Beechcroft at Rockstone

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With this in her mind, the governess could not be expected to accept
as satisfactory what was not entire confutation or contradiction, and
Miss Mohun saw that, politely as she was listened to, it was all only
treated as excuse; since there could be no denial of Gillian's folly,
and it was only a question of degree.

And, provoking as it was, the disappointment might work well for
Valetta. The allegations against Gillian were a far more serious
affair, but much more of these could be absolutely disproved and
contradicted; in fact, all that Miss Mohun herself thought very
serious, i.e. the flirtation element, was shown to be absolutely
false, both as regarded Gillian and Kalliope; but it was quite
another thing to convince people who knew none of the parties, when
there was the residuum of truth undeniable, that there had been
secret meetings not only with the girl, but the youth. To acquit
Gillian of all but modern independence and imprudent philanthropy was
not easy to any one who did not understand her character, and though
Lady Rotherwood said nothing more in the form of censure, it was
evident that she was unconvinced that Gillian was not a fast and
flighty girl, and that she did not desire more contact than was
necessary.

No doubt she wished herself farther off! Lord Rotherwood, she said,
was coming down in a day or two, when he could get away, and then
they should decide whether to take a house or to go abroad, which,
after all, might be the best thing for Phyllis.

'He will make all the difference,' said Miss Adeline, when the
unsatisfactory conversation was reported to her.

'I don't know! But even if he did, and I don't think he will, I
won't have Valetta waiting for his decision and admitted on
sufferance.'

'Shall you send her back to school?'

'No. Poor Miss Vincent is free, and quite ready to come here.
Fergus shall go and sleep among his fossils in the lumber-room, and I
will write to her at once. She will be much better here than waiting
at Silverton, though the Hacketts are very kind to her.'

'Yes, it will be better to be independent. But all this is very
unfortunate. However, Victoria will see for herself what the
children are. She has asked me to take a drive with her to-morrow if
it is not too cold.'

'Oh yes, she is not going to make an estrangement. You need not fear
that, Ada. She does not think it your fault.'

Aunt Jane pondered a little as to what to say to the two girls, and
finally resolved that Valetta had better be told that she was not to
do lessons with Fly, as her behaviour had made Lady Rotherwood doubt
whether she was a good companion. Valetta stamped and cried, and
said it was very hard and cross when she had been so sorry and every
one had forgiven her; but Gillian joined heartily with Aunt Jane in
trying to make the child understand that consequences often come in
spite of pardon and repentance. To Gillian herself, Aunt Jane said
as little as possible, not liking even to give the veriest hint of
the foolish gossip, or of the extent of poor Alexis White's
admiration; for it was enough for the girl to know that concealment
had brought her under a cloud, and she was chiefly concerned as to
how her mother would look on it. She had something of Aunt Jane's
impatience of patronage, and perhaps thought it snobbish to seem
concerned at the great lady's displeasure.

Mysie was free to run in and out to her sisters, but was still to do
her lessons with Miss Elbury, and Fly took up more of her time than
the sisters liked. Neither she nor Fly were formally told why their
castles vanished into empty air, but there certainly was a continual
disappointment and fret on both sides, which Fly could not bear as
well as when she was in high health, and poor Mysie's loving heart
often found it hard to decide between her urgent claims and those of
Valetta!

But was not mamma coming? and papa? Would not all be well then?
Yes, hearts might bound at the thought. But where was Gillian's
great thing?'

Miss Vincent's coming was really like a beginning of home, in spite
of her mourning and depressed look. It was a great consolation to
the lonely woman to find how all her pupils flew at her, with
infinite delight. She had taken pains to bring a report of all the
animals for Valetta, and she duly admired all Fergus's geological
specimens, and even undertook to print labels for them.

Mysie would have liked to begin lessons again with her; but this
would have been hard on Fly, and besides, her mother had committed
her to the Rotherwoods, and it was better still to leave her with
them.

The aunts were ready with any amount of kindness and sympathy for the
governess's bereavement, and her presence was a considerable relief
in the various perplexities.

Even Lady Rotherwood and Miss Elbury had been convinced, and by no
means unwillingly, that Gillian had been less indiscreet than had
been their first impression; but she had been a young lady of the
period in her independence, and was therefore to be dreaded. No more
garden trystes would have been possible under any circumstances, for
the house and garden were in full preparation for the master, who was
to meet Lord Rotherwood to consult about the proposed water-works and
other designs for the benefit of the town where they were the chief
landowners.

