Cassandra

Chapter I. Mabel Peters Finds Her Bed Of Roses

A *. LITTLE RUFFLED. Several months had passed by, not upon the whole very eventful ones for our friends. The alterations and improvements at Carr Grange had taken up a great deal more time than had been expected when they were first com menced. The unexceptionally hard winter had had something to do with this ; for mortar and plaster froze, and building ma terials had not been easy to get to the spot. VOL. III. CASSANDRA. 2 Beside the big house itself, there was much to do at some of the cottages of the tenants, and the soul of Mr. Haggarty had been not a little vexed at the slow progress that was made. But at last everything was finished, finished in such a style, too, as could not fail to give satisfaction to the young master and mistress when they returned to their home. Maurice and Cassandra had, in the mean time, spent a very pleasant winter.

Although no longer young themselves, and without children of their own, Mr. and Mrs. Derry down knew a great many nice young people, to whom they had been glad to introduce their nephew and niece. Thus the latter had been able to enlarge their list of acquaintances immensely, and led upon the whole as happy a life as any one, in spite of their past troubles. The home-coming and house-warming festival that was intended to be held at Carr Grange in the beginning of March was to be as pleasurable an affair as it could be made, and necessitated a good many journeys from Atterfels for the purpose of planning every thing judiciously. Of course Mrs. Derrydown joined these excursions, and equally of course she made many suggestions about the house decorations, which a due observance of the true principles of art forbade the young folks to adopt.

But they managed the matter very judi ciously throughout, and contrived not to offend the lady's dignity at all. They never raised any objections to her suggestions in her presence ; but just quietly arranged to their liking the matter under discussion. The next time Aunt Marjory visited Carr Grange, she had either forgotten what plan she had wished them to adopt, or, seeing that it had not been adopted, she concluded in her own mind that CASSANDRA. they had been exercising their queer Carr notions again, and that it was no use bother ing her head about it, for they never would be any different. "And more's the pity," she would sigh, " with their opportunities." But there was one part of the arrangements in which the good lady was allowed unUmited sway. If anybody knew how to cater for a lot of guests, Mrs. Derrydown did ; and it would have been hard to find any one who could make such a judicious selection of good things likely to suit everybody's appetite as she was able to do.

So Cassandra showed herself very wise in deferring to all her aunt's opinions on these matters. A good many guests were invited ; and, as the house was roomy, and was withal com fortably furnished, they could all be ac commodated with sleeping room, for nobody would want to go away the first day. Mrs. Cheatem and the servants whom she con trolled were all alive with bustle and anxiety to do credit to the occasion. Cassandra had seen nothing more of Albert Kingston since the memorable day which witnessed the final defeat of Angerstein Fitz pennyweather ; but he was very often in her thoughts, nevertheless. Of all the young men to whom she had been introduced dining the past winter, there was not one for whom she felt that she could entertain more than a friendly sentiment. She was constantly com paring them in her own mind with Albert Kingston, and, somehow, these comparisons always resulted in a victory being scored to the credit of our friend Albert.

Had Maurice been told how often his sister's thoughts dwelt upon his former school friend, he would have felt no small amount of astonishment. Eor she never mentioned his name or spoke of CASSANDRA. him at all, unless Maurice himself took the initiative. Now and again the exchange of a letter brought him under discussion ; but these letters, as is apt to be the case with school friends, were not exchanged with sufficient frequency to preclude the possibility of the friends forgetting each other for a month at a time. Albert, a little to his chagrin, had not found a good opportunity for visiting Carr Grange or Atterfels before journeying south. His mother seemed to be thinking so much of, and counting so much upon, his marrying into a titled family, that he felt that the merest hint of a predehction on his part for some one out of the charmed circle would be enough to rouse her antipathy and dislike to the young lady in question.

He considered that he should act much more wisely by not alluding to any obstacle in the way of his falling in love with a London lady, until the close of the season at least, when he and his parents would in aU likelihood be back at Roughbeach. It was this feeling which had prevented him from seeing Cassandra before he went to London. He had no feasible excuse for visit ing the Derrydowns again yet awhile, and did not wish to arouse his mother's suspicions of the existence of any young lady in whom he was particularly interested. Besides, he was far from being sure that he would be able to win Cassandra, and it was too early in the day to court questions on the subject. Maurice had written to him just about Christ mas time, asking him to try to come to the house-warming party ; but he hardly knew then whether he would be able to do so or not.

