come back to your own a free man." Silence for a few seconds ; then he broke out : " By heaven, I will do it! Your counsel will bring me luck. And you, my sweet little friend — " " Oh ! I shall get on somehow. Oh, Dick ! — Mr. Ashley — if I were a man I should fear nothing.

I wish I were a man. And now I must go back. The whole house is in a ferment. We expect an aunt from Aus tralia — rich, I suppose, from the preparations made to receive her right royally." " Whose aunt ? Not yours ? " " No. None of my kindred are worth three half pence, except Mrs. Wood, and she — " — an expressive pause — "this lady is an aunt of Mr. Wood. She emigrated years ago, and married a digger or a bush ranger, who died in due time, and now the disconsolate widow is returning to the bosom of her family. I wish she would take a fancy to me, and have me for a companion. Good-bye, and do — do go to London and set about making a fortune," holding out her hand. " I will — I will think of it, at any rate. Good-bye." He took her hand and held it tightly till she pulled it from him, and, turning, walked away.

Ashley rested his gun against the trunk of the tree nearest him, and looked after her, his arms folded, his brows knit — an evident struggle going on in heart or mind — when at that critical moment Kitty, turning back with a kindly, graceful gesture, kissed her hand to him. He sprang to her side. " I can not part with you like this," said he, catching her hands. " For the sake of old times, give me a kiss and bid me God-speed." " No, no, no ! " cried Kitty, blushing crimson, and then growing pale. " You ought not, I must not." But even while she spoke he had raised her hands to his neck, and, clasping her closely, pressed his lips to hers in a kiss, long, tender, impassioned — which made her faint and giddy with its strange, awful sweetness. For a moment her senses reeled, then she tore herself from him and fled away down the avenue.

The residence toward which Kitty winged her flight was a picturesque old manor-house separated from the avenue by a low stone wall and a curiously wrought iron gate. It was surrounded by well-kept pleasure grounds, the abundant flower beds set in the richest, greenest, most closely-shaven grass. The gray irregular front had been left in its original quaint beauty, but glimpses of higher and newer roofs behind indicated the hand of the improver. Samuel Wood, Esq., J. P., the owner of this desirable residence, head of the well-known firm "Wood and Gibbon," was one of fortune's favourites, and had risen from a humble clerkship to his present position while yet in his prime. He was a shrewd hard man of good natural abilities and much ambition ; yet not without his weaknesses — for he had taken for his second wife a " penniless lass," if not with "a long pedigree," one considerably longer than his own.

The second Mrs. Wood had a fine figure, well set up, a stony, handsoma face, and cold manners; and when her cousin little Kitty Lowndes was left desolate, forlorn, and unpro vided for, people were rather astonished to hear that she had taken in the orphan of her benefactor and uncle, and said, " she was not so bad after all." But it certainly was not bad for Mrs. Wood; she secured a careful energetic governess for her four troublesome children, a victim for her own ill-humours, and a useful companion to Miss Wood, her detested step-daughter, all for the small sum of twenty-five pounds a year. Such being the position of parties on this bright autumnal morning, it may be imagined in what trembling alarm and overwhelming agitation Kitty stole back by devious paths to her own room. To have met Dick Ashley, who was, she knew, intended by Mr. Wood to be his son-in-law and stepping-stone to a higher social position in the county, was bad enough, but to have let him kiss her (" though I couldn't help it," urged Kitty to herself) was too terrible to think about !

How was it that he had dared to kiss her ? Because he loved her? Or merely for an idle, insolent whim? Not the last ; she felt sure that Dick Ashley would never insult her, and if he loved her it was only more pain and sorrow. She knew his affairs well. If he married at all he must marry money. Would it not be far better for him to cut his way to unencumbered fortune ? And to do this he must not be hampered. Self-seeking was not one of bright-eyed, quick-tem pered Kitty's faults. Only if she dared love Dick Ashley, or let him love her, it would be too heavenly ! " And oh, I must not cry, my eyes show it directly," was her concluding reflection as she hastily bathed them in cold water. Fortunately for Kitty, breakfast was late that morning. Mr. ■ Wood and his eldest boy had gone to the station to meet their expected guest, and the bell had not yet sounded.

