The last of the Haddons : a novel

Front matter

HADDONS THE "GREENBACK SERIES" POPULAR l\6 NOVELS. By AUTHORS OF THE DAY. ( Crown Svo, Cloth. ) Unsirom with " The Last of the Haddons." i. LOUIS DRAYCOTT. By Mrs. Leith Adams. 2nd Edition. 2. GEOFFREY STIRLING. By Mrs. Leith Adams. 5th Edition. 3. BONNIE KATE. By Mrs. Leith Adams. 2nd Edition. 4. A NEW OTHELLO. By Hon. Iza Duppus Hardv. 2nd Ed. 5. THE MAID OF LONDON BRIDGE. By Somerville Gibnev. 3rd Edition. 6. EVELINE WELLWOOD. By Major Norris Paul. 2nd Ed. 7. OLD LATTIMER'S LEGACY. By J. S. Fletcher. 2nd Ed. 8. THAT LITTLE GIRL. By Curtis Yorke. 5th Edition. 9. DUDLEY. By Curtis Yorke. 4th Edition. 10. THE WILD RUTHVENS. By Curtis Yorke. 5th Edition. 11. THE BROWN PORTMANTEAU, and other Stories. By Curtis Yorke. 2nd Edition. 12. HUSH ! By Curtis Yorke. 3rd Edition. 13. ONCE1 By Curtis Yorke. 2nd Edition. 14.

A ROMANCE OF MODERN LONDON. By Curtis Yorke. 3rd Edition. 15. HIS HEART TO WIN. By Curtis Yorke. 2nd Edition. 16. DARRELL CHEVASNEY. By Curtis Yorke. 17. BETWEEN THE SILENCES. By Curtis Yorke. 18. THE PEYTON ROMANCE. By Mrs. Leith Adams. 3rd Ed. 19. THE GOLDEN MILESTONE. By Scott Graham. 3rd Ed. 20. A RECORD OF DISCORDS. By Curtis Yorke. 2nd Edition. 21. "CHERRY RIPE!" By Helen Mathers. 8th Edition. 22. STORY OF A SIN. By Helen Mathers. 5th Edition. 23. EYRE'S ACQUITTAL. (Sequel.) By Helen Mathers. 4th Ed. 24. JOCK O' HAZELGREEN. By Helen Mathers. 4th Ed. 25. MY LADY GREEN SLEEVES. By Helen Mathers. 6th Ed. 26. FOUND OUT. By Helen Mathers. 103rd Thousand. 27. THE MEDLICOTTS. By Curtis Yorke. 2nd Edition. 28. THE HEART OF A MYSTERY. By T. W. Speight. 29. MAN PROPOSES. By Mrs. A. Phillips. 2nd Edition. 30.

THE LAST OF THE HADDONS. By Mrs. E. Newman. 31. ALLANSONS LITTLE WOMAN By Eastwood Kidson. 32. LINDSAY'S GIRL. Ry Mrs. Herbert Martin. 33. WRONGLY CONDEMNED. By Mrs. Bagot Harte, Author of " Bianca," &c. 34. THE THIRTEENTH BRYDAIN. By Margaret Moole,*i •; Author of "Wingrove's Ways," "Dick's Wife," " Miss I J Maidment," &c. I £ 35. THROUGH ANOTHER MAN'S EYES. By Eleanor s 5 Holmes. I > 36. MRS. WYLDE. By Linda Gardiner. J _. 37. A PRINCE OF COMO. By E. M. Davy. 2nd Edition; 38. RUTH FARMER. By Agnes Marchbank. [Thousand. 39. THE LOVELY MALINCOURT. By Helen Mathers. Sixth 40. A GARRISON ROMANCE. By Mrs. Leith Adams. _\rd Ed. 41. HARUM SCARUM. Bv Esme Stuart. 42. A BOLT FROM THE BLUE. By Scott Graham. Shortly. 43. THE MAN IN THE CHECK SL'IT. By F. W. H. Delf. ' [Shortly. OTHERS IN PREPARATION.

