Heatherbrae; a novel

Chapter I

Days and weeks passed on, and Katrine Ramsey had become fully domesticated at her uncle's house, and somewhat inured to the novel gaiety of a London life, in which, however, neither she * nor Helen mingled half as much as Mrs. Duns ford endeavoured to induce them to do. Her own niece's approaching marriage made a temporary seclusion indispensable for the bride elect, in the eyes of so strict an observer of etiquette as Mrs. Dunsford, but as this necessity did not apply to herself, and she always liked the VOL. II. B HEATHERBRAE. prestige of being chaperone to some one or more of the belles of the season, Eva's absence from the gay parties, which were essential to the hap piness of the woman of the world, only made her more urgent for the company of the young daughters of her early friends.

Mr. Deloraine seldom accompanied them to these engagements, and it not unfrequently happened that Reginald Tracy found some excuse for a like defection, and Helen secretly thanked him for a delicacy, which tried to avoid appearing with her in public, while their position towards each other, remained in its present state. His mornings were, however, of course par tially, at any rate, spent at Mr. Deloraine's, and both Helen and Katrine found extreme pleasure, and advantage, in the assistance which he afforded to them, in their daily pursuits. A soldier's life is by no means unfavourable to high attainments in literature, where there is taste and talent for its different branches, and Reginald had certainly used well the months of leisure which he had enjoyed from time to time, during HEATHERBRAE. his Indian life.

In history, and in modern languages, he was especially skilled, and the cousins were delighted with the rapidity of their own progress in German, and increasing acquaintance with the genius and real beauty of the Italian language, a tongue which above all others it is easy to acquire superficially, aDd difficult to understand thoroughly. Captain Tracy was alike interested and sur prised, however, at the development of the peculiar talent and taste of his fair pupils, which was at first sight different to what might have been expected from their respective charac ters. Katrine was especially fascinated by the wild legends, and fanciful philosophy of the Germans, and showed a singular facility in acquiring their language; while the more thought ful Helen dwelt with delight on the Italian songs, whose beauties she never fully appreciated till she read them with Reginald's assistance.

" 1 cannot understand by what magic you make me comprehend those obscure passages of Dante, which were so perfectly unintelligible be- HEATHERBRAE. fore," she said one day, as she finished the beautiful story of Francesca di Rimini, in their morning readings. Reginald smiled. " I might be equally astonished, at your pro fessing to be unequal to reading Dante, when you seem to comprehend him with such ease," he replied, " but the simple explanation of both these and many other far more singular phe nomena of the mind and heart also, is that we frequently possess knowledge, thoughts, and feel ings, almost unconsciously to ourselves, till some key, either judiciously or accidentally applied, unlocks the hidden treasure. For instance, in this case, you really possessed quite sufficient knowledge of Italian to read Dante, when I had the good fortune to give you all you needed, an insight into his peculiar idiom, which had rendered him somewhat puzzling to you hitherto."

"You are right, I believe," said Helen mus ingly, "and the same reason will doubtless explain many apparent caprices of the mind and under standing." HEATHERBRAE. " And feelings also," said Katrine. " It is a charming way of accounting for many a way ward dislike, or at least want of proper apprecia tion of very good, excellent people. I have often felt dreadfully guilty that I could not take plea sure in being with them, nor really love them as they deserved, and now Captain Tracy has re stored my peace of conscience most satisfactorily. These worthy, superior, estimable people, are precisely in Helen's predicament with the gloomy Florentine; they have every possible element of excellence, but they want the key to unlock them, and therefore they are of no use." " Your comparison fails in one respect, Kate," said her cousin, smiling; "they want the key to unlock and bring out their own perfections, and I to enjoy those of another.

Besides which, I suspect it is sometimes — aye, and very often, too — our own perversity and waywardness which affect our affections, though Captain Tracy is certainly correct in his theory about the under standing." Helen could not suppress a sigh as she spoke, B HEATHERBRAE. and Reginald could scarcely refrain from echoing it, as his glance fell on Katrine with a mournful expression, which would have betrayed his secret to more experienced and less pre-occupied ob servers. Both felt how really true it was that the greatest excellence and charm, both of person and mind, did indeed fail to excite affection, where this strange, inexplicable sympathy was wanting, and neither spoke for some moments. Katrine also was for once apparently lost in some train of thought suggested by the subject, and she, too, was silent far longer than was her wont.

