Maude Chatterton, etc

Front matter

0/2.6 2l>> JZJ2./S MAUDE CHATTERTON With 8 full-page Illustrations, Imperial i6mo, cloth gilt, 3s. 6d. each. —*«.*— By MISS COCHRAN-PATRICK THE ROMANCE OF MARY SAIN. By C. H. COCHRAN-PATRICK. With Eight Hlustrations by E. SHUTE. "Books for girls are difficult to find in any intelligent form. The best we find at this season. . . a very unexceptional volume, cha racterised by originality of plot and incident." — Sunday Times. " Quite an absorbing tale. . . the dialogue is eloquent and descriptive . . . an excellent gift-bookfor a young girl." — Pall Mall Gazette. "A well-conceived tale. . . Tbe story is one of great interest, and the depiction of character, the work ing out of incidents, are skilfully done." — Glasgow Herald. " The interest of the story is well sustained throughout, the charac ters are natural, and the beautiful book is certain of popularity amongst a large circle of girl readers." — Dundee Advertiser.

"Has a vigorous literary style about it which would charm any reader," — Ayr Observer. By DARLEY DALE. STELLAS STORY. A Venetian Tale. By DARLEY DALE, Author of " The Village Blacksmith," " The Little Doctor," &c. With Eight Illustrations by PAUL WOODROFFE. " A very goodstory . . . thc local colouring of the story, both in Italy and in Cumberland, is faithfully rendered." — Pall Mall Gazette. " Original in subject and setting. . . . The book is remarkably good and is well worthy of attention." — Sunday Times. "The illustrations by Paul Wood roffe are full of artistic quality." — The People. " Well printed and well illustrated ... a very pretty story of "Venice and England."— The Spectator. London: J. S. VIRTUE & CO., Limited, 26, Ivy Lane, E.C. ' ' The Italian was perceived lying motionless on the floor, the carpet blazing within a yard of her head."

MAUDE CHATTERTON BT C. H. COCHRAN-PATRICK AUTHOR OF "THE ROMANOR OF MARY SAIN "^ WITH EIGHT ILLUSTRATIONS BT K SHUTS LONDON J. S. VIRTUE & CO., Limited, 26, IVY LANE PATEENOSTEE EOW, E.C. CONTENTS. CHAP. . AOK I. The Lion and the Jackal . . . 1 II. The First Evening . . . .12 III. Country Life ...... 26 IV. On the Edge 38 V. A Thrilling Adventure .... 48 VI. The First Curve 58 VII. The Second Curve Immediate and ITS Consequences . . . . .68 VIII. The Last Straw 85 IX. Happy Maude 94 X. An "Unreasonable Woman . . .105 XL Perkins and Carlotta . . . .114 XII. Marry in Haste and Eepent at Leisure 123 XIII. Johnnie 134 XIV. Carlotta's Secret 143 XV. Lucretia's Story VI CONTENTS. CHAP. PAGE XVI. Carlotta's Last Stratagem . 163 XVII. On the Eoad to Euin . . 175 XVIII. A Stage Further 188 XIX. Approaching the End . . . .199 XX.

Chapter I. The Lion And The Jackal

" Just fancy, mamma, little Minnie Mason is going to be married ! She is engaged to a Mr. Reginald Lumly, the eldest son of a baronet — no less ! She writes very kindly, asking me to spend a few weeks with her before the wedding, and be one of her bridesmaids. A marriage in the country ! What fun it will be ! I must go, mamma. Would you like to see the letter ? " The speaker, Maude Chatterton, after giving the letter to her mother, paused as if unconsciously before the long mirror, and repeated to herself, " How strange to think of little Minnie Mason being mar ried ! " adding the mental reservation, " before me." Yes, that was the sting, going to be married before her. Minnie, who was deemed beneath notice at the u Brighton School, to be married at twenty to a baronet's son, while she, Maude, the acknowledged belle, at the advanced age of twenty-two, had never yet had a chance of being married at all.

