Emily Stretton: or, Did She Redeem It? A novel

Front matter

OK, DID SHE REDEEM IT? OR, DID SHE REDEEM IT? A NOVEL % o n ii o n EDEN, REMINGTON & CO., PUBLISHERS HENRIETTA STREET, COVENT GARDEN ALL RIGHTS RESERVED I89O CONTENTS CHAP. PAGE I. A dinner party at MRS egreville's . I II. A GARDEN PARTY ..... II III. HERBERT HOLMESFIELD HAS SOME CONVER- SATION WITH MR STRETTON AND EMILY . 1 9 IV. MR STRETTON's PARISH . . . . 26 V. EMILY STRETTON's GIRLHOOD HER MAR- RIAGE TO MR STRETTON ... 40 VI. MR STRETTON IS SUPPOSED TO BE DROWNED AT SEA . . . . . . 53 VII. TWO YEARS LATER MR AND MRS LINTON PLAN A MARRIAGE BETWEEN EMILY AND HOLMESFIELD ..... 59 VIII. EMILY AND HOLMESFIELD MEET . . 65 IX. HERBERT HOLMESFIELD . . . 72 X. EMILY AND HOLMESFIELD MEET AGAIN . 83 XI. THEY MEET A THIRD TIME ... 88 XII. MRS EGREVILLE GIVES HOLMESFIELD ADVICE 94 XIII. EMILY ACCEPTS HOLMESFIELD ... 97 XIV.

EMILY DISCOVERS THAT MR STRETTON IS ALIVE ...... 107 XV. EMILY ENDEAVOURS TO GRADUALLY ACCUS- TOM HOLMESFIELD TO THE IDEA THAT HE MUST HENCEFORTH WORK WITHOUT HER BY HIS SIDE . . . . I17 XVI. EMILY'S STRUGGLE THE NIGHT BEFORE THE WEDDING. SHE MARRIES HOLMESFIELD 1 26 XVII. TWO YEARS LATER. ..... I30 CONTENTS CHAP. PAGF. XVIII. THE NEXT MORNING . . . . 1 38 XIX. MRS EGREVILLE AND MRS BUCKHURST . 142 XX. MRS EGREVILLE ASKS GANTON HIS IN- TENTIONS WITH REGARD TO MISS GIVAN I 49 XXI. GANTON MEETS NETHERFIELD . . . 156 XXII. MRS EGREVILLE ADVISES EMILY '10 TAKE HOLMESFIELD INTO THE COUNTRY . 164 XXIII. MRS EGREVILLE AND GANTON GO TO WILDBAD . . . . . 169 XXIV. MRS EGREVILLE REFUSES THE MARQUIS DE RICLA . . - . . 192 XXV. HOLMESFIELD BEGINS DRINKING AGAIN . 201 XXVI. HOLMESFIELD DESERTS EMILY . . . 208 XXVII.

GANTON HELPS EMILY . . . . 2l6 XXVIII. EMILY IS INFORMED THAT A RELATION HAS LEFT A LARGE FORTUNE TO MR STRETTON ..... 237 XXIX. EMILY DETERMINES TO CLAIM THE FOR- TUNE FOR HER SON, EVEN THOUGH THIS WILL NECESSITATE HER GOING INTO THE WITNESS BOX AND CONFES- SING HER BIGAMY . . . . 247 XXX. GANTON ENCOURAGES EMILY . . . 255 XXXI. MR STRETTON DIES .... 261 XXXII. GANTON AGAIN ENCOURAGES EMILY . . 27O XXXIII. EMILY REFUSES GANTON . . . 277 XXXIV. EMILY AND MRS EGREVILLE IN THE WIT- NESS BOX . . . . . 283 CONCLUSION . . . . . . EMILY STRETTON OR, DID SHE REDEEM 1T1

Chapter I

A DINNER PARTY AT MRS EGREVILLe's ' He is a man of great ability. He has already made his mark, and he has a very fine career before him.' The ladies had retired to the drawing room and were seated round the hostess. Mrs Egreville was the descendant of an old Huguenot family. At the age of eighteen she had married her first cousin the squire of Catenham, a property he had inherited from his industrious ancestors. She had been left a widow at twenty-nine, and had now re- A EMIL Y STRETTON 2 mained such for forty years, notwithstanding that she had received several offers and some of them disinterested ones. Her husband had barred the entail on his coming of age, and as they had no children he had left her a life interest in Catenham, which although heavily encumbered was an estate of fair extent, and gave its owner a good position amongst the smaller proprietors of the home county in which it was situated.

