The Parson O' Dumford Part 67

"Not yet," he said. "I should have done it before now if they hadn't been such beastly cowards. I'll give 'em a good lesson this time."

"But you are losing heavily, Richard," said Mrs Glaire.

"Yes," he said, maliciously. "I like to lose heavily when I can get my money's worth; and I'm punishing them, so I don't care."

"But, do you know, that if your conduct does not alter, you'll lose something for which you will never forgive yourself?"

"What's that?" he said, eagerly.

"Your cousin."

He caught his mother sharply by the wrist, and looked her full in the face.

"You've been plotting for this, mother?"

"Indeed, no, my son."

"Do you want me to marry Eve?"

"You know I do."

"Then why do you encourage that cursed prig of a parson here?"

"Because he has shown himself a good friend to me and mine."

"Bah!" said Richard. "I won't have it. He shall come no more. Look here, mother; you don't believe that I've got Daisy Banks away."

"No, Richard, I never have believed it," said Mrs Glaire, meeting his eye, and responding without hesitation.

"Well, look here, then, I tell you what. I'm going to quiet down."

"d.i.c.k, my own brave boy," cried Mrs Glaire, hysterically, as she threw her arms round his neck.

"There, don't be stupid," he said, carelessly repulsing her, after she had kissed him pa.s.sionately. "I was going to say I'm sick of all this cursed worry, and I shall open the works soon."

"Yes, my dear boy, yes."

"And suppose, to settle all this rumour about Daisy Banks, I marry Eve?"

"My darling boy," sobbed Mrs Glaire; "it is the wish of my life. You make me so happy."

"There, don't, mother; how can I talk to you if you keep pawing me about like that? Look here, you're making my face all wet."

"Yes, yes, my dear boy, it's very foolish, and I'll control myself."

"There, look at them," said Richard, in a low whisper, as he pointed out of the window, to where Eve and the vicar were walking together on the lawn. "Do you see that, mother?"

"Yes," said Mrs Glaire, uneasily.

"Do you know he's making up to Eve?"

He looked at her searchingly.

"I cannot help thinking that he admires her, Richard; but I am sure Eve thinks of no one but you."

"Then curse him, he shall see me marry her," said Richard, eagerly.

"You want it to be, mother, and it shall be--soon. Eve won't mind, and you'll settle it all with her, and then I'm not going to have him here any more."

"Don't talk like that, my boy," said Mrs Glaire; "but I do think it would be for your happiness if you were married."

As she spoke, the question seemed to be asked her--Was it for Eve's good? and a cold, chilly feeling of misery came over her, as she felt that she was destroying the young life of the girl who had been to her almost more than a daughter.

"That's settled then, is it, mother?" said Richard, lightly.

"Yes, my boy, indeed yes," said Mrs Glaire, throwing off her momentary feeling of depression, and telling herself that it was for the best, and that so good a wife should be the saving of her son. Besides, it was for this that she had been working, and now that there was to be the fruition of her hopes, she felt that she must not hang back.

Richard was already out on the lawn, going up to where the vicar and Eve were talking about flowers, and it galled the young man to see the bright happy look pa.s.s away as he approached, and not come back.

The vicar spoke pleasantly to Richard, but the replies were monosyllables, and an awkward pause was ended by the coming of Mrs Glaire, who soon after returned into the house with their visitor, while Richard led his cousin down to the bottom of the garden, and, to her surprise, asked her to sit down.

"Look here, Eve," he said, shortly, "I've been talking to the old lady about our being married."

"Our being married, Richard?" said Eve, turning pale and starting.

"Yes, our being married," he said, sharply. "What are you starting for, you little goose? Any one would think it was something new."

"It came upon me like a surprise," said Eve, catching her breath, and speaking quickly. "I did not expect it."

"Gammon!" said the young man, coa.r.s.ely. "Why, you've been expecting it for months."

"Indeed no, Richard," she said, eagerly.

"Then you ought to have been," he continued. "You know the old girl wishes it."

"Yes, Richard," she faltered, with her forehead becoming rugged, and her lower lip quivering, "I know that."

"Well, we've talked it over, and she thinks like I do, that if we're married it will settle all this rubbish about Daisy Banks."

"Oh, Richard! Richard!" she cried, pitifully; and she rose to run away, but he caught her wrist, and forced her back into the seat.

"Don't be a little stupid," he said. "Why, that was only a silly flirtation, and I don't care a _sou_ for the girl."

"Let me go in, Richard, please," she sobbed.

"Not till I've done," he said, with a half laugh. "Look here, Eve, dear; you are not such a little silly as to think that I know where Daisy is, or that I took her away?"

"Tell me, on your word of honour, Richard, that you don't know where she is," said Eve, simply, "and I shall believe you."

"'Pon my word of honour, I don't know where she is; and I didn't take her away; and I didn't send her away; and I don't care a fig where she is, and if I never see her again."