Her Three Lovers. A novel

Front matter

HER THREE LOVERS VOL. PRINTED BY 8F0TTISW00DE AND CO., NEW-STREET SQUARE LONDON HEE THEEE LOVERS A NOVEL By ALICE M. DIEHL AUTHOR OF ' THE GARDEN OF EDEN ' ETC. Miltus. Ifcnow fjou wbat 3 woulo 60, MS 3 wfsb to punish an cncnvs after nrg Seatb ? 3 woulS leave bim m? fortune The Rich Man, Act ii. Scene iii. IN TWO VOLUMES— VOL. II LONDON EICHARD BENTLEY & SON, NEW BURLINGTON STREET fublisbtrs in ©rimmrrr to $cr gtajrstv, ifec «Jn«n 1890 All rights reserved HEE THEEE LOVEES

Chapter I Fter

a sleepless night, Arthur rose early, and strolled about the grounds : to wait for the postman. He felt that to sit down quietly to breakfast and see the letters brought in would be torture he did not care to endure. It was a fair spring morning. A fresh breeze blowing in from the sea stirred the beds of bright flowers, scattering their loosened petals on the earth. The trees had blazed forth in their first young green glory. But all the freshness, the sweetness of the early year, clashed with his fevered spirit. The storm of passion for Julia was, to a certain extent, vol. IT. B passed and gone. Still, the aching soreness of heart remained ; and with this was a yearning for Nell — Nell, whose love he had outraged, who might still make his future, if not rapturously joyous, at least peacefully happy.

Pacing the garden walks, he caught sight of the postman, a raw youth recently pro moted ; and, leaping over a low laurel hedge, he met him at the gate of the grounds. 'No letters this morning, sir,' said the youth, as he handed Arthur a couple of news papers. ' Nonsense ! ' said Arthur. ' No letters, indeed ! You must have overlooked them.' The confused young postman sorted his packet again, Arthur looking over his shoulder. Then he fumbled in his bag ; but the result was — nil. 'There must be some mistake,' said Arthur, livid to the lips. ' Really I shall have to write to headquarters. This sort of thino is getting unbearable.' And he turned on his heel and walked indoors. What should he do ? His first idea was to start for Stratteford at once, and storm that fortress which until lately had been his very own — Nell's heart. ' No,' was his second thought. ' I must wait.

My letter was a great deal too warm. Women like the lash — " women, spaniels, and walnut trees " — the old adage ! If she doesn't yield to fair words — by Jove, I'll have no mercy on her ! ' Setting his teeth and thrusting his clenched fists into the pockets of his shooting-jacket, he stalked into the breakfast-room. His father and mother were laughing. It jarred upon him, and he bade them good morning very moodily. Then he sat down, and started, the blood rushing to his face. By his plate was a letter directed in Nell's hand writing. ' When did this come ? ' he asked, inwardly anathematising his ' folly ' in showing his ill-humour. 'A boy brought it, just now,' said his mother. ' I hope Nell is better.' B ' Oh, yes,' he said grumpily, ' you can see what she says.' Then, with an attempt at unconcern, he handed the note to his mother and began his breakfast.

Nell had written but a few words. ' Dear Arthur, I do not know whether any good can come of our meeting, but if you really wish to see me, I am to sit up for the first time this afternoon. ' Yours always faithfully, ' Eleanor Price.' The letter stung him. He knew that she was still in ignorance that she was her uncle's heiress. She did not even suspect anything of the sort, for she had not yet been told of Josiah Burger's death. ' If she is on the high horse now, what, in the name of goodness, won't she be when she knows ? ' he asked his father in the library, before he started for Stratteford. ' My boy, you have your opportunity, and you must make the best of it,' said Mr. Lonsdale, leaning back in his chair and looking critically at his son. ' She loves you ; but she is not a Julia Smythe — she has character.

Whatever you do, to her you must speak the plain truth. Women like Nell love in a maternal sort of a way. They like confidences, confessions. Treat her as a mother-confessor, and promise her the devotion of a lifetime. You may do that with a clear conscience, for I am sure you have fully made up your mind on that point.' ' Certainly,' said Arthur. But, as he mounted Nimrod and rode off towards Stratte ford, he asked himself whether, in point of fact, he had done so. Was his passion for Julia still smouldering ? Sometimes, when he thought of her dainty beauty, of the abandonment of girlish fondness with which she had clung to him, he ground his teeth and told himself he was accursed. Was his violent fancy for the beautiful brunette the cause of his vague unrest, of the bitterness of everything ?

