A Very Young Couple. A novel

Front matter

'The Scent os the Lilies." "The Scent of the Hayfields." Vogt's New Registered Perfumes. Bottles 2/-. 3/6, 6 6, 13/-, and 2'/- each. SOLD EVERYWHERE. Is your Chemi ' them se G.VOGT & Co. , 19, Laurence Pountney Lane, London, E_C. IUATTHFWCQ mM Specia,,y for ftl HI HI InCffOO Nursery and Toilet For the Face. For the Hands, PURIFIED To Protect the S_in. To Heal Chafings. FULLER'S To Pr.serce the Complexion For Roughness and Redness For Sunburns and Fr.ckles. For Sore Feet. EARTH. IN BOXES 6d.and Is. FROM ALL CHEMISTS. USED IN THE ROYAL NURSERIES. A VERY YOUNG COUPLE A N O VE L. BT B. L. FARJEON, AUTHOR OF "GREAT PORTER SQUARE," "TOILERS OF BABYLON," "A YOUNG GIRL'S LIFE," "THE MYSTERY OF M. FELIX," &c. IN ONE VOLUME. LONDON : F. V. WHITE & CO., 31, SOUTHAMPTON STEEET, STRAND, W.C 1890. PRIZE MEDAL, HEALTH EXHIBITION, 1884.

TIDMAN'S SEA SALT. PATRONISED BY THE ROYAL FAMILY. Analysed and ajproved by Dr. Hassall. A daily bath for Young and Old prepared with this Salt invigorates the system, foi'tifies the constitution, braces the nerves and s/revents cold. TIDMAN'S SEA SALT should be used in ever? Nursery. Feeb'e children are so-u mai e strong aud healthy, to the comfort aud delight i f their parents. Sold by Ch. mists and Grocers everywhere, in boxes of 3 lbs. aud upwards, also iu small packets, (ach sufficient for a bath. BEWARE OF IMITATIONS. LATEST HONOURS :— Highest Awards— Paris, Melbourne, Barcelona. Gold Medals, Diplomas, and Certificates, wherever Exhibited. Weedham 's Polishing The most reliaMe preparation _P^^ 0 for Cleaning and Brilliantly _^%*^\ M ■ — m Polishine BRASS, COPPER, <CA-C XJJmap7^ MM O » _0 TIN, BRITANNIA METAL, JT" JS-S* / M Vf # MS PLATINOID, 4c. m I Ils i 1 1 rt Sold everywhere.

B V Sole Mascfacturers-JOSEPJL-tLLCKERING & SONS, SHEFFIELD. LONDON OFFICE: 8TV (HsQ^JSX House, Eastcheap, E.C. WHAlXz^BJ^^raA DRINK P The LANCET says ■. — " We g^jfjl^jaijgZS-^' c to drink their Lane Juice whenever and wherever th<y list. It is afar more wholesome drink than any form of alcohol. * * In sound condition and entirely free from adulteration." MONTSERRAT I V I PURE LIME-FRUIT JUICE. Sold Everywhere in Imperial Quarts and Pints. Can be diluted and rn-eetened to taste, and is far stronger than any other. See name of Sole Con signees, EVANS SONS & Co., is on the Capsule and Label of each Bottte CONTENTS. CIIA-. TACE I. — A Perfectly Happy Woman . . i II. — The Interview in Mr. Holland's Study, and What Came of It . 8 III. — A Frightful Discovery . . 17 IV. — Aunt Gibbon's Forebodings Come True 21 V.— A Letter from Adele . . . 27 VI. — Aunt Gibbon Undertakes the Direction of Affairs . . . -37 VII. — A Midnight Search ... 44 VIII. — Confirmation of Harry's Guilt . 55 IX. — Aunt Gibbon insists upon Having Her Way 59 X. — The Birthday Dinner ... 69 XI. — Kate Declares She cannot Endure it any Longer . . . . 76 XII. — Another Letter from Adele . . 80 XIII. — Mr. Holland Takes the Reins . 88 XIV. — Harry is Brought to Bay . . . 9S XV. — Adele makes Her Appearance on the Scene ...... no " Is as nearly tasteless as Cod Liver Oil can be."— Lancet.

