Playing for Love. A story

Chapter I. Charlotte Heeepoed Yields To Temptation

Me. Clements was surprised as much as he was pleased and gratified by Fred Erne's steady per sistence when he once began on his new career. He had' not anticipated anything but murmuring, and repugnance, and constant efforts to escape; he had prepared for open repinings, and when he saw that the young man not only worked reaUy and truly in the most conscientious and eager manner, but that he maintained a wonderful degree of cheerfulness, and was more frequently at home in the evening than he had ever been before, he was secretly as tonished. Without speaking to Fred he signed the deed giving him the promised four hundred a year, and secured it so that in any case it would be perfectly VOL. III. B legal, though he stiU determined to adhere to his ex pressed intention of not delivering it to him until the stipulated three months should be out.

The unseen stimulus guiding Fred he could not see, nor did he suspect that there was a star glitter ing in the azure hemisphere of the young man s better life. He opined that Fred had been frightened by the crisis in his affairs and had resolutely turned over a new leaf. The revelation of Fred's difficulties, although he had treated it so lightly, had proved a great shock to him. For the first time during the twenty years that had elapsed since he had invited the young chUd, Freddy Erne, on that first Sunday visit to Ivy Lodge, he realised the importance of the cycle which he had allowed to roll by so silently. The years had fallen upon him hke so many snowflakes — noiselessly, softly, imperceptibly, yet what a mountain had they raised ! He felt dissatisfied with himself, restless, almost unhappy.

He could hardly tell whether he had be haved kindly, nobly, generously, to his young charge, or cruelly, meanly, stingily. True, Fred had had no right whatever, legally speaking, to expect anything from him ; he had given the young fellow many advantages of education and travel, had supplied him liberally with money, and had permitted him to occupy his house as U he were his own son ; he had TEMPTATION. 3 offered him the chance of entering one of the first professions, under the most favourable auspices ; ulti mately, he had pardoned his misconduct and deceit, and was now freely and voluntarily bestowing upon him an excellent income, and had installed him in one of the most respectable and wealthiest firms in England or Russia. But, on the other hand, had hc not aUowed him to grow up under the implied promise that he should be his heir ?

True, he had never directly told him so — he had frequently given him a faint denial that he had any such intention. But as he had always himseU vaguely had the idea in his own head, ever since the days when he had first taken the chUd into his house, he knew that the denial had not been firm, and could scarcely have deceived him or any one else. Uncomfortable and perturbed in spirit, Mr. Clements was as anxious as Miss Hereford could be to obtain Fred's confidence. For twenty years — for nearly all the young man's lUe — he had in habited the same dweUing, had met him almost every day, had talked to him, yet was as ignorant of his real character, his hopes and wishes, his ideas of the future, as he was of Julian Erne, or Claude Lynton, his cousin. These two young men had come into his mind a good deal since the night when Miss Hereford had made the revelation of Fred's difficulties.

He b could not help thinking as if he had somehow done them an injustice. He did not like to think how he had held out both hands to one boy, whUe utterly neglecting and ignoring the others. Of Claude he had almost lost sight, while he heard of Julian only through Fred. Disagreeable thoughts haunted him perpetually, buzzing about him, banishing the sleep that had hitherto always visited him uninvited. He could scarcely tell why he suffered so great a shock from the break in the serene quietude of a hfe that had flowed on like a trickling, tinkling brook. Mr. Clements was a keen, acute lawyer, and when he chose to take the trouble, could pierce the characters of others, and penetrate their secret motives. For sharp powers of cross-examination, he was especially distinguished among his legal brethren.

But for personal introspection he had httle talent. Hence, he absolutely knew next to nothing of his own hidden motives. The daily life since he had tacitly adopted Fred Erne had been so pleasant, that he had not cared to think of what the future might be. Possibly, one reason why he had refrained from positively insisting on Fred's studying for the bar was, that if driven to do so, the young man might enter on a defined path which should lead him altogether away, and he fancied there was "plenty of time yet." He liked to TEMPTATION. 5 keep full power in his own hands, which he could not do when once he had announced his secret intentions, and he distrusted Fred's steadiness ; he wished him to foUow a certain course, but felt that he was not fit for it — that he could never be a lawyer; that if he entered the profession, even if he succeeded so far as to make a " decent living " by it, he could never have the most remote chance of grasping any of the honours and rewards.

