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Updated: June 25, 2025
He touched it, and she crossed the room. "Good-night, Augustina." She kissed her stepmother, and bowed to the two priests. Father Leadham ceremoniously opened the door for her. Then he and Helbeck, Father Bowles and Augustina followed across the dark hall on their way to the chapel.
The Squire was uncomfortable at the thought of his impending visit. It was hardly wise had better have been deferred. Laura's quick, shrinking look when it was announced had not been lost upon her lover. Father Leadham should be convinced must be convinced that all would be imperilled nay, lost by haste. Yet unconsciously Helbeck himself was wavering was changing ground.
"I don't believe you ever knew it before." "Have you?" he said in astonishment. "Just a tiny bit. I shall pay my way" and she laughed happily. "Alan! have you noticed how well I have been getting on with the Sisters? what friends Father Leadham and I made? But no! you didn't notice anything. You saw me all en noir all" she repeated with a mournful change of voice.
Laura took her candle, and her light figure could be seen ascending the Jacobean staircase, a slim and charming vision against the shadows of the old house. Father Leadham followed it with eyes and thoughts. Then he glanced towards Helbeck. An idea and one that was singularly unwelcome was forcing its way into the priest's mind.
Father Leadham, his old Stonyhurst friend, had come to spend Passion Week and Holy Week at Bannisdale, as a special favour to one whom the Church justly numbered among the most faithful of her sons; while the Society of Jesus had many links of mutual service and affection, both with the Helbeck family in the past and with the present owner of the Hall.
Both of them had lately come across "Leadham of Trinity" the convert and Jesuit, who was now engaged upon an important Catholic memoir, and was settled for a time, within reach of Cambridge libraries. "You knew Father Leadham in the north, Miss Laura?" asked the doctor, as the girls came into the drawing-room. Laura started.
Meantime Father Leadham remained as the guest of the ladies. In the afternoon he joined Miss Fountain in the garden, and they walked up and down the bowling-green for some time together. Augustina, in the deep window of the drawing-room, was excitedly aware of the fact. When the two companions came in, Father Leadham after a time rejoined Mrs. Fountain. She looked at him with eagerness.
The relations of the Jesuit towards Miss Fountain during this time were curious. It was plain to Helbeck that Father Leadham treated the girl with a new respect, and that she on her side showed herself much more at ease with him than she had used to be.
Was she by submission to give these people, so to speak, a right to meddle and dabble in her heart? Was she to be wept over by Sister Angela to confess her sins to Father Bowles still worse, to Father Leadham?
"Are there not many motives?" she said, rather hoarsely "many ways? I want to give Augustina a happiness and and to satisfy many questions of my own. Father Leadham is bound to teach, is he not, as a priest? He could lose nothing by it." "Certainly he is bound," said Helbeck. He dropped his head, and stared at the carpet, thinking. "He would recommend you some books, of course."
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