Chapter I. Incongruous Materials

" \T^' §J" > l^s must certainly be the house," I thought, [\ turning my eyes somewhat disappointedly towards it again, after consulting an address in my hand. A large, gloomy, dilapidated-looking house, in a respectably dull street in Westminster, its lower windows facing a dead-wall, and its upper ones overlooking venerable ecclesiastical grounds. The lower rooms appeared to be the only portion of the house which was occupied ; and these, to judge by the shabbiness of the blinds, were kept but in a mean condition. None the less dreary was the present aspect of the house for the suggestions of bygone prosperity in the noble proportions of the entrance, with its link extinguishers on either side, and great massive doors opening from the centre. It would require a vivid imagination to picture those doors flung hospitably open, and light and warmth from within streaming down on to a gay party of the present generation, alighting before the broad steps.

" Not very promising," was my mental comment, as I gathered courage to ascend the steps and lift the heavy iron wreath of flowers which used to be considered high art in the way of knockers. I suppose I chanced upon the one least in use ; a rusty, ill-conditioned old knocker, which would not do any thing until you got determined with it, and then came down with a sudden bang, which resounded through the neighbourhood. I was beginning to think that I had made a mistake, and that the house was uninhabited after all, when I heard footsteps within, and presently one of the doors was opened a few inches, and a bony hand thrust out. " A pretty time this to be bringing coffee that was wanted for breakfast ! " " Does Mr. Wentworth live here ? " A tall, thin, grim-visaged woman looked out, and shortly replied : "Yes; he does."

" Is he at home ? Can I see him ? " " He's at home," she slowly and reluctantly admitted ; adding, as she determinedly blocked up the doorway, " but he can't see anybody; he's engaged." " Please give this card to Mr. Wentworth, and say " " If it's the advertisement, you should have come before. Ten to twelve was the time." " Please give this card to Mr. Wentworth, and " " It won't be any use." " And say that I shall be greatly obliged if he will see me for five minutes." Evidently this was a woman accustomed to have her way, at any rate with such callers as came there. The very novelty of my persistence seemed for the moment to disconcert her, as she eyed me from beneath her bent brows before replying : " Haven't I just told you ? " "Please to give this card to Mr. Wentworth, and say I shall be greatly obliged if he will see me for five minutes."

She appeared for a moment undecided as to whether she would shut the door in my face or do my bidding; then ungraciously moved aside for me to pass into the hall, which I unhesitatingly did. Mumbling something to herself, which, to judge by her countenance, was the reverse of complimentary to me, she left me standing on the mat, and went into a room on the right of the square hall, the stone floor of which was sparsely covered here and there with old scraps of carpet. I had just time to note that, poor and forlorn as everything looked, it was kept scrupulously clean, when I heard a man's voice, and the words : " Did I not tell you ? " uttered in a stern, low voice. "I know you did; and I told her, but she wouldn't take 1 No ' for an answer." " Nonsense ! Say I'm engaged ; it's past the time.

I have almost arranged with some one already. Get rid of her some how, and do not disturb me again. I thought you prided yourself upon your ability to keep off intruders." INCONGRUOUS MATERIALS. 9 " This one isn't like the others," grumbled the old woman. " She goes on hammering and hammering. However, I'll soon send her off now." A nice introduction this ! I had not really believed that she was acting under orders, and had too grave a reason for desiring an interview to allow a disagreeable old woman to prevent my obtaining it. I felt that an apology ought to be made before I was " sent off." Advancing to the door of the room from whence the voices came, and standing on the threshold, I said : • "Allow me to exonerate your housekeeper, sir" (it was really a pretty compliment to give that gaunt personification of shabbiness so sounding a title, and she ought to have been touched by it).

