Malvern: or the Three Marriages

Front matter

MALYERN; OK, THE THREE MARRIAGES. BY MRS. HUBBACK, AUTHORESS OF "THE WIFE'S SISTER," "MAY AND DECEMBER,'' &c, &c. Oh Life .' without thy chequered scene Of right and wrong, of weal and woe, Success and failure, could a ground For magnanimity be found ; For Faith 'mid ruined hopes serene ? Or, whence could Virtue flow ? WOEDSWOBTH. IN THREE VOLUMES. VOL. II. LONDON: CHARLES J. SKEET, PUBLISHER, 10, KING WILLIAM STREET, CHAEING CKOSS. 1855. LONDON : Printed by Schulze and Co., 13, Poland Street. MA.LVERN.

Chapter I

A little onward lend thy guiding hand To these dark steps, a little farther on. WORDSWORTH, Full of anxiety for the fate of the absent ladies, the three gentlemen started on their search, proceeding rapidly up the vdlage, looking narrowly at every couple whom they encountered, and more than once misled, by the combined influence of hope and lamp light, into thinking they had found the objects of their search. At the corner of the road leading to the VOL. II. B MALVERN. hills, they met a policeman ; and, after in quiring of him if he had seen any one of the description they gave, to which, of course, he answered a stupid " No," it occurred to them that, perhaps, his lantern might be of use, if his genius could not ; and they persuaded him to accompany them on their excursion up the hid. They walked quietly and sdently ; Mr. Graham and the policeman in front, the other two a little behind, listening anxiously for any sound which might guide them in their course.

" It is all very wed to make yourself un happy," said Hamilton, at last, to his com panion, " because I never yet knew anything sad occur, when there had been great alarm. Accidents come, and take us by surprise. When we have time to get into a fidget, it always ends in nothing." "It is easy for you to be philosophical, MALVERN. 3 Hamilton, when you have no reason to care, no interest in the event," said Astley, a little impatiently ; " but it is different for me." " Nay ; give me credit for a little hu manity, my dear fellow ; I am concerned that the ladies should be exposed to damp and cold, fatigue and fright; and, if they have encountered anything worse, I promise to feel for that, also." " Hamilton, I wish you had not told that story last night. It is running in my head, and it haunts me more than I like."

" Ha ! I see ; but now, don't make yourself uneasy about that sort of thing, Boyle ; depend upon it, we shall find them safe and sound." " I can depend on no such thing ; nor would you, if one so infinitely dear to you as Flora is to me, were in danger — you would not be so cool then !" " I thought as much !" was Hamdton's reply, in a low voice. B MALVERN. " Hush !" said Mr. Graham, standing stdl ; I am sure I hear my sister's voice — hark !" As he spoke, there rose in the air a few notes of music, clear, sweet, and bell-like, sweding on the ear, and then dying into silence, along the wild hid-side. " That is Frances," exclaimed the brother, rushing forward, hastily ; whdst Hamilton, raising his voice, uttered a hasty, " Hodo ! up there !" We left the two adventurers slowly ascend ing the hdl, and toiling on with brave hearts, but rather faint steps ; for even Flora was tired, partly from the exceeding difficulty of walking in their present rough track, by the feeble twilight, partly from having already taken a great deal of exercise earlier in the day.

" I am sure that is the path below us," said Flora, peering down anxiously through the gloom, and trying, in vain, to see the MALVERN. 5 ground at the bottom of the steep bank beside them. " Don't you recodect that somewhere near the Ivy-rock, the road is scooped out of the hill, and the ground rises straight above it. I am certain that is where we now are, if we could only find a place by which we could get down." " It just puts me in mind of one of the httle allegories I read to my nieces," replied Mrs. Woodbridge, " where the pdgrim wan ders from the right path, and cannot recover it without help from above." " I wonder whether they are frightened about us," said Flora, presently ; " mamma wid be, I know." " Perhaps, my brother may recodect me," observed Mrs. Woodbridge, " if anything should arouse him from his book ; and then I know he would come in search of us."