" I having been thinking," she said at length, " how really wise a law, if law it be of our nature, this apparently faulty waywardness of taste really is. Were it otherwise, some few persons would engross love and friendship in a most inconvenient and distressing degree, while others, less gifted, would be neglected and wretched. As it is, no one perhaps is without some friend, who thinks them more charming and interesting than all the world besides." '■ True," said Reginald, " and the trite and oft HEATHERBRAE. 11 repeated truism that persons most frequently choose their opposites in friendship, and still more in marriage, is an equally wise provision for happiness, as opposite natures and temperaments naturally correct each other." " What a knight of the rueful countenance will fall to my share," exclaimed Katrine in playful terror.

" It is perfectly awful to con template my future lot with such a personage as my opposite must be, so very dismal, and so very wise and good. I have heard papa say," she added more seriously, "that the happiest marriages were those where tastes were alike, and temperaments, and even tempers different." " After all," said Helen, " there must be so much in accidental associations, and a thousand other circumstances, to influence us in every con nection or attachment we may form, that it is scarcely possible to lay down any rule in such matters. We have wandered a long way from Dante, however, in our discussion." "I have no objection to do so," said Katrine; "I never could like that gloomy revengeful HEATHERBRAE. Florentine, splendid as his poetry is; it is only a vehicle for his revenge, and he is never so much at home as when describing the most fearful tortures of mind and body.

I like some thing more bright, or at any rate more full of hope, and trust, and forgiveness than Dante, magnificent as he undoubtedly is." " And yet, Miss Ramsey, you like the gloomy Germans, with all their mysticisms, and wild speculations," said Reginald. " Yes, that is quite different. There is ima gination gone mad, if you will, in their writings; but you do not find that they take earthly re sentments with them in their flights, however giddy they make themselves and their readers. And then you forget that my Scottish birth gives me a peculiar interest in their fanciful legends and wild fancies, just as much as it enables me to pronounce the ' ch,' which is so formidable to Helen's English tongue." " And I believe," said Reginald, " that it is true, even in our studies and accomplishments, that the same rule holds good, of which we spoke HEATHERBRAE. 13 just now, and that the gayest natures like best what is seemingly the most opposed to them, plaintive music, melancholy poetry, and as in your case, Miss Ramsey, gloomy and fanciful philosophy and legends."

" Because we can afford to revel in such luxuries," said Katrine, " without any danger of their poisoning or enervating our feelings or peace, while those who, either by nature or from sorrow, are more akin to these sentimentalities, dare not play with such edge tools. I sometimes have found that I could not bear a sad, plaintive air, which generally I should have delighted in, and can imagine its effect on those who have more tendency to, or more cause for sorrow than I have." Reginald Tracy had long ere this discovered, what those who knew Katrine best, alone perhaps fully appreciated, that there was thought and deep feeling concealed under her child-like gaiety of heart and manner; and the fascination which her beauty and vivacity had at first possessed for him, was unhappily deepened and strengthened HEATHERBRAE. by the constant intercourse in which he was com pelled to live with one whom he would willingly have avoided for ever.

In vain he strove to dwell on Helen's intellec tual, regular beauty, her calm, graceful manner, her evenly balanced, lofty, yet feminine character ; all was acknowledged and appreciated, but though, as Katrine had playfully said, he felt guilty in not loving one who had every possible claim on his affection, it was beyond his power to control aught but his outward looks and man ner, and that he flattered himself, could betray naught of his inward struggles and feelings. It was certainly a proof of his mastery over himself, that he so quickly turned from the plea sure of watching Katrine's changing countenance, which at the moment was peculiarly fascinating, in its half pensive, half thoughtful expression, which had all the charm of a shade on the bright summer sunshine, softening the brilliancy of its usual gay vivacity.

