The Search for Basil Lyndhurst

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THE SEARCH FOR BASIL LYNDHURST l;\ ROSA NOUCHETTE CAREY AUTHOR OF ' Nellie's memories,' ' not like other girls,' ' only the governess etc. IN THREE A'OLUMES VOL. III. LONDON RICHARD BENTLEY AND SON tfttblislurs in ©riimtrt) to g)cr jftajtstji the CQuten 1889 [All rights reserved] CONTENTS OF VOL. III. CHATTER AGE I. JEM GIVES HIS OPINION - - - 3 II. 'I don't LOOK LIKE a squire's lady' - 22 III. THE LADY GWENDOLINE'S ROOM 44 IV. LADYBIRD PLAYS PRANKS - - 65 8S V. THE DINNER-PARTY AT THE HALL VI. 'IF I WERE ONLY LIKE YOU !' - - 1 04 VII. 'YOU MUST TAKE CARE OF ME, GEORGE!' - 127 VIII. 'TROUBLES SELDOM COME SINGLY' - 146 IX. 'BE GOOD TO HUBERT' - - 1 68 X. COOK SPOILS THE FISH - - 1 89 XI. AN AFTERMATH - - 212 XII. THE NEW VICAR - - 23 1 XIII. A VIOLET IN SEPTEMBER - - 253 xiv. a new year's gift - 275 XV. ' IS THERE ANYTHING YOU HAVE TO TELL ME ?' 792 XVI. THE WAY OPENS . - - - THE SEARCH FOR BASIL LYNDHURST OLGA RESUMES HER STORY. VOL. III.

Chapter I. Jem Gives His Opinion

' Thou art in a parlous state, shepherd.' ' As You Like It.' ' I know the gentleman To be of worth, and worthy estimation, And not without desert so well reputed.' ' Two Gentlemen of Verona.' I wish Aunt Catherine had not repeated Hubert's speech ; somehow it gave me an un comfortable feeling for days ! It was so unlike Hubert to notice if one were a little quieter, or if one talked less ; so it must have been Kitty who put it into his head. He had a way of repeating her speeches at times, but I had never minded it before. Was there any truth in the accusation ? For the first time in my life I shrank from questioning myself too closely. Perhaps my holiday had spoilt me and unfitted me for the monotonous routine of home life, but certainly Fircroft had never seemed so 41—2 dull to me before, and, worst of all, Jem was disappointing me.

It was impossible to deny that Jem was in a most captious, fault-finding humour; indeed, there was no pleasing him ; he grumbled if I mentioned St. Croix, and seemed to take no interest in anything I told him ; and yet if I were silent, he would ask me quite crossly what I was thinking about, as though my silence irritated him ; indeed, I never knew the dear fellow so utterly perverse. I am sure Harry felt for me, though his loyalty to Jem would not allow him to say so ; but he gave me a sympa thizing glance noAv and then, as though to beg me not to mind ; but somehow I did mind A*ery much indeed, and more than once I had a quiet cry Avhen I went to my room at night, for if Jem were not pleased with me, my whole world seemed out of gear. He damped my enjoyment completely the evening Aunt Catherine and Mr. Basil dined at Fircroft.

He seemed to listen to every word Mr. Basil said to me, and if I laughed or repeated any of our old St. Croix jokes, he frowned and seemed quite annoyed. I left off talking at last, and gave all my attention to Harry, Avho took it quite gratefully. Mr. Basil was certainly not at his ease ; he was dignified, and rather stiff and formal. I never found out before how handsome he was, and for the first time I saw a likeness to his mother — the only time he smiled naturally was when I told him this ; he quite blushed with pleasure — at least, he grew red. ' I am so glad you can see it,' he said in a Ioav voice. ' I think my mother perfectly lovely ;' and then I saw Jem scowling at me, and I left Mr. Basil and went to the piano. Jem was not more amiable the next day. He grumbled a good deal on his way to the church, and he chose to be exceedingly put out because Aunt Catherine wished me to go back with them to supper after evening service. ' She might have had the civility to ask me too !' he said, as we turned into the road ; ' but I suppose the Don objects to me.' Jem was really too bad.