All those things which had formerly been pleasures were insipid, tasteless. Boating, cards, billiards, cricket — one and all bored him. Novels were taken up, skimmed, and thrown aside in disgust. Recollections of college hfe were tame, and topics of the day seemed hopelessly idiotic. Only violent exercise — riding, swimming, walking — brought some sense of satisfaction, or rather relief. Was this state brought about by Julia, or by Nell ? This was the question he put to himself, before that crucial interview when he would bind himself for life. He thought of his past with Nell tenderly, regret fully — and tried to think of a future with her hopefully ; then came rushing madly in the thought — never, never must he see or think of his darling. In wild misery he called Julia his darling. ' Only once more ! ' he cried out to his conscience — ' once, once ! ' Then he reined in Nimrod at a cross road whence he could see the grey turrets of Neath Hall above the trees. ' My darling, good-bye,' he solemnly said ; and the towers and the trees became blurred, and two great, cold tears fell upon Nimrod's jetty mane.

He turned the horse's head once more, and rode quickly to meet his fate. And as he went, he softened his heart by memories. Nell had been so much to him in his boyhood — friend, sister, monitor. Then he recalled his passionate rage Avhen the curate fell in love with her, and how he demanded her promise never to dream of relationship with any other save himself. In speaking with Mr. Lonsdale of the whole affair the Rector had dwelt upon this point. ' You exacted her promise,' he said, ' and you must stick to it. Nothing but a spon taneous release in full from her can exempt you.' Would Mr. Lonsdale have spoken thus, Arthur bitterly thought, a few months ago, before Josiah Burger had acknowledged him self a rich man, and had made Mr. Lonsdale Nell's trustee? It did not matter. 'If it conies to that, nothing really matters very much,' he thought, sardonically, as he passed Stratteford Church, surrounded with the rows of graves and white headstones. ' Nell had a narrow escape of it.

At any moment Nimrod, or that new skittish grey, might throw me, and the corner of a sharp stone soon land me there.' He looked uneasily round as he rode through the village, but only a few children were about. Dismounting at Miss Burger's neat little garden gate, he called a lad who was loitering about, and promised him a shilling to hold Nimrod for awhile. Then he walked resolutely up the narrow path, nervously clenching his ridingwhip in his gloved hand, and knocked at the door which bore that significant brass plate, ' Miss Burger, Modes et Confections' The inscrip tion had never jarred upon him so unpleasantly before. ' That title, " dressmaker's niece," will hang to Nell till the end of time,' he impatiently thought. Then, as the door opened, he turned, and saw the nurse, Nurse Blythe, who had so often given him news of Nell with a severe gravity which had made him fancy she regarded him in some sort as a culprit. ' I have come to see Miss Price,' he said, walking in.

Nurse Blythe closed the door. ' She is on the sofa in the sitting-room,' she said, with a warning glance towards the half-open door, ' and really much too weak to see anyone. You must not stay long ; and if you cannot promise not to excite her in any way, I can not let you see her at all.' Arthur looked meekly into Nurse Blythe's keen, resolute face. ' I will do my very best to behave properly,' he said, like a chidden schoolboy. Then he followed the nurse. As she opened the door, he caught sight of a slim white figure on the sofa, of a delicate child face with large eyes. He saw a fluffy golden halo against the red sofa cushion. Could this lily-like, wan young creature be Nell ? He forgot all in a sudden rush of pity, remorse ; he vaguely heard Nurse Blythe close the door, then he flung himself down by the sofa, and took the thin, cold hands of his once-loved child-friend in his strong, warm ones. ' Nell ! it can't be you ! ' he impetuously said. ' You look like a ghost.

Oh, my poor dear ! ' — her gentle smile, the tender look in her great eyes made a lump come in his throat. 'I did not help to make you ill, Nell? You knew that day it was only my temper, didn't you, darling ? Oh, do speak to me ! Don't look at me like that ! ' He covered his tearful eyes with her hands. Presently she drew one away, and laid it on his head. ' My dearest,' she said, in a weak voice, ' you know I can only be happy if you are happy. That is why I am seeing you to day. I cannot rest till your happiness is secured ' 'Don't talk like that,' he said, holding her hand over his beating heart. ' It is cruel. How can I be happy when you are like this ? Oh, Nell, forgive me ! I have been a mad fool ; I have let a girl's fascination betray me into a fit of boyish passion. I forgot you, and myself.