It was inconceivable! Minnie, too, had been buried in the country since she left school ; Maude had passed her existence in hurrying from one fashionable watering-place to another, not omitting a season in London. The latter experiment was always referred to in tones of rapture, when speaking to country friends, but never repeated. Minnie, the eldest of a large family, could have little or no fortune ; Maude had ten thousand pounds of her own now, and would have more ultimately. Minnie had no style, was scarcely even pretty ; Maude — but the reflection in the looking-glass was sufficient to restore complacency to most people, for who with that view in the mirror could long regret not being somebody else ? A decidedly good-looking girl, was the universal verdict gained by her tall, commanding figure, regular features, flashing black eyes, clear complexion and bright colour.

She turned away with the thought, " If Minnie has drawn such a prize in the lottery of life, what may not be in store for me ? " " A very nice letter, my dear. She seems to remember with much affection and gratitude your kindness to her at Miss Grindly's. I certainly think you ought to go," remarked Mrs. Chatterton in a weak voice. " Oh ! yes, I must go, there is no question of that, and I must have some new dresses." " New dresses, my dear ! You have had so many this season already." " But really I must have some more to go to Ashly Park. This costume I have worn for fully six weeks, and it is getting quite shabby. You would not like your Maude to be the only ill-dressed person there, now would you, mamma ? " " You are always better dressed than most girls of your age, my dear, and you know I like to see it ; but if you had charge of your own money you would see that four hundred a year does not go very far with everything at the ransom it is.

I wonder when the prices will fall again ? When we are all bankrupt, I suppose ! Meat and coals are quite ruinous — " " But we don't use much of either, I am sure," said Maude lightly. " No, dear, what we use is nothing ; but consider the servants — the quantity of everything they con sume is quite terrible. Thompson to-day even asked for an egg, or cold meat to breakfast ! I can assure you I find, in spite of her low wages, that she is a very expensive servant. Scotchwomen have such healthy appetites always, it seems to me," and the poor lady gave a weary sigh ; it was so long since she had enjoyed a healthy appetite. Maude smiled vacantly, her thoughts were far away, turning her lavender silk dress, and trimming it with white lace, and crimson bows. Mrs. Chatterton continued, warming with her subject, " You need not laugh, Maude, I have remarked it often before.

Do you remember that dark-eyed girl, Effie McDonald ? What an appetite she had, and your aunt's cook, Christina, was as bad ! But really Thompson with meat to breakfast is too ridiculous ! " " How fortunate it is, then, that I am going to carry off the gormandiser for a few weeks ! This visit will be a clear gain to you, mamma, although you have to give me some dresses earlier than usual." " My dear, you know I grudge you nothing if I could only see my way to pay for it without the dread of ending my days in a debtor's prison." Ruin had been so often predicted as inevitable by Mrs. Chatterton, with no painful results as far as her daughter could see, that the cry of " wolf " had lost its power. Maude little guessed at the long series of petty privations and mortifications, which had reduced her mother to this state of constant fore boding.

With no lack of love there was little sympathy between them. Maude received with apathy the recital of her mother's domestic trials ; Mrs. Chatterton, on the contrary, was apt to become too excited over her darling's social grievances. Maude's want of popularity was a very sore point with her mother, but she, happily, attributed it rather to the envy of rivals than to any deficiency in the mind or manners of her idol. Knowing this, the daughter only told of her successes and kept her disappointments to herself, after ill-health had in capacitated the mother from mixing in their great little world, and seeing its blindness, malice, and uncharitableness. Maude bent down and kissed the pale, anxious face, as the easiest way of distracting unpleasant thoughts, and then said with a bright smile and an affectionate pat, " I shall be so good and prudent, I shall only ask for a new walking-dress and one or two evening ones ; and, not to put you to unnecessary expense, shall make up my bonnet myself.

You always say I have better taste than Mme. Louise, even. I think I had better see about those little things at once, as we have not too much time. Good-bye, Carissima Madre, perhaps I may soon find someone to relieve you of the double charge of me and my money." " God grant he may be worthy of you, my Maude." But the pious ejaculation was thrown away upon her daughter, who was already out of the room, hum ming a popular air. While Maude is turning over silks and muslins she is thinking that, perhaps, gentleness and amiability are the best qualities after all to ensure success in life ; and she resolves to be amiable for the future. Her kindness to poor, forlorn, little Minnie had borne unexpected fruit. Just when Cheltenham was becoming odious, to spend a few weeks in the country, iu delightful society, how charming it would be !

