Steyneville: or, Fated Fortunes. Being the memoirs of an unextraordinary man

Chapter I

Next morning when I descended to break fast, and found a comfortable repast waiting for me as usual, I felt as if, had I even the appetite, to eat under my circumstances were an unpardonable offence. 0, how I missed the kind face of Annie ! But it was best as it was, and I felt almost thankful to Providence for helping me to spare the gentle girl the recital of my loss. Batty made a great clattering with the plates on my entrance, and knowing that to be an excuse for her wishing to remain, I sat down and told her quietly of Annie having gone away for good with her newly-found father. vol. in. B STEYNEVILLE ; Odds! That was a pretty return for master's goodness, to go away and leave him quite alone, to be sure. She didn't think Miss Annie would ha' done such a thing. Father, indeed ! She wouldn't ha' stirred one step for all the fathers in the world.

Besides, he hadn't been like a father to her ; so she needn't have gone away. Didn't Master Harold remember, when his blessed father brought the two young ladies home when they were quite children, how one of 'em, Miss Allie that was, had all her frocks trimmed to look pretty; and Miss Annie, on the other side, had ugly dresses without a bit o' finery on ; and wasn't that a sure sign that Miss Allie — that was — was petted and made much of, while t'other one worn't ? And then to have such a mean spirit and go away, forsooth, because her pa fetched her. 0, she wished she (Batty Birch) had been there when be came. Call himself a gentleman, indeed ! A fine gentleman, truly ! She (Batty Birch) would just like to know where he was brought up. The idea of such a thing ! Fetching his daughter away !

And the good, obstinate old soul looked virtuously indignant at this piece of incon ceivable audacity. It would have to come out sooner or later, so, to prepare her for the impending, I used the words Valerian had uttered, and which continually rung in my ears — " It is best as it is." " Best as it is ! " exclaimed Batty, shaking the teapot viciously, preparatory to pouring me out a strong cup, " I thought you was rather fond of Miss Annie — she was of you, I know," she said shrewdly and parentheti cally. " Ah, Batty," I said half-earnestly and half-laughingly, " is it not the very ones we love we most wish to spare from misery ? " Batty looked mystified, and in her as tonishment put down the illused and un offending teapot, thereby doubly expressing her wonderment. What did Master Harry mean ?

Nothing, nothing had happened, surely ? Misery ! What misery ? He had never spoken of that before. I told her as simply and as hopefully as I could that I had lost all my belongings in an unfortunate speculation ; that the roof STEYNEVILLE; 4 under which I now was must he sold, and was no longer my own ; that I knew that she and her husband possessed sufficient to live upon, so I had no fear on that score ; that things were not on the whole very black ; that, assisted by powerful friends, I might obtain some Government appointment, a secretaryship, or a position as tutor in the family of a nobleman, either of which would suit me very well. The poor woman, sobbing on my neck, said — " 0, that I have lived to see the day when Steyneville, the dear place, must be sold; and my precious, whom I nursed in my arms as a baby, and whom I watched grow up to be a man, driven from the old house and forced to beg.

Ah ! no, no, no ! Birch and I can work still ; and, Master Harold, do you take our savings," she said eagerly, wiping her tears away with the back of her hand ; " you know we'll never want the money. M' Lady Stapleton said once she would be glad to have us — Birch as gardener and me as cook. 0, little did I think then," cried she, weeping afresh, " I should ever have to accept it. But it's not that I mind — it's you, my dear, dear young master — you. A wretched old thing like me's got no right to live ; and 0, my sweet boy, if my death could make you any happier, you know your old nurse would die with pleasure.'' I was so touched by the love of this same humble old nurse, that had not will and adversity strengthened and hardened my heart I would have laid my aching head on her shoulder like a child, to weep and thank her.

I need not say that, despite her urgent entreaties to the contrary, I did not accept her generous offer of money. Being very desirous of knowing what I intended to do, I told her that when my trunk was packed I would start that afternoon for London. On arriving there I would go straight to the Marquis de Sansgene, and explain to him the unpleasant circumstances attached to my visit, asking his advice on the subject ; and if he could afford me no assistance or counsel, I felt positively assured no one else on earth could. Arrived in London, my first visit was to the honest Colonel, whose modest lodgings STEYNEVILLE; 6 were situated not far from the Marquis's mansion. He was overjoyed to see me, but when I told him all about my recent mis fortunes, his face was drawn to a portentous length, and he could scarcely condole with me enough.

