Jilted! A novel

Front matter

J I LTED! JILTED! a Hovel. RELTON OTTERBURN, AUTHOR OF " HE WOULD BE AN OFFICER.' THE ROXBURGHE PRESS, Fifteen, Victoria Street. Westminster. %a S. M. H (the star of the park.) CONTENTS. CHAP. PAGZ I. THE SQUIRE, JACKY, AND ETHEL CONSTABLE 9 H. AN AFTER-BREAKFAST STROLL ... 26 III. HE DID TAKE CARE 32 IV. JACKY ON THE JOB 45 V. MRS. HASTINGS AND HER GUESTS ... 58 JUST A LETTER — NOTHING MORE ! 72 VI. VH. " ONLY SHE WON'T GIVE ME UP ! " . . 88 VH3. A ROMANCE OF THE RIVER . . . .105 IX. MRS. LOCKHART AND FAMILY . . .119 X. MADEMOISELLE TELLS HER HISTORY . .143 XI. THE SQUIRE CHANGES HIS MIND . . .156 XII THE LAST STRAW BUT ONE — AND THE LAST OF ALL 169 XIII. A PRIME BIT OF GOSSIP .... Contents. CHAP. PAGE XIV. " ANOTHER MAN'S WIFE " . . . .199 XV. EVIL COUNSELS 215 XVI. FALSE ! 230 XVII. " SEE, THE CONQUERING HERO COMES !

" . 241 xvhi. " i won't !"..." well, don't ! " . . 257 XIX. TOO LATE ! 274 XX. " DON'T STARTLE THEM, THE POOR DEARS ! " 293 XXI. A ROLLING BACK OF THE PAST . . . 305 XXII. CINDERELLA 324 XXIII. GATHERING UP THE FRAGMENTS . . . JILTED!

Chapter I. The Squire, Jacky, And Ethel Constable

GAINSFORD MANOR was certainly one of the show places in the county of L shire, and its owner one of the best known and most popular land lords anywhere about, for, besides all else, he held the post of Master of the Foxhounds. This position the good people of L shire reckoned as one of far more importance and dignity than even that of the lord-lieutenant himself — with his strawberry leaves thrown in. In spite of his peculiarities, he made a splendid master, all agreeing that never had they enjoyed finer sport than they did under his leadership. The estate was a large one, and, what was better still, it consisted entirely of fine land. But what the general public thought most about was the magnificent old Manor House, with its well-kept gardens ; and the park, JILTED ! with its great avenue of old elm trees.

To describe the house itself would take up a large volume, so we will not attempt the task. The squire himself was a fine-looking man of about sixty. In spite of this, he was still almost as active as he had been in his younger days. His riding powers, instead of decreasing, as might reasonably be supposed, with his advancing years, seemed rather to increase ; the general verdict being that he was a harder and straighter cross-country rider than he had ever been at any period of his life — and that is saying a good deal. Many tales were told of his younger life — how he had done this or that, as well as the many hairbreadth escapes he had passed through. As a second son he had very early left his home, his father having got him a commission in a cavalry regiment in India, with which he had served for a few years.

But one day it was aanounced that he had resigned, and for some time after nothing more was heard of him. In the meanwhile his elder brother had been killed by an accident in the hunting field. This event had caused his parents to make renewed efforts to trace the wanderer — at last with success — for he was discovered farming in New Zealand. Soon after this he returned to England to live with his parents. At this time he was still a comparatively young man, and his parents were constantly urging him to think of marrying and settling down. Several years, how ever, went by, and he was still a bachelor. Then the report went through the country that the young squire — for so he was generally called — was paying great attention to the daughter of a neighbouring squire. This was soon followed by the announcement of his engagement to the same young lady, and a few months later a grand wedding took place.

After a brief honey moon, the young couple returned to Gainsford Manor to live with the old people. But before twelve months had passed away, the old squire and his wife had been laid to rest in the family vault, and the son succeeded to his father's place. Within a few years yet another change took place in the squire's household ; for his young wife died, and he was left a widower, with an only daughter, then about two years old. After the due course of mourning for his wife had elapsed, everybody seemed to think that the squire would most certainly marry again ; however, contrary to expecta tion, he did no such thing, but remained in his solitary condition. For years after he gave up all society, and hardly ever left his home, seeming to find sufficient occupation and interest in looking after his daughter and the affairs of his estate.