" Hark ! I hear footsteps," said Flora, " down below." MALVERN. They paused, listening in breathless attention. " Can we not cad for help ?" whispered Flora, " whoever it may be." "It is my brother's footstep, I think. Stop ; I wid sing a note or two ; and he wid recognize it, if it is George," rephed Mrs. Woodbridge ; and, pitching her voice in rather a high key, she sang a few notes of the Tyrolese Evening Hymn, giving the con cluding invocation in a loud, clear tone, which echoed far in the stdl and dewy night air. The answer came in a shout, ringing out immediately beneath them ; footsteps and voices were heard rapidly approaching ; some one with a lantern turned an abrupt corner, and the powerful light of the policeman's bull's-eye was thrown directly on the bank where they stood. " Flora !" cried a voice, which she knew right well.

MALVERN. 7 " Oh, thank Heaven, there is Astley," cried she, in an ecstacy of joy, almost ready to spring down the precipice, in her delight. " How can we bring them down ?" eagerly inquired Mr. Graham and Astley, in a breath. Hamilton, who knew the ground well, pointed out a practicable part of the bank, where, by the aid of some rails, which formed a boundary, they could ascend easily to the spot where the ladies stood, and might hope to hand them down in safety. Accordingly, with some trouble, and a little risk, the three gentlemen between them contrived to land the ladies without accident, the policeman stoutly performing his part, of throwing a light on the otherwise dark transaction. Never had Flora anticipated that Astley's hand could be so important to her comfort ; and it would not be easy to describe his MALVERN. delight, when he pressed hers in return, and found her safe by his side.

To regain their home as quickly as possible, was, of course, their object, but speed, was not exactly in the power of the ladies, who, now that fear had given place to secu rity, and the necessity of concealing their sentiments no longer existed, began to find how very great their fatigue was, and how uncomfortable their wet and draggled clothes made them. The policeman was sent on, therefore, as fast as he could go, to give notice that the lost ones were found, and were returning in safety ; much to the relief of Flora's feelings, who, whilst ready anxious for her mother's comfort, jestingly declared that she felt uncom fortably like a criminal with him in company. " Who would have thought to have found you singing, out on the hill-side, at nine o'clock at night, Frances," said her brother MALVERN. to Mrs. Woodbridge, " I could have heard and recognised your voice half-a-mde off; but we shad get a character for sad foohsh pranks at Malvern, if you indulge in such frolics as this.

I shall begin to agree that it is time to go away." " Have you finished your sermon, George," said she. " Literally or metaphorically ? I will say yes to both. I finished it two hours ago, as you would have known had you come home like a wise woman." " Then why did you not come out to us at once ? why did you keep us waiting so long ?" replied she, laughingly, " if you had been quicker in your movements, we should have been more expeditious in our return." " Because I fancied, though I now see I was mistaken, that you could go alone ; stood in no need of leading strings ; could take care of yourself." B MALVERN. " Well, I have gone alone !" " Yes, after a fashion, indeed ; that a rational woman at your age, should choose to stand on the North Hill singing at this time of night, surpasses credibility.

I shad ted the story to your nieces with great satisfaction." " Is he not too bad, Mr. Hamdton ; be cause once in my hfe he has detected me wandering from the right path, and I un luckily owned we had lost ourselves, he cannot conceal his triumph ; whereas he ought to be only too happy to think that he has been of service." " Well, I must say," replied Hamilton, " that your fortitude, and presence of mind in singing, under such trying circumstances, struck me with a degree of admiration that effaces all blame for your imprudence ; but you ought both to have known better." " Can you not make me a compliment for MALVERN. 11 once," replied she, " without tacking a moral to it that destroys its value." " 1 can ted you, Frances, we have had a real fright," said her brother. " And ad for nothing, George, is that what you tone implies," replied she.

