Betty Westminster; or the Worship of Wealth. A novel

Chapter I

" A GOOD HUSBAND BY ALL MEANS, MASTER WOODFORD ; BUT ONE, PRYTh'eE, WILL KEEP HER COACH TO RIDE IN." Mrs. Harlowe, late of Glenwhyn, in Pem brokeshire, was a cousin of Lady Bellshaw. The lease of Glenwhyn being out, she Ustened to the invitations of her friends, to come and live nearer to them. Glenwhyn wanted thorough repairing inside and out, which the landlord had no objection to his tenant doing at her own own pleasure and expense. " The Hermitage" wanted no thing of the sort. It was in perfect order, very tastefully fitted up, healthily and pleasantly situated, ready for immediate occu pation, just about the size, &c, Mrs. Har lowe wanted ; and, so, the Bellshaw's inducements prevailed, and she took it for a term. VOL. Ill, B Gentleman is not at all a difficult word of definition, nor is lady.

Mrs. Harlowe was one by every right, and in every sense of the word. But, though poor for her rank, she was very proud, holding up her head, on about £500 a-year, more than half of which went to a younger brother at her death, if he survived her, with all the consequence of as many thousands. The result was, that, with all her high blood, and titled pedigree, she was nothing near so affable and agreeable to her neighbours, or happy in herself, as if she had had somewhat less of the court in her heart, and more of the Christian. Clearly, she had a perfect right to be proud of her maiden name and lineage; also of the unblemished rectitude of her own hfe; also of the dutiful love, and goodness, and rare beauty, and accomplishments of her child, her only one, her sweet AUce. And her great hope was, that that name and lineage, dating from — oh, we can't tell how far back, — and those glorious deeds of her gallant father ! would ensure Alice Harlowe a husband some day worthy of her.

The question was — and it was a serious question sometimes with Mrs. Harlowe, — "had she come to the right place, to find the right husband for her daughter, at Lowdon?" The thought had weighed on her mind a good deal since their arrival at " The Her mitage ;" but AUce appeared to like it so much, and the nearness to cousin Caroline made it so pleasant, that by degrees she settled down among them, seemingly without a wish beyond ; and Caroline whispered Sir Bradley, " How delighted I am dear, to see Amy so happy and contented. It makes her look quite handsome, don't it ; and ten years younger, at least, than she used to look at Glenwhyn ?" Though herself poor for her position, the Harlowe's were one of the richest families in Pembrokeshire. At the death of her husband — the estate going by entail — Amy Harlowe had to relinquish many luxuries ; but her pride came to her aid and ; realizing her actual strength, she wisely gave up a style, it was impossible she could support ; and going into Glenwhyn, made £500 a year do, what, tUl then, she had no concep tion £500 a-year could effect.

And so she lived on, till Alice was seventeen, and the lease expired ; and now, a near neighbour to her cousin Caroline, whom she had always loved like a sister, it would be her best policy, she considered, to make The Her mitage as comfortable as they could, and leave the rest to their good name and lineage, and Heaven's own will and pleasure. Still, Amy Harlowe often cast a thought back to the palmy days of " The Old Park House," with which so much that was sunniest in her history was inseparably associated ; and had no mind, if she could help it, to see her sweet girl married to hard-earnings. Disparity of rank in wed lock, was a sore subject with Amy Harlowe. She had a religious horror of unequal mar riages ! " The sacrifice, where it was on the woman's side, was irredeemable," she said.

"ACountmight,with pains, make a tolerable Countess of a cottage-girl ; but of a counter jumper what sort of a Count could a Countess make?" The subject was the sorer, by reason of her own youngest sister having run away with her music master ; and how had that ended ? " His vulgar, narrow-minded soul had broken herheartwith his ceaseless jealousies; and happy for her, she considered it, when they left her at rest, under the green turf, in Glenwhyn churchyard." The Lowdon-ball was the first large party Mrs. Harlowe had been to since they came to " The Hermitage" and she went to it with no little curiosity. What samples of the Hillbourough genus gentleman they could muster would be all there no doubt ; but Alice should be as simply and artlessly attired as possible ; though everybody said, " the new dresses Miss Simpson had got down expressly were," something truly sumptuous ! and that, " for young girls from sixteen to twenty-six, nothing now was worn, among the elite, but wreaths for the head, composed of full-blown, or darling little just budding button roses, that made them look quite angels !"