At aU events he meant to try, and sent Maurice word to that effect, supplementing the information with a caution not to count upon his presence too much. CASSANDRA. 8 Mrs. Emma had received an invitation too ; but for many reasons preferred to remain where she was. How could she feel comfort able among the very people whom her own husband had been trying his best, or rather his worst, to dupe and ruin ? True, her rela tions knew very well that she had also been victimized by him ; but that did not alter the fact that he was the man whose name she bore, and that his disgrace touched herself most nearly. There was another thing which deterred her from visiting either Carr Grange or Atterfels. It was reasonable to suppose that Angerstein would be loitering in the neigh bourhood at times, expecting that she would not be very far away from it, and a meeting with him was a contingency she preferred to avoid.

Then the quiet, easy, comfortable, humdrum life which she led at Roughbeach suited her nature to perfection ; and its very monotony was so agreeable to her, that she had a dread of disturbing its easy tenour by the slightest diversion from the usual daily routine. Owen Peters, Esq., the father of Mabel Peters, lived not far out of Roughbeach. Indeed, his residence was situated so near to that town as to be classed within the boundaries to which its corporate body laid claim. The income of Mr. Peters being good enough to enable him to live in tolerable style, as before stated, he and his family had access to the best society that was to be met with in the district. Among other festivities in which they had taken part, the election ball at Keel row Hall had been graced with their presence. The cards of invitation received had included the names of Mr., Mrs., and Miss Peters.

Now Mabel was not at home, as the ball took CASSANDRA. place about the time she was visiting at Atter fels. The notice received was almost too short to admit of Mabel's being sent for, journeying home, and then selecting and preparing a ball costume befitting to the occasion. But Georgina was at home, could begin her preparations immediately, was wild to go to the ball, and begged so earnestly for the permission that her parents had not the heart to refuse her. It really did seem a shame to keep her in the background for the sake of Mabel, who was so very dilatory in grasping the opportunities held out to her, and who seemed so loth to make way for her younger, and equally pretty sister. So Georgina went to the ball, danced every dance, was beset with admirers, and returned home in a delirium of joy and pleasure, declaring that she would never retire to her old shell again, but that, once having emerged from it, she meant to take up a stand for herself, and meant to be married in twelve months.

Now it was not exactly the thing for the younger sister to be married first, and two daughters in society at once, although that society was but provincial, would be rather a strain upon the paternal purse. But both pater and mater concluded that it would per haps be the wisest plan to let Georgina have her own way, as, to use the words of pater himself, " It will put Mabel on her mettle, when she finds that she has a rival in Georgina." Thus Mabel, when she returned to Rough beach, found her throne shared by another, and by one, too, who was mischievously in cUned to twit her on having failed in her matrimonial speculations. That her elder sister had several opportunities of " settling " CASSANDRA. very comfortably indeed was a thing Georgina could not manage to bring herself to believe, although she had always known Mabel to be eminently truthful.

If a well-to-do man had offered her his hand and his fortune, why had she not accepted it ? As she had been brought up to consider this her mam business in life, why had she proved so stupid and unbusiness like as to decline to embrace success when it was offered to her? Surely Mabel's vanity must be leading her astray a little, and she did not like to own defeat. That Mabel her self should have been wounded by one of the little blind god's weapons was a theory so beyond the pale of all probability, that it never entered the lively Georgina's cute little head. She was as yet a faithful adherent to all the tenets in which she had been so zealously instructed, and proselytism on her sister's part was too dreadful a thing to contemplate. Mr. and Mrs. Peters were also somewhat puzzled, and, if the truth must be owned, a trifle annoyed with their eldest daughter.

They certainly were fond of her, and not a little proud of her. But surely they had not set too high an estimate upon her beauties and qualities ? Of course the eyes of parents are apt to be somewhat clouded by prejudice when comparing the rival charms of their own and other people's offspring ; but still, they could scarcely have made such a stupendous mistake as to give Mabel credit for more of the qualities which attract the other sex than she really possessed ! And yet it looked very much like it, when, after a more than usually expensive season, she returned on their hands again, "Uke a bad shilling," wanted by no body. If, as the old proverb has it, "the proof of the pudding Ues in the eating," then the fact that poor Mabel was stiU unengaged CASSANDRA. demonstrated very clearly, only too clearly, the fact that she was not composed of such agreeable and unalloyed materials as they had supposed.