Mrs Egreville did not think she could afford a house in town, but she was passionately fond of London, and even in the middle of winter she would constantly run up and spend two or three nights at the Alexandra Hotel. In the society which she gathered round her both in London and Catenham she showed a distinct preference for men, and unless a man were distinguished by his achievements, his accomplishments, or his manners — she preferred young men. For married women except in the case of the wives of men of position, she felt what was probably mere indifference. She was warmly attached to some married lady friend one week, and she thought her a bore the next. Girls she hated. That the bright intellects and manly forms which seemed so happy in their self-sufficiency should tether themselves down to some simpering nonentity who was probably a pauper and certainly a fool — she choked with indignation at the thought of it.

The last days of July had arrived and Mrs Egreville had returned to Catenham to spend six or seven weeks there before going to Brighton. She brought down with her one of the ornaments of her circle, the gentleman of whom she was speaking to her guests. Mr Holmesfield who thoroughly appreciated his club, pleaded hard that journalistic work prevented his leaving town, but she told him it was rubbish. He did not look well. The country air would do him good. She felt fagged herself. She did not feel equal to making the journey to Catenham without having a gentleman to escort her. When she was below par she always liked having a gentleman with her. Her maid was an idiot. So Mr Holmesfield had had to present himself at Euston next day, and had been afforded plenty of opportunity of making himself useful.

The two first days at Catenham had really passed very agreeably. He had his mornings to himself, and he spent them quietly in bed. At two o'clock they lunched. After lunch Mrs Egreville insisted on his smoking whilst she looked at the newspaper, and read out any paragraph which she thought in teresting — at five they drove out — at eight they dined. After dinner smoking again and ecarte. At eleven the whisky was brought in, and after she had partaken of a very fair mixture herself, had prepared a stronger one for her guest and had seen him comfortably settled in an armchair with books and papers and the decanters within easy reach, Mrs Egreville retired to her apartments. On the third, however, she had invited some of her immediate neighbours to dinner, merely to show him how appallingly dull country society was.

Catenham was situated within only two miles of the county town and there was in consequence a supply of bankers, lawyers, and doctors — as well as the clergy — on whom Mrs Egreville could always draw at pleasure. It was from this source that the guests of the evening were gathered. But amongst the ladies present there was one if she did not attract attention at once yet could not fail in soon doing so. She was quite young and slightly above the middle height. Although her figure was wanting in roundness, yet her dress which was very simply made fitted her beautifully. Her hair was dark and plainly dressed. Her eyes were blue and of good size, but though they sparkled prettily when she laughed their colour was not sufficiently intense for them to be called handsome. It was in the mouth that the real expression of the face lay.

It was large with moderately full lips, and every flitting expression of the moment passed over it like a ripple on a pool. Her other features were small and well-shaped. After three quarters of an hour the ladies were rejoined by the gentlemen amongst whom was the Vicar of the parish — the hus band of the lady we have just described — a strongly built but rather stout man of forty eight. Behind him as they entered the drawing-room came Mr Holmesfield. The two men certainly presented a considerable contrast. Mr Holmesfield who looked about thirty seven was of the middle height and very slightly built. He wore a long and silky moustache which like his hair and whiskers was very fair. His hair was parted in the middle and it fell in two thick and graceful folds on either side of a finely-shaped oval forehead, which was especially well developed over the eyebrows.

His eyes were of a light blue and his features were small and very delicately moulded. Although slight his frame appeared well-knit. The conversation was general for a short time, but on a lady going to the piano the company formed itself into couples for quiet chats. Mr Holmesfield had remarked Mrs Stretton (for that was the name of the wife of the Vicar of Catenham) at the dinner table and he now, quite naturally, found himself beside her. They commenced with some remarks about Catenham and the neighbourhood, what portions of it Mr Holmesfield had seen and what he thought of them, what portions he had yet to see and what Mrs Stretton thought of them. But it soon turned into a wider groove. Mr Holmes field perceived that he interested his com panion, and he was also conscious that his companion interested him.

