A Rose of a Hundred Leaves: A Love Story Read online

  CHAPTER V.

  BUT THEY WERE YOUNG.

  Brune arrived at Redware Hall while it was still afternoon, and hefound no difficulty in obtaining an interview with its mistress. Shewas sitting at a table in a large bay-window, painting the view fromit. For in those days ladies were not familiar with high art and allits nomenclature and accessories; Lady Redware had never thought of aneasel, or a blouse, or indeed of any of the trappings now considerednecessary to the making of pictures. She was prettily dressed in silk;and a square of bristol-board, a box of Newman's water-colours, and afew camel's-hair pencils were neatly arranged before her.

  She rose when Brune entered, and met him with a suave courtesy; andthe unsophisticated young man took it for a genuine pleasure. He feltsorry to trouble such a nice-looking gentlewoman, and he said so witha sincerity that made her suddenly serious. "Have you brought me badnews, Mr. Anneys?" she asked.

  "I am afraid you will be put about a bit. Sir Ulfar Fenwick met mysister this morning; and they were seen by ill-natured eyes, and Icame, quiet-like, to let you know that he must leave the dalesto-night."

  "Cannot Sir Ulfar meet his own wife?"

  "Lady Redware, that is not the question. Put it, 'Cannot Sir Ulfarmeet your sister?' and I will answer you quick enough, 'Not whilethere are two honest men in Allerdale to prevent him.'"

  "You cannot frighten Sir Ulfar from Allerdale. To threaten him is tomake him stay."

  "Dalesmen are not ones to threaten. I tell you that the vicar's maidsaw Sir Ulfar and my sister together; and when William Anneys hears ofit, Sir Ulfar will get such a notice to leave these parts as willgive him no choice. I came to warn him away before he could not helphimself. I say freely, I did so to please Aspatria, and out of nogood-will going his way."

  "But if he will not leave Allerdale?"

  "But if William Anneys, and the sixty gentlemen who will ride withWilliam Anneys, say he must go? What then?"

  "Of course Sir Ulfar cannot fight a mob."

  "Not one of that mob of gentlemen would fight him; but they all carrystout riding-whips." And Brune looked at the lady with a sombreintentness which made further speech unnecessary. She had been alarmedfrom the first; she now made no further attempt to disguise herterror.

  "What must I do, Mr. Anneys?" she asked. "What must I do?"

  "Send your brother away from Cumberland to-night. I say he must leaveto-night. To-morrow morning may be too late to prevent a greathumiliation. Aspatria begged me to come to you. I do not say I wantedto come."

  At this moment the door opened, and Sarah Sandys entered. Bruneturned, and saw her; and his heart stood still. She came slowlyforward, her garment of pale-green and white just touching hersandalled feet. She had a rush basket full of violets in her hands;there were primroses in her breast and belt, and her face was like apink rose. High on her head her fair hair was lifted, and, beingfastened with a large turquoise comb, it gave the idea of sunshine andblue sky.

  Brune stood looking at her, as a mortal might look at the divineCytherea made manifest. His handsome, open face, full of candidadmiration, had almost an august character. He bowed to her, as menbow when they bend their heart and give its homage and delight. Sarahwas much impressed by the young man's beauty, and she felt his swiftadoration of her own charms. She made Lady Redware introduce her toBrune, and she completed her conquest of the youth as she stood amoment holding his hand and smiling with captivating grace into hiseyes.

  Then Lady Redware explained Brune's mission, and Sarah grasped thesituation without any disguises. "It simply means flight, Elizabeth,"she said. "What could Ulfar do with fifty or sixty angry Cumberlandsquires? He would have to go. In fact, I know they have a method ofpersuasion no mortal man can resist."

  Brune saw that his errand was accomplished. Lady Redware thanked himfor his consideration, and Sarah rang for the tea-service, and madehim a cup, and gave it to him with her own lovely hands. Brune sawtheir exquisite form, their translucent glow, the sparkling ofdiamonds and emeralds upon them. The tea was as if brewed inParadise; it tasted of all things delightful; it was a veritable cupof enchantments.

  Then Brune rode away, and the two women watched him over the hill. Hesat his great black hunter like a cavalry officer; and the creaturedevoured the distance with strides that made their hearts leap to thesense of its power and life.

  "He is the very handsomest man I ever saw!" said Sarah.

  "What is to be done about Ulfar? Sarah, you must manage this business.He will not listen to me."

