Spiders of Society. A novel

Front matter

SPIDERS OF SOCIETY A NOVEL. BY FLORENCE A1ARRYAT, AUTHOR OF " MY SISTER THE ACTRESS," " FACING THE FOOTLIGHTS," " PHYLLIDA," " HOW THEY LOVED HIM," " THE MASTER PASSION," ETC, ETC. "They are the spiders of society ; They weave their petty webs of lies and sneers, And lie themselves in ambush for the spoil." Landon. IN THREE VOLUMES. VOL. II. LONDON : F. V. WHITE & CO., 31 SOUTHAMPTON STREET, STRAND, W.C, 1886. [All Rights reserved.} "SELECT" NOVELS. Crown %vo, cloth, js. 6d. each. AT ALL BOOKSELLERS AND BOOKSTALLS. By FLORENCE MARRYAT. THE HEIR-PRESUMPTIVE. HER WORLD AGAINST A LIE. THE HEART OF JANE WARNER. PEERESS AND PLAYER. UNDER THE LILIES & ROSES. FACING THE FOOTLIGHTS. MY OWN CHILD. A BROKEN BLOSSOM. MY SISTER THE ACTRESS. By ANNIE THOMAS (Mrs Pender Cudlip). HER SUCCESS. I JENIFER. KATE VALLIANT. | ALLERTON TOWERS.

FRIENDS AND LOVERS. By LADY CONSTANCE HOWARD. MATED WITH A CLOWN. I MOLLIE DARLING. ONLY A VILLAGE MAIDEN. | SWEETHEART AND WIFE. By MES HOUSTOUN, Author of "Recommended to Mercy." Barbara's warning. by mrs alexander fraser. the match of the season. j a fatal passion. a professional beauty. By IZ£Jtttf-___I{S HARDY. ONLY A LOVE STORY. yi'^jy^P&^N. EASILY JEALOUS. LOB&||feN(Wiyl#b OBEY. $y JEAN MIDijj_MASS. POISONED A _J?i'R O W S. O W S. By MRS H. LOVETT CAMERON. IN A GRASS COUNTRY. A DEAD PAST. A NORTH COUNTRY MAID. By DORA RUSSELL. By LADY VIOLET GREVILLE. OUT OF EDEN. KEITH'S WIFE. By NELLIE FORTESCUE HARRISON, Author of "SoEuns my Dream. FOR ONE MAN'S PLEASURE. By EDMUND LEATHES THE ACTOR'S WIFE. By HARRIETT JAY. A MARRIAGE OF CONVENIENCE. COLSTON AND COMPANY, PRINTERS, EDINBURGH. CONTENTS. CHAPTER T. PAGE AN ARGUMENT, ...... 1

Chapter I. An Argument

K^m'raS] |HEN Georgie Harrington told I I ffl il Hiram Bloch in her impetuous pfcig^pala; way that she was married, the young man started from her as if he had been struck. "Married !" he repeated slowly ; "married ! And when your name is Miss Har rington ? " "My name is not Miss Harrington. I am only called so on the stage. I am the vol. ii. A wife of Captain Gerard Legh. I wish I had told you so from the beginning, but it is not a subject I am fond of discussing." Mr Bloch left the seat he occupied at her side, and went and leant against the man telpiece in silence. " You have been very cruel to me," he said, after a long pause, during which Georgie fancied she could hear the beating of his heart ; " very, very cruel ! You have seen my devotion to you. You must have guessed my intentions, and yet you had not the mercy to undeceive me until it was too late."

Georgie hung her head in the utmost distress. " Indeed — indeed, Mr Bloch, you do me wrong. You have been very kind to me and Sissie, and I am deeply grateful to you ; but I never thought you felt more than a friend should feel towards us both. I have been blind, perhaps, but I have not been wilfully unkind. I had no idea that you would speak to me as you have done to-day." "No ideas" he said bitterly. "You come over here with all the attractions of your beauty and genius, and pass amongst us under a feigned name, and then say you had no idea you would have the power to sway our hearts with our senses. Is this not a little bit of affectation, Miss Harring ton ? My knowledge of your sex hitherto has not tended to convince me of their humility where their own charms are con cerned." " I am not surprised you should think badly of me — " commenced Georgie.