Chapter I

, A PERFECTLY HAPPY WOMAN7. When Mrs. Harry Palmerston retired to bed on the night of the 12th of May, 1885, it may confidently be said that there was not a happier woman in London. She had been married eighteen months, and, despite certain ominous prognostications on the part of her aunt, Mrs. Gibbon, her wedded life had been without a cloud. Her husband was far from rich, his professional earnings as a literary man averaging not more than a year, but he had ambition and unbounded hope, and he was never tired of declaring to his darling Kate that they would one day keep their carriage. Meanwhile, whenever they were thrown upon their own resources, they did very well with busses and cabs, hansoms for choice. Harry's faith in the carriage of the future did not spring from the knowledge that Kate's father was a wealthy man, and Kate an only child.

Of course in such a marriage there were expectations, but what Harry meant was that he would one day be rich and famous by his own talents and exertions. The carriage was to come out of his brains. "Look at Dickens," he said, "with his books and his readings. Look at George Eliot. Twelve thousand pounds for a novel — that's what she got for Romola. And I could write two a year. Three, if I were pushed to it." A VERY YOIXG COITLE. 2 " I am sure you could," said Kate, gazing fonJ.ly at her hero, " and every bit as good." Then she began to think of the sine things they could do with ,£36,000 per annum. She covered pages upon pages with calculations, but not being good at figures she could not quite succeed in making both ends meet. It was a love match ; it could be nothing else, with such a very young couple.

None of your prosy, unromantic, slow-going affairs. A flash, and it was over. They both remembered the moment and often recalled it. A match-making friend of the young folk had a box at the Lyceum, and invited them, and bade them sit next to each other. They cheerfully, obeyed. Harry was a fine handsome young fellow, and in his dress suit looked the equal of a prince Kate was lovely, and ravishingly dressed. During a love scene on the stage Harry's hand happened by accident to touch Kate's. She looked up, and their eyes met. That was the eventful moment. A magnetic thrill, an electric flash, call it what you will, passed from eye to eye, and thence from soul to soul. They were strangely silent and happy during the concluding scenes of the play, and when it was over and they had parted, Harry went home to his lonely chambers in the Temple, taking Kate with him — in his mind's eye.

How he mentally raved about her as he paced his room, smoking his cigar, I leave to your imagination. Kate drove home to the paternal mansion (Queen Anne's style), and thought of nothing but Harry. She dreamt of him all night, and when she woke in the morning felt that existence would be a dreary blank without him. By that time Harry had also made up his mind that life without Kate would be a hollow mockery. What followed is soon told. They met and met again, and Harry, obtaining an introduction to Kate's parents, enjoyed numerous opportunities of making love to his idol. It is not at all to his discredit that he made good use of them. But after a while Kate's mother began to have mis givings. dKate and Harry had secretly engaged themselves^o each other, and it was by Kate's advice that Harry did not immediately court the dreadful but A PERFECTLY HAPPY WOMAN. 3 inevitable quarter of an hour in papa's private room.

Harry had honestly made her acquainted with his circumstances, and she knew it would be a difficult matter to obtain her mother's consent. Of her father she was not afraid. She was his pet and tyrant, and she could wind him round her little finger. A few smiles, a few tears, a few kisses, a few hugs, and she could persuade him to anything. Her influence being so powerful, it is not surprising that Harry was led by her and obeyed her instructions. But why did not Kate's mother, the moment her suspicions were aroused, herself open fire upon Harry? It is explained in a very few words. Harry could obtain orders for the theatres. Though volumes were written, no more legitimate reason could be afforded. He was on terms with most of the managers and principal actors in London, and was a favourite among them.