From this time forward she began to be his constant companion ; and as the years went on, people used to be quite astonished if they met the squire alone, as, whether walking, driving, or JILTED ! 12 riding, the little bright-clothed daughter was usually to be seen at his side. Needless to say, she was never allowed to go to school ; >and the governess who was engaged to teach her must have had a very easy time of it, as her principal education seemed to consist of out-door sports. Certainly in these she soon began to excel ; and by the time she was seventeen years of age, she was known as one of the most daring and best lady hunters in the county. By this time the squire had changed his habits, and now went a good deal into society ; while his house had come to be considered one of the pleasantest in the neighbourhood — his daughter making such a capital hostess.

When the post of the M.F.H became vacant, the squire did not need much persuasion to accept it. He threw himself heart and soul into his new duties, and soon made the name of the hunt well known in the sporting world. The beginning of November 188- was that of a typical English month, and especially favourable for hunting. On the second Tuesday of it, the meet was to take place at the Manor House. It certainly was a glorious morning, besides giving promise of an equally fine day. Any one would have allowed that Lucy Northbrooke made a very pretty picture as she stood leaning against the old oak window-frame of the Manor dining-room, gazing out over the park. Dressed in a dark, well-made habit, the very plainness of which, only relieved by a small, spotless white collar and gold horseshoe brooch, served to set off to the best advantage her small but well-knit figure, as well as heightened her brilliant complexion and beautiful hair ; truly a thoroughly neat and business-like hunting costume.

Breakfast this morning was at nine o'clock, the meet being settled for 10.30. As the clock was just about to strike the hour, the old squire entered the room in his usual boisterous manner, with the postbag in his hand. On her father's entrance, Lucy turned round with a bright smile to wish him " good morning," adding a playful reminder to be quick and open the bag, as she felt a burning desire to see her letters. So engrossed with these did she become that she did not hear the front door open and shut, or the voices and steps in the hall. Even the butler opening the door, and announcing, in his quiet and well-modulated voice, " Mr. Hastings," did not disturb her from the perusal of a voluminous epistle, written on highly perfumed paper. Standing with her back towards the door, and facing the window, she did not notice her father's hearty welcome to the new-comer.

She was only recalled to things around her by a pleasant voice close at her shoulder saying, " Good morning, Miss Northbrooke. I hope your letters bring you good news ; but, all the same, won't you deign to notice me, and jilted! 14 bid me welcome? And such a ripping morning for hunting, too ! " Her father laughed heartily at the start she gave, as well as at the tell-tale colour which tinged the tips .of her cheek-bones. But for this involuntary signal, an onlooker might have been inclined to say that her recep tion of the young man was cold in the extreme. But he, on the other hand, did not seem at all put out by it. He had not lived nearly six-and-twenty years in the world for nothing ; and you may be quite sure that the heightened colour and start had been noticed by him, and that he was quite able to make a very shrewd guess at their meaning.

Of course the conversation at the table was all on hunting matters. The beautiful morning, the prospects of the day's sport, and the promise of a mild winter, all came in for their due share of attention. But before a quarter to ten the squire had dragged off his none too willing guest to view his wonderful new horses, as well as to take another brief glance round his extensive stables. Gainsford Manor was situated about five miles from the town of Mugford, which, besides being a manu facturing place, claimed the honour of being a cavalry station. This last they considered a special mark of distinction, and which they always were careful to impress on strangers. They only harboured horse soldiers — no " mud-crushers," as they contemptuously called the infantry, ever being seen at the barracks.

These latter were situated about a mile and a half out side the town. In spite of the close neighbourhood of Mugford, the various cavalry regiments which had been sent there were always pleased with their quarters ; and this was also the case with the one then in possession — the 18th Lancers. They were, if that was possible, more popular than any of their predecessors ; the townspeople being unanimous in their opinion that nothing in the whole British Army could compare with "the regiment" up at the barracks — they quite forgot that they had made the same remark several times before. There is no need to enter into a full description of the officers, so we will only briefly notice one of them, with whom we have already made acquaintance — Lieutenant John Hastings, or "Jacky," as he was in variably called in the regiment.

This had been his nickname for the best part of the time he had been in the 18th ; and, as is usually the case, a very simple event brought it about. Within a fortnight of his join ing, as he was crossing the barrack square, he chanced to drop a small sealed package, inscribed in a female hand, " For Darling Jacky." As luck would have it, the person who happened to find this dainty missive was one of the subalterns — Johnson by name — who was usually the JILTED ! originator, and invariably the leader, of every bit of fun among the officers. Whether he knew from the first who had lost this letter or not was a point that no one seemed quite certain about. If he did, he was in no hurry to return it to its owner. He calmly put it in his pocket, and proceeded to finish the duty which was taking him over to the stables.