Of the Hillborough "Angels" there was no lack that night, nor of the genus gentleman, as Mrs. Harlowe had anticipated ; but there was one solitary representation only of what came up to Alice Harlowe's idea of the latter, as she had formed him in her own mind's eye and after her own heart's fancy ; and, on comparing notes over the breakfast next morning, Mrs. Harlowe was very much inclined to agree, " that her taste, so far, was certainly correct." Putting all other recommendations aside, of course an introduction at any time to the son of her husband's bosom-friend would have been very gratifying to Amy Harlowe ; but it must be admitted, that Warren was as handsome and gentlemanly a fellow as well could be, notwithstanding Harold Gawkingson's jealous sobriquets ; and, as soon as he thought that his heart might speak what it felt, as sensible, and intelli gent, and agreeable a one, too, as a lover of simple truths and unselfish meanings could desire.

Mrs. Harlowe was a mother, and loved her child with a mother's love for her only one. She had, moreover, a penetrating eye, and there were no disguises or dissimula tions in either Alice or in Warren. From the first moment they met, the mother's eye read all their hearts in every expression and movement ; and read she might as deeply as she pleased, for any pains either of them took to prevent it. This gratified her maternal love ; and she looked on with a new-found sensation of placid pleasure, for which she could have given no clear reason just then ; but which, had she questioned herself closely, was scarcely as disinterested as she gave it credit for. As to loves at first sight, between hearts that had only spoken to each other with their eyes, and said nothing of parentage, purse, and position, Mrs. Harlowe knew enough of the world to estimate their value, nine out of ten of them, pretty accurately.

But Alice and Warren's were not ordinary eyes and hearts ; and she had already seen enough, or her judgment strangely failed her, to be satisfied — that it behoved her to put the right price, too, on their first love looks as well as others. To Warren's blood, on one side, there could be no objection. For the purse, Aunt Betty was, of course, the best of all gua rantees — insure her only. And, that done, " what position, with right-handling, would be more enviable than Mr. Woodford' s ?" Insure her only — yes, that was the point. Would Warren — there was the danger — with soul like his, go the only way to work to do this ? If not, what then ? " Then, he was stiU a very handsome, upright, intelli gent, generous, gentlemanly fellow ; but he would not be worth — unless his Aunt Bar bara left him something at her death ; and that could not be much — more than his head and hands could gain him ; and that would be a very different case, and alter matters entirely."

Aunt Betty was a cold, crafty, capricious woman, loved homage and adulation, and would have them from those who were to benefit a shilling by her. Self, with her, reigned supreme. And devotion to that was not always enough — a feather's favouritism would turn her in a moment. On the mere strength of a sudden freak of fancy, thousands would go down at Archibald Sharpe's, and thousands would be struck out. Would soul like Warren Woodford's ever worship golden idol like that ? " No never !" said AUce. " God forbid it should !" All the same, Warren became a constant visitor at " The Hermitage," and with his aunt's knowledge, and seeming approval, too. And, though the danger still existed, it was not imminent ; so, there was always a glad reception for him from Mrs. Harlowe ; and, as to Alice, if Warren's pride would have allowed him to have found his way through the shrubbery-wicket again, after a look from those undissembling eyes had told him in earnest he must come no more, we do not know his character as well as we thought we did.' Of course his mother and Peter got a full, true, and particular account of it all ; and of course Lucretia smiled, and shed a glad tear, and, blessing them both, grew quite pale, longing to see Alice, and judge for herself, " whether she really was the all but angel on earth that Warren painted her."