  "Ulfar has five senses. Ulfar is very fond of himself. He will leaveRedware, of course. How handsome Brune Anneys is!"

  "Will you coax him to leave to-night?"

  "Ulfar? Yes, I will; for it is the proper thing for him to do. Itwould be a shame to bring his quarrels to your house.--What a splendidrider! Look, Elizabeth, he is just topping the hill! I do believe heturned his head! Is he not handsome? Apollo! Antinoues! Pshaw! BruneAnneys is a great deal more human, and a great deal more godlike, thaneither."

  "Do not be silly, Sarah. And do occupy yourself a little with Ulfarnow."

  "When the hour comes, I will. Ulfar is evidently occupying himself atpresent in watching his wife. There is a decorous naughtiness and astimulating sense of danger about seeing Aspatria, that must be athorough enjoyment to Ulfar."

  "Men are always in fusses. Ulfar has kept my heart palpitating eversince he could walk alone."

  Sarah sighed. "It is very difficult," she said, "to decide whethervery old men or very young men can be the greater trial. The sufferingboth can cause is immense! Poor Sandys was sixty-six, and Ulfar isthirty-six, and--" She shook her head, and sighed again.

  "How hateful country-people are!" exclaimed Elizabeth. "They musttalk, no matter what tragedy they cause with their scandalous words."

  "Are they worse than our own set, either in town or country? You knowwhat the Countess of Denbigh considered pleasant conversation?--tellingthings that ought not to be told."

  "The Countess is a wretch! she would tell the most sacred ofsecrets."

  "I tell secrets also. I do not consider it wrong. What business hasany one to throw the _onus_ of keeping their secret on my shoulders?Why should they expect from me more prudence than they themselves haveshown?"

  "That is true. But in these valleys they speak so uncomfortablydirect; nothing but the strongest, straightest, most definite wordswill be used."

  "That is a pity. People ought to send scandal through society in arespectable hunt-the-slipper form of circulation. But that is a kindof decency to be cultivated. However, I shall tell Ulfar, in theplainest words I can find, that there will be about sixty Cumberlandsquires here to-morrow, to ride with him out of the county, and thatthey are looking forward to the fun of it just as much as if it was afox-hunt. Ulfar has imagination. He will be able to conceive such aride,--the flying man, and the roaring, laughing, whip-crackingsquires after him! He will remember how Tom Appleton the wrestler, whodid something foul, was escorted across the county line last summer.And Ulfar hates a scene. Can you fancy him making himself the centreof such an affair?"

  So they talked while Brune galloped homeward in a very happy mood. Hefelt as those ancients may have felt when they met the Immortals andsaluted them. The thought of the beautiful Mrs. Sandys filled hisimagination; but he talked comfortably to Aspatria, and assured herthat there was now no fear of a meeting between her husband and Will."Only," he said, "tell Will yourself to-night, and he will never doubtyou."

  Unfortunately, Will did not return that night from the Frosthams'; forin the morning the two men were to go together to Dalton very early.Will heard nothing there, but Mrs. Frostham was waiting at her gardengate to tell him when he returned. He had left Squire Frostham withhis son-in-law, and was alone. Mrs. Frostham made a great deal of theinformation, and broke it to Will with much consideration. Will heardher sullenly. He was getting a few words ready for Aspatria, as Mrs.Frostham told her tale, but they were for her alone. To Mrs. Frosthamhe adopted a tone
she thought very ungrateful.

  For when the whole affair, real and consequential, had been told, heanswered: "What is there to make a wonder of? Cannot a woman talk andwalk a bit with her own husband? Maybe he had something veryparticular to say to her. I think it is a shame to bother a littlelass about a thing like that."

  And he folded himself so close that Mrs. Frostham could neitherquestion nor sympathize with him longer. "Good-evening to you," hesaid coldly; and then, while visible, he took care to ride as if quiteat his ease. But the moment the road turned from Frostham he whippedhis horse to its full speed, and entered the farmyard with it in afoam of hurry, and himself in a foam of passion.

  Aspatria met him with the confession on her lips. He gave her no time.He assailed her with affronting and injurious epithets. He pushed herhands and face from him. He vowed her tears were a mockery, and herintention of confessing a lie. He met all her efforts at explanation,and all her attempts to pacify him, at sword-point.

  She bore it patiently for a while; and then Will Anneys saw anAspatria he had never dreamed of. She seemed to grow taller; she didreally grow taller; her face flamed, her eyes flashed, and, in a voiceauthoritative and irresistible, she commanded him to desist.