" How ever, I will make this confession, that I too, was uneasy, and extremely glad to hear you." In the mean time, Flora was clinging to Astley's arm with a degree of tremor and agitation — a state between laughing and crying — which was extremely unusual for her, whilst he was eagerly trying to soothe and calm her spirits with a tenderness, which, had she been sufficiently self-possessed to remark it, would have revealed his feelings, in spite of himself. He could not even reproach her for im prudence, although, under ordinary circumstances, so quick-sighted in this respect, he MALVERN. could do nothing but exaggerate in imagination the dangers she had escaped, and thank Heaven that he had her safe, once more, under his arm. They reached home at last, sufficiently weary and worn out, to be most truly thankful for rest, warmth, and dry clothing ; and more than all, for the unhydropathic, and therefore unexpected luxury of hot tea, which Mrs. Denys not only prepared, but administered to the two sufferers with her own maternal hands.

Perhaps, it was owing to this judicious proceeding on her part, that neither lady took any harm from their adventure, but passed a good night, and rose the next morning refreshed and cheerful. Flora had some comfortable thoughts as she went to bed, which resolved themselves at last into very definite hopes and wishes. Astley's manners had not been entirely thrown away, and though, at the time, she MALVERN. had been too much excited to feel exactly ad their import, on recalling his tones, actions, and words, she began to be sensible that if it was merely natural cousinly feeling which prompted him, cousins must be the most affectionate relatives in the world. She knew better ; she felt certain, now, that she was his first, dearest, most precious object ; that neither Annie Carden, nor any one else, could have such a hold on his heart as he had shewn her that she had ; and she ac knowledged, with perfect candour to herself, that she was very glad of it.

Her eyes were beginning to open to the fact, that she must be all or nothing to him ; that, unconnected by ties of blood, or affinity of any kind, her regard for him could not deserve the name of sisterly affection ; and she felt certain now, that is, almost certain, that his for her was of a very decided and positive nature indeed. Mrs. Newton was MALVERN. right : friendship between them was really out of the question, and the alternative was not, after all, so very horrid and unpleasant. There was no one in ad the world whom she loved one-half as wed ; no one whom she so thoroughly respected ; certainly, no one whose wishes and opinions had half so much influence with her. And then, as to her fortune, that too she could trust entirely to him ; the money which she had always been accustomed to consider as a sort of incumbrance and burden, would be safe in his hands.

Flora, with the liberal disregard of wealth which arises from never having known privation, had often amused herself, as heiresses wid do, with wishes that she could strip herself of the responsibdity which frightened her, and go about a poor and interesting beauty. Not that she had the slightest taste for self-denial, or had any MALVERN. real inclination for economy and hardship ; but, simply because she never realised what they would be. She did not connect in her own mind carriages and horses, milliner's bills and new dresses, Melnote's shoes, and Howell and James's trinkets, with the fortune which she despised. These were the simple necessaries of life, without which she could scarcely fancy a young lady existing, and which she should, of course, retain at all events. In the same way, also, although so far from wishing for a large establishment, she intended in her modest poverty to retain the assistance of her femme-de-chambre.

Of lower domestics she had little idea ; only, she should always like a groom to attend her on horseback, and a coachman for her britchska. Give her these, and she thought that beyond this, wealth would have no charms for her ; she had even entertained fancies of appro priating her superfluities to some grand and MALVERN. patriotic purpose, though of what nature she had never quite decided. But from this evening her views changed. Little as she required for herself, she believed it to be different with gentlemen ; they had always many expenses, and she supposed that to support a family in comfort and respect ability, she should not have too much. It would be pleasant to give it ad to one she loved ; to throw it at once into his hands ; she would have no mercenary settlements ; she hated the very name ; she would trust her fortune where she trusted her heart, and she would be only too happy to ' see ad the pomps of the world pass by, and live for him only.' At this point of her meditations, she was rather startled to find how definite a form her wishes had taken, and she did not feel quite certain whether it was wise to think any more about it.