She dreamt already of picnics, and dances on the green sward, and sweet walks in pleasant woods, and unrestrained admiration from country bumpkins. She owed her day visions of life at Ashly Park entirely to her own imagination, for she had never visited her friend, and was un acquainted with her family. She pondered much and deeply on the subject of the Masons' social position, which she had never investigated ; but her future ladyship had risen many degrees in Maude's estimation, and she remembered traits of good breeding, and unconscious elegance, unremarked before in Uttle Minnie Mason. It is true, when at Miss Grindly's Minnie was countrified and ill-dressed, and did not talk, like the other girls, of her father's establishment, or her mother's dress and jewels ; so was credited with no higher value than she put upon herself, viz., nothing to boast of.

The sad little face, showing as evidently as the crape dress recent sorrow and loss, and the frightened, bewildered manner had touched a soft spot in Maude's worldly-wise heart, and without stopping to consider whether the friendship was judicious or not, she constituted herself Minnie's champion and patroness, eliciting in return a strong deep affection which combined implicit obedience and unqualified admiration. The would-be wit of the school named them the Lion and the Jackal, while Minnie's modest hope was to illustrate some day the old fable of the Lion and the Mouse. Minnie's joyful reminiscences were not of parties and compliments, but of long days spent in the hayfield, school fetes, and holiday expeditions in the donkey cart. " So Ashly Park," thought Maude, sighing, " was as likely to be a modern villa inhabited by retired shop-keepers, as the ancient mansion of a county family."

The intimacy with a baronet's family seemed to give colour to the latter supposi tion ; but on the other hand, Sir John Lumly might be only a civic dignitary, a fellow-tradesman, raised to rank for having had the good fortune to entertain Royalty on some auspicious occasion. Maude, as Miss Grindly's show pupil, had begun life with a very exalted idea of her own merits. I believe if a baronet's son had asked her, in those days, she would have refused him, as below her deserts. Every gentleman who showed her the com monest civility she supposed must be desperately in love with her, and that it was only kindness on her part to snub him. As time wore on and suitors there were none, her manners became modified, but still their brusqueness often undid what her aj)pearance had achieved. Now, she resolved to be always gentle and amiable, and if any passable-looking squire at Ashly Park took a fancy to her, to marry him.

In the meantime Minnie was enduring much persecution on her friend's behalf. The Masons were a large and affectionate family, and Minnie was the only daughter who had been at school, and the only one who possessed a friend beyond her own family and connections. Minnie's favourites were usually the ugly and uninteresting that no one else cared about, so what her own peculiar friend would prove was the subject of many jokes. In vain she assured them that Maude was quite beautiful ; they laughingly reminded her that everything she loved was so in her eyes. Even Reginald joined in the ridicule, and painted fancy sketches of Miss Chatterton, for he did not quite relish the arrival of the dear friend to engross the attention of his betrothed, and to whom she might consider it necessary to confide everything.

When the day came, it was with a palpitating heart that Minnie went to the station to meet Maude, hoping she had not altered for the worse, and would be what she remembered her. She even began to doubt the truth of her memory, and to fear her friend might be one or all of the things they assured her were necessary qualifications for her friend ship. Reginald accompanied her on horseback, but declared he could not wait to witness the rapturous meeting, it would be too affecting ! What a relief f it was when the elegant figure in the very fashionable travelling dress stepped out of the train, and her fondest expectations were realised. After a warm greeting on both sides, Minnie led the way in triumph to the pony carriage which she had brought as being the most sociable conveyance. Maude took her place with many smiles, thinking, however, as she regarded the unassuming equipage, " I wonder if this is all the carriage they have got."

