Kate Kennedy : a novel

Front matter

In 1 vol. Price 12s. ON CHANGE OF CLIMATE, A GUIDE FOR TRAVELLERS IN PURSUIT OF HEALTH. By THOMAS MORE MADDEN, M.D., M.R.C.S Eng. Illustrative of the Advantages of the various localities resorted to by Invalids, for the cure or alleviation of chronic diseases, especially consumption. With Observations on Climate, and its Influence on Health and Disease, the result of extensive personal experience of many Southern Climes. SPAIN, PORTUGAL, ALGERIA, MOROCCO, FRANCE, ITALY, THE MEDITERRANEAN ISLANDS, EGYPT, &c. " Dr. Madden has been to most of the places he describes, and his book contains the advantage of a guide, with the persona experience of a traveller. To persons who have determined that they ought to have change of climate, we can recommend Dr. Madden as a guide. — Athenæum." " It contains much valuable information respecting various favorite places of re-ort, and is evidently the work of a well-informed physician, — Lancet.''1 " Dr. Madden's book deserves confidence — a most accurate and excel lent work.'1 — Dublin Medical Review. 11 It cannot but be of much service to such persons as propose leaving home in search of recreation, or a more benign atmosphere.

The Doctor's observations relate to the favourite haunts of English invalids. He criticises each place seriatim in every point of view." — Reader. " We strongly advise all those who are going abroad for health's sake to provide themselves with this book. They will find the author in these pages an agreeable gossiping companion as well as a professional adviser, who anticipates most of their difficulties." — Dublin Evening Mail. " To the medical profession this book will be invaluable, and to those in ill-health it will be even more desirable, for it will be found not merely a guide for change of climate, but a most interesting volume of travel." — Globe. " Dr. Madden is better qualified to give an opinion as to the salubrity of the places most frequented by invalids than the majority of writers on the subject." — Liverpool Albion.

" There is something, and a great deal too, for almost every reader in this volume, for the physician, for the invalid, for the historian, for the antiquarian, and for the man of letters. Dr. Madden has rendered a necessary service to the profession and to the public upon the subject under notice." — DublinEvening Post. "Dr. Madden's work is fraught with instruction that must prove useful both to practitioners and patients who study it." — Sounders'1 Neios Letter. "Dr. Madden deserves the thanks of all those persons afflicted with that dire disease, consumption — as well as of those who suffer from thronic bronchitis, asthma, <fcc. It is the best work on change of climate that has ever been presented to the public" — Daily Post. NO HOME COMPLETE WITHOUT A WILLCOX AND GIBBS' NOISELFSS FAMILY SEWING MACHINE.

Chapter I

" 0 ye Beloved ! come home ! — the hour Of many a greeting tone : The time of hearth-light and of song, Returns — and ye are gone. " Hemahs. Mr. Smith had tried to hide himself, as we have seen, he had declined those invitations to Werter Hall, which had included him, and in the quiet byeways of a still country life, he had been try ing to do his duty. But some men cannot be hid, as, indeed, others equally fail in making themselves known. VOL. II. B It began to be whispered in the village society of the place, that Dr. Winter's future partner was a man who had travelled, who had had the advantages of an University education not usual in physic, and that moreover, if not rich, yet that beyond his profession, in which he was likely to become eminent, he must have a little indepen dence. It was not possible to keep anything a secret in Rivington, where everybody was in somebody's confidence.

Indeed, what is the use of secrets at all? If every man, woman, and child did their duty, gossips would be very inno cent and quite as amusing in every way. Cer tainly the simple doings at the Grange were no secret, ancl needed no concealment. It soon be came known that the pretty carpets, which were ordered from the nearest town, were Mr, Smith's gift to the rector's bride. It was known also that the square yards, which Mrs. Winter regarded as so perplexing, had been accurately measured, and those who were acquainted with the comparative prices of Brussels carpets, knew that the small patterns chosen were of the best, and that no stint had been given in the price. But one other circumstance tended the more to raise the good opinion, which, like a snowball, had been rapidly gathering in the assistant's favor.

Mrs. Le Brun had recovered ; her child, under Mr. Smith's management, promised to grow strong — and the care he had bestowed upon the frail young life had won the hearts of many mothers in the neighbourhood ; for what is so pleasant as to see a young man tender <o an infant. It touches the secret springs of our sympathy, and whatever other index we may fail to possess of his character, this one is sufficient to show, that there is some nobility in him. Mrs. Le Brun having recovered then, Mr. Le Brun, — proud of his young son, so ably rescued from death, — invited Mr. Smith to stand as its godfather, and gave a large christening dinner ; not so much in honour of his infant son as in compliment to the new doctor. b Mr. Smith was pleased to accept both invita tions ; and the simple Oxford-bound Bible, " the gift of his affectionate godfather, John Smith,'' was ever after preserved with tender respect in the Le Brun family.

