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Updated: June 25, 2025
"I should earnestly have protested against it, had I known what was going to be done." "Should you?" said she, shaking her head quite saucily. "We should not have listened to you." "We! Whom does the 'we' include?" "Myself and Decima. We planned everything. I like the room I have now, quite as much as that. It is the room at the end, opposite the one Mrs. Verner is to have for her sitting-room."
"Then I must walk round deliberately and look out for myself as it is said some of our royal reigning potentates have done. Thank you for the hint." But, instead of walking round deliberately, Sir Edmund Hautley proceeded direct to one point of the room, halting before Lady Verner and Decima. He bent to the former, speaking a few words in a joking tone.
Verily, within the last year, Death had made himself at home at Verner's Pride! A cold bright day in mid-winter. Luncheon was just over at Deerham Court, and Lady Verner, Decima, and Lucy Tempest had gathered round the fire in the dining-room. Lucy had a cold.
Is there another skein to hold, Decima?" Decima replied in the negative. She rose, put the paper of silk upon the table, and then turned to Jan. "Mamma and I had quite a contention yesterday," she said to him. "I say that Lionel is not being treated properly." "That's just my opinion," laconically replied Jan. "Only West flares up so, if his treatment is called in question.
Decima came up, asking what private matter they were discussing, and Lionel and Lucy went over the ground again, acquainting her with what had been seen. They stood together in a group, conversing in an undertone. By and by, Mrs. Verner passed, moving from one part of the room to another, on the arm of Sir Rufus Hautley. "Quite a family conclave," she exclaimed, with a laugh.
Lionel was turning with them; but Lady Verner, who had seen him from the window, sent a servant to desire him to come to her. "Is it anything particular, mother?" he hastily inquired. "I am going with Decima and Lucy." "It is so far particular, Lionel, that I wish you to stay with me, instead of going with them," answered Lady Verner.
She had lost all with Verner's Pride. Not a day scarcely an hour passed, but one or other, or all of these vexations, were made the subject of fretful, open repining. Not to Lady Verner Sibylla would not have dared to annoy her; not to Decima or to Lucy; but to her husband. How weary his ear was, how weary his spirit, no tongue could tell.
Lucy gazed in surprise; Sibylla, somewhat aroused from her own grievances, in curiosity. "Desire the carriage to wait," said Decima. "It is waiting, Miss Decima. The servants said they had orders." Decima crushed the note into her pocket as well as her shaking fingers would allow her, and left the room. What could have occurred, thus to agitate calm and stately Decima? Before Lucy and Mrs.
Surely you saw better than that! Can't you tell what sort of gowns?" Jan really could not. It may be questioned whether he could have told a petticoat from a gown. Miss Amilly was waiting with breathless interest, her lips apart. "Some were in white, and some were in colours, I think," hazarded Jan, trying to be correct in his good nature. "Decima was in a veil."
"I didn't leave word where I was coming, and somebody may be going dead while they are scouring the parish for me. Good-night to you all; good-night, Miss Lucy." With a nod to the room, away went Jan as unceremoniously as he had come; and, not very long afterwards, the first carriage drew up. It was Lady Verner's. Lord Garle hastened to Decima, and Lionel took out Lucy Tempest.
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