Mr. Stewart's Intentions, etc

Front matter

VOL. BY FREDERICK WILLIAM ROBINSON, AUTHOE OF GRANDMOTHER'S MONEY," "UNDER THE SPELL, " WILDFLOWER," " A WOMAN'S RANSOM," &c, &c. "What is he, for Heaven's sake? Can no man give him his true character?" HeYWOOT. IN THREE VOLUMES. VOL. II. LONDON HURST AND BLACKETT, PUBLISHERS, SUCCESSORS TO HENRY COLBURN, 13, GBEAT MAELBOKODGH STEEET. 1865. The right of Translation is reserved. LONDON : PRLNTED BY MACDONALD AND TUGWELL, BLENHEIM HOUSE, BLENHEIM STREET, OXFORD STREET. CONTENTS OF THE SECOND VOLUAIE. BOOK HI. BEGINNING TROUBLE. CIUrTElt PAGE I. One Year ... ... 3 H. Aeone 32 III. Master Richard Stewart gets Mysterious . 40 IV. I am Reproved and Advised . . .63 V. Ax Open Confession 81 VI. Preparation 100 VII. The "Woundell Ball 120 VIII. Bertie at Bay 143

BOOK IV. CHRONICLES THE FURTHER INTENTIONS OF MR.

STEWAP.T. I. Another Meeting . . . .167 H. Eaves-dropping VI CONTENTS. CHAPTER PAGE IH. Congratulation 106 IV. Giving way 209 V. Mr. Stewart's Last Night in "Wilthorpe . 236 VI. Danger 252 VII. Broken Down .273 Vin. Bound North . . . . .292 IX. In Edinburgh

Chapter I. One Tear

|70R one year after my engagement — for one long year — I was a happy woman ! Happy with the world, content with myself, looking for ward to a brighter, even a happier future — proud of my own strong heart, and trustful of strength in others. I kept my secret close, more for his sake — Alark's sake ! — than for my own. He had been fearful of rendering my position uncomfortable by the avowal, and I knew that it pleased him to think that all at the Hall remained unconscious of the troth plighted in the heavy rain, on a Sunday ever memorable to me. And it was pleasant to possess this secret ; to feel that I could at any moment steal apart to my own world and submerge myself B me. Stewart's intentions. 4 —that the little vexations which met me in every day life were all the more readily surmounted by this process.

No one seemed to suspect me at the Hall — on that Sunday night wherein my life changed, I hacl gone at once to my room, for good. On the Alonday morning Isabel met me with re proaches at my " ill tempers," as she termed them, which had led me to lock myself in my room all the evening. " Who had offended me?" she had asked more than once, judging my motives by her own peculiar method of resenting actions she dis liked in others. Airs. Kingsworth had herself gone early to her room, and Air. Alannington had not evinced any curiosity concerning my absence, wliich, considering how curious a man he was, I took for a good sign. The first day over, I was safe ; and further and further back stole that Sunday night which had perplexed me to look forward to, and which thrilled my heart so strangely to look back at.

I received letters from AL. Stewart now and then ; not too frequently, for our secret's sake. The Edinburgh post-mark might have suggested a ONE YEAR. 5 suspicion to an inquiring mind ; but, in the first place, my brother was at Edinburgh, and, in the second, I was an earlier riser than ALs. Kingsworth and Air. Alannington, and had read and re-read my letter long before their appearance at the breakfast table. In that year Aliss Castle was considered to have completed the education of Isabel Alannington, and took her departure, much to her late pupil's satisfaction. " If there be a chance of happiness from this time, I shall find it now," Bel said to me. " How I hated her, to be sure !" " Haven't you got rid of that disagreeable as sertion of hating everybody, Isabel ?" " I am of strong likes and dislikes," she answered pertly.

" I love and I hate — and I don't love you for one !" And away flounced Aliss Alannington — a young lady past sixteen then, her own mistress, and free from reports to her governante. What had a year done for her and me 1 — in twelmonths' close association together, people understand each other's character, and learn to mr. Stewart's intentions. value, despise, or respect. Well, I had learned to value her — even to entertain a kind of pity for her, which, it need scarcely be said, I carefully dis guised. I valued her for her true nature — earnest and deep loving ; and I pitied her for that impe tuousness, I might call it wilfulness, which re sisted control, and fought against her better thoughts — which stood ever the sad result of that ill training she had had before Airs. Kingsworth or I had known her.