The rest of the family were assembled in the dining-room, with the exception of the eldest daughter. " Do you know that Arthur has been roaming about the stables this morning, Miss Lowndes?" said Mrs. Wood stiffly (the rest of the family called her Kitty) . " No, I didn't," returned Kitty, not noticing her tone, and still confused by the emotion she had scarcely conquered. " May I ask why you did not ? — from the time those children leave the nursery in the morning you are responsible for them, and you know luy objection to the boys associating with grooms and low people ! You really must be more conscientious in the discharge of your duties." Kitty flushed up. " The children generally come to me when they are dressed," she said, " but this morning I had a slight headache, and got up early on purpose to take a stroll in the avenue."

"Did you meet Mr. Ashley?" asked Arthur, who was amusing himself jumping to and fro over the sill of the open window on to the terrace and back. " I saw him go up the path from Ashley Woods when I was in the hayloft." " Do keep quiet," said his mother, impatiently. " Did you meet Mr. Ashley? I thought he had gone to join his mother at Geneva. I wonder what he thought of you wandering about at that hour of the morning with out your pupils ? " " Yes, I met Mr. Ashley," said Kitty, steadying her self by a desperate effort, and almost blind with the beating of her heart. "What did he say?" " That — that he had not gone to Paris yet, but he was going, I think." " You must remember it is very un advisable to meet and talk with men in a different position to yourself," said Mrs. Wood, sententiously.

" You do not do your self any good by such disregard of appearances " — a taunt which did Kitty good, for it raised her spirit. " I suppose it would be better behaved in my position not to answer when Mr. Ashley says ' Good morning,' " she returned. " It would be better behaved of you not to answer so saucily when rebuked by those whose bread you eat," said Mrs. Wood, sternly. Kitty resolutely set her teeth to keep back the words that sprang to her lips, her young heart bursting with rage, with wounded feeling, and underlying pride in the evident liking that Dick Ashley had for her, though his method of showing it was doubtful. The two younger boys and a little girl of five stood round, profoundly interested, and not displeased to hear mamma " pitching into" Kitty Lowndes. Thinking she had produced a sufficient effect, Mrs. Wood broke silence and fresh ground.

" Where is Julia? " she asked. "I don't think she is up yet," returned Jack, the third boy, and Kitty's favourite. " I suppose the fatigue of a three hours' journey in capacitates her for the politeness of punctuality." " Are you talking of me?" asked Miss Wood, entering at that moment. " Well, say it to my face ! " She was short, stout, red-haired, and freckled, with a heavy, but not bad countenance. " Good morning, Mrs. Wood ; good morning, Kitty. Why, you are looking like a ghost, child ! " So saying, she took her usual seat at the table, and unfolded her napkin. " I am longing for a cup of tea. Why, where is the tea? " looking around. " We are waiting for your aunt. Did you not know that your father and Sam are gone over to Charlton to meet her? " " Oh, yes, I forgot. What an unearthly hour to arrive !

Why does she travel by night ? Is she a great personage that papa takes so much trouble about her?" " She is a near and respected relative, and a woman of property into the bargain. Your father heard years ago that her husband made a large fortune, and in her letter announcing her intention to return home she mentioned that she was his sole legatee. But I wish she had not chosen the night mail." " Why, she must have travelled by the parliamentary," said Miss Wood, laughing. "I am afraid she won't be a very presentable addition to the family ; the Bush style is hardly suitable to the county society of Worcestershire. Papa would have been much wiser not to have brought her here." " It would have been very unwise to refuse. We must accommodate ourselves to circumstances," returned Mrs. Wood, with an air of lofty wisdom.