CHAPTER XIV. THE PARTNER

The expected telegram arrived two days later, requesting Miss Mohun
to find a lodging at Rockstone sufficient to contain Sir Jasper and
Lady Merrifield, and a certain amount of sons and daughters, while
they considered what was to be done about Silverfold.

'So you and I will go out house-hunting, Gillian?' said Aunt Jane,
when she had opened it, and the exclamations were over.

'I am afraid there is no house large enough up here,' said her
sister.

'No, it is an unlucky time, in the thick of the season.'

'Victoria said she had been looking at some houses in Bellevue.'

'I am afraid she will have raised the prices of them.'

'But, oh, Aunt Jane, we couldn't go to Bellevue Church!' cried
Gillian.

'Your mother would like to be so near the daily services at the
Kennel,' said Miss Mohun. 'Yes, we must begin with those houses.
There's nothing up here but Sorrento, and I have heard enough of its
deficiencies!'

At that moment in came a basket of game, grapes, and flowers, with
Lady Rotherwood's compliments.

'Solid pudding,' muttered Miss Mohun. 'In this case, I should almost
prefer empty praise. Look here, Ada, what a hamper they must have
had from home! I think I shall, as I am going that way, take a
pheasant and some grapes to the poor Queen of the White Ants; I
believe she is really ill, and it will show that we do not want to
neglect them.'

'Oh, thank you, Aunt Jane!' cried Gillian, the colour rising in her
face, and she was the willing bearer of the basket as she walked down
the steps with her aunt, and along the esplanade, only pausing to
review the notices of palatial, rural, and desirable villas in the
house-agent's window, and to consider in what proportion their claims
to perfection might be reduced.

As they turned down Ivinghoe Terrace, and were approaching the rusty
garden-gate, they overtook Mrs. Lee, the wife of the organist of St.
Kenelm's, who lodged at Mrs. White's. In former times, before her
marriage, Mrs. Lee had been a Sunday-school teacher at St. Andrew's,
and though party spirit considered her to have gone over to the
enemy, there were old habits of friendly confidence between her and
Miss Mohun, and there was an exchange of friendly greetings and
inquiries. When she understood their errand she rejoiced in it,
saying that poor Mrs. White was very poorly, and rather fractious,
and that this supply would be most welcome both to her and her
daughter.

'Ah, I am afraid that poor girl goes through a great deal!'

'Indeed she does, Miss Mohun; and a better girl never lived. I
cannot think how she can bear up as she does; there she is at the
office all day with her work, except when she runs home in the middle
of the day---all that distance to dish up something her mother can
taste, for there's no dependence on the girl, nor on little Maura
neither. Then she is slaving early and late to keep the house in
order as well as she can, when her mother is fretting for her
attention; and I believe she loses more than half her night's rest
over the old lady. How she bears up, I cannot guess; and never a
cross word to her mother, who is such a trial, nor to the boys, but
looking after their clothes and their lessons, and keeping them as
good and nice as can be. I often say to my husband, I am sure it is
a lesson to live in the house with her.'

'I am sure she is an excellent girl,' said Miss Mohun. 'I wish we
could do anything to help her.'

'I know you are a real friend, Miss Mohun, and never was there any
young person who was in greater need of kindness; though it is none
of her fault. She can't help her face, poor dear; and she has never
given any occasion, I am sure, but has been as guarded and correct as
possible.'

'Oh, I was in hopes that annoyance was suspended at least for a
time!'

'You are aware of it then, Miss Mohun? Yes, the young gentleman is
come back, not a bit daunted. Yesterday evening what does he do but
drive up in a cab with a great bouquet, and a basketful of grapes,
and what not! Poor Kally, she ran in to me, and begged me as a
favour to come downstairs with her, and I could do no less. And I
assure you, Miss Mohun, no queen could be more dignified, nor more
modest than she was in rejecting his gifts, and keeping him in check.
Poor dear, when he was gone she burst out crying---a thing I never
knew of her before; not that she cared for him, but she felt it a
cruel wrong to her poor mother to send away the grapes she longed
after; and so she will feel these just a providence.'

'Then is Mrs. White confined to her room?'

'For more than a fortnight. For that matter the thing was easier,
for she had encouraged the young man as far as in her lay, poor
thing, though my husband and young Alexis both told her what they
knew of him, and that it would not be for Kally's happiness, let
alone the offence to his father.'