" Tell you what, my lad," said he, laying his hand on my shoulder, " take my advice ; leave your trunk here, go and see old Polite ness, hear what he says, and come back to me. I've got a surprise for you on your re turn. Here, have a pull at this first," hand ing me a bottle, which, thanking him, I de clined. " No ? Well, if you won't, why, damme, you won't. But lookee here, lad, I want in a friendly way, you know, to warn you a bit 'fore you go there," jerking his head in the Sansgene mansion's direction. " The truth is that lately they haven't been agreeing very well. You know whom I mean — my lord and my lady. She's been pulling one way, and he seems sus picious about something. Allie, of course, as of old, won't listen to or regard anyone in her tantrums ; so perhaps you won't find the house very homely after all.

Come back when you've spoken to the old man, and sleep here. Don't forget I've something to surprise you with." Cordially thanking him, I accepted the offer ; and bidding good-bye for the present, turned my steps towards my kinswoman's bouse. The servant who answered the door to my summons, hearing who I was, ushered me in what I thought a somewhat excited manner. " My lord will be very pleased to hear that you've come, sir," said the man. " He was to be hout to hall, sir, but you, sir. He's bin hexpecting of you three days, sir. Morning paper, sir. Spectator, sir." Wondering as I took a seat what the man meant, and treating it as a slight tendency to lunacy on his part, or a gross mistake, I waited with considerable impatience the coming of his master. I could not have waited more than two minutes before the Marquis entered, polite as ever, but slightly nervous and altered-looking.

His dress was faultlessly neat and well-sitting; bis hair as if fresh from the barber's hands, his rings, ruffles, and buckles all in their usual places ; his silk stockings without a crease; carrying the snuff-box. But there STEYNEVILLE; 8 was something in his face that was changed. His usually fresh colour, the outcome or reward of temperate living and healthy ex ercise, had given way to an ashy pallor. His piercing bright eyes looked tired and fatigued, as if he had passed through nights of vigil and sleepless watching ; and his thin fine mouth, though drawn into a smile, twitched nervously at the corners. As he entered he cast a hasty glance about the room, as if he almost expected to see some one besides myself. " You have come alone, I see," observed the Marquis, seating himself opposite me, after the customary salutations had been gravely and soberly gone through.

Thinking he alluded to the absent Annie, I answered, " Yes," with a sigh ; and im mediately I fell to wondering how I should begin to unfold my desperate position to him. The sigh was not lost on him, for he said, to my great surprise — " Ay, Mr. Steyneville, I fully understand the unfortunate situation in which you are placed. I sympathise with your feelings." Here he became majestically condescending. " I see you do not know how to begin. Indeed the subject is a very, I may say a most extraordinarily painful one, and one which has given me inexpressible sorrow." I started. So the world at large already knew that Harold Steyneville, Esq., of Steyneville Hall, was a bankrupt ! I buried my face in my hand, and felt ashamed to meet even the speculationless eyes belonging to the defunct knights and ladies on the wall.

" Come, come,'' he said, breaking an un comfortable pause, " we must lose no time, but must fetch her immediately. You come direct from the Hall, I presume ? " Vaguely I began to understand by his speech that there must be a mistake some where. I answered in the affirmative. Calling for his hat and cloak, which were quickly brought to him, he proceeded to adjust them. " You said, if I mistake not, something about fetching ' her ' immediately. You will pardon me for my seeming ignorance, but I assure you that I am as yet imperfectly ac quainted with the person you would fetch." " You come from Steyneville ? '' cried the nobleman. " Yes," I returned. STEYNEVILLE ; " And she is there," answered he. " She ! " I shrugged my shoulders, and my face betrayed me wholly unable to under stand his meaning.

"My lady!" he explained, turning very pale, and speaking quickly. " She went away four days ago, owing to a slight dis agreement between us. In the name of wonder — knowing her to be at Steyneville — who else should I mean, I ask you ? " In a moment the servant's strange be haviour, his changed appearance, were no longer mysteries to me, and I fell back over whelmed. He caught me tightly, almost fiercely, by the wrist. " You came here from her, did you not ? " he said hoarsely. " If you deny it I shall say you lie infamously." " Calm yourself," I said, in a low voice. " She cannot be far. She is rebellious and proud-spirited — " " Then she is not — no, no, it cannot be. What pleasure — what pleasure, I ask you, sir, is it — can it be, for you to tantalise me thus ! " he cried, beseechingly, the years of his pride vanishing before the sorrow of a single day.