I do not wish to conceal it, or excuse it. But forgive me ; oh, Nell, forgive me ! and let us go back again to the time when we first told each other we loved. Oh, you smile ! ' (The poor girl's whole heart had warmed and revivified at his open confession of unfaithfulness, and all her resolutions to evade his love-making and refuse his pro testations were as naught before his seeming truth.) ' Don't you remember, darling, that day when we were walking across the fields, and you told me that that wretched little Wilmore Smith wanted to marry you ? I had been so happy with you up to that moment. Your arm was in mine ; it was such a lovely evening, a lark singing, and the sea like a calm lake. Then all my blood seemed to leap up, boiling with rage and love ; and there and then I made you promise yourself to me.

Nell, you are my promised wife — you have been from that moment.' He drew her towards him. Her head was on his shoulder. But she wrenched herself from his embrace. ' No,' she said. ' You took me by force then — you shall not do so again. Arthur, I have learnt a great deal during this bad time. Life is not made up of passions and sentiments. I love you — but I am not a fit wife for you. You are changeable. I am not clever, not beautiful, like Miss Smythe. You would soon tire of me. I could not bear it — I should die. Remember, my father and mother died young. I must have the seeds of that fatal disease.' ' You call this love ! ' cried Arthur — and, forgetting his promise of good behaviour given to Nurse Blythe, he sprang up and began pacing the little room. ' You can be in my arms, and push me from you ; and you coolly tell me you love me — why, you don't even know what love is ! ' He felt beside himself, and, staring out of window, wondered why.

Why ? Could he be madly in love with both ? Life was truly a puzzle. ' Not the sort of love — that Miss Julia Smythe feels,' said Nell, in a calm voice. ' She can afford to love whom she pleases, when, and how she pleases. She is an heiress. Say what you may, Arthur, there is a great deal in that. Rich people have time to love, and have no hard difficulties to embitter them. You and I would be poor.' Her voice fell at those last words. As she spoke, Arthur's passion was quelled. He felt himself a cheat, the miserable party to a fraud. Mr. Lonsdale had told him to be truthful. Truthful, with a reservation — the greatest of all reservations. This was truth, according to the Rector of Strattemount, — to know that a girl whom he had ill-treated was a great heiress, and to reinstate himself in her good graces while she remained in ignorance of the fact. ' I cannot be such a wretch, and I will not,' he impetuously decided. ' Whatever happens she shall know all — as much as I may tell her in honour, now, at once.

If we are really to be husband and wife, I am the person to tell her, and no one else.' Suddenly his decision calmed and strengthened him. He went back to the sofa, and, drawing a low basket-chair towards it, he seated himself opposite to Nell. ' Darling,' he said, once more taking her hand, but this time very lightly and gently, between his own, ' if we are to understand each other, you must hear rather a long story and be told some unexpected and painful news. It remains with you to tell me to go, now, without my telling you anything, and to leave you to hear what you must hear from others, or to decide to hear the truth from me at once. But I have determined to say not one word more of the future, until you are acquainted with certain facts which your serious illness has prevented your knowing.

She paled somewhat — she gazed anxiously into his brown eyes, which had never looked more sympathetic, more true, than at this moment ; but she did not flinch. ' I cannot imagine what you can possibly mean,' she said, scrutinising his face. ' Is she dead ? Is that why you have come back to me r ' She — who ? ' At first Arthur was puzzled. Then his face flushed. At this supreme moment, when he was about to speak words that would change Nell's life, perhaps decide both their fates, he had forgotten Julia — she had become a ' thing apart.' ' Oh ! ' he went on ; ' you mean Miss Smythe ? Put her en tirely out of your mind. She has nothing to do with this. No — she is not dead, Nell.' He stopped to watch the effect of this first hint that the shadow of death had come upon their lives. Nell looked wonderingly at him.

Someone was dead, she felt — but who could it be ? In her narrow circle there was not much prey for the destroyer. ' Who is it ? ' she asked, sympathetically, clasping his hand. ' No one very dear to you?' A strange shade passed over the young man's face, and he looked away from her. ' Nell,' he said, hesitatingly, ' do you remember one day not long ago, in the matter of days a very short time, when someone came here who was coldly received by your aunt, but kindly treated by you ? You must be glad now, dear, that you did what you could for him.' ' Uncle — oh ! poor uncle — he is dead ? ' HER MIREE LOVERS She would have risen, but was too weak. She fell back with a sob. ' Darling, do not fret.' Arthur's eyes were tearful, his heart was heavy. ' He is happy now. He could not be really happy here ; his life was but a broken one.' ' But — poor uncle — oh, if aunt had let him stay here, perhaps ' she gasped. ' If you are like this, dear, I shall call the nurse and leave you for to-day,' he began.