'Then it really went as far as that?'

'Miss Mohun, I would be silent as the grave if I did not know that
the old lady went talking here and there, never thinking of the harm
she was doing. She was so carried away by the idea of making a lady
of Kally. She says she was a beauty herself, though you would not
think it now, and she is perfectly puffed up about Kally. So she
actually lent an ear when the young man came persuading Kally to get
married and go off to Italy with him, where he made sure he could
come over Mr. White with her beauty and relationship and all---among
the myrtle groves---that was his expression--where she would have an
association worthy of her. I don't quite know how he meant it to be
brought about, but he is one who would stick at nothing, and of
course Kally would not hear of it, and answered him so as one would
think he would never have had the face to address her again, but poor
Mrs. White has done nothing but fret over it, and blame her daughter
for undutifulness, and missing the chance of making all their
fortunes---breaking her heart and her health, and I don't know what
besides. She is half a foreigner, you see, and does not understand,
and she is worse than no one to that poor girl.'

'And you say he is come back as bad as ever.'

'Or worse, you may say, Miss Mohun; absence seems only to have set
him the more upon her, and I am afraid that Mrs. White's talk, though
it may not have been to many, has been enough to set it about the
place; and in cases like that, it is always the poor young woman as
gets the blame---especially with the gentleman's own people.'

'I am afraid so.'

'And you see she is in a manner at his mercy, being son to one of the
heads of the firm, and in a situation of authority.'

'What can she do all day at the office?'

'She keeps one or two of the other young ladies working with her,'
said Mrs. Lee; 'but if any change could be made, it would be very
happy for her; though, after all, I do not see how she could leave
this place, the house being family property, and Mr. White their
relation, besides that Mrs. White is in no state to move; but, on the
other hand, Mr. and Mrs. Stebbing know their son is after her, and
the lady would not stick at believing or saying anything against her,
though I will always bear witness, and so will Mr. Lee, that never
was there a more good, right-minded young woman, or more prudent and
guarded.'

'So would Mr. Flight and his mother, I have no doubt.'

'Mr. Flight would, Miss Mohun, but'---with an odd look---'I fancy my
lady thinks poor Kally too handsome for it to be good for a young
clergyman to have much to say to her. They have not been so cordial
to them of late, but that is partly owing to poor Mrs. White's
foolish talk, and in part to young Alexis having been desultory and
mopy of late---not taking the interest in his music he did. Mr. Lee
says he is sure some young woman is at the bottom of it.'

Miss Mohun saw her niece's ears crimson under her hat, and was afraid
Mrs. Lee would likewise see them. They had reached the front of the
house, and she made haste to take out a visiting-card and to beg Mrs.
Lee kindly to give it with the basket, saying that she would not give
trouble by coming to the door.

And then she turned back with Gillian, who was in a strange tumult of
shame and consternation, yet withal, feeling that first strange
thrill of young womanhood at finding itself capable of stirring
emotion, and too much overcome by these strange sensations---above all
by the shock of shame---to be able to utter a word.

I must make light of it, but not too light, thought Miss Mohun, and
she broke the ice by saying, 'Poor foolish boy----'

'Oh, Aunt Jane, what shall I do?'

'Let it alone, my dear.'

'But that I should have done so much harm and upset him so'---in a
voice betraying a certain sense of being flattered. 'Can't I do
anything to undo it?'

'Certainly not. To be perfectly quiet and do nothing is all you can
do. My dear, boys and young men have such foolish fits---more in that
station than in ours, because they have none of the public school and
college life which keeps people out of it. You were the first lady
this poor fellow was brought into contact with, and---well, you were
rather a goose, and he has been a greater one; but if he is let
alone, he will recover and come to his senses. I could tell you of
men who have had dozens of such fits. I am much more interested
about his sister. What a noble girl she is!'

'Oh, isn't she, Aunt Jane. Quite a real heroine! And now mamma is
coming, she will know what to do for her!'

'I hope she will, but it is a most perplexing case altogether.'

'And that horrid young Stebbing is come back too. I am glad she has
that nice Mrs. Lee to help her.'

'And to defend her,' added Miss Mohun. 'Her testimony is worth a
great deal, and I am glad to know where to lay my hand upon it. And
here is our first house, "Les Rochers." For Madame de Sevigne's
sake, I hope it will do!'

