Hope Meredith [A novel.] By the Author of 'St. Olaves' (Eliza Tabor, afterwards Stephenson.)

Chapter I. II Tadolin

stayed in the library until -^-"-*- half an hour after Mac had started for Nunthorpe station. Then all danger was over. He would not come back. She heard the distant railway whistle, looked at the little clock on the mantelpiece — a quar ter to nine. Yes, it was all right. That was Mac's train. She rang the bell. " Captain Cayley was in time, I suppose," she said, as Colin answered her summons. " He started so very early." VOL. III. B "Yes, ma'am. Bowles is back. The Captain was a quarter of an hour too soon." " That will do." Then my lady went into the pleasant dining-room, looking out upon the terrace, where summer twilight lay upon the flowers. And in the elm-trees near at hand the blackbirds piped, and far off, from the fir plantation, the solitary sweet note of the cushat-dove was heard.

So still and peaceful — no more strife, no more storm ; and the great fear passed which had vexed her soul for many a day. Away beyond the moorland slopes was a red gleam, as of Summer lightning, and a distant murmur of thunder mingled with the rustling of the leaves and the even song of the birds ; but very distant, serving only to make the nearer peace more peaceful. Ten o'clock ; and the Chase housekeeper came, with her armful of Short Family De votions. " We will not have prayers to-night," said my lady, folding her white hands listlessly the while. " 1 am tired." The housekeeper curtseyed and with drew. Midnight, and my lady sat in the moon shine at her oriel window. And most calm and gracious she looked, with silver ripples of light upon her white raiment, and braided net-work of silver, more dainty than Indian craftsman ever wrought, gleaming to and fro upon her loosened hair.

And still, far off, a flush of summer lightning in the grey horizon, and a murmur of summer thunder beyond the moorland slopes, enough — no more — to make the nearer peace more peaceful. " For I am safe," she whispered softly to herself — " quite safe." Next morning, a little before noon, she b dressed herself in her usual walking-dress, and went out into the park. Going across the terrace, she met the housekeeper, and started like a guilty creature. " Bennet, I did not expect to have seen you here so early." "No, ma'am, you are out betimes." " Because I am going over to Brighton this afternoon, and I wanted a few flowers. Besides, the air in the house is so oppress ive." " It is, ma'am, and you're not so strong as you used to be. You would hear of poor Tossie, ma'am, last night." "Ah ! yes, and so the poor girl must go to the hospital — perhaps for a long time."

" Yes, ma'am, and the best place too for such as she, that wants a tight hand keeping over them. It wasn't my place to speak, ma'am, or I could have told you of her being seen in the park with a man that's been here taking pictures of the place ; and he don't seem one that's likely to do her any good, for all Jacob Lund, who's a good hearted man, let him into the house many a time to light his cigar, and maybe that was the beginning of it. So, for as bad as it seems, ma'am, her broken shoulder may be the saving of her." " It may be, Bennet. Good morning. " Good morning, ma'am." And Madolin swept proudly on. That sting, too, she must bear, like all the rest, in silence. At a turning in one of the closest woodland paths she met Jetsam. " You look as if you'd done it," he said, with a single glance into her bright, calm, uplifted face.

"And I have done it. Here is your price." And she handed him the money, just as she had taken it out of the drawer. He took it, thrust the sheet of paper into one of his side-pockets, counted the notes carefully over, and laid them in his purse. "Yes — all right. With what you gave me the other time, there's a pound or two over." " That is of no consequence. I am free now. You promise never to let me see you or hear of you again." "Never. I'm off to New Zealand or America — it doesn't signify which ; and if once I can get a fair start, bygones shall be bygones. I don't want to trouble you again. Goodness knows I have troubled you enough already." " Yes.' "You are a brave woman. Have you had any work to get the money ?" "That is my affair," she said coldly, standing erect, firm, like a statue of marble, and looking into his face.

" You have your price — that is all you have to think about." " Nay, not quite all. If you got it in such a way that anyone may miss it, the num bers may be stopped, and I may be worse off than ever." Madolin shivered with an inward spasm of loathing — not for him, but for herself. Thief! But never mind. For a week at any rate that chest would be untouched. " You need not fear," she said. " If you go away at once, you are quite safe. Take your passage at once, to-day, to-morrow. If you wait longer, it is your own fault." " I will not wait, then. " And once more you promise me that I am perfectly free." " I wiU promise you never to trouble you again. And when my time comes, I'll tell them it's to be copied in the English papers, so that you may hear of it. I can't do more than that. I've had rather a hard life, and maybe it won't be a long one ; but still one likes to stick to it and make it tolerably comfortable whilst it lasts.

