Lady Anne Granard/Chapter 68
CHAPTER LXVIII.
After a time, Helen half opened her blue eyes, and saw a pair of dark ones look kindly into them. She had been dreaming of such, so she closed her own again, and for a short time again slumbered; but, as Mrs. Palmer had predicted, at her usual time she really awoke, roused herself to life, and was aware that it had many cares for her, though she knew not exactly their nature. Impressions of a painful character, blended with sweet and dreamy sensations, every instant vanishing into thin air, never to be recalled, floated around her.
But again the eyes were on her. She put up her hand to shade her own, when a gentle voice said, "You are, I trust, much better now?"
"Where am I?—what is the matter?" cried Helen, starting to her feet, and looking wildly, as if unconscious why she had a cause for shame and sorrow, yet certain one existed, and her eloquent blood rushed to the pale cheeks it had so long deserted, whilst she covered her face with her hands.
"Surely you do not wish to hide your face from one who has watched you so long, and with such deep interest as I have, Miss Helen?"
"My lord, I do not know how I have happened to be here, and to find myself alone, and to be told I have been sleeping. It is very strange, very shocking! but, indeed, I could not help it."
"No, you could not help fainting: a painful circumstance occurred at home, which was too much for you, and you dropped senseless in the library. Mrs. Palmer and I carried you here, and brought you to life, though not quite to your senses; and, most happily, you dropped asleep, and I took a book and watched you, at the bidding of our dear friend, whose housekeeper has come in repeatedly, to put a shawl over you, to light the fire, and so on. I have been a faithful guardian, my sweet Helen; you must not hide your face from me."
"But where is Mrs. Palmer, dear Lord Meersbrook, and what time is it? I fear mamma will be angry."
"No, she herself desired you might remain till after lunch-time, which is two. At one I am going out with Arthur, on a most important errand, so that my present moments are very, very precious; allow me to lead you to the fire—you shake with cold. My sweet, sweet girl, are you again poorly?"
"No, my lord; but please not to use such words—they are not proper."
"They are, upon my honour, for I love you sincerely, Helen, and have long loved you—perhaps even longer than Arthur has loved Georgiana. But Lady Anne's conduct to him checked me, and I made a resolution that his happiness should precede mine. Her recantation gave me liberty and life; but, before I could reach you, he became (as you know) either lost or in imminent danger. You are aware, I am sure, from the feelings of your own kind heart, that whilst my brother was so situated happiness was a stranger to my bosom, and the very sight of dear Arthur will have told you how much I have suffered since God in his mercy enabled me to save him."
"I did not see Mr. Hales, indeed I did not. I am very sorry, but I saw nobody; I heard dear Mr. Palmer's voice, I remember, and"
"And you saw me?" said Lord Meersbrook, with solicitude amounting to agony.
"I did see you, my lord. I saw you, and felt glad, and sorry, and so ashamed"
"Shame! banish the word—it was never made for one so pure and good as thee, my angel—my long-loved, precious Helen."
Mrs. Palmer's rap was heard; it was low and considerate, but it was double,
"Will you accept my letters?—will you answer them?—will you"
How many petitions were crowded in that brief space we know not; but, whilst the good old lady "proceeded gingerly" through the hall, words, and looks, and blushes had passed which bound two fond hearts, two noble and virtuous spirits, to each other; and, the moment Mrs. Palmer had entered and closed the door, Helen threw herself on her bosom, exclaiming,
"Oh! my friend, my more than mother, help me to thank God—I am so, so happy."
"Leave us, my dear Frederic, your brother and Palmy are coming. Tell Richard to have the door open; this dear child is so nervous, a breath, a sound will overdo her."
Lord Meersbrook obeyed; but he cast a "lingering, longing look behind," which was answered by an assurance that she would soon be better; and in another minute he was heard to drive off with his brother and Mr. Palmer.
"It is all quite right, I see, dear Helen. That which I have long wished, and sometimes hoped, has come to pass. I may truly say, 'I have seen the travail of my soul, and am satisfied;' but I must have no more faintings, nor crying either; the men are all vain enough, my dear, even the very best of them, and mustn't be led to suppose you love 'em too well. Your mamma used to twit poor Georgiana with her love, and call it indecent, which was a cruel word, and could never apply to any one of you dear creatures; but Dr. Gregory, whom every body read in my time, does say 'a woman should never allow a man to know the extent of her regard.' "
"Dear Mrs. Palmer, I never shall do that by Lord Meersbrook, for it is boundless."
"Well, well," said the old lady, "I can do no good, I see, with advice; but I must get you something of more use;" and she rang the bell for a cup of chocolate, then sent her up stairs to wash the traces of tears away, and make her hair a little tidy.
"But who is with poor mamma besides Fanchette?"
"I have sent her in a very nice woman—my late maid, Mary Ball that was. As to ma'mselle, she has run away—a very good thing, in my opinion, if she hasn't taken more than enough with her—and I have engaged a nurse for the night, and positively bargained that you shall have a whole night's rest, so make your mind at ease, and go and do as I tell you."
