The Dream that stayed

Chapter I

On a day late in August, in the height of the grouse season, a party of sportsmen from Castle Dailgarroch, the seat of the Earl of Dailgarroch, had stopped to take their luncheon beneath the shade of some magnificent oak trees. Before them, though at some distance, stretched the pathless moors, all roseate purple as a cloud at sunset, and heaving gently from the action of the light summer breeze, like a woman's breast. The trees which waved above their heads, were backed by a high brick wall — bricks which had been toned down by the passing years, into delicious shades of burnt umber and madder brown, inter spersed with the tender green of the tiny lichens, with their fairy flowers of white and lilac mixed with the sober clothing of dark ivy. The gillies who stood at a respectful distance, with the shooting ponies, had spread the luncheon on a plateau of grass by the wayside, and the men who were about to discuss it formed a goodly company.

Lord Dailgarroch, their host, was a sturdy, well built country gentleman, who preferred the breeding of shorthorns, and the cultivation of his ancestral acres to all the gaieties of town, and seldom left his home to wander abroad. His wife shared his love for a quiet country Use; he had a large family of boys and girls, who had not yet reached the age of dissipation, and they were all perfectly contented with their free and untrammelled existence. They had never been mixed up, in consequence, with society scandals or slanders ; they heard little of the outside world, and they were an exceptionally happy family. The guests who composed the shooting party on this occasion, consisted of Sir Guy Valmont, a young man who had recently been re-called from South Africa, where he was going after big game, to take up the title and estates of his uncle, Sir Henry Valmont, who had died without leaving issue.

He was therefore somewhat looked up to by the rest, as an authority on matters of sport — by all, that is to say, but old Admiral Noakes, who was considered to be the most imaginative romancer in the Royal Navy, and had never been known to hear a good story without capping it with a better. Then there were Mr. Pennington and Mr. Arnott, two young politicians on different sides of the House, who filled in any gaps in the conversation by arguing with each other. Captain Jerrold was one of the earl's oldest friends, and Lord Edward Milner one of his youngest, but they were all gentlemen and true men and made excellent company for one another. The last item in the shooting party was a very important one in his own eyes, — Lord Averil, the earl's eldest son and heir, a tall, gawky lad of fifteen, who had been promoted to the honour of carrying a gun with his father's friends for the first time, and was momently jeopardising their lives and his own in consequence.

Lord Dailgarroch's conversation was interrupted each moment by an adjuration from himself, or somebody else, to Averil to leave his gun alone or turn the muzzle aside, to which the youth invariably replied, "Oh! I say! Can't you leave a man to shoot his own way? " "I am afraid you must find shooting over our moors rather tame work, after your South African experiences," remarked Lord Dailgarroch to Sir Guy Valmont, as they stretched themselves out to rest after their morning's work. " Averil, hand that gun over to Chads at once, or you shall have no lunch." "Oh! I say, father," expostulated the lad, "can't you leave a fellow alone for a minute?" " Take your choice," replied the earl, " give it into Chads' charge, or go back to the moors by your self! I'm not going to give you a chance of step ping into my shoes until I am obliged to."

Lord Averil did as he was told, and the conversation proceeded. " As I was saying, Valmont, till that lout inter rupted me, this must be poor fun for you after Africa ! " The man he addressed was about six or seven and twenty. His naturally fair skin had been much browned by exposure, so much so as to make it a strange setting for his blue eyes. His hair, close-cropped, was a bright chestnut colour, and his moustaches matched his hair. He had good features, but with a grave, almost melancholy expression on them that seemed very much at variance with his position. For he had not entered on his new duties i as landlord of one of the finest estates in England, long before he had become engaged to the acknowledged beauty of the season, Mary Raynham, and everyone considered him to be a most fortunate young man.

But there was something in his face that belied the idea — something wanting, as though his destiny were not yet complete. He turned his lithe, muscular figure round on the grass as his host addressed him. " I assure you, Lord Dailgarroch, that you are mistaken. I never enjoyed anything in Africa as I have enjoyed this morning. Your moors are like a breath of Heaven ! " " They will become so, doubtless, when the angel arrives to transform them," said the other, laughing. "By the way, did Lady Dailgarroch tell you that she heard from Miss Raynham this morning, and she and her father will join us in another fort night? It is very kind of them to come to us so unceremoniously, and all because of our friendship for you. We are looking forward to making their acquaintance ! " "It is very good of you to say so," returned Sir Guy, " and I think you will like the General !

