West Cliff ... A romance

Part I

, BEFORE THE STORM. CHAPTER pAGE I. BESSIE 3 Lt. FISHING 22 HI. LANDING THE CARGO 35 IV. WEDDING PREPARATIONS 48 V. AT THE BILL 59 VI. WEST CLIFF 74 VII. SUE'S WEDDIN' 87 VIII. BESSIE'S PICTURE I06 IX. JUMPING THE BROOMSTICK 119 X. AT AUNT LIZA'S 130 XL ABE GOES UNDERHILL I44 XII. MUTUAL INSTRUCTION OF ABE AND THORNHILL .... 1 55 Xni. GOOD-BYE ! I (JO XIV. NED'S WOOING 171 XV. BECKY GAINS THE LAWSUIT 183 XVI. BESSIE'S DECISION 199 XVII. AFTER THE FLIGHT 214 XVIII. ABEL CHERISHES VENGEANCE CONTENTS. VIII

Part II. After The Storm

CHAPTER PAGE I. DOROTHY ELIOT 243 II. JOHN THORNHILL IS PERPLEXED 260 III. BESSIE A LADY ! 267 IV. JOHN THORNHILL DISCOVERS BESSIE 280 V. DOROTHY'S ANSWER 286 VI. THE MINIATURE 2og VII. PARTED 307 VIII. THE STORM 3^ IX. SEAGULL'S AGAIN 33! X. AFTER THE STORM ,,(, XL ABEL MEETS VAVASOUR 348 XII. REUNITED oft.

Epilogue

,»0 Part I BEFORE THE STORM. part I.

Chapter I. Bessie

Our present visions of Portland Isle are confused and rather hazy notions of quarries and barracks, prison and fortifications ; and its inhabitants seem to consist largely of soldiers, sailors and convicts. Not that we mean anything disrespectful to the former two, mentioning them in company with the latter, but the varied elements which go to make up a population are apt to become confused to even practical and well regulated minds ; how then to minds which make no pretension to either of these qualities? So we reiterate our statement and say in a slightly altered form, we can think of little else but a convict prison, with its usual complement of buildings, necessary for the residence of its varied and numerous custodians ; barracks and fortifications — which latter are to render Portland Isle well nigh impregnable when finished — and quarries, which impart a still greater air of isolation to spots always rugged and desolate.

The Roadstead too, with its splendid Breakwater, its ample accommodation for craft of all sizes, its ironclad and training ships — seems to constitute a part of Portland Isle, though doubtless this is a very erroneous idea. If the Portland of the present appears to consist of confused and foreign elements, not so the Portland of the past. This is vividly before us, with its primitive inhabitants, and their still more primitive ways and customs, with its barrenness and ruggedness, its stony soil and scanty crops; and yet with a certain impressive wildness and solitariness all its own. In 1817 war-ships, marching regiments, and penal establish ments were things outside the little isle ; these formed part of the great world, where storms raged, battles were fought, and crimes were committed all unknown to a true-bom Portlander.

The fear of " Bony " was almost the only national feeling which had permeated the place, and even this had been mingled with a vague sense of security, owing to a belief in the invincibility of British seamen. But now "Bony" was safe. St. Helena's rock -bound coast was the abode of the mighty conqueror and tyrant. The broad Atlantic waves never lashed Helena's coast more angrily, never storms raged more fiercely than the waves and storms of passion in Napoleon's breast. "Sa pensee, orage (kernel. " But all was futile, and the giant mind was meditating over the past and scheming for the future, a helpless captive, and Portland was feeling a thrill of pride mixed with relief at Napoleon's downfall, because two Portland boys had fought and fallen on the field of Waterloo, and these of course had contributed to the victory.

So, apart from the feeling concerning Buonaparte, Portland was primitively insular even in insular Eng land,which was hardly to be wondered at considering its position. A long strip of sandy shore, with a high bank covered with pebbles on the western side, was the only land com- BESSIE. 5 munication with the county of Dorset, and this ridge had to be traversed some miles before the mainland could be reached, owing to the sea running up in a long arm, called Fleet. In crossing to Weymouth the inhabitants had to make use of the ferry boat worked by a rope; or, to use the words of an old writer (Leland) " the Trajectus is by a bote and a rope bent across the haven." A very barren isle is Portland, divided into two portions, the upper and lower, called by the natives Tophill and Under hill; the elevated portion, or Tophill, forming a slight semi circle to the north-west, in the centre of which is a depression or valley called Underhill, and which in times geologically distant must have been the channel carved out by a water course.