The stately appearance of Ashly Park with its hand some gates and lodges reassured her. As they drove slowly up the steep avenue to the house, a stout yeoman-looking man in a knicker bocker costume and very muddy boots, carrying a bill-hook and followed by a couple of terriers, appeared in front of them. Maude was on the point of asking if that was the steward, when Minnie touched the pony lightly with the whip saying, " I must catch papa and introduce you before he reaches the stile, for we shall not see him again before dinner." How thankful Maude was that she had not had time to ask indiscreet questions ! Mr. Mason looked round at the sound of wheels, and waited for the pony trap, but not for the in troduction. "After a warm greeting on both sides. THE LION AND THE JACKAL. " Your friend, eh, Minnie ?

How d'ye do, Miss Chatterton ? I am very glad to see you. I hope Minnie will be able to amuse you," he said, raising his hat. The voice was pleasant, the tone courteous, so in spite of the gloveless hands and frightful hat, Maude felt he was a gentleman, and had never been any thing else. She tried to reply with dignity, but only succeeded in being abrupt and almost rude. He did not seem to notice her coldness, and again reiterating his hope that she would be amused, he stood aside, and left them to drive to the door by themselves.

Chapter II. The First Evening

The girls had a cosy tea and gossip in the sweetest of morning rooms, and then Minnie proposed they should retire to dress for dinner. "A few friends are coming this evening, Reginald " — Minnie blushed prettily as she spoke the name — " Miss Dempster and her nephew, and Mr. Hutton. The latter is a barrister, the nephew of old Mr. Hutton, of the Hall, and was one of our eligibles till lately, when his uncle married, and spoiled his prospects. He is very nice, and of course this misfortune does not make him any less so," continued simple Minnie ; then sinking her voice to a whisper, as if such things were too dreadful to be mentioned aloud, she added, " It was his cook that old Mr. Hutton married." " Indeed ! How shocking ! " " But he bears it so well, and will not allow a word to be said against his uncle in his presence.

He says he had a right to please himself, although he rather wonders at his taste. Is it not good of him ? " Sly rather, Maude thought it, but said, " Indeed it is very forbearing." Having ceased to be an eligible, his history did not interest her at all, perceiving which, Minnie led the way upstairs without further discussion. No other member of the family had appeared, and Maude began to see she was regarded as a guest of no importance, and received only as Minnie's friend. The handsome bedroom to which she was conducted made her some amends, and the sight of her maid and her boxes banished her disagreeable thoughts. She selected a pale blue silk dress with tulle puffings, caught down here and there with pearl beads, fastened a necklace of blue and white Roman pearls round her slender neck, then making her maid arrange her luxuriant hair in a coronet, she wove strings of pearls among it, leaving free one glossy ringlet to lie against her white neck and show off its wondrous fairness.

After a careful survey of herself, she swept down stairs. On the first landing she met Anna, Minnie's next sister, who was a tall, pretty likeness of her senior. Maude introduced herself to the shy girl, and they entered the drawing-room together. A gentleman near the door moved aside to let her pass, and shook hands warmly with Anna, so Maude made up her mind on the spot that he was Mr. Lumly. " Just the sort of quiet, excellent person likely to captivate Minnie," she said to herself. Minnie was talking in the bay window to a dark foreign-looking man with very white teeth. She wondered as she crossed the room where she had seen him before, or of whom he reminded her, and whether he was Mr. Hutton or Mr. Dempster. She thought the former, because he talked so rapidly. Minnie blushingly presented him as Mr. Lumly.

He turned round, showing his full face for the first time to Maude's wondering eyes, and made her rather a lower bow than is usually seen in England. To say that Maude was astonished would be no ade quate expression of her feelings — she was electrified ; for one second she stood still, and then mechanically half-extended her hand. The gentleman, although surprised also, retained his self-possession, and bowing low over the half-reluctant hand, expressed in a few easy words his pleasure in making the acquaintance. " We have met before, Miss Chatterton," he said, in the low tender tones he habitually used in addressing women, "although I was unfortunately unaware of your name, for no one could, or would oblige me with an introduction." " Yes, at the monster picnic near Cheltenham. I wish I had known yours, for then I should have regarded you with more interest on Minnie's account," was Maude's brusque reply, without a smile or courteous gesture to soften the innuendo.