On his return to the anteroom, brimful of mischief, he found there three or four officers, amongst whom was the senior captain, and general butt of the regiment — Captain Gordon. The way he entered the room was quite sufficient to show any spectator that he had " something on." How ever, as it happened, nobody took any notice of him, all of them being far too much engaged in scanning the morning papers for the last item of news from the seat of war — England was at that time engaged in " another little war," from which the 18th, to their great disgust, were excluded. Johnson crossed the room and took up a place near the fire, and close to Captain Gordon. As the latter took no notice, he administered a sharp rap with his whip across the calf of the leg, and inquired, in the sweetest voice imaginable, " Darling Jacky, have you lost your letter ?

" Gordon, however, refused to be drawn that morning, and his only answer was, " Shut up ! " Of course the others very quickly wanted to know what it was all about, but the only information that Johnson would vouchsafe was the query whether any of them answered to the name of " Darling Jacky." At this moment young Hastings entered the room, and, going straight over to the letter-rack, began turning over the papers in his pigeon-hole, evidently searching for something which he could not find. After casting a hasty glance round on the chimney-piece, as well as the various tables in the room, he was just leaving when Johnson stopped him by asking whether he had lost anything. " Only a letter I have mislaid," said Hastings. " But give us some more information about it. Was it in an envelope, or only a sheet of paper ?

" " A fastened-up package," was the answer. But Johnson's curiosity was evidently not yet satisfied, so he continued : " Oh ! a fastened package, you say ? May I inquire if it was addressed ? " Hastings fell into the trap thus laid for him, and allowed that it was. " Well, then, tell me how it was addressed." " Hand it up, Johnson," said Hastings ; " I see you have got it. I am much obliged to you for finding it. Where did you pick it up ? " "Not so fast, young man" (this in a very solemn tone). " Certainly I have found a pale blue package, JILTED ! and addressed in a female's handwriting. But it has a very peculiar inscription on it, and, unless the description of the address on your lost one agrees, I cannot give it up." Hastings seemed rather put out; but, after a brief pause, he said : " Well, if you will have it, it was addressed to ' Darling Jacky.' " " Who would have thought it ?

I say, my boy, it is very fortunate for you that I found it ; other people might have But tell her to leave all that for the inside." With nothing more than a brief " thank you " Hastings received his letter, and immediately left the room. But he had not heard the last of it for many a long day to come ; and the great joke of the regiment for some time after was " Darling Jacky " and his love letters. This new name stuck to him until it was abbreviated into " Jacky " pure and simple, " Darling Jacky " being much too long for every-day use, as Johnson remarked. A very brief description of Jacky's family history and personal appearance will be sufficient at this point. Briefly, then, his father — Colonel Honourable Richard Hastings, M.P. — had, in his younger days, served with distinction in the Army ; but, some years before the commencement of this story, had retired with the rank THE SQUsRE, JACKY, AND ETHEL CONSTABLE. 19 of colonel.

His wife, an American heiress, had — so report said — brought him nearly half a million of money, in addition to a dazzling array of jewels. Whether all of this was quite true may be doubted ; but this, at any rate, is certain, that the colonel's — he was only a captain at that time — already large private fortune was very considerably increased by his wife's portion. Some five-and-twenty years later, on his retirement from active service, he had purchased a very large estate in D shire, where he had settled down to country pursuits and ways. A year or so later, the member for that division of the county having resigned, the colonel was persuaded to offer himself as a candidate for the position, and, in spite of unheard-of exertions on the part of his Radical opponent, he was returned by a large majority.

From his earliest days young Hastings had been brought up to the idea that the Army was the finest profession in the world, and the one best suited to his particular case ; and with this the boy most eagerly agreed. Having successfully passed through Sandhurst some four or five years before this time, he had gazetted into the 18th Lancers, with whom he soon became a prime favourite. Now as to his appearance. Have you, my readers, ever lived near a crack cavalry regiment ? If you have, you cannot have failed to notice the walk, as well as JILTED ! 20 that little swagger peculiar to horse soldiers. Then, remembering all this, just picture to yourselves a broad shouldered, well-built young man, of about six feet in height, with curly hair and blue eyes, and there you have Jacky Hastings of Her Majesty's 18th Lancers.