But the idea was too pleasant to be relinquished, and she MALVERN. fell asleep at last, with the thought of Astley's hands still holding hers with that close and thriding pressure. Astley's own feelings were also of a pleasant nature, but chequered by more uncertainty and doubt. Hamilton's words kept on re turning to his mind, on the topic of paying attentions, and then drawing back from justifying them. He almost fancied they had been intended for his benefit : and he kept on considering whether his conduct had not brought him into the category which required an open explanation. More than one person had hinted at his partiality for Flora, if she thought so herself, what ought he to do. This was a question easier asked than answered ; he recalled some of her tones and words that night ; the voice in which she said, " I knew you would be uneasy, and hoped you would try to rescue us."

The words were simple enough, it was the MALVERN. accent that gave them meaning ; did they not ted of confidence in his regard, belief in his affection ? Did she care for him ? Did she guess also, how truly he loved her ; how he hated the gold which formed a barrier, how he longed to prove his disinterested af fection for herself. Then ought he not to speak? What could his uncle mean to do for him ? He must try to get some explanation. Mr. Boyle was excessively kind, although not very communicative ; and rich as he was, perhaps he would make him some adowance, or give him some assistance, even if he intended to marry himself. After ad his engagements to that effect, he thought he might venture to ask something. He did not want to be en croaching, but even if his expectations wTere never to be realised, it would be better to know it at once.

The next question was still, what should he do then ? MALVERN. He felt he ought not to propose to Flora without obtaining the hearty consent of her guardian, Mr. Frank Denys ; but could he convince him that their mutual happiness depended on it, the prohibition once laid on Astley's seeking her hand, whilst she was under age, might be withdrawn. If he failed here, there was only the alternative of waiting six months, when she would become her own mistress, and might accept or refuse whom she chose. But what he should do in the meantime, he could not exactly tell ; and he fed asleep, without forming any conclusion at ad, or knowing whether he was acting most like a rational man or a fool, in continuing at Malvern for the present. The ladies were quite wed enough to appear at breakfast the next morning, and received many kind enquiries, warm congratulations, and encouraging compliments on the occasion.

Mr. Malone who had for the last week trans- MALVERN. ferred to Mrs. Woodbridge, as much of his attention and flattery as she would allow him to bestow on her, was in a state of complete desolation, when he heard that such an ad venture had been going on, without his being informed of the fact. And he amused himself ad breakfast-time with describing what would have been his hopes and fears, and his feelings, had he been aware of the terrible situation in which these delicate and interesting sufferers had been placed. Mrs. Woodbridge, meanwhile, was blaming herself for the utter want of gratitude, and consideration for his fatigues and his kind ness, which she had testified towards Mr. Hamilton. She was entirely ashamed of herself, and quite provoked at such a display of selfishness, when she remembered, after parting last night, how perfectly thankless she must have seemed.

But Hamilton could not by any process be MALVERN. 21 made to understand how she had incurred such charges. He believed she had thanked him quite enough ; he was sure her brother had. One word was sufficient for it all. He had done nothing to talk about, nor she anything to repent of, except that he was afraid her gown must be the worse for the adventure ; and he knew ladies minded that very much. The conversation then turned upon some stories of lost traveders ; and Mr. Clarke appealed to Mr. Boyle as to whether such accidents did not frequently occur amidst the bush in Australia. The old gentleman of course replied in the affirmative, and various questions were asked him relative to the part of the country where he had been located, and the kind of adventures he had met with. None of his answers were readily given, nor could much information be extracted from him ; but the party graduady dispersed MALVERN. before Mr. Clarke gave up his system of questioning, when Mr. Boyle betook himself to his own room, where he could be as sdent as he pleased.