He was himself, he knew, a clever and distinguished member of the legal profession, yet he had never, since his youthful days, hoped or looked for any of the great honours and rewards which he would have expected Fred to win. And now, when he at length opened his eyes, and studied Fred, he was amazed at the foohsh weakness that had led him into the desire of making his protege a barrister. He saw that Fred had not even one quality fitting him for the career. It was in vain that he tried to throw off the recollection of that inconvenient fortune, the responsibUity of which weighed upon him with a strange heaviness just now, almost for the first time. But the thought would not leave him. "Your brother has gone to Spain, I think you said," he remarked to Fred, one evening, very shortly after the departure of Julian.

" Yes, sir." Mr. Clements had occasionally seen JuUan Erne, but knew very httle of him. " I believe he is very hard-working, meritorious, and clever?" he went on, in a queer, disconnected kind of way. "He is the best fellow in the world," cried Fred, enthusiasticaUy. " I wish I had cultivated his society a trifle more. It would have been good for me." " Ah, I suppose so," answered Mr. Clements, rather abstractedly. He feU into a silence, which he broke again abruptly. " Pray, Fred, do you know where where young Claude Lynton is, and what he is doing?" " He is in London, somewhere. He came back from Italy a few months ago. I saw him at my brother's one evening, when I called there. He is engaged to my sister Christina — I think you know that?" " I remember your saying something about it. I suppose there will be a wedding soon ?

" " I hardly know. I believe 1 understand they are only waiting till things are until they can afford to to get married, sir." " Ah, indeed ! I see. Your sister has no money at aU ? " Fred shook his head. " She is studying to be an artist. Julian says she is clever, and will do something wonderful by-and-by." TEMPTATION. 7 " But she has done nothing yet ? " "Very little. I think she sent some pictures to the Crystal Palace, but I fancy my brother Julian helped her — I don't know. I have seen so little of my brother and sister, I know hardly anything about their affairs." " Then, what is Claude Lynton doing ? " " He is an architect." " I know that. But, I mean, in the matter of of How is he regarded by the income-tax people ?" " That I cannot tell you ; but I understood that the only bar to immediate marriage with Christina is " " Limited income.

Ah, I hope your brother is doing weU ? " " Pretty well, I believe, sir. Yes. He always speaks very cheerfully, and says he is quite satisfied." Mr. Clements said nothing more, and the subject dropped. Miss Hereford was dissatisfied — greatly discon tented at the course her beloved nephew's affairs were taking. It was most kind, certainly, of Mr. Clements to forgive him, and to get him a good situation, and to put money into a first-class mer chant's office for him, and to pay his debts, and to let him stUl occupy his house as if nothing had happened, and to promise him four hundred a year, to be clearly and legally his own — very kind. But but but, she would have liked to have known who Mr. Clements meant to make his heir. If she could have learnt that one thing, she could, she thought, have rested satisfied.

A couple of days after Mr. Clements had spoken of Julian and Claude, he was lying on a sofa, while- Fred sat by the window looking over the evening paper. Fred spent four out of his five evenings at home now. He was in the middle of a leader which he had been specially asked to read aloud by Mr. Clements, when that gentleman suddenly interrupted him, as U he had not heard one sentence of the article. " I should Uke to see your sister." "My sistej, Mr. Clements?" repeated Fred, in unbounded surprise. "Yes. Will you ask her if she will come to see me ? " Mr. Clements continued, staring abstractedlv at the window overlooking the garden, as he lay with his back towards Fred, who sat by the window next the road. " Ask her to come next Sunday, if she will." " I don't think she wiU, sir, even for you.

She has told mo more than onco that she never visits on Sundays. She is rather strict — my sister." " Oh ! " Mr. Clements received this decided rebuff very quietly. Since that little affair, wherein Fred Erne had not distinguished himself with credit, the- TEMPTATION. 9 old lawyer had been in manner almost like the one who had offended, instead of the one who pardoned. There was a silence. "Well, yon need not mind. Don't ask her to come. I wUl go and see her myself," said Mr. Clements, at last. " So, they think that Glad stone " Fred continued and concluded the article, secretly wondering why the old gentleman wanted to see Christina. " How do you get on in the City ? " inquired Mr. Clements, after a protracted sUence. Fred, indeed, thought he had fallen asleep. " Oh, pretty well. I don't dislike it as much as I thought I should have done.

I do feel the restraint a little now, but I have no doubt I shall grow used to that by-and-by. It is all a matter of habit." " What sort of people are they in the place ?" "Very pleasant, friendly fellows, all of them, so far as I have seen." "You are satisfied, then?" " Satisfied ! Oh, Mr. Clements, I am more than satisfied. I " " WeU, well, weU — yes — to be sure — of course- " Mr. Clements was nervously anxious to escape the outburst of grateful thanks and assurances. The probabilities are that U Fred had turned out utterly bad, and Mr. Clements had been obliged to throw him off, it would have broken the old lawyer's heart. As it was, this noble reparation for Ul-doing touched him profoundly. He wished he could have taken a certain course from the beginning; that he could have placed things upon a firm basis.