Stretches of land sparsely covered with grass might have been seen where barracks and prison now stand, where quarries are now hollowed. Farther away to the centre and south were a few scattered hamlets, with here and there a cultivated tract of land. In the extreme south, stones and grass again, right away to where the land, narrowed almost to a point, terminates in the cliffs and rocks known as Port land Bill. Bold enough and solitary enough here for any daring deeds of smuggling, which under very flimsy disguises formed the greater portion of the island traffic. It was no crime, it was no sin in those days; indeed it was considered justifiable to try and evade the duties imposed by unjust and avaricious ministers for their own selfish ends; and we dare affirm that some of the most true-hearted, most loyal, and most honest men at that time, were to be found amongst those who most systematically defrauded the revenue, when chance presented itself.

Quarrying, fishing and stone dealing were, however, the ostensible occupation of the majority of the hardy Portlanders, many of whom combined the two former pursuits, spending their days in hewing and shaping blocks of stone; and their evenings, during the summer, on the waters, on either side of the island, where, as the boats gently glided over the rippling sea, laughing jests and gay snatches of song were heard by the listeners on the shore. The hamlet farthest to the south-west, known as Weston, consisted of a row of small houses, one of which was a trifle larger than the rest, and conspicuous by the air of neatness and cleanliness, which seemed to prevail even outside. A stone porch and gabled roof were favorite styles of building in Portland, but the porch and gabled window of this house seemed to strike an observer as much as though the other houses had been quite devoid of these additions.

We have often seen rows or terraces of houses built exactly upon the same plan, and yet one of these has attracted our attention, perhaps as none of the others possibly could, and we have liked, after taking more than a cursory glance, to speculate and muse over the history of its inmates. How is it? Whence come these subtle influences and distinctions? Impossible to define. It was so with this house, and yet it was only the humble dwelling of a Portland quarryman. " Built in the time of Harry VIII. of such stout timbers and good Portland stone, it had never needed repair," was the constant boast of its owner Abel Stone, who dwelt there with his good wife Martha, and their twin children Abel and Bessie. True, the three small bedrooms had holes in the floor, through which the kitchen and general living room was plainly visible, but this added to the time-worn look; and Abel Stone would as soon have thought of chopping off one of his fingers as repairing those holes.

Another object of veneration — because it had belonged to Martha Stone's great grandmother, and not on account of its unique carving, which BESSIE. 7 was little understood by the simple inmates of the dwelling, — was an old oak chest, wherein reposed Martha Stone's Lares and Penates, encased in silver paper each treasure separ ately, and scented every year afresh with the lavender sprigs gathered in Aunt Liza's garden. The most important of these treasures were Martha's wedding-dress, (a muslin brought from India by a far-off cousin,) a solitary brocade, which was kept for state occasions, and the christening robes and caps of Abel and Bessie. This chest just fitted into a recess by the chimney corner, and had been Abel and Bes sie's great delight during childhood, and indeed sometimes the terror of the latter, as their childish games had all been connected with it, and the favourite one of all was that " Bony" was hidden in the chest ready to take Bessie away, but that Abel would not "let him have her."

Opposite the open doorway was a small side table, on which lay a Bible printed in Elizabeth's reign, Fox's " Book of Martyrs," and Bunyan's " Pilgrim's Progress." To the right stood a large dresser, the shelves of which were stocked with the usual household articles, including a good supply of pewter plates and mugs. On the top, by way of ornament, was placed a large china plate, with the inscription "Thou, God, seest me," carefully flanked by a pair of brown and white china dogs; whilst beyond again on either side, stood three small glass bottles with ornamentations in red, white, blue and yellow paint, consisting of a very wooden looking female on one side, surrounded by flowers and leaves, and on the opposite side an inscription in old German, which might be freely rendered as Love me all Or not at all."