Of course it was all his jealousy of Mr. Basil. I would not take the trouble to ask whom he meant by that con temptuous sobriquet, so I talked to Harry all the way home, and never addressed a single observation to Jem — even a worm will turn ; and I Avas growing tired of Jem's ill-humour ! Jem refused to go to church with me in the evening. He dragged off Harry for a long walk, so I Avent with Mab and Jessie. The Hall pew was nearly opposite the Vicarage pew. I could not help noticing how grave and abstracted Mr. Basil looked ; I had no intention of watching him, only his fixed, stern expression riveted me for the moment, as I glanced at him ; he suddenly looked up, and our eyes met. I felt somewhat confused, and all the rest of the service I could not help thinking what that singular flashing look meant.

We three walked back together in the sweet dewy evening. Mrs. Lyndhurst was waiting for us in the drawing-room. She wore her velvet dress, and a pretty little lace cap, and I understood then why Mr. Basil thought her lovely. She had always been handsomer than Aunt Catherine, and with that soft colour on her face, and that gentle, tremu lous smile, she certainly looked very SAveet. After supper I sang to them — I think I never enjoyed singing more than I did that evening ; there was very little light in the room, and the Avindows were open. Mr. Basil sat near his mother ; I saw her take his hand once, and kiss it : perhaps the semi-darkness gave her courage, for they Avere still very shy Avith each other. Aunt Catherine told me that Mrs. Lyndhurst feared to give him the least caress. ' He is very reserved with her !' she said to me, ' and cannot bring himself to use any filial freedom, and this restrains her ; but when the first strangeness wears off, she will soon see how affectionate Basil can be.' Jem came to fetch me as usual, but he sent in a message that he was smoking and had Rollo with him, and would wait outside.

I fancied Mr. Basil looked disappointed. ' There was no need for your brother to take the trouble ; I could have escorted you,' he said rather formally, but though he attended me to the door, he did not speak to Jem, who was strolling up and down under the trees. He threw away the end of his cigar as I joined him, and took hold of my arm ; my first words were hardly gracious, however. ' You need not have taken the trouble to fetch me, Jem. You must have been tired with your long walk.' ' I suppose you meant the Don to walk home with you ?' with a return of gruffness ; but I was not in a specially meek mood. ' I wish you would not call people names, Jem. It is not good form.' ' I think it is a capital name, and just fits the person for whom it is intended. Lyndhurst is such a stiff sort of chap. He looks ever so much taller than anyone else.' ' What makes you dislike him so ?' I replied in a vexed tone. ' You do nothing but find fault with him.

It is hardly kind to Aunt Catherine and Mrs. Lyndhurst, to pick holes in their belongings.' ' I can't help it,' curtly. ' I can get on with most fellows, but Lyndhurst and I don't hit it off somehow.' ' But, Jem, he was so friendly to you at first !' ' Was he ? I can't say I remember that circumstance. I have a notion that we eyed each other like a couple of tom-cats, as though to test our fighting qualities. Look here, Olga, I know you have thought me disagreeable the last day or two, but I can't get over the fact that Lyndhurst and Fleming are the same person, and I hate your having anything to do with him there.' Jem spoke in the same surly manner ; but somehow I did not mind it half so much as I had minded his sneering innuendoes ; it was better to have our fight out once for all. Jem evidently thought the same, for, instead of turning into the paddock that led to our kitchen garden, he continued walking down the road. ' I am beginning to detest the sight of the fellow !' he went on, but this was too much for my patience. ' What right have you to speak so of anyone after a three days' acquaintance ?' I said angrily; ' you do not know Mr. Basil ; with all his faults, I have the greatest respect for him.