He is a quiet undemonstrative man, but very genial when he unbends. His daughter tells me he has never been otherwise since the loss of his wife ! " "Has she been long dead?" "Longer than Miss Raynham can remember," said Valmont. "Ah! well! she won't have time to miss her mother soon," replied the Earl. His guest was silent. Like most Englishmen, he was extremely sensitive of any allusion to his private affairs, and Lord Dailgarroch, in the plenitude of his domestic happiness, was rather addicted to jesting with other men upon their most sacred feelings. " But surely there must be very little excitement in grouse shooting, " remarked Captain Jerrold, pur suing the former subject, " after the pursuit of lions." " Perhaps it is the absence of excitement, that makes our present occupation such a pleasant change to me, Jerrold.

Excitement is not pleasure, and the pursuit of big game is better in the anticipation and the telling than the reality. There are so many drawbacks, you see ! The extreme heat — the miasma — the fevers — the want of comforts, sometimes even of necessaries. The excitement led me on at the time, but I am not quite sure now that it was worth the candle. The loss of my poor friend Hedley was enough to sober one down, in all conscience! " " He was killed by the natives, was he not? " " We could never rightly ascertain, but he died — that was sufficient! " The luncheon was now spread. Valmont filled his tumbler with champagne, and drank it off at a draught, as though the remembrance of his slaugh tered companion were too much for him. "It happened this way," he said presently — "my dear boy" (to Lord Averil who had regained pos session of his gun) "if you would kindly turn that weapon another way, I should be greatly obliged to you.

I have no particular objection to leave this world for a better, but I should prefer to be oper ated on more skilfully than you threaten to do." " Chads ! " thundered the Earl, " take his lordship's gun away, and don't give it back to him until you have my permission." The keeper seized the gun and carried it to a safe distance, whilst Lord Averil, nothing abashed, occupied himself with the cold grouse pie, and Valmont resumed his narration. "We had all turned in for the night, and knew nothing of Hedley having left the camp, till the next morning, when his native servant reported him missing. Then we didn't think much of it. He was our photographer, and often went out with his camera the first thing in the morning, before the sun was up. However, as the day advanced and we heard nothing of him, we mounted our horses and went in search.

About three miles from camp we came upon his smashed camera and his dead body, poor fellow, stabbed in several places and stripped to the skin. But over the body there stood two male lions locked in deadly combat. Have you ever seen two bulldogs fighting when nothing and nobody can separate them ? " continued Valmont, addressing the company. "I've seen much worse than that, my dear boy," replied Admiral Noakes, "I've seen two mad ele phants struggling with each other — the whole of Ceylon reverberating with their terrible cries — the steam from their nostrils showering like rain — the blood streaming from them like a river! Wait till you've seen that! You won't think much of a couple of trumpery lions then, I can tell you ! " Sir Guy bit his lip as he replied, " I am sure of it, Admiral, but then, you see, I haven't been so fortunate as you, so a hon fight appeared rather a serious thing to me, particularly when taking place over the body of one of my best friends.

These brutes went for each other like bulldogs, only with twenty times the force. They were so intent upon killing each other that they proved an easy quarry, for Wilmot — that was my other chum — and I shot them dead whilst inter locked. They were magnificent specimens. You have seen their skins at Arlington, Jerrold!" " Indeed I have, and envied you the possession. They are enormous!" " Yes ! The two beasts were in their prime. They had torn the body but not devoured it. Their in stinct doubtless forbad their touching it after having been stabbed perhaps with a poisoned knife. They were simply quarrelling over the body, as dogs growl over a bone which they do not want to eat. When we separated the dead carcases, we found that the one brute had fixed his teeth so forcibly in the other's jaw, that he had wrenched one of them from the socket, and it fell out as the natives were skinning him.

I had it set, and wear it on my watch chain. Here it is!" He thrust his hand into the breast pocket of his Norfolk jacket as he spoke, and pulled out his chain, but the lion's tooth was not to be seen. Only the gold rim which had encircled its crown dangled aimlessly alone. " Where can I have dropped it?" exclaimed the young man ruefully, " I know it was there when I dressed this morning. Have I taken my watch out since ? O ! yes ! I did ! You asked me how near it was to luncheon time about an hour ago, Lord Dailgarroch! How provoking!" He was evidently much concerned at the loss. He stood up and turned out all his pockets and shook his clothes, but to no purpose. The tooth was not to be found. " The gillies shall go back and look for it at once," said his host, "Chads and Clavers, Sir Guy has dropped a large tooth, set in gold, off his watch chain, somewhere in the heather.

