A Story of Three Sisters

Chapter I

" Love who may — I still can say, Those who win heaven, blest are they." One sAveet, spring morning, when the prim roses Avere shaking off the dew that had gathered on their closed blossoms, and the larks were singing over the great grass meadows round Rose Hall, Pamela got up with a little cloud of sadness on her face. Over the garden wall she could see far away into the green country, as she bent out of her open Avindow. In one place a bit of the road shone Avhitely in the sun, the road leading out into the world which she had so often longed to travel herself, but which looked hard and unfriendly now, when she VOL. II. B remembered that by this time to-morroAV George Lynton Avould be traArelling upon it, aAvay from them all. They had been all so happy together; Avhy should it end so ? Perhaps she had some presentiment that such bright days do not come back, and Avas sorrowing for herself as Avell as for her friend.

When we are young every neAv bit of happiness is a pure gain to us, something to be stored up for the rest of life ; when Ave are old Ave also take such heaven-sent gifts gladly, but take them as some compensation for what is gone. " I shall not see him again," thought Pamela, as she looked out into the distance Avith dim eyes, " for so long, so long ! He Avill forget us among grand, strange folks, but Ave shall ahvays remember our friend Avho was so gentle and good, and his beautiful face and voice that are gone aAvay, perhaps for ever." But fate had designed that she and George Lynton should meet once more before Time had Avorked his Avill Avith either of them. Mrs. Burnet sent her on some errand that morning to the Abbey, and there she found George, Avho had come to make his farewell to Mrs. Campeny, Avith a linger ing hope that he might see either Pamela or one of her sisters.

He Avas alone in the great hall Avhen she entered, sitting at Harold's old harpsichord playing a little melancholy cadence over and over to himself. He did not see her till her dress SAvept a chair just behind him. " Ah ! " he cried, turning round, " have you been listening to my foolish maunderings ? " "Only for a minute," said Pamela; "but I Avanted to hear you sing that song. I have never been allowed to do so, you know." " It has not been finished," he said, " and never will be now, I imagine. Harold was to compose the music, you know, and I the Avords; but my verses were too doleful for him, I fancy, and it never got on. Why should he write sad music to suit me ? " " Almost any fine music is sad, I think, when it is put to sad words," said Pamela; " but I Avish you would sing me as much as is finished."

" I can't do that," he ansAvered, " but I Avill play you the air ; " and he sat doAvn and played a little melody — so SAveet and Avistful that it almost brought the tears into her eyes — Avithout the words, which Avere written on a separate paper, and Avhich she read as he played, and liked a little because they fitted themselves to the air. " Put them aAvay ; they are very sentimental and silly," said George, draAving the paper from her hand. " You knoAv I am only a peg to hang Harold's music upon." This Avas Avhat she had read : — My house is built beside the sea, On sad, strange shores so far away ; • No fire is lit upon its hearth ; The door stands open night and day. For once Love came with timid feet, And stepping o'er the threshold stone He filled my house with happy glow, My house that was so chill and lone.

What glories shone about his head, And flashed across the summer blue, The summer air, no longer sad, The happy air the birds sang through ! Now all is changed and sad and grey — The thistles on the sandy shore, The moaning wind, the empty sea, My house more lonely than before. Yet I no meaner fires will crave, Where Love's own flame burnt clear and bright ; So still I watch, and hope, and wait — The door set open day and night. But sometimes when the summer winds Blow 'twixt the lowlands and the sky, With eyes half closed in dreams, I hear His mighty wings go rustling by ; Some odours fall upon my sense From that rose wreath that bound his hair — Some radiance on my darkened eyes, That makes my sadness less despair. Pamela held one side of the sheet of paper — he had his hand upon the other ; she seemed spell-bound as she gazed at him Avith her great, sad grey eyes.

" I should not have said that," he almost Avhispered. " I knoAv how good you are to your friends, hoAv much too Avell and how tenderly you think of them. Do not suppose I am vexed because you think more of Harold than of me ; you must do so, for he is more worthy than I am, and you are as Avise as you are good. If you will only say good-bye to me kindly, and will promise to think of me sometimes, I shall be very happy. Ah, Pamela! what have I done to make you cry, with my foolish verses and my melancholy face ? " " It is I who am foolish," said Pamela, Avith quivering lips. " I ought to comfort you Avhen you are going aAvay, but it is you Avho have to say kind and bright things to me,. and the last thing you will have to remember Avill be me crying." And then she put her hand upon his and said Arery gently, " My friend, Ave will ahvays think of you and talk of the days Avhen you Avill come back again, Harold and I, Avhen Ave are together.

