Only One Love, or Who Was the Heir Part 62

Become a pensioner of Stephen Davenant's! No, it was simply impossible.

White and haggard with the struggle that was going on within him, he turned upon the smiling face.

"What you want--what you propose, is impossible," he said, hoa.r.s.ely. "I cannot and will not do it. I would rather beg my bread----"

Stephen smiled. It was a delicious moment for him, and he prolonged it.

"My dear Jack! what would Mr. Gideon Rolfe say if I gave his daughter to a beggar? I use your own words. It is ridiculous. But come, sit down.

Grieved as I am at what I must call your mistaken obstinacy, I can't help being touched by it. You always were willful, my dear Jack, always.

Alas! it was that very willfulness that estranged you from my uncle----"

"No more of that," said Jack, sternly.

Stephen made a gesture with his hand.

"And it would, if another man were in my place, rob you of your sweetheart; but it shall not. I am determined to prove to you, my dear Jack, that my desire to be a friend is sincere and true. Let me think.

There may be some loophole in your pride which I can creep in at."

Jack went back to his seat and lit another cigar, and Stephen appeared lost in thought, but in reality he watched through his fingers, and gloated over the despair and trouble depicted on Jack's miserable countenance.

"Yes, I have it. Come, Jack, you won't refuse a.s.sistance when it comes from the hand of her Majesty? You won't object to a government appointment?"

"A government appointment?" said Jack, vaguely.

Stephen nodded.

"Yes," he went on. "By a singular chance I have acquired some influence with the present government. One of these men has a seat in Wealdshire, which really hangs on the Hurst influence. The squire never interfered, but I could do so; and--you see, my dear Jack--a snug little sinecure, say of a thousand a year! It is not much, it is true; but Una has not been accustomed to wealth so long as to feel a thousand a year to be poverty."

Jack rose and paced the room. Was he dreaming, or was this a different Stephen to the one he knew and disliked? He had heard of sudden wealth as suddenly transforming the nature of a man. Had Stephen's nature undergone this marvelous change?

He doubted and mistrusted him, but here was the absolute evidence. What could Stephen gain by this generosity? Nothing--absolutely nothing. It was strange, pa.s.sing strange; but who was he that he should refuse to believe in the generosity and virtue of another man, especially when that generosity was exerted on his behalf?

Struggling against his suspicion and prejudice, Jack strode round the table and held out his hand.

"Stephen, I--I have wronged you. You must be a good fellow to behave in this way, and I--well, I have been a brute, and don't deserve this on your part."

Stephen winced under the hard grip of the warm, honest hand.

"Not a word more, my dear Jack; not a word more," he exclaimed.

"This--this is really very affecting. You move me very much."

And he pressed his spotless handkerchief to his eyes.

Jack's ardor cooled at once, and the old disgust and suspicion rose; but he choked them down again, and sat down.

"Not a word more," said Stephen, with a gulp, as if he were swallowing a flood of tears. "I have long, long felt your coldness and distrust, my dear Jack, but I vowed to live it down, and prove to you that you have wronged me. Believe me that my good fortune--my unexpected fortune--was quite imbittered to me by the thought that you would misjudge me."

Jack pulled at his cigar grimly. Stephen was on the wrong track, and he saw it, and hastened to change it.

"But now, my dear Jack, we shall understand each other. You will believe me that I have your welfare deeply at heart. Who else have I to think of--except my mother, my dear mother? And we may conclude that our little negotiation as suitor and guardian is ended. Eh, Jack? You shall have the appointment and Una--lucky fellow that you are--and I shall be rewarded by seeing you happy."

Jack nodded. The mention of Una had filled him with grat.i.tude. He could not forget that he owed her in two ways to Stephen.

"You are a good fellow, Stephen," he said, "and you deserve _your_ luck.

After all, you'll make a better master of Hurst than I should. You'll take care of it."

Stephen sighed. He was going to gloat again.

"I don't know. I wish to do my duty. It is an immense sum of money, Jack; immense."

Jack nodded again.

"I'm glad of it," he said, easily. "I don't envy you. I did once, and not very long ago. But I rank Una above the Hurst even, and if I have her, you are welcome to the Hurst."

Stephen winced, and looked at him from the corners of his eyes. Was there any significance in the speech? But Jack's face was open and frank, as usual.

"That's a bargain," said Stephen, laughing.

Jack thought a moment.

"But what about Mr. Rolfe?" he said, dubiously.

"Leave him to me," said Stephen, confidently. "I will manage him. And, by the way, I think for the present that we had better keep our little engagement quiet. You understand? He had better hear it from my lips, and--you quite see, Jack?"

Jack didn't quite see. He would have preferred to go to Gideon Rolfe and have the matter out--fight it out if need be--but he was, so to speak, in Stephen's hands.

"Very well," he said.

"And now have another cigar, my dear Jack, you've eaten that one."

But Jack was anxious to go. He wanted to be alone to think over this strange interview, and realize that Una was his.

"Well, if you will go," said Stephen, reluctantly; "but mind, I shall expect you to make this your second home."

Jack glanced round rather dubiously.

"And of course we shall see you at the Square?"

This invitation Jack accepted heartily, and once more he wrung Stephen's hand.

"Good-night, good-night, my dear Jack," said Stephen, and he took a candle from the table to light him down the stairs, and smiled till every tooth in his head showed like a grave-stone.

Then, as Jack's heavy step faded away and was lost, Stephen went back into the room, closed the door, and sinking into a chair sat motionless, with folded arms and haggard face.

"Yes, yes," he muttered, "I have played the best game--I have gulled him. Another man would have attempted to thwart him openly, and have raised a storm. My plan is the wiser. But to think that fate should have played me such a trick! and I thought she was safe and secure!" and he wiped the drops of cold sweat from his knitted brow. "Fool, fool that I was! Better to have left her there in the heart of the Forest! And yet--and yet--" he mused, "it is not so bad. The man might have been more powerful and cunning than the idiot whom I have in the hollow of my hand. Curse him! curse him! I never look on his face but I tremble. I hate him!" and he stretched out his closed hand as if with a curse.

As he did so it came into contact with Jack's gla.s.s.

In a paroxysm of fury he caught up the gla.s.s and dashed it into the fire-place.