But Nell controlled herself. ' I am still so weak,' she said, apologetically. ' That is just it,' he said. ' I had no right to tell you anything to-day. But, Nell, I could not bear to come to you again and beg for your love under false pretences.' ' False pretences ? I do not understand,' she murmured, with an inward misgiving, a warning of approaching evil. ' What has my uncle's death to do with you and me ? ' ' Everything ! ' said Arthur. ' You will hear. But first let me tell you of his end.' Then, beginning from the day of Josiah Burger's visit to Strattemount and Stratteford, he related his seeking out his old friend, General Fuller, his meeting with Mr. Lons dale, also a former acquaintance — and their visit to Paris. ' Whether the life there — the hfe led by visitors — was too much for him, or whether it was that the long-standing disease had arrived at its climax, we can never know,' he added, feelingly. ' But one morn ing, dear, they found him, as they thought, asleep, with a strange, set smile on his face.

He was asleep — the last sleep ! It was his heart. This news is old news now, darling. When he went, they all thought you were going too.' ' Poor, dear old uncle ! ' The tears streamed quietly down Nell's cheeks, and, though Arthur dried them gently, he let her cry. ' Arthur ! I know he was good. He may have been wild as a young man, and all that ; but somehow he was so hearty, so kind, I loved him at once.' ' And he loved you,' said Arthur, earnestly. ' For almost his first act when he reached London was to make his will, and — well, VOL. II. C to leave you whatever he could in justice leave.' He watched her, but she only smiled very faintly. ' Poor uncle ! I don't suppose that was much,' she said. ' I am afraid he has known poverty. He looked it. If I had had any savings of my own, he should have had every farthing ! ' she added, emphatically. ' It was my first longing for money ! ' ' Strange that you should both have felt the same,' said Arthur, watching her in tently.

Evidently she had not the slightest suspicion of the state of the case. ' Your uncle had savings, Nell, and has left them to you.' ' I shall not keep them,' she said, musingly. ' I could not ! I should always be thinking how he had denied himself; perhaps he had gone without proper food or sleep, or gone into some dreadful danger, or over fatigued himself. His poor face when he was asleep in that chair over there (aunt wouldn't let him go to bed, you know), looked as if he had always been tired all his life — as if he had never known what rest meant. No, Arthur ; I shall give his savings to some hospital or asylum for old sailors, or some thing of that sort.' ' But, dear, I'm afraid you can't,' said Arthur, with rising dread as to Nell's emotion when she knew the truth. ' You see, when people make wills they appoint executors, and if they leave their money to young people, they place it under trust, which means that the young people cannot touch one farthing without the consent of those trustees.' ' But that is only in the case of large for tunes,' said Nell, in a puzzled tone. ' Some might think your uncle's legacy a large fortune, Nell.' Nell slowly turned her head and looked at him — such a look!

Searching, sad, disappointed ; he could not meet it. He looked away from her. Was he guilty — and of what ? At that moment he felt guilty, and looked it ; yet, with exasperation, he told himself that, in point of fact, he was not so. c Her hand still lay in his. But some subtle electricity of touch made him relax his grasp. ' My uncle cannot have been a rich man when he came here,' she said slowly, and with a cold, apathetic stare at vacancy. ' A rich man would not have come in that way.' ' There you are wrong,' said Arthur, bitterly. He felt that she suspected him, that this fatal money had already come between them. 'He knew human nature. He wished to find out his friends. Your aunt might possibly have received a rich prodigal less harshly. He has not left her one penny. All is yours that is not left to his son.' ' His son ? ' asked Nell, huskily. ' Yes,' said Arthur, once more rising and going to the window. ' His son — your cousin — whom your uncle wishes you to marry.' 'Wishes me to marry?' Nell looked aghast. 'Why, I did not know there was such a person.

Oh, I see ! ' she cried, eagerly. ' Arthur, come here ! ' She held out her arms to him ; she looked so sweet, so white, with her wan smile, her beseeching eyes. He went to her and clasped her to his heart. Was it their last embrace ? Heavens ! It was too hard ! ' I know,' she said, releasing herself, and panting a little as she flung herself back on the pillows with the fictitious strength of excitement. ' But why did you torture me ? Why did you not tell me right out at once that my uncle had left me his money on con dition that I married his son? Don't you know I care nothing for money ? ' She clung to him and tried to look into his averted face. ' Money in comparison with you I ' In the abandonment of her emotion she held up her face to be kissed. Never had she touched the gentler side of his nature so entirely.

