Heartsease; Or, The Brother's Wife Part 54

Though mending, he did not leave his room the next day, as it was damp and chilly; and he again asked for Violet's company in the afternoon, since he supposed she was not thinking of going out.

'O, no; no one does, except Theodora. I saw something brown half-way across the park, which must be either her cloak, or the old cow-man's worst round frock.'

'And Percy not in attendance?'

'No; he and Arthur are lingering at luncheon, talking about the Austrian army. When did you hear about this?'

'As soon as I came in. He marched into my room, sat down, and said, "There! I've done it." I thought he had broken the knees of Arthur's gray, till he explained--"No; I have taken your sister on my hands."'

'So you were watching them all the evening!'

'Yes; I was very anxious as to how my father might view it.'

'I suppose that hurt you more than the rain?'

'Excitement, as Brown would say. Perhaps it might. We talked long and late, and afterwards I fell into the old strain of thought. From what Percy tells me, his sister must have influenced Theodora far more than I thought possible. To her he ascribes her religious tone. If he is right, my mistake in neglecting her has been worse than I supposed.'

'Then this is all the better! Do you remember saying you despaired of a Petruchio?'

'It is on the Petruchio principle that he takes her, and avowedly. None but Katharina was ever so wooed or so won!'

'That is very much to her honour.'

'If she realizes his being in earnest. She would make one doubt whether she has any earnest. Yesterday evening she so treated, the subject that I was on the point of saying, "Reply not to me with a fool-born jest."

And how do you think she answered my father, when he asked her if she knew what she undertook? As my namesake said, "I shall wash all day and ride out on the great dog at night."

'Was not that a sort of shyness?'

'I would fain hope so. If I had ever seen anything like deep earnest feeling I should be satisfied. Yet Percy declares, I trust he may be right, that she has the very strongest affections, and much tenderness of character. He says her nature came straight from the tropics, and must not be judged by sober English rules.'

'If you had seen her distress about the child at the lodge!'

'Ah! he said those tears settled the matter, and showed him that she had the woman's heart as well as the candour that would conquer her waywardness. It sounds a little too like a lover's self-justification.'

'Do you think so?' said Violet. 'You do not know what she is with the dumb boy, and with Johnnie.'

'I was just going to have instanced her neglect of Johnnie.'

'I a.s.sure you,' cried Violet, eagerly, 'that is only because she does not like me. You cannot think how fond she is of him. When I am out of the way she goes to the nursery and pets him till Sarah is almost jealous of his fondness for her.'

'I have no patience with her,' exclaimed John.

'I thought you would have been glad.'

'I do not like Percy to make a mistake, and get his feelings trifled with. He deserves a wife like himself.'

'Did you hear of Arthur's advice to him?'

'To kill the cat on the wedding-day. That might answer if it were to be at once; but it is a cat with nine lives, and I do not think she will bear to have it killed before the wedding-day.'

'Then it is not to be soon?'

'No, my father thinks her not fit for a poor man's wife, and cannot give her more than 5000, so they must wait till they can begin on an income equal to yours.'

'And I suppose that will be when he gets some appointment.'

'And there is the Worthbourne estate as a provision for the future, so that there is no imprudence. For my part, I regret the delay; Theodora would shine if she had to rough it, provided always she was truly attached to her husband.'

'She would bear poverty beautifully.'

'But it is not a thing to advise. I am accused already of being romantic and imprudent, yet I would urge it on my father if I saw them desirous to hasten it. I do not understand them, and perhaps I am unreasonable. I do not like his happiness to be in such perverse hands, yet I am uneasy at the delay. It suits my aunt's predictions, and they are far too apt to come true. I feel them like a spell. She always foretold that Helen and I should never marry. And it cannot be denied that she has great insight into character, so that I am alarmed at her declaring this will not come to good. If not, I have no hope for Theodora! She will either be hard and unfeminine, or turn to worldliness, and be such another as my aunt. She has it in her.'

'You are taking to horrid predictions yourself.'

'Well, I acknowledge her capabilities, but there has been woful mismanagement, and my father feels it.'

'I was surprised at his consenting so readily.'

'He has once been too much grieved to be led to act against his own judgment again. He thinks very highly of Percy, and is glad Theodora should be in safe keeping; she was so wilful this last season in London as to make him very uneasy.'

Mr. Fotheringham came in, and Violet was going, but was claimed for some more work upon the Crusaders, and told that Arthur was gone out to inspect his gray.

Arthur found the weather better than it appeared from indoors, and strolled into the park to indulge in a cigar. Ere long he perceived the brown waterproof cloak, and throwing away the end of his cigar, called out, 'Halloa! a solitary ramble. Have you given Earl Percy the slip?'

'You do not expect him to be always philandering after me?'

'There's a popular delusion with regard to lovers.'

'We are not such ninnies.'

'But seriously, Theodora, what can induce Fotheringham to have you?'

'I expected you to ask what induced me to have him.'

'That in its own time! Tell me, first, why he takes you.'

'The same reason that you took Violet.'

'As if you and Violet were to be named together!'

'Or you and Percy!'

They laughed, and Theodora then spoke with deep feeling. 'It does surprise me, Arthur, but it is the more pleasure. He has known me all my life, and sees there is less humbug in me than in other women. He knows I have a heart.'

'That scientific discovery is his reason. Now for yours.'

'Because he understands me.'

'So your partnership is founded on a stock of mutual understanding!