" And I," pausing suggestively with a smile that ended in a sigh, and then adding to Minnie, " your spirit, Minnie, must have been hovering round your friend to account for the peculiar interest I felt in regarding her. It is very strange. The moment I saw her I knew we had never met before, but I felt we might meet again, and soon." Changing his tone suddenly, and addressing Maude again, he went on : " Of course you believe in spiritualism, Miss Chatter ton ? I need not ask, for everybody that is anybody, does in Cheltenham. It is the choice abode of disembodied spirits, and really they seem to rub on very well with grosser mortals. Cunning ones, they know how to make themselves useful, which is the strongest tie of friendship in this lower sphere. Cheltenham is a favoured spot: even the spirits prefer it to paradise."

All this was quite gravely said ; Minnie understood the fun in the eyes, but she saw that Maude, who was painfully matter of fact, was already mystified and would soon be offended ; so she started another subject. If we reverse the speakers in the late dialogue we approach the truth. Maude remembered too well the handsome stranger and her ineffectual efforts to be introduced to him, while Mr. Lumly had retained not the best impression of the underbred Cheltenham belle, as she appeared to him on that occasion. Minnie tried in vain to render the conversation general. Maude was reminded of the most disap pointing day in her life, and hated Reginald for recalling its almost forgotten chagrins ; she was also pursued by a haunting fear of being laughed at, which made her silent and sulky. Mr. Lumly was not desirous of rendering her position so agreeable as to induce her to retain it for the rest of the evening.

He addressed her a few polite commonplaces from time to time, but reserved his conversation proper for Minnie. Maude did not like her subordinate position in the conversation, and soon rose, saying abruptly, "I am going to make friends with your sister Anna ; she reminds me so much of the Minnie I remember in other days." Before she reached the corner where Anna had ensconced herself she remembered her resolution of being amiable, and in spite of seeing in the mirror the smiling glance after her retreating figure, and the few low words spoken by Reginald, she put forth all her powers of interesting and pleasing her companion. Anna, charmed that Minnie's supposed goose had turned out such a black swan, and pleased with the notice of herself, was lively and entertaining. She informed Maude that the gentleman at the door was cousin Robert Dempster, that his property was in another county, but that he was staying with his aunt in their neighbourhood at present.

A cheerful old lady, in ambercoloured silk of rich material but short and scanty proportions, with a small lace shawl drawn tight round her shoulders, here joined in the conversation. The peculiarity of her appearance attracted Maude at once. Her spare, muscular figure showed uncommon strength and en durance, and was as straight and erect as that of a girl of twenty. She must have been comely as a young person, for she had a firm, handsome mouth, and her piercing eyes were large and dark, her shaggy eyebrows and a short lock of grizzled hair that fell over her forehead gave her the look of a Scotch terrier. Cap, she wore none, and her hair was twisted into a very decided knot behind. Her voice was loud c but well modulated and refined in tone, and she had a hard, strong hand as Maude experienced when Anna introduced her as her cousin, Miss Dempster.

In short, Miss Dempster can best be described as a woman by mistake ; she despised alike feminine charms and feminine weakness, and it would have been absurd to think of her as needing either protection or assistance. She managed her estate unaided, better than any of the neighbouring squires could do theirs, even with stewards to assist their labours. She had a large home farm of which she superintended all the work. She rode about on an old grey mare which she had broken in herself and ridden for twenty years, attired in a braided and laced bottle-green habit nearly as venerable as the steed. She called a gown new that was only ten years old, and put down all bodily ills to idleness, or affectation. As Maude crossed the room, Mr. Lumly had said to Minnie, " Your friend has startled me. I never expected to see her again.

She was with those wonderful girls I told you about, who kindly devoted them selves to amuse the company at that horribly stupid picnic. She looked as bored, poor thing, as I felt, but hope did not show ! What a pity she has those unfortunate manners — they quite spoil her ! " " Do you think so ? " said Minnie sadly. " She is always so pleasant to me ; but, of course, I am not a gentleman." "Is it only gentlemen she so favours? Then I hope she may soon cease to remember I am one," replied Reginald, and then glided into more interesting topics. Mr. Hutton took Maude to dinner ; he was not voluble, although a lawyer, not handsome, not striking in any way, but every one who knew him pronounced him "so very nice," or, " the best fellow going." Maude did her best to be agreeable to him, it was good practice, and she was encouraged in her good behaviour by perceiving the stolid blue eyes of Mr. Dempster fixed on her from the opposite side of the table, in evident admiration.

She began to wonder what the amount of his pro perty might be. Fair reader, do not condemn my poor heroine too severely. Remember, I am proclaiming her very inmost thoughts, which she would have been ashamed to acknowledge, even to herself; and which of us dare stand in the Palace of Truth, even with those we love ? Maude had been brought up in the too common creed that marriage was the aim and end of her existence — a good marriage if possible — but that marriage of some sort was the indispensable con clusion to a well-spent young ladyhood. Mr. Hutton, after some general remarks, began to speak of Minnie — what a fine character hers was, so bright and sensible, and so very unselfish. " I daresay you know," he said, " that she has been engaged for more than a year, but would not think of marrying till Anna was old enough to look after the house and make their father comfortable.

She is quite a mother to the younger children, and manages all so well, and with no fuss. There is great depth of feeling beneath her quiet manners. She was fortunate in having a most excellent mother, whose sudden death was such a dreadful shock that they feared she would never get over it. That was the reason she was sent to school, the complete change of scene they thought might do her good. I believe it was there your friendship began, Miss Chatter ton ? " " Yes, we were at school together for more than a year. I was very fond of Minnie from the first ; she was so touching in her deep mourning. I am afraid she was not happy among us. I wish I had known then -what you have told me, for I should have been much kinder to her." " You were everything that was kind. I do not know what she would have done without your sympathy.

She often says how miserable she was till you took notice of her and drew her out of herself. You proved indeed a friend in need. I have heard a great deal about you, Miss Chatter ton, and am very glad to have this opportunity of making the acquaintance of Miss Mason's friend. I return to town to-morrow, so it was my last chance." There was no flattery, but genuine interest in the tone in which he spoke, and the smile that accompanied the words made the face so very pleasant that Maude began to realize what a shame it was of old Mr. Hutton to marry his cook. Other eyes besides Mr. Dempster's were watching Maude, and Reginald was remarking to Minnie, " Hutton is bringing out the best points in your friend's face. What an improvement that soft ex pression is, it quite changes her. After she takes a few lessons from you in becoming manners, we may acknowledge her to be a Paragon of friends."

Maude was quite sorry when her hostess gave the signal of departure. The friends enjoyed a long talk till the gentlemen came in, when taught by ex perience Maude joined Miss Dempster, who had amused her before dinner with her quaint remarks. The attraction was mutual ; Maude's brusqueness was a charm in Miss Dempster's eyes ; a sign of that candour which she loved and sought in vain in ordinary society. " You must be tired with your journey, Miss Chatterton. Here is a comfortable chair," cried Anna eagerly. " Journey, indeed ! An hour and a-half sitting still in a railway carriage," muttered Miss Dempster- " We all wish we were as strong as you, Cousin Maria," said Anna meekly. " Humph ! All affectation ! I was in the low fields at six o'clock this morning to set the men to their work, and have scarcely sat down since.

I wonder how you would like that, Miss Anna ? " " How fatigued you must be ! Do take this chair. I am really not tired. Pray do," exclaimed Maude in a voice of mingled pity and horror, as she observed the old lady who had made this astounding revelation sitting bolt upright in a high cane chair. Miss Dempster laughed her loud hearty laugh, and grasping Maude with hands of iron, replaced her in the chair. " Thank you, my dear, thank you, but I never lean back ; it was not the fashion in my day. I was fifty seven last month, and I daresay I could outwalk and outride any of you yet." Then seeing Maude's look of surprise at this frank avowal, she continued, "I am neither ashamed of my age nor my strength, like some silly women. With the possession of both combined, I can do what I please, and be beholden to nobody.