Until now he had looked up to her, had mentally clung to her as his superior, with some slight resentment that she was so. But when she cast aside pride, maidenly reserve, and simply acknowledged herself a loving, tender woman, he felt how precious she was, and what a miserable, unworthy being was he himself. ' I am not worthy to kiss you,' he said, brokenly ; then he touched her forehead with his lips. 'But perhaps, Nell, some day, if you are always with me, I may become so. Who knows ? ' he added, recklessly. ' It is always the most unlikely thing which hap pens ! ' ' You will not mind not being rich, Arthur ? ' She was wondering at the under lying pain which he made but a poor attempt to hide. ' If you do ' 'Don't distress yourself on that point, dear,' he said, still in a hard, almost sneering tone. ' My father will leave me a fortune equal to yours, and yours, even if you refuse to marry your cousin, Josiah Burger the younger, is a goodly heritage.' She leant back, grew very pale, and closed her eyes.

For a minute or two both were silent. Then she said, in a low voice : ' There are two questions I must ask you, even if they make you very angry.' ' They shall not make me angry, Nell, whatever they may be,' he said, resolutely. 'To-day is a crisis, perhaps the crisis of our lives. It is necessary that we should under stand each other.' ' And you will answer them with plain, absolute truth ? ' ' Yes.' She drew a long breath. Now it had come to the point, now that she felt she must put her fate to the test, and ' win or lose it all,' physical exhaustion more than lack of courage held her back. But she felt that she must know — both for his sake and her own — the real Arthur. Cowardice must not make them both miserable for life. ' Arthur,' she began, ' my first question is this. Had you no prospects, had I nothing in the world, not even aunt's insurance money, which she has, I know, left to me, — would you wish me to be your wife ? ' ' My dearest, how can I tell ? ' he answered, earnestly. ' I should think that if I had not been tacitly led to believe myself heir to some solid fortune, I should not have allowed myself to care for any girl.

I certainly would not have dragged any woman into poverty and misery, for it is not in me to make a decent living, like some men do — I haven't the energy, and I am not clever. You see I cannot answer that question.' She sighed. His reply was utterly un satisfactory. ' Then ' — she put her hand on his arm — answer me this instead : Do you love me better than anyone else in the world ? ' ' Is that your second and final question ? ' He looked down at her delicate pale face, at those terribly earnest eyes. Why would she take life with such cruel seriousness ? It did not pay to do so, he told himself. He had proved that to his satisfaction over and over again. ' No,' she said, slightly shaking her head. ' That is another way of putting the last one.' ' I will be generous, and allow you three,' he said, lightly. ' So we will count this the second.

You have bargained for absolute truth, you know ! Well, I can safely say, in answer to that, that I am satisfactorily convinced, from long experience, that my first love, my principal love, and the love which I believe will last to the very last breath I draw, is not you, dearest, fond as I am of you. It is a certain worthless young man, whom you rate by far too highly, one Arthur Lonsdale.' Once more a totally unsatisfactory reply. She was silent a few moments, then she made her final throw. 'Arthur,' she began once more, ' supposing that Julia Smythe were not a great heiress, supposing that you could bring a fortune equal to hers, would you wish to marry her?' In his overstrung mood Julia's name wounded him deeply. ' I have never sup posed anything of the sort,' he said, resent fully. ' I am not given to suppositions.

I do not admire your questions, Nell. They show distrust, suspicion, jealousy, and those three things can kill the very strongest and most passionate love it is in man to feel for woman. You disappoint me. I thought you had a great deal of common sense. Would not common sense point out this : if I wanted to marry someone else, should I be here ? ' But as he spoke his temper rose. His last words were spoken violently. Nell, white as ashes, with a desperate look in her eyes, motioned him to kiss her. ' Good-bye,' she said ; ' Arthur, it is good bye.' Just as she murmured the last words she gave a little gasp and fainted. Arthur, half beside himself, rushed out and called the nurse. ' There, I thought so,' said Nurse Blythe, with a disgusted flash of her eyes, as she hurried in ; ' that's what you men always do.

You'd better go, please, sir, as quick as you can.' ' And leave her dying ? ' cried Arthur. ' Oh, you've not killed her yet,' said the nurse, satirically, as she busied herself about her patient. ' Will you please open the window, and go ? ' Arthur had a vague sensation of opening the window, of meeting Miss Priscilla, gaunt and angered, in the passage, and of finding Nimrod, and mounting and riding off at a gallop. Nell had a long fainting fit. The doctor often afterwards told the tale, how, when she feebly unclosed her eyes and recognised him, she said, weakly, ' Oh, doctor, I am sure that money is the devil ! '