The Carylls. A novel

Front matter

NEW PUBLICATIONS. In 1 Vol. 7s. 6d. THE PRISONER OF HAM: Authentic Details of the Captivity and Escape of PRINCE NAPOLEON LOUIS WITH IMPORTANT NOTES BY THE EDITOR. In 1 Vol. 10s. 6d. ZEAL IN THE WORK OF THE MINISTRY, OR, THE MEANS BY WHICH EVERY PRIEST MAY RENDER HIS MLNISTRY HONORABLE AND FRUITFUL. By L'ABBE DUBOIS. In 1 Vol. Price 7s. 6d. (Second Edition). THE SPAS OF GERMANY, BELGIUM, FRANCE, ITALY, AND SWITZERLAND. By THOMAS MORE MADDEN, M.D., Physician to the Rotunda Hospital, Dublin, and Author of " Change as Climate," &c. NEW NOVELS JUST READY. In 3 Vols (in March). BREAD CAST ON THE WATERS. By EMMA PICKERING, Author of * ' Forsaking all Others." In 2 Vols (in March). JEREMIAH MOBBOL. In 3 Vols. THE ARRANDEL MOTTO. DT MARK HARDCASTLE. In 3 Vols. THE MARKED MAN. By FRANK TROLLOPE, Author of "A Right Minded Woman," "An Old Man's Secret" " A Woman's Error," " Old Times Revived," &c. THE CARYLLS.

A NOYEL. IN THREE VOLUMES. ET SIR FRANCIS VINCENT, BART., Author of *' Sir Hubert Marston," "On the Brink," &o. VOL. III. fmtton: T. CAUTLEY NEWBY, PUBLISHER 30, WELBECK STREET, CAVENDISH SQUARE. 1871. [ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.] THE CAEYLLS

Chapter I

Small rest did Miss Wood's pillow afford her that night. Hour after hour she passed in revolving in her mind all her mother's argu ments, in setting her own in array against them. That she liked Walter Caryll, and that he moie than liked her she was conscious, and had it not been for the awkward antece dent of her love-passages with John Leycester, she felt that she could have accepted him for a husband without hesitation. That she now hated Mr. Leycester as one who had betrayed the confidence she had reposed in him, and done her grievous wrong was certain ; but it was scarcely the hatred which could have envol. hi. b titled her to Dr. Johnson's admiration. Per haps she would have rejoiced to have seen him reduced to the verge of extremest misery — misery such as he had inflicted on her, but when there, her heart would have relented to the extent of granting him forgiveness.

Al. though on that side all hope was closed, un consciously she cast a longing, lingering look behind. Unable to come to a decision, she resolved to wait the course of events. Very possibly Walter Caryll would never give her the chance of accepting or rejecting him ; if he did, it would then be time enough to consider what answer she should give him. In the mean time, till she could see her way more clearly, she determined if possible to maintain her intercourse with Walter on the same foot ing that it had hitherto been. Unconscious of the deliberations which might exercise such influence on his future destinies, Mr. Walter Caryll was at his post on the evening following his dinner at Lord Brentford's, at an earlier hour than usual, so early, indeed, that he was near knocking down and trampling on a young lady whom he met in the passage, and who had been a little more dilatory than her companions in packing up her books and slate.

He was in the highest spirits, and exclaimed as he entered the sitting-room — " Now I have a proposal to make. Let us cut the Museum to-day, and all three go for a stroll to Kensington Gardens. It is a lovely evening, and will do us good. But you must make haste and get your things on at once, for the gardens close early." Mrs. Wood offered no objections, and her daughter's were easily over-ruled. In fact, Annie had been suffering from headache all the morning, the consequence of her sleepless night and anxious thoughts, and she certainly was not fit for further mental exertion. A cab was sent for, and when they reached the gardens Mrs. Wood was seated on a bench, and the two others set out on a stroll by the banks of the water. It was the first time Annie had ever set foot in the gardens.

Liv ing in extreme seclusion, and, till they reis newed their acquaintance with Walter, know ing no one who could act as cicerone, they never stirred out of the house except on in dispensable occasions, and knew little more of London now than when they were living at Lynburn. The Gardens were nearly empty, and as they wandered on, the silence and repose, the delicious coolness of the evening, the re freshing breeze playing over the water, even the trees and verdure, so different from the view to be obtained from their dingy house in Seymour Place, affected Miss Wood to tears. Walter remarked it. "What is it, Annie?" he said. Their intimacy had long since reached the ' Walter ' and ' Annie ' stage. " I hardly know," she replied. " I feel such a sensation of rest and peace, that it brings back vividly to my mind our Lynburn home."