Flora was not very happy this morning ; Mrs. Denys was not wed ; and her daughter blamed herself for having been in part the cause, by occasioning her so much anxiety and trouble the night before. She was so completely engrossed by this idea, and by the wish to secure her mother every possible comfort, that she had hardly eyes or ears for anything else in the world. She would scarcely attend even to Astley, had nothing but hurried words to give him, and barely remained ten minutes at the breakfast table, in her haste to return up stairs. He could, not quarrel with a tenderness so amiable and filial ; but he was extremely sorry for the cause, and disappointed at the effect. Flora did not leave her mother even to go to service that morning ; so Astley joined Mrs. MALVERN. Woodbridge and Mr. Graham in their walk to the church, where the latter was going to officiate- The Abbey beds had ceased their chimes, and every one wed enough to go, was sup posed to be occupied in public devotion, when Flora descended to the drawing-room, to fetch a book which Mrs. Denys fancied she had left there.

To her great surprise, on entering the room, she disturbed a couple whom she little expected to see. Old Mr. Boyle and Louisa Grant were sitting together at a window in close and confidential conversation. At the sound of the door, they started and turned round. Louisa rose, looking a good deal confused. Mr. Boyle sat stid ; but Flora fancied him more disconcerted than his companion. " My dear Flora," cried Louisa, " I thought you were gone to church. " " No ; I did not like to leave mamma," MALVERN. replied Flora, searching about on the various tables, for her book, and avoiding looking at the others. " I am so sorry she is id ; may I come and see her, Flora, dear ?" " Not now, I thank you ; I am just going to read to her." " But you wdl let me come presently ? — you don't know how I love that dear Mrs. Denys," added she, turning to Mr. Boyle ; " she is the nicest, kindest, most maternal old lady in the world."

" I have not the pleasure of knowing much of her, poor old girl !" observed Mr. Boyle ; " but I have no doubt she is a most worthy and excellent woman, from what I know of her daughter. Miss Flora, can I be of any service to you ? What have you lost ?" Flora was looking about, perplexed and impatient, half inclined to run away from two persons she greatly disliked, and so entirely .MALVERN. distrusted. By a strong effort, however, she commanded herself sufficiently to answer in polite tones : and then Louisa again an nounced her intention of paying her mother a visit by and bye; to which she replied, with perfect sincerity, that she begged she would not trouble herself; and instantly escaped from the room. It was, however, Louisa Grant's fixed determination to pay this visit to Mrs. Denys ; and, in that case, nothing short of locking the door, and refusing to open it, would have prevented her putting the plan in execution.

Accordingly, in due time, Miss Grant came to fulfil her promise ; and full of sym pathy, regard and affection, she seated herself, evidently bent on paying a long visit. She talked in the kindest and most considerate way, about the adventure of the preceding evening, then about the individuals concerned in it : spoke of Astley, and then of his uncle. VOL. II. c MALVERN. How did Flora like the latter gentleman ? Did she find him unpolished, incommunica tive, uninteresting? Did she know what Astley thought of him ? Poor Mr. Boyle was rather disappointed in Astley, she be lieved ; with ad his excedent qualities, the nephew had faded to secure the uncle's good opinion. She was afraid he had shown too open a wish to grasp the wealth to which she supposed he would eventuady be heir. Mr. Boyle was not a man to be driven in business matters ; she was sure he would take his own way ; and, for her part, she thought he was right.

He had earned the money — he had a right to spend it as he pleased. To all this, Flora answered with more warmth than prudence, that she was sure Astley was incapable of behaving improperly, showing greediness, or betraying want of consideration. Perhaps, he had some claim to expect his uncle's assistance, after the MALVERN. 27 promises he had repeatedly made, in his letters home ; she was sure it was but reasonable for him to expect something settled on him. It was Mr. Boyle's own doing, that he had no profession by which he might have ren dered himself independent of any uncle. " Did Mr. Boyle promise ?" was Louisa's cautious inquiry; "had Flora good authority for what she had said ? had she seen these letters?" " Yes, some of them ; many, indeed, she had either heard or seen ; and she had no doubt but that Astley had them still in Lon don, if any one doubted their memory."