That failing, almost approxi mate to a mental defect, was painfully apparent still — well for her, I often thought that hers was a quiet home, and that in dear Wilthorpe — I had learned to love the place with all my heart — there were not likely to approach trials and troubles to distress her much. Fortunate for her, in more senses than one, that she was an heiress — that her future, so far as wealth could brighten it, would be made easy for her. There would be no hard fighting with the world. Mrs. Kingsworth, whom I had learned to love also, as I had learned to understand her better, seemed anxious, on more than one occasion, for my opinion of her niece. Was Bel improving? — ONE TEAR. was she all that could be wished? — did I think that she would become a good and amiable woman ? I thought that Isabel vvould become so in good time ; that with little to disturb her, there were no chances against the possibility.

" Her mother was an excitable woman, or a lazy, selfish one ; and her father is a fidgety and narrow minded man — the chances are against her, Aliss Casey." AL'S. Kingsworth made but few inquiries about my brother. On the clay his cheque was due, she had asked me if his address were still the same, and whether I had heard of him lately ? " He is doing well, I hear," was my answer ; " I have had one letter from him." " He can't like Air. Stewart," she said quickly. " He does not mention his name." " Humph ! — that's a bad sign. Send him the cheque, and if he can make better use of it than of the others, it will be news worth communicating to me." But that news never came; and being a bad correspondent, the acknowledgment of the cheque jir. Stewart's intentions. 8 arrived about six months afterwards.

The cheque itself did not even speedily find its way back to Airs. Kingsworth's bankers — it was cashed in Edin burgh, three months after date. " Your brother writes a fine hand," Airs. Kings worth said, looking at the back of that cheque which had been made out " to the order " of John Kingsworth Casey ; " there's a dash about his capitals which a graphiologist would set down for vigour and perseverance. What a mistake !" ALs. Kingsworth took interest in another matter, to which I will now allude in this chapter of " summaries " — this was an interest founded on an error, and tended to embarrass me not a little. Air. Richard Stewart was the cause of this. In the year that had passed, I had also learned to understand him better, as I thought — to see the good in him which an austere and abrupt demeanour concealed, and concerning which his brother Alark had spoken to me.

He had no secrets from Dick, Air. Stewart had told me, not even the secret of our engagement, and this knowledge rendered me a little embarrassed, when I met the land-bailiff for the first time after ONE TEAR. 9 my Sunday. It was at the Hall, I remember ; he had come to transact business with ALs. Kings worth, after the old fashion, and I had been sent to tell him that ALs. Kingsworth was not quite ready to receive him. He extended his hand to me immediately I entered the room, and wrung mine so warmly in his, that I drew in my breath a little. " I beg your pardon," he said, stammering and blushing like a girl ; " I — I've hurt you, Aliss Casey — that's like my clumsiness. Where's ALs. Kingsworth ?" " She will be down presently." "Not out of bed, I suppose?" he said, in a dis paraging tone ; " well, all the better for this once, though I am pressed for time.

Do you mind sitting clown, and keeping me company till she arrives ?" " No, sir." So I sat down and faced him, conscious that I was reddening somewhat beneath his searching gaze. I remember too that he leaned forward, touched my arm, and said under his breath, " Mark's wises and that this assertion, of which he was almost unconscious, deepened the "colouring" consider ably. " Alark and you have made a match of it, then," he said in a low tone; "you don't know, ALss Casey, how glad I am to think that he will settle in life — how it has bothered me — he with a great business, a great house all to himself, and a great heart too — ah !" bursting into his usual sharp snap ping sonorousness, " that's the best of it. He told me all about it when he came back that Sunday night." " Did he ?" I could only answer at the moment.

" Of course he did," replied my companion ; " he and I together have nothing to conceal. If I were in trouble of any kind, I should go to Alark as I would have gone to my own father in his time ; and I think— hang it, I know !— that Alark would come to me before all his world of grand acquaint ances. He told me, to be sure — and — shall I tell you what I told him ?" He almost shouted this last interrogative, with his eyes further out of his head than ever with ex citement. " If you will excuse my curiosity," I answered, ONE YEAR. 11 becoming more at my ease in his presence. After all, he was Alark's brother, and I must try my best to like him, for my Alark's sake. "I told him that he could not have made a better choice," said he ; " that he didn't want, and wasn't fit for, a fine lady-wife, with her niminy piminy nonsense about all manner of things.