Renegadism on her part did not strike them as possible, and, for the first time, the poor people began to entertain doubts of the future. If Mabel was going to prove a failure (the reader must bear in mind that she was not yet twenty-one), who could ensure success for all the others, who were certainly as pretty, but not a bit prettier than her ? In another two years Blanche would consider herself entitled to the privileges of party-going, etc., and then whatever would they do, with three daughters in society at once ? It was a serious matter to contemplate. Suppose their daughters did not make the good matches the confident parents had always expected for them, what would become of them in the future ? They had not one of them been taught how to earn their own living, as such a dreadful necessity had never been dreamed of in connection with such pretty winsome things.

At their father's death, then, what would they do ? The pension which Mrs. Peters would receive, if she survived her husband, was only sufficient to keep herself comfortably, so how could a large family live upon it ? — impossible ! But there was even a worse contingency than that to fear. If Mrs. Peters should pre-decease her husband, then there would be absolutely nothing for the girls, except a houseful of good furniture ; and what could they do with that ? If they sold it, the interest of the money realized from it would not yield sufficient to pay for lodgings for them all, and where would their bread and butter come from ? They might keep the CASSANDRA. furniture and endeavour to set up a boarding school, or a — (good heavens) a lodging-house ! But they would be sure to fail, and lose their furniture in the bargain ; and, after that, there would be nothing left for the so delicately reared creatures but the alternative of " taking a situation" of some sort.

Oh, dear ! it was all too dreadful to con template. Something must be done to render such catastrophes less possible, and the sooner steps were taken. to do that something the better. Clearly Mabel was not going about her business properly ; so, after much private consultation, her parents decided to adopt a totally new course of action. Instead of aUowing their daughter, as heretofore, to visit wherever eligible young men were to be met with, these eligible young men must be entertained at Westbourne ViUa, and as it would never do to allow it to be too apparent that they were being angled for, some young ladies must also be constantly of the party. Now such a course as this would entail a great deal more expense ; but Mr. and Mrs. Peters thought that they saw a way out of the difficulty. Their five younger daughters were located at very fashionable, and, conse quently, very expensive boarding-schools.

If less money were in future spent upon their education, the amount thus saved would counterbalance the extra expense incurred in other ways. So the five juniors were to be summoned home and placed under a governess, to whom a good salary would be paid, and who must be thoroughly competent to instruct them in aU branches of a sound English education. Then the services of good masters must be secured, in order that the girls might receive vol. in. CASSANDRA. efficient instruction in different accomplish ments. With an eye to the future possibili ties of which they had never thought until lately, Mr. and Mrs. Peters determined that if any of these younger children showed an aptitude for any particular kind of study, they should receive every possible encouragement to pursue it, in order that, if such a course did become actually necessary, they might be qualified to earn their own living.

There were plenty of ways in which a lady, properly trained, could earn a competence, and the five younger members of the Peters family should be given every faciUty for acquiring the necessary training. Such a complete revolution in the family tactics surprised both Mabel and Georgina; and the former was still more astonished when her mother laid all the pros and cons of the case before her. Then she was to blame for all the changes that were to take place, and for aU the bustle and worry which they would entail upon the parents who had always been so good to her! Poor Mabel, after her interview with her mother, retired to her own room, oppressed by a miserable consciousness that she must be a very wicked girl indeed, to be wUfully upset ing aU the hopes and plans which her parents had cherished for so many years.

And why was she doing it ? Because she had fallen in love, not with one of her suitors, but with a man who did not evince any particular eager ness for her society. She almost began to wish that she had never been born ; for what could she do ? She felt that it would be impossible to marry any one else, after once losing her heart to Maurice. She had begun to look at marriage as something more than a business matter, and could not make up her mind to CASSANDRA. perjure herself at the altar. And yet, how could she so disappoint her parents, and perhaps ruin Georgina's prospects ? Her heart was torn by conflicting emotions, and she did not know which way to turn. It was just when active preparations were being made at Westbourne Villa for the anticipated influx of visitors, that an invitation to the house-warming at Carr Grange arrived for both Mabel and Georgina.

Cas sandra had never seen the latter ; but she had heard of her, and was anxious that she should come. Mabel's first impulse was to decline the invitation, for she was now actually afraid of appearing to throw herself in the way of the man above aU others whom she longed to see ; but her feeble objections, as they were backed by no reasons, were soon overruled. Mrs. Peters considered that it would be best for the girls to pay this visit to Carr Grange. They could then invite a few young ladies, and such eligibles as might be there, to come to Westbourne Villa for a little while. So, in time, Cassandra received a note, signifying that the sisters would be happy to accept her invitation.