" Yes, those were happy days ; but there may be happy days in store for you yet, and as happy a home as Lynburn." " No, Walter, not for me. I shall never again know the peace of mind which I en joyed beneath my father's roof." " I know," replied Walter, " the loss of a father — such a father as yours — is irreparable, but believe me, dearest Annie, there are those who would do their utmost to supply his place." He spoke so earnestly, and with so much feeling, that his companion could not but see that one word of encouragement from her would have enabled her to return to her mother as Mrs. Walter Caryll elect ; but this word she could not bring herself to speak. And yet for a short space she hesitated, for never before had she so strongly felt the con trast between what she now was and what she had been ; never before had she ex perienced such a keen desire to emancipate herself from her present state of bondage.

But, if the temptation was great, there were other considerations of at least equal importance to oppose to it, and they prevailed. She began to feel that she might eventually be induced to adopt her mother's advice ; but, if so, it should be only upon mature reflection, not as the result of sudden impulse. In justice to Walter, as to herself, she must con sider well whether, if she accepted him as a husband, she could give him the affection of a wife ; whether she could undertake, in all honesty and sincerity, to discharge, without reluctance, the obligations which such a tie would impose upon her. In other words, whether she could break entirely with the past, although a connection with the Carylls must inevitably expose her to frequent asso ciation with the man who was indissolubly connected with all her youthful recollections.

Till she felt absolutely certain that she had acquired this power over herself, she must endeavour to avoid anything like a declaration from Walter, she would precipitate nothing. "After all, I have no right to complain," she said, at length. " How many thousands there are in a far more wretched position than I am. I am young, I am strong, I have the means of earning my bread ; and, above all, I have a mother. As long as she is spared to me I can never think myself unhappy. And now, let us go to her. She must be wonder ing what has become of us." Walter complied in silence. That he was disappointed at not having received any warmer response to his last observations is probable ; but experience had made him cautious, and he refrained, for the present, from following up an attack which had evidently failed in its object.

They returned in silence to the bench on which they had left Mrs. Wood. As they approached her, the good lady, who thought it just possible that their short excursion might be attended by substantial results, looked from one to the other, as if she expected to read on their countenances the realization of her hopes. It is needless to say that in this she was disap pointed. They were both of them a little more serious than when they had left her ; but that disappeared when they addressed her. " Oh ! mamma," said Annie, who was the first to speak, "you don't know what you have lost by not coming with us. I had no idea there was so pleasant a spot within a hundred miles of London." " Now, Mrs. Wood," interposed Walter, " if you are disposed to be very good-natured, you will let me give you and Annie a row on the Serpentine.

There are very tolerable boats on the other side of the bridge." " Oh ! do, mamma. You know how well Walter used to row at Lynburn." Mrs. Wood consented. After rowing about till daylight began to fade, they landed, and under Walter's guid ance, they started on foot for Albert Gate. "Where are you taking us to, Walter ?" asked Miss Wood. " This is not the way to the Marble Arch." " No ; but it is the way to the nearest cab stand." " We do not want a cab ; we can walk home very well now that we are so near," exclaimed mother and daughter together. " Very likely ; but I cannot. You talk very much at your ease, but have the good ness to remember that I have been slaving at the oar, or rather at the sculls, for I don't know how long." " How lazy you are grown ; is he not, mamma ?" was Miss Annie's ungrateful ob servation ; nevertheless, no further opposi tion was offered.

A cab was hailed, into which they all got, Walter giving his instructions to the driver, who, in process of time, drew up at the door of a confectioner's in Baker Street. " What is he stopping for here?" said Mrs. Wood. " This is not Seymour Place." " Your observation is perfectly correct," Walter replied. " This is not Seymour Place. This is a slight refectory which I ordered my architect to build on the spur of the moment, for the express purpose of enabling me to offer you and Miss Wood ices, strawberries, cakes, and all the other delica cies of the season." " No, no, Walter ; this is too much," said Mrs. Wood. " I positively will not allow it. Tell the man to shut the door and drive on." " I shall tell him nothing of the sort. If you like eating your ices in a cab, well and good ; I will send them out to you.

But Annie and I prefer eating ours in a comfortb able room. Come, Annie, jump out," he said, getting out himself, and offering his hand to the young lady, who followed his example. " Now, Mrs. Wood," he continued, in a most pathetic tone of voice, " you cannot be so cruel as to remain there by yourself. In the first place it would he the height of indecorum to allow your daughter to go into a private room with me all alone ; and in the next, if you remain in the cab, you will put me to frightful expense, as I shall be obliged to keep it on, instead of discharging it now, as I wish to do.'' " Well, you must have your own way now," said Mrs. Wood ; " but I will take care you do not entrap me in this way again." " Have you liked your evening, Annie?" Mr. Walter Caryll asked, as he was taking leave of her a couple of hours later.