He belonged to two clubs, one literary and journalistic, the other theatrical ; he was agreeable, clever and witty, and it was generally conceded that he had a career before him, and that one day he would do a big thing. London managers extended the courtesies of their theatres to him, and often invited him. And Kate's mother would say : " By-the-way, Mr. Palmerston, you know So-and-so, I believe." " Yes," Harry would reply, " we have been friends for years." " How nice ! Everybody is talking about the new play. They say it is admirable, and that So and-so's acting in it is wonderful." " It is very fine indeed. Would you like to go, Mrs. Holland?" " Oh, Mr. Palmerston, I wouldn't trouble you for the world." " It is no trouble, Mrs. Holland ; you will be really giving me pleasure. Only yesterday So and-so pressed me to come and bring my friends.

What night will suit you ? " The night being fixed, a private box would be sent to Mrs. Holland, who could not do less tharf*ask . Harry to join them. Or, if stalls were sent instead cf a box, j* A VEEY YOUNG COUPLE. 4 be sure that Harry was there, either in the next seat or immediately at the back. I am not sure which is the better position for a lover. If he sits next to his idol he is in a dream ; if behind her, in a delirium of happiness. It might be that Harry frequently paid for the seats, but that is neither here nor there. The Hollands were not aware of it, and Kate's mother was only too eager to lay herself under an obligation to the young gentleman. In a certain sense the power he possessed was demoralising. At length matters became so warm between the young people that it would have been nothing less than wilful blindness to pretend not to see it.

Mrs. Holland, how ever, might have still delayed taking the step, had it not been for her sister, Mrs. Gibbon, who made her appear ance, without invitation, at Mrs. Holland's house, which she had not visited for three months. "Am I to congratulate you, Julia?" asked Mrs. Gibbon, in a voice pregnant with dark, mysterious meaning. " Upon what ? " " Upon Kate's engagement with a person named Palmerston." "What absurdity !" exclaimed Mrs. Holland; but her heart sank, nevertheless. " That is what I think. You don't mean to tell me they are not engaged." "They are certainly not engaged." " But everybody is talking about it ! I heard of it weeks ago." " Why did you not come and tell me ? It would, at least, have been sisterly." " My dear Julia, I thought you would come and tell me, or that you would write.

I felt hurt that I was not consulted." " But you see, there was nothing to consult you upon." " I am only half convinced, Julia. It looked so much like the real thing. Always together at theatres and elsewhere." "But I was always with them," said Mrs. Holland, visibly disturbed. A PERFECTLY' HAPPY AVOMAN. 5 " That made it worse — as though you approved of it. His attentions have been so marked ! It seemed hardly possible there could be any mistake. When I first heard of it I said, ' Impossible.' " "Exactly. Impossible." " But when everybody got talking about it I did not know what to believe. Think of the difference in their positions. Kate could look so much higher." " Certainly she could." " You know all about his circumstances, of course." " I never inquired." " You have been very imprudent, Julia, throwing them together in the way you have done.

He is here con tinually, I am told. I shouldn't wonder if they corres pond. He is a scribbler, you know." " He is a barrister." " Without a brief, or the prospect of one ; so he scribbles for papers and magazines. Mixes a great deal with actors and actresses ; calls them by their Christian names I shouldn't wonder. Earns two or three pounds a week perhaps, and accepts every invitation to dinner that is offered him. Lives in chambers. Ah ! we know what that means. Gives a little supper now and then, no doubt, to the ladies and gentlemen of the company. Nice goings on at such parties ! They commence at midnight, and end with the milkman. Just think of the kind of association you have brought upon yourself." " I tell you," said Mrs. Holland, now very much alarmed, " that there is nothing serious between Mr. Palmerston and Kate."

" In that case, I need not speak to her." " There is not the least occasion for you to do so. And you must remember that Kate is a high-spirited girl." " High-spirited fiddlesticks ! Mark my words, Julia. If Kate marries Mr. Palmerston she will live to rue it ; and if you have told me the truth about them you must take decided action at once, unless, you want to ruin Kate's chances. With young people, my dear, delays are dangerous." Mrs. Holland went to her husband immediately her sister had taken her departure, and opened her mind fully on the subject. A VERY YOUNG COUPLE. 6 " Something must be done," she said. "I will speak to Mr. Palmerston," said Mr. Holland, who had listened patiently to what his wife had to say. " It must be done at once." " My dear, I said I would speak to the young fellow."

