The Light of Scarthey: A Romance by Egerton Castle
CHAPTER IX
A GENEALOGICAL EPISTLE
... and braided thereupon All the devices blazoned on the shield, In their own tinct, and added, of her wit, A border fantasy of branch and flower.
_Idylls of the King._
Pulwick Priory, the ancestral home of the Cumbrian Landales, adignified if not overpoweringly lordly mansion, rises almost on theridge of the green slope which connects the high land with the sandystrand of Morecambe; overlooking to the west the great brown breezybight, whilst on all other sides it is sheltered by its wooded park.
When the air is clear, from the east window of Scarthey keep, the tallgarden front of greystone is visible, in the extreme distance, againstthe darker screen of foliage; whitely glinting if the sun is high;golden or rosy at the end of day.
As its name implies, Pulwick Priory stands on the site of an extinctreligious house; its oldest walls, in fact, were built from the spoilsof once sacred masonry. It is a house of solid if not regularproportions, full of unexpected quaintness; showing a medley ofdistinct styles, in and out; it has a wide portico in the bestapproved neo-classic taste, leading to romantic oaken stairs; herewide cheerful rooms and airy corridors, there sombre vaulted basementsand mysterious unforeseen nooks.
On the whole, however, it is a harmonious pile of buildings, thoughgathering its character from many different centuries, for it has beenmellowed by time, under a hard climate. And it was, in the days of thepride of the Landales, a most meet dwelling-place for that ancientrace, insomuch as the history of so many of their ancestors waswritten successively upon stone and mortar, brick and tile, as wellas upon carved oak, canvas-decked walls, and emblazoned windows.
* * * * *
Exactly one week before the disaster, which was supposed to havebefallen Mademoiselle Molly de Savenaye on Scarthey sands, the actingLord of Pulwick, if one may so term Mr. Rupert Landale, had received aletter, the first reading of which caused him a vivid annoyance,followed by profound reflection.
A slightly-built, dark-visaged man, this younger brother of SirAdrian, and vicarious master of his house and lands; like to therecluse in his exquisite neatness of attire, somewhat like also in themould of his features, which were, however, more notably handsome thanSir Adrian's; but most unlike him, in an emphasised artificiality ofmanner, in a restless and wary eye, and in the curious twist of a thinlip which seemed to give hidden sarcastic meaning even to the mostordinary remark.
As now he sat by his desk, his straight brows drawn over hisamber-coloured eyes, perusing the closely written sheets of thistroublesome missive, there entered to him the long plaintive figure ofhis maiden sister, who had held house for him, under his own minutedirections, ever since the death in premature child-birth of his youngyear-wed wife.
Miss Landale, the eldest of the family, had had a disappointment inher youth, as a result of which she now played the ungrateful _role_of old maid of the family. She suffered from chronic toothache, aswell as from repressed romantic aspirations, and was the _ame damnee_of Rupert. One of the most melancholy of human beings, she was terselycharacterised by the village folk as a "_wummicky_ poor thing."
At the sight of Mr. Landale's weighted brow she propped up her ownlong sallow face, upon its aching side, with a trembling hand, and,full of agonised prescience, ventured to ask if anything had happened.
"Sit down," said her brother, with a sort of snarl--He possessed anextremely irritable temper under his cool sarcastic exterior, a temperwhich his peculiar anomalous circumstances, whilst they combined toexcite it, forced him to conceal rigidly from most, and it was arelief to him to let it out occasionally upon Sophia's meek, ringletedhead.
Sophia collapsed with hasty obedience into a chair, and then Mr.Landale handed to her the thin fluttering sheets, voluminously crossedand re-crossed with fine Italian handwriting:
"From Tanty," ejaculated Miss Sophia, "Oh my dear Rupert!"
"Read it," said Rupert peremptorily. "Read it aloud."
And throwing himself back upon his chair, he shaded his mouth with oneflexible thin hand, and prepared himself to listen.
"CAMDEN PLACE, BATH, October 29th," read the maiden lady in thoseplaintive tones, which seemed to send out all speech upon the breathof a sigh. "MY DEAR RUPERT,--You will doubtless be astonished, butyour invariably affectionate Behaviour towards myself inclines me tobelieve that you will also be _pleased_ to hear, from these few lines,that very shortly after their receipt--if indeed not before--you mayexpect to see me arrive at Pulwick Priory."