" I am afraid I was more pertinacious than are the generality of intruders, in my anxiety to obtain an interview." A gentleman sat facing me, frowning down at my card. A pen still in his hand, and the quantity of papers and pam phlets covering the large library table at which he sat, seemed to show that it had been no mere excuse about his being engaged. A tall, broad-chested man, with a fine massive head, and good, if somewhat rugged features, looking at first sight, I fancied, about forty years of age. I saw that there were a great many books in the room, and two or three fine speci mens of old carved furniture, in curious contrast with the small square of well-worn and well-mended carpet at the end of the room where he sat. At the sight of me he laid down his pen, and pushed his chair back from the table, ruffling up his already sufficiently ruffled-up hair with a look of dismay which was almost comical.

As he appeared somewhat at a loss how to answer me, I added : " I set out immediately I read the advertisement, and I hope you will excuse my being thirty-seven minutes late," looking at my watch in order to be quite correct as to time. A smile, which had a wonderfully improving effect upon him, dwelt for a moment on his lips, and remained in his eyes. " Will you take a seat, Miss — Haddon ? " consulting my card for the name. Then to the old woman : " You need not wait, Hannah." Throwing a look over her shoulder at him, as though to say, " I told you," she went out and shut the door. He placed a chair for me, then returned to the old-fashioned library chair he had risen from, and courteously waited for me to begin. So far good — he was a gentleman. " I will be as concise as possible. Mr. Wentworth, I am seeking a situation of some kind, and can, I think, offer as good testimonials as any one who has not had an engagement before could have.

If you have not yet decided upon engaging any particular lady, I shall be much obliged by your kindly looking through these," taking a little packet of letters from my pocket, and placing it upon the table before him. He was eyeing me rather curiously, and I earnestly went on : " I have been accustomed to use both my brains and hands, and I would do my very best with either to earn a respectable living." "I fear that I am committed in another direction," he said courteously. " In that case, I can only hope that the lady upon whom your choice has fallen needs an engagement as much as I do," I replied, trying to stifle a sigh. " I am extremely sorry that you should be disappointed." " You are very kind " (for I felt that he really was sorry) ; "but I am accustomed to disappointments; and there is a sort of poetical justice in this, after intruding upon you as I have done," I said trying to speak lightly.

" I am very sorry indeed," he repeated. " Pray do not think of it, Mr. Wentworth," rising from my seat ; " allow me to " "A moment, Miss Haddon. It is of the first importance to find the right lady willing to undertake the office, and, to be candid, I do not feel quite sure that I have succeeded." " But if you are committed ? " "I have been considering that, and I do not think that I am wholly — only so far as having promised to communicate with one lady goes. For the moment, I could not arrange matters with my conscience. Out of a number of ladies who were good enough to notice the advertisement, only one appeared to me at all suitable. But," he added apologetically, " I ought to explain that the requirements are of a somewhat exceptional character." " May I ask what they are, Mr. Wentworth?"

" Principally tact in dealing with incongruous materials, and the exercise of a healthy influence over a sensitive girl." " Tact in dealing with incongruous materials," I repeated musingly. "Yes; certainly I ought to know something about that." Our eyes met, and we both broke into a little laugh, as he said : INCONGRUOUS MATERIALS. 11 " Most of us have opportunities for acquiring a little ex perience of the kind." " And I think I can claim to have made use of my opportunities," I rejoined, after a moment or two's deliberation. " But the healthy influence over a sensitive girl," I went on more doubtfully ; " people hold such very opposite opinions as to what is a healthy influence. I certainly should not like to have my own weaknesses petted." " You have been accustomed to training ? " "I have been accustomed to be trained, so far as circum stances could do it, Mr. Wentworth," I returned, with a half smile at the thought of all that was implied by my word.

I could not enter into my history to him ; I could not tell him what I had resigned in order to remain in attendance upon my dear mother. Indeed, she had been a confirmed invalid so long a time that the giving up had ceased to cost anything ; the dread of losing her having become my only trouble, though year by year the difficulty of getting the little luxuries she needed and keeping out of debt had terribly increased. When the parting came it took something from the bitterness of regret to think that she knew nothing of the difficulties which had beset us. " Still," I added, desirous of making the best of myself, and led on by his evident anxiety to select the right kind of association for his child, or whoever she was, to be as frank as himself, " mine has been an experience which ought to be worth something.