" No ! no ! I did not say that," inter posed Mr Bloch hastily ; " but why have you kept me in the dark so long ? " " I assure you I have utterly mistaken the drift of your attentions to my sister and myself. Knowing that I am married, I am not so keen about such things, per haps, as a young girl would be. I can only express my deep regret for the mistake I have led you into, Mr Bloch, and ask you to pardon me." "You know there can be no need of such a word between you and me, Miss Harring ton. But answer me one question. Why have you dropped your married name ? " " I have not dropped it in England ; but I have been known by my maiden name ever since I stepped upon the stage, and I never anticipated it would create confusion on this side the Atlantic." " But where is your husband, then ? " " He is at home," said Georgie, blushing.

" He could let you come out to this country — so young and beautiful as you are — without the protection of his presence ! What was he about ? He must have guessed you would be surrounded by ad mirers. He must he rather a strange sort of person." "Perhaps he trusted me," said Georgie. " When we value a thing very much, Miss Harrington, we guard it. But per haps Captain Legh has business that detains him at home. Is he also on the stage ? " "Oh, no!" cried Georgie, smiling at the idea of what Gerard would think at being suspected of following the profession of an actor. " He has no work — he does nothing." "And you toil all the year round. Is that the fashion in England, Miss Harrington ? " " When people have no money, they must make it," replied Georgie evasively. " True. Every American will agree with you in that sentiment.

We work ourselves from our cradles to our graves. But we never let our women work for us. We are a rough young nation, and some people call us half civilised; but we would rather starve than do that." "Mr Bloch," said Georgie suddenly, "I think it is only fair to you and myself that you should learn the circumstances that have led me to he so silent on the subject of my married life. You have been so kind and generous to me and Sissie — and this last act of yours towards her has made me so entirely }7our debtor, that I should be very sorry you should think I could play wilfully with the feelings of any one." "I clo not think it, indeed, Miss Harring ton. Those unjust words escaped me in the first sting of my disappointment. I know and feel that you are far too good for any thing of the sort."

" Still I will tell you," persisted Georgie, "for I am sure you will respect my confi dence. I was married three years ago to a man who promised to keep, and whom I believed to be capable of keeping me as the wife of a gentleman. But he is ex travagant and thoughtless, and he ran through his money in a twelvemonth, so that I was compelled, for all our sakes, to return to the stage." He set you to work for him, in fact.' "It was nothing!" she cried. "I love my profession, and would rather be an actress than an idle woman any day. That is not what I complain of. But my husband did not treat me with common fairness. He took my earnings and spent them freely, whilst he abused the means by which they were gained. And — and — so dissensions arose between us, and our lives became very unhappy, until there was nothing to do but to separate.

It is better to separate, is it not," she concluded wistfully, "than to live a life of continual variance ? " "Much better: there is no doubt of it," he answered. " And so I suppose this gentleman who can spend money, but is too fine to make it, allows you to support him in England whilst you work out here." " Oh, no ! I must do him the justice to say he has refused any assistance from me now. For we are separated for ever, Mr Bloch. It is all over. We shall never live together again," said Georgie sadly. Hiram Bloch did not seem to share her regret at the announcement. " But if that is the case, why don't you divorce him, and get rid of him altogether ? " he demanded eagerly. " I can't divorce him," she replied, red dening at the idea. " Not in England, I suppose. You have such queer laws over there, they seem to frustrate the very object for which they were enacted.