"But you procrastinate." "Julia!" " You know you do. Nine times out of ten you are too late for everything. AYrite a note and ask him to call this evening." " He is sure to call this evening." " But it will give it a formal look." " Why should we give it a formal look ? I am sure he is an excellent young fellow." Mrs. Holland brought her writing-pad and pen and ink. " Now, write at once, and get it off your mind." "My dear," said Mr. Holland slyly — he was fond of his joke, and Mrs. Holland did not have it all her own way in the house — " don't you think it would be as well if Kate wrote to him ? " Mrs. Holland stamped her foot. " You are enough to provoke a saint." "Then, my dear," said Mr. Holland, chuckling at the ancient joke, " if you will forgive me for saying so, there is no fear of my provoking you."

But he sat down to write, notwithstanding. " How shall I commence ? 'My dear Harry?'" " Certainly not. ' My dear sir.' " " I'll be hanged if I do ! The young fellow has dined with us twenty times at least ; he has given you any number of orders for the theatres " " I should prefer you would not mention it," inter rupted Mrs. Holland, biting her lip ; " with all my heart I wish I had never accepted one of them." "Julia," said Mr. Holland, writing while he spoke. " It is my opinion that you couldn't resist making a bargain with the — hem ! — himself if he came to you with an order for a box at the theatre. Will this do ? ' My Dear Mr. Palmerston, — I shall be at home this evening at eight o'clock, and shall be glad of a few minutes' chat with you. Kind regards from all. Faithfully yours, William Holland.' " A PERFECTLY HAPPY AVOMAN. 7 " I don't approve of ' kind regards from all' " " I do.

Either no note or this note as it is." Such discussions were not infrequent between them, and it is to the credit of both that they seldom lost their temper over them. It was a very fair partnership of give and take ; but Mrs. Holland was in the habit of saying that her husband was altogether too easy, and Mr. Holland occasionally remarked that his estimable wife was a little too hard. The note was posted, and young Palmerston received it at three o'clock in the afternoon. Out of the Temple he dashed, jumped into a cab, and was driven post-haste to Kensington. He did not go to the house ; he sent a boy with a note for Kate, and in a few minutes the sweethearts were closely examining some of the most interesting treasures in the South Kensington Museum, which, of course, were deposited in the least frequented corner of the building.

They stopped in the museum for half-an hour, and then Kate went home, having instilled sunshine into Harry's heart. " She is the dearest, sweetest girl in the whole world," he mused, as he drove back to his chambers. " If I thought I should lose her, I'd " He was not quite certain what, but he was sure he would. At eight o'clock to the minute, he rang the bell at Mr. Holland's house. If you have ever rang a bell under similar circumstances, you will understand what his feelings were. When the bell rang Mrs. Holland was with her hus band in his study. She had been talking to him, and had done most of the talking ; his share in the conversation was confined to monosyllables. He did not hear half she said, for his mind was running upon what Kate had said to him before dinner. Love will always find a way, and Kate had found her way to a private interview with her own indulgent papa, without her mother's knowledge.

The manner in which she petted and hugged and kissed him, and laid her cheek against his, and sat on his knee with her arm round his neck, was disgraceful. " There is the bell," said Mrs. Holland, preparing to A VERY YOUNG COITLK. beat a retreat. " It is Mr. Palmerston. Now, William, be firm." " Of course I shall be firm," he said ; " I am always firm." She held up a warning finger, and left him to his duty.

Chapter II. The Interview In Mr

HOLLAND'S STUDY, AND WHAT CAME OF IT. To Harry Palmerston the house had never worn so gloomy an air. He had always entered it with a smile, and at least one door was partly open to him. Now his face was anxious, and every door was closed. It may be as well to say that although Mr. Holland lived in a fashionable quarter, he was not the least bit fashionable. His house was his home, and very cosy he insisted upon making it. "Is Mr. Holland in?" " Yes, sir. He is in his study, and told me to show you there at once." Harry followed the servant unresistingly. If he could but have obtained a glimpse of his darling Kate's face ! He paused just a moment. In what mood would he leave the study after the interview — joyful or despair ing ? Would it be sunshine or shadow for ever in his life? " Have a cigar ?