  "You are my worst enemy," she said. "You are as deaf as the villagegossips. You will not listen to the truth. Your abuse, heard by everyservant in the house, certifies all that malice dares to think. Andin wounding my honour you are a parricide to our mother's good name! Iam ashamed of you, Will!"

  From head to foot she reflected the indignation in her heart, as shestood erect with her hands clasped and the palms dropped downward, nosign of tears, no quiver of fear or doubt, no retreat, and nosubmission, in her face or attitude.

  "Why, whatever is the matter with you, Aspatria?"

  At this moment Brune entered, and she went to him, and put her handthrough his arm, and said: "Brune, speak for me! Will has insultedmother and father, through me, in such a way that I can never forgivehim!"

  "You ought to be ashamed of yourself, Will Anneys!" And Brune put hissister gently behind him, and then marched squarely up to hisbrother's face. "You are as passionate as a brute beast, Will, andthat, too, with a poor little lass that has her own troubles, and hasborne them like--like a good woman always does."

  "I do not want to hear you speak, Brune."

  "Ay, but I will speak, and you shall hear me. I tell you, Aspatria isin no kind to blame. The man came on her sudden, out of theplantation. She did not take his hand, she did not listen to him. Shesent him about his business as quick as might be."

  "Lottie Patterson saw her," said Will, dourly.

  "Because Aspatria called Lottie Patterson to her; and if LottiePatterson says she saw anything more or worse than ought to be, I willpretty soon call upon Seth Patterson to make his sister's words good.Cush! I will that! And what is more, Will Anneys, if you do not knowhow to take care of your sister's good name, I will teach you,--youmouse of a man! You go and side with that Frostham set againstAspatria! Chaff on the Frosthams! It is a bad neighbourhood where agirl like Aspatria cannot say a word or two on the king's highway atbroad noonday, without having a _sisserara_ about it."

  "I did not side with the Frosthams against Aspatria."

  "I'll be bound you did!"

  "Let me alone, Brune! Go your ways out of here, both of you!"

  "To be sure, we will both go. Come, Aspatria. When you are tired ofballooning, William Anneys, and can come down to common justice, maybethen I will talk to you,--not till."

  Now, good honest anger is one of the sinews of the soul; and he thatwants it when there is occasion has but a maimed mind. The hot words,the passionate atmosphere, the rebellion of Aspatria, the decision ofBrune, had the same effect upon Will's senseless anger as athunder-storm has upon the hot, heavy, summer air. Will raged his badtemper away, and was cool and clear-minded after it.

  At the same hour the same kind of mental thunder-storm was prevailingover all common-sense at Redware Hall. Ulfar, after a long and vainwatch for another opportunity to speak to Aspatria, returned there ina temper compounded of anger, jealousy, disappointment, andunsatisfied affection. He heard Lady Redware's story of his own dangerand of Brune's consideration with scornful indifference. Brune'sconsideration he laughed at. He knew very well, he answered, thatBrune Anneys hated him, and would take the greatest delight in such ahubbub as he pretended was in project.

  "But he came to please Aspatria," continued Lady Redware. "He said hecame only to please Aspatria."

  "So Aspatria wishes me to leave Allerdale? I will not go."

  "Sarah, he will not go," cried Lady Redware, as her friend enteredthe room. "He says he will not go."

  "That is because you have appealed to Ulfar's feelings instead of tohis judgment. When Ulfar considers how savagely primitive thesedalesmen are in their passions, he will understand that discretion isthe nobler part of valour. In Russia he thought it a very prudentthing to get out of the way when a pack of wolves were in theneighbourhood."

  "The law will protect me in this house. Human beings have to mind thelaw."

  "There are times when human beings are a law unto themselves. Howwould you like to see a crowd of angry men shouting around this housefor you? Think of your sister,--and of me, if I am worth so muchconsideration."

  "I am not to be frightened, Sarah."

  "Will you consider, then, that as far as Keswick and Kendal on oneside, and as far as Dalton and Whitehaven on the other side, everylocal newspaper will have, or will make, its own version of theaffair? The Earl of Lonsdale, with a large party, is now atWhitehaven Castle. What a _sauce piquante_ it will be to his dinners!How the men will howl over it, and how the women will snicker andsmile!"

  "Sarah! you can think of the hatefullest things."