Mrs Egreville's dinner had been a good one, and as he leant slightly back in his low chair and looked at the expressive face which was turned towards him, he felt that he was talking well. He spoke of the foreign cities he had visited and this led him to speak of their art galleries. He sketched the various art schools and theories of the present day both in England and on the Continent; mentioned the names of the leading artists, noted their various merits and defects, told some anecdotes which illustrated their methods and their characters, and briefly discussed the next stage in the history of art which they appeared to be working up to. It was very well done, but as he was expected to discuss art from a literary point of view in almost every drawing-room he entered, this was not perhaps to be wondered at.

Still EMIL Y STRETTON 8 he felt that he was talking above his average, that his grasp of his ideas was firmer, and that his voice vibrated with a warmer glow. He felt very much pleased with himself and very much obliged to Mrs Stretton. A general shifting now took place in the drawing-room, and it was understood that fresh couples were to be formed. Mr Holmesfield joined the lawyer's wife whom he had taken down to dinner ; and as they had already exhausted the subject of Caten ham and its neighbourhood downstairs, the conversation now turned on the respective advantages of winter and summer. The lady preferred the summer, so Mr Holmes field chose the winter in order to keep the conversation going. It was a relief when the carriage was announced, and amongst the general leave-takings for which the departure of one person is the signal he managed to get to the side of Mrs Stretton. ' I must thank you indeed,' he said in rather an undertone, ' for a most enjoyable evening, I am afraid that I was thoughtless and that I wearied you.' ' Oh no,' said Mrs Stretton in a soft contralto voice, ' I enjoyed it very much.

It is I must thank you.' ' I trust it is only au revoir,' said Mr Holmesfield with a smile, and holding out his hand, and then he added, ' may I ask Mrs Egreville to bring me to call at the Vicarage ? ' ' We shall be delighted,' said Mrs Stretton with a slight blush and smiling too. ' My husband will be delighted, I am sure, to make your acquaintance. But to-morrow afternoon we are going out to a garden party I am afraid.' ' So are we,' said Mrs Egreville coming up to them, ' and we will meet you there. But pray, Mr Holmesfield, what does it matter to you where Mrs Stretton is spend ing her afternoon ? ' Mr Holmesfield was proceeding to explain. ' Silence,' said Mrs Egreville, ' I allow no gentleman in my house to make love to anybody but myself. Vicar,' she continued turning round to Mr Stretton, ' I have this moment discovered vour wife and this EMILY STRETTON 10 gentleman in the very act of arranging a rendez-vous.' ' Well, we must have a duel,' said the Vicar, ' I choose my sermon-case.' ' Then you mustn't put one of your sermons inside,' said Mrs Egreville. ' Mr Holmesfield is not an elephant. However, leave them to me, Vicar. I'll take good care to keep them separate.'

Chapter II

A GARDEN PARTY The garden party was to take place at Brain ford, some four miles distant from Catenham. Brainford was the property of a member of a family of stockbrokers, who, for several generations, have been distinguished where ever they have settled by the munificence of their contributions to local charities and to the local Hunt. Mr William Stokesby liked to do things on a big scale. He hesitated several times before he subscribed five pounds, and debated whether three guineas would not be sufficient, but if he heard that a local institution was five hundred pounds in debt, he subscribed two hundred and fifty EMIL Y STRETTON 12 at once on condition that the other two hundred and fifty were found elsewhere, and when these last were not forthcoming he wrote a cheque for the balance with great gusto.

The whole country round, from the Lord-Lieutenant downwards, flocked to his entertainments and they were always a great success. The grounds were not large but the timber was good and the turf was first-rate. There was sufficient room for half-a-dozen tennis courts on the lawns, and there was an asphalte court a short distance away which had been seized upon in the early afternoon by four of the regular players, who were determined to have a good hard game and not — as they expressed it — ' a gentlemanly knock up.' While some of the guests strolled about the gentle declivities, the greater number remained on the terrace, watching the tennis, listening to the music of the military band and noting each fresh arrival. This last, indeed, was the chief occupation of the younger ladies, and if any of their friends appeared in a dress or bonnet which did not suit her, much com- A GARDEN PARTY 13 miseration was whispered and much satis faction felt.

