The Children of the New Forest Part 49

"Are those your sisters, Edward?" said the king.

"They are, your majesty."

The king rose in his stirrups, and made a low obeisance to the window where they were standing.

"We shall have some court beauties, Beverley," said the king, looking at him over his shoulder.

As soon as the ceremonies were over, and they could escape from their personal attentions, Edward and his two friends went to the house in which resided the Ladies Conynghame and his sisters.

We pa.s.s over the joy of this meeting after so many years' absence, and the pleasure which it gave to Edward to find his sisters grown such accomplished and elegant young women. That his two friends, who were, as the reader will recollect, old acquaintances of Alice and Edith, were warmly received, we hardly need say.

"Now, Edward, who do you think was here to-day-the reigning belle, and the toast of all the gentlemen?"

"Indeed! I must be careful of my heart. Dear Edith, who is she?"

"No less than one with whom you were formerly well acquainted, Edward-Patience Heatherstone."

"Patience Heatherstone," cried Edward, "the toast of all London!"

"Yes; and deservedly so, I can a.s.sure you; but she is as good as she is handsome, and, moreover, treats all the gay gallants with perfect indifference. She is staying with her uncle, Sir Ashley Cooper; and her father is also in town, for he called here with her to-day."

"When did you hear from Humphrey, Edith?"

"A few days back. He has left the cottage now, altogether."

"Indeed? Where does he reside then?"

"At Arnwood. The house has been rebuilt, and I understand is a very princely mansion. Humphrey has charge of it until it is ascertained to whom it is to belong."

"It belongs to Mr. Heatherstone, does it not?" replied Edward.

"How can you say so, Edward! You received Humphrey's letters a long while ago."

"Yes, I did; but let us not talk about it any more, my dear Edith. I am in great perplexity."

"Nay, dear brother, let us talk about it," said Alice, who had come up and overheard the latter portion of the conversation. "What is your perplexity?"

"Well," replied Edward, "since it is to be so, let us sit down and talk over the matter. I acknowledge the kindness of Mr. Heatherstone, and feel that all he a.s.serted to Humphrey is true: still I do not like that I should be indebted to him for a property which is mine, and that he has no right to give. I acknowledge his generosity, but I do not acknowledge his right of possession. Nay, much as I admire, and I may say, fond as I am (for time has not effaced the feeling) of his daughter, it still appears to me that, although not said, it is expected that she is to be included in the transfer; and I will accept no wife on such conditions."

"That is to say, because all you wish for, your property and a woman you love, are offered you in one lot, you will not accept them; they must be divided, and handed over to you in two!" said Alice, smiling.

"You mistake, dearest; I am not so foolish; but I have a certain pride, which you can not blame. Accepting the property from Mr. Heatherstone is receiving a favor were it given as a marriage portion with his daughter. Now, why should I accept as a favor what I can claim as a right! It is my intention of appealing to the king and demanding the restoration of my property. He can not refuse it."

"Put not your trust in princes, brother," replied Alice. "I doubt if the king, or his council, will consider it advisable to make so many discontented as to restore property which has been so long held by others, and by so doing create a host of enemies. Recollect also that Mr. Heatherstone, and his brother-in-law, Sir Ashley Cooper, have done the king much more service than you ever have or can do. They have been most important agents in his restoration, and the king's obligations to them are much greater than they are to you. Besides, merely for what may be called a point of honor, for it is no more, in what an unpleasant situation will you put his majesty! At all events, Edward, recollect you do not know what are the intentions of Mr. Heatherstone; wait and see what he proffers first."

"But, my dear sister, it appears to me that his intentions are evident. Why has he rebuilt Arnwood? He is not going to surrender my property and make me a present of the house."

"The reason for rebuilding the mansion was good. You were at the wars; it was possible that you might, or might not return. He said this to Humphrey, who has all along been acting as his factotum in the business; and recollect, at the time that Mr. Heatherstone commenced the rebuilding of the mansion, what prospect was there of the restoration of the king, or of your ever being in a position to apply for the restoration of your property! I believe, however, that Humphrey knows more of Mr. Heatherstone's intentions than he has made known to us; and I therefore say again, my dear Edward, make no application till you ascertain what Mr. Heatherstone's intentions may be."

"Your advice is good, my dear Alice, and I will be guided by it," replied Edward.

"And now let me give you some advice for your friends, Masters Chaloner and Grenville. That much of their property has been taken away and put into other hands, I know; and probably they expect it will be restored upon their application to the king. Those who hold the property think so too, and so far it is fortunate. Now, from wiser heads than mine, I have been told that these applications will not be acceded to, HM is supposed; but, at the same time, if they were to meet the parties, and close with them at once, before the king's intentions are known, they would recover their property at a third or a quarter of the value. Now is their time: even a few days' delay may make a difference. They can easily obtain a delay for the payment of the moneys. Impress that upon them, my dear Edward, and let them, if possible, be off to their estates to-morrow and make the arrangements."