When Helen was quite alone, she sat down to look back on the miraculous change in her situation, for such it really appeared, and then she knelt down to thank the Great Bestower. Her spirits were composed, her frame refreshed; she found time for every thing, and was descending the stairs, when a carriage stopped at the door. Just as she reached the bottom step, a pair of long thin arms were thrown around her, her cheek was kissed, and Arthur's voice, in its most joyful tones, exclaimed,
"I have got a lift for every man of them. The king 's a sailor himself, God bless him, and he knows what's what; but we're off in one hour, or I shall be sent for, and choused out of the election. The present excuse is, that which is made to the sultan, before whom no one can appear uncloathed, that I am not fit to be seen by a king, and barely so by his subjects."
"But what will be done for you, yourself, Mr. Hales?" said Mrs. Palmer, earnestly.
"Every thing that my mamma elect can desire—tell her so, dear Helen, and pardon my rudeness; but you looked so like Georgiana, I couldn't help it, for I knew she would be so glad to hear my brave fellows would be considered properly."
"So am I very glad," said Helen, but she looked so very sorry, that Lord Meersbrook now thought his brother had done wisely to avoid wounding the feelings of Georgiana by allowing her to see him; since, although every day made an improvement, it was evident, from her sister's looks, much more was required.
He felt it hard, very hard, to be torn away from Helen "just as his wooing days begun;" but there was no leaving Arthur, and Arthur was impatient to see his friends and share in the election bustle; and so much were his spirits renovated already, that his labour of love must be continued—besides, he could write, explain all, say all, or, at least, a part of all which was welling up in his heart as a fountain overflowing with love, pity, esteem, and confidence.
Little was said, during lunch, by any one but Arthur, who expressed a very great desire to call on Lady Anne, and tell her that himself and his fortunes were improving; but this was strongly opposed by Mrs. Palmer, who said she was sure an invalid, in so weak a state, had had quite as much to bear as could be borne in one day, from the circumstances which took place in the morning, and professed an intention of going home with Helen, when the travellers had set off, in order to prosecute inquiries as to Fanchette's honesty, or rather her extent of being dishonest.
"As Helen is not here," said Mr. Palmer, "I may say I shall be very glad if the jade has fleeced her lady to the bones."
"Fie, fie," said Mrs. Palmer, "I am sure you wish no such thing."
"Fie, fie, say I; it is hard enough for the young to be stripped to the bones, I can tell you; therefore, never desire it for the old—I pity poor Lady Anne for her sickness and her poverty. I admire her for her conduct to myself, and, while I've a crust in the locker, she shall have half of it, I swear."
"Her conduct to yourself, Mr. Hales!—Why, didn't she refuse you in the most positive manner, in the hope of wheedling Lord Wentworthdale into marriage with Georgiana, though the girl's heart might be broken in the operation, at the very time when you were a better match than she, that is, the mother, had a right to expect?"
"She explained that away entirely, Mr. Palmer—entirely. At the time the old Marquis went there so much, it was to see Lady Anne herself. She as good as said so in her letter to my grandfather—of course, as it was a delicate subject, she could not be explicit, you know; but she told us, positively, 'that a malicious report, tending to criminate Lieutenant Hales in her eyes, as a mother, though not, perhaps, in those of the gay world, had been the true cause of her refusal. That reason she did not choose to mention at the time, as it might injure me in the eyes of my venerable relatives (so it would, you know), but that having most providentially—yes! providentially discovered that the person alluded to was Lieutenant Halls, of a quite different ship, she now came forward to do me justice—to declare my personal character was as respectable in her sight as my family connections and my noble profession—yes! she said noble profession, and—"
"And what besides?" said Mr. Palmer, who had exhibited extraordinary contortions of countenance all the while Arthur was speaking, accompanied by a sound from his tongue, on the roof of his mouth, resembling the clacking of a mill—"what besides, my good fellow?"
"I don't remember any more exact words, but those I will swear to, for I read them over and over again, and I confess that they inspired me with a great regard for Lady Anne. I remember, very well, how angry she made me in this very house; and that I might call her an old cat, and talk nonsense, as young men will; but I have been properly sobered since then, Mr. Palmer, and I can see clearly, now, how much a sensible woman might fear for a daughter's happiness in marrying a man ill provided for and bad into the bargain."
The clacking ceased, yet Mr. Palmer made no answer; and as, in point of fact, each party wished to prolong the conversation, though neither were cognizant of the other's reasons, which were in both to give Lord Meersbrook a few moments' conversation with Helen, whom each, by a glance, had seen softly drawn into the library, "the sailor" seized the opportunity to go on.