We shall be all alone here, and you will be among great, gay, clever people, and yet I do not think you will forget us either." He bent doAvn and kissed the hand that had rested for a moment on his, and then Avent Avithout another Avord. So they parted, and for the last time in a true sense, for Avhen they met again the Avorld Avas a different place to them, and they Avere changed. Is not the transformation begun already — in George, as he goes striding home- Avards Avith a neAV look of pain and endurance on his still boyish face ; and in Pamela, as she sits Avith Harold's music in her hand and a battle raging in her heart — a battle which she feels to be cruel ; for one Avarrior is a gentle child-martyr, and one a giant Avho is victor from the first moment, and scarcely knoAvs that there has been a struggle to win ?

Mrs. Lynton felt very lonely when her scheme had succeeded and George Avas really gone, and in the bitterness of her heart accused Pamela Burnet as the cause of all her troubles, though she knew very Avell that she could not have kept her son much longer at home in any case. Noav that he was gone, and such a visit could not be misconstrued by him, she determined to go herself to Rose Hall to meet her enemy face to face, and see if she could not discover what foolish spell had beAvitched him so. To offer her congratulations to Anne Avould be a kindly act of condescension, she thought, and Avould make a good excuse for her visit. It Avas true she seldom made such expeditions, but this Avas a special occasion ; and to give a better colour to the affair, she selected a little, old-fashioned silver tea-pot, Avhich had been one of her OAvn Avedding gifts, and took it Avith her as a present for the bride elect, Avho, she felt sure, Avould be much surprised and gratified by any attention from such a quarter.

No doubt Anne Avould have been so had it been the will of Fate that the tea-pot should ever reach her hands, Avhich, hoAvever, it never did. The Stourton horses Avere very fat and lazy, and considered it a gross injustice that they should be expected to take their mistress out for drives in the Aveek as Avell as to church on Sunday ; and as the coachman held much the same ArieAvs, the carriage proceeded very sloAvly on the road to Rose Hall. Mrs. Lynton Avas be ginning half to repent of her excursion. She was not popular in the neighbourhood, as she knew ; and the Burnets Avere people Avhom she neither liked nor Avas liked by. The intervieAv Avould be stiff and uncomfortable to a certainty ; perhaps, too, they might guess her true reason for coming in spite of the tea-pot, Avhich really seemed a very insufficient screen for her purposes.

Just at this juncture she heard a little Ioav ripple of laughter, and looking out, Avhom should she see but Pamela herself Avalking along the path by the river side Avith Harold Turrell ! She had evi dently been to Merehampstead on some errand, for she carried a little basket in her hand as she Avalked briskly along the towing path, Avhich here ran for a short distance parallel to the road. They were a little in front of the carriage, and Mrs. Lynton had time to observe the girl's lithe and graceful figure as she Avent on, her blue woollen gown slightly gathered up from the wet grass, and broken into little wavering folds by the fresh Avind. Apparently they had only just met, for Harold Avas begging to be allowed to carry her basket and she Avas refusing. " No," Mrs. Lynton heard, " I dare not trust you ; you know if you got excited you might begin Avhirling it round or throwing it up in the air."

Then the carriage rumbled past them. Harold raised his hat, and Pamela stood still for a moment and lifted her eyes to the lady Avith a grave look of kindness and sympathy ; but before she could make any salute Mrs. Lynton gave just the stiffest possible inclina tion and flung herself back in her seat. " Poor thing," said Pamela, " hoAv pale and sad she looks ! Hoav lonely she must be in that great house ! I hope she did not think me rude that I did not take any notice ; one is easily offended Avhen one is in trouble." " She is easily offended at any time," said Harold, looking after the retreating carriage. " My poor deluded boy ! " thought Mrs. Lynton as she drove on. "He is ready to fall doAvn and Avorship this low-born girl, Avho does not even thank him for his folly. And his friend, too, Avhom he had such faith in ; I wish he could see how much they care for his absence.

He thinks the affection of these people is Avorth more than his mother's, Avho Avould die for him gladly. Oh, if he could but see them and hear their empty laughter, Avhile I am breaking my heart for him ! As if a great hulking girl like that, and a plough boy like Harold Turrell, could understand my George ! " And then she checked the coach man and told him to take the next turning homeAvards. She had seen more than enough, she thought : she would tell George in her first letter hoAv his friends mourned for him on the day after his departure ; and as for the tea-pot, that might go back to its old abode in the plate-chest. Harold and Pamela went on their Avay, talking often of their friend, sometimes of other things. It Avas a bright spring morning, and they Avere together : they could not be altogether sad, though, perhaps, both of them had been so before they met.