" Yes, indeed ; it has been the happiest evening I have passed since our arrival in London." " What ! pleasanter than jour evening at Mrs. Smith's ?" " You know it was," she replied, returning the pressure of his hand, very slightly, it is true, but still enough to send him home with an extremely agreeable sensation fluttering round his heart. Two days later he arrived in Seymour Place, in the middle of the day, contrary to all law and precedent, and asked to speak to one or other of the ladies on a matter of great importance. Mrs. Wood was too busy to be able to attend to him, but she deputed her daughter to represent her. " Now, Walter," she said, on entering the room, " you know this is not allowed, so tell me what you want quickly, and take your departure." She spoke with all the gravity, not to say severity, of a school-mistress, and Walter's countenance fell at once.

"J am really very sorry to have disturbed you," he .replied ; " but I have had a box sent me for the Adelphi to-night, and I wanted to know if you and Mrs. Wood would go." She had not had many opportunities of wit nessing dramatic performances at Lynburn, and she had never entered a London theatre. Itisnot very wonderful, therefore, if she could not quite restrain a little exclamation of joy ful surprise. " Oh, my dear Walter," she exclaimed, " how good of you to think of us. I should like it of all things. I must go and ask mamma." Mamma's consent was easily obtained. She returned with her daughter, to make all their arrangements. It was settled that Walter should call for them, and take charge of them for the rest of the evening. Mrs. Wood, whose curiosity was a little excited, was rather anxious to discover the name of the friend to whose munificence Walter owed the box, but on this head he was impenetrable.

He was bound by the most solemn oaths to secrecy ; there was nothing his friend dreaded so much as his name being known, as it would expose him to innumerable applications from every quarter; and with this explanation Mrs. Wood was obliged to rest satisfied. She promised that she and Annie would be ready at the hour named ; a promise which was faithfully observed. To Walter Caryll's intense delio-ht this theatrical expedition was even more suc cessful than the visit to Kensington Gardens. With the most sagacious councillor at his elbow, Walter could have selected no better course for gaining Annie's affections than the one he was now pursuing. No doubt the occasional relaxation from her toils, for which she was indebted to him, gave her daily a stronger distaste for her present life ; but that would not have sufficed to influence her judg ment.

It was the unceasing care which he displayed for everything that could tend to the welfare and comfort of her mother and herself; his attention to her slightest wish ; the passionate devotion, which appeared in every word, in every gesture, that gained upon the best feelings of her heart. She could no longer conceal from herself that his love was returned ; whether with a passion as absorbing as that which she had once felt, she stopped not to inquire ; it was sufficient for her to know that she could accept Walter Caryll for a husband, not only without reluc tance, but with the conviction that her happiness would be insured by such a union — But for the bar presented by her former engagement to Mr. Leycester. To give her hand to another with her secret unrevealed was, in her eyes, an act of treachery; to reveal it was impossible, if only on account of the connection existing between her first and her new lover.

Her irresolutions were cut short in a way she little expected. One morning a note was put into Walter's hands at his office. " Dear Walter," it said, " my mother has met with a dreadful acci dent; can you come to us in our distress? — A. W." Without the loss of a moment Walter rushed down stairs, jumped into a cab, and drove off to one of our most eminent surgeons, whom he was fortunate enough to find at home. Almost forcing Mr. N into the cab, he resumed his course, and in a few minutes reached Seymour Plaoe. While the surgeon was with her mother, Annie gave Caryll an account of what had happened, which, after all, had nothing ex traordinary in it, being a matter of daily and hourly occurrence. Mrs. Wood had gone out for the purpose of paying two or three trifling bills, when, in crossing a street, her career was stopped by one of those useful checks to over-population, which Mr. Malthus omitted to notice, probably because they were not so rife in his day as they are in ours.

She was knocked down by a butcher's cart, going at the rate of fifteen or sixteen miles an hour, the wheels of which passed over her body, which was no sooner perceived by the very intelligent boy who drove it, than he lashed his horse into a gallop, and escaped detec tion. This mattered but little, as naturally a London jury, for the most part taken from the cart-keeping class, would have voted it entirely accidental. The poor lady was picked up, and being just able to groan out her address, was carried to her own house. Then it was that the strength of her daughter's mind shone out in its full vigour. The first shock was terrible, but seeing how much de pended on her exertions, for their servant thought proper to igo linto hysterics, by a powerful effort she mastered her agitation. The children were dismissed at once ; with the assistance of a neighbour Mrs. Wool was carried upstairs and laid on her own bed ; one messenger was dispatched for the nearest surgeon, and anotherwith the note to the Foreign Office ; and then she sat down by the bed-side, on which her mother lay motionless as a statue, giving no sign of life except by a low moan extorted from her by pain.