" Heaven knows, my lord," said I, sadly, "that I would derive no pleasure in jesting at such a time. Yet I wish I were now with all my heart." " Listen," he groaned, catching at me by the sleeve. " Four days ago we were going to the Queen's reception. She came down wearing the brooch I had once begged her not to wear. She had crushed the earrings you saw how. I asked her, as she could do as she pleased in every other respect, why she persisted in disobeying this one injunction. Disobeyed ! That one word was sufficient to stir her to rebellion I thought. " As she refused to put aside the objection able jewels, I begged she would excuse me from accompanying her. She went away alone, and I have not seen her since," he said, hollowly. "I thought — I thought," with a break, " that yon, knew her where abouts."

Completely stunned by what I heard, and deeply commiserating with the poor gentle man, I earnestly entreated him not to give way to unavailing grief, for he had sunk on a chair and his whole frame was shaking as if with ague. I told him I would go to her STEYNEVILLE ; 12 room, which he said in a trembling voice had been left untouched and exactly as she left it, to see if I could find a clue. My heart ached to behold the struggle of sorrow and wounded honour in the breast of that high-souled and hitherto haughty and immovable man. I could have asked, some what like Hamlet did of Yorick' s skull, " where are thy lofty airs now, thy honour, thy pride, with which thou wast wont to scorn the world ? " Alas, poor Sansgene ! As he leant his head against his hand, in an uncomfortable position, looking despairingly in front of him, he appeared so broken-down and in every respect so unlike the former self-possessed and courteous Marquis of Sansgene, that I blankly w ondered if it was not all a dream, an incubus, and that I should wake to find myself back at Steyne — Ah, no ! the events of yesterday were too real ; the old Hall was my home no more ; the present was no idle fancy, and I was a poor wanderer on the earth's surface.

He seemed to have fallen in a species of lethargy or stupor. I placed my hand on bis shoulder ; he started and asked me in a suppressed voice what I wished. " I will go to seek her now, and promise never to rest until I have found her. I loved her too, my lord," I said. " You do not — think — she — has gone — far?" he said, slowly. "You — do not be lieve — she — has done — anything — rash ? " I answered — " No ; I could not think so. She was impetuous, defiant, and impatient of re straint, but she would not be guilty of — any sin that would blot her whole existence." "God!" he groaned, "I did not mean that." No, that stainless gentleman, unforgiving and guiltless, had not thought of that. The terrible " that " roused a fearful energy in him. He rose and paced the room firmly with his eyes bent to the ground.

" You give me leave," I observed, gently, " to seek amongst her possessions for any thing that will serve my purpose and lead me to discover where she is ? " He glanced up aud nodded, intending doubtless to say something as well, but the door opened, and in walked the ladies Val lance, accompanied by little Jack. The visit was as unexpected as it was inoppor tune. The Marquis, with wonderful com- STEYNEVILLE; 14 posure, greeted them in his old manner, but stiffly, and motioned me to remain. The ladies looked at each other, as if it were a different reception to what they ex pected, and as neither of them would com mence a conversation, the Marquis said, coldly — " I am sorry you have come at this moment, for my lady is not at home." The women glanced covertly at one another, and Master Jack went to the win dow whistling.

" Jack," said his mother, reprovingly, " don't whistle. No well-bred gentleman does — in a room. By-the-bye, we've heard something positively dreadful, Sansgene, in connection with your name. Of course, when Belle and I heard it, we most strenu ously denied it, but it was no use, the person who told us said that there was not the least doubt on the subject. Now, if you recollect, my dear Sansgene, I always was against your marrying. Besides, I'm sure Mr. Steyneville will excuse me," she added, sweetly parenthetical, " but dear Almyra was never fitted to take the onerous duties of a large establishment on her shoulders — " " S'death ! " exclaimed bis lordship, in his most unconcerned and polite manner, tap ping his precious snuff-box lightly with his fingers, "and what may you mean, madame, may I ask ?

" Lady Vallance, overwhelmed at her kins man's well-feigned surprise, observed in an undertone to Lady Belle, that it must be a nasty falsehood after all, and said it too in a particularly disappointed manner. " Look here, cousin Sansgene," cried Jack, suddenly "you're quite right. Just ask them what they mean? No, I'm hanged if I'll hold my tongue, mother. You're always saying bad things behind Allie's back, and you've no right to. Belle, you're a regular sneak, and if you were at school some of our fellows would give you what you deserve, I can tell you, and pretty quick too. Loads and loads of times Allie's been good to you, giving you lovely presents and things, miss, ungrateful, that you've no business to have. Then you and ma go speaking of her as if she'd been doing some thing awfully bad.