But it didn't! Miss Mohun got no farther than the hall before she
detected a scent of gas; and they had to betake themselves to the
next vacant abode. The investigating nature had full scope in the
various researches that she made into parlour, kitchen, and hall,
desperately wearisome to Gillian, whose powers were limited to
considering how the family could sit at ease in the downstairs rooms,
how they could be stowed away in the bedrooms, and where there were
the prettiest views of the bay. Aunt Jane, becoming afraid that
while she was literally 'ferreting' in the offices Gillian might be
meditating on her conquest, picked up the first cheap book that
looked innocently sensational, and left her to study it on various
sofas. And when daylight failed for inspections, Gillian still had
reason to rejoice in the pastime devised for her, since there was an
endless discussion at the agent's, over the only two abodes that
could be made available, as to prices, repairs, time, and terms.
They did not get away till it was quite dark and the gas lighted, and
Miss Mohun did not think the ascent of the steps desirable, so that
they went round by the street.

'I declare,' exclaimed Miss Mohun, 'there's Mr. White's house lighted
up. He must be come!'

'I wonder whether he will do anything for Kalliope,' sighed Gillian.

'Oh, Jenny,' exclaimed Miss Adeline, as the two entered the drawing-
room. 'You have had such a loss; Rotherwood has been here waiting to
see you for an hour, and such an agreeable man he brought with him!'

'Who could it have been?'

'I didn't catch his name---Rotherwood was mumbling in his quick way---
indeed, I am not sure he did not think I knew him. A distinguished-
looking man, like a picture, with a fine white beard, and he was
fresh from Italy; told me all about the Carnival and the curious
ceremonies in the country villages.'

'From Italy? It can't have been Mr. White.'

'Mr. White! My dear Jane! this was a gentleman---quite a grand-
looking man. He might have been an Italian nobleman, only he spoke
English too well for that, though I believe those diplomates can
speak all languages. However, you will see, for we are to go and
dine with them at eight o'clock---you, and I, and Gillian.'

'You, Ada!'

'Oh! I have ordered the chair round; it won't hurt me with the
glasses up. Gillian, my dear, you must put on the white dress that
Mrs. Grinstead's maid did up for you---it is quite simple, and I
should like you to look nice! Well---oh, how tired you both look!
Ring for some fresh tea, Gillian. Have you found a house?'

So excited and occupied was Adeline that the house-hunting seemed to
have assumed quite a subordinate place in her mind. It really was an
extraordinary thing for her to dine out, though this was only a
family party next door; and she soon sailed away to hold counsel with
Mrs. Mount on dresses and wraps, and to get her very beautiful hair
dressed. She made by far the most imposing appearance of the three
when they shook themselves out in the ante-room at the hotel, in her
softly-tinted sheeny pale-gray dress, with pearls in her hair, and
two beautiful blush roses in her bosom; while her sister, in black
satin and coral, somehow seemed smaller than ever, probably from
being tired, and from the same cause Gillian had dark marks under her
brown eyes, and a much more limp and languid look than was her wont.

Fly was seated on her father's knee, looking many degrees better and
brighter, as if his presence were an elixir of life, and when he put
her down to greet the arrivals, both she and Mysie sprang to Gillian
to ask the result of the quest of houses. The distinguished friend
was there, and was talking to Lady Rotherwood about Italian progress,
and there was only time for an inquiry and reply as to the success of
the search for a house before dinner was announced---the little girls
disappeared, and the Marquess gave his arm to his eldest cousin.

'Grand specimen of marble, isn't he!' he muttered.

'Ada hasn't the least idea who he is. She thinks him a great
diplomate,' communicated Jane in return, and her arm received an
ecstatic squeeze.

It was amusing to Jane Mohun to see how much like a dinner at
Rotherwood this contrived to be, with my lady's own footman, and my
lord's valet waiting in state. She agreed mentally with her sister
that the other guest was a very fine-looking man, with a picturesque
head, and he did not seem at all out of place or ill-at-ease in the
company in which he found himself. Lord Rotherwood, with a view,
perhaps, to prolonging Adeline's mystification, turned the
conversation to Italian politics, and the present condition and the
industries of the people, on all of which subjects much ready
information was given in fluent, good English, with perhaps rather
unnecessarily fine words. It was only towards the end of the dinner
that a personal experience was mentioned about the impossibility of
getting work done on great feast days, or of knowing which were the
greater---and the great dislike of the peasant mind to new methods.