" After all," said Harold, "what would not you or I give to be in his place, to be able to go and see the Avorld, to make one's self greater and better instead of growing older and stupider in a place like this ? " " But I don't feel myself groAving stupider," said Pamela. " No ; I believe you have an angel Avho brings you meat from heaven ; you are ahvays fresh and strong. But for myself, I long for some more enlivening atmosphere." " That is all right for you. If you long for a thing you may get it; but it is quite different for a Avoman." " I don't think you are so Avell contented after all ? " " I never professed to be contented," said Pamela. " I have ahvays been Avanting more and more ever since I Avas a child ; but I think one gets more faith as one groAvs older. At first it seems something ought to happen with a crash and make it all neAV ; but as one gets older things come about quietly, and one's Avhole life groAvs changed before one knoAvs it."

" And by the time you have quite found it out life is over, or the best part of it ; and then to think at the end it has all been lost for Avant of a little money !" " You are getting very avaricious. " Well, think Avhat money Avould be for me: I need Avrite no more bad music ; I need no more dull my senses and harden my heart by hearing the horrible strumming of little Julia and her friends ; I need no longer lead a false life, truckling to people I despise, and seeming cold to others I love ; I need not count hoAv many pats of butter I eat in the week, and haggle Avith my landlady over stray half-pence. I should be free and honest ; I should not feel ashamed Avhen I look up and see my old Beethoven scowling at me from the wall, and feel I have forsaken my trust, have given copper for gold, and tried to teach before I had learnt to speak."

" It does not seem right that money should be so much greater than anything else," said Pamela, sighing ; " yet I don't know how to contradict you." "It is not greater than everything," said Harold gently. " I am not so bad as to believe that, or not just now, at all events." " You Avill make money some day," said Pamela, " Avhen you have got a name. Cannot you wait a little ? " " The world is very hard upon a poor devil with empty pockets. If George Lynton, now, took to art he would have every one patting him on the back, and ready to pay any price for his things, simply because he doesn't Avant the money." " There is some reason in that. If he doesn't want the money the chances are the thing is Avorth having, or it Avouldn't be there." o *° "And if you do Avant the money, the chances are the thing is Avorth nothing, or somebody else Avould have bought it," cried Harold triumphantly.

" You ought to be a more melancholy person than you are, Avith these vieAvs," said Pamela. " So I should be if it Avasn't for you," he replied. " Besides, one forgets one's troubles sometimes, particularly in the fine Aveather." " Well, there is some comfort in that ; but noAv you must go back to your Avork. You can take the short cut across the fields." " I may as Avell Avalk on with you to the gate." " No," said Pamela. " Fate is Avaiting for the battle. Go back and begin to Avin." " Shall I win what I most Avant, I Avonder ? " he said, as he turned aAvay and she hurried doAvn the lane Avithout looking back. A gust of Avind shook the trees as she passed, and scattered a sudden rain of white blossoms upon her. The blue gOAvn disappeared before this silvery shoAver had time to clear, but Harold Avalked up and down the entrance to the lane for some time, and then strode rapidly home and wrote the long-waited-for allegro to his symphony.

When Pamela told him to begin the battle with Fate, it was no vain exhortation. He could hardly disbelieve that the subtle melody that penetrated his soul as she left him had not emanated directly from her. At all events, she had bidden him Avork, and the power to work worthily was present Avith him at once.

Chapter II

" Need you tremble and pant Like a netted lioness ? is't my fault, mine ? — Anyway, Though triply netted, need you glare at me ? " Quite early in May Mrs. Long arrived at Rose Hall. She was looking a little faded and worn, but her nieces found her as pretty and charming as ever, and made a great pet of her in their own Avay. She was very unlike the other members of the family, Avho were tall, largely made, and someAvhat angular people. In the last generation Emilia bore some resemblance to her ; but there could be no greater contrast than betAveen her roundly-formed figure and smooth dark head, and her two tall, broAvn haired elder nieces. " I feel as if either of you girls could take me up easily if you liked, and pop me into your pocket," she said one day, looking up at them. " Pamela, will you never have done growing, I wonder ?

