Strange Visitors Part 7

Her pale, golden hair hung long and loose over her shoulders. As she caught my eye she lifted her finger as if in warning, and disappeared from sight.

CHAPTER II.

From these dreams I awakened in the morning perplexed, disturbed, and unrefreshed. After dressing, I was summoned to breakfast by the person who had received me the previous night. She led me down the stairway and through the hall into the breakfast room.

It was a long, narrow apartment, with wainscots and floor of polished oak. A bright fire blazed upon the hearth. A small round stand was set forth, upon which was placed my solitary repast. I seated myself and partook, with a relish, of the nice cakes, fragrant coffee, and sweet clover b.u.t.ter.

Having finished my meal, I arose and walked to one of the deep-set windows which lighted the apartment. Lifting the curtain, I looked out.

A gra.s.sy lawn overhung with trees; clear gravel paths and well-trimmed shrubbery; beyond, rocks relieved by a patch of blue sky; a thin line of light, neutral tinted, winding through the distant meadows, indicating a streamlet; these const.i.tuted the landscape.

Having spent a full quarter of an hour in abstractedly gazing at this scene, I was called to reality by the opening of the room door, and a strange voice repeating my name. The person presenting herself appeared to be an upper servant--a tall, thin woman, with dark hair sprinkled with gray, and an amiable, weak face.

"If you have finished your breakfast, Miss, I will show you to Mr.

Bristed's room."

I a.s.sured her it was completed, and, following her. I crossed the hall and entered a door at the left. A pleasant odor of flowers met my grateful senses. The room was s.p.a.cious, wide and deep, and handsomely carpeted. The walls were ornamented with paintings and engravings.

An ample arm-chair, which the owner had evidently just vacated, and a table containing books and papers, gave a tone of both comfort and elegance to the room, which was decidedly congenial to my taste.

Two great gla.s.s doors, reflecting clearly the morning sunbeams, led into a conservatory from whence issued the fragrance I perceived on entering.

Among the flowers moved a tall, manly figure. As I entered, the gentleman came forward.

"Miss Reef, Mr. Bristed," said my companion, by way of introduction.

So this was my employer. As he stood before me, I surveyed him; a well-formed gentleman, above the ordinary height, with pale complexion, set off by dark, penetrative eyes; a shapely head covered with long, heavy ma.s.ses of straight dark hair. The impression his appearance conveyed to me was that of a person benevolent but apathetic; unhappy without the will or power to shake off his burden.

He bade me be seated. "You are young," said he, reflectively. "May I ask your age?"

"Seventeen," I replied.

"Very young," he reiterated, thoughtfully shaking his head; "however, as you are here, if you wish to remain, Mary will introduce you to your pupil."

"I certainly wish to remain," said I, impatiently; "I have journeyed quite a distance for that purpose, and shall be happy to commence the instruction of my pupil immediately."

"Very well," said he. "Mary, take her to the nursery, and attend to any of her wants."

The girl opened a door adjoining that which we had entered by; a narrow hall and a flight of stairs led us to the room indicated.

A little solitary figure, breathing upon the window-gla.s.s, and tracing thereon letters with long, thin fingers, was the first object that presented itself to my eye,

"Here is your governess, Herbert," said Mary.

The little boy turned and surveyed me with his large, blue, mournful eyes. They sent a quiver through my frame from their strange resemblance to eyes I had seen but the night before in my dream.

He was apparently satisfied with his inspection, and his thin scarlet lips parted into a smile.

I called him to me. He came forward timidly.

Taking his small hand, I asked him a few questions about his studies. I found him intelligent, but grave beyond his years; very docile and obedient, and ere the end of the day we became excellent friends.

CHAPTER III

I had lived six weeks at Bristed Hall, and, excepting on my first arrival, had not interchanged a word with its master. 'Tis true I would see him at times from the school-room window, walking through his park, or smoking upon the long piazza, but he might have been across the ocean for all the intercourse we had together.

It was early June; roses bloomed on every hedge. A season of dry weather had succeeded the showers of spring, the mornings were sparkling, the air delicious. I arose early one particularly sunny morn, that I might take a walk, before the studies of the day commenced, to a natural lake which I had discovered about a mile from the Hall.

Herbert begged to accompany me, and I, who loved at times the quiet of my own thoughts, reluctantly granted his request.

We strolled out of the inclosure, and were leisurely wending our way over the road, when our attention was attracted by the sound of wheels emerging from a cross path. A carriage rolled briskly in view. The little hand of my companion, which I held locked in mine, trembled violently.

"Oh, Miss Agnes, Miss Agnes!" he cried, pointing to the occupant of the carriage, "there is Uncle Richard."

As it neared us, the driver reined in his horses, which snorted impatiently as he paused, and a musical voice called out:

"Hallo! you young varlet; where are you going so early in the morning?"

Herbert answered faintly, "I am going with Miss Reef to the lake."

The gentleman at this reply waved his jewelled hand gracefully toward me.

"Miss Reef, I am happy to make your acquaintance. So you are the young lady who has undertaken to be bored with my little nephew?"

"He is not a bore," said I, smilingly, captivated by the grace and abandon of the traveller. And truly his handsome countenance might have captivated a girl more experienced in the world's ways than myself. His was a gay, spirited face, complexion fair and rosy; full red lips, graced with a curling moustache; golden locks fit for an Adonis; sunny, dancing eyes, and a figure rather ma.s.sive, but well formed. Such was the impression I received of this "Uncle Richard."

"Allow me to give you a seat in my brougham," said he.

I thanked him, but refused.

"Bound on some romantic expedition," he said, laughing; "I can see it in your beaming eyes. Well, I suppose I must continue my solitary drive; but don't tarry long at the dismal lake; hasten back, as I shall want a companion to chat with in the empty Hall."

I found Herbert unwilling to talk about his uncle, so I tried to dismiss the new comer from my thoughts, and engaged with my pupil in gathering wild flowers and gra.s.ses wherewith to form wreaths and bouquets to adorn our school-room. After rambling about for an hour, we turned homeward.

I felt quite excited upon reaching the Hall, and hurried to my room to smooth my hair preparatory to commencing the labors of the day. If I stood over my mirror longer than usual, remember I was young, and had a laudable desire to please. As I surveyed myself in the gla.s.s, I was guilty of a pleasurable cognizance of the figure and face reflected there. The walk and unexpected encounter had given an unwonted brilliancy and vivacity to my countenance. My cheeks glowed; my eyes sparkled; and from my chestnut curls depended wild flowers, and wreaths of Herbert's twining; altogether a pleasing picture presented itself to view, which, without vanity, I was thankful to behold.

We had not been long at our lessons when a voice, gaily singing, approached the door, and without the ceremony of knocking, the gentleman whom we had pa.s.sed in our morning ramble entered the room.

"I have been looking all over for you; why are you hiding yourself away up here?" said he, merrily. "Can you not take another pupil, Miss Reef?"

at the same time drawing up his chair to the table at which Herbert and myself were seated.