A Heart-Song of To-day (Disturbed by Fire from the 'Unruly Member'): A Novel

"Rest; yes, love, I want rest, and can only rest so, with you in my arms; away from you I am nervous and agitated, afraid lest some one take you from me; my life, my love, oh! darling, darling, you don't know how dependent I am on you; on your love, your sympathy; you have not told me and I long to hear you say so; tell me if you love me, darling." "Love you!" and she started to a sitting posture, "bend your face towards me, dearest, that you may read the truth in my eyes." And now with a soft hand on each cheek, she continues. "Love, you dearest, does the sun-flower love its god? Does the mother her first born? Then, do I love thee, my heart's dearest, with an unchanging tender love, and with all the intensity of my woman self." For answer, she is drawn to a close embrace, and there are ecstatic moments with only throbbing eyes to the rhythm of heart-beats. At last Vaura breaks the silence, by saying softly: "'Tis time for you to leave me, Lionel, and yet I cannot spare you." "I cannot go, my own, mine, mine; oh! darling, you do not know the joy, the paradise I feel as I hold you in my arms, and think that you, my beauty, you, whom men rave of, you actually love me; God be thanked," and the love-warm kisses come to the sweet flexible lips. At this moment, Lady Esmondet considerately talking to Mars at the door, gave the lovers time to get a conventional number of inches between them, ere she entered. "I fear it is time you were off, Lionel; it is really too bad you cannot dine with us." Lionel standing up, and laying one hand on Vaura's head, as it rested on the cushioned back of the sofa, said: "I feel as if I had drank of the elixir of life; you don't know how courageous I feel, now that I have you both back, when the difficulty is removed, I shall begin to live!" "How the women will envy me!" she said, looking up lovingly at the handsome face full of grave earnestness, the tired look gone from the mesmeric eyes. "