" asked Mr. Holland, after the first brief greetings. Good Heavens ! How bright everything became ! It was not so much the offer of the cigar as the tone in which the offer was made. It was cordial, but it was tender and wistful too. Here before Mr. Holland was the young fellow who had stolen the heart of his little girl — his little child, who from her babyhood had sweetened and gladdened his days. Was it possible that she should love this stranger better and with a stronger love than she did her own father, who had never thought, and never would think, any sacrifice too great to make for her? He was not at all sentimentally THE INTERVIEW IN MR. HOLLAND'S STUDY. 9 inclined as a rule, but he was a man with a true loving heart in his breast, and it was not unnatural that there should be in his voice a note of strange wistfulness, such as might be detected in the sound of a softly chiming bell, reminding one of a happy presence which was about to take its departure.

" Have a cigar ? " " Yes, sir, thank you." Harry took one and lighted it, and puffed away in silence. So did Mr. Holland. And then the old gen tleman spoke — having puffed himself into a more philo sophic mood. " Now, Palmerston, what is all this about ? " "Thank God," thought Harrv, "he doesn't call me ' Mr. ' ! " " You wished to speak to me, sir," he said aloud. " Yes, that was what my note conveyed. But don't disappoint me, and beat about the bush. I am not going to fence with you. Don't you think, as things stand, that it is you who should speak first ? " Harry plucked up courage. " You are right, sir," he said, and immediately took the plunge. " I love your daughter." " Of course. That is the way with you young fellows. Your cigar is out ; you'd better light it." " Yours is out too, sir. If you will allow me, I will wait till we have finished our conversation.

Then, per haps, I shall not care if I ever smoke again." There was a touch of real pathos in the young fellow's voice, which Mr. Holland rather resented. There was nothing to be sorrowful over on the young man's part — quite the contrary. What pathos there was in the affair belonged to him, the father, and he was not going to be robbed of it. " You want to throw it all on me, I suppose," said Mr. Holland. " You want to make out it is my fault." "No, indeed, sir," said Harry, "I am the only person to blame. But I put it to you, sir — if you were a young man and saw Miss Holland, beautiful and bright as she is, if as a young man you had the privilege of enjoying her company, and listening to her voice, and A VERY YOUNG COUTLE. 10 going from her presence with the spell of her sweet ways upon you, could you have helped loving her ?

" " Upon my word I don't think it could be put better. Help loving her ! Who could help loving her, 1 should like to know? My little Kate ! But this won't do ; it is not the proper way to carry on the conversation. What is it you want ? " " To marry her, sir." " That's it. The tooth's out. But, mind you, young man, only partly out ; there's an awkward stump re maining that's going to give me many a twinge. So, you want to marry my Kate ? Upon what ? Ah, you see I can speak as plainly as you can. Upon what ? " " That is the hard part of it, sir," said the young man despondently ; " that is what humiliates me. I have so little " " Let me know how you stand. You are a barrister without practice, and you are young, very young. I might throw something in your way." " I am afraid it would never do.

As a lawyer I shouldn't earn my salt." "What would be the use of salt if you had no meat to put it on ? " " True, sir. Honestly speaking, I am a bad lawyer, and should always be a bad one. My heart is not in the work." " No, no — I know where your heart is," muttered Mr. Holland. " So I took to what I thought was best suited to me — literature. I do a lot of work for the papers " " And you earn ? " "About £200 a year. That is how it stands, and I confess, so far as your daughter is concerned, it could not very well stand worse." " I don't know, I don't know," said Mr. Holland, " she might have fallen in love with a scapegrace." Harry's heart gave a bound. " Some worthless fellow might have played upon her, and won her heart, and broken it. You would not do that." " So far as lies in a man's power, sir," said Harry, his voice trembling very much, " I would do my best to be worthy of her and to make her life happy."