On the day following the meet, the regiment had been enjoying a fairly hard morning's work, and it was considerably after one o'clock before the officers were free to make their way towards the mess quarters for lunch, as well as to see what the middle-day post had brought in the way of letters. Of these there were but few, but among them was one for Jacky. By chance he was one of the first to enter the anteroom, and without expecting anything, and, as a mere matter of form, he took a look at the letter-rack to see if anything might have come for him. Yes, there was one for him after all, the reading of which seemed to cause him a good deal of satisfaction, although there was nothing more than a card inside. By this time several of the officers had dropped in, among which was the mess president, who was engaged in reading a card very similar to the one in Jacky's hand.

As soon as he had done so, he handed it over to the colonel, who was standing in front of the fire, with the remark : " Another invitation, sir. Ball at the Northbrookes' on the 28th." Then, turning to Hastings, he said : " Oh, I see ! No need to tell you about the invitation, as you have a special edition all to yourself ; and no doubt you knew of this before, with a pressing request from the fair Lucy herself that you should go ? " Shortly after this, when Jacky entered the messroom, the colonel beckoned to him to come and occupy a vacant seat next himself, and immediately began on the subject of the ball, at which he announced his intention of being present. Then he continued : " So you have got a special invitation ? " " Yes, sir." " I am asked to dinner before ; I wonder if any of the others are the same."

" 1 know one who is," said Hastings, " as I am, as well as to stay the night. I hope you will be kind enough to give me leave, sir." " Certainly, if it can be arranged," answered the colonel ; " but you had better see Gerald about it at once, as I expect most of the fellows will want to go, and you know — ' the early bird.' " " Thank you, sir." Having finished his lunch, Hastings was thinking of getting away, and going down to the orderly-room to arrange the matter, when he was stopped by another query : " Well, when is it going to be, Jacky ? " " When is what going to-be, sir ? " answered Hastings, JILTED ! who had become a trifle pink in the face rather suddenly. "Well, well, boy, never mind. Let me know when it is all settled. I think I will lay odds on you any day of the week against the lot of them," said the colonel, as he got up and moved away to the anteroom for his after-lunch pipe.

That Hastings was one of the prime favourites — if not the principal — was a well-known and accepted fact in the regiment ; although it can safely be said that never once had he presumed on it, in spite of being fully aware of the fact himself. By six o'clock on the evening of the 28th Jacky's smart dogcart was standing outside the entrance to the officers' quarters. He did not keep it long waiting, being " far too eager to get to paradise," as Orme remarked to several of the officers who were standing about to see him start ; and, five minutes later, he was out of the barracks, and bowling along the high road, on his way to the Manor, at his usual rapid rate. How ever, he soon dropped down to a more moderate pace, as dinner was not till 7.30, and he did not want to arrive too early. There was quite a large dinner party that evening, as the house had been filled to its utmost extent ; in addition to which, many of the neighbours, who had to come long distances, had also been invited.

There were about forty people, all told, who sat down at the squire's hospitable table that evening. These included most of the big people of the county, among which was the lord-lieutenant, as well as several peers, while every other man seemed to be a baronet— but these last were " nothing accounted of " in L shire. Hastings found himself told off to look after a consin of Miss Northbrooke's — a young lady who, in addition to this great merit in his eyes, was in herself of pre possessing appearance. She was of medium height, and very lively looking ; while her figure was such that she seemed able to " wear her clothes " — to quote a remark one of the ladies made to another guest later on in the evening. In fact, taking her all together, she was just such a girl which only a few months ago he would have considered himself fortunate to get paired off with at any dinner party ; but somehow that even ing he found he had no eyes for anything besides his hostess at the head of the table.

For the first part of dinner I am afraid his partner found him anything but an agreeable personage ; she must also have thought his conversational powers of the very lowest order. However, after a time, he awoke with a start to the rudeness of his conduct ; and, although perhaps in one way he did not improve matters by stating — not very truthfully I am afraid — that he had a terrible headache, he did in another, as he made her laugh at his flimsy JILTED ! excuse, which she did not even take the trouble to pretend to believe in. Now that he had begun to pay some attention to her, he soon found out that she was a young lady who, in addition to her other attractions, had plenty to say for herself ; so the rest of the time passed very pleasantly for both of them. As the ladies were leaving the room, she evidently could not resist having one final cut at him for his conduct ; so she again asked if his headache was better, to which his reply was : " Thanks, yes — it is much better.