As to the men, with the exception of the elder clergy who were gathered in groups and a few retired officers who congregated in a similar manner, most of them had either been impressed into the tennis by Mr Stokesby, or else were escorting young ladies, generally — but not always — to the satisfaction of the watchful mothers who sat upon the terrace. Mr Stokesby himself, now that the courts were full, was rushing about with his hat full of tennis balls, whilst Mrs Stokesby was trying to amuse the Lord-Lieutenant. The two latter were evidently in sympathy with one another, for they both looked extremely bored. This was indeed beginning to be the case with most of the people on the terrace. The conversation became spas modic. There were pauses of considerable length, and each lady thought how very dull her friend was.

A general feeling of satisfaction was experienced on a move being made into the house for refreshments. Mr Holmesfield was a fair tennis player, he was light and active and he had a good EMILY STRETTON 14 eye, but he was now out of practice, and after a couple of setts in which he only met moderate players and did not disgrace himself, he was glad to leave the tennis and go and see after Mrs Egreville. That astute person, however, was perfectly well able to look after herself. As soon as she had shaken hands with Mrs Stokesby and with a few of her other acquaintances, she had secured a nice shady seat, and going up to a tall handsome clergyman of about thirty-five, who seemed in excellent spirits, she said to him, ' Now, Mr Linton, I have been away from home for nine weeks — come and tell me all the scandal.

There isn't any — pooh ! nonsense ! Well, if there isn't any, you must invent some.' From the expression on Mrs Egreville's face for the next three-quarters of an hour, it must be supposed that Mr Linton's inventive powers were of a superior order. When Mr Holmesfield came up Mr Linton rose to leave, but Mrs Egreville stopped him. ' Here,' she said, ' you must take me into tea, and introduce my friend A GARDEN PARTY 15 Mr Holmesfield— Mr Holmesfield, Mr Linton — Mr Linton, Mr Holmesfield — to Mrs Linton. He has a weakness it appears for clergymen's wives.' Unfortunately Mrs Linton was already engaged, and Mr Holmesfield was able, on pretence of going to see after a racquet which had been lent to him, to slip away and join the lady who had impressed his imagination on the preceding evening.

He found her in a pretty mauve dress and bonnet listening to a colonel who was retailing to her the leading article in the Standard of the previous day, which he had just read before leaving home. She held out her hand with a smile to Mr Holmesfield. The Colonel went off to communicate elsewhere the latest result of his political studies ; and Mr Holmesfield offered to escort Mrs Stretton to the house for some strawberries and cream. ' Our mentor, Mrs Egreville, is there,' said Mr Holmesfield, ' so I am afraid we shall not be allowed much conversation. I have to leave Catenham for town after EMIL Y STRETTON 16 to-morrow. So to-morrow is my last chance of paying my visit to the Vicarage.' ' It is very unfortunate,' said Mrs Stretton, ' but to-morrow we are out all day. It is the Sunday school and choir treat.

We have to take the children five miles off to the hills.' ' Could I be of any use ? ' asked Mr Holmesfield. ' I don't think so,' answered Mrs Stretton laughing. ' I should so much like to meet your husband again,' said Mr Holmesfield. ' I don't see him,' said Mrs Stretton looking round whilst her eyes sparkled very prettily. ' I am very curious to see the hills,' said Mr Holmesfield, ' please tell Mr Stretton that I shall come and make arrangements personally for our duel. Where is the treat ? ' ' At Hothbury.' They were now at the door giving on to the terrace. In the entrance they met Mrs Egreville. She had caught the word ' Hothbury.' A GARDEN PARTY 17 ' What is this,' said Mrs Egreville, 'another rendez-vous? Mr Holmesfield will you order my carriage round, if you please. Mr Linton will take charge of Mrs Stretton, thank you.' When they were out on the road Mrs Egreville at once asked what was this about Hothbury. ' I am afraid that Mr and Mrs Stretton are rather in want of helpers for their school treat,' said Mr Holmesfield. ' Pooh,' said Mrs Egreville, ' there are so many that they are all treading on each other's toes.

