A Heart-Song of To-day Part 14

"Colonel, I wish you would press Sir Tilton to come with us," said his wife; "I have grown so accustomed to him, I could do without Mason easier."

It was rather of a bore to the Colonel, this running in couples; when he married a wife, he did not marry this acquaintance of hers; but just now he feels that he himself deserves the lash as the fair face of the lost Alice arises before him, and knowing that the Hall would not now be open for guests only for his wife's gold. So the answer the son and inheritor of the estate makes to the daughter of the ballet-dancer is,

"Certainly, dear; anyone that will give you pleasure;" and turning to Sir Tilton, who is driving to the station with them, says: "You had better run down with us, Everly, if you have nothing else in view."

"Thank you, Colonel; have pressing business at London;" to quiet his duns, which he did not deem necessary to communicate; "but can and will be with you a month from now."

"You are very disagreeable, Sir Tilton, and not worth a cent."

"You are right," thought the small baronet.

"I want you to teach my pug tricks," continued Blanche poutingly.

"Come soon, dear baronet," said Mrs. Haughton; "by-by; remember me."

"Could a man do otherwise? Pleasant trip; goodbye."

And the iron horse is off, leaving the man about town who plays his cards with a winning hand, alone on the platform.

"I shall hasten back to the hotel, they may not yet have left;"

meaning by 'they,' Lady Esmondet and Vaura. "It will look quite natural to see them, and say the others are safely away." Hurrying along, he reached the hotel to hear they had left "ten minutes previously; just leaving twenty minutes till she sails, sir," said the porter.

Hailing a pa.s.sing cab, Everly offered double fare if in time. Fortune favoured him in allowing him to be in time to a.s.sist another gentleman (whom he thought to be on tantalizing intimate terms) in looking after the comfort of the travellers.

"Delighted I'm in time to be of any service, Miss Vernon," he said, heartily; "afraid you are going to have rain.

"I am protected, Sir Tilton," she said, smilingly, and holding up her arm in water-proof ulster.

"Many women, when they don the armour of protection, so ill become it, that we are fain to see them unprotected; but you are born to wear anything, and look so well we don't want any new fashion."

"Always allowing, Sir Tilton, for the natural changeableness of man, which would a.s.sert itself in spite of a momentary wish."

"You could hold us at will," he said, picking up a rose that had fallen from her bouquet; "may I?" and it is carefully put on his coat.

"Trust me, Sir Tilton," she said, gaily; "I have made your s.e.x (loving it, as I do) a study. Charles Reade was right; you are 'born to hunt something;' it certainly is not the old, which is past, but the new; yes, say what you will, an innate love of variety--even to our gown,"

she added, merrily, "is an inherent part of your nature."

"Vaura, come, or you will be left on the dock in the enforced guardianship of Sir Tilton Everly," said Lady Esmondet.

"Adieu, Sir Tilton," said Vaura; "breathe a prayer to Neptune that our wardrobe is complete without day or night caps."

"_Bon voyage_; shall be at Haughton Hall to welcome you;" and, lifting his hat, he was again left to his own devices, while Vaura, taking the arm of Mr. Roland Douglas, went aboard the boat.

"Who is your handy little man. Vaura?" asked he.

"Sir Tilton Everly."

"Of where?"

"Of everywhere, my dear boy."

"Might be going there now, judging from the way he is tearing up the street."

"Perhaps he is on a mad tear after Mrs. Haughton."

"It's all very well, Vaura, to try, now the dear little fellow is away, to shunt him off on to Mrs. Haughton, he's not on a mad tear after them; you mow 'em down, tares and wheat, together."

"I feel quite agricultural," said Vaura, laughing, as they joined Lady Esmondet, who was talking to a Government _attache_, from London. "Mr.

Douglas calls me a mowing machine."

Here, Mr. Bertram came forward to shake hands with Vaura.

"I was beginning to think you would not cross to-day, Vaura," said Lady Esmondet. "Sir Tilton seemed unable to tear himself away."

"It's getting too much for my feelings, Vaura," said Douglas, in serio-comic tones; "tares again."

"What's the joke?" asked Bertram; "the fellow had a green and yellow melancholy look about him, I noticed."

"Again! pile on the agony, tares and wheat are green and yellow."

"Tares and wheat," remarked Bertram. "If that's your text, Douglas, I shall tear myself away, and pace the deck alone, if Lady Esmondet, or Miss Vernon, won't take pity on me; I don't care for sermons, nor to be cla.s.sed with the tares. Who is the mannikin, Douglas," continued Bertram.

"What's his name, and where's his hame; she dinna choose to tell,"

said Douglas.

"You are a greater tease than ever, Roland; I did tell you, but on the way you lost it; but now again give ear--"

"Not only mine ear," he interrupted, "but my whole being, fairest of Surrey enslavers."

"Well, Roland, the irrepressible, from the lips of the women who love him, the mannikin is, dear or _cara mia_ before Tilton Everly to his men friends, and Sir Tilton Everly to society; art satisfied?"

"By no means," he said slyly.

"He is only a gay little sunflower," said Lady Esmondet.

"Sunning himself in woman's smiles, and perhaps, who knows, laying up somewhere out at interest, the smiles he gives in return, but, Roland _mon cher_, Vaura is not his banker (she has always a hand full of trumps and they are hearts)."

"Yes, there are many bankrupts on your hands, Vaura. I'm beginning to think you've no heart, that's why the mowing business is done," said Roland, half jestingly.

"Happy thought, my dearest boy; at my birth, Cupid, being short of hearts, sent word by Mercury that Vaura Vernon would have to go without, until such time in her life as she was able to win the hearts of some half dozen men; as it would take so many to make a good-sized womanly organ called a heart. Mercury further said I must send so many men away heartless, I would suddenly find myself in possession, of that lovable piece of palpitation; I would then find that piece of feminine sighs too much for me, and would immediately exchange it for a manly one; so you, see, Roland, I cannot have worked enough yet with the agricultural implement; it's hard lines, you cruel boy, and you only jest about, the mower," this she said in mock earnest tones; and continued laughingly, "but then, I shall love only one; now, it is awfully pleasant to love you all."

"From all I hear at home and abroad the mower has been in sure hands,"

remarked Bertram smilingly.

"Dame Rumour hath many ears to fill," replied Vaura.

"By the way, Vaura, did Sir Tilton Everly say the Haughtons took the 10.30?" asked Lady Esmondet.