He is not what you think him ; he is a clever man and a gentleman, and his life has been very unhappy. Are you so good and immaculate yourself that you cannot make allowances for a mistake made in youth ?' ' You are meaning his marriage,' he returned quickly; but I Avas not thinking of that. ' Look here, Olga, I have heard a lot of this fellow Fleming — Lyndhurst, I mean. When I was at Oxford, the men told me plenty about him ; he did not bear the best of characters with the authorities. He got into a freethinking set, and called himself an Agnostic. There was a row or two in which he was mixed up, and he very nearly got rusticated.' ' I don't believe a word of it,' rather rudely. ' Oh, you don't — don't you ! I suppose you have got an excellent reason for your in credulity ?' sneered Jem — ' a girl has so much experience of the world and men.

Then, too, his marriage was disgraceful.' ' It was nothing of the kind,' I retorted. ' Aunt Catherine told me all about it ; she was a beautiful girl, and her friends were most respectable.' - Her brother has a shop in Holloway, hasn't he ? and Fleming — confound the two names ! Lyndhurst, I mean — married her on the sly ; but of course that was not wrong ? You have changed your ideas of morality, I find.' ' No, Jem ; but you used a wrong word ; there Avas nothing disgraceful about Mr. Lyndhurst's marriage. ' Use what word you like, only let me finish. I cannot think what makes you so contradictory to-night. I tell you I don't approve of Lynd hurst, only you need not repeat all this to Aunt Catherine ; she is bound to think the best of her nephew. The part about him I dislike most is his scraping up an acquaintance with you in that outlandish place, and letting you believe he was a widower.' I Avas so angry at this that I was nearly overwhelming Jem with my Avrath ; he should know, for the first time in his life, that I had a temper.

I would give him a taste of it that should be caustic and stringent enough to last him for a month ; but as I turned to him with this amiable intention, I saw him regarding me with such manifest anxiety, with such a troubled expression, that I softened at once. ' I have hardly patience to answer you at all,' I began ; ' but I feel I must defend Mr. Basil. You are A*ery unjust, Jem, and very prejudiced ; it was my own stupidity that made me take him for a widower. I thought, from something Reggie said, that his mother was dead ; but he meant his nurse, so ' — stammering a little — ' I told Aunt Catherine, and she believed U, too ; but it was all a mistake on our parts, and Mr. Basil very soon undeceived us.' ' All the same, he had no right to be so much with you, and I must say I wonder at Aunt Catherine : she ought to have known that an acquaintance.

Avith a suspicious-looking fellow should have been stopped at once.' ' Ah, Jem, how ridiculous you are !' I ex claimed, quite weary of his persistence. ' What could be the harm of exchanging a few civil words with a neighbour ? Mr. Basil never spoke to me unless he was obliged ; indeed, on several occasions I noticed that he avoided me. But when Reggie Avas ill ' ' Ah, of course, I know how things Avould be then !' in an exasperated tone. ' Aunt Cathe rine is too soft-hearted, and, for the matter of that, you know you are a goose yourself, Olga. Well, I don't want to make things worse by putting ideas into your head, but Aunt Catherine was old enough to know that it was not a safe line to take when she had a young lady under her care. I am not saying any harm has come of it, mind you, but, all the same, it has put me all wrong with Lyndhurst.' Jem was purposely vague in his concluding remarks, which were made in a decidedly apolo getic voice.

Not for worlds would I have had him suspect that I understood his hints, that they were making me tingle with shame all over. He feared harm might have come of it, how could I avoid understanding him ? — it was a dangerous position for a girl. Poor, dear Jem ! it was only his love and anxiety for me that had made him so gruff and disagreeable, and filled him with such animosity to the young Squire ; my heart relented to this foolish, blundering Jem. I must set his mind at rest. ' Jem,' I said as gently as I could, ' you must put all these foolish ideas out of your head ; they Avrong me as well as Mr. Basil — he and I are very good friends. I— I hope he respects me as much as I do him, and from his manner I think it is so ; no one has ever shown me more respect. I would trust him more than most men.