What are you laughing at ?" " Why, may I not become a fine lady-wife, when my head is turned by that greatness to which he will raise me ?" I asked. " Your head turned ! — get out !" he answered. " Why, I knew what a good wife you would make, as soon as he did. That's the girl for Alark, I said, when I had had a good look at you on the sly — she'll do, at any rate, and she's the first I have ever come across. For you must understand, ALss Casey, that I have been looking out for a wife for Alark these three years. If I had seen one to mv7 mind at Wilthorpe, I think that I should have telegraphed to Edinburgh, and said, ' Alark, come at once — I've found her !' And I'm sure that he would have understood me, for it has been a standing joke between us." " He must thank you for your interest, by find ing a wife for you in Edinburgh."

" Ah ! a Scotch girl, all cheek-bone — what a joke !" said he, laughing. " No, that wouldn't suit me. I haven't seen the girl that will suit me — I never shall !" "How is that?" "Perhaps, I should have "said that I have not seen the girl whom I could suit. I'm ill-tempered, sulky, bearish. I've lived too long alone in my cottage, and grown too used to my own ways to care to have either my home or my old habits dis turbed. I know that it hasn't improved me — I often think what disagreeable, miserable old hum bugs those hermits must have been !" " When I am your sister," I ventured to say, " I shall look out for you instead of Alark. You own that you are not happy in that cottage ?" " Happy in my way, which is not everybody's way," said he, in reply ; " and fast settling down to my own theory of what is good and proper for me.

A man can get used to anything, you know." "But why " " Don't draw me into argument, Aliss Casey — ONE TEAR. 13 when once I begin argument, I'm lost. I go on for hours like a steam engine. In my hermitage — Alark christened my home by that name, the rascal — I argue with myself on the drollest topics — and get up a quarrel with myself occasionally. Airs. Kingsworth is late — I thought that she wouldn't be quite ready, but I did not build upon so long a conversation with you. SI* knows no thing of this ?" I understood his allusion, and responded in the negative. " If it had not been for making you uncom fortable here, it vvould have been better to tell her," he said, thoughtfully ; " but she don't like Alark, and perhaps it is as well. He thought so, and he's a man who always knows what is best.

I shall enjoy her surprise very much, when the time comes." " Can you surprise her?" I asked. " Yes — I think it possible," he answered, " if old Alannington don't ferret the matter out for himself. By the way, while I think of it, take care of him. Trust him just as far as you can see him — not quite so far will be the better plan — and when he is more than usually kind and fatherly, then look out more sharply." " You do not like Mr. Alannington ?" " Not much," was the dry answer ; " but you're safe enough, and if he even drop on the truth, what harm can he do us ! You and I can fight our battle together, if need require the alliance — and it may be necessary, for Alark's sake. You and I, too, must be good friends ; it will make our future relationship more pleasant. I'm not going to keep up this ALss Caseying, for one thing.

You'll not mind ?" " Why should I ?" " Exactly — why should you ? I haven't quite made up my mind what I shall call you, though. Bertha's such an ugly name !" "Do you think so?" "I know so! What does your brother call you?" " Bertie." " Ah ! that's better. But that won't do yet awhile — you might just as well call me ' Dicky ' as that. I'll think about it, and give you my opinion !" ONE year, " Thank you," was my wicked reply ; at which he laughed, and brought his hand down on his knee, in a manner I had already seen before. And whilst laughing thus, ALs. Kingsworth entered, erect and vigilant as ever. She looked at AL. Richard Stewart and said : " Any extraordinary good news, Air. Stewart ?" " No, madam." " You're in so good a temper that I thought you must have heard of your brother doubling his capital, at all events."

" No, that news hasn't been communicated to me yet." " You must wait patiently and have faith," said she with some acerbity ; " with time before so for tunate a capitalist, your " " Shall we proceed to business ?" asked her bailiff un courteously. " — Your brother's chance is a good one," she con cluded ; " now, let us look over the matter of that purchase, and pray don't diverge if you can help it." " I never diverged from a business subject in my life !" cried Richard Stewart, whose feelings Mrs. Kingsworth had evidently contrived to wound. " I would not believe you upon your oath, sir," affirmed Airs. Kingsworth. " Upon my oath I wouldn't ask you." After this smart interchange of remarks, mistress and man drew their chairs to the table more amicably. When business was over, and Air. Richard Stew art had departed, Mrs. Kingsworth turned upon me suddenly.

" What do you think of that man ?" " That he is a man to like very much when once understood." " Honest and genuine — yes." It was all she said at that time, but she was observant after that, and the interest to which I have alluded gathered strength, despite her wish to appear devoid of interest in anything. Richard Stewart and I met once or twice a week by accident ; and when he had received a letter from his brother, he found an opportunity to seek me out and read it to me line by line, laying stress on any part wherein my name was mentioned. I 17 one year. Richard Stewart and I during that year became great friends — his love for Alark would have made us friends had he been less kind and considerate to me. I had almost feared, in the first moments of my engagement, what he would say ; and it had opened my heart towards him to find that he had wished the match, and flattered me to think that he was not only proud of me for his brother's sake.

