Kate Vernon: A Tale. Vol. 1 (of 3), Mrs. Alexander [top reads TXT] 📗

that would be terrible indeed," said she, a little startled at my vehemence; "but do you know poverty is not so dreadful."

"Och! then, God help you Miss Kate, what do[Pg 176] you know about poverty? sure givin' up a fine house an' horses, an' carriages, an' grandeur, is bad enough; but for poverty, wait till the crathers ye love call to ye for bread, an' ye havn't the screed of a pitaty to give them—that's poverty. Isn't that dreadful? The blessed Saver shield ye from it, darlint, any how."

"And to think that your own folly had placed you in such," I observed, not minding nurse.

"Then I am quite sure," said Miss Vernon, "that a steadfast resignation to what you brought on yourself, an unmurmuring struggle to retrieve, would work its own cure; there is so much strength in perfect submission!"

"Ay, for woman."

"And for man too; how can your boldness and wisdom guard against the future any more than our dependence? we can only use the present to the best of our abilities, and leave the rest to God."

I remained silently pondering over her words, while she turned to Nurse.—"Dear Nurse, I for[Pg 177]got, indeed, what real poverty was as I spoke; many a one is sinking in such a struggle as you describe, I fear; still there's rest before them."

"Thrue for ye, the Heavens be their bed! Amen."

"How did we come to scare ourselves with such gloomy thoughts, Captain Egerton? Let us enjoy this lovely day, and leave the sorrows we cannot remove in better hands. There is the keeper's cottage; will you sit here until we have spoken to his daughter? we will not be long."

A young woman, supporting a sickly-looking child, appeared in the porch; a tolerably long conference ensued. Nurse opened the basket, the contents of which were received with great pleasure, and the pale boy tried to climb into Kate's arms; she sat down and spoke to him with a smile, to which he responded, as if glad to be with her. Cormac sat gravely by me, making some advances towards greater intimacy in a dignified way.

[Pg 178]

I see the whole picture before me even now; the keeper's pretty cottage, with the rich back ground of autumnal trees, the rustic porch, Nurse and the girl emptying the basket, and Miss Vernon, her shawl falling off one shoulder, bending over the child, who looked up at her with a sort of half wondering, half pleased expression.

At length the visit was over, Kate put down the child; and followed for a few steps by its curtseying attendant, rejoined me; Cormac rose as if his responsibility was at an end, and we turned towards home.

Dismissing all the gloomy forebodings Miss Vernon's words had conjured up, I determined to do away with any evil impression my observations might have created, and our walk back was a "right merrie" one. Mrs. O'Toole, throwing in from time to time her shrewd caustic remarks, and Kate's sweet joyous laugh, rousing the echoes from their slumbers; many a half forgotten incident of our former acquaintance was[Pg 179] recalled, and Nurse's reminiscences of our exploits, when I used occasionally to join her nursling in a game of romps, called up many a smile on my side, and a few blushes on that of Miss Vernon.

We could perceive the Colonel on the look out for us, when we reached the top of the bank. Mrs. O'Toole having satisfied herself that David Jones had taken more than the ghost of a throut, hurried forward to exercise her skill on the fruit of his labours, leaving the garden gate open for our more tardy approach. The Colonel received me with his accustomed polished kindness; Nurse surpassed herself in the exquisite dressing of the trout; Gilpin dropped in to tea, joined in praising my sketches, sang a duet with Kate, and played some beautiful airs, while the Colonel was beating me in three consecutive games of chess. The three succeeding days winged themselves away with wonderful rapidity; I sketched and argued with Winter; prescribed for his wife's pug dog, who was affected with the[Pg 180] snuffles; and lounged in and out of the Priory, as if I was one of its rightful inmates. What pleasant mornings they were! sometimes reading aloud to the Colonel and his granddaughter; sometimes assisting the latter in the garden; occasionally learning the second in a duet, and getting a scolding for inattention; while Miss Vernon pursued her usual avocations of work or writing, or obeyed Nurse's summons to disentangle accounts, or consult about dinner, in the same easy unembarrassed manner, I have before endeavoured to describe; always real, always earnest, her every occupation seemed graceful and suitable; and the calm continuance of her usual routine, completely removed the uncomfortable idea of being in the way, which more ceremonious attention would have conveyed.

How dangerous all this! how thoroughly I felt my heart imbued with the sweet homelike influence of this every day companionship, yet I was astonishingly prudent, not altogether in consequence of Burton's admonitions; I dreaded[Pg 181] to break the repose of our intercourse, and more than all, the frankness and friendliness of Miss Vernon's manner, opposed a stronger barrier to the least approach to "love making," than the stiffest prudery that ever was inculcated in a first-rate establishment for young ladies. Once, and only once, when some expression of the irrepressible tenderness and admiration I felt growing on me, escaped my lips almost unconsciously, Miss Vernon blushed and started, as if some sudden revelation had flashed across her mind, and, for a moment looked grave, almost displeased, but the next instant, apparently dismissing whatever thought had disturbed her, she was her own unembarrassed self again.

The Saturday after my return to A—— was Miss Vernon's birthday, and Winter surprised her with an admirably painted and life-like likeness of her grandfather.

The delight of Kate, the exclamations of Nurse, the enjoyment of Winter, may be imagined; the whole party, including Gilpin, assisted[Pg 182] at its formal induction in the place of honour over the mantel-piece, vice John Anderson transferred to a position at the end of the room, Kate professing a great regard for the print; I distinguished myself on the occasion by my skilful picture-hanging, Mrs. O'Toole holding the ladder, on which I mounted to perform the service.

We had a very merry party at dinner, and drank Miss Vernon's health, and everybody's health.