" I have often wondered,'" he said to Helen, whose eyes were just then intently watching a HEATHERBRAE. 15 peculiarly shaped cloud, which was rapidly ob scuring the sky, " whether we are most cheered or depressed by the brightness of the external world, at times of sorrow, when the world within is dark and heavy as that cloud you are watching, Miss Deloraine." " I hardly know what the effect actually is," said Helen, turning slowly from her study of the skies, " but I am quite sure what it ought to be, did we feel a-right. It must certainly be selfish ness, which prevents us finding relief in the glad beauty round us, which speaks so forcibly of the Almighty love, and the desire for the happiness of his creatures, of Him who controls alike our lives and the scenes in which we are placed. I am afraid it is obstinate determination to nurse our griefs, which makes us turn from the brightness and gladness of nature."

" You are right, Miss Deloraine, I feel; and yet there are days and hours when the wildest wind, and most dense fog, even seem welcome and soothing to one's own tumultuous and gloomy feelings." HEATHERBRAE. Katrine shook her head. " Take my sage and experienced advice, Captain Tracy, and when such days and moods do occur, shut the shutters, make a blazing fire, light the lamps or gas, if such an illumination is to be had ; and chase away the evil spirits with out and within. It is like opium eating, de pend upon it, to allow oneself the luxury of such dismalities." Reginald fairly laughed. " Miss Ramsey, when were you either in gloom or a dense fog. I thought both your tempera ment and your birth-place free from such evils." " Must the physician have the small pox, in order to prescribe for it, Captain Tracy; and have I not had the advantage of studying our Helen, whose Indian childhood and more thought ful brain has often occasioned slight attacks of the malady of which we were speaking?"

" Treachery, Kate," said her cousin, smiling. " Do not rake up my old sins, I have abjured all the morbid luxuries in which I confess I used to HEATHERBRAE. 17 indulge, with many other far dearer pleasures I knew at dear Heatherbrae." And an unconscious tear stood in Helen's dark eyes, despite the cheerful determination of her tone. " Yes, we soon find out that life is not made to dream away," said Reginald earnestly, " and the sooner we are roused from our pleasantly mesmerised state the better, however rough may be the awakening. It is indeed a noble combat after all, worth a century of the enchanted palaces of our youthful visions." " A very proper and soldier-like theory," laughed Katrine, whose spirits were never long depressed, " and I quite admit the pleasure of the victory, when it is won; but I am not quite so sure, as to the enjoyment of the battle it self."

" Have you no enjoyment in conquering your German, or some unusually difficult music," asked Reginald; "but I need not argue, Miss Ramsey, I see too much courage and determina tion in your look to take you at your word; and, HEATHERBRAE. by the way, it is high time we began Sclægel, for I have an engagement at two, and I see it is now" past one o'clock." And the discussion was soon merged into pretty intense study of the cloudy German's meaning. " Helen," said Katrine, after their visitor had left them, " I should very much like to know, Captain Tracy's early history; I am certain he has some sad memories which have given that absence of manner and tinge of sadness, which now and then seem beyond his own control. Has my uncle never told you anything about his life in India, where they seemed to be so intimate."

" Only in general terms," replied Helen, thoughtfully, " and when alluding to the usual events of a soldier's life there, I have, I confess, sometimes thought as you do, Kate, but after all, I suspect it is mere girlish fancy which he would laugh at if he knew it ; and what we observe is only the result of an imaginative and thoughtful nature. As he said just now, life is a serious HEATHERBRAE. 19 thing to those who view its objects and duties rightly; and even you, darling, are somewhat less light-hearted than you were in our girlish days at Heatherbrae." Katrine coloured a little, and laughed as she replied, — " Not guilty, cousin mine. My heart is as light as ever, and if my head is somewhat less giddy and better balanced, it is from no such sad thoughts and feelings, as escape now and then from our Indian knight, and from you also, ca rissima."

And Kate affectionately kissed her fair cousin, whose eyes were fixed on her with a loving, but earnest look, and began to collect the books and papers, which they had been studying with no little assiduity. Helen was right. Kate was more thoughtful, and less childishly gay and light hearted than of old ; and yet it was not, as her cousin half hoped, and sought anxiously to discover, from any es pecial cause, or new feeling and affection spring ing up in her heart. Reginald's manner had HEATHERBRAE. been too carefully guarded, and Katrine's own discernment of something like the true state of matters too quick, for any such dangerous result of the constant intercourse with one peculiarly congenial and fascinating to her. But yet a new train of thought, a new sense, as it were, had been awakened in the young girl, hitherto half child, half woman, by this inter course.