These bottles were favorite and much valued ornaments in Portland homesteads, having probably contained Cologne or other scented waters, and been smuggled in with Schiedam from Holland. A huge bowl, carefully guarded by various small articles placed around, stood on the table part of the dresser, and in this was brewed the punch without which no Portland merry-making would have been complete. As the bell of St. George's Church broke upon the air, telling tired men their day's toil in the quarries was over, Martha Stone was busily engaged setting forth the evening meal. If Martha had been comely in her first youth, as is the rule with Portland girls, she retained little trace of good looks in this her forty-fifth year. She was a tall woman, with an exceedingly angular figure, and a sallow complexion.

Her crisp wiry waving locks were tucked as carefully as might be under a close fitting cap. These same locks being exceedingly grey, made Martha appear at first much older than her actual years, an appearance which was belied by the flashing dark eye, with a good-tempered humorous twinkle occasionally revealing itself. She moved briskly about the kitchen, uttering a few words aloud at times, as though addressed to some person present. Quickly setting the table she placed the gridiron upon the fire, preparatory to broiling the mackerel for supper. While her fish were cooking, she kept walking to the door and, shading her eyes, scanned the roadway up and down. "How Bezzie be ztoppin'!" said she, "vather and Abe ' ull be 'ere avore her, ready vur their vittles. " As she said these words she caught sight of her husband and son in the distance, and hastened in to dish up her fish.

About the time that Martha was first setting her gridiron over the fire, three quarrymen were wending their way down BESSIE. 9 the track now called Wide Street. Each carried his tools with one hand, resting the handle of the pickaxe across his shoulder; the other hand held a red handkerchief with knotted corners, in which the day's dinner had been carried to the quarries, and on the back of each was slung by a strap passing over one shoulder and under the opposite arm, a little barrel called a flagon, capable of holding about two quarts of beer, and which was filled every morning at the George, as the men proceeded to work. Two of the men were tall and powerfully built, father and son evidently, from the general likeness. The elder Abel Stone, called " Seagull " by his mates, was a fine stalwart specimen of a Portland quarryman, whom nature had intended to be the possessor of a fair complexion and mild blue eyes, but the former had been changed by constant expo sure to sun and wind into fine copper colour, which har monized tolerably well with a pair of bushy brown whiskers.

The mouth was large but not ungainly, and the slightly wavering corners denoted a temperament not likely to remain unbiassed by any prevailing opinion. An easy-going, loqua cious individual, always ready to do his neighbours a good turn, and not too tenacious over his own rights: but, like many other easy-going temperaments, when his temper was once roused, or if an idea thoroughly forced itself into his brain, he was both more violent and more obstinate than those who are usually accredited with hasty tempers and obstinate dispositions. Oh no! There is nobody so difficult to turn as an even-tempered man (except perhaps those whose intellectual powers are slightly below the average) if he once cultivate an opinion or harbour a prejudice. Let it be understood we are not referring to the strong-willed, resolute genius, which carves out its own career, and bears down everything by the strength of its mighty will, but simply to the narrow circles of thought in which the un educated must necessarily revolve, and which they dogma tically assert to be the Universe.

Abel the younger was wonderfully like his father in phi sique and complexion, but the keen flashing hazel eye showed slightly superior intellectual powers, had they been trained; also a love of humor, probably inherited from his mother, and a mildness that would easily change to a firmness amounting almost to severity, if occasion demanded. The persons of both these men seemed a denial to the universal belief that constant inter-marriages cause a race to degenerate, for the true-born islander would have scorned a marriage with a kimberlin, and have thought himself almost as utterly degraded as if compelled to wed with an Australian aborigine of the lowest type. The third man formed a strong contrast to the two Stones, being so short and thin as to convey at first an impression of delicate health, which was heightened by a slight stoop.