  "And Lonsdale will go up to London purposely to have the delight oftelling it at the clubs."

  "Sarah!"

  "And the 'Daily Whisper' will get Lonsdale's most delectable version,and blow it with the four winds of heaven to the four corners of thecivilized world."

  "Sarah Sandys, I--"

  "Worse still! that poor girl whom you treated so abominably, mustsuffer the whole thing over again. Her name will be put as the headand front of your offending. All her sorrows and heartbreak will bemade a penny mouthful for country bumpkins and scandalous gammers to'Oh!' and 'Ah!' over. Ulfar, if you are a man, you will not give her amoment's terror of such consequences. You may see that she fearsthem, by her sending her brother to entreat your absence."

  "And I must be called coward and runaway!"

  "Let them call you anything they like, so that you spare her furthershame and sorrow."

  "Your talking in this fashion to me, Sarah, is very like Satancorrecting sin. I loved Aspatria when I met you in Rome."

  "Of course! Adam always has his Eve ready. 'Not my fault, good people!Look at this woman! With her bright smiles and her soft tongue shebeguiled me; and so I fell!' We can settle that question, you andI, again. Now you must ring the bell, and order your horse--say,at four o'clock to-morrow morning. You can have nearly six hours'sleep,--quite enough for you."

  "You have not convinced me, Sarah."

  "Then you must ride now, and be convinced afterward. For your sister'ssake and for Aspatria's sake, you will surely go away."

  Lady Redware was crying, and she cried a little harder to emphasizeSarah's pleading. Ulfar was in a hard strait. He looked angrily at thehandsome little woman urging him to do the thing he hated to do, andthen taking the kerchief from his sister's face, he kissed her, andpromised to leave Redware at dawn of day.

  "But," said he, "if you send me away now, I tell you, our parting islikely to be for many years, perhaps for life. I am going beyondcivilization, and so beyond scandal."

  "Do not flatter yourself so extravagantly, Ulfar. There is scandaleverywhere, and always has been, even from the beginning. I have nodoubt those nameless little sisters of Cain and Abel were talked aboutunpleasantly by their sisters an
d brothers-in-law. In fact, whereverthere are women there are men glad to pull them down to their ownlevel."

  "Is it not very hard, then, that I am not to be permitted to stay hereand defend the women I love?"

  Sarah shook her head. "It is beyond your power, Ulfar. If Porthos wereon earth again, or Amadis of Gaul, they might have happy and usefulcareers in handling as they deserve the maligners of good, quietwomen. But the men of this era!--which of them durst lift the stonethat the hand without sin is permitted to cast?"

  So they talked the night away, drifting gradually from the unpleasantinitial subject to Ulfar's plan of travel and the far-off prospect ofhis return. And in the gray, cold dawn he bade them farewell, and theywatched him until he vanished in the mists rolling down the mountain.Then they kissed each other,--a little, sad kiss of congratulation,wet with tears; they had won their desire, but their victory had leftthem weeping. Alas! it is the very condition of success that everytriumph must be baptized with somebody's tears.

  This event, beginning in such a trifle as an almost accidental visitof Aspatria to the vicar, was the line sharply dividing very differentlives. Nothing in Seat-Ambar was ever quite the same after it. WilliamAnneys, indeed, quickly perceived and acknowledged his fault, and thereconciliation was kind and complete; but Aspatria had taken a stepforward, and crossed clearly that bound which divides girlhood fromwomanhood. Unconsciously she assumed a carriage that Will feltcompelled to respect, and a tone was in her voice he did not care tobluff and contradict. He never again ordered her to remain silent orto leave his presence. A portion of his household authority had passedfrom him, both as regarded Aspatria and Brune; and he felt himself tobe less master than he had formerly been.

  Perhaps this was one reason of the growing frequency of his visits toFrostham. There he was made much of, deferred to, and all his littlefancies flattered and obeyed. Will knew he was the most importantperson in the world to Alice Frostham; and he knew, also, that he onlyshared Aspatria's heart with Ulfar Fenwick. Men like the whole heart,and nothing less than the whole heart; hence Alice's influence grewsteadily all through the summer days, full to the brim of happy labourand reasonable love. As early as the haymaking Will told Aspatria thatAlice was coming to Seat-Ambar as its mistress; and when the harvestwas gathered in, the wedding took place. It was as noisily jocund anaffair as Aspatria's had been silent and sorrowful; and AliceFrostham, encircled by Will's protecting arm, was led across thethreshold of her own new home, to the sound of music and rejoicing.