But it will be quite gone when the first of these " (pointing to some figures and initials written on his cuff) " come off." At this they both laughed in such a way as to prove that a firm peace was declared between them, and that he was high in favour. Hastings was one of the first to leave the table, in order to put in an early appearance in the ballroom, to try whether he could not persuade his hostess to give him yet another dance, in addition to the one she had already promised him some time before. But he found that he would have to be content with what he had already got. It was a certain sop to his disappointment, later on in the evening, to hear one of his brother officers lament that " She would not give me even one ! " But he had no trouble whatever in completely filling up his programme from other sources.

As a keen dancing man this was a thing at which he always aimed, and almost always got — in spite of the fact of his belonging to the 18th, which, like another very crack cavalry regiment, rather gloried in being called " the non-dancing 18th." The famous Pink Russian Band had been brought down from London for the occasion, — so it is needless to say that the music was first rate, — and quite kept up their usual reputation. In spite of his admiration — not to call it by any stronger term — for Miss Northbrooke, Jacky seemed to find a good deal of pleasure in the company of her cousin, Miss Constable ; for, in spite of the fact of his having taken her into dinner, her initials appeared against more than one dance on his programme — a fact which Orme's keen eyes had quickly noticed, and who had then and there made a mental note of it, to be remembered for use on some future occasion — in the very near future, you may be sure.

As the newspaper report said the next day, " dancing was kept up with great spirit until the small hours of the morning" ; and it was nearer five o'clock than four before all the guests had departed, and Jacky and the rest of the house party sought their rooms.

Chapter II. An After-breakfast Stroll

WHEN Jacky came down to breakfast the next morning, about half-past nine, he found that very few of the party had put in an appearance — Miss Northbrooke and her cousin representing the ladies, with only two or three men besides the squire. Breakfast at the Manor was usually — except on hunting mornings — a very leisurely meal, and the quarter to eleven had struck before any of them attempted to move from the table, all seeming to prefer remaining quietly in their seats to being the one to break up the pleasant party. Fortune seemed inclined to smile on Jacky just at this particular moment ; for, when they finally did make a move, Miss Northbrooke announced her intention of taking her usual stroll round the conservatories and greenhouses, and, asking her cousin to come with her, at the same time suggested that perhaps he might care to see them, too, as he surely need not start for the barracks for an hour or so.

" Which is it to be, Mr. Hastings " (this was in AN AFTER-BREAKFAST STROLL. answer to a remonstrance from the squire) : " armchair, morning paper, and pipe, or do you care to come with us ? " Jacky evidently did not require much time in which to make up his mind, but at once expressed the most burning anxiety to see the houses that particular morning. Miss Constable made a capital sort of " gooseberry," and at once fell into the role laid down for her. What more natural than that Hastings, as being the only man there, should direct almost all his conversation to his hostess ; and, the paths in the houses only allowing two to walk abreast, that the third should walk behind ? Then suddenly she remembered that the letters she had received that morning required to be most carefully re-read, in spite of all of them having come from most uninteresting people.

Indeed, so engrossed did she become in this occupation that, somehow or other in the very next house, she stupidly managed to mistake the way they had gone, and to go herself in the opposite direction. Apparently she did not find this out for several minutes, and when she did, she did not take any trouble about the matter : instead, finding a seat close by where she was standing, she sat down to await their return, as well as to finish the perusal of her ?<«interesting correspondence. Meanwhile, Miss Northbrooke seemed to have quite forgotten that she had come out on a tour of inspection ; JILTED ! 28 indeed, she was far too busy listening to Jacky, who was dilating with great earnestness about the previous evening's amusement and decorations. Although he was talking so fast about all this, it rather seemed as if he was doing so simply to gain time and courage to open out on some other subject which he evidently could not make up his mind to commence ; while she, on her side, was perfectly aware that he had something far more important to say, could he only bring the conversa tion round in the right direction.

But, womanlike, no help would she give him towards the subject he was anxious to introduce — and, if he had only known it, was she to hear. Miss Northbrooke was by this time perfectly well aware of the state of Jacky's feelings towards herself. AVhen, now more than eighteen months ago, the 18th had come to the barracks at Mugford, the squire had found out that Hastings was the son of a man with whom he had been great friends during his brief stay in India so many years ago, but since lost sight of. Having found this out, the squire had quickly begun to pay some attention to the young fellow, and since then had frequently asked him out to dinner, as well as to all the other entertainments at the Manor. Besides, he had taken a great personal liking for him, to which the fact that the latter was an enthusiastic hunter was an additional reason for the intimacy which had grown up between AN AFTER-BREAKFAST STROLL. them.