But in this country you would find it a much easier affair." " So I have heard." " There is our mutual friend, for example, Mrs Lousada-Lorens. Her first husband was no good to her. An idle, dissipated fellow, who squandered his money, and made her more miserable than she will acknowledge now. Had they remained together, their lives would probably have resulted in some thing much worse. As it is, she was wise enough to take means to set herself free from him, and she is happy and prosperous." " Yes, she has told me as much. It is all very different from what it is at home. And it certainly seems to me that in some ca,ses it must be an enormous advantage." " Of course it is. It gives people a chance of rectifying an error, and beginning life anew. There are States in this country where divorces may be obtained on the various pleas of non-support, incompati bility of temper, and violence, as well as on graver charges.

How I wish, Miss Harring ton, that I could see you free. How much happier you would feel for knowing you were so." " But such freedom would be of no use to me in England, Mr Bloch. The laws there are very stringent, and until they set me at liberty, I should be considered a married woman." " Then why go back to England ? Why not decide to make your home amongst us ? Do you dislike. America too much to live here altogether ? " " On the contrary, I have learned both to admire and love her. I think yours is the grandest nation, after our own, that I have ever seen, and the cordiality with which I was received amongst you, made me feel at once that I was with friends." " Then stay with us, Miss Harrington, and let us be your friends for ever. I have an eminent legal acquaintance in New York, Judge Sedgeley.

Let me put your case in his hands. He will tell you just how you stand, aud everything that is necessary to be done in order to procure your liberty. Shall I appoint a time for him to call on you . " "No, no, Mr Bloch!" exclaimed Georgie, shrinking from the idea. " Indeed, you are running on far too fast. I have never even contemplated the possibility of being legally separated from my husband. The notion is too strange and startling to me. Pray say no more about it, and consider the confi dence I have reposed in you as sacred. I should not have mentioned it, except that I wished you to know the reason why I have never spoken of Captain Legh to you. I came out to this country in order to court forgetfulness of the past. The only way to accomplish it was by never discussing the subject, else you would have been one of the first to whom I should have mentioned it."

" I wish to Heaven you had," returned the young man mournfully. "You would have saved me a world of trouble. But you will not cast me off because of this unfortunate avowal, Miss Harrington ? You will still let me call myself your nearest friend ? " Georgie looked distressed, but shook her head. " I don't think it would be wise, Mr Bloch. I am deeply grateful for your kind ness, and I shall miss your visits more than I can say ; but after what has passed — " " I understand. You need not go on further ! " he exclaimed. " I have made a fool of myself, and I must take the consequences. I don't suppose that (even if you had been free) you would have stooped to consider my offer ? " Georgie would not answer him. If she had been free, she thought that her heart might have been seriously attracted towards the handsome young fellow who sat by her side, and asked to be allowed to lay everything he possessed at her feet.

But as matters stood, it would have been worse than folly to tell him even of a " might have been." So she was obliged to appear indifferent, when she was doing her best to be merciful. "It is useless to talk of that now," she answered gently, " so I will not w7ound your feelings by discussing it. Only remember that I shall always think of you as a friend, and I hope you will consider me in the same light," " There is not much use in that," said Mr Bloch, with a sigh. " You women generally offer us a stone, when we ask for bread. I would rather you told me to wait, and hope for a day that may dawn for both of us." " I cannot tell you what is not true," said Georgie. But though she was exceedingly sorry for Mr Bloch's disappointment, and anxious it should go no further, she was obliged to confide it to Mrs Lousada-Lorens.

Mr Hiram Bloch, with his handsome face and enormous fortune, had been one of the greatest attractions to her "salons," and could not be allowed to absent himself without a reason. Georgie told her story as delicately as she could, but she received no sympathy from Mrs Lousada-Lorens. " And aren't you going to have him ? " she asked, as soon as Georgie had con cluded. My dear friend, how can I have him ? " By doing as I did with Mr Lousada." " But that sort of thing is not legal in my country." " You are not in your country now, my dear ; and you know the old saying, ' When you are in Rome do as the Romans do.' If you married Mr Bloch, I presume your homt would be in New York, and a nice home it would be ! Why, my dear Miss Harring ton, that young man has millions of dollars, and is making more every day.

