United States or Central African Republic ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
The momentary sense of shame had altogether passed. It was Diana who, with burning cheeks, stipulated that while Fanny must not return to town, but must stay at Beechcote till matters were arranged, she should not appear during Sir James's visit; and it was Fanny who said, with vindictive triumph, as Diana left her in her room; "Sir James'll know well enough what sort of damages I could get!"
He remembered the look with which Diana had returned to the Beechcote drawing-room, where Marsham awaited her, the day before and told himself not to be a fool. Meanwhile he had found an opportunity in which to tell her, unheard by his parents, that he was practically certain of his Nigerian appointment, and must that night break it to his father and mother.
"A letter for you, Oliver." He took it, and turned it over. The handwriting was unknown to him. "Who brought this?" he asked of the butler standing behind his mother. "A servant, sir, from Beechcote Manor, He was told to wait for an answer." "I will send one. Come when I ring." The butler departed, and Marsham went hurriedly into the inner room, closing the door behind him.
Roughsedge to her husband, "I think it would do you good to walk to Beechcote." "No, my dear, no! I have many proofs to get through before dinner. Take Hugh. Only " Dr. Roughsedge, smiling, held up a beckoning finger. His wife approached. "Don't let him fall in love with that young woman. It's no good." "Well, she must marry somebody, Henry."
Captain Roughsedge, as he touched her hand, asked whether he should find her at home that afternoon if he called, and Diana absently said yes. "What a strange impracticable man!" cried Miss Mallory hotly, as the ladies turned into the Beechcote drive. "It is really a misfortune to find a man of such opinions in this place." "The Vicar?" said Mrs. Colwood, bewildered
Unconsciously her life had slipped into this habit of referring all its pains and pleasures to the unseen friend holding with him that constant dialogue of the heart without which love neither begins nor grows. Yet she no longer dreamed of discussing Fanny, and the perplexities Fanny had let loose on Beechcote, with the living Marsham.
Diana's habitual joy broke out, as she stood gazing at the village below, the walls and woods of Beechcote, the church, the plough-lands, and the far-western plain, drawn in pale grays and purples under the declining sun. "Isn't it heavenly! the browns the blues the soberness, the delicacy of it all? Oh, so much better than any tiresome Mediterranean any stupid Riviera! Ah!"
This time it was hardly possible to put these symptoms down to Marsham's account. He chafed under the thought that he should be no longer there in case a league, offensive and defensive, had in the end to be made with Mrs. Colwood for the handling of cousins. It was quite clear that Miss Fanny was a vulgar little minx, and that Beechcote would have no peace till it was rid of her.
And she was still struggling to put herself back in the romantic mood, and to see herself and her experiment anew in the romantic light, when her maid knocked at the door, and distraction entered with letters, and a cup of tea. An hour later Miss Mallory left her room behind her, and went tripping down the broad oak staircase of Beechcote Manor.
It kept the Captain at Beechcote, but it did not prevent him from coming over every Sunday to Tallyn to bring flowers or letters, or news from the village; and it was positively benefited by such mild exercise as a man may take, in company with a little round-eyed woman, feather-light and active, yet in relation to Diana, like a tethered dove, that can only take short flights.
Word Of The Day