Go back over the ground and look for it carefully." " My dear Lord Dailgarroch, pray do not take the trouble. It is quite impossible that they can find it! I must have dropped it in the middle of the moor!" "Nothing is impossible, Sir Guy," interposed the Admiral. " Would you believe that once, whilst scampering over the desert in the ramshackle transits they used before the excavation of the Suez Canal, I let slip from my finger a most valuable diamond ring — an heirloom in our family, which had been presented to my great great grandfather by the Shah of Persia, and had been valued at one hundred thousand pounds! Well! naturally, as you may imagine, I never expected to see it again. The sand of the desert, you know, dry as dust, and shifting its place with every sirocco that blows ! I regretted the loss of my ring, but 1 tried to put the thought of it away.

It was impossible I should ever regain it. Well! three years afterwards, as I was returning to England, we passed through the desert again, and the fact made my thoughts once more dwell upon my loss. As I was relating the story to a fellow passenger, with my eyes fixed on the sand we were travelling over, I caught sight of some thing shining like a star beneath the wheels of the transit. ' Stop ! stop ! ' I cried to the driver, and after a while I succeeded in making him do so. I retraced my steps, searching carefully the while, and there, Sir Guy, there just where I had dropped it three years before, I found my ring! Wonder ful! wasn't it?" " Most wonderful ! " replied Valmont. The keepers had been standing at their master's back all this while, and the Earl repeated his orders to them. " After the Admiral's story, we must certainly try to find your lost tooth, Valmont," he said — then continued to the men, " Go at once, and do your best, and, Averil, you can accompany them.

Your eyes are sharp and clear!" " O ! I say, father, I haven't had half a lunch ! " " Your mother would say that you had had quite as much as was good for you, so do as you're told. You can carry your own gun too, and exercise your shooting powers on Chads, or Clavers, or yourself, but don't shoot all three this afternoon, because we want someone to bring back Sir Guy's tooth!" "Not my tooth," exclaimed Valmont, laughing, "for it is as big as that of a horse! But I hope they may have the good luck to find it, for I would not have parted with it for a great deal. Whose grounds are within these walls, Lord Dailgarroch? They seem extensive!" " That is Dungarvon Cottage, Mrs. Stuart's place. We call it the Convent, for the poor lady keeps herself like a cloistered nun, and hardly ever comes outside the walls."

"Why 'poor'?" enquired Valmont. " It seems a very jolly place!" " So it is ! You'd say so if you were inside. It belonged to my old friend Ronald Stuart, one of the best fellows that ever lived. But he died, ten years ago, and his widow has shut herself up from society ever since. Not that she ever mixed freely in it, but she used to visit us at the Castle, and my wife was always pleased to have her company, but we cannot persuade her to come to us now." "Ronald Stuart! Ronald Stuart!" said Captain Jerrold, musingly, " Where have I heard that name before? Was he not a Highlander? Had he not a place near Fochabars?" "I believe he had!" "What made him come down to the Lowlands then, and settle here?" " I cannot tell you ! I fancy the air was too keen for Mrs. Stuart, and he sold his place in consequence.

He perfectly idolised her — so did she him — and if she chooses now to sit at home all the year round and mourn for dear old Ronald, I should be the last to blame her, — only she has no right to keep the Princess shut up in her enchanted castle as well." "And who is the Princess?" asked Sir Guy. "Her daughter May, the sweetest creature God ever made, and I can say that, notwithstanding my own tribe of girlies at home. I call her the Enchanted Princess, for the poor child fives in Dreamland, and knows positively nothing of the outside world. She is never allowed to go to a dance or a pic-nic, or any such little festivity as children love. I say it's a shame, and I have told Mrs. Stuart so to her face, but it is of no use. She thinks it better that May should be brought up quietly with herself, and since she cannot make up her mind to accompany her daughter into society, prefers her not going at all."

" Beastly selfish ! " observed Lord Edward Milner, " but most mothers are selfish where their daughters are concerned." " You are right ! " replied Lord Dailgarroch, " we, who are old, should not forget that we have once been young. How can Mrs. Stuart expect such a chM Is the Princess-only seventeen on her last bfrthday-to be happy, cooped up a thorny w*h no society but that of a couple of old women her moS and her governess, who will netther of them see fifty again? It is ridiculous! "She'll be eloping with the butcher or baker, by and by!" observed Mr. Pennington, sagely. Lord Dailgarroch shook his head. "You don't know May! She is as proud as they are made' Her mother has taught her that to be a StuTrt is a nobler heritage than to be of she blood Roval and the minx fully believes it. She is a Jevoted daughter.