I have never heard a word from his lips that I would have wished unsaid ; he is a gentle man, and noblesse oblige — and I wish '■ — -and here a spark of temper Avould show itself — ' I wish you Avere more like him.' Jem seemed quite taken aback by this little outburst. It touched him in spite of himself, and he had the rare magnanimity to overlook my parting thrust. ' Well, perhaps he is not such a bad fellow, after all, and if there is no harm done ' He was floundering headforemost into it again, but I caught him up smartly. ' Harm — what harm should there be ?' But I felt, with a little sinking of heart, that Jem had very nearly hit the truth. ' I have another friend at the Hall, that is all ; and when Mrs. Basil Lyndhurst comes, I hope I shall like her, too.' I was carrying matters with a high hand.

Jem began to look as though he had had enough of it ; but he took up my last words : ' I don't suppose you will care much for a vulgar, under-bred young woman.' ' But she is not vulgar — Aunt Catherine told me so. Mr. Basil would never have fallen in love with the sort of person you describe ; he is too refined in his tastes. Anyhow, I mean to try and like her, just to help Aunt Catherine, and because — because she is Reggie's mother ;' and then all of a sudden my throat seemed to swell, and I felt as though I wanted to cry. Jem gave me a rough little shake. ' Now don't be a goose, Olga ; I have only meant it for your good. You ought to be glad that I look after you. Many fellows would not take half so much trouble for a sister.' ' I don't want you to take that sort of trouble for me. It is very disagreeable, Jem.' ' Very well, then, I won't another time, and you may look after yourself.' Then, relenting at my sad face : ' Now, be a good girl, and forgive me.

Haven't I a right to take care of the best little sister in the world ? I vow I don't know the fellow who is good enough for her ;' and, charmed with this compliment, I no longer refused to kiss and make friends, as we called it in our childish days, only I do not believe Jem and I had ever quarrelled so seriously before. ' I had no idea you could be such a spit-fire,' he observed as we strolled on happily, arm-in-arm. ' Violet Campbell can say a sharp thing or two, but she can't hold the candle to you.' To this day I have no idea whether it was Jem's artful intention to change the subject, or whether he made this speech quite innocently, and without malice prepense ; but it certainly had the singular effect of driving the Hall folk out of my head in a moment. For, after all, Jem was Jem, and I should like to see the girl who But never mind that. ' And who may Violet Campbell be ?' I asked in a tone calculated to strike awe into any bachelor brother's heart. ' Oh, she is only a girl I met down at Marlow,' mumbled Jem. ' Didn't I tell you about the Avater-party ?

She steered in our boat. She was a nice little thing — not as hand some as Bella Parker and her cousin Nora, but still ' ' You have a very bad habit, Jem, of calling young ladies by their Christian names. It is bad form, and not at all respectful.' ' Oh, shut up !' was the amiable rejoinder to this sisterly rebuke. ' Did you only see Miss Campbell once ?' I continued, bent on severe cross-examination. ' She was at the picnic next day in the Quarry Woods, and I met her coming out of church the following Sunday. She Avas staying with her uncle — he seemed a jolly old boy — but she told me her people live in Kensington.' ' Indeed.' ' They are a large family — three or sour boys, and as many girls. Vi — I mean Miss Campbell — is the eldest daughter.' ' She seems to have told you a good deal about herself and her belongings.' ' Well, one must talk about something if one is with a person for three or four hours,' replied Jem testily. ' I dare say you contrived to say a good deal to the Don when he was mooning about in that summer-house of his.' But here Jem sound himself unable to pro ceed, as I effectually closed his lips. ' Pax, you ridiculous child ! you have half suffocated me.' 'Jem,' disregarding this remonstrance, 'I Avish you would tell me a little more about Miss Campbell.