I'm sure I hope the silk will hold out for your dresses, but I had forgotten Avhat great creatures you are." " I have done groAving long ago, Aunt Carry; but don't suggest anything so dreadful as the silk running short. My heart is set on that glorious peacock colour. See, I always carry a little bit about in my pocket to look at noAv and then. You don't know hoAv lovely it is Avhen you turn it about in the sunlight," and she produced a little, shimmering fragment of silk from her pocket, Avhich shone green or blue, as you turned it to the light, like a peacock's breast. There had been a long and almost angry discussion between Mrs. Burnet and her daugh ter on the subject of these wedding gowns. The elder lady had considered a new muslin apiece Avould have been quite enough in the Avay of finery for Pamela and Emilia ; but Aunt Carry had insisted that at their age ft Avas VOL. II. c quite time they had a nice frock to their name, and that the proprieties demanded something more substantial than muslin for an eldest sister's Avedding.

She managed, as usual, to get her OAvn Avay, and had herself chosen the peacock-coloured dresses which gave Pamela so much satisfaction ; and for the bride a modest dove colour, scattered over Avith little sprigs of pink may. Her neat fingers Avorked early and late at the making of this finery. Anne, too, Avas very industrious, and stitched aAvay Avith umvearied patience at the long hems and seams Avhich every one else found too uninteresting. Even Pamela for once set to needlework with a will, and did it so Avell that every one was quite surprised, and Mrs. Burnet began to look upon her as a reformed character. As for Emilia, she picked up the pins, held skeins of silk, and made herself useful in various small Avays. Sometimes, hoAvever, all the three young AvorkAvomen deserted their post : in that lovely May Aveather one could not ahvays sit indoors and seAv, even at Avedding garments.

On such occasions the two elder ladies would keep one another company, and console them selves Avith a more comfortable gossip than they could indulge in Avhen the girls Avere by. In this Avay Mrs. Long learnt a full account of Johnnie Burnet's visit, of his apparent attentions to Anne, and the Avay they were cut short. " I had certainly hoped," she said one day, " that he Avould have taken a fancy to one of the girls. It is a pity it happened to be Anne, Avho is really so advantageously disposed of. But, after all, he is so young, there is plenty, of time for him to alter his mind. Don't you think he and Pamela might make a match of it some day ? " " Oh, he couldn't bear the sight of her. She is a great deal too free Avith her tongue, is Pamela. There is nothing men hate so much as a woman who is always saying sharp things.

Besides, she wouldn't look at him. She just took a turn against him, and no one could ever talk her out of it. I never saw any one to equal that girl for being headstrong." " Still she is a girl many men would admire; though I agree Avith you she should be more careful about Avhat she says. It is very impor tant for them both to get settled, she and Emilia. I'm sure I don't knoAv Avhat Avould happen if poor Richard Avere to go," said Carry, Avith a sigh. " If John has a spark of good feeling, I should think he Avon't see his mother Avant, or his brother's children either. I know if I Avere in his place I'd starve before I'd take a penny of the money." " Well, Ave must hope for the best, mother ; but if I Avere you I Avould look after the girls, particularly Pamela. I'll tell you what I mean.

That young Turrell is a great deal too fond of hanging about after her, and meeting her in her Avalks, and all that : you had much better put a stop to it before they get taking some foolish fancy to one another." " You don't mean she Avould take up Avith that clumsy felloAv, surely ? " " I'm sure I hope not ; but it is best to be careful. A Avild young man like that, Avith nothing to do but play the violin and talk about art and nonsense, is just likely to catch the fancy of a romantic young thing like Pamela." " Well, Pamela is Avild ; but she is not quite a natural, either. However, I don't Avant the young man here, Avith his great, loud laugh and his playing and folly; no more does Richard, I'm sure. I'll forbid him the house to-morrow, if you like." " Oh no," replied the Avily Carry. " Don't do that.

That Avould be the worst thing you could do just noAv. But keep your eye on him, and keep dear Pamela out of his Avay if you can." Pamela came in from her Avalk in happy ignorance of the plots that were being laid for her advantage. She had met Mr. Quicke and had had a short conversation Avith him which had raised her spirits to the pitch of over floAving. " How is it you are never playing in the church noAv ? " she had asked him. " There is a Saturday night every week, but you do not observe it with the old honours." " Nonsense, child ; how can you know anything about it ? You never come to see. Do you think I hold my festival in the open streets to raise the envy of the malicious ? If I don't have music, perhaps I have something better." " New books, is it ?" she asked. " Yes ; and a beautiful Yorkshire game-pie and some clotted cream — all from my mother,'" said the old man in a whisper.