He always called me Aliss Bertie after our first explanation — Aliss, out of respect for his bro ther, he said ; Bertie, for a fancy of his own that he had taken to that name. He was a true and good friend, and I felt sure that when the time came I should be a good sister to him. After all, his was an eccentric friendship, despite its depth and truth ; plain-spoken and earnest as he was, there reigned always throughout his manner towards me a courtly reserve or respect, as though I were in a position somewhat above his own. I was to be his brother's wife, and he was very proud of that bro ther — I knew the motive well enough, and I liked him none the less for it. Once only during that year I saw Alark. It was a flying visit, made during a journey to London, VOL. II. C from which he had deviated to see me.

For only a few minutes talk with me, he broke his journey at Peterborough and came on to Wilthorpe. That meeting rendered me content for months after the year had passed ; he was a business man, with whom time was money, and, until I took his name and shared his home, I must rest content with his letters and a glimpse of him now and then. He was in good spirits ; looking well and bright — he had been summoned to London on a mission that he hoped would bring him in ten thousand pounds. " After this year, Bertie," he said almost exult ingly, "I shall take things more easily. After this year, I shall ask you which particular day you think looks nicest in the almanack." Happy and brief interview, in which I went with him a little way upon his homeward route, and in which our hearts were open. He would not talk of my brother, Mrs. Kingsworth, orof anything but ourselves that day ; he put me off with a few monosyllables, and spoke of the future waiting for us.

We walked into the country, where Richard Stewart, who was to drive his brother to Peterborough, waited with a horse and chaise about a mile from the Hall. We walked very slowly onwards, and if I could have loved him better, why, I did that clay, I'm sure! " Take it easy, young man, and — lose the train," said his brother Richard as we came up. " Why ? — do you begrudge me these fugitive moments, you villain ?" " I'm a business man," was the evasive answer, " and I'm a feeling man, who is not going to cut the horse in half to gratify your future anxiety to make up for lost time." " Patience, Dick. We shall have plenty of time, and I shall have plenty of your company." Dick tried to reach his brother's legs with the whip, but failed in his intention. " Dick must have a great deal to tell me though, Bertie," he said ; " he is my brother, and has a right to look after my interests.

I hope you have kept your eyes on the curate especially, Richard ! " " I generally shut them when he preaches, Mark." " As irreverent as I am, you see, Bertie," he said, c shrugging his shoulders, " and so dull of compre hension !" " Time !" called Richard Stewart. " Ah ! it waits for no man — God bless you, Bertie !" He kissed me suddenly, or I might not have taken it so naturally, and pressed something in my hand. "What is this, Mark?" "Ring number one" he said, significantly, " Good-bye." He sprang into the chaise, and was driven away. I watched him out of sight of the country road, and he waved his handkerchief towards me from the chaise, until we faded one from the other. That is another picture I see still at times, and the tears are in my eyes, gazing at it too intently. I did not look at ring number one until I was at home ; then I felt sorry that it was a costly hoop of diamonds — a something which I could not always wear for his sake, without attracting attention and surprise.

A something that did not befit my present position, and so had to be locked away — an other secret ! I remembered then that I intended to have asked him to allow me to confide in ALs. Kingsworth, and I was sorry that his talk of our future had drove the subject out of my head. In my next letter I mentioned my wish, and he ex pressed an opinion in return that it was impolitic, but he left me free to act. What pleased me always pleased him, he wrote. But he had expressed a wish also, and it was my love that made it law. I submerged my better judgment, and kept silent. This story would not have been written had I spoken out, perhaps — or if written, with how different a purpose ! The year — that first happy year which I have chronicled — was passed, when ALs. Kingsworth suddenly startled me with news.

How long that lady brooded on a subject, or what time she took to make up her mind, it is impossible to say — the result came on one with a precipitancy that gave it the appearance of an idea suddenly conceived, and this I know was wrong. " ALss Casey," she said, " I am going to Edin burgh." " Alone, madam V " No, with Isabel. The child is not well, and I am beginning to fancy that this place may be too dull for her. She is young, and must see society a little. It is natural enough." "Do you think Edinburgh, in particular, the place best suited for her ?" " It is as good as any place ; I have friends there, and I have a curiosity that leads me thither, and makes it worth the visiting." " John !" " No — Air. Stewart. I am very anxious to see exactly what kind of position he holds in the mo dern Athens — what the world says of him there."