Chapter II. The House-warming

The families who lived round and about Carr Grange had all got over the little ill feeling which the former curious behaviour of the Carr family had engendered. Everybody now knew the reason of everything that had formerly appeared to them to be dictated by supercilious and ill-natured exclusiveness, and the story of the Carr family aroused universal sympathy. Those who had in bygone days felt the most impelled to resent the attitude assumed by Mr. and Mrs. Carr, were the most anxious to demonstrate their goodwiU towards the children of the latter. Thus Maurice and Cassandra had a large influx of callers when they returned to their home, and were quite sufficiently occupied for awhile. Everybody who was anybody in the district wished to secure a visit from them, but they did not as yet care much about visiting here, there, and everywhere.

After a few more months had elapsed, then they would perhaps go more into society. This house warming that they were going to have had many reasons in its favour, which would not hold good in every case of excitement or pleasure. So many gloomy days had been spent by the sister and brother in past times, that they were anxious to inaugurate a new era, and they had both got hold of a curious crotchet that this opening of the house, so altered, brightened, and improved, would form a boundary-line between their past misfortunes ■21 CASSANDRA. and the happiness they meant to enjoy in the future. Cassandra felt anxious lest her dignity as hostess should be compromised, and Mrs. Derrydown was in a perfect flutter of expecta tion, while Martha Cheatem was quite lost in awe and admiration. This was the proper way for young people, and old people too, to live, she decided, and but for that stupid old squire, Carr Grange wouldn't have been such a dull place for so many years.

But, thank goodness, it was all over now, and things would never come to the same pass again. Most of the invited guests arrived punc tually, and the Grange presented a livelier appearance than it had done for a generation past. Mrs. Derrydown was in her element, as was also her husband. There were some nice people there, and as everybody had come determined to enjoy his or herself to the utmost, there was no lack of smiling faces and pleasant words. There had been no definite plan of amusement provided, beyond making arrangements for a dance, but the guests were, upon the whole, quite capable of amusing themselves, and the hosts were in such universal request that they had no time to be dull. Cassandra felt very much attracted towards Mabel Peters, and even caught herself thinking that it would be very nice if Maurice and this nice little girl were to fall in love with each other.

Towards Mabel she felt as if she would like nothing better than to call her sister, but she looked upon Georgina as a mere child as yet. There was not a very great disparity between her own age and that of the latter, but both disposition and experience made her seem very much older than the frolicsome, volatile Georgina, who was this night enjoying herself to her heart's content. CASSANDRA. The latter was, however, not so careless or gay but that she retained sight of the object to which she had determined to devote her attention, viz., marriage. How many of these young men were eligibles ? she wondered. Fortunately Mabel knew them nearly all, and of Mabel she would be able to gather all need ful information. The dancing had commenced, and she was such a graceful dancer, and looked so bonny, that would-be partners were already soliciting her hand for this dance or the other.

But prudent Georgina wished to know whom it would be wise to encourage, and whom it would be still wiser to snub, so, before com mitting herself at all, she resolved to interro gate Mabel. Looking round for her sister, she saw her talking in a subdued fashion to Mr. Carr, the young host, and the more Georgina looked at her, the more surprised did she become. Could this really be Mabel, who looked so sober, who seemed so afraid of raising her sweet eyes to the face of the man with whom she was conversing, who wore such an awkward air of confusion, who blushed so constrainedly, and who apparently only answered her com panion in monosyllables ? ReaUy, it was too ridiculous. If this was the way Mabel behaved when in society, there was no longer any reason to marvel at the fact of her not marrying right away.

Why, such quiet, gauche behaviour was unnatural in the ex treme to the naturally sparkling girl. It was well, Georgina thought (considering her self very wise meanwhile), it was well that she was here and able to perceive the secret of Mabel's failure. She would admonish her a little, and tell her how curiously and mis takenly she was behaving. While all this was passing through sage CASSANDRA. little Georgie's head, Mr. Carr was compelled to turn his attention elsewhere, and his place was at once taken by a stylish, good-looking young fellow, who addressed Mabel eagerly, and at sight of whom Mabel recovered all her bright smiles, gaiety, and dimples, and with whom she was speedily exchanging lively banter and merry sallies. " There now, I've got at the mystery at last," said Georgie, to herself.