I proposed Mrs. O'Toole's in an eloquent oration, to which she (having been called in to honour the toast of the evening) replied, "Success to ye Captin, musha, but ye'r a grate spaker entirely. Here's your health, Miss Kate, and blessins on ye, me darlin; more power to the masther, and long may he reign over us, I pray God."

Before we separated Winter proposed a sketching expedition to a ruin of much beauty and some interest, about eight miles from A——, and[Pg 183] Miss Vernon suggested a pic nic to include the party there assembled. "We can hire Edward's phaeton, and Mr. Winter is independent of livery stables; Cyclops will no doubt leave us far behind, but we will endeavour to come in for the fragments of the feast."

"If you promise to behave yourself," replied he, "I'll give you a seat in my buggy."

"Suppose, my dear," said Mrs. Winter, "we were to take tea at the farm, on our return; it is about half way?"

"Thank you, my dear, an excellent idea."

"A delightful suggestion, Mrs. Winter," said Miss Vernon.

"Then the programme is," said Winter, "an early drive over to Mowbray Castle, a good morning's work there; dinner at two o'clock and tea at five, and syllabubs at the farm."

"An admirable plan," observed the Colonel.

"There is nothing I like better than a real impromptu pic nic," I observed.

"And, Mrs. Winter, the gentlemen must not[Pg 184] be too exigeants," said Miss Vernon, "but be content with what our larders afford; there will be no time for preparation."

"Content!" cried I.

"Oh! we all know you would rather prefer a few herbs with water from the neighbouring spring," said Miss Vernon archly.

A few more words as to the hour of starting and place of rendezvous, which was to be at the Priory, as it was on the road to the Ruins, and we exchanged good nights.

What a contrast Sunday at A—— presented to almost every other Sunday I had ever spent. The grey old church, with its exquisitely carved screen and pulpit, black polished oak, its heavy massive pillars, and quaint scanty congregation. How distinguished the Colonel and Miss Vernon looked amongst them! Gilpin's almost inspired strains on the organ, contrasted rather forcibly with the drowsiness of the service, doled out by a little mummy in spectacles, evidently minus several teeth, essential to a clear enunciation.[Pg 185] We all sat in Winter's pew, and Miss Araminta Cox was there in a yellow bonnet, the turban, I suppose, done up in a different shape.

After church we had an early dinner, luncheon rather, then a stroll along the river, where we found Elijah Bush preaching to a mob of boys and girls; it seemed curious, too, not having any dinner at the regular hour.

The old church looked dim and solemn at evening service, its only lights were those partially illuminating the little mummy in his task of deciphering his own hieroglyphics. Then came a social cup of coffee, a parting injunction to be punctual, and we separated for the night.

Monday rose clear and bright, a warm sun and cool bracing air. I reached the Priory in good time for their early breakfast, and found Colonel Vernon and his granddaughter in high spirits, the latter looking lovely, her colour heightened by the clear morning air, and her whole countenance beaming with a joyous expression, the reflection of her pure happy heart.

[Pg 186]

Soon after ten o'clock the unwonted sound of carriages in the churchyard announced the arrival of the rest of the party, and we all assembled at the entrance gate to arrange the order of proceeding.

Cyclops already showed symptoms of improved feeding, but was as rough and shaggy as ever, as he stood whisking his tail at the flies, and occasionally giving a short cough.

The other phaeton was drawn by a tall bony brown horse, that looked as if he had seen better days, and could boast a little blood.

The Colonel politely invited Mrs. Winter to accompany him, and Kate most provokingly took her place with Mr. Winter, when some discussion arose in consequence of Winter's protesting he must take his boy to look after Cyclops; this left us minus a seat, but I obviated the difficulty by offering to drive the brown horse, leaving the original Jehu behind, and sharing the driving seat with Gilpin. Kate rewarded me with a bright smile as I handed her into Winter's phaeton.

[Pg 187]

"A dashing turn-out, Egerton," said the Colonel; "what would your friend, Colonel Dashwood, say to it?"

"That I'm in great luck to be included in so pleasant a party on any terms. I wish I could persuade you you would be safer on the driving seat with me, Miss Vernon."

She shook her head.

"Do not let Cyclops go, Tom, till I have got the reins settled," said Winter, who had armed himself with a pair of green goggles to keep off the dust.

"Arrah! there, ye'r the awkerdest crather I ever seen," exclaimed Nurse, as the rejected Jehu was endeavouring to arrange a large basket of provisions in the Colonel's phaeton, "d'ye want to have the Captin's knees in his mouth, ye omadhaun, can't ye put it in this away?"

"I don't think it will fix, no ways."

"Now then, are we to start or not," said Winter. "Here! put that basket in my buggy; we are lighter than you. Tom, a piece of cord,[Pg 188] give it to Mrs. O'Toole; you needn't let Cyclops off yet."

Cyclops coughed approvingly.

"A'there! look at me bould Shyclops, cockin' his tail; Miss Kate, honey, have ye ye'r strong boots on?"

"All right, Mr. Winter," cried I.

"Let him go, Tom."

"God speed yez."

I held in my steed, who, notwithstanding his low condition, was still eager; and after a few energetic lashes, which only entangled the whip in the traces, Winter led the way, as he wished, and after traversing some very narrow crooked streets and lanes, apparently paved with a view to dislocate all travellers, we emerged upon a fine broad road, where I took the liberty of making the brown horse keep neck and neck with Cyclops. Winter's was certainly a curious turn out, with a huge basket tied on the back seat, leaving a narrow ledge for Tom to perch on; Winter himself in a broad brimm'd straw hat, the[Pg 189]