Appearing at the well -attended dinner-table, where the principal gentry of the neighbourhood had gladly come to testify their sympathy in the young wife's safety and happiness, Mr. Smith was at once acknowledged to be a gentleman ( which is essential to popularity in certain circles, and he was received in a quiet and dignified way, peculiar to the guarded, etiquette of a country neighbourhood ; where such guard is perfectly necessary, since no man could there be taken up and put aside in a week or two, (as can easily be done in London) without a personal injury, which the most worldly neighbour would scruple to in flict upon another. Mr. Smith, therefore, without any perceptible ballot taking place, was elected to a place in the neighbourhood with one consent, and being so elected, the country magnates were very ready to patronize him.

Mr. Le Brun could not do too much for him ; he proposed his health in a neat speech, which brought tears into the eyes of all the matrons present when he pictured what his home was, and what it might have been, and stated that he really believed that, as attested by the increased wealth of his valued friend, Dr. Winter, he had brought good luck into the neighbourhood. Then all turned to Mr. Smith with anxiety. Was he really up to the mark ? And well they knew that nothing betrays a man's breeding more than a speech. Would he do them no discredit if called to speak at a hunt dinner, a vestry board, or, once upon a time, even at the hustings ? Mr. Smith rose as if reluctantly, but still with ease. He was short, yes, certainly short. Mrs. Le Brun, who saw him as through a halo, must ac knowledge that; and yet when he stood, his dig nity out-topped the dignity of any man there.

And when he spoke there was no hesitation. He responded to the welcome that had been given him warmly, sunnily— as was his wont — but in English, which at once confessed itself as pure, flowing, and eloquent. He owed his welcome to their kindness, he said, and he appreciated it dearly : for he had come amongst them as a stranger indeed, but with the intention of spend ing his life amongst them ; and what was life without good fame and mutual kindness and good will ? It was not easy, he had heard, to enter the society of that neighbourhood, and he would en deavour to deserve the admission which had been given him. " You have earned it," said Dr. Winter, speak ivg to him afterwards " And we always appreciate the more what we have tried to deserve," was the sunny reply. After this his rise in the neighbourhood might be predicted as a certainty, and he might have been loaded with engagements had he not pleaded his wish to dedicate himself to his profession, giving away large portions of his time in charity.

He was sitting one evening with Dr. Winter in the room opening into the surgery. They had been con. ulting upon some difficult case which it was necessary to decide how to treat : for the elder practitioner no longer scrupled to take ad vice with the younger man ; and they had been busy looking up books, and studying the case as deeply and untiringly as a counsel studies his brief; and had finished their friendly argument, and had come to a decision at last. They had been sitting side by side, books on the table before them, and the young man's hand round the elder's neck. He was as winning as a little child when he pleased. " Doctor," he said, then, when the business talk was quite done, but not interrupting it a minute before, " you must get her back." "How am I to doit?" " You must go up to-morrow and ask her to come back for Clara's wedding.

You know she will come if you tell her. She only stays away because she is afraid of me.'' " How do you know that ?" " I do know it well ; it is an honourable feeling which keeps her from here — she went out of good ness. How shall we bring her back unless we tell her to come to Clara's marriage." " Goodness the jade," grunted the doctor. " I told yon she was your match any day, young sir ! and she has hoodwinked you already. She went away because she would not give up Lord Werter for you.'' " She was engaged to Lord Werter, and she tries to keep her engagement," said Mr. Smith, " She believes herself bound to him, as, indeed, she is until she breaks the engagement, and therefore she was quite right to go away." " All right," acquiesced the doctor, " if you say so." " I do say so. I should not have liked her better if she had given way without an effort, but I am not adamant, and you must go up to morrow and fetch her home — do write to-day."

"And so we are to marry Clara with unseemly haste, just because you want an excuse to bring your bird back to the lure — hey ?" " Do I not deserve a little, just a little in dulgence in the matter of Clara's marriage," and he smoothed the silver hair gently with his hand, which was none the less white, because it was unjewelled. " Well," grunted the doctor, " you gave them their carpets— a very considerable gift truly; but Lord Werter gave them the living, and therefore he deserves more than you do." " Still," said the assistant, " I mean to beat Lord Werter yet." " And I will still say that you will not." " But you will go and bring her back, doctor, will you not." " Do you mean that I am to go all the way to town?" " I really do." "And when?" " To-morrow." b "One would think you were Aladdin, and I the genius of the lamp."