Every minute I anticipated her asking me to accompany her — me, who held the position of guardian to Bel Alannington. But she remained silent on the subject, and my heart, wliich had throbbed wildly with hope, became cold and chill at her reserve. " Shall you make a long stay there, Airs. Kings worth ?" I asked, after a time. " I am not certain — I think not," she responded ; " meanwhile, you " My heart throbbed again, but only for an instant. " You must take my place here, keep down the unruly staff of servants, and be mistress of the Hall. I can trust you, and — you only !" " Air. Alannington accompanies you ?" " Oh ! he goes with us, of course — he and the luggage!" was the severe addition here. " And Emma ?" " Will stay behind — I cannot be troubled by too many anomalies." I felt glad that I was not to be left entirely alone, although Emma and I were not the friends of old time.

She had never forgiven me my past reserve — she had become Isabel's confidante rather than mine; in all things she sided with Airs. Kings worth's niece, and I was often grieved to think how soon she hacl grown tired of me. I had fancied once that she would always love me for John Casey's sake. Later that night, Mrs. Kingsworth came to my room. An old habit of hers, it seemed now; when there was anything particular to ask or to relate, she came rustling along the corridor, after the house was still. She knocked at my door and came in " Aliss Casey," she said, taking her place by the mantelpiece, and retaining her hold of her stick, which she swung loosely between her fingers, " I am not going to keep you up to-night by an irrrele vant discourse. I have only come to ask a question, and I am not anxious about the answer.

You can reply, or refuse a reply, which you please." I thought of AL. Stewart — had she guessed the truth at last ? " I will do my best to answer," I said. And I had intended to tell her all the truth then, if she wished it. " What do you think of Air. Stewart now ?" "Mr. Stewart— of Edinburgh?" " That man ! — why should I care for your opinion of that purse-proud fellow ? No — his brother." " I esteem him very much." " It is a plain question — but I am an old woman, with but little breath to spare," she said ; " are you likely to marry him ?" " Alarry Air. Richard Stewart? — oh, madam, no !" " Are you quite certain ?" " Quite." " If he asked you to be his wife, you would accept him ? " " No, Airs. Kingsworth." " I am mistaken, then. Alore," she added, " I am sorry. When I am gathered," — it was a strange phrase and thrilled me — "of course you would not leave me before — -he would have made you a good husband, and I am sure that you would have been happy with him.

I can see what a good match it might have been — no matter !" She bade me good night, and went out of the room, waiting for no further conversation. There was a long journey before her the next day, and she had no time to waste on me. The next day, in the bright morning, Bel Alan nington sought me, flushed and excited. A year had not altered her in any way — she was still slight and girlish in figure — and it was a girl's face still, rather than a woman's. The dark eyes were aflame with delight. " Off at last, Bertha !" she said ; " the life of a city, instead of the vegetation of such a place as this ! Off to learn manners, my aunt considers — I don't mind what I learn, so that the world moves a little faster round with me. It cannot go round too rapidly — I shall never be giddy — viva .'" She spun round my room, humming a waltz tune.

I could but notice the grace and rapidity of her movements, and wondered whether she would ever be staid and womanly — I thought not. " Do you know what I have been troubling my head about ?" she said, coming suddenly to a full stop. " How should I know ?" was my rejoinder. " I have been agitating for your companionship at Edinburgh," she said ; "telling my aunt that with you to take care of me, I should go on more steadily and surely. What did I want with you? — above every prim faced woman in the world !" " Aly advice in times of difficulty or of distrac tion." " I object to advice — and yours, I particularly dislike. No, I wanted to tease you — some one to worry into an early grave with my whims and ca prices." " But you will always be amiable and lovable now ?" " So long as I stop in Edinburgh — to be sure.

But it is hard that my maid and you are both to be left behind, and that my aunt will always be companion, friend, and everything else. I told my aunt that I was afraid I should be a great trouble to her ; and had it not been for papa harassing himself about the Hall being left entirely to servants, you would have accompanied us. Never mind, Bertha, I'll write to you by every post !" " I daresay you will ! " " I'll become a regular correspondent, and you must excuse my spelling — Aliss Castle never could keep my spelling in order. You shall have all the news — good, bad and indifferent. I hope I shall never come back here." " Thank you for nothing, Isabel." " I hope that the Hall will be sold off, and you sent for to take care of me. By the way," looking very intelligent with a new idea, " if I make my self particularly unmanageable, they are sure to send for you.