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Ruperta, carried away by the general enthusiasm, nodded all sparkling to Compton, and that made his heart beat and his soul aspire. So next over he claimed his rights, and took the ball.
It was no business of Jessie's to take letters into the drawing-room; she would have deposited any other letter on the hall table; but she brought this one in, and, standing at the door, exclaimed, "Here a letter fr' Huntercombe!" Richard Bassett, Mrs. Bassett, and Ruperta, all turned upon her with one accord. "From where?" "Fr' Huntercombe itsel'. Et isna for you, nor for you, missy.
"Don't say that, mamma," said Ruperta, reproachfully. "I spoke to dear Compton about it not long ago. He had forgotten all about it, even." "All the more to his credit; but don't you ever forget it, my own girl." "I never will, mamma." By degrees the three became so unreserved that Ruperta was gently urged to declare her real sentiments.
However, my girl is too proud to go into a family where she is not welcome." "Much too proud for that," said Ruperta. He left her smarting under that suggestion. While he was smoking his cigar in the garden, Mrs. Bassett came home.
Surely, Ruperta, you have offered him no encouragement?" "N no." "Your mother promised me nothing but common civility should pass between you and that young gentleman." "She promised for me, but she could not promise for him poor little fellow!" "Marry a son of the man who has robbed and insulted your father!" "Oh, papa! is it so? Are you sure you did not begin?"
He said he was very glad of it; Ruperta could do better. Mrs. Bassett could not resist the pleasure of telling Lady Bassett. She went over on purpose, with her husband's consent. Lady Bassett asked to see Ruperta. "By all means," said Richard Bassett, graciously. On her return to Highmore, Ruperta asked leave to go to the Hall every day and nurse Lady Bassett.
In a little hollow of leaves, which the boy had scraped out, lay Master Compton and Miss Ruperta, on their little backs, each with an arm round the other's neck, enjoying the sweet sound sleep of infancy, which neither the horror of their situation babes in the wood nor the shouts of fifty people had in the smallest degree disturbed; to be sure, they had undergone great fatigue.
Good-by, Ruperta; I won't trouble you any more." And he held out his hand to the young lady for a final farewell. Ruperta whipped both her hands behind her back like a school-girl, and then, recovering her dignity, cast one swift glance of gentle reproach, then suddenly assuming vast stateliness, marched into Highmore like the mother of a family.
Reginald, whose agility was greater than his courage, danced about on the tips of his toes, and succeeded in planting a tap or two on Compton's cheek. Compton smarted under these, and presently, in following his antagonist, who fought like a shadow, he saw Ruperta and her mother looking horror-stricken over the palings.
Sorry to offend an authoress; but I decline to read your book, and, more than that, I forbid you the subject entirely for the next thirty years, at least. Let by-gones be by-gones." That eventful morning Mr. Rutland called and proposed to Ruperta. She declined politely, but firmly. She told Mrs. Bassett, and Mrs. Bassett told Richard in a nervous way, but his answer surprised her.
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