One's experiences are hardly to be talked of; but I honestly think you might do worse than engage me, if it is any recommendation to have been accustomed to struggle against adverse circumstances, as I think it ought to be. My testimonials are from the clergyman of the parish, the medical man who attended my dear mother during a long illness, and an old friend of my father's. The last is more complimentary than could be wished ; but the two first gentlemen knew me during a long heavy trial, and, as I begged them to do, they have, I think, stated only what is fair to me." He was smiling, his eyes fixed upon me ; and I went on interrogatively : " It is a chaperon and companion for a young girl required — -your daughter or ward, I presume ? " He laughed outright ; and then I saw he was younger than I had at first supposed him to be.

At most he could not be over thirty-five, I thought, a little confused at my mistake. " No relation, and, I am glad to say, no ward, Miss Haddon. I am simply obliging a friend who resides out of town, in order to spare both him and the ladies replying to the advertisement unnecessary trouble by seeing them here. To say that I have regretted my good nature more than once this morning would of course be impolite." " It must have been very unpleasant for you sitting in judgment over a number of women," I said; "almost as unpleasant as for them." " Pray do not think that I have ventured so far as that, Miss Haddon," he returned, with an amused look. But I had not gone there to amuse him, so I simply replied : " I think you were bound to do so, having undertaken the responsibility, Mr. Wentworth ; " and returned to business, asking : " Do you think there is any chance for me?

" " I think that you would be admirably suited to the office, Miss Haddon. Mr. Farrar is an invalid ; and his daughter, for whom he is seeking a chaperon, is his only child, and motherless. That may excuse a little extra care in selecting a fitting companion for her, which every good woman might not be. There is only one thing " He trifled with the papers before him a few moments, and then went on hesitatingly : " The lady was not to be very young." Greatly relieved, I smiled, and put up my veil. " I am not very young, Mr. Wentworth. I was nine-and-twenty the day before yesterday." It would be really too ridiculous to be rejected on account of being too young, when that very morning I had been trying to lecture myself into a more philosophic frame of mind about the loss of my youth, and failed ignominiously.

The loss of youth meant more to me than it does to most people. " Then we will, if you please, consider the only objection is disposed of," he gravely replied. " I am very glad. Only," I thought, " you have not ex amined my testimonials. For one so cautious in some respects, you appear rather lax in others." But I put them on the table before him. His friend might desire to see them, though he did not. " Am I to write to your friend, Mr. Wentworth ? " " I was to ask you to go to Fairview as soon as you con veniently could, Miss Haddon," presenting me with a card upon which was the address — Mr. Farrar, Fairview, High brook, Kent. "To make arrangements with Mr. Farrar?" I inquired, not INCONGRUOUS MATERIALS. 13 a little surprised at the suddenness with which matters seemed to be settling themselves.

" To remain, if you are willing so to do, Miss Haddon. But I ought to state that the engagement may possibly be for only a limited period — not longer than a year perhaps. Miss Farrar is engaged to be married." " Ah, now I understand your anxiety about her finding a suitable companion," was my mental comment. " She will not leave her father in his present state of health ; but in the event of his recovery, there is some talk of her marriage in a year or so." " I do not myself desire a long engagement, Mr. Went worth," I replied with a slight pressure of a certain locket on my watch-chain. If the illusions of youth were gone, certain things remained to me yet. He looked a little curious, I fancied, but simply bowed — too much a gentleman to question about anything not con nected with the business in hand.

" Was there any mention made of salary, Mr. Wentworth ? " "Salary? Oh yes. I really beg your pardon. Something was said about eighty or a hundred a year ; but there were no restrictions about it. You will find that Mr. Farrar is " Whatever he was about to add, he hesitated to say it ; and after a moment's pause, substituted the word — " liberal. He is a man of large means, Miss Haddon." " Eighty pounds a year certainly is liberal," I replied, rather surprised at the amount ; and, in my inexperience of such matters, not taking into account the appearance a chaperon would be expected to make. The little I had hitherto been able to do in the way of money-getting had brought but very small returns. But then it had been done surreptitiously, whilst my dear mother was sleeping. She had been too anxious about me to be allowed to know that her small pen sion did not suffice for our expenses ; and mine had been such pay as I could obtain from the shops in the neighbour hood.