In her eyes .Mrs .Stuart : cannot do wrong, and everything that "Mother says must be right. She is a perfect angel amongst Se poor people round us-not a tract-delivering tpSUuting, ser-on-preaching angel but ps their little friend and comforter. If a child dies for five miles round, the Princess is bound to be the first on the spot, to crown the little corpse with flowers and kissP away the tears of the bereaved molh '• She is the best little girl I've ever known " all this, is she pretty?" asked Lord yes! and no fool into the bargain ! She would S be Ronald Stuart's daughter, if she were iam told she is quite a learned young woman but essons muSt evenVve been an a— nt, tc , her to break the dull monotony of such a life. By J ove . Milner now I come to think of it, she would be •u^the "rife for you!

You want steadying m) .boy and the Princess is such a serious little lady, she would sober you down in no time! " Thanks ! Don't want to be sobered down, " drawled Lord Edward. " Hush ! " said their host suddenly, " by Jove ! here she comes!" All eyes were at once turned in the direction he indicated, to see a young girl advancing rather rapidly towards them, with the bridle of a shaggy Highland pony looped over her arm. She wore a white cambric dress, without any ornament and a broad-brimmed straw hat, beneath which a pair of shy hazel eyes beamed excitedly. She had an abundance of fight brown hair, straight features, and a delicate complexion, like the heart of a maiden blush rose. The men rose in a body to their feet at her approach. Merely a virginal slip of a girl, not nearly matured to womanhood, and yet a company of men, old and young, stood bare-headed to greet her presence and pay homage to her sex.

The girl acknowledged the compliment by a slight bend of her head, as she addressed herself to the earl. "Lord Dailgarroch," she said, in a quick breathless way as she reached the spot, " does this belong to you, or any of your party? I found it amongst the heather ten minutes ago." And she held out the missing lion's tooth. " Thank you, my Princess ! " replied the Earl, " you have done my friend here a great service. He stumbled over a big stone just now, and knocked out his best molar as you must perceive. But let me introduce him, that he may thank you himself. Sir Guy Valmont! — Miss Stuart!" The girl looked up in a startled, incredulous manner, as if she did not know for the moment whether the earl were jesting or not, but as she perceived the folly of his statement, she raised her eyes to Valmont's, smiling.

They were wonderful eyes — the most wonderful eyes, he thought, that he had ever seen — of a pure hazel, the iris of a golden brown flecked with green, and they looked, not at him but through him, until they seemed to reach his very soul, with an expression, half shy, half bold, but entirely candid. Her gaze almost put him out of countenance. " Lord Dailgarroch is pleased to be merry at my expense, Miss Stuart," he said, "but he cannot exaggerate the service you have so kindly done me. I value my 'molar' very much, and was regretting its loss deeply, though it was extracted from a lion's jaw instead of mine!" "Did you kill it?" she asked, breathlessly. "I did!" " Ah ! the beautiful creature ! Were you not sorry?" " Not in this case, Miss Stuart, but I have often felt a brute for depriving wild animals of a life which they enjoy so much, and we can never restore to them.

But in some cases it is necessary, you know!" "Yes! I suppose so," she answered, but she did not seem quite satisfied nevertheless. " I can never thank you enough for having restored it to me ! " " I am glad I found it, " she said simply, " or rather, that I picked it up, for I thought it was only a white pebble at first!" "Come along, Princess," said Lord Dailgarroch, gaily, " and have some luncheon with us ! " She glanced round and saw that the men were still standing about the table-cloth. Her natural courtesy made her put them at their ease. " I have had my luncheon, thank you, Lord Dailgarroch," she replied, "but I will sit down by you for a little while, if your friends will go on with theirs." She found her way to his side as she spoke, the sheltie following her as a matter of course, and poking his rough head over her shoulder, as she took a seat beside the earl.

"And how is all going on at Dungarvon?" he enquired. "Is your mother quite well, May?" " O ! wonderfully well for her. I think this hot weather agrees with her. She sits out all day on the lawn with her work and books." "I wish you would persuade her to venture beyond the lawn!" May's face fell. "Ah! Lord Dailgarroch, you know what my mother is! She seems to dread the outer world, more each year instead of less. She is as happy in her present life as she will ever be again!" " And are you happy too, my dear?" said her friend. "I could never be happy without her!" the girl said quickly. " But we have seen too little of you of late, May, and the lassies at home are always asking when you are coming to the Castle again. I am sure Mrs. Stuart would spare you for an hour occasionally if she knew the pleasure it gave us.