So good-bye, Madolin." " Good-bye." She turned away from him with a strange mingling of scorn and pity, and now a sort of sympathy, for wherein was he so much worse thanherself? Save that he had looked perhaps with asking eyes into Tossie's face. Once more she turned. " You have not been always alone in this park," she said. Jetsam smiled. " I know what you mean. I wanted to hear about you, that was all. You need not suspect me. If I am bad, I am not all bad. I can be as proud as you are yourself. You may as well shake hands with me before you go away." Shake hands with him! What sorer humiliation for proud Miss Lauderdale? Yes, there was one sorer, that she did not dare to refuse this final disgrace ; neither in look, tone, nor gesture might she tell him of her scorn for the man who had once de ceived, and now tyrannised, over her.

No money could free her from his power, if once she exposed herself to his ill-will. He was her master, and even whilstshe hated, she must be meek to him. Very slowly she turned and gave him her gloved hand. " No, Madolin, I will not have that ; take your glove off." She took it off, and laid her soft cold fingers in the convict's palm. " Good-bye. Then I am free now?' " Yes, quite free now. I will never trouble you again." He crossed down into a wide path leading to the lodge. Madolin turned homewards. On the terrace she saw a little pony-carriage, its silver trappings gleaming in the sun. Those delightful Regisons had come to call. Then she must keep out of sight. Half an hour of their chatter was rather more than she could bear just at present ; so she sat on the root of a tree, and watched Jetsam as he paced slowly down the lodge road, very slowly, counting his money all the way.

He turned into the lodge, came out and chatted for a while with Mrs. Lund at the door, hearing about Tossie, most likely, and her accident. But that would be of little consequence to him. He had got what he wanted now ; the merry little chattering girl could serve his purposes no longer. By and-by he went in again, came out with a lighted cigar in his mouth, and Mrs. Lund unlocked the great iron gates for him. He was gone at last, to come back never again, never again. Madolin rose, stretched herself like one desperately weary, and went slowly back to the house. She need fear no longer now ; the worst was passed. Those little white fingers washed, she was a lady again before all the world. And now let Mac look to it. If he need fear no more, and if his worst was passed, well for him.

Chapter II. Tn

the afternoon Miss Lauderdale started ■- for Brighton, telling Bennet that she might possibly return at the beginning of the week. " You know, dear Auntie Grisel," she said, after that good lady's surprise at her sudden appearance had worked itself partly off, " I thought I must come and give you my congratulations in person. One does not hear of such engagements every day ; and I declare you are looking ever so much younger already. The Colonel must be quite proud of you." Miss Griselda arranged her cap-strings with a complacent air. " You will have an opportunity of deciding that for yourself to-night, my dear. He comes in every evening after dinner, so very attentive, and such a delightfully pro tecting manner, and takes everything off my hands so kindly. I do wish, Madolin, I could impress upon you the advisability of following my example.

It would be such a relief to your dear papa and myself to find that you had fixed your affections upon a suitable object." " Thank you, auntie. I shall be very glad to fix them when a suitable object presents itself. At present, I assure you, the spaniels and peacocks possess my undi vided heart. You can't think how magnifi cent that sweet creature's tail is just now. Emeralds and diamonds are not to be com pared with it." " Madolin, my dear, it distresses me to hear you talk with such frivolity when mar riage is the subject of our conversation. You know if anything should happen to your papa — although Colonel Dewar says in the kindest manner possible that he should always be glad to offer you a home with us, still " "Yes, still. I quite see it — it would be a great deal more satisfactory to have one of my own.

And I don't think that Regency Square and my beloved spaniels and pea cocks would agree together. But you talk as if papa were quite ill. I suppose there is nothing seriously the matter with him ? What do the doctors say ?" " Oh ! nothing serious — a gradual break ing up, which may continue for years, and a few of the symptoms which sometimes pre cede paralysis, so that one must be prepared for emergencies. The physicians seem to think he must have had a slight attack once or twice before. Really, my dear, I cannot help wishing you would have patience with Mac, and give the poor fellow a little more encouragement. You know he can't do with anything overpowering ; but he is an excellent fellow, and if he could get some thing to do in England, you might live at the Chase as comfortably as could be, during the remainder of Sir David's life time."