And, of course, Aunt Barbara was a little huffy at first, " that she had not been consulted, before he presumed to cast ap proving eyes indeed on any woman on earth, that was not the image of what Barbara Woodford's miniature by Smart would tell them she was at sweet seventeen." And Peter, of course, too, had his own thoughts on the subject, and his own prayers to say, as well as others; and, " though he should reserve any decided opinion thereon till he could see his way clearer, he was free to B confess one thing, viz., that, if a man could not have the woman he loved for his wife, he had best remain single ; and. even if he could, it was as well they should know rather more of each other, he thought, than young folks usually did in a twelvemonth's courtship ; at all events, be quite sure of this — that there was enough somehow to keep them boiling, before they laid in the pots and kettles."

Such homely truisms were incontrover tible ; though Lucretia did not judge it ne cessary, as yet, to do more than, in the shghtest manner, touch upon them inci dently in her letters. So, matters went on much as usual between them ; the post serving as the great artery of communica tion, to keep their hearts in full pulse towards each other— Saturday never passing without Simon getting a brimming mug of ale, over and above his rightful fee, at " The Briers," for a great sheet-full, though he would have had to leave which, now for no thing, then, O lucky reader ! Warren had to pay eightpence for — and cheap, too, considered his mother, at the money. Meanwhile, what said Betty to it aU ? Nothing —which was a sign she thought the more. And John Dorking got a little uneasy ; and, " comea chance, meant to have a serious word or two with Mr. Warren about it, or, as sure as he was born, he would bitterly regret it some day."

Warren, intent on two objects only, first, his duty towards his God ; then, his duty towards his neighbours, saw nothing of the dangers that were filling John with fear and sorrow; and, passing all his leisure time with AUce, made sure he was most laudably engaged ; and got so handsome, as he got happier, that no wonder she persuaded him to let her take his portrait one day, in crayons, to send to his mother ; and won her heart by it to such an extent, that Peter for awhile always turned his eyes another way, and " could see only the most ludicrous weakness in such follies." Meanwhile, Aunt Betty, with her eyes about her, kept her own counsel. And Gideon kept his. And another summer wore away : — "and if Alice Harlowe were not to be Mrs. Warren Woodford one of these days" — why the gossips were very much mistaken, that was all.

" What said Archibald Sharpe, attorney at-law ? Who knew so weU on what founda tion Mrs. Harlowe was building her hopes, as Archibald Sharpe ? Two others only — Betty Westminster herself, and Gideon Wolff. Poor Warren ! Archibald did his best to open the bhndman's eyes. What earthly hope but one filled Warren's whole soul ? " The idiot J" cried Griggs " Great pity !" admitted John. " Talk to him," entreated Letty. " Talk to my hat," humphed Archibald. " He, he. he !" giggled Gideon, to him self. " Give away her pretty Uttle chick like that to a pauper ? he, he, he ! Will she ? Yes, trust her. Leave the sly old hen alone for that ; he, he, he ; not she. — A good husband by all means, Master Woodford ; but one pryth'ee, will keep her a coach to ride in He, he, he ! dear, pretty little chick !" and, running up to The Commo dore — they had a little lesson to get by heart, " he, he, he ! then he should have his supper."

CHAPTER XXII.

A MILLION'S A MILLION. Winter gave place to spring, and " The Hermitage," with its sylvan delights, might well have charms for a heart like Warren Woodford's. Warren's love-makings there — for that was the truth of it — were no secret to Aunt Betty. But Betty had her own motives for seeming indifferent about it ; and Gideon had his, too, for giving him every chance in his power — to crush himself. Aunt Betty had watched them narrowly, at the ball ; and from that night made up her mind how she meant to act. " Nephew Woodford was free to please himself. So was she." Though Betty by no means observed the BKTTT WESTMINSTER. strict rule of her ancestors in some things, on one point she ever was, and ever would be, a true and staunch supporter of the Westminsterian canon, touching the mar riages of their heirs-male.