A closer inspection, however, showed that the man was not cast in a delicate mould, but would probably be of an excessively wiry constitution and active temperament; and that such was the case was amply proved by his nick-name of "Slippery Zach." That Zachariah Pearce was of a peace loving disposition might clearly be read in the mild brown eyes, and straight dark locks, and in this he proved a strong contrast to the majority of his neighbours and kinsfolk. Any lack of mettle on Zach's part was amply atoned for by the " zpirit" of his better half, who possessed sufficient for three ordinary people, and ruled her husband with a rod of iron. In reply to some remark of Seagull's, Zach spoke in a peculiarly sing-song, slightly drawling tone. BESSIE. 11 " Thee know'st I be vond o' peace. I caint bear rackety volks, who be alwus a-goin' to law, but Becky Stwun wur thy zister years avore zhe wur my wife, zo thee ought t' know wild 'osses 'ud never turn her vrom a thing zhe be minded to; and when Couzin Zal told her Eb'nezer Wey zed he'd ha' the law o' us about Trotter's Close, why Beck thought zhe'd be vust and ha' the law o' he.

It baint no good o' / zaying nothin' a'ter that." " Eb'nezer Wey 's everlastin' goin' t' law about zummat or t'other," said Seagull, waving his pickaxe to emphasize his words, " but Beck be a vool to begin vust, vur zhe d' know zhe caint prove her claim, zince zhe lost the church-gift our vather had from Eb'nezer's vather; all Portland d' know 'tis Beck's by right, and if Eb'nezer d' try to take possession, then let Beck ztick up vur her rights to be zure, but zhe'd best keep quiet till then, or lawyers 'ull get the pick o' things as usual. If Eb'nezer d' begin, well and good, Becky Stwun be then bound to go t' law, vur the honor o' the vam'ly. Vam'ly honors be best kept up at times, even if d' cost a little." " But what's the good if Becky caint prove nothin' ? queried Zach. "Doesn't thee be soft, Zach," responded Seagull, "the Stwuns baint goin' to knuckle under to the Weys vur no thin' ; why they'd ha' the crow o' us vur two or dree gen'ra tions."

" Thur be zummat in that cert'nly," said Zach thoughtfully. But Beck be zo vull o' our maid's weddin' next week, Trotter's Close '11 be forgot till a'ter then. I got to cross over and go down Revorne about zome timber; if Beck's a-standin' at th' door tell her I'll be whoam (home) zoon, wilt thee?" Nodding acquiescence the two Stones hastened on to their own dwelling, the elder man uttering comments on his sister's stupidity and Ebenezer's roguishness, (to which the younger vouchsafed merely the shortest of answers, not being given to over much talk,) till they reached their own door. Entering, they cast their tools, etc., in one corner, quickly settling themselves for the evening meal. The younger man cast a look of quiet affection at his mother, which was returned with interest, accompanied by a glance of unmistakeable pride, as her eyes rested upon his manly sunburnt features.

The elder from the time of his entrance had kept up a running fire of remarks, to which he gave no one time to reply, beyond an occasional monosyllabic ejaculation; but Martha Stone was patient, for she well knew her good man would soon exhaust himself and be only too ready to begin upon the appetising dish of fresh mackerel, she was setting before him ; and whilst he was satisfying a somewhat capacious appetite she would have " her say" to her heart's content. " Why, wur's our Bezz a-got to ? Thik maid baint never at hand when 'es wanted, o' meal times too." The tone was meant to be severe, but this proved an utter failure, as the said "maid" came hurrying in with a milk jug in her hand. Oh, Dame Nature ! Dame Nature ! You are given to play the most laughable, the most absurd of pranks at times, but surely you had never done anything more contradictory than make this child the daughter of a Portland quarryman, a rough untutored man, content to live in his own narrow circumscribed limits, even as his fathers had done before him, neither knowing nor desiring anything better; quite content with the Universe as represented by Portland; fully assured that all things in his little world were the best possible, and that all outside in the great world were wrong, and BESSIE. 13 much to be pitied ; knowing the right from the wrong, as his Church and Parson had taught him, and faithfully trying to act up to such ; loyal in his fashion to his neighbours, his King and his God; but wholly wanting in the least of those lights or shadows which go to make up a fine or intellectual mind, and whose features were in perfect harmony with his simple rugged character.