When her daughter entered the room, however, and gently pressed her lips to the flushed forehead, she found strength to take Annie's hand, while a few tears trickled slowly down her face. A few minutes later Mrs. Smith made her appearance ; she had heard from her daughters what had happened, and came to see if she could be of any use. She was closely followed by the medical man who had been summoned in the first instance. And then came the most difficult part of the business. The surgeon naturally said that, till the sufferer was undressed, it was impossible for him to begin his examination ; but the agony which the slightest touch occasioned was such, that she almost screamed when she saw a hand approach her. It was necessary to have recourse to chloroform, and under its influence her clothes were cut away from her, and she was laid inside her bed.

It was just after this operation had been successfully performed that Walter arrived, and Mrs. Smith took her departure, her presence being needed at home; but not before she had pro mised to return in the course of the evening, and in the meantime to send a woman, on whom Annie might thoroughly rely, to act as nurse, and supply the defects of the very ineffi cient young lady downstairs. Miss Wood had hardly concluded her account of the accident, when the two surgeons entered the room. " Miss Wood," said Mr. N , " will you go to your mother; she wishes to see you ?" She looked at him anxiously ; but he made no sign, and she went into the bed-room. " Well, Mr. N ," said Walter, as soon as the door had closed on her, " what is your opinion of the case ?" " My opinion — the opinion of this gentle man and myself— I grieve to say, is that the case is hopeless.

The injuries are too exten sive, and of too complicated a nature to admit of a chance of recovery. I will not go into details, which, in all probability, I could not make intelligible to you; but the result of our investigation is that no professional skill is of any avail. She may linger on three or four days, and this gentleman will send her some draughts, which we trust will alleviate the intense pain under which she is suffering. That is all we can do." "And I will send it in at once," said the gentleman alluded to, leaving the room. " Can we trust him?" Walter asked, rather anxiously. " Oh ! I think so," Mr. N replied. " I do not mean to say that I should like him to operate on me, nor would he probably like to undertake it ; but he seems to know what he is about." " Thank you, Mr. N ; I hope I have not put you to any great inconvenience by bringing you here," said Walter, offering him his fee.

" None, whatsoever. Will you think me very impertinent," he continued, looking at his two sovereigns in a hesitating manner, "if I ask you if this is your money, or that of the poor lady in the next room ?" " Mine," replied Walter, colouring. " And you can afford it ? Forgive me my seeming rudeness ; but, though I have not the pleasure of knowing your name, I am aware that young gentlemen sometimes have not more money than they know what to do with." Notwithstanding the exceptional nature of the question, his manner was so kindly, al most paternal, that, coming from an old man, it was impossible to take offence at it. " I can afford it perfectly," Walter replied, almost smiling. " My name is Walter Caryll. I was for a long time a pupil of Mrs. Wood's husband, who was a clergyman, and lived in their house for years."

" Any relation of Sir Edward Caryll?" " His son. Do you know my father ?" " Very slightly. A few years ago I was sent for to Oakfield Chase to attend Lord Brentford, who had been injured by a fall in the hunting-field, and I met Sir Edward and your sisters there once or twice. I thought I had never seen so handsome a family." " Are they not ?" said Walter, colouring with pleasure. " Maud is now Lady Brent ford." " True ; I remember seeing their marriage in the paper. Good-morning, Mr. Caryll. I am very glad to have had the pleasure of making your acquaintance, and I hope our next meeting will be on a less melancholy occasion."

Chapter II

For a minute or two after Mr. N — 's departure, Walter remained uncertain what he should do next. Before he could make up his mind, the servant, who had recovered her senses, brought in the medicines, and he tapped at the bed room door, to inform Miss Wood of their arrival. "Will you come in, Walter?" she said, as she opened the door. " I was afraid you were gone, and my mother wishes to see you.'' As he entered the room, a transient gleam of pleasure, soon suppressed by pain, flitted across Mrs. Wood's countenance. While Annie poured out and gave her the draught, he knelt down and reverently kissed her hand. " God bless you, Walter," she mur mured, " for all your goodness to us." " Do not say that," he exclaimed. " I deserve no thanks for doing my duty. Do you think I can forget the more than kindness I met with from you and every member of your family during our happy days at Lynburn."