No male branch of their house had ever taken unto himself a wife without the counsel and concurrence of every member of his family ; and, " let Warren dare to think of marrying without her consent — he might do it — and so might she do, too, what she Uked with her own." Had Warren gone, in confidence, to Ar chibald Sharpe, and asked, — what act most suicidal can I do to disinherit myself? as suredly Archibald would have answered without hesitation, — choose a wife without Aunt Betty's consent ; and he would have answered truly. But Warren did not go to Archibald. He went only to his own heart ; and that conscientious counsellor offering no objec tions, he followed its dictates without a misgiving, and found them very pleasant. With his own heart only to guide him. Warren went his own way ; and Gideon, though from the first hour his hideous eyes rested on her at the ball he had sworn to make Alice Harlowe his own ; so far from putting any obstacles in his path, did his best to clear it of every hindrance ; aye, and to strew it all he could with sweetest flowers.

Gideon Wolff had a deep and difficult game to play ; but his favourite studies had done nothing for him if he failed to rise from it the winner. A night's thought on his bed, backed by an hour or two's close-closetting next day with Lucy Gwinnet, in Cow Lane, settled all doubts ; and, redoubling his siege operations on Betty's heart, " if Warren thought to have all the courtship and con sols to himself, he was slightly mistaken." And well might Letty sigh, and John pull a long face, and Archibald knit his brows, and Christopher Griggs, clinching his fists and grinding his teeth, long to pound that infamous young Umb to powder !" " He, he, he !" giggled Gideon ; and, Betty joining in chorus — what a happy time it was for Warren ! what a satisfaction to Mrs. Harlowe, to think " how satisfied his Aunt seemed with him ;" and what joy for Alice, " to know, when the sun rose of a morning:, she should be sure to have those beautiful, bright, beaming blue eyes, beaming with all goodness as well as beauty, lovingly smiling on her, for certain, before it set again !"

Gideon had well considered his game, and, if skill and good luck could win it, he would teach them a trick, one of these days, would surprise them ! he, he, he — and, humming to himself — " I love Betty as my life — " Alice, will you be my wife ?" Off he went to make love to Betty, fonder than ever. " What's come to the young man, I can't think," said Betty to herself, taking out her best cap, and looking at herself in the glass. " Admire an old woman Uke me? — Stuff and nonsense !" But nonsense as it was, Betty preferred the black-net cap with the rose-coloured ribbons in it to any other ; for " it de cidedly became her much more" — that Gideon had ventured to tell her one day — " became her much more than the grass green one with the amber trimmings ;" and the look he gave her when she came down, so far from having anything Uke " stuff and nonsense" in it spoke such volumes to John Dorking, that he determined, if he lived, to have it out with Mr. Warren that very day come what might of it.

To ever stand the slightest chance of gaining over Mrs. Harlowe, which, he reckoned, was to gain the daughter, Gideon settled it in his own mind, he must be rich — richer far than Warren Woodford. How was this to be achieved ? But in one way — by making himself so at all hazards as soon as possible ; by getting Warren over head and ears in love with Alice Harlowe ; and then, when for all the wealth in the world he would not lose her, by setting Betty on them; and then, " he, he, he ! pretty dear little chick, see whether the sly old hen would give her away to a pauper ?" But, seeing it all, and in her heart dis approving of it, how was it Aunt Betty's affection for her nephew did not crush in the bud a growing passion, against which she had set her face so determinedly ? Because, first, she had no love for him , and, next, because the mischievous little god was playing havoc with her own breast, re volting as it may sound ; and, in plain truth, she wanted a pretext to quarrel, and portion him off after a fashion, and send him back to his mother.