The Countess and I intend to invade The Cottage to-morrow, and see if we cannot persuade her to let you join us on Averil's birthday next week, when we are trying to get up a carpet hop!" May's eyes sparkled with delighted anticipation. "0! how kind of you and dear Lady Dailgarroch ! If mother only would! If it is a children's party, perhaps she will! And I should be so delighted! I have not forgotten my dancing, though I am very hard up for partners. Sometimes I waltz by myself, and sometimes with Toby, whilst Madame de Leuville plays for us. But I have not forgotten it — I have not indeed." She was only a school-girl then, brimming over with the delightful prospect that opened before her. " Well ! well ! we must try what we can do ! Tell your mother that we purpose calling on her to-morrow afternoon.

I know she does not like to be taken by surprise. And we shall succeed, May ! I shall not quit the house till I have obtained Mrs. Stuart's consent to your joining us!" " O ! you dear ! " cried May impulsively, and then reddened like a rose at finding she had been so outspoken before a company of strangers. "I think I had better return home now," she said, rising to her feet, " or mother will get nervous about me!" "And where's the duenna?" demanded the Earl, " it is a marvel to see you out of doors by yourself, Princess!" " Madame de Leuville has a sick headache to-day and is keeping her room, " replied the girl, " but I have only been to visit my poor people, Lord Dailgarroch, and I generally do that alone. Kelpie and I make long excursions into the country some times. He is such a good little fellow.

He will stand outside a cottage for me for hours, without stirring an inch. " And she kissed the nose of her pony as she spoke. I 6 THE DREAM THAT STAYED. "There are several other good little fellows who would do the same service for you for the same reward, May!" laughed the Earl, as he waved his hand to her in fareweU. " Don't forget to tell your mother that we are coming to see her to-morrow " All the young men rose to their feet again as she prepared to leave them, but Valmont was the first to gain her side. But she had jumped into the saddle before he reached her, her steed not beingmuch higher than an armchair, and about as steady " Thank you once more for bringing me back my treasure ! " he said, as he placed the reins in her hand. May smiled for answer, and gave him another glance from her bewildering eyes— then turned her back upon the shooting party, and ambled soberly away in the direction of her mother's gates.

A silence fell upon the sportsmen as she disappeared, broken by Lord Edward Milner. "By Jove! what a beautiful girl!" he said with a low whistle, "I think I shall take your advice, Lord Dailgarroch, and 'go in' for her!" Guy Valmont hated him for the remark. It was offensive to hear a young fool like that mention a pure untainted girl in so flippant a manner. But the Earl made some laughing reply, and in another minute the party had risen to pursue their occupation

Chapter II

Guy Valmont shot indifferently for the remainder of the afternoon. His thoughts were elsewhere. He was haunted by a resemblance which he could not identify. Of whom was it, that Miss Stuart reminded him ? He was quite sure that he had never met her before, and yet her features seemed familiar. A puzzle of this sort disturbs a man sometimes more than a serious matter. " Missed again, Valmont, by George ! " the Earl exclaimed, and then he became conscious that he had been wondering the while if he could have encountered this girl's mother, or father, in society in days gone by, and that her likeness to her parents formed the hazy recollection that teased his memory. But, after all, that was very improbable, for Lord Dailgarroch had said that the Stuarts had lived in seclusion for years, and their daughter was already seventeen — he was thinking nonsense !

He tried his best to shake off the impression she had made upon him, and to address his attention to the matter in hand, — to laugh at the Admiral's stories, which usually began at some critical period when silence was imperative — to echo his host's pleasantries or Lord Edward's meaningless jokes. But it was useless, and at last he delivered his gun i? to the keeper and said he had had enough shooting for that day. " I don't know whether any of you fellows have noticed it, " he said, " but the sun is deucedly hot !— and the thermometer at about 100, in the shade ! I feel very much like going home ! " And he lifted his cap and passed his handkerchief over his face and round the back of his neck as he concluded. " Call this hot ? " exclaimed the Admiral, " why you don't know what heat is ! You should have anchored outside Canton with me, Sir, in 1860.

The planks of the quarter-deck curled up as though warped, and the sails were scorched as brown as toast. Fifteen men out of my crew died of sunstroke, and the rest were laid up. I alone withstood the weather, but I met with a nasty accident. Placing my hand one morning upon the cannon, I experienced an unpleasant sensation, and in another minute the whole of the skin peeled off the palm like a piece of linen. How it was that my brains stood the atmosphere, I have never been able to determine. " "Perhaps your skull was so thick it couldn't get through it ! " giggled Lord Edward. "No! Sir, no!" replied the Admiral, severely, "I daresay you consider the allusion very witty, but less wit than yours has made men challenge each other in my day. It was not the thickness of my head, Sir — which is a silly jest which none but a numskull would have thought of — that saved my brains, but a cabbage !