" At Lynburn, happy Lynburn ! " she said " I should like to be buried at Lynburn in my husband's grave." " Whenever the case arrives, which I still trust is far distant, I promise to comply with the wish you have just expressed." " Thank you for that, as for all the rest, though I feel it is selfish in me to accept your offer ; but I shall never leave this bed alive. I know it, Annie knows it, you know it. The doctors could hold out no hopes ; why try to deceive a dying woman?" " Doctors are not infallible — " Walter began. "No, but my feelings are infallible," she said, in rather a stronger voice, for the medicine had already begun to act on her nervous system, " and joined to what the doctors said, they leave no room for doubt. And but for one thought I could die in peace. But to leave my child, my darling, to struggle alone in this cold, pitiless world !

It is in this that lies the bitterness of death." " Oh, mother," exclaimed Annie, " do not exhaust yourself by dwelling on such thoughts, God has protected us hitherto ; believe me He will not desert me now." " Walter," cried Mrs. Wood, her eyes light ing up with a strange brilliancy, " Walter, promise me by your hopes of salvation that you will never withdraw your friendship from my child." " Never, never, so help me God." u You will be her comfort and support in her trials; her councillor in her difficulties; you will be to her as a brother." " No, no, not as a brother. Give her to me for a wife, and I swear to devote my life to her happinesss. Annie," he continued, turning to her, "you must know how dear, how inexpressibly dear you are to nae. Will you not trust your fate to my care ? " A momentary silence ensued, but Annie could not resist the wistful, beseeching look on her mother's face ; the mother she was so soon to lose for ever.

Without uttering a word, she held out her hand to Walter, who pressed it to his lips. " Ah, my God, I thank you," sighed out Mrs. Wood. " Kiss me, Annie ; kiss me, Walter. If I could but see you married be fore I die, I should have nothing more to wish for on earth ; I could th n depart in peace." 11 Annie," said Walter, " I am sure you will not attribute my proposal to any selfish motive, but will you consent to give our mother, for she is mine now as well as yours, the satisfaction which she so anxiously desires ; the last perhaps we may have it in our power to afford her. If you will, there is yet time to obtain a license to-day, and we could be married with the strictest privacy to-morrow." Miss Wood was undoubtedly somewhat startled by the idea of these rapid proceedings, but she had gone too far to venture upon throwing any obstacles in the way, which might prevent the accomplishment of her mother's wishes.

Perhaps, too, she was desirous of banishing all reflection till it should be too late ; till the irrevocable deed was completed. She replied, simply— " I am quite ready to do whatever you and my mother think best." " In that case," said Walter,"if you approve, Mrs. Wood, I will be off at once ; procure the license, and make the necessary arrangements with the clergyman. As soon as I have accomplished that, I will return here." Mrs. "Wood expressed her assent, and in an other minute he was gone. They were both of age, and there was not the slightest difficulty about getting the license. Walter then called on the officiating minister of the nearest church, and was equally successful in his negotiations there. He thought it advisable to explain the reasons for this apparently extraordinary haste, but the reverend gentle man appeared to think no reasons necessary.

He promised to have all in order for the ceremony at eight o'clock next morning, with no one present but the pew -opener and beadle, who would act as witnesses. Very well satisfied with his morning's work, Mr. Caryll returned to Seymour Place about six o'clock, and found, not only that VOL. III. c the nurse had arrived and was installed in her post, but that Miss Wood had carried her attention so far as to provide a roast fowl for his refection, of which, though he was ashamed to own it, he stood in great need. Leaving the nurse with her mother, Annie joined him at table, although she was unable to do more than contemplate the very unsentimental voracity of her lover. As soon as he had satisfied his appetite, for which he thought it necessary to apologise, by saying that he had eaten nothing since a nine o'clock breakfast, be detailed to his companion all his morning operations, and then produced a plain gold ring which he begged Annie to try on.

Not withstanding the terrible calamity which was impending over them, he was in a state of buoyant spirits and exultation, which he found it very difficult to repress and tone down, so as to be in harmony with their actual situa tion. Annie, on the contrary, seemed to speak and act mechanically ; though present in person, her mind was absent ; her thoughts were concentrated on the sick bed in the adjoining room. She took the ring without a word, without the colour even rising to her cheeks. " It fits me very well," was all she said. " I thought it would. I remembered how nearly my little finger and your fourth finger used to be of a size.'' "If you have finished," she said, rising up, " I will see how my mother is, and if she can see you. She was dozing when I left her." She disappeared, but returned in a few minutes.