So you are going to help ? ' ' I thought I should see the hills at the same time.' ' At what o'clock ? ' 'After lunch, if you will allow me 'Yes,' said Mrs Egreville, 'you will be bustlinoover lunch and leaving without smoking a cigar. And in my present state of health,' continued Mrs Egreville hanging down her head, ' I want my cigar after lunch,' and she looked as if she were going to cry. ' My dear Mrs Egreville,' said Mr Holmes- B field raising her hand to his lips, ' I don't want to go to the hills — I shall stay with you and smoke.' ' You say you don't want to go,' exclaimed Mrs Egreville holding up her small person even more bolt upright than usual, and drawing together her features which closely resembled those of the great Duke of Wellington. ' You say you don't want to go after having made a rendez-vous with a lady.

You shall go. We shall lunch as usual, then you will smoke, and at four o'clock Thomson will drive you in the dog cart. Pray do not let me hear any more about it.'

Chapter III Herbert Holmesfield Has Some Conversation With Mr Stretton And Emily

The next afternoon as Holmesfield and Thomson were driving along in the dog cart, a sudden turn in the bye-road brought them in full view of the dell where the treat was being held. Holmesfield immediately jumped out and advanced towards the Vicar who had come forward to meet him and who gave him a hearty welcome. ' There is just an hour before tea,' said the Vicar after Holmesfield had made his excuses for troubling them. ' We will go and join my wife whom I see yonder, and we can then take a stroll in the woods.' They walked up to Mrs Stretton, whom they found very pleased with the idea of the stroll, and when Holmesfield expressed himself ashamed to take them away from the treat, both the Vicar and his wife quite corroborated Mrs Egreville's statement and said that there were plenty of people to look after the children, and that three ladies especially, Miss Taylor, Miss Ruffle and Miss Sharpe, had for many years undertaken the management on these occasions.

Accordingly they left the dell and entered a broad, but rather steep path which ran up between thick bushes on either side. ' You must find Catenham a great change from your life in London,' said Mr Stretton. ' I enjoy it immensely,' said Mr Holmes field. ' I do not understand people finding the country dull,' said the Vicar. ' I can under stand, and unfortunately I have even seen it to be sometimes the case, that a country life may have a tendency to make one take things too easily ; but I think one ought to lay down for oneself certain rules of conduct which should be as the laws of the Medes A CONVERSATION 21 and Persians. For myself,' continued the Vicar, ' I make it a rule with which I allow nothing to interfere, to visit one of my parishioners every day.' Mrs Stretton, as she bent slightly for ward gave a quick searching glance at Holmesfield, but there was not a suspicion of a smile upon his face. ' I suppose,' he said, ' that you have a good many clergymen living close round.

I met a Mr Linton at the garden party yesterday.' ' Linton is a capital fellow,' replied Mr Stretton. ' Mrs Stretton and his wife are great friends. I hardly think he appreciates the heavy responsibility of a parish ; but he will no doubt steady down to good solid hard work. His population, too, is larger than ours. It must be quite over four hundred. Our most distinguished man about here, however, is the Vicar of Dorleth, the next parish but one to my own on the north side — Mr Harlech. You will have seen his letters signed A. T H. in the limes. EMIL Y STRETTON 22 ' I don't remember at the moment,' said Holmesfield. ' Don't you ? ' said the Vicar in a tone of voice which was almost reproachful. ' Why, twice in the last five years he has been the first man in the United Kingdom to hear the cuckoo.

I ran him very close one year, and, though perhaps one should hardly confess to such weakness, I have changed the room I use as my sanctum at home so that my windows may look out on the plantation which is patronised by my early friend.' ' Mr Stretton's favourite science is meteor ology,' said Mrs Stretton. ' Yes,' said the Vicar, ' my glycerine barometer has been to me a source of many hours of fruitful scientific study. Some time ago I was in the habit of regularly con tributing a meteorological article to the county newspaper, but the strain of the work was very severe and Mrs Stretton persuaded me to resign the task.' The Vicar omitted to mention that not withstanding his many hours' study of the glycerine barometer, his weather forecasts A CONVERSATION 23 were beginning to seriously impair his in fluence amongst his parishioners.

They continued to stroll leisurely up the path until they reached a clearing in the wood. An immense plain, as far as the eye could reach lay stretched out before them. Large fields of ripened corn, clustering villages, with the church spires rising above them ; county mansions, and scattered cottages, the whole bathed in the golden sunlight, stretched in a vast panorama at their feet. Not a sound reached them, except the occasional movement of a branch or the twitter of a bird. ' It is indeed the perfection of English scenery,' said Holmesfield, ' the picture and reality of home life.' They sat down for a few minutes and then descended by a narrower and rougher path towards the dell. Mrs Stretton's arm lay on her husband's, and as Holmesfield kept slightly back so that they might have the middle of the path, he watched her stepping lightly along with her cheek close up against her husband's shoulder.