" Be a good genius, and I will never exchange old lamps for new." " No, I think you will not," said the doctor, simply. " I think there is something of the true gold in you." " Downright genuine gold," replied the young man, gaily, " and therefore you will bring her back. You know I love her better than any one else in the world." " Even than Lord Werter ?" " Well, he may care for her a little, but I care for her very much. You will go ?" " I suppose I must. I will write and say I have to come to town on some business of Lord Werter's, and will give her my escort home."' " It does not matter much what you say, so that you tell her she must come back." " I never ordered her in my life, she was always pretty and always goo.l," said the doctor, simply. " Oh ! she is good then," said the assistant ; " but if you never ordered her before she will be sure to obey you now, this once."

He drew the ink and paper to him and put a pen in his hand — then chose out an envelope and placed it at hand. Nothing was more evident than the entire want of indolence in this young man, nothing great or small seemed a trouble to him. " You write and say I am coming." " No, that would never do," laughed the assistant. " How lazy you are." The doctor took the pen and blotted a few words over the paper. " That is right," said the assistant, carefully drying the note ; " nothing saves a long letter so well as a blotty pen, nobody could possibly wish you to go on blotting. Now direct it — no blots here, or the postman will never read it. And now I will carry it to the post." He went off through the surgery door humming a merry air. On the way he met the children who had just escaped from dinner, over which Mrs. Winter always presided with some ceremony, objecting to the juvenile wish to rise and be off before the last mouthful of pudding had been satisfactorily swallowed, which they looked upon as awful waste of time, and made up for by decamping with a rush and a bang as soon as the cloth was removed.

They were, of course, after such lengthened confinement to one table, in a great flutter and hurry of spirits, not having yet decided whether darts or bows and arrows, or fishing, should be the order of the afternoon. Finding them in this undecided humour, he proposed a race . to the post-office, which was willingly accepted. They started on the race upon the raised footway, and here, too busy to see that the Hall carriage was coming down the lane, Mr. Smith had just snatched up Lettie to give her a fair chance in the race, when the carriage came slowly by. Lady Ethel leaned out almost eagerly as if she would gladly herself have got down from her stately equipage, where she was doing duty by duly airing two powdered footmen, a very burly coachman, and two very stiff-looking visitors. Mr. Smith stopped, Lettice still in his arms, and with some difficulty, but much politeness, raised his hat.

" What a pretty lady," cried Lettie, loud enough for the lady to hear, and the carriage drew up. " What a pretty child," exclaimed the Lady Ethel, in reply. " May I have a kiss ? " " No," said the little lady, clinging to Mr. Smith's neck with all her might, for the near sight of the powdered heads did not inspire her with courage. " I will not hurt you, my darling," cried the pretty Lady Ethel. That might be true enough, Lettice evidently thought ; but, in company with many others, she was not so certain of the carriagc-and servants ; they were not in their normal condition, evidently, and Lettice could make nothing of them. " She will gain courage in time," said Mr. Smith, with the sunny manner he could not change even before the young aristocrat. " She is not learned in this world's ways as yet," and he gave the child a hug.

Was it not on her account that Kate had said, " Do not be too kind to me." Lady Ethel looked longingly after them, but nevertheless gave the signal to drive on, and as she smiled sweetly upon them, the heavy carriage rolled forwards. " The pretty lady loves you," said Lettice. " How do you know, wiseacre ? " " She looked as if she wanted to come and play with you." "Or with you, perhaps," said he. "Now for the race — we will fetch them up yet." He was as good as his word, and got to the post-office first, and Lettie's little hand slipped in the letter.

Chapter II

"01 do it not, I pray thee, do it not I There is a pare and noble soul within thee, Knows not of this unblest, unlucky doing." Coleridge. Lady Cecilia and her young charge sat at their late breakfast ; the elder lady intent upon the list of her engagements, having a new quarry in sight, but Kate listless and weary, with a fatigue entirely new to her usually exhaustless strength and spirits. She was pale, and not carefully dressed — the struggle she was waging was becoming too fierce for her, and she was evidently worsted in the combat. A poor, frail, easily-broken thing is woman, when once her heart begins to fight with itself. In the fierce strife of man's unkindness, many a woman has become a shrew, but she has doubtless passed first through a fiery conflict, which has warped every sinew, and torn and rent every tender nerve.