" A very nice arrangement, auntie, thank you, but I fancy Mac does not see it quite in that light. I believe he is engaged to Hope Meredith." " My dear !" And Miss Griselda's face expressed the indignation she could not speak. " Yes, I believe he is. They were both at the Chase yesterday morning. He met her at Mrs. Clay's house, and brought her up to see me. His way of announcing it, I suppose. I said something to her, but of course she only blushed and looked uncom fortable. Never mind, auntie. It is all right. I told you from the first that it would be very likely to end so. I think they are quite suited to each other." " Such unheard-of presumption ! Well, all I can say about it is that Captain Cayley need not come to this house again." " Oh ! but he is coming, auntie, and to borrow money of papa, too.

He wants to take up some shares, and the deposits are due next week, and then he is going off at once to Canada — as soon, at least, as he can find a ship to take him." Miss Griselda arranged her curls at the mirror, and put a few finishing touches to her bows and ribbons before she made any reply. The Colonel was expected in about half an hour. That accounted for the finishing touches, but it did not account for the dubious expression which gradually spread itself over Miss Griselda's virgin fea tures, — expression deepening by-and-by into positive unpleasantness. " Borrowing money of Sir David ? Oh ! indeed. And you think it is to take up some shares ?" " He said so, auntie." Miss Griselda coughed, put another ring let straight, coughed again. Madolin, amusing herself by dusting the leaves of a geranium in the window, watched her aunt keenly.

The conversation was working its desired effect. Instead of having to raise a spirit of opposition to poor Mac, she might now subside into passiveness — even speak a word for him now and then, which she knew well enough would only intensify the opposition. The announcement of his sup posed engagement to Hope Meredith had VOL. III. c been quite enough. That little touch of acid, dropped into the alkali of Miss Gri selda's previous kindliness towards Captain Cayley, might safely be left to work its own effects. Which it did speedily enough " Shares, indeed ! Are you quite sure, my dear, that you understood him rightly ? I should say pecuniary embarrassments would be nearer the mark." "Oh! auntie, don't be hard upon him. What makes you think so ?" " Because I have noticed a great change in him of late.

I did set it down to a little anxiety which he might naturally be feeling about his position and prospects, not having the slightest doubt in my own mind that he wished to see things a little more clearly before he mentioned his intentions to you. But as his entanglement with the girl Hope Meredith has put that entirely out of the question, and as he is leaving the country in such haste, I choose to assign his altered behaviour to an entirely different cause." " Come, come, auntie, there is no need why he should not marry Hope Meredith, if he likes her. You know she is really a very pleasant girl." " Of course, my dear. I have nothing against her," said Aunt Griselda, who had suddenly vaulted to the conclusion that poor Uncle Mac, instead of being a suitable partner for her own niece, was little better than a penniless adventurer.

" If Miss Meredith is willing to risk her future happiness upon such an uncertain foundation, no one has any right to find fault with her ; but we must have an understanding about these money affairs. You say he is coming here to-morrow night, for the purpose of borrowing something from your papa." c " Yes, auntie. I suppose papa has plenty of money. It will not make much difference to him, letting Mac have a few hun dreds." "My dear, that is another question altogether. I am looking at it as a matter of justice." Here Aunt Griselda assumed an aspect of more than cast-iron rigidity. " I should consider that, under present circumstances, your papa would be doing Captain Cayley a positive unkindness by advancing him money." " Auntie, if you look like that when Colonel Dewar comes, I am sure you will frighten him away again.

Why, you might stand for a model of Nemesis, only I don't believe she generally wears those delightful little point-lace caps ; or Juno, when she had revenged herself upon Dido for some thing — no, not Dido, it was that other woman who wept herself all away, and then turned to stone, I think ; and I am not quite sure if it was Juno either, but, at any rate, you are representing Justice in her severest aspect. If it were not for those sweetly pretty mauve ribbons, I should shrink from you in dismay. What has poor Mac been doing, to make you so angry with him ?" " Nothing at all, my dear. I am only indignant that he should come here borrowing money on pretence of taking up shares, when in reality it is to rid himself of the consequences of his own extrava gance. If, indeed " and Aunt Griselda's voice dropped to a mysterious undertone — " if, indeed, he has not wasted his money in even more disreputable ways.