We are not depreciating these qualities of yours, Abel Stone. Oh, no ! Far from such, so long as the qualities are honest, and the faults are merely those of poverty and circumscribed surroundings. We would rather grasp that rough horny hand of yours in its honesty and integ rity and know you had a kindly feeling for us, than we would be the chosen favorite and companion of a Byronic face, or a Gladstonian intellect, if behind that face and intellect there lurked a Judas heart in any form. We are only wondering how Bessie could be the daughter of you and honest Martha, with your homely persons, your still more homely ways and manner; how she could be the twin sister of sturdy Abel. A small-featured dainty face, in all the roundness and softness of outline peculiar to youth, a still daintier and petite figure, pouting rosy lips, and large liquid blue-grey eyes, which could appear merry or coy, mischievous or appealing, as occasion demanded ; but stronger than all was their look of intense sweetness, a look which we have never seen in perfection in another human eye; sunny hair tumbling in rings and curls all over the well-formed head, and tiny hands, which seemed ill-adapted to household labour ; but, indeed, of this Bessie did very little.

" Wur 'st thee bin loiterin' to, thee good-vur-nothin' wench ?" asked her father, as a rebuke for her dilatoriness ; but somehow the words seemed to partake of a caress, so proud and affec tionate was the tone and look which accompanied the question. "Cousin Sue met with me, and said she's going to be married next week, and Abel and me are to walk after them with the others ; Abe with Mary Pearce from Underhill, and me with Ned Hinde." "What's that, Bezz?" queried her brother. "I baint goin' to walk wi' enny maid but thee. If thee be'est my zister, thee be a main zight purttier maid than ennybody else." Bessie gave Abel a pinch, and walking over to her father, put her arm round his shoulder, and began to coax him to give her a new bonnet for her cousin's wedding. A wedding in the family was quite sufficient to account for Bessie's excitement and longing for fresh finery, but how was it, pretty Bessie, you neglected to repeat the remainder of Sue's news ?

Even a wedding was not more exciting than the fact that two strange gentlemen had arrived that after noon at the George Inn. They had come for a few weeks' fishing, and to collect curiosities from the quarries. That Sue's father had recommended Seagull and his son to them, as owners of the best boat to be found at Church Hope, and that no men understood fishing better, or knew the coast more thoroughly. Perhaps Bessie would have stated this at once, had not the two gentlemen passed whilst Sue was communicating the above to her, and they were, " so mighty grand and fine like," and one of them regarded Bessie with such evident looks of undisguised admiration, that at once the coquette (in every woman's character, whether dormant or active) awoke to life, and in a vague indefinite manner she seemed to become partially conscious of how vastly different must be Sue's world and her world, to the one which produced such men as these.

Then Sue and she were looking so very shabby, and what old clothes they each had on ! On very rare occasions Bessie had been dressed BESSIE. 15 in her best and taken by her father to Weymouth ; she could tell off on the fingers of one hand how many times in her nineteen summers she had been thus far, and the last time she came home so many heart burnings were occasioned by the remembrance of the finery of the ladies on the Esplanade, that Bessie, who was possessed of a certain amount of common sense in the midst of much childishness and innocence, resolved not to go again unless she could conquer these feelings. But she was a lady in temperament, and all that was common and coarse repulsed her, and all that was refined appealed to every portion of the girl's nature. So untutored was she (her education consisted of being able to read without over much spelling, write her name legibly, and the slightest of slight acquaintanceship with the four primary rules of arithmetic) that the most elementary of these thoughts could hardly have been put into words.

Bessie could only feel them, and as she roamed round the cliffs during the long summer days, she was conscious of a great longing and craving for something more than the life she was leading. How pretty Bessie wished that she, too, could be a lady like the ladies at Weymouth, and see the great world beyond Portland ! If she were only rich, what presents she could bring father and mother; and Abe should have a diamond ring, and never work in the quarries again. He should be a gentleman, and have the largest watch she could buy, and his wife should be a grand lady, even as Bessie's husband was to be a lord, and oh ! how happy they would all become. Once indeed she had gone so far as to hint some of these things to her brother, but he laughed at her so long and loudly, and rated her so soundly for her " voolish vine notions " that Bessie never more ventured to give him her confidence.