  The home was quickly divided, though without unkind intent. Will andAlice had their own talk, their own hopes and plans, and Aspatria andBrune generally felt that their entrance interfered with somediscussion. So Aspatria and Brune began to sit a great deal inAspatria's room, and by and by to discuss, in a confidential way, whatthey were to do with their future. Brune had no definite idea.Aspatria's intents were clear and certain. But she knew that she mustwait until the spring brought her majority and her freedom.

  One frosty day, near Christmas, as Brune was returning from Dalton, heheard himself called in a loud, cheerful voice. He was passingSeat-Ketel, and he soon saw Harry Ketel coming quickly toward him.Harry wore a splendid scarlet uniform; and the white snow beneath hisfeet, and the dark green pines between which he walked, made it allthe more splendid by their contrast. Brune had not seen Harry forfive years; but they had been companions through their boyhood, andtheir memories were stored with the pleasant hours they had spenttogether.

  Brune passed that night, and many subsequent ones, with his oldfriend; and when Harry went back to his regiment he took with him acertainty that Brune would soon follow. In fact, Harry had found hisold companion in that mood which is ready to accept the first openingas the gift of fate. Brune found there was a commission to be boughtin the Household Foot-Guards, and he was well able to pay for it.Indeed, Brune was by no means a poor man; his father had left himseven thousand pounds, and his share of the farm's proceeds had beenconstantly added to it.

  Aspatria was delighted. She might now go to London in Brune's care.They discussed the matter constantly, and began to make thepreparations necessary for the change. But affairs were not thenarranged by steam and electricity, and the letters relating to thepurchase and transfer of Brune's commission occupied some months intheir transit to and fro; although Brune did not rely upon thepostman's idea of the practicability of the roads.

  Aspatria's correspondence was also uncertain and unsatisfactoryfor some time. She had at first no guide to a school but theadvertisements in the London papers which Harry sent to his friend.But one night Brune, without any special intention, named the matterto Mrs. Ketel; and that lady was able to direct Aspatria to anexcellent school in Richmond, near London. And as she was much morefavourably situated for a quick settlement of the affair, sheundertook the necessary correspondence.

  Will was not ignorant of these movements, but Alice induced him to bepassive in them. "No one can then blame us, Will, whatever happens."And as Will and Alice were extremely sensitive to public opinion, thiswas a good consideration. Besides Alice, not unnaturally, wished tohave the Seat to herself; so that Aspatria's and Brune's wishes fittedadmirably into her own desires, and it gave her a kind of selfishpleasure to forward them.

  The ninth of March was Aspatria's twenty-first birthday; and it was toher a very important anniversary, for she received as its gift herfreedom and her fortune. There was no hitch or trouble in its transferfrom Will to herself. Honour and integrity were in the life-blood ofWilliam Anneys, honesty and justice the very breath of his nostrils.Aspatria's fortune had been guarded with a super-sensitive care; andwhen years gave her its management, Will surrendered it cheerfully toher control.

  Fortunately, the school selected by Mrs. Ketel satisfied Willthoroughly; and Brune's commission in the Foot-Guards was inhonourable accord with the highest traditions and spirit of the dales.For the gigantic and physically handsome men of these mountainvalleys have been for centuries considered the finest material forthose regiments whose duty it is to guard the persons and the homes ofroyalty. Brune had only followed in the steps of a great number of hisancestors.

  In the beginning of April, Aspatria left Seat-Ambar for London,--leftforever all the pettiness of her house life, chairs and tables, sewingand meals, and the useless daily labour that has to be continuallydone over again. And at the last Will was very tender with her, andeven Alice did her best to make the parting days full of hope andkindness. As for the journey, there was no anxiety; Brune was totravel with his sister, and see her safely within her new home.

  Yet neither of them left the old home without some tears. Would theyever see again those great, steadfast hills, that purify those whowalk upon them; ever dwell again within the dear old house, that hadnot been builded, but had grown with the family it had sheltered,through a thousand years? They hardly spoke to each other, as theydrove through the sweet valleys, where the sunshine laid a gold on thegreen, and the warm south-wind gently rocked the daisies, and thelark's song was like a silvery water-fall up in the sky.

  But they were young; and, oh, the rich significance of the word"young" when the heart is young as well as the body, when the thoughtsare not doubts, and when the eyes look not backward, but only forward,into a bright future!