Kate, however, was not suffering from man's unkindness, but from herself, her duplicate nature was engaged in debate — behind her stood the prejudices so carefully instilled into her mind by Lady Cecilia, and before her the pleasant home scenery so dear to every English woman, which had been displayed to her by her comparatively lowly lover. The prejudices, as all prejudices are, were very strong, but they were falling from her one by one, if she must have this weariness always, what good would all the wealth in the world be to her ? " Open your letters, dear," said Lady Cecilia, pained as all weak women are, at the sad silence she could not understand, and anxious for some diversion, being unwilling at any time to en counter pain. Kate took up her uncle's note. What good could it bring her, she thought, trying to do right; she had refused Lord Werter's request that she should return to Rivington, and yet she desired, she cared for nothing else.

London, and its Vanity Fair, had lost its relish — she could mix in it now for forgetfulness, but not for en joyment ; but she dared not return home. She had tried her best, but her spirit was almost broken in the contest, and now an unexpected succour appeared. She was very weak, but she had tried her best, and her very first attempt to do right seemed accepted. The few blotty lines upon the paper announced her uncle's coming. He was not a man to be trifled with she knew, and if he came to fetch her home, and thought it best that she should go, go she must. Ah ! how gladly. She knew how bright her face was, and she hid it behind the urn that Lady Cecilia should not see the change which had come over it. Then, when she had composed her joyous features she gave her the letter. Both guardians had yielded to each other hitherto with well guarded courtesy ; now that there was no guardianship by law, the uncle and blood relative became the natural protector, and Lady Cecilia deferred to him at once.

" He will find you looking ill, my dear ; why, what a change. Kate, you look like yourself, and of course you must go." She had begun to fear a rival in the younger beauty, and said, naively — " You make me jealous ; dear Mr. Stachington is wild after you, and though nothing in the world should interfere with my promoting your interests, still, as you have secured a settlement, dear, you need not outshine me. To-night I am to have an introduction to Mr. Cripplytow, a perfect mil lionaire, and to tell you the truth, Kate, I am not sorry to have it all to myself." " And who is Mr. Cripplytow," laughed Kate, " one needs a memoria technica to remember all your conquests. Is he a young man, middle aged, or old?" " Not young," said Lady Cecilia, laughing ; " but not arrived at such years of discretion as not to know whose face is the youngest— yours or mine."

" Love is the power of fancy," said Kate. " I really do not tliink there is anything more rational in it ; but any way, you will be alone, and I hope he is a nice man, for if not, he certainly shall not have my consent." " We have not chosen a single dress, my dear, but, of course, you will come back for that." " Not one," said Kate, " except my new even ing grey, which will do for any party Lady Ethel may give. " I meant the wedding-dresses," returned Lady Cecilia, solemnly; "but we may have ours to choose together, which would be so much more amusing. Miss Yellowpepper is, I hear, to be married in a white satin ; but you must have lace, and if I require one, I suppose grey would look best ; what a pity it must be a bonnet — widows, I suppose, cannot be married in veils." Thus she rambled on, but Kate hardly listened ; her spirit set free from its bounds, was sparkling like the splashing fountain, all wild with play.

Presently a message was brought her by the butler, who, from the readiness of a new broom, was fast falling into the state of discontent, which was the temper peculiar to the servants of the household — to the effect that the doctor had called to say he would return at four, in time to catch the five train for home, and that he expected her to be ready. " The house will not be the same when you are gone, my lady," said the butler, giving her a title from habit, and because miss is really vulgar. "You will take care of Lady Cecilia, I hope,"' returned Kate, not knowing quite what to say. " 1 shall take care of myself," said the butler " aud, indeed, my written notice I made out this morning. " I am very sorry you mean to go, Baily; you suit Lady Cecilia so well." " Do I?" said the aggrieved man-servant, who, having suddenly dropped the conventionalities which usually bound him most rigidly, ancl ap peared as a human being and not a lackey only, was resolved to make himself heard.

" But it is not only servants as suit — it is missises as must suit, too. I could live with you, ma'am, any time and anywheres, and I have done my duty to the utter most by my lady ; but she'll never keep a servant until she learns as servants are human beings like herself." " Servants are very unreasonable, and expect a great deal too much, Bailey," said Kate, boldly. " That's true enough," said the man, reflec tively ; " but what we most objects to is uncer tainty ; and there never was a missis so uncertain as my lady." " Still, Bailey," said Kate, as she drew a sovereign from her purse, " I will give you this if you will burn your written noticS, and try patiently another month. Lady Cecilia would be a kind mistress if she were trusted and under stood, and if you did not notice her little pettish words, which she never means.