" That is very nice ; but I am sorry the good things haA^e stopped your music." " Child ! I have plenty of music ; but I don't play — I listen. Harold plays. When the sun gets up the moon goes to bed. I don't Avant to play Avhen I can hear him. He is a rare lad." " Yes ! " said Pamela, Avith a little blush "We shall all be proud of him one day, though he is not over rich in friends noAv. I never heard of a genius in Merehampstead before, but there is one noAv, mark my Avords." And then the little laAvyer trotted home, leaving Pamela supremely happy. She wanted no one to tell her he Avas a genius, not she. She had discovered that before any of them ; but noAv it seemed other people Avere to begin to appreciate him — not perhaps the stupid, uneducated Merehampstead folks, but a clever man like Mr. Quicke, Avho could judge of him as the critics in London Avould judge of him one day.

That very evening Harold came to Rose Hall. It Avas after tea, and they had all gone out into the garden for a stroll in the twilight. Mrs. Long soon got tired, and retired to her chair, which Avas placed at the top of the short flight of stone steps which led down wards from the passage. Pamela had seated herself on the steps below her aunt, and Avas looking out with her eager face into the clear green sky, against which the line of the garden Avail cut sharply. The flowery pear-trees rose up like Avhite spires, touched on their tops Avith the faintest rosy gloAv from the sunset. The trees were thinly clad as yet with young half-folded leaves that let through the mellow lio-ht from above. Only the lilacs were thick and clustering Avith their great heavy heads of pale blossom. Anne and her lover Avere Avalking up and down, talking softly to each other noAv and then.

Pamela Avatched a little rosy cloud steal out from behind the great pear-tree and sail sloAvly into the open sky. Some one outside Avas Avhistling an air she kneAv well, and Avould be here presently. Before the little cloud had half finished its journey he was there, quite unconscious of Mrs. Long's rather chilly reception, leaning against the door-post, Avith Pamela sitting almost at his feet. What did they mean, Mrs. Long asked herself impatiently, by shaking hands in that strange, silent Avay ? Why Avould he do nothing but lean against the door and stare at the back of her niece's head ? Perhaps he could see a little bit of the outline of broAV and cheek too, but that she did not knoAv. At last, in despair, she began to talk herself; and Avhen she did it Avas pleasantly, for it Avas Mrs. Long's golden rule never to make herself disagreeable to any one, particularly to men, and though she Avould have done almost anything else to save her niece, she drew the line here.

" Why did you not bring your violin, Mr. Turrell ? " she asked. " Some music Avould have been delightful this Wely evening." " I am so sorry," said Harold. " I did not know you cared so much for it. You see, I knoAv my own weakness in that respect at least, and I am afraid of pestering people with my scraping." " I do so love music," said Aunt Carry. "Are you composing anything just now, pray?" " Oh, Avell," he said, " I generally am, off and on like ; but I have my lessons to attend to, you know." " You seem to have a good deal of spare time," said Mrs. Long, smiling. " You mean I come over here very often," guessed Harold, with great acuteness. " But you see it is my only treat, and a man does not Avork any the better for being for ever slaving." " It is not so much the time you spend here as the walk I am thinking of."

" Why, it doesn't take tAventy minutes ! " said Harold. " But how many twenty minutes in a Aveek?" she asked, still smiling. " Oh, I must have my walk," he said ; "and if one wants to see one's friends, it is no use being frightened by a mile walk." " Pamela dear, don't you think it is a little chilly?" said her aunt, draAving her shaAvl round her shoulders. " Oh, auntie ! Avhy didn't you tell me before ? " cried the girl, starting up. " Hoav careless of me ! " And then, Avhether she would or no, they took her off indoors, and deposited her by the fire Avhich was still lighted in Richard's study. On one pretence or another, she managed to keep Pamela by her side until the rest came in, and there Avas no more chance of a Avalk in the garden. Then Harold took his leave and Avent. Pamela let him out ; and though they lingered a moment in the hall, he said nothing but " Good night, Pamela," and she said, " Good night," and gaA^e him her hand for a moment.

" Mrs. Long is a nice little Avoman," he thought to himself as he Avalked off, " and the best friend I have among Pamela's relations ; but she Avas a little tiresome to-night." For Pamela things did not end so quietly. Immediately after Harold's departure, she folloAved Mrs. Long up to her bedroom, as* Avas usually the habit of one of the girls ; for the little Avoman, though she Avas scarcely incapacitated from brushing her own hair, Avas A'ery ready to have that and other like offices performed for her. Pamela was brushing aAvay at her aunt's silky and still abundant locks, Avhen she remarked, " My dear little niece, do you knoAv it is not proper for young ladies to go and see their guests off, and open the door for them like a servant-maid ? " ""You have forgotten our manners and customs, Aunt Carry.