"That is advice which must be followed," replied Edward. "We must go now, and I will not fail to communicate it to them this very night."

We may as well here inform the reader that the advice was immediately acted upon, and that Chaloner and Grenville recovered all their estates at about five years' purchase.

Edward remained at court several days. He had written to Humphrey, and had dispatched a messenger with the letter; but the messenger had not yet returned. The court was now one continual scene of fetes and gayety. On the following day a drawing-room was to be held, and Edward's sisters were to be presented. Edward was standing, with many others of the suit, behind the chair of the king, amusing himself with the presentations as they took place, and waiting for the arrival of his sisters-Chaloner and Grenville were not with him, they had obtained leave to go into the country, for the object we have before referred to-when his eyes caught, advancing toward the king, Mr. Heatherstone, who led his daughter, Patience. That they had not perceived him was evident; indeed her eyes were not raised once, from the natural timidity felt by a young woman in the presence of royalty. Edward half concealed himself behind one of his companions that he might gaze upon her without reserve. She was indeed a lovely young person, but little altered, except having grown taller and more rounded and perfect in her figure; and her court-dress displayed proportions which her humble costume at the New Forest had concealed, or which time had not matured. There was the same pensive, sweet expression in her face, which had altered little; but the beautiful rounded arms, the symmetrical fall of the shoulders, and the proportion of the whole figure was a surprise to him; and Edward, in his own mind, agreed that she might well be the reigning toast of the day.

Mr. Heatherstone advanced and made his obeisance, and then his daughter was led forward, and introduced by a lady unknown to Edward. After he had saluted her, the king said, loud enough for Edward to hear,

"My obligations to your father are great. I trust that the daughter will often grace our court."

Patience made no reply, but pa.s.sed on; and, soon afterward, Edward lost sight of her in the crowd.

If there ever had been any check to Edward's feelings toward Patience-and time and absence have their effect upon the most ardent of lovers-the sight of her so resplendent in beauty acted upon him like magic; and he was uneasy till the ceremony was over and he was enabled to go to his sisters.

When he entered the room, he found himself in the arms of Humphrey, who had arrived with the messenger. After the greetings were over, Edward said,

"Alice and I have seen Patience, and I fear I must surrender at discretion. Mr. Heatherstone may make his own terms; I must wave all pride rather than lose her. I thought that I had more control over myself; but I have seen her, and feel that my future happiness depends upon obtaining her as a wife. Let her father but give me her, and Arnwood will be but a trifle in addition!"

"With respect to the conditions upon which you are to possess Arnwood," said Humphrey, "I can inform you what they are. They are wholly unshackled, further than that you are to repay by installments the money expended in the building of the house. This I am empowered to state to you, and I think you will allow that Mr. Heatherstone has fully acted up to what he stated were his views when he first obtained a grant of the property."

"He has, indeed," replied Edward.

"As for his daughter, Edward, you have yet to 'win her and wear her,' as the saying is. Her father will resign the property to you as yours by right, but you have no property in his daughter, and I suspect that she will not be quite so easily handed over to you."

"But why should you say so, Humphrey? Have we not been attached from our youth?"

"Yes, it was a youthful pa.s.sion, I grant; but recollect nothing came of it, and years have pa.s.sed away. It is now seven years since you quitted the forest, and in your letters to Mr. Heatherstone you made no remark upon what had pa.s.sed between you and Patience. Since that, you have never corresponded or sent any messages; and you can hardly expect that a girl, from the age of seventeen to twenty-four, will cherish the image of one, who, to say the least, had treated her with indifference. That is my view of the matter, Edward. It may be wrong."

"And it may be true," replied Edward, mournfully.

"Well, my view is different," replied Edith. "You know, Humphrey, how many offers Patience Heatherstone has had, and has every day, I may say. Why has she refused them all I In my opinion, because she has been constant to a proud brother of mine, who does not deserve her!"

"It may be so, Edith," replied Humphrey. "Women are riddles-I only argued upon the common sense of the thing."

"Much you know about women," replied Edith. "To be sure, you do not meet many in the New Forest, where you have lived all your life."

"Very true, my dear sister; perhaps that is the reason that the New Forest has had such charms for me."

"After that speech, sir, the sooner you get back again the better!" retorted Edith. But Edward made a sign to Humphrey, and they beat a retreat.

"Have you seen the intendant, Humphrey?"

"No; I was about to call upon him, but I wanted to see you first."

"I will go with you. I have not done him justice," replied Edward; "and yet I hardly know how to explain to him."

"Say nothing, but meet him cordially; that will be explanation sufficient."