She began to feel of what her own nature was capable. Life, alike in its poetry and its reality, its pleasures and its pains, was opening before her, and most certainly Reginald's was the hand which was drawing aside the veil. Then, too, her loving heart was pained and puzzled by Helen's manner, and her evident re luctance to touch on her own future prospects and intentions, and her warm, sisterly affection for her and Ronald Maxwell, made her painfully alive to the evident peril in which the happiness of both was placed, if her suspicions were correct. More than once he had written to her since her arrival in London, begging her to tell him HEATHERBRAE. the whole truth about Helen's present position, and hopes and fears for the future, and she had silently placed those manly, touching letters in her cousin's hand, and bade her tell her what she was to say.

And Helen had read them with tearless eyes, and a dull, heavy weight at her heart, and only said on returning them : " Tell him to be happy, independently of me, and it will be my best consolation." " Do you wish him to forget you, Helen?" •' Kate, Kate, do not try me too much. I ought to say 'yes,' but it is very hard." And Katrine would half repent of having shewn these letters to her cousin, when she saw the quiet, deep look of suffering in her face, which is so much more touching than the most violent sorrow. No wonder that the young girl's character and heart were developing under these circum stances, and that her bright face was acquiring more depth of expression, more womanly thought HEATHERBRAE. and dignity than it had before seemed capable of displaying. The change was not lost on Reginald, and he would have given all that he was worth to have escaped from this constant companionship, which each day revealed some new charm in the fast de veloping mind which he was unconsciously helping in its formation.

Even the occasional wilfulness andgirlish impulsiveness, which sometimes carried Katrine beyond the calm dictates of her better judgment, were fascinating, and, as often hap pens, more winning than the equable and balanced character and demeanour of the queenly composed Helen. HEATHERBRAE.

Chapter II

Colonel Fanshawe's gay, good humoured nephew had paid more than one visit to his uncle's High land home; he declared that Burnfoot was the most charming place in Great Britain, and Ronald Maxwell such a capital fellow that it was a thousand pities he was not in the army. " He only wants rousing from those fits of the blues, to which he seems most wonderfully sub ject," he said confidentially to his aunt, who, with all her scoldings and merciless quizzing of his youthful puppyisms, was yet his grand ally, " and he would be really a splendid fellow. Pity HEATHERBRAE. he is not in ours ; we should soon shake them off for him." " With every possible confidence in the irre sistible powers of yourself and your brother offi cers," said Mrs. Fanshawe gravely, " I rather doubt that assertion." " My dear aunt, how can you, a soldier's wife, talk such treason.

What can resist the conta gion of such fellows as Herbert, and White, and Shafter, who have fun enough in them to drive tragedy out of the world. Then there is some thing in a soldier's life which drives away alike real and fancied cares, when one knows all may end soon enough, so its no use groaning away life while it lasts " " Wait till you have a real sorrow, Frank, and you will know better. You know nothing about either the cares or real trials of life yet, save, indeed, your poor father's death, and then you were but a boy." The young soldier's frank countenance wore a look of real feeling for a moment, as he took his aunt's hand, and kissed it affectionately. HEATHERBRAE. 25 " Still it was a trial I have never forgotten, mia zia, though you and my uncle have prevented my feeling its consequences by your kindness.

But tell me, belle tante, has Ronald some real' sorrow, then, as you would seem to imply. Don't look so reprovingly; you know I can be trusted, despite my rattle." Mrs. Fanshawe shook her head. " If I really knew Ronald Maxwell's secrets, I should hardly be justified in betraying them, my sage nephew, and as mine are mere sus picions, there is still more reason for keeping them to myself." " Then there is a secret, and you have sus picions. My dear aunt, with all your perfec tions you would never do for a diplomatist. I should soon discover all you wanted to conceal." " Do not be so sure of that. I rather suspect that Machiavelli himself would have been more puzzled by the straight-forward truth than by the most elaborate finesse and equivocations; and Guicciardini, the most successful and honoured VOL. II. c HEATHERBRAE. statesman and diplomatist of his day in Italy, was the most honest and truthful."