Not even once did he allude to Fred's arrest, or the extravagance and foUy that had led to it. Mr. Clements did not carry out his promise of going to see Christina. Had she been left alone on Julian's departure, he would have begged her to come and take up her residence at Ivy Lodge ; but she was with her grandmother, from whom he could not take her. " After all," he said to himself, " why should I trouble my head about these other young people ? Julian Erne is very well able to take care of himseU, and does not look to me for anything ; of Claude Lynton I know little, and care less. I have no doubt he is a worthy young fellow, but he is nothing to me. Fred is my namesake, the near relative of the only woman I ever loved or gave a thought to ; and he certainly has every reason to consider himself as my heir.

He cannot be what I wished him to be; but that is his misfortune, not his fault. No one would have any right, any reason, to be dissatisfied, if I gave him all. It would be the most fair and equitable thing I could do." For a little while he had desired to see Julian, TEMPTATION. 11 Claude, and Christina, to judge for himseU how far worthy they were to share the inheritance at his disposal. But it was impossible to see Juhan, who had quitted England ; it would be a matter involving many difficulties if he were to openly express a wish to see Christina; and it might lead to unpleasant complications U he sought out Claude. Against Mrs. Lynton, Claude's mother, he entertained an unreasonable prejudice; Claude himself he had never seen since the day he had cross-examined him with such cold rudeness in Tornth Crescent.

Like the majority of people, Mr. Clements, old as he was, had an undefined dread of making his wUl. A will once made is a serious thing, and it is a serious acknowledgment of a serious mistake to revoke it. In addition to having something of the feeling that he should be signing his own death warrant, in a measure, by writing his name at the bottom of a wUl — apart from this misty fear, he found it utterly impossible to determine how to dispose of his large property. Sometimes he wished the money could be pitched into the Red Sea, or buried in some equally safe place — anywhere rather than weighing like a nightmare on his conscience. Many times he endeavoured to discover Fred's ideas and wishes on the subject, but vainly. In truth, Fred had resolutely, though with difficulty, banished the hope, as heretofore cherished by him to a certain extent, of being named the old man's heir.

To all Mr. Clements' hints and suggestions he turned a deaf ear. Fred could see the drUt of these veUed questions and innuendoes, though not the reason of their being addressed to him. They teased him a little, whUe he bore them outwardly with perfect equanimity. But he was determined, having nearly made shipwreck of his lffe and happiness by letting himself idly float with the current, to believe in, to trust in, nothing but undoubted realities. " If the old boy means to leave his money to me, weU and good," said Fred to himseU. " H not, he ought to be quiet about it. I suppose he has a sus picion that I am playing good chUd to moUify him, and prejudice him in my favour. That is scarcely fair ; but of course he can't help disbelieving in my sudden reformation, which must seem rather remarkable to him.

I am surprised myself — I never thought I had a grain of Julian's capability for hard work. Perhaps I'm going to turn out a first-rate man of business, and make my fortune after aU. Perhaps I have a latent genius for commerce, which only wants cultivation. Quien sabe ? Wonders never wiU cease." A month passed, and stiU Fred had not deviated from the steady course on which he had entered. He had not been able to see Estelle since that night she TEMPTATION. 13 had given him the full assurance of her love for him, and had unconditionally promised to be his wife ; but he had written to her three or four times in every week, without fail, and received constant and regular replies from her; and that was some consolation for her absence, for she had left town, going first to Alum Bay, and then to Torquay.

Then, suddenly, Mr. Clements was stricken down by an unexpected illness — an illness most unusual and alarming, for he enjoyed the most wonderfully sound health, and was generally as robust as he had been twenty or thirty years ago. One afternoon he was caught in a torrent of cold September rain, on a long road where there was neither shelter nor vehicle ; he had been drenched whUe heated by walking, and had sustained a dangerous chUl that threw him on a sick bed. This upset the whole house, naturaUy ; though, for one totaUy unaccustomed to being invalided, he was surprisingly good-tempered, and not difficult to satisfy or wait upon. Miss Hereford scarcely left him for a moment during this Ulness, and Fred gave him aU his time outside those hours of hard work spent at the desk in his dim office in the City.