" I did not hope for anything so good as that," I added as I once more rose, and bade him good morning, begging him to excuse my having taken up so much of his time. " But in truth, I was getting almost desperate in my sore need, Mr. Wentworth." " I can only regret that a gentlewoman should be put to so much inconvenience, Miss Haddon ; although it bears out my creed, that gentlewomen, as I understand the term, are more capable of endurance than are others." TIIE HADDONS. 14 All very nice and pleasant of him ; but even while he spoke I was painfully conscious that I should have the greatest difficulty in getting out of the room as a gentlewoman should. The sudden revulsion — the great good fortune — coming so swiftly after bitter disappointment, told, I suppose, upon my physical strength, lowered by a longer fast than usual.

In fact, a course of discipline in the way of bearing inconvenience was telling upon me just at the wrong moment ; and it seemed that his pretty compliment about a gentlewoman's capability of endurance was about to be proved inapplicable to me. The furniture appeared to be taking all sorts of fantastic shapes, and he himself to be expanding and collapsing in the most alarming manner. But angry and ashamed as I felt — could anything be more humiliating than an exhibition of weakness at this moment ? — I strove to smile, and say some thing about the heat, as with some difficulty I made my way towards the door. " But I fear Pray allow me," he ejaculated, springing toward the door, where I was groping for the handle, telling myself that, if I could only get into the hall and sit there in the fresh air a few moments, all would be well again.

Chapter II. Success

ONLY a little hungry." Was it my voice making the humiliating confession ? Had I lost my self-command and self-respect to such an extent as that ! The words seemed to come from my dry lips independently of my will. The ejaculations, " Great heavens ! " in one voice, and " I thought she looked a poor half-starved mortal ! " in another, brought my stray senses back, and I looked about me. I was lying on a couch in a back sitting-room, smaller and more comfortable in appearance than that which I had first seen, Mr. Wentworth and his sour-looking servant watching me. A strong unpleasant smell of burnt feathers pervaded the room. As I afterwards found, Hannah knew of no better remedy for faintness ; and her master had hurriedly set light to a packet of quill pens, while she deluged my face and head with water.

" Bring some wine, and the best you have in the way of food, at once," said Mr. Wentworth. She quitted the room ; and her master considerately went towards the window, and stood there turning over the leaves of a pamphlet until she re-entered. She carried a tray upon which was a glass of sherry, a small basin containing something which had a very savoury odour, and some bread. " Have you nothing better than that?" he asked. " It's the strong gravy I was making for your chicken," she replied. " She couldn't have anything better than that upon an empty stomach." I tried to utter a little protest; but I soon felt it was no use ; I should never be able to get decently away without the little fillip which the food and wine would give me. So I took a few spoonfuls of the gravy and a little bread, trying to keep up THE HADDONS. appearances by saying that I had foolishly taken a very light breakfast, and so forth.

He accepted the explanation in an easy, matter-of-course way, saying he so frequently got into disgrace with Hannah on account of his want of appetite in the early morning that he could quite understand other people's shortcomings in the same direction. Then he courteously expressed a hope that I should rest there until Hannah had prepared luncheon. "There is no one in the house besides us three, and there fore you will not be disturbed. Quietness is about the only thing the old place has to boast of now." " You are very kind I murmured," at loss for words. " In an hour or two, when you have had luncheon, and feel quite sure you are sufficiently rested, I will give you fuller particulars as to the best way of getting to Fairview. We shall meet there very shortly, I daresay, when I trust to hear that you approve of your new surroundings, Miss Haddon."