"As times went then, but I rather suspect the degrees of comparison would be rather reversed now, and he would perhaps enjoy a somewhat dif ferent reputation. But to return to Maxwell; what do you suspect, since suspicions you confess to entertain?" " Look for yourself," said the lady laughing. " I am not going to lend you my spectacles." Frank mused for a minute, then exclaimed, — " He is not in debt, he is not poor; ergo, he can have no trouble but one — he is in love. I have it now; it is one of those pretty girls at Heatherbrae, with whom he seemed so intimate, when we dined there. Which is it — the bright, blue-eyed one? You look a denial ; then it must be that queenly brunette, to whom I lost my own heart. I have half a mind to call him out." " Have some compassion for his life, since it is worth something," replied his aunt, laughing.

" Of course you can do as you please with your own. However, it would be very useless, since, HEATHERBRAE. in the first place, you have no chance, and, in the next, I am afraid he has none either, poor fellow." " And yet he knew her from childhood, and had every chance of winning her proud heart; come, be a charming, amiable aunt, as you really are, and tell me all about it, for I seriously do like him, and thought her a beautiful and un commonly intelligent girl." Mrs. Fanshawe smiled at her nephew's almost boyish eagerness. " I can really tell you very little, Frank, save that both your uncle and I always saw Ronald's attachment to Helen from their early childhood, and I feel sure that Mr. and Mrs. Ramsey saw it and approved it also. But, to our astonishment and regret, when her father came, he frowned on the poor fellow as if he had been an adventurer, either refused his proposal, or frightened him from making any, and carried off Helen, leaving Ronald to console himself as best he could."

" Which, I suspect, is not at all. I am really c HEATHERBRAE. sorry for the poor fellow, though I never remem ber being in his predicament for more than a week together. But what could possess that very Great Mogul looking father to do this? I tell you what, aunt, I fancy there is some mystery there, and next time I see Erskine, who recently exchanged into ours from an Indian regiment, I'll ask him if he knew old Deloraine in India." Mrs. Fanshawe had not forgotten that gentle man's strange agitation at the dinner table at Heatherbrae, which inclined her to attach more importance to her nephew's random fancy than she would otherwise have done. " You are as romantically fanciful as any school-girl, Frank. Do you suppose that because Mr. Deloraine, after a twelve years' separation from his daughter, does not happen to like the first person who wants to take her away from him for life, he must have some Guy Fawkes conspiracy, or secret murder on his conscience.

For shame, Frank! you are as bad as Miss Edgworth's Angelina, in L'Amie Inconnue." " My dear, reasonable, provokingly matter-of- HEATHERBRAE. 29 fact, aunt, I am no such thing ; and what's more, I see by your eyes, you secretly agree with me; not exactly as to either gunpowder or daggers being at the bottom of the affair ; but that our stern Indian has a mind ill at ease; and a temper in at least an equal state of turbulence and irritation. Depend upon it, it is either by way of ven tto this volcano, and to prevent spontaneous combustion, that he has made himself thus disagreeable to poor M>xwell and Miss Deloraine, or there is some deeper reason for his aversion to the match." " There is something in what you say," said Mrs. Fanshawe, thoughtfully. " My dear aunt, be assured there always is something in what I say.

I am singularly like Punch, in more than one respect, and in none more than the profound wisdom hidden under my — " "Folly," interrupted his aunt. " But if Themistocles will wear motley, he must not expect the philosopher and general to be recognise! in that garb." " General I hope to be some day, philosopher HEATHERBRAE. I am already, since I manage to keep out of debt, and out of love, and to appreciate my own good fortune in having you for an aunt, bella zia mia." " Bribery and flattery," laughed the lady, not perhaps ill-pleased nevertheless at her handsome nephew's gallantry. "But who is this very hasty messenger riding so recklessly up to the house? " Captain Fanshawe looked out of the window to which his back had been previously turned, and saw an orderly riding rapidly along the carriage road to the house.