I know it is not right to use them, but she has many fine quali ties, and a man can afford to overlook a lady's weakness." "Well, my lady," said the man, pocketing the sovereign, but influenced far more by her words and manner, " I will try one whole month longer for your sake, though I did say last night that I felt inclined to run away and lose my character as well as wages." " That would be very foolish," said Kate, in her most popular manner; and Bailey retired, quite happy at the idea of having obliged such a beautiful woman, who had the courage to call him foolish to his face. Lady Cecilia could hardly understand the change which had come over her ; but being really fond of the beautiful girl whom she had reared from childhood, she suffered herself to be carried away by the full flow of her spirits which had hitherto seemed prisoned and confined, and were now sud denly set free.

" Now you are my own girl," cried the de lighted Lady Cecilia, forgetting Mr. Cripplytow, and the long series of eligible men who had preceded him. " If I had known you were going to be your own merry self again, I should not so readily have consented to part with you." " Oh, for shame, my Lady Worldly," exclaimed Kate, " you ought to say — ' Give smiles to those who love you less, but bring your tears to me.' " " That I never will," cried Lady Cecilia. "I never can separate tears from red eyes and stained cheeks. Give me smiles - tears, they say, are persuasive — but it is only because their continu ance is too horrible to be endured. Give your tears, Kate, to whom you like, but always bring your smiles to me." Lady Cecilia spoke the truth, and Kate knew she did. Had it not made her bitter, all along ? but she was too happy to complain, for was she not escaping from the worldly influence which had so deluded her ?

And would she not be free of it henceforth, never again to let its cruel chains twine about and fetter her free actions ? She had purchased her promised toys for the children, hurried to the dressmaker's to order her dress for Clara's wedding, and was fully ready by four o'clock, when Dr. Winter made his appearance. When their hasty greeting was over, she ex plained to him truthfully, but trembling lest the decree should go against her, that she had written only the day before to Lord Werter, telling him that she could not return to Rivington. " Would it not seem weak and changeable?" she asked. " You were acting for yourself then," said the doctor ; " but you are governed by my directions now. I, also, have had communications with Lord Werter, and he has urged your return so strongly, that I could not refuse to attend to him.

I see no reason why you should treat a man of honor with affected coquetry." Kate hung her pretty head, and pouted. After all, then, she was going back because Lord Werter wished it. " I do not see why I should please a man who persists in being invisible," said Kate. "Nor I," said the doctor. "In this, Lady Cecilia, as in most other things, I call you to witness that she pleases herself." " I do not know that," said Lady Cecilia, literally; " she has not seemed pleased at much lately until this morning. I thought Lord Werter had bewitched her." " What I would say," interrupted the doctor, " is that she is acting for herself, without any influence of ours." "How can you say so, doctor?" cried Lady Cecilia. "I have never once forgotten the obligation I was under, to induce her to consent to such a very admirable settlement ofher affairs."

" Umph ! " grunted the doctor. " I married for love myself, and have no notion of influencing other people." VOL. II. c "Then, my dear sir, we differ," said Lady Cecilia; "I, at least, have done my duty, and if Kate throws up this settlement ! why, my dear child, you would never be so mad as to think of it?" " Who said I was going to clo so?" said Kate, peevishly. " No one — no one," said Lady Cecilia, darting a good-natured look of defiance at the doctor ; " Only I call you both to exonerate me from all blame in the matter, if Kate does change her mind." " Kate shall please herself," said the doctor, — " even at the altar rails —but your ladyship shall go scot free." " Very well, doctor," said the lady with an affectation of being business-like. "If it occurs to you, perhaps you will say as much in a note to me, which in case of any blame being attached to me, I may be able to produce."

"Certainly," said the doctor grimly — "Oh, certainly. Come, Kate, say good-bye, or we shall miss the train, and send mamma into a nervous fever." When the doctor referred to his wife, his orders were understood to be imperative, and Kate bade her friend an affectionate adieu, and Vanity Fair seemed to pass from sight, when Kate surrendered herself to the gruff, but really affectionate care of her uncle. Oh happy journey ! How blithely rang the discordant railway bell. How like a giant at play the huge engine was, when it roared its way out of the station, and snorted across the country as if hard work were but a joke to him. They were going home to the pleasant Grange, to all that had power to minister to the young girl's enjoyment. " My poor child," said the doctor, as alone in the dim shadows of the summer evening, they neared the Beddington Station, " what have they been "doing to you up in London, to rob you of your healthy looks?"