She is very pretty, you say ?' • I said nothing of the kind.' ' Well, you implied it. You said she was a nice little thing.' ' So she is, and so are you, when you behave yourself.' ' Do you mean she is like me ?' brightening up. ' No, I don't. You are not half so pretty. I mean she is a different style. She is your height, perhaps a little taller ; but there, I never could describe girls. She is awfully easy to get on Avith, and there is no nonsense about her, and she does not try to flirt with a fellow. One of her brothers — Kit she called him— was in our boat, too. He is coming to Balliol next term.' ' Did she — did he, I mean, ask you to call ?' ' Oh, there is plenty of time for that,' replied Jem cheerfully. ' I said something about looking them up Avhen I went to town ; but I think I shall wait until I know young Campbell a little better.

Vi — I mean Miss Campbell — is coming down to Commemora tion next June.' I was silent. A little further reflection made me swallow this piece of information very quietly. I was quite used to these confi dences on Jem's part ; there was always some ' awfully nice girl ' on the tapis. Not that Jem had ever been really in love, but he was of a genial, sociable temperament, and all girls liked him. He was so full of fun, and he admired them so frankly, the most prudish of them could not take umbrage at his atten tions. Last summer it had been that pretty little Miss Black, and in the winter he had trans ferred his allegiance to Sybil Grey, and so now if it were Violet Campbell I need not disquiet myself ; so I tried not to think that there was a shade more earnestness in Jem's manner, and a greater unwillingness to enter into close parti culars.

Nothing could be more foolish than for Jem to lose his heart at his age. Why, he had not left Oxford, and it would be years before he could hope to hold a brief ; and with only a hundred and fifty pounds a year of his own, he was certainly not in a position to marry. One question I did put to Jem as we stood at the Hall door : ' Are the Campbells rich ?' ' Rich ? I am sure I don't know,' returned Jem, staring at me. ' Mr. Campbell is a solicitor ; they live in Addison Road. No ; I am certain they are not. I remember Vi — Miss Campbell saying that some of the boys must go into the city, as her father could only afford to vol. in. 42 l\ send Kit to Oxford. Why do you want to know ?' * Oh, only for information. Jem, there is the prayer-bell, and we must go in.' Kitty had retired early. As I passed her door I Avent in to bid her good-night.

She was lying awake, and fully expecting me. She looked hot and feverish, and I could tell by her voice that she had been crying. I asked her, with much concern, if she felt less well. ' No,' she returned dejectedly ; ' I am only fretting about Hubert. I have been speaking to him about Miss Sefton's proposition ; it seems to worry him excessively.' ' Do you mean he begrudges the expense ?' ' No, of course not — neither the expense nor trouble. Has Hubert ever begrudged me any thing ? He will take me up on Thursday ; but, all the same, he thinks that I am fanciful, and wanting in patience. He has told me as much to-night ; he gave me quite a sermon after church, about the duty of bearing weakness more cheerfully.' ' How can Hubert be so ridiculous ? I begin to lose all patience with him ; even Harry said this morning hoAv far less well you seemed, and that he feared you were losing ground daily.' 'You must not be hard on Hubert, dear.

I sometimes think he is shutting his eyes purposely, and that he does not want to see it. His manner gives me this impression. Why, he was almost irritable with me this evening ; and the end of it was he packed me off to bed, though I told him I never slept now until one or two. It is so dreary lying here just thinking of it all.' ' Never mind. I will stay with you, and then you will not be dull ; when people are weak, they get so low-spirited. I think that is the worst of illness.' ' I cannot tell you how glad I am to have you again,' she returned, looking at me affec tionately. ' I have missed you so much, and Hubert has had no one to keep him company ; and when I am with him, I am too tired and stupid to talk to him or amuse him. Some times I have fancied that he thought me cross, and all the time it was only this miserable sinking.' ' Men are so stupid,' I began wrathfully ; but at that moment there was a heavy step in the dressing-room, and Hubert, hearing voices, came in to know who was keeping Kitty awake. ' It is only Olga,' said Kitty apologetically ; ' she came in to wish me good-night.' ' And has been chattering and disturbing you for the last half-hour,' he remarked severely. ' What will be the use of my taking you to a 42 — physician, Kitty, if you refuse to take the slightest care of yourself ?