THE INTERVIEAV IN MB. HOLLAND'S STUDY. 11 " But how is that possible upon a-year ? " " Yes, sir, that's where it is," and Harry's heart sank again. " You cannot but be aware that she has been brought up with expensive tastes " " I know it, sir." "She has had every wish gratified — it has been my good fortune to be able to gratify it. She has friends whom she has known from childhood, and to break with whom, even for you, would render her miserable." " I know it, sir." " And whose friendship, upon fair and honourable terms — for we must take the world as we find it, young man — she could not retain upon £200 a-year." " I know it, sir." " She has no idea of the value of money ; she cannot do housework ; she cannot make a pudding or cook a potato. She needs servants to wait upon her ; she is fond of pleasure.

Can you supply all these wants with £200 a-year ? " " No, sir, it cannot be done. I am greatly in fault, and I can only plead that it came upon me unaware. I hardly know whether I was responsible, but I do know that, having seen your daughter, I could not help loving her. Still I should have played the man's part, and, recognising the difference in our positions so far as money is concerned, should have gone away. I feel your kindness, sir, for you are speaking much more kindly than I deserve " — and if Harry had not stopped here, he would have broken down. " Why, do you know," continued Mr. Holland, " that she told me this very evening, in this very room, that she could manage capitally on £200 a-year ! " " Did she, sir, did she ? " cried Harry eagerly. " God bless her for her simple nature !

" " Which," said Mr. Holland gravely, " under certain circumstances would ruin all her hopes of happiness. AA'hen want comes in at the door, young man, we know what happens. Young people may scoff at the proverb, but it is fatally true. Of course Kate does not see this. ' Now, Kate,' I said to her. ' AA'hat could you do on £200 a-year ? ' ' Oh, more than you think, papa,' was her answer. ' Servants ? ' I asked. ' Yes, papa,' she said, ' three, a cook, a housemaid, and a girl to do the other work.' ' Rent ? ' I asked. ' Oh, yes, papa.' ' Butchers, bakers, coalheavers, candlestick makers ? ' I asked. ' Oh, yes, papa,' said she, 'there's no difficulty. I've thought it all out.' ' Theatres ? ' I asked. ' Oh, yes, papa,' she said, ' Harry gets orders.' She never thinks of dress, cabs, dinners, friendships, ar.d a thousand other necessary things.

Now, what are you to do with a girl like that ? " Harry did not know what answer to make, so he said nothing. " A man," continued Mr. Holland, "has to consider the practical issues of life. Because you can obtain admissions to the theatres it doesn't follow that you can keep a wife. You may give the butcher boy an order for the pit, and he will be ready to stand on his head for joy ; but when the butcher sends round his bill you can't settle it with an order for the dress circle." "You have put it plainly, sir," said Harry, "and in the kindest way. It is not to be thought of — but you will allow me to have an interview with Kate before I leave ! " " So that, between you, I may be set up as the scape goat ? I can see her after you have gone — woful face, eyes always filled with tears and with the reproach, ' You ' — that is me, young man — ' have made me a wretched, miserable girl ! ' Why I shouldn't be able to endure the house.

No, we must look at it in another light. AA'hat future prospects have you ? " " I have every confidence in being able to do well, sir. My chiefs like me — and I have ideas. Some men do make money out of their pens. I would work my hardest." " Have you any debts ? " " Fifty pounds will cover them, sir. A tailor's bill, a little wine — that is all." " No entanglements ? — you know what I mean " "None, sir." " Honestly and truly, from man to man ? " " Honestly and truly, sir, from man to man." THE INTERVIEAV IN MR. HOLLAND'S STUDY. 13 "Any previous engagements? It is always best to be frank and outspoken in these matters." " I have never been engaged, sir." "Upon your honour, is my daughter the first lady you have made love to, with an idea of marriage ? " " Upon my honour she is, sir." " Of course you know that it is in my power to do something for you."