Heartsease; Or, The Brother's Wife Part 73

'Take it easy'--words which she had taught herself to regard as a warning that she was doleful. 'Never mind; if Theodora is so pig-headed as to rush into this scheme, it is no concern of yours. All you have to do is to take care not to be worried.'

Violet had regained a cheerful voice. 'If you were going with her, it would not signify.'

'It would signify pretty much to me to be bored with all that riff-raff.

One would think Theodora bewitched.'

'There is hardly any one of our acquaintance.'

'No, the lady has dropped pretty much in the scale.'

'I wish I knew what your father and mother would think of it.'

'They would hate it as much as we do, but they could not prevent it.

n.o.body can stop Theodora when once she has the bit between her teeth. As I told Percy, if he can't, 'tis past all power. I wonder if he thinks by this time he has caught a Tartar?'

'Did he call you to speak about it?'

'Yes; to say I must by no means let her go without a respectable female to look after her.'

'I don't know these ladies; but if Mrs. Finch would ask Mrs. Bryanstone, she is so good-natured that I dare say she would go.'

'That would be the most tolerable way of doing it; but I would lay you anything you please that nothing but unmitigated Finch will content her.'

'And that is worse than no one.'

'I wish some stop could be put to it. It is worse than Percy knows. She can't speak to a man without flirting, and we shall have her turning some poor fellow's head, like Wingfield's. I don't think it is respectable!'

'It is very strange, so good and religious as she is.'

'Where is the use of her religion if it does not bring down her pride or cure her obstinacy? If it would, I should see some good in the rout she makes about going to church and teaching dirty children.'

'Oh! Arthur, dear, don't say that.'

'It is the truth, though.'

'I think,' said Violet, diffidently, 'that some day the good will conquer the rest. Some day she will feel these things to be wrong and strive against them.'

'Do you mean that she does not know it is wrong to be as wilful and proud as Lucifer?'

'I do not think she knows she has those tendencies.'

Arthur laughed and shook his head. 'One learns one's faults as one grows older, you know,' continued Violet, 'and she is so very kind. Think of her giving up all going out in the evening to stay with me; and you don't know how she waits on baby and me. She is so grand and n.o.ble, that kindness from her is delightful, and her face when it softens is so like you! Some book says that high natures have the most trouble with their faults.'

'Then hers ought to be high indeed.'

Violet began the day by telling Arthur that his sister would go to make arrangements with Mrs. Finch, and asked him to tell her of their decision before he returned to Windsor that morning.

'Our decision! What do you mean!'

'Don't you remember about Mrs. Bryanstone?'

'Oh! if that is to be done, you must say it. Ladies must manage their own visiting affairs. I don't understand chaperons and stuff.'

'Arthur, you don't mean me to speak?'

'If it is to be done at all, it is woman's work, and I see no use in it.

She will toss her head, and only be more resolved on her own way.'

'Oh, Arthur, one moment! Did you not say it ought to be done?'

'Of course it ought; but it is of no use, and if you are wise, you will not tease yourself.'

'But you said Percy insisted on it.'

'So he did, but if he cannot tackle her himself, I am sure we can't.

I'll have nothing to do with it--it is no affair of mine.'

'Then, am I to let her alone?'

'As you choose. I wish she would hear reason, but it is not worth bothering yourself for, when it is of no use.'

'What do you wish me to do? I wish I knew--'

He shut the door behind him, and Violet tried to recover from her dismay. Thankful would she have been for commands not to interfere; but to be left to her own judgment was terrible when she knew that his true opinion coincided with hers. How could she hope to prevail, or not to forfeit the much-prized affection that seemed almost reluctantly to be at last bestowed?

But, cost what it might, Violet never swerved from a duty, and her mind was clear that to permit Theodora to join the party alone without remonstrance, and without the knowledge of her parents, would be improper. She resolved not to confuse herself with fears and anxieties, and strove to dwell on whatever could steady or calm her mind for the undertaking. How wide a difference in moral courage there was between that tall grenadier and his timid delicate wife.

Arthur and Theodora were both down-stairs before her, and the latter was preparing breakfast, when there was a knock. 'Percy!' she thought. 'He shall see how useless it is to interfere!'

'Mr. Albert Moss!'

Arthur threw aside his newspaper, and held out his hand with a fair show of welcome. 'Ha! Moss, how are you? Your sister will be down-stairs directly. Miss Martindale--'

Theodora was resolved against being supercilious, but Mr. Moss's intention of shaking hands obliged her to a.s.sert her dignity by a princess-like inclination.

'Good morning,' said Albert. 'I came to town yesterday--slept at my uncle's--have this day in London--much occupied--thought myself sure of you at breakfast.'

'I will tell Mrs. Martindale,' said Theodora, glad to escape that she might freely uplift her eyes at his self-sufficiency, and let her pity for Arthur exhale safely on the stairs.

She met Violet, and was vexed at her start of joy, only consoling herself by thinking that she did not look as if she was his sister.

Indeed, after the momentary instinct of gladness, came fears lest Arthur might not be pleased, and Theodora be annoyed; but the familiar home-like voice drove away all except pleasure as soon as she was certified that her husband's brow was smooth. His presence was a restraint, keeping Albert on his best behaviour, so that there was nothing to disturb her present enjoyment of home tidings. That good-humour and ease of his were indeed valuable ingredients of comfort.

He asked Albert to dinner, and desired him to bring Uncle Christopher, if they chose to be entertained by the ladies alone, further offering him a seat in his cab as far as their roads lay together. Highly gratified, Albert proceeded to ask his sister whether she was able to execute a commission for Matilda, the matching of a piece of chenille.

Violet readily undertook it, and he said, 'he would explain the occasion on his return.'

When they were gone, the cares of the morning returned upon her, and by the time her household affairs were finished, all her pulses were throbbing at the prospect of the effort to which she was nerving herself. She ordered herself to be quiet, and lay down on the sofa, leaving the door open that Theodora might not go out without her knowledge.

'It is my duty,' repeated she to herself. 'If I turn from it because it is so dreadful to me, I shall not take up my cross! If she will only listen and not be angry!'