Miss Landale put down the letter, and gazed at her brother throughvacant mists of astonishment.
"Why, I thought Tanty said she would not put foot in Pulwick againtill Adrian returned home."
Rupert measured the innocent elderly countenance with a dark look. Hehad sundry excellent reasons, other than mere family affection, forremaining on good terms with his rich Irish aunt, but he had likewisereasons, these less obvious, for wishing to pay his devoirs to heranywhere but under the roof of which he was nominal master.
"She has found it convenient to change her mind," he said, with histwisting lip. "Constancy in your sex, my dear, is merely a matter ofconvenience--or opportunity."
"Oh Rupert!" moaned Sophia, clasping the locket which contained herdead lover's hair with a gesture with which all who knew her were veryfamiliar. Mr. Landale never could resist a thrust at the faithfulfoolish bosom always ready to bleed under his stabs, yet neverresenting them. Inexplicable vagary of the feminine heart! MissSophia worshipped before the shrine of her younger brother, to theabsolute exclusion of any sentiment for the elder, whose generosityand kindness to her were yet as great as was Rupert's tyranny.
"Go on," said the latter, alternately smiling at his nails and bitingthem, "Tanty O'Donoghue observes that I shall be surprised to hearthat she will arrive very shortly after this letter, if not before it.Poor old Tanty, there can be no mistake about her nationality. Havethe kindness to read straight on, Sophia. I don't want to hear anymore of your interesting comments. And don't stop till you havefinished, no matter how amazed you are."
Again he composed himself to listen, while his sister plunged at theletter, and, after several false starts, found her place andproceeded:
"Since, owing to his most _unfortunate_ peculiarity of Temperament andconsequent strange choice of abode, I cannot apply to my nephewAdrian, _a qui de droit_ (as Head of the House) I must needs addressmyself to you, my dear Rupert, to request hospitality for myself andthe two young Ladies now under my Charge."
The letter wavered in Miss Sophia's hand and an exclamation hung uponher lip, but a sudden movement of Rupert's exquisite crossed legsrecalled her to her task.
"These young ladies are _Mesdemoiselles de Savenaye_, and thedaughters of Madame la Comtesse de Savenaye, who was my sister Mary'schild. She and I, and Alice your mother, were sister co-heiresses asyou know, and therefore these young ladies are _my_ grand-nieces andyour _own_ cousins once removed. Of Cecile de Savenaye, her _strange_adventures and ultimate _sad_ Fate in which your own brother wasimplicated, you cannot but have heard, but you may probably haveforgotten even to the _very existence_ of these charming young women,who were nevertheless born at Pulwick, and whom you must at some timeor other have beheld as infants during your _excellent_ and _lamented_father's lifetime. They are, as you are doubtless also unaware--for Ihave remarked a _growing_ Tendency in the younger generations toneglect the study of Genealogy, even as it affects their ownFamilies--as well born on the father's side as upon the maternal. M.de Savenaye bore _argent a la fasce-canton d'hermine_, with an_augmentation of the fleurs de lis d'or_, _cleft in twain_ for hisancestor's _memorable_ deed at the siege of Dinan."
"There is Tante O'Donoghue fully displayed, _haut volante_ as shemight say herself," here interrupted Mr. Landale with a laugh. "Alwaysthe same, evidently. The first thing I remember about her is herlecturing me on genealogy and heraldry, when I
"He was entitled to eighteen quarters, and related to such as Coucyand Armagnac and Tavannes," proceeded Miss Sophia, controlling herbewilderment as best she might, "also to Gwynne of Llanadoc in thiskingdom--Honours to which Mesdemoiselles de Savenaye, being soleheiresses both of Kermelegan and Savenaye, not to speak of their ownmother's share of O'Donoghue, which now-a-days is of greatersubstance--are personally entitled.
"If I am the _sole_ Relative they have left in these Realms, Adrianand you are the next. I have had the charge of my two young Kinswomenduring the last six months, that is since they left the Couvent desDames Anglaises in Jersey.
"Now, I think it is time that your Branch of the Family should incurthe share of the _responsibility_ your relationship to them entails.