He has the power to place you in a palace, and gather the best society around you. You would be raised at once and for ever above any necessity for labour, and you would be a little queen in your own circle. Now, isn't it worth thinking of ? " " No, no," cried Georgie, shaking her head ; "it is no use thinking of it. It can never be." " Ah ! I suppose you love that man in England still ? " " Indeed I do not," said the girl in dignantly. " You must be hankering after him, or you would never be so foolish as to throw such a chance as this away. You had much better go back to him and make it up. I believe you will be miserable until you do." " Mrs Lousada-Lorens, how can you talk to me in such a wa}7, when I have told you how he has ill-treated and insulted me ? But I have been brought up to consider marriage sacred, however unhappy it may be, and it seems impossible to me to rupture it on any pretence but one."

"That is the way with Britishers," said Mrs Lousada-Lorens. "Once put an idea into their heads, and you can't get it out again. What's the good of your coming to an enlightened country like this, and not taking advantage of her law7s ? You are miserable in England. America offers you freedom and happiness, and you refuse them, for fear England might object. I'll tell you what you should do then. Make yourself a naturalised American, and you'll be subject to her laws." " But not freed from the law of my own conscience," replied Georgie. "My dear Miss Harrington, I've no patience with you. You know what St Paul said, ' If there had been no law I had not sinned.' alluding, of course, to the laws of his country, as well as those of religion. And so if you became one of us, and married according to our laws, you could not be doing wrong."

"It is a moot question," said Georgie, "and I confess I do not understand it." " Then make inquiries on the subject, my dear, until it is plain to you. 1 confess I should like to see you in your proper sphere, instead of working like a nigger. A woman working for her livelihood, and such a pretty woman, too. Why it is an anomaly in the States. We should be ashamed to see it, and ashamed of the woman who did it, too." "I don't understand that, Mrs Lousada- Lorens." "Why, it's like this. Women are made to be worked for, and therefore we think the married woman who works degrades herself and her husband. She lowers her self by taking his place in the world. She lowers him by making him accept her bounty. For old maids and widows it is a different thing. We must eat, wherever the bread may come from.

But to see a refined, delicate creature like you slaving on the public stage, is a disgrace to your country. And the man who lets you do it, should be shot." " I am afraid there would be wholesale slaughter in England if that idea was carried out," said Georgie, smiling. " That's just what I hear. But I don't see why you should add to the list of vic tims, when here's a fine handsome fellow ready to take you out of it all. And not only you, but your sister. You must re member that, Miss Harrington. Why, we think nothing of a divorce in this country. There's Mrs Pauline Neumeyer, whom you've met in the best houses of New York. She's married to her fourth husband, and two of the others are still alive. What difference does it make to us ? You should let Judge Sedgeley explain the law to you.

You'd see that it can be managed so quietly that no one will know it's taken place. Why, there's hardly a soul in this city know7s you're married. I've been asked the question dozens of times, and I always say " No." "Oh ! don't deceive them any longer. Let us have no more mistakes. This one has hurt me sufficiently," cried Georgie tearfully. " Well, you hold the remedy in your own hands. You need not let the poor fellow be miserable one minute longer than you choose. Now, will you promise me to think over it." " Oh, yes, I'll think over it," replied Georgie, who felt her mind becoming con fused and undecided under the arguments of Mrs Lousada-Lorens. VOL. 11. 1;

Chapter II. The Confidant

j 1 7m j!^| 0 return to Captain Gerard Legh. IsEe _œs When he knew i'n]- certain that ,SiL_IiIl his wife had quitted England, he went back to the house in Park Lane, in anything but an enviable state of mind. The little place looked empty and deserted. The servants had been cleaning up after their mistress's dej)arture, and there was an unhomelike sense about everything, that struck him forcibly. The housemaid had already packed up, and left the house, and the cook had only waited for the Captain's arrival, to ask him when she should be at liberty to follow suit. " And why do you want to go ? " he inquired irritably. The cook looked down, and twisted her apron. " Well, you see, sir, Mrs Legh, she paid us our wages before she went, so as we might take our choice. And, in course, it isn't the same thing, now the others has gone ; n©r living with a single gentleman isn't what I've been used to, — still I've no wish to leave before you're suited, sir, nor to ill-convenience you in any way."