He thought of his own life, so cold and lonely, and of what it EMILY STRETTON 24 would be with that loving form beside him. But it was only for a moment. He pulled himself together and walked up to the Vicar's side. ' I wish you could dine with us to-morrow,' said Mr Stretton, ' but my wife says you are returning to town.' ' Yes,' said Holmesfield ; ' I am leaving Catenham to-morrow morning, but Mrs Egreville is very kind. She says I am to come down whenever I want a few days' country air. We shall often I trust meet again.' ' You will always get the warmest wel come at the Vicarage,' said Mr Stretton ; 'but couldn't you put off your return to town till the six o'clock train. We would lunch at one and we would send a note over to Mrs Egreville this evening and invite her. We could go over the church and the schools after lunch.' ' I feel sorely tempted,' replied Holmes field. ' You must come,' said Mrs Stretton. ' My wife will make us for lunch, in your A CONVERSATION 25 honour,' said the Vicar, ' one of her cele brated bachelor's puddings.' ' Are you a confirmed bachelor ? ' asked Mrs Stretton. ' Yes,' answered Holmesfield. ' You must take care,' said the Vicar. ' My wife will become, I am afraid, rather a matchmaker, when she is a little older.

If you are not on your guard she'll be marrying you.' ' I defy her,' said Holmesfield laughing. ' Done ! ' said Mrs Stretton laughing too. They had now reached the dell and the hour had arrived for Holmesfield to return to Catenham. ' To-morrow at one then,' said the Vicar as they shook hands. ' With much pleasure,' answered Holmes field. ' Thank you many times.'

Chapter IV Mr Stretton's Parish

Catenham Vicarage was a good specimen of the modern parsonage. It was solidly and compactly built. The rooms were sufficiently large and well lighted, and there was a good sized hall which was lighted from the roof. The garden was extensive and had been much improved by Mr Stretton, and there was a capital lawn. Mr Stretton had been already Vicar of Catenham for four years at the time of his marriage. He was of a Cambridgeshire family and had previously held a small incumbency on the borders of Huntingdon shire. He had been presented to Catenham by a Peer to whom his father had been tutor. It was one of the picked livings of the neighbourhood and was worth, after all deductions, at least seven hundred a year. Mr Stretton's predecessor had before coming to Catenham been for many years at the head of an important parish in one of the largest towns of the Midlands, and on his accepting Catenham as a kind of retirement, he had been followed thither (he was a widower) by three maiden ladies of his congregation, who had long assisted him in the work of his town parish.

They had rented, just outside the parish, a broken down house, which they had managed to make quite tenantable, and they had swooped down upon the three hundred and fifty astonished inhabitants of Catenham. As they were very generous and really kind hearted, and, all things considered, not too stiff on the liquor question, they became very popular, and Catenham was soon the model parish of the neighbourhood. Bribery was established on an unlimited scale, and those of the parishioners who were Nonconformists soon found it more and more difficult to resist their children's entreaties to be sent to the Church Sunday School, especially when any case of illness was the immediate signal for a constant supply of beef-tea and delicacies. Of all this, of course, the Vicar was ignorant. He confined himself, as he told his parishioners, to combating the errors of dissent in his pulpit, and there was always an extra warmth in the grasp of his hand whenever he met the Dissenting minister.

But after he had only been five years at Catenham, he died, to the despair of the three maiden ladies, and the alarm of the parish. As soon, however, as Mr Stretton was ap pointed, the maiden ladies, on learning that he was a bachelor, recognised him, to use their own phrase, as their ' clear departed Vicar's apostolical successor,' and the parish was re-assured. Mr Stretton lent himself extremely well to the situation. When each morning one of the maiden ladies, in turn, brought him the report of the parish, when he received the reports of the Diocesan Inspector and the Schools Inspector, which were invariably conceived in the same laudatory strain, when he perused letters addressed to him by various employers who wrote in terms of the highest praise of young men and women who had come from Catenham, he felt, and he often repeated to himself, that he held in his hands the strings of the model parish organisation of the kingdom.