" I believe you would be sorry if I were to die, my dear boy," said Mr. Clements, with a weak smile, holding out his hand one evening to Fred, who was sitting by him, teUing him little bits of news. " Oh, Mr. Clements ! " cried Fred, taking his hand and pressing it with fervour. " I wish you ' were my son," said the old man, looking at him with a yearning gaze. " Pray, sir, don't think of me at all — don't trouble about me," answered Fred. " Ah ! but I must trouble about you. I can't help it ; I undertook a responsibihty, and I must fulfil it." " Come, come, sir, the doctor said you should keep your mind perfectly easy, or there would be a risk of fever. You must make haste to get weU, Mr. Clements, and then we can be off to the sea shore. You know you love the sea ; you have often declared you ought to have been a saUor.

You wiU be stronger than ever after a whiff of the briny." And so on Fred would talk, as if to a sick chUd. " It seems such a pity to lie here and see the September sun in all its glory," grumbled the invalid from among his pillows, gazing at the yellow sunshine shooting long rays against a sky of palest, purest cobalt blue, dyeing the thick-clustered em browning leaves of the trees in the garden with splendour, as the branches gently swayed to and fro in a soft caressing breeze. " In a few days it will be October, and then the winter will come. Ah I wonder if I shall see another spring. I think not. But God's wUl be done ! " TEMPTATION. 15 "Pray, Miss Hereford, what does Dr. Abernelson say about me ? He would give me no satisfaction when I asked him myself," said he, a day or two after this, as his housekeeper stood by him while he ate the frugal dinner aUowed him.

Miss Hereford looked grave at the question. "Does he think I shall die ? " " Oh, no ; certainly not — he thinks you will do very well ; but he says he was seriously alarmed once or twice." "I think it would be as well if I settled my affairs," Mr. Clements went on, as if reflecting. " Yes ; it would be only just to every one. Miss Hereford, will you kindly write a line to Mr. Bertram, asking him to caU upon me to-morrow, at any time that may suit his convenience ? If you wUl bring some writing materials, I wUl tell you what to say." Mr. Bertram was a solicitor. Miss Hereford knew him perfectly weU; he had dined several times at Ivy Lodge, and was one of Mr. Clements' more intimate friends. " He is going to make his will," thought Miss Hereford, whose heart gave a throb as Mr. Clements spoke.

She went and brought her desk from her own room, which adjoined that of Mr. Clements, and then sat down and wrote a brief note, or rather memoran dum, to the solicitor. She said nothing to Fred of her suspicion — she was afraid to enter on the subject ; and as Mr. Clements had in no way authorised her to speak about the matter, and as she feared to raise hopes that might be nullified, she did not utter a word about it. Mr. Bertram came about twelve o'clock the next morning, and was shown into the room of his ancient friend and ally. When he went upstairs, Charlotte Hereford paced up and down the dining-room like an animal suddenly imprisoned, like a lunatic, or one whose dearest be loved is dying out of their reach. Her face was ashy-white, her eyes opened to their widest extent ; her fingers twitched nervously, without ceasing ; her entire body quivered from head to foot.

This emotion lasted for, perhaps, twenty minutes. Then she could bear it no longer. It had been a struggle between the honest and the ignoble qualities, and the baser had gained the fight. Charlotte Here ford was generally above all petty spying or eaves dropping, but she had already proved that she could yield to temptation under pressure, and that Satan needed only to offer her a sufficient price to buy her soul. With a step noiseless as that of a spectre she fled up the stairs, pausing at the top of the long flight, and peering along the gallery on which the doors of four rooms opened. The door of the invalid's room was nearly closed — barely ajar. TEMPTATION. 17 She stole along this corridor or gallery, past the door of Mr. Clements' room, and stood just by the door of her own room — his chamber overlooking the garden, hers facing the road.

By moving a few steps to the left, she could stand by the sick man's threshold ; by retrograding a few steps to the right, she could conceal herself within her own exclusive domain, if in danger of being surprised. From this post of observation she could hear the words spoken by both gentlemen as distinctly as U she were in the room. She was devoured by a wild anxiety to ascertain U she were correct in her surmise as to Mr. Clements' object in sending for the solicitor ; and, if so, what were the terms of the will which the old gentleman was about to make. The first few sentences she caught assured her that Mr. Clements was dictating the terms of that document whereof she had so often dreamed. With every nerve strained to the utmost, she listened to each clause as the invalid instructed Mr. Bertram.