"Oh, go to the devil!" cried Captain Legh impetuously, as he slammed the door i.a. her face. He had a strong suspicion that he knew why the rats deserted the sinking ship. They had heard too much both of his temper and his impecuniosity, and even if he controlled the first, they had grave doubts if they should ever see their wages. Captain Legh could do with very little service in his own house, if he dined at the club every day, but as he sat alone that evening smoking a solitary cigar, and calculating his resources, he was obliged to come to the conclusion that club dinners must be struck off the list of his indulgences for the future. He had refused the assistance of his wife, and two hundred a year would barely cover his actual necessities. At last the idea struck him to let the house.

The season was past, but it was beautifully furnished, and ought to bring in another couple of hundred a year at least. When Captain Legh had got this idea in his head, he could not rest till he had discussed it with a friend. He tossed off a glass of claret, threw the end of his cigar away, and strolled up Park Lane to call on Mrs Lacy, Marian Lacy's mother. This lady, who was a widow, lived with her daughter in a suite of rooms, over a shop in Baker Street. She had known Gerard Legh before he became acquainted with Georgie Harrington, and in those days used to speak of her brother's child as of one on the road to de struction. AVhat her sister-in-law had been thinking of when she allowed her daughter to mingle in so demoralising an atmosphere as that of the stage, she was unable to understand.

But when Georgie not only succeeded in her profession, but married a scion of the aristocracy, Mrs Lacy changed her tone. Hers was no longer a name that had to be mentioned in a w7hisper, but was dragged in by the head and shoulders to every conversation. " My niece the Honour able Mrs Legh," was constantly on the lips of Mrs Lacy — Marian was as much in Georgie's house as in her own — and both mother and daughter benefited largely by the young actress's liberality and patronage. Mrs Lacy had even urged Georgie to take her cousin to America. " Let our dear Marian accompany you," she said, " in any capacity you like. Only make her useful, and a comfort to you, and I shall be satisfied. I cannot bear to think of your going across the water alone." But Marian had resisted the proposition. She had no wish to leave England in her cousin's train.

So the subject was dropped between them. But though the Lacys had always upheld Georgie in public, and pro fessed to sympathise largely with her in pri vate, they had not withdrawn their friend ship from Captain Legh in consequence. He was the aristocratic link they could not afford to ignore. Owing to Lord and Lady Kinlock not having noticed their daughter in-law, her relations had not yet derived much advantage from the connection, but they had not lost hope of doing so, and when Gerard Legh walked into their sitting-room on that August evening, they received him with an effusive welcome. It was the day after Georgie sailed from Liverpool, and Marian had been home since the night before. " This is really kind of you, Captain Legh," said Mrs Lacy, with an outstretched hand, " coming to see us on this sad occa sion, as if we were trusted friends.

I suppose you know that my dear Marian saw Georgie off yesterday afternoon ? " " Did she go down to Liverpool with her ? " demanded Captain Legh. " Yes. My niece wished it, and I thought it would look better if she had some of her own family with her to the last. Not as if she were going so entirely against our wishes, you know. And Marian did not leave her till the steamer started." " Indeed," replied Captain Legh, stretch ing himself languidly in his chair. " I hope she went off in good spirits." " Oh, excellent ! " cried Marian, and then she stopped suddenly, and looked at her mother, as if she had made a mistake. " Go on, my dear," said Mrs Lacy com placently. " I suppose there is nothing to conceal, and it's just as well that Captain Legh should know the truth." " Certainly," acquiesced Gerard lazily.