" That sign regardeth me, 1 fear," exclaimed Frank, starting up, and hurrying from the room, ere his aunt had time to suggest that ringing the bell might be equally effectual for ascertaining the errand of the messenger. He was absent some quarter-of-an-hour, and then returned with a graver face than was his wont. "It is as I expected," he said, "a summons for me, and not of a pleasant nature ; at least the HEATHERBRAE. 31 cause is a sad one. There are riots feared in Glasgow, owing to the failure of one or two immense houses there, throwing a number of operatives out of work, and we are ordered there at once to quell them. It is about the most disagreeable and painful duty one has, but it must be done." " I am sorry and surprised," said Mrs. Fan shawe. " It is not like the Scotch to riot for so common an occurrence as these failures unhap pily are."

" I do not know the particulars," said Frank, "but I fancy machinery will be found at the bot tom of it as usual. But I see my uncle coming, and Maxwell with him, I think ; yes, it is Ronald." The two gentlemen soon entered the morning room, where the aunt and nephew were sitting; they had met the orderly and heard the news. "A bad business," said Colonel Fanshawe, "much judgment and patience are necessary, and rewarded with little glory, in these affairs. Sol diers either lose heart or lose temper in dealing HEATHERBRAE. with their fellow-countrymen, and no wonder either." " It is a confounded nuisance," said young Fanshawe, "just when I was comfortably fixed in my quarters here, and beginning to get really acquainted with you, Maxwell. I wish you would come with me, to keep up my spirits, and prevent my getting into scrapes, from sheer ill humour."

Ronald shook his head. " I should be in the way, I suspect, and of very little use, either to keep you or the rioters in order." " Not at all, I would introduce you to two or three of ours, who you would like excessively, and after the place is quiet again, we could make an excursion up the Clyde or to Staffa, where you told me you had never been yet." " Go, Ronald," said Mrs. Fanshawe, " it will be doing both Frank and yourself a service. Colone1 Fanshawe and I seriously meditate a flight southward, some time before July quite empties London, and you would be but lonely HEATHEBBRAE. 33 with both Heatherbrae and Burnfoot shut up." The Colonel added his friendly entreaties to his wife's, and Ronald, really heart sick and weary of his lonely home, which no longer possessed the charm in his eyes of being the future residence of Helen Deloraine, at last consented, albeit half dreading the introduction to strange scenes and strange faces, in his present mood.

Captain Fanshawe had another reason for urging Ronald to accompany him, than the honest wish to see yet more of a man whom he felt he could trust and esteem more than the rest of bis many friends, light hearted and agreeable as most of them were. His kind heart was sincerely desirous of divert ing the deep seated melancholy which Ronald strove with all bis might to hide, and which was more touching from its very unobtrusiveness and unselfishness; and besides he had a boyish eager ness to discover the mystery, which he fancied was concealed under Mr. Deloraine's conduct, and hoped that during the weeks of intimate C HEATHERBRAE. companionship which he should thus secure, he should certainly manage to get a key, which might be useful in its elucidation. Ronald dined at Burnfoot, and before he left that night the whole arrangements were complete for their journey.

Frank was obliged to set off early the next morning, and Maxwell could not leave his domain at such short notice; it was therefore settled that they should meet at Glasgow the day but one after; and Colonel Fanshawe and his wife half promised to take that city on their way to the south, if it was quiet at the time of their journey, and the young men still there. " It is some years since I dined in a mess room," observed the old Colonel as he shook hands with Ronald on his departure. " I shall feel almost as great a stranger as yourself, Ronald, yet I have not forgotten the merry days when I joined my first regiment, and all seemed bright and joyous as summer sunshine. Well, well, it is many a year ago, and I have known both sorrow and bitterness since then, from time to HEATHERBRAE. time, and fought a hard battle at times, but T have weathered it all, and thanks to my Maud there, am far happier than even in those light hearted times; and remember this, my good lad, there is far more true happiness and peace, as well as glory, in bravely meeting the trials and resisting the temptations of life, than in tbe gayest and merriest scenes that can be enjoyed."