Heartsease; Or, The Brother's Wife Part 52

'That is in the sun. Parasols belong to an epoch of earlier civilization. Vide Ninevite carvings--Persian satraps!'

'So you reduce yourself to a Persian satrap!'

'No; it was reserved for modern times to discover the true application of the umbrella. Were you rational enough to come back in the carriage?'

'No, indeed. To do justice to Violet, she would have come down in it, if I had not forgotten to tell her of it.'

'I am glad you do her justice for once.'

She would not answer, and took advantage of another combat with the wind to cover her silence.

'Theodora,' said he, abruptly, 'I cannot help it; I must say it!'

'Well?'

'I do not think you feel as you ought towards your brother's wife.'

'John has told you this?'

'No; I have observed it. You had set your affections on Arthur; and thinking he had thrown himself away, you do not resist the common propensity to hate a sister-in-law.'

'You like to provoke me,' said Theodora; 'but,' and her voice trembled, 'it is unkind to bring this up--the pain and grief of my life, when I was happy and forgetful for once.'

'Far, far from unkindness. It is because I cannot bear to see you unhappy.'

'I trusted no one saw that.'

'I have known you too long, and thought of you too much, not to be grieved at the sight of your forced spirits and suppressed sorrow.'

It would have angered her from another; from him it touched her to find how closely and kindly he had watched her.

'I cannot help it,' she said. 'He was my all.'

'Have you striven with it?'

'Of course I have. I have lived in a tumult of occupation, but--'

'But you have not conquered yourself, and grappled with the serpents that poison your life.'

'Pray what do you call those serpents?'

'If you look them in the face, I believe you will find they are pride and jealousy.'

'You like to find generic names,' said Theodora, trying for a cold smile.

'Because it is safer to know and crush a venomous beast than to dally with it.'

'If I find there are such serpents, I will crush them and thank you.'

'No other woman would so have answered,' cried Percy, exultingly.

'Because,' said she, her throat swelling, 'no other man is true and downright friend enough to warn me honestly.'

'Theodora, Theodora, you are a grand creature, nearly thrown away for want of breaking in.'

'Too true,' said she, sadly.

'I must say it. Will you let me? Will you trust yourself and your happiness to me? It has been the vision and hope of my solitude to see you what you might be! the flaws in that n.o.ble nature corrected, its grandeur and devotedness shining forth undimmed. Together we would crush the serpents--bring out all that is excellent.'

'I think there might be a chance for me with you,' said she, in an odd sort of tone.

'You mean it?' he exclaimed, trying to see her face, but her hood flapped over it.

'I do. You appreciate me.'

She let him walk beside her, and hold the umbrella over her; but not a word was spoken till they were ascending the steps, when she said, 'Don't tell papa till night. I do not choose to look foolish.'

'Good luck to thee, umbrella!' said Percy, holding it on high, ere closing it. 'Thy sea-green dome has been a canopy of bliss. Honour to thy whalebones!' Then, in a very different manner, 'Oh! Theodora, could you but guess how you have mingled in every scheme or wish of mine; how often I have laughed myself to scorn for dreaming, as if there could be any chance!'

'Ah! what an uproar my aunt will make!' exclaimed Theodora, somewhat exultingly. Some one crossed the hall, and she ran away, but stepped back from the foot of the stairs, laid her hand on his arm, and with a face inexpressibly sweet and brilliant, said, 'We shall get on very well together. We need have no nonsense. But I did not know how happy you had made me.'

She escaped again; she would not have said thus much if she had not known there could be no reply, for Lady Martindale was sailing down the grand staircase.

She met him no more till dinner, when he was silent, and she talkative and flighty, so that Violet suspected there had been a quarrel.

The next morning, the first tidings were that John had a cold and was confined to his bed by cough and pain in the chest; while something too was said of his having been kept up late at night talking. Theodora paid a visit to the sick child in the early morning, and after breakfast accompanied Violet to the lodge, where Violet found the poor little thing nursed with more goodwill than skill by its old aunt and Theodora, took it into her own motherly arms, gave it food and medicine, and hushed it to sleep so successfully, that Theodora respected what she called the feminine element.

The two sisters walked back happily together; but at the door Lord Martindale met them, exclaiming, 'Where have you been, Theodora? Come here.'

Violet wished to be certified that John was not worse, but could find no one but Mr. Fotheringham, who, with a little twist of the corner of his mouth, a.s.sured her that there was no cause for uneasiness on that account.

Some time had gone by; she was writing letters, while Percy stood in the deep window, reading the newspapers, and making a great rustling with them. Suddenly Arthur entered, exclaiming,

'Well, Violet, here is a piece of news! Guess!'

'That is the way people always tell wedding news.'

'Right. Now then for the victims.'

'Your sister? What really? And who? Oh, not Lord St. Erme?'

'The very antipodes, as Harrison would say! Guess again.'

'Help me, Mr. Fotheringham,' she began; but Arthur, with a tremendous start, exclaimed, 'Hollo! if that is not a shame! How I wish I had said what a shocking bad match it is!'

'You think so, do you?' said Percy, advancing, and heartily shaking Arthur's ready hand.

'Oh! that is your look-out,' said Arthur, shrugging his shoulders.