"As to Lady Anne being in the scrape she was in, this morning, I think nothing of that—nothing at all—I have known as brave fellows as ever stepped between stem and stern have plenty of debts; worthy creatures, that would have shared their last shilling not only with a messmate but an enemy, who couldn't move for their creditors; and I won't say that I shouldn't have been liable to get into a bad berth, myself, with those kind of people (indeed I did so, to a slight degree, when I went out first), if it had not been for my father. 'Arthur,' said he, when he paid up the bills, 'I expect you never to buy a thing again, as long as you live, without paying for it; in that case, you will never buy any thing you can't afford, and you will never have a creditor, nor be in a situation unbecoming a Hales.' He said a good deal more I don't remember, so I promised, and many a time since have I rejoiced that I did; but poor Lady Anne mightn't be taught in her youth, you know, and bad habits are sad things. I look upon her as exceedingly to be pitied."
The clacking was renewed, for it was the only possible way in which the performer could get rid of "pitied! be dd!" which sprung to his lips, and were even read upon them by his wife so legibly, that, in order to check the sound, she interposed with—
"Much to be pitied, in some particulars, certainly! Very much, indeed!"
Mr. Palmer suddenly changed the undefinable sound, into a loud "whew!—w—!" which might have been followed by a Shandean lillabullera, if Arthur, who had been looking earnestly at the four horses awaiting them, had not turned round from the window, and added gravely—
"Of one thing I am certain, that if Lady Anne Granard had offered to sell me a wife, which is done, not only in Egypt, but the most civilized countries in Asia (and must, therefore, be an ancient and wise custom), I would certainly have sold out my last shilling to buy Georgiana. On the contrary, poor, dear creature, she only"
"Please, sir, my lord is in the carriage," said Lord Meersbrook's valet; and, turning to Mrs. Palmer, added, "my lord begs his kindest regards, madam, and hopes you and Mr. Palmer will excuse him; he will write to-night."
"Oh! yes, yes, Wilkins! Our love, and we wish him a good journey," said the lady; and Arthur, having pressed a hand of each, and fled, Mr. Palmer burst into a loud reiterated fit of laughter, which brought the tears to his eyes; and it is probable, had any other persons been present in his dining-room, during the last few minutes, they might have laughed also, for nothing could display better acting than the anxious pantomime of Mrs. Palmer, beseeching him to restrain his sentiments, and his extraordinary difficulty in complying with her request, increasing every moment, in consequence of the perfectly unsuspicious sincerity of Arthur. At length, seeing her steal out of the room, he checked himself, to say—
"Stop a moment, Dame Palmer. What in the name of wonder could induce you, of all people in the world, to aid and assist the old woman's humbug, by preventing me from showing her up to that honest lad properly?"
"Because you could have done no good by it, and might have done great harm; it is much better, surely, that her future sons-in-law should think well of her than otherwise. Two of them know her thoroughly; and to them nothing can be said, or need be said; but the others had better remain in ignorance, beyond what is eventually necessary for them to know."
"For what possible reason? I have no notion that honest people should be imposed upon by the deceptious and selfish, the malicious and cold-hearted."
"You may not, but I have, when the innocent and amiable will alone bear the reproach and punishment. I can't bear the idea of these two young men throwing Lady Anne's faults in the teeth of Helen and Georgiana, dear, affectionate children, who love both you and me, Palmer, so dearly."
"God bless the woman! what nonsense she does talk! neither of 'em would think of such a thing."
"No, they would not think of such a thing, I grant (noble-hearted creatures as we know them to be); but they might do it in their pets, you know. Does not every man (and woman, too) say things, in their anger, they never intended to say?"
"But those girls, whom I certainly do love, are not passionate, and won't provoke their husbands to retaliate."
"That they will not; they are sweet-tempered by nature, and obedience has been the habit of their whole lives; but still husbands will be husbands; the best of men are but men, and I would spare"
"Well, well, get along, goody; I'll spare you to the damsel, who is piping her eye in the library."
"If it were not such a confounded long way into Yorkshire, especially the northern part of the West Riding," said Mr. Palmer, seating himself before the fire, and soliloquizing, "I would certainly follow this electioneering party; for, whatever the candidate may be, and whatever the people he represents may be, unquestionably he musters some of the oddest fish, in the shape of friends, a similar occasion ever invested a man with; they are, in the first place, all 'too honest by half,' of the thorough Cincinnatus breed; and I greatly fear the Yorkists won't bite at gudgeons, for every body knows them to be a deep race."
The result of his cogitations was a determination to set out that very evening in the mail; and this resolution he announced to the ladies in the library.
"It will be quite too much for you, Mr. Palmer; you have been keeping company with boys, till you think you can do as they do. A mail coach is fatigue enough of itself, without carrying a man into the middle of more."
"But I mean to rest a whole day at my cousin Palmer's, at Nayworth Hall; and you know what excellent people they both are, and how glad they will be to see me."
"But what will become of me" said Helen, "without one creature I can look to? If you knew, Mr. Palmer, what I felt in wanting you, and what good your voice did me, you wouldn't, couldn't, think of leaving me at this trying time."
"Well, well; I must give it up, I see. A pretty fool I am, now some honest fellows have taken away the plague of my own daughters, to be cozened by those of a man I never saw in my life, and a woman"
"We are going to see this moment," said Mrs. Palmer, significantly.