When it came to 'At first, I had to superintend every blasting with
gelatine,' the initiated were amused at the expression of Adeline's
countenance, and the suppressed start of frightful conviction that
quivered on her eyelids and the corners of her mouth, though kept in
check by good breeding, and then smoothed out into a resolute
complacency, which convinced her sister that having inadvertently
exalted the individual into the category of the distinguished, she
meant to abide staunchly by her first impression.

Lady Rotherwood, like most great ladies in public life, was perfectly
well accustomed to have all sorts of people brought home to dinner,
and would have been far less astonished than her cousins at sitting
down with her grocer; but she gave the signal rather early, and on
reaching the sitting-room, where Miss Elworthy was awaiting them,
said---

'We will leave them to discuss their water-works at their ease.
Certainly residence abroad is an excellent education.'

'A very superior man,' said Adeline.

'Those self-made men always are.'

'In the nature of things, added Miss Mohun, 'or they would not have
mounted.'

'It is the appendages that are distressing,' said Lady Rotherwood,
'and they seldom come in one's way. Has this man left any in Italy?'

'Oh no, none alive. He took his wife there for her health, and that
was the way he came to set up his Italian quarries; but she and his
child both died there long ago, and he has never come back to this
place since,' explained Ada.

'But he has relations here,' said Jane. 'His cousin was an officer
in Jasper Merrifield's regiment.'

She hoped to have been saying a word in the cause of the young
people, but she regretted her attempt, for Lady Rotherwood replied---

'I have heard of them. A very undeserving family, are they not?'

Gillian, whom Miss Elworthy was trying to entertain, heard, and could
not help colouring all over, face, neck, and ears, all the more for
so much hating the flush and feeling it observed.

Miss Mohun's was a very decided, 'I should have said quite the
reverse.'

'Indeed! Well, I heard the connection lamented, for his sake, by---
what was her name? Mrs. Stirling---or---'

'Mrs. Stebbing,' said Adeline. 'You don't mean that she has actually
called on you?'

'Is there any objection to her?' asked Lady Rotherwood, with a glance
to see whether the girl was listening.

'Oh no, no! only he is a mere mason---or quarryman, who has grown
rich,' said Adeline.

The hostess gave a little dry laugh.

'Is that all? I thought you had some reason for disapproving of her.
I thought her rather sensible and pleasing'

Cringing and flattering, thought Jane; and that is just what these
magnificent ladies like in the wide field of inferiors. But aloud
she could not help saying, 'My principal objection to Mrs. Stebbing
is that I have always thought her rather a gossip---on the scandalous
side.' Then, bethinking herself that it would not be well to pursue
the subject in Gillian's presence, she explained where the Stebbings
lived, and asked how long Lord Rotherwood could stay.

'Only over Sunday. He is going to look over the place to-morrow, and
next day there is to be a public meeting about it. I am not sure
that we shall not go with him. I do not think the place agrees with
Phyllis.'

The last words were spoken just as the two gentlemen had come in from
the dining-room, rather sooner than was expected, and they were taken
up.

'Agrees with Phyllis! She looks pounds---nay, hundred-weights better
than when we left home. I mean to have her down to-morrow on the
beach for a lark---castle-building, paddling---with Mysie and Val, and
Fergus and all. That's what would set her up best, wouldn't it,
Jane?'

Jane gave a laughing assent, wondering how much of this would indeed
prove castle-building, though adding that Fergus was at school, and
that it was not exactly the time of year for paddling.

'Oh, ah, eh! Well, perhaps not---forestalling sweet St. Valentine---
stepping into their nests they paddled. Though St. Valentine is
past, and I thought our fortunes had been made, Mr. White, by calling
this the English Naples, and what not.'

'Those are the puffs, my lord. There is a good deal of difference
even between this and Rocca Marina, which is some way up the
mountain.'

'It must be very beautiful,' said Miss Ada.

'Well, Miss Mohun, people do say it is striking.' And he was drawn
into describing the old Italian mansion, purchased on the extinction
of an ancient family of nobles, perched up on the side of a mountain,
whose feet the sea laved, with a terrace whence there was a splendid
view of the Gulf of Genoa, and fine slopes above and below of
chestnut-trees and vineyards; and therewith he gave a hearty
invitation to the company present to visit him there if ever they
went to Italy, when he would have great pleasure in showing them many
bits of scenery, and curious remains that did not fall in the way of
ordinary tourists.

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