It's a mean caddish trick to play, and I don't care what you say to the contrary. She is a regular brick to me, so I STEYNEVILLE ; mean to stick up for her, and as for you, Miss Sis, you can't hold a candle to her ! So there ! Kinsman, give it them hot ; they deserve it ! " This speech, delivered with a schoolboy's enthusiasm and impetuosity aroused in me a most enviable feeling of satisfaction. I could have hugged the young gentleman to my heart on the spot. His mother turned white with anger. " Poor deluded boy," she said, when the first shock of surprise had left her, and she was able to speak again, " my poor deluded child, come to me, and let a mother's tears wash away the spells that — that — that witch has cast over you ! Come — ! " " No, I'm hanged if I shall," growled Jack, stamping his foot on the floor, and getting very red in the face.

" She's no more witch than you are. Besides, a lot o' good your tears will do me ! Cousin Sans gene, tell me, Allie hasn't gone, has she ? An' she isn't a wicked woman either, is she ? No, I'm sure she can't be," said the lad, bursting into a passion of tears, " what ever they may say — she — she was al — al — always good to me — and — and I love her ! " "You've had a vastly fine bringing up, sir," cries Miss Belle, tossing her empty little head, " to love a stranger better than your own kindred. For shame ! " " Unnatural, ungrateful child ! " says her mother, bringing out her pocket-handkerchief and applying the same to her eyes, which, by-the-bye, were as dry and tearless as could be. " Look here, miss," says Jack, clenching his teeth, indignation getting the better of his inclination to weep, " look here, miss, if you don't hold your tongue, I'll peach all about Captain C , so don't you preach of bringings up, you saucy puss, you !

" To what hidden secret Jack alluded, I cannot tell to this day. Be that as it may, though, the terrible threat worked the desired result, for miss turned very red, flirted her fan, and became suddenly very mum. Jack looked any amount of " an' he would if he could's " at her, and sticking his arms akimbo, glared alternately at her and his mother like the spoiled child he was. " We had better be going, then," resumed Lady Vallance, replacing her pocket-hand- VOL. III. c STEYNEVILLE; kerchief, finding it had no effect on the feelings of the present company whatsoever, " since dear Almyra is abroad, and Cousin Sansgene appears indisposed — " " A mistake on your part, I assure you, dear madame ; I was never better in my life," cries her cousin, courteously cor rective. The ladies rose. " Vieng, mong pauvrer enfong," said my lady to her rebel son.

" Nous nous ong allong." The "pauvrer enfong" didn't budge though, but entreated his kinsman to allow him to remain till Allie came home. He wanted " to see her, and speak to her so awfully." " Will you permit him to remain ? " asked the Marquis, looking at the lad with more favour than he had ever done before, waving the snuff-box conciliatingly at him, as if it were a new kind of sceptre. Lady Vallance slightly shrugged her shoulders, and said she " felt sure she could not leave him in better hands, but — " " If cousin says I may remain, why can't I, mother ? " cries Master Candid. " You know before he married, you used to be ever so pleased if he only spoke to me — and now — " "And now, sir," sternly observes his mother, interrupting him, " if you say another word you shan't stop. Good-bye, Sansgene ; good-bye, Mr. Steyneville — come Belle — good-bye Jack.

It was with a positive sigh of relief that I heard the door close upon them both. Having already received permission to enter Almyra's room to search for some clue of her whereabouts, I left the apartment, having previously seen Jack take a seat by his kins man, and having heard him ask in wondering tones — " Do tell me, kinsman, are men as spiteful against each other as women ? and are all women as spiteful against anyone beautiful and good, like Allie, as mother and Sis are — eh ? Tell me, do ! "

Chapter II

Precipitate and rash as I knew Almyra to be, I never gave a moment's thought to her hav ing done anything beyond rebelling against the authority of her husband and in a spirit of haughty defiance, leave his detested roof, unaided and unadvised by calmer counsel than her own, and yielding to the dictates of an angry heart. Many trials had made me mentally and physically strong. So when I at length reached her room, I was surprised to find my self quite ready and hopeful, not at all des pairing — and eager to begin my task. The housekeeper's daughter, a blooming girl of nineteen, who waited on my lady, being in fact her second maid, having shown me the way to her mistress's apartment, asked me STEYNEVILLE. 21 hesitatingly how my lady did, and if she would soon return. They all thought her at Steyneville Having apparently satisfied the young person by some very evasive answers, I began to rummage the drawers and bureaus in a feverish state of mind.

There were an endless amount of dresses of all colours and descriptions in the cupboards, also fans and feathers, trinkets, charms, jewellery of all sorts, in caskets and queer inlaid boxes about the apartment. Of little shoes, with great buckles and high dainty heels, and silk stockings, there were an endless variety. Laces and ribbons and fallals seem to have been bought only to be looked at and cast aside without being worn, but much as I was perplexed at the wardrobe of a lady of title as something marvellous I had never seen before, I was still more astonished not to find a single letter of any kind. I rumpled my hair despairingly, and looked ruefully on the mass of glittering things by which I was surrounded. Suddenly a brilliant idea struck me, which I re proached myself for not having had before, thereby saving precious time.