"If Adrian were _as_ and _where_ he should be, I feel sure he wouldembrace this opportunity of doing his duty as the Head of the Housewithout the smallest hesitation, and I have no doubt that he wouldoffer the _hospitality_ of Pulwick Priory and his _Protection_ tothese amiable young persons for as long as they _remain unmarried_.
"From you, my dear Nephew, who have undertaken under these melancholyfamily circumstances to fill your Brother's place, I do not, however,_expect_ so much; all I ask is that you and my niece Sophia be kindenough to _shelter_ and _entertain_ your cousins for the space of twomonths, while I remain at Bath for the benefit of my Health.
"At my age (for it is of no use, nephew, for us to deny our years whenany Peerage guide must reveal them pretty closely to the curious),and I am this month passing sixty-nine, at my _age_ the charge of twohigh-spirited young Females, in whom conventional education has failedto subdue Aspirations for worldly happiness whilst it has left themsomewhat inexperienced in the Conventions of Society, I find a _littletrying_. It does not harmonise with the retired, peaceful existence towhich I am accustomed (and at my time of life, I think, entitled), inwhich it is my humble endeavour to wean myself from this earth whichis so full of Emptiness and to prepare myself for that other and_better_ Home into which we must all resign ourselves to enter. Andhappy, indeed, my dear Rupert, such of us as will be found worthy; forcome to it we all must, and the longer we live, the sooner we mayexpect to do so.
"The necessity of producing them in Society, is, however, rendered amatter of greater responsibility by the fact of the _handsome_Fortunes which these young creatures possess already, not to speak oftheir expectations."
Rupert, who had been listening to his aunt's letter, through theintermediary of Miss Sophia's depressing sing-song, with an abstractedair, here lifted up his head, and commanded the reader to repeat thislast passage. She did so, and paused, awaiting his further pleasure,while he threw his handsome head back upon his chair, and closed hiseyes as if lost in calculations.
At length he waved his hand, and Miss Sophia proceeded after the usualfloundering:
"A neighbour of mine at Bunratty, Mrs. Hambledon of Brianstown, a_lively_ widow (herself one of the Macnamaras of the Reeks, and thus adistant connection of the Ballinasloe branch of O'Donoghues), and whomI had reason to believe I could trust--but I will not anticipate--tooka prodigious fancy to Miss Molly and proposed, towards the beginningof the Autumn, carrying her away to Dublin. At the same time the wetsummer, producing in me an acute recurrence of that Affection fromwhich, as you know, I suffer, and about which you _never fail_ to makesuch kind Enquiries at Christmas and Easter, compelled me to call inMr. O'Mally, the apothecary, who has been my very _obliging_ medicaladviser for so many years, and who strenuously advocated an immediatecourse of waters at Bath. In short, my dear Nephew, thus the matterwas settled, your cousin Molly departed _radiant_ with _good_ spirits,and _good_ looks for a spell of gayety in Dublin, while your cousinMadeleine, prepared (with _equal_ content) to accompany her old auntto Bath. It being arranged with Mrs. Hambledon that she should herselfconduct Molly to us later on.
"We have been here about three weeks. Though persuaded by good Mr.O'Mally that the waters would benefit my old bones, I was actuated, Imust confess, by another motive in seeking this Fashionable Resort. Insuch a place as this, thronged as it is by all the Rank and Family ofEngland, one can at least know _who is who_, and I was not withouthopes that my nieces, with their faces, their name, and theirfortunes, would have the opportunity of contracting suitableAlliances, and thus relieve me of a charge for which I am, I fear,little fitted.