The sight of the two gentlemen, and that look of admiration from a handsome face, had revived all Bessie's ideas of being a lady, and she had loitered so long pondering over these things, that she had quite forgotten how time was speeding; and then had suddenly remembered her father and Abe would be at home, and had hurried with her milk-jug, which she had carefully kept concealed as the gentlemen passed — she hoped they would not see the jug in her hand — and when she arrived at home was in such a state of confusion through mingled feelings of gratified vanity and wounded vanity, that she felt she could not say anything about the gentlemen. As they were finishing supper two young men passed quickly by the window, and stood in the porch at the open door. Though in reality three or four years older than Abel, they appeared to be younger than he, so strong and manly was he for his years.

They were both of medium height, and possessed the square, thick-set figures which denote great muscular strength ; but while the one was excessively dark, with aquiline nose and Jewish cast of features, the other possessed hair and eyes respectively of so light a brown, and pale blue, as to convey an extremely washed-out appear ance, which the sunburnt features could not wholly counteract ; the features were rather sharp, with the retreating chin which occasionally denotes lack of intellectual powers. "Take and come 'long in, lads, and ha' zummat t' drink," shouted Seagull, as soon as he saw them ; " thee looks thirsty-like, Bob." The darker man, whose name was Bob Scriven, and who was betrothed to Cousin Sue, replied hurriedly, "Thankee, Maister Stwun, but thur baint time. Ned Hinde and me (jerking his thumb toward his companion) got t' hurry Underhill to tell t'others the Nancy wur in zight this a'ternoon."

BESSIE. 17 Whilst Bob was delivering himself of these few words, Ned was casting a furtive glance at Bessie across Scriven's shoulder; but she kept her head resolutely turned in another direction. "Right you be, lads; hurry away then," said Seagull; "we'll be thur in time." With a hasty " Good evenin', Miss (Mrs.) Stwun ! Good evenin', Bezzie !" the two men rushed off. They had no sooner left than Cousin Sue's little brother Tom, a dark curly-headed, apple-cheeked, mischievous-looking youngster, put his head round the door calling out, " Uncle Abe ! Uncle Abe ! the two gen'l'men vrom the George be gone down Church Hope to ha' thy boat vur vishin' ! Vather zays thee'd better hurry, vur they be tur'ble rich, and 'ull pay thee wull, if thee doesn't keep 'em waitin' ! " " What does thee mean, Tommy, by two gen'l'men vrom the George}" asked his uncle.

" Why doesn't thee know then, Uncle Abe ? Our Zue told thy Bezz t' tell thee." " Oh, Bezz got her head up in clouds a-thinkin' o' Zue's weddin'. Taint much use givin' wenches messages when wed din's be comin' off. I'd got most a mind, Bezzie, to gie thee the bonnet thee axed vur just now, 't would just punish thee vur carelessness if I changed my mind." Bessie knew a thing would be forthcoming if her father had "most a mind," so she ran across the floor, and put her arm round the weather-beaten neck, in her impulsive girlish fashion, and looked at him in a pretty coaxing way, which a harder heart than Seagull's would have found impossible to resist. " Thur, thur, Bezzie lass, doesn't thee be a-hinderin' I. Abe and me '11 ha' to hurry as 't is," but even as he spoke he found time to place his arm fondly around her, and putting his lips to the pure white forehead, Bessie could just catch the softly murmured, "God bless my little maid," as he released her.

Quickly he and Abe gathered up their fishing-tackle and hastened across the fields by a short cut, hoping to reach Church Hope before the strangers, who would take the longer route through Reforne, Straits and Wakeham. "Now, Bezz," said her mother, "just help I clear away them things, and I'll open the big chest and look out my white muslin. 'T will make thee a beaut'vul dress vur the weddin'." Bessie needed no other incentive to work as briskly as a bee, and in a few minutes the supper things were packed tidily away, and the floor brushed quickly, and freshly sprinkled with sand. Bessie's blue-grey eyes were opened to their widest extent, as her mother knelt by the old chest, carefully taking out package after package, each in its wrapper of silver or blue paper, till the right one was reached.