Why had I STEYNEVILLE ; not thought of it before ? None but a maniac or a man seeks a lady's correspondence in her wardrobe. There are only two kinds of billets a woman will carry about her. The first is the billet doux, or .lover's letter, which is laid near her heart ; the second is the billet amer, or bitter billet — a bill for bats and dresses — which resteth at the bottom of her pocket, whereon doubtless are piled fragrant cambric, smelling salts, &c, quite the reverse of Pandora's box, for all the sweets here are lying on the top, and despair at the bottom. When I feel particularly inclined to moralise, I reach out for a volume of prose, and read a page or so. Perhaps at the third page the author, taking without leave the licence supposed to be granted exclusively to poets, commences a fine dis course on " les mœurs ; " then I close the book, I have done.

" Do as thou wouldst be done by." Ah, my brothers and sisters, sisters and brothers, we are all alike here below ; we all have our burdens to bear, like Christian in the tale, and until a kindly hand shall free us of the load, which some have heavier and some lighter, must walk with them strapped to our weary, aching backs. Why then, I ask, should a man whose load perhaps is lighter, straighten his shoulders, hold his head in air, raise his eyes and hands, and exclaim with unctuous ness, " Ecce homo ! I am the man, behold me, who am come to preach to ye of your wicked ways ! " Her writing-desk ! My fingers trembled as I turned the lock, and opening it found a mass of letters, and, I could scarcely believe my eyes, her journal ! Yes, there it was, and I saw she had written in the book the day before her departure.

Here is an excerpt of the matter I found : — " I have long wished for a pretext to dismiss Stanford. To-day I thought myself fortunate in obtaining one. I shudder as I write it; but I have grown to be afraid of that man. When he is near me, and I instinctively feel his eyes upon me, I could almost fancy myself under a spell. I breathe freely when he is out of my presence, and I say to myself I loathe him. Loathe ! Is STEYNEVILLE; that a good word to illustrate my sentiments towards a footman ? 0, Allie, Allie, have you come to this ? ... Is there no one to save me from myself? I am tired of my husband, my life; but myself most of all. Harold is ill ; Annie is tending him, and I am alone. ... I am going to Her Majesty's reception the day after to-morrow. ... I in tend to wear the jewels my Lord of Alingdale gave me at a happy, happy time which I was too young and foolish to appreciate.

I shall wear them for two reasons. Firstly, because I, yes, I, love them, and secondly, because my noble husband ' forbade ' me to wear them. Forbade ! and before those Vallance women too ! who doubtless, laughed in their sleeves at me. Forbade ! No one has ever dared to ■ forbid ' me before, and I cannot use myself to the word. What is more, I will not either. . . . Does the Marquis consider himself composed of better clay than I, I wonder, that he should bid me hither and thither as if I were a meek little creature brought up under the dogmas that man is god of earth, and woman an inferior beast over whom he has dominion ? Bah ! I warrant that the earth, with a few more women of the same mind and strength of purpose as myself, would change the general aspect of affairs in this particular respect. ...

I gave Archer (the house steward) the necessary instructions regarding the dismissal of Stanford. . . . Archer, subsequent to an interview with the man, besought me to see him myself, as the impertinent fellow actually refused to believe I wished him to leave. I felt very much annoyed, and promised myself the pleasure of reproving the man for his presumption. This was in the forenoon. I bade Archer send him to me after my ride in the Mall. As I was about to mount ' Sans souci ' my lord begged me to have a drive instead. Being all the same to me whether I rode or drove, I said I had no objection, and, changing my habit got with him into the carriage. He told the coach man to drive to the Vallances. Being in no humour for paying visits, I informed him that on arriving at his destination I did not intend to alight.

" ' Why not, madam ? ' said he, the first time he had ever questioned me. " I answered the truth, that I felt in no humour, and wished to take an airing. STEYNEVILLE ; "I think the imperturbability of my response vexed him somewhat, although I had no intention of irritating him. " ' Very good, madam,' said he, quite politely, alighting, and doffing his bat. ' Until you can accede to my wishes a little more I shall never go abroad with you again.' " I never answered, but bade the coach man drive home. " Having gained my own private room I could not refrain from giving vent to a few bitter tears of anger and mortification. . . . Presently I glanced up; I could see in the mirror opposite the reflection of a figure with dishevelled hair hanging loosely down to her waist, an angry face, and a pair of eyes red as if weeping tears of flame. . . .