"But, alas! my dear Rupert, I was most woefully mistaken. Bath is_distinctly not_ the place for two beautiful and unsophisticatedHeiresses, and I am certainly neither possessed of the Spirits, nor ofthe Health to guard them from fortune-hunters and _needy nameless_Adventurers. While it is my desire to impress upon you, and my nieceSophia, that the conduct of these young ladies has been _quite_ beyondreproach, I will not conceal from you that the attentions of a certainperson, of the name of _Smith_, known here, and a favorite in thecircles of frivolity and fashion as _Captain Jack_, have already madeMadeleine _conspicuous_, and although the dear girl conducts herselfwith the utmost propriety, there is an air of _Romance_ and _mystery_about the Young Man, not to speak of his unmistakable good looks,which have determined me to remove her from his vicinity before herAffections be _irreparably_ engaged. As for Molly, who is a thoroughO'Donoghue and the image of her grandmother, that celebratedMurthering Moll (herself the toast of Bath in our young days), whoseelopement with the Marquis de Kermelegan, after he had killed anEnglish rival in a duel, was once a nine-days' wonder in this verytown, and of whom you must have heard, Mrs. Hambledon restored her tomy care only three days ago, and she has already twenty Beaux to herString, though favouring _nobody_, I am bound to say, but her ownamusement. Yesterday she departed under Mrs. Hambledon's chaperonage,in the Company of a dozen of the highest in rank here, on anexpedition to Clifton; the while my demure Madeleine spends the day atthe house of her dear friend Lady Maria Harewood, whither, I onlylearnt upon her return at ten o'clock under his escort, _CaptainJack_--in my days that sort of _captain_ would have been stronglysuspected, of having a shade too much of the _Heath_ or the _LondonRoad_ about him--had likewise been convened. It was long aftermidnight when, with a great _tow-row_, a coach full of very merrycompany (amongst whom the widow Hambledon struck me as over-merry,perhaps) landed my other Miss _sur le perron_.
"This has decided me. We shall decamp _sans tambou ni trompette_.To-morrow, without allowing discussion from the girls (in which Ishould probably be worsted), we pack ourselves into my travellingcoach, and find our Way to you. But, until we are fairly on the Road,I shall not even let these ladies know _whither_ we are bound.
"With your kind permission, then, I shall remain a few days atPulwick, to recruit from the _fatigues_ of such a long Journey, beforeleaving your fair cousins in your charge, and in that of the gentleSophia (whom I trust to entertain them with something besides herusual melancholy), till the time comes for me to bring them back withme to Bunratty.
"Unless, therefore, you should hear to the contrary, you will knowthat on Tuesday your three _unprotected_ female relatives will behoping to see your travelling carriage arrive to fetch them at theCrown in Lancaster.
"Your Affectionate Aunt,
"ROSE O'DONOGHUE."
As Miss Landale sighed forth the concluding words, she dropped thelittle folio on her lap, and looked at her brother with a world ofapprehension in her faded eyes.
"Oh, Rupert, what shall we do?"
"Do," said Mr. Landale, quickly turning on her, out of his absorption,"you will kindly see that suitable rooms are prepared for your auntand cousins, and you will endeavour, if you please, to show theseladies a cheerful countenance, as your aunt requests."
"The oak and the chintz rooms, I suppose," Sophia timidly suggested."Tanty used to say she liked the aspect, and I daresay the youngladies will find it pleasant to look out on the garden."
Miss Landale looked up with relief. Perhaps Rupert would think betterof it, and make up his mind to elude receiving the unwelcome visitorsafter all. But his next speech dashed her budding hopes.
"Ay, as in the days of their mother before them, when she came here tolay her eggs, like a cuckoo in another bird's nest--I wish they hadbeen addled, I do indeed--we may expect to have the whole place turnedtopsy-turvy, I suppose. It is a pretty assortment, _faith_ (as Tantysays herself); an old papist, and two young ones, fresh from a conventschool--and of these, one a hoyden, and the other lovesick! Faugh!Sophia you will have to keep your eyes open when the old lady is gone.I'll have no unseemly pranks in this house."
"Oh, Rupert," with a moan of maidenly horror, and consciousincompetence.
"Stop that," cried the brother, with a contained intensity ofexasperation, at which the poor lady jumped and trembled as if she hadbeen struck. "All your whining won't improve matters. Now listen tome," sitting down beside her, and speaking slowly and impressively,"you are to make our relatives feel welcome, do you understand?Everything is to be of the best. Get out the embroidered sheets, andsee that there are flowers in the rooms. Tell the cook to keep backthat haunch of venison, the girls won't like it, but the old ladyknows a good thing when she gets it--let there be lots of sweet thingsfor the young ones too. I shall be giving some silver out thisafternoon. I leave it to you to see that it is properly cleaned. Whatare you mumbling about to yourself? Write it down if you can'tremember, and now go, go--I am busy."
PART II
"MURTHERING MOLL THE SECOND"
_Then did the blood awaken in the veins Of the young maiden wandering in the fields._
LUTEPLAYER'S SONG.