" The silly girl is actually in love herself, I do believe ! I wonder who this young fellow is. I'm sure he doesn't look half so nice as that poor Mr. Carr, to whom she would scarcely speak ; but there is no accounting for tastes. It will be all very well if the favoured one has plenty of money, for he seems to be fond of her, judging by his attentions. I must find out how he is situated financially, and if he is poor, she shall not be able to say in the future that I did not warn her." Georgina was now almost close to her sister, when the latter waltzed off in the stranger's arms to the air of " The blue Alsatian Mountains." " How provoking," pouted, rather than said, Georgie, who had not bargained for this sudden contretemps. "Never mind, I'll be ready to pounce upon her, when the waltz is ended."

" Now, Miss Georgina," spoke a voice in her ear, " do you not think that you are too hard upon us poor young men ? Will you not be persuaded to give me this dance ? " Georgie looked up at the speaker, and her determination not to dance any more until she had gleaned all she could from Mabel at once gave way. This Mr. Manvers, who had been introduced to her early in the evening, looked so pleading, and would be such a nice partner, and the music sounded so bewitching, and she was so fond of waltzing — in fact, there were CASSANDRA. a hundred reasons why she should accept the proffered request, and, almost before she knew it, she was being whirled among the merry throng of dancers by the best waltzer she ever remembered to have danced with. The waltz had been half over before they began to dance, and as a natural consequence was concluded before they had had half enough of it.

Georgie had enjoyed it so much, that she really could not resist promising the next dance but one to Mr. Manvers, and the next but one after that again. Of course, as she had danced with him, she could not very well decline to do the same with others, and some how all her prudent resolutions were lost sight of, until it was really too late to bother about them, for this night at least. Going down to supper, on the arm of Mr. Manvers, whose attentions to her were quite devoted, she noticed Mabel chatting quite THE HOUSE- WARMING. 31 happily with the young gentleman who had apparently been her cavalier during the evening. She had accepted his escort to the supper-room, and again Georgina was struck with a feeling of dismay, when she observed how attentively the gentleman foresaw and provided for all Mabel's wants, and with what evident pleasure his attentions were received.

Poor little worldly-minded Georgie ! It never struck her that she was herself in as much danger of making a serious mistake as her elder sister. To be sure she was enjoying herself immensely, and this Mr. Manvers was the nicest gentleman she had ever met in her life. But then, she was not like Mabel. She knew what she was about, and was determined to be very prudent indeed. Although she liked Mr. Manvers very much, there was no fear that she would fall in love with him — unless he turned out to be eligible as far as monetary CASSANDRA. matters were concerned. But Mabel really seemed to have already lost her heart, and it behoved the sensible little Georgie, in the interests of the family, to read her a lecture on her folly, and to try to restore her to reason if the object of her affection really proved to be a poor man.

What a pity it is, that prudent, worldly-wise, and far-seeing parents, when instilling their admirable maxims into the minds of their daughters, are not able to deprive them of that troublesome and awkward organ yclept "a heart"! What a lot of bother and disappointment they would be able to save themselves, if such a thing were possible ! Here were two nice girls, brought up in the most prudent manner in the world, and with the most dutiful and obedient intentions that can be imagined, and all the plans which had been laid for them were in danger of being upset by the presence of a contradictory organ upon which not a thought had been wasted. There is no doubt that if Mr. and Mrs. Peters had been present at Carr Grange in the flesh on this happy evening, their souls would have been not a little troubled and vexed at the apparent malapropos turn their daughters' affairs were taking.

As for Cassandra, in spite of the undoubted success of the entertainment, she could not repress a feeling of disappointment. She was certainly much admired and sought after, and some of her county neighbours caught them selves wondering more than once wherever she could have got her style from, considering the secluded manner in which she had been brought up. Perhaps it did not strike them that with some people a certain elegance and style is second nature, and that it only re quires opportunity to shine forth in full lustre. 4 VOL. CASSANDRA. But, notwithstanding the golden opinions she won on all sides, Cassandra did not feel quite happy. She had up to the last minute vaguely hoped that Albert Kingston would put in an appearance, and each fresh arrival had caused her heart to throb with anticipation.

But the hours wore on, and yet he did not come. Had the Kingstons been still in London she would scarcely have expected him, but there had been some excitement at Rough beach lately, which had attracted the attention of the whole country, and she knew from the papers that John Kingston and his family were back at Keelrow Hall. His election opponents, it seemed, had been anything but satisfied with the result of their efforts, and were endeavouring to unseat him, on the plea that he had used the weapons of bribery and intimidation in order to gain his cause. It was just possible that then efforts might be successful, and, very much to his natural chagrin, Mr. Kingston learned that they had been industriously gathering all the evidence they could, while he had been igno rantly triumphing in his victory.