Then, bowing low with old-fashioned courtesy, he quitted the room. The old woman watched him with astonished eyes, and then turned them suspiciously on me. I could not help fancying that she was mentally repeating the words, "Meet there very shortly." How weak I must have been to let this grim-looking, disagreeable old woman see the tears which forced themselves into my eyes. I intuitively knew that tears and weakness were the very worst weapons to use with one of her calibre. I felt that she had in her heart declared war against me from the very moment I succeeded in obtaining an interview with her master, and, so to speak, set her at defiance. This was but an armed truce between us, if truce it were. In course of time I learned that there was another cause for her antagonism. Her forbidding, suspicious looks had very soon the good effect of helping me towards recovery.

Brushing away the tears which her master's kindness had brought to my eyes, I drank the sherry, set to work with the spoon again, and was presently able to eye her as steadily as she eyed me. " You will do now, till lunch is ready, I suppose ? " " I shall do now without luncheon ; in five minutes I shall be able to go. Will you please tell Mr. Wentworth so ; and say if he will kindly send me the further instructions he spoke about, I need not disturb him again." "You are going to meet again?" she said (I thought rather offensively). SUCCESS. 17 "Yes, I hope so. My bonnet, please," smoothing back my hair. " I am sorry there is not a looking-glass in the room ; but I can fetch one if you like." I saw that this was meant for sarcasm, so pleasantly replied, "Yes, please." " It's at the top of the house," she grumbled.

" In that case I will not trouble you," I replied with amiable condescension. She waited a moment to recover that, and then said, "You are not going to stop to lunch, then?" " No. Does that surprise you ? " " Yes ; it does." "Ah, that shows that you may sometimes be mistaken." She seemed to hesitate a moment as to whether she should carry on the war or not ; and then, I suppose, concluded to defer it, though she took unnecessary pains to show that it was only deferred, frowning angry defiance at me as she went out of the room. She presently returned with the message that her master thought I could not be sufficiently rested, and hoped I would stay to luncheon ; adding, with a grim smile, " He is not accustomed to ladies who are given to fainting ; and does not know how soon they can sometimes get over it."

" Your master is very kind ; but I must go now." " If you would not be persuaded, I was to give you this." " I am much obliged to him," I replied, taking the letter she offered; I really could not honestly add, "and to you; "but bade her good-day as pleasantly as I could. She opened the room-door, and then the hall-door, still as it were under protest, and with the same expression of disapproval on her face. " I suppose it is a disgreeable manner that is natural to her," I thought, as I turned away. " She has not seen enough of me to form any opinion which might account for so decided an exhibition of ill-will." I walked slowly to the park, where I sat down and rested awhile ; then went on again towards home — if I could give the place I found shelter in so euphemistic a name — trying to get used to the idea of my good fortune, and to think over the arrangements that had to be made for my flitting.

But I was not yet equal to anything in the way of sustained thought, only conscious, in a pleasant, dreamy kind of way, that a heavy burden was lifted off my shoulders, and that life would be possible for the next few months, without appealing to the B TIIE LAST OF THE HADDONS. 18 charity of others which it would have been worse than death to do. But the fresh air was doing me good; and by the time I had reached the house where I lodged, situated in a by street west of the park, I had begun to recover my mental equili brium. But I fancy my first proceeding after reaching my room made Becky, the small maid who occasionally did errands for me, think that I had taken leave of my senses. "A chop, and a sixpenny cake, and a quarter of a pound of best butter, and an ounce of tea ! " she repeated, staring at me with widely opened eyes, while she ran over the items, pausing at each, as though to remind me of what I was doing.

" I am expecting company, Becky," I replied, with what was meant for a reassuring smile. But Becky was not to be so easily reassured. " Then give them a penn'oth of shrimps, and keep the chop and the cake for yourself when they are gone," she earnestly advised. " But it is someone I care very much for, Becky," I replied, "and I can quite afford it now — I can indeed." Very reluctantly she took the money, and went off with a grave face to do my bidding. Then I sat down with pencil and paper to make certain calculations. I possessed fifteen shillings and sixpence in money, my clothes, and a certain packet of my dear mother's old-fashioned jewellery, with a few words written on the outside to the effect that in the event of either illness or death, the contents were to be sold to defray expenses.