She looked like a guilty creature as she leant forward, the light from the great window that Ulumined the corridor showing her face with its gray shadows, her scared eyes that watched while her ears Ustened, one hand holding back the folds of her sUken skirt, the other half raised unconsciously as if to keep away any possible comer. It was a vol. in. c miserable day, and every moment she started with affright as the wind and the rain dashed against the panes, flinging the wet branches of a tall chestnut tree that grew outside against the glass, as if trying to aid some guardian angel in the endeavour to drive away that spy on the actions of one who perchance stood on the edge of the grave. The bright summer sunshine had died away during the last few days, and it was now cold, dark, dismal.

The major part of his large property was left un reservedly to Frederick Halsted Clements Erne by the old man. A handsome sum was left to Charlotte Hereford, five hundred a year each was left to Julian Erne and to Claude Lynton. Various other bequests were made, but the names of servants, and friends, and acquaintances of greater or lesser importance passed unheeded by the listener The dream would be realised. Fred would be the old man's heir after all. Heir to seventeen thousand a year. Miss Hereford almost turned dizzy as she repeated this to herself. When the business was over she stole along the corridor again, and fled downstairs noiselessly as she had come up. Courteous, calm as usual, she received Mr. Bertram at the door of the dining-room, when a servant con ducted him from the sick room above.

Luncheon was ready for him, and she conversed on ordinary topics, TEMPTATION. 19 with simply the gravity necessitated by the anxiety she might be supposed to suffer on account of the invalid. The solicitor having departed, Miss Hereford went up to Mr. Clements softly, gently, with an impertur bable countenance. She made no inquiry as to the motive of Mr. Bertram's visit ; she did not allude even distantly to the nature of the business that had been transacted. Of course she did not betray her peculiarly-acquired knowledge to Fred, who consequently remained in ignorance of the existence of this will that had been made by Mr. Clements. Some days passed; then the invalid began to mend rapidly. Soon the doctor pronounced that he might travel without danger U carefuUy wrapped up. He made a few httle experimental journeys into town or about the neighbourhood successfully, in the first instance.

It was finally settled that he should go with Fred to some pleasant watering-place for the sake of the sea air. Miss Hereford was obliged to stay at home tUl they came back, as she professed a strong objection to leave the house in charge of the servants. Fred suggested Torquay, to which Mr. Clements readily agreed ; and they started at once. At Torquay Estelle Bryanstone was sojourning with Christina Erne. c % Mr. Clements had given Fred his usual quarter's allowance when the day came round on which he always paid it into his hands, teUing the young man this arrangement should not be altered for the pre sent. When the stipulated three months had elapsed, the promised fixed income of four hundred should commence, and then they would come to auother understanding. This generosity touched Fred.

He was glad from the bottom of his heart to see the old man restored to comparative health, and hoped he would soon be strong again. " The sea air will speedily set you to rights once more, sh," he said, cheerfuUy, as they were driving to the station the morning of their departure from town. " Yes — yes — I hope so. You would not like the old man to die just yet, lad, eh ? " " God forbid ! God grant you health and strength for many a long year." With the fond extravagance of an enthusiastic young lover, Fred, before leaving London, used the greater part of the cheque which he had received from Mr. Clements in purchasing an exquisitelv beautiful ring — a lady's ring — a ring of be trothal. He had not seen EsteUe since that night when he had extorted from her the open confession of TEMPTATION. 21 her love.

That was now nearly two months ago. Fred was not vindictive, and he had almost for gotten Captain Darcy. But when a man is happy he can afford to be forgetful of injuries. Besides, the very injuries which his enemy had inflicted upon him had only served to ltft him to his present happy peace and prosperity. His rival — he now knew that Algernon Darcy was his rival, secretly, though not openly — his rival had endeavoured to loose or cut the sweet bonds Unking him to EsteUe; he had but drawn them closer in every way — they were now inextricably twined. " She is mine — mine — my darling, my sweet heart, my love ! " he said to himself " and no one can take her from me now." Mr. Clements looked at him as the train flew along in the bright, gay morning sunshine, which had come back doubly welcome after a week of cold wind and rain.

" I am glad to have got you away from that close office," said the old lawyer. " You were grow ing as pale as a ghost, and the mere prospect of a little holiday-making has already brought back the colour to your cheeks and the light to your eyes." " Has it, sir ? " laughingly asked Fred, turning his glance from the fields and meadows. His thoughts had been far away — at Torquay. " I am quite pleased to see you so bright," continued Mr. Clements. " I didn't want you to shrivel up into a business mummy before your time." " And you, too — you look better already. By the-way, I forgot to mention to you that my sister Christina is staying at Torquay." " Indeed ! Why did you not teU me so before ? " " I meant to have told you, but I forgot. It slipped my memory every time I had intended to tell you."