" I never supposed she would cry at leaving me." "She kept up wonderfully," continued Marian. " I was completely surprised. I didn't think Georgie had so much courage." " You credited her, perhaps, with more heart." " Oh, no, Captain Legh, you mustn't say that, but she really was brave. They had a big dinner at the hotel the night before, and she laughed and talked with everybody as if she hadn't a care in the world. The only time she showed any signs of breaking down was just at the last, when she had to say good-bye to her friends." " I suppose she had any number of friends to see her off ? " "Oh, yes! a great many, but Georgie didn't mind parting from any of them much — except me, of course — and Mr Bra bazon Chauncey." " Oh ! Mr Brabazon Chauncey was there, was he ? " said Gerard, waking up.

" AA7hy, of course he was. Do you think it likely that he would let Georgie leave England without a last good-bye, wrhen he is the oldest friend she has in the world ? " " I know he is a very old friend," replied Captain Legh dryly. " Poor Georgie couldn't be comforted at all, when it came to our leaving her, until he had promised to go over to New York, if she didn't return at the settled time." " My belief is, that she doesn't intend to return at all," said Gerard. " Is it ? " said Marian ; but she never contradicted his assertion. " And what clo you intend to do, Captain Legh ? " commenced Mr Lacy. " Alarian and I are so anxious for your comfort, that we should like to know." " I should like to know myself," he re sponded, " but I am quite uncertain. In fact, I came up here this evening to ask your advice.

You see, my wife has taken all her money with her." " Oh dear, oh dear ! " interpolated Airs Lacy sympathetically. " And my income is not sufficient to keep up the house properly. I could not dine by myself on a mutton chop either, evening after evening. I've been accustomed to com pany, and perfect solitude would madden me. I should go down to my own people at Summerhayes, but unfortunately my marriage with Georgie has estranged me from them all. I was thinking, therefore, of letting the house. AVhat do you say to the idea ? " " A very good one, as far as the house is concerned, Captain Legh ; but what about yourself?" said Airs Lacy. "A life in chambers, or apartments, will not be much more lively for you. AVliat you want is society at home." " But I can't get it," said Gerard. " My wife has deserted me, and left me to shift for myself.

I shall have to live en garcon for the future." " I have a little plan in my head," returned Airs Lacy, " though I don't know if it will come to anything. AVhat should you say to Alarian and me taking your house off your hands ? " Marian grew crimson, and looked at her mother with a startled gaze. " Oh, mamma ! " she exclaimed, and there stopped. " I don't quite understand," said Captain Legh. " What would you clo with your own ? " " AVe are going to leave these rooms at the end of a fortnight. The landlord wants to raise the roof of the house, and I could not stand the noise and dirt of the work men. So I am thinking if you would like us to occupy yours — for a time at least — ■ and then you need not turn out of it. AVhat I pay here for rent will be sufficient to cover the expenses of your board and an extra servant ; and for the rest, Marian and I will manage for ourselves.

By this means you will have what I hope will be a comfortable home to come to, and your income at your own disposal." " Mamma, it is the loveliest proposal in the world ! " cried Alarian excitedly. " Let us hear what Captain Legh says to it, my dear." " I second Marian's decision, Mrs Lacy, and I am very much obliged to you for thinking of it. It will take all domestic trouble off my hands, and it will give me, as you say, a home. I've had little enough of one lately, Heaven knows." " Poor fellow ! " said Marian softly. " But I am no longer to be compassion ated," replied Gerard, most brightly. " I shall grow fat and lazy, more probably, under Mrs Lacy's kind care, and you'll be trying all sorts of devices to get me out of the house." " You need not be afraid of that," said the girl. " Although I am Georgie's first cousin, I don't think anyone ever detected any great resemblance between us." '• Resemble your cousin Georgina, my love !