I believe gambling debts are very easily con tracted by young men, especially strangers in London. And this abrupt departure, coupled with the fact of pecuniary embar rassment, leaves little doubt upon my mind as to the real state of the case." "Well, auntie, all I can say about it is, that you should really keep your poor gera niums in better order. Here have I been dusting the leaves of this wretched creature for the last quarter of an hour, and I verily believe a human soul is imprisoned in it, for I almost feel it thanking me. Even Colo nel Dewar should not make you guilty of cruelty to plants. You see, you have been concentrating your affections upon him, until you have none left for destitute flowers, and I have been obliged to come all the way from Nunthorpe to restore you to a sense of your duty."

" I hope, my dear Madolin, I shall always see my duty and act up to it," said Aunt Griselda, with dignity, for she did not like Madolin's bantering moods. " I only wish I could make you see yours as clearly." " What is it, auntie ? Show it to me. I am sure I will look most attentively. Just now I can only see that the point of your cap is slightly out of the perpendicular, and Colonel Dewar will be here so soon." " My dear, be serious. I wish you to speak to your papa about this money." " I speak to papa, auntie ?" But there was a curiously mingled smile on Madolin's face all the while. " You know he never talks to me about business." " Because you never talk to him about it. You can put things clearly enough before him when you choose, for I must say that your intellect is far above the average.

You ought then to represent the state of the case to him about Captain Cayley, and warn him against being imposed upon by any excuses about these shares." "Aunt Grisel, you seem to have changed your opinion very much about Uncle Mac. Why, only half an hour ago you called him a nice, honest fellow." " So I did, Madolin, but light has dawned upon me since then. I am seldom mistaken in my first impressions of people. . If you remember, Miss Meredith and I met Cap tain Cayley unawares in the park, and my firm conviction was that he was a trespasser. Of course I modified my opinion afterwards, but you see the result proves me to be cor rect." Madolin could not help laughing at her aunt's triumphant logic. There was a ring in her laugh not all of amusement. This conversation had been very successful.

Aunt Grisel was turned to be Mac's enemy, and fought against him. If she could only be as successful with Sir David, if the little drop of acid only worked as well in his cloudy, confused mind, precipitating trust and leaving clearness only for suspicion to work in, why then, when that drawer in the iron chest came to be opened, it might go hard with Mac. "Well," she said, turning listlessly away from the window, "I suppose I must do what you wish, and go and have a talk with papa. Can he see me now, or is he asleep ?" "No, I think I hear him stirring in his room. This is the time that the maid brings him the cup of tea after his nap, so that you could not do better than go in now." And Madolin went.

Chapter III. She

had not much difficulty in working her will there. Sir David was in that feeble state of health when impressions are easily made upon the mind. Moreover, he had been chafing for some time under his obligations to Uncle Mac. He had his daughter's intolerance of anything less than absolute supremacy. To acknowledge a favour from those whom he could pet and patronize in return was all very well ; but to be dependent upon services which could not be paid for and cancelled by gold, was a burden to him. He was beginning to have the same sort of feeling towards Mac that Madolin had once had towards Hope Mere dith, before the deeper element of hatred mingled with it ; resistance against favours which, being given out of good-will, brought him under that yoke of gratitude which the Lauderdales were ever eager to break from off their necks.

So that Madolin's subtle poison fell into an ear already prepared for it. She told him of the conversation between Aunt Griselda and herself. With just such a leaning towards Mac's side as prevented her from any show of spitefulness, she yet so delicately touched in the darker shades of possibility as to make his conduct look very suspicious. Perhaps all the time he had only been serving Sir David as a cloak for obtaining this money from him. Perhaps he had been taking such pains in balancing up accounts, just to discover whether any spare cash might be available for him. At any rate, it looked rather awkward that he should be hurrying away so unexpectedly, just a week or two before his Canadian re mittances came in ; and she suggested that things had better be inquired into a little before any advance was made.

Miss Griselda, coming in as the conference was over, added her weight to the scale ; and the result was that when Mac came over from London next day, he met with rather a cold reception. Sir David listened to all he had to sa}7, agreed with him that the shares were a most desirable investment, but asked to consider the matter for a day or two before giving a final answer. Most likely Aunt Griselda and Madolin were right. The young man had been getting into difficulties. Nothing was easier than that sort of thing for a stranger in London ; and it would account for a good deal of Mac's anxiety and depression of late. But it would have been better if he had frankly confessed his folly, and that he had been led into temptation, and begged Sir David, as a boon, to extricate him from it. But to come under the guise of a business transaction, to shift from himself the un pleasant necessity of confession by pretend ing that he wanted the money for additional investments — that was mean, that was un worthy.