Warren's certainly was not a happy home at Hillborough ; and that was why Letty sighed so often about him, and John Dor king had such a cloud on his brow sometimes. They regarded him, aU self-hopes apart, with an interest and esteem grew dady more significant of their fears, that the sUghtest provocation alone was wanting to turn him precipitately from the house, and perhaps sever them for ever. But what could they do to avert it ? Absolutely nothing more than, by such gentle hints and warnings as friendship dictated, ward off the blow as long as they could, which they saw was coming. In fact, Aunt Betty had never felt a grain of real affection for her nephew. His handsome face and figure, and agreeable manners and conversation, had pleaded so far in his favour at first, that she was proud enough to introduce him to her friends ; but there was too much of Lucretia, his mother, in them, to excite in her own breast any other than feelings of jealousy and anger ; and, do what he would to please, with Lucretia always before her, she was never quite at her ease with him ; and, but for Andrew and Timothy's death-bed in junctions, would have long ere this released herself of a tie that kept her in a perpetual galUng fret.

Had there been but a feature or lineament of any sort of the Westminster in him, it might have been different. As it was, his merits rather injured than helped him. Would he only have fallen down and worshipped hei gold, been the slave of her ironwill, done her bidding through thick and thin, ignored all the past, and learnt only how best to serve her for the future, Letty would have been saved many a sigh, on that score, and John Dorking a sad heart. Then, the rankling sore of the past might have healed over, and wrongs been set right, and atonement made, and justice been done at last, however tardily. But, like his mother, Warren would serve but One God, though he starved for it : — and, so, the sore festered on, the wrongs remained unredressed, atonement there was none of, justice still cried aloud unheeded, — and wrather and wrather grew the heart of Betty Westminster, to think, " with more than a million sterling in her hand, there was no market where she could go and buy peace."

Once John Dorking, after reading part of a letter to Warren from his mother, in which she feehngly expressed " the deep grief she was under at the present estrangement be tween his aunt and herself," resolved he would take the first chance he could get to drop a word or two on the subject, in a way he hoped might induce her to make it up and be friends again. The chance offering shortly afterwards, John ventured to avail himself of it thus : — " What a nice, kind, sensible, motherly letter Mrs. Frederick Woodford writes." " Humph ! How do you know?" " Mr. Warren showed me part of one he got from her a day or two back." " Better off than I am, then ; never shows me any of them." " You ought to see that." " Why?" " She speaks so feelingly and affection ately of"— " Her own child. Mighty matter that -what mother don't?"

" Yes — and of somebody else, too.' " Humph ! Who's that ?" " You." " Me?" " Yes of you. I never read anything more sisterly and affectionate." " Time almost. What then ?" " Well, then, I shouldn't wonder — that is, I'm sure, as I'm sitting here — what she wants most at heart, is to shake hands and be good friends again." This was an unusually long speech for John, and he turned a little pale round the nose for a moment after it. It evidently rather surprised Betty, too. She made no answer however ; but, throwing herself back in her chair, with her arms hanging down beside her, half-closed her eyes, as if wilhng to listen to what John might have to say further. John took courage at this. " What a nice thing it would be, wouldn't it, to be all good friends again?" Betty opened one eye wide at this; then the other,and stared amazed at John's assurance.

"There now," went on John, carried away, " poor as I am, I'd give five pounds out of my pocket, hang me if I wouldn't ! to see Mrs. Woodford walk in at this moment." Much obliged, John, I am sure. Very kind, very indeed, of you. But perhaps — and Betty drew herself up stiff — " you'll be minding your own business, John Dorking. Enough, and over, for wise folks to do, done as ought to be. Get the money together quicker than I can, spend it that way " Thus silenced, John never ventured on the subject again. — Letty assuring him, " that it made matters worse rather than better for Warren. Betty had made a vow, that he knew, as also had her father Geoffry and brother Timothy, when she eloped with Captain Woodford— never, if they could help it, to look on her face again ; " and nothing that Letty felt convinced of, but the hand of God would ever bring them together again."