" Hush ! " cried Arthur ; " I hear the carriage." Whereupon the whole party adjourned to the hall, Kitty bringing up the rear, a little curious, in spite of her grief and troubles, to see the Australian aunt. In a few moments the sound of horses' feet, the crisp crushing of the gravel under the wheels came nearer, and the carriage drew up at the door. Master Sam sprang down from the box, Mr. Wood alighted, and father and son stood side by side. They were mar vellously alike, allowing for difference of age — thick set, sandy in complexion and hair, with strong jaws, and small restless eyes. Mr. Wood affected the jovial country gentleman, but beneath the mask was coarse, hard, selfish, and ambitious. They waited a few seconds before their guest disentangled herself from the car riage. She descended at last — a tall, gaunt woman, in a long rain cloak and big bonnet, showing a wide margin of coarse but clean blue-white muslin widow's cap ; also a broad, strong face, the cheeks a little sunken, grey hair, dark, solemn eyes, and a very pale, dried-up com plexion.

She had, Kitty thought, the look of a woman who might go out for a day's needlework, and be well worth her hire. She held a baggy umbrella in one hand, and an old-fashioned carpet-bag, considerably the worse for wear, in the other, of which impediments Mr. Wood and his boy gravely relieved her. " My dear aunt, you are very welcome," said Mrs. Wood, with unusual sauvity, pressing forward to shake hands with her. " I trust you had a pleasant jouruey ? " " Pretty fair," returned the favoured guest, in a quick, flat voice, " but it is uncommon nice to be at the end of it. Who is this ? " — looking at Julia. c " My eldest daughter, your grand-niece," replied Mr. Wood, who looked a little puzzled. " These are my boys, and this is our youngest " — presenting Miss Selina — " the five-year-old." "A fine family, Sammy," said the guest, proceeding with much gravity to bestow a sounding smack on each, from which Miss Julia half turned away.

" I remember you a bit of a boy, no bigger than this little fellow. Ah, we have seen some hard times together, Sammy ! but I always stuck to you. Eh, Sammy, didn't I now? " " Like a brick," returned Mr. Wood, hastily. "Would you not like to go to your room?" asked Mrs. Wood, not a little discomfited by this audible allu sion to the homely past. "No, I'll not mind, I'm just wearying for a cup of tea ; my hands are not very dirty ; I had my gloves on most of the time." So saying she removed them, and gazed on a pair of brown and bony structures, with large joints, which looked as if they would have been better for warm water and soap. " Breakfast is quite ready," said Mrs. Wood, leading the way into the dining-room, near the door of which stood Kitty, who was amused in her own mind at the contrast between the homely, not to say common aspect, of the Australian aunt and the well-dressed handsome figure of the hostess.

" And who is this ? " asked the new-comer, pausing as they passed Kitty. " Oh ! a young relative who helps me with the chil dren — Miss Lowndes, Mrs. Maclaren." " Ah ! she is a bright lassie ; it does one's heart good to see young things like that." She shook hands quite cordially with Kitty, who smiled and blushed, feeling favourably impressed by the stranger who had spoken the only kind word addressed to her that eventful morning. "My! Sammy!" was Mrs. Maclaren's next excla mation, " but you have a beautiful house, and such lovely furniture. Why, it would take a girl half a day to get the dust out of all the cuttings and carvings in that sideboard." "That's the missus's business," returned Mr. Wood ; " will you sit here, aunt, and have some ham and eggs or cold partridge ? " " This is what I call comfortable ! and I am terribly hungry, I'll begin with ham and eggs, if you please, and a big cup of tea.

Tea is our great drink in the Bush." "Did you really live in the Bush?" asked Jack, looking up from his plate with the deepest interest. " Not exactly," said Mrs. Maclaren, laughing. " I mean in the country stations, away from the towns." After which reply she threw back her bonnet strings and concentrated her attention on the good things before her, and did great deeds. She approved the ham and eggs, she did justice to the cold partridge, she patronized the hot rolls, she took just a snack of the preserved strawberries, and swallowed three large cups of tea. The effect she produced was startling. Sam, Arthur, Jack, and little Lina could not eat their breakfast so absorbed were they in contemplating this newly-found relative. Julia looked sulky and disgusted. Her father puzzled and put out.