Sir David must see more clearly to the end of the chapter before he would advance a sixpence on such security as that. Not that he wished the young man ill — nothing of the sort. In fact it would be the truest kindness to make him feel his folly, and, when the sting had entered deeply enough, come forward with relief. So Sir David said very kindly, but a little pompously, that he did not see his way clearly towards advancing the money; but he would take a few of the shares himself, and then perhaps at some future time turn them over to his young friend. So now Mac only needed to go to Lon don, take his passage in the most convenient ship he could find, and then come back to Regency Square to take his leave, after which Sir David and Aunt Griselda and Madolin were to return to the Chase. It was the last evening, and they were all gathered together with Colonel Dewar in the snug little drawing-room which had been the scene of so many quiet games of cribbage between the excellent elderly couple.

Mac looked, as they all noticed, rather moody and out of sorts. Poor fellow ! it was not quite such a pleasant going away as he had expected. A cloud seemed to hang over the whole party. Sir David retired to his easy-chair and slept. Mado lin amused them with occasional sallies of gaiety, but in the intervals of these her manner was forced and cold. Miss Griselda was in one of her most sententious moods. Every phrase that she uttered was thickly coated with wisdom for Mac's special benefit. She hoped his visit to England had not taught him any expensive tastes. She rather regret ted that he had been obliged to spend so much time in London, that not being at all a safe place for young men. Perhaps it was a good thing, after all, that he was going home a little sooner than he expected, for she should think out in Canada he would find less difficulty in taking care of his money ; with many more little side hits of the same kind, which somewhat puzzled Mac, who, now that the business of the shares had been decided, had no further difficulties that he knew of.

" On Thursday I think you sail, do you not, Captain Cayley?" said the Colonel. " Yes, next Thursday," said Mac, rather gruffly, " and glad enough I shall be to get safely away." " I daresay. Packing up is a trouble some business, and there are always so many little matters to attend to just at the last. I don't think I remember the name of your vessel. I asked you once before, but I think some other remark prevented your answer." "The Paragon; a good sort of ship, I believe." "Indeed! I don't know the name. Steamer, perhaps?" " No ; sailing vessel." Mac shook himself. He was always rather restive under catechism, and the old Colonel plodded on so methodically through his questions. " Sailing vessel. Ah! then perhaps you may be detained a day or two. I believe people are often disappointed about the time of starting in those sailing vessels."

" Then I hope I shan't be. I should con sider it a great nuisance to be kept in England a day longer, now." " Ah ! Then you should have made sure that the ship's people were under an engagement to keep to their time. I really forget again the name of the ship." "The Paragon." " Ah, yes ! I recollect now. And the captain ; I don't remember if you told me his name." " Captain Ross," said Mac ; and then he abruptly turned the conversation. Shortly afterwards he went away, saying he had some business to attend to in the town. Miss Griselda thought she could un derstand his irritability. Money difficulties ; that was it. That application about the shares had just been an excuse for getting himself tided over the sand-bar of debt. She hoped he was not leaving any of VOL. III. D his creditors unpaid.

It looked very like it, being so anxious to get away, and so unwill ing to say anything about the vessel in which he had taken his passage ; its very name had to be almost dragged out of him, and he left the room to avoid having to say anything more about it. Poor young man ! she was really very sorry for him ; but it was all his own fault. If people would allow them selves to be led into temptation, they must take the consequences. By-and-by Mac came in, to say he found it necessary to go to London that night, to look after some packages which he expected ; and so he took his leave of the Lauderdales with a certain impatient relief at being free from the cloud of misconcep tion which seemed to have suddenly gather ed over him there. He went to his London hotel, and found that the packages could not possibly arrive until late on the following day.

He did not care to go back to Brighton for a second farewell. A stranp-e longing came over him to see Nunthorpe Chase once more ; to stand in the little woodland path where he had first met Hope Meredith ; to listen to the ripple of the brook by whose mossy banks she had sat with him. So early in the morning he set off, taking the first train that stopped at Nunthorpe, and before the dewdrops had dried on the terrace flowers, he was strolling down the avenue, recalling to his memory each spot where some pleasant word had been spoken, or sweet, shy, half-unconscious look given ; and then away to the woodland path, and to the brook by the willow-trees, where he loitered, thinking, dreaming, remembering, so long that at last, looking at his watch, he found that he had barely time to catch his return train to London. d Just a flower or two he gathered, and then strode hastily away, through tangled fern and bramble, into a near cut across the fields, where he met Mrs. Bennet, the Chase housekeeper, bringing home a basket of mushrooms.