Dr. Langham begged you in my hearing to be in bed by ten o'clock, and it is now nearly eleven ; and you are not attempting to go to sleep.' ' I thought I told you, Hubert, that it was impossible for me to sleep,' she returned re proachfully. ' Of course it is impossible if you do not try,' he replied decidedly ; and seeing him in this authoritative mood, Kitty merely sighed wearily, and gave up the contest by closing her eyes ; but that flushed, feverish face did not look like sleep. ' There's a good little woman,' returned Hubert, restored to good humour by this ready obedience ; and then he followed me out of the room. ' You meant it kindly, Olga,' he said, as he lighted my candle ; ' but Kitty's nerves are in such a state that she cannot be kept too quiet. Rest and sleep and plenty of nourishment — that was what Dr. Langham ordered, and a very excellent prescription, too ; and what Kitty wants with another physician passes my com prehension.

I Avish Miss Sefton had minded her OAvn business '—rather crossly. ' I am very glad you have made up your mind to take her,' was my bold reply. * I don't want to worry you, Hubert, you have trouble enough ; but I think Kitty is worse than you think. It is not only her nerves : there must be some cause for this weakness ; she is very uneasy about herself.' ' Of course she is uneasy if you all talk to her about her health,' he returned doggedly. ' Miss Sefton has put this London doctor in her head, and I shall have no peace until I take her. He will just laugh at us for our pains, and serve us all right, too ; it is a clear case of nerves. She has overtired herself Avith the children ; and she has never been strong since little Flo was born. I shall have to be more strict with her for the future ;' and so saying he marched off.

Poor Hubert ! as though he could disguise his anxiety from me ! All the time he was arguing about Kitty's nerves, I could see how he was watching me to know if I agreed with him. Kitty was right ; he Avas blinding him self purposely. I went to bed that night with a heavy heart, for what would Hubert do if Kitty But even to myself I could not finish the sentence.

Chapter II

' i don't look like a squire's lady. i - Could ye bless him, father — mother, Bless the dimple in his cheek ? Dare ye look at one another, And the benediction speak ? Would ye not break out in weeping, And confess yourselves too weak ?' Mrs. Browning. Aunt Catherine had begged me to spend th ■ following afternoon with Mrs. Lyndhurst, as she and Mr. Basil would be away the Avhole day. When the time came, I left Kitty very unwillingly. There had been a return of faint ness during the morning. Nurse told me her mistress had not closed her eyes all night ; but she had insisted on getting up at her usual hour to prevent Mr. Leigh from being anxious. I left her lying on the drawing-room couch looking miserably ill and depressed, and Hubert sitting by her Avith a pile of new magazines he 'I DON'T LOOK LIKE A SQUIRE'S LADY!' 23 was cutting for her amusement.

I could hear him laughing as he explained some amusing picture to her, and Kitty's feeble voice trying to echo him ; but there was not a mirthful note in it. Mrs. Lyndhurst was sitting in the garden, and Reggie was with her ; and we spent a very happy afternoon. I was so delighted to have my darling to myself again. We played our old games with Rollo, even enacting ' Mrs. Howl in the ivy-bush.' Reggie laughed so excessively that I caught him again and again without difficulty. His only complaint was that there was no swing to rest in — by swing he meant the hammock ; so his grandmother promised to buy him one, and we settled where to hang it. We had our tea in the old English garden, and Reggie fetched Peter ; and with Rollo, the pug, and the two peacocks, we were a goodly company. Reggie looked like a lovely little picture as he fed the gorgeous creatures ; and the background of sunflowers was like a golden hedge behind him.