Mrs. Wood alone kept to her faith, and treated this strange importation with marked consideration. " Can't say you teach these children much in the way of manners, Kitty," Mr. Wood burst out at last, enraged at the round eyes and open mouths of his offspring. " You had better take the youngsters off to their lessons ; they must have lost an hour already." "Ah! the poor dears," cried Mrs. Maclaren, a little inarticulately, her mouth half full of roll and butter. "Can't you let them off for to-day? Besides — bring my bag, will you? I have something for them." Kitty rose and brought the desired article quietly. "Thank you, my dear; you are a nice handy creature." She proceeded to unlock it, and then with glee and satisfaction, drew forth some cakes, ginger bread, and a large packet of comfits.

" There ! " she said, triumphantly, " that will help to make us friends ; now divide fair ! " The pampered, spoiled young monkeys looked at these dainties and at each other, and hesitated if they should deign to touch them ; but Mrs. Wood hastened to save their credit. " You must let me be the guardian of these goodies, my dear aunt," she said, promptly seizing the despised offering; " I shall make the division after their morning studies, and I beg you to excuse their shyness and want of manner. They, and, I am sorry to say, their young instructress also, are but country-bred." " And so best," returned Mrs. Maclaren, emphatically. " There, make a kirk and a mill of them, as my poor husband used to say. Gcod-bye, my dears, for the present. Ah, there's nothing like children for making home homelike."

When Kitty and her pupils disappeared there was a pause, slightly embarrassing to all but the Australian aunt, who looked around her complacently. " I declare it does one's heart good to sit in a room like this and look out on such a beautiful garden ! " she exclaimed. " Though poor Maclaren did well, we never had anything half so fine ; money couldn't buy a place like this in a new country. Ah, Sammy, my boy, you've prospered wonderful since the time I pledged my watch, and got you the identical boots as you had on the day you went to look for your first situation ; didn't I scrape and scrape to get that watch back, and now you sit there like a lord ! " " I've not done badly ; but for heaven's sake let bygones be bygones ; and you, too, aunt, you have done well," said Mr. Wood, with a frown and an uneasy glance at the frayed crape on her dress, and the general meanness of her equipment ; he was feeling very doubtful, and longing to draw her into some personal details.

" Ah ! my poor man did right well at one time, none better, but we lost all, you know, in the smash-up of the Wallamaroo bank ; however, thank the Lord ! we had ■)- only ourselves to look to. It's when you have children to educate and put out in the world that a loss like that crushes your heart out. I didn't mind it a bit when I had him ; but now I am a poor, friendless creature." " But at least he has left you pretty comfortable," said her nephew, rather appalled at the possibilities her speech suggested. " You said in your letter that he had left you sole legatee." " So he did, sole legatee to ail he had, poor fellow; and then, like a fool as I was, I went and lent the half of it to a friend in difficulties. He has come to grief ; so to tell you the truth, I am rather bad off, but — bless me, Sam — we have seen too much of the seamy side to be easily frightened.

It's not much I want. You have kindly asked me to stop with you — and so I will — and I won't eat the bread of idleness either. I am a capital hand at a dairy, or managing a house, and I can be a real help to your good wife here." Silence and consternation settled down upon her listeners. Julia's lips puckered into a contemptuous smile, her stepmother's eyes dilated, and Mr. Wood's face grew purple. " Pray do not distress yourself by opening up these painful subjects. You must at any rate take a rest here. We will discuss business matters later on. Julia, my love, show your aunt to her room. See that she has everything she wants. I will join you pre sently." Mrs. Maclaren rose obediently. She took up her bag, threw her waterproof over her arm, looked sharply round the hall, picked up her baggy umbrella, and fol lowed her elegant grand-niece up the wide picturesque staircase.