To this, Louisa suggested that ad such promises must have been conditional on good behaviour on the nephew's part, as well as on the fact of the uncle's not marrying again. This was a contingency Flora had herself suggested, on a former occasion. Flora had no recollection of mentioning the subject; but she did recodect Mrs. Woodc MALVERN. bridge's caution with regard so Louisa Grant ; and, regretting that she had said so much, she determined to be more discreet for the future. Louisa began on another topic. It was a pity when young men made their mercenary feelings so very evident — it always looked id, when they were for ever dangling after rich uncles, or rich heiresses. One could not help feeling that there must be some motive concealed. Girls had httle idea of the many vicious ways young men had of spending money, she believed.

Extravagance and idle ness lead to meanness, and toadying the rich; hangers-on of that kind were rather a disgrace than a glory, in her opinion, at least. She was thankful that she was not rich enough to become the prey, or the victim to any artful designer ; but ready, she hoped hpr dear Flora would take care — young, handsome, generous, and rich, she was in a perilous situation ; and it seemed odd that her guardian MALVERN. 2) should leave her so much to her own discre tion ; for, although that was uncommonly developed, for her age, yet, with her youth and enthusiasm, it was easy to blind her to the existence of faults, which are not, of course, known or suspected by the innocent and ignorant. Mr. Frank Denys was an easy, kind-hearted man, much influenced by those about him, she fancied ; quite guided by his step-son, and extremely anxious for his ad vancement in life.

Flora was too indignant at these insinua tions to be able to hold her tongue. She flatly denied ad imputations of mercenary motives either in her uncle or Astley Boyle, and nearly said that she must consider such assertions as extremely impertinent and offensive. Nothing, however, could make Louisa angry ; she answered with a meekness and submission quite exemplary. " Flora must know best, but it did appear, to say the MALVERN. truth, as if her fortune made her a mark for avaricious schemes, and extravagant idlers." Perhaps it might, but she should never, she hoped, have the dl-luck to fad into such snares ; she certainly had not the remotest ground for supposing herself in danger. Her guardian had never, never done anything to promote such plans. Mrs. Denys here waking from a doze, and hearing what had last passed, observed care lessly " that Mr. Frank Denys was very par ticular on such subjects, and at one time objected even to Astley's being so much with her, lest the young people should fall in love ; and with Flora's merits and money, she might look for a higher match."

Flora crimsoned at this, and observed, " she had no idea her uncle speculated on such subjects." Louisa replied affectionately that "there were more things in heaven and earth than were dreamt of by her phdosophy," MALVERN. and added, " that she should like to see her dear Flora a countess." Flora thanked her coldly, adding, " that there was nothing her uncle had either said or done which could in the least interfere with the fulfilment of this wish ;" to which Louisa replied she was really very glad, and soon after took her leave ; having perfectly succeeded in making Miss Denys both indignant towards her, and more uneasy with regard to Astley than she liked to own. What Louisa's motives were, Flora could hardly imagine, unless she really in tended to marry Mr. Boyle herself, and for that purpose was trying to bring on a quarrel between the uncle and nephew.

This seemed so unjustifiable and wicked a thing, that Flora hardly liked to suspect her of it, and she ended by only feeling sure of one circumstance, namely, that Miss Grant was a singularly unpleasant person, and seemed never to be in her company without saying or doing some- MALVERN. thing which left an unpleasant sensation. Her conversation was like a creeping, smo thered fire, which even where it did not scorch and destroy, produced blinding and offensive vapours, poisoning the surrounding atmosphere, and tarnishing the brightness of all in its vicinity. Perhaps she was a little unjust, but there was also much truth in the impression. MALVERN.