" WeU, I may be wrong," said John, getting excited ; " but if I had made a sinful vow, the best atonement, in my mind, I could offer for it, would be to break it as soon as possible, and so show that I was sorry for it." ' That is very true and good," rejoined Letty ; " and I think that is what I should do, too, John ; but as neither of us have best part of a million sterling in our pockets, we can't tell what we should do, can we?" John rubbed his hands; and, knowingly nodding his head, had a pretty shrewd idea, seemingly, in it, " that a million in hand, or something under it, would make no sort of difference with him, unless, may be, to open his heart wider." Vow, or no vow, there was a gathering cloud hanging heavily over ; and John, get ting Warren alone with Letty a day or two afterwards, was resolved to out with a bit of his mind about it, before the storm came on in earnest.

Warren was speaking in eulogies of Mrs. Harlowe: — " she was such a kind and fond mother," he said. " No objection, all the same, to a rich husband some day for Miss Alice, has she?" asked John. " Beyond enough, I don't think she covets money, for money's sake, replied Warren. " Enough ! What's the meaning of that, Mr. Warren, anywhere you know of, besides Hillborough ?" "Well, all I know is, Mrs. Harlowe's means are limited enough, John — she has told me so ; and, yet, she seems very happy." " And ought to be, as Miss Letty says, living with such an angel always ?" "Thank you, John." " Nevertheless, Mr. Warren, I'm out in my reckoning, if Mamma means her to ride to church on a wet sunday, when she's married, in a one-horse chaise, if she can do better" "Best go on foot, John, with a good large umbrella, in case of rain, that's more respectable ; I know my wife should."

" So should mine," agreed John, looking hard at Letty ; " yes, and wear pattens, too, if need be, to keep her feet dry." " I tell you, I dont believe Mrs. Harlowe cares for wealth, for wealth's sake, more than you or I do, John," resumed Warren, returning to the point. " May be," returned John, lowering his voice and glancing at the key-hole, as a foot fall crossed the passage. " ShaU 1 teU you something ? — in the same under key. — "I'U wager a trifle she does, though" — and again John lowered his tone still deeper: — " Drat that young viUain I I'm not John Dorking if he has'nt an eye for the girl himself — and that's fact." Warren burst out laughing. "You'll see then." " Nonsense, John.' ■' You'll see." " It's too ludicrous, John. "It's too true, Mr. Warren. " How do you mean ?" " Miss Harlowe is a lovely girl, and highly accomplished."

" So she is, John." ' ' Others see it as w ell as you, Mr. Warren? ' ' "Wherefore not? The greater compliment to my taste, John. '' Probably Mrs. Harlowe will see fit to have a voice in the matter?" " Undoubtedly. Who has a better right." "She is said to be ambitious." " To see her daughter married and settled some day, John, as she ought to be? No question about it" " Your Aunt, Mr. Warren, wiU die worth not less than a million." c vol. in. " Poor woman !" thought Warren to himself. ' Well, John, what then ? " Then you must inherit it after her, as you ought, that's clear — if — if — if you would have Miss Harlowe." " If not, how then, John ?" " How then? Then, sure as fate, Gideon Wolff will, that's aU !" and, stung by it, John jumped up from his chair, and pacing the room backward and forward, gave Warren time to swaUow it at his leisure. '■ Gideon Wolff, John ?

Good heavens !" " Gideon Wolff," echoed John. " John, you are joking ?" " Never more in stern earnest in my life." " Gideon Wolff?" " Why not ? A mUlion's a million." " Miss Harlowe agree to that?" " Miss is not Mrs., is she, Mr. Warren ?" That seemed so plain and palpable, that Warren took a moment or two to quite make it out. « Well— well, then, John ?" " Then, all I say is, look sharp out after that" — and John shook his brawny fist at the door — " or, as true as I earn my bread by the sweat of my brow, he'U trip you up, and get her some day." " Get Alice Harlowe ? Alice Harlowe ever be Mrs. Gideon Wolff? No, no, John, never — never !" cried Warren. " Unless — and he turned pale as a sheet as he said it — " unless, senseless, they drag her to the altar, and marry him to a maniac." " Nevertheless," advised Letty, " best, wouldn't it not, on all scores, to keep good friends with your Aunt, Mr. Warren ; and so never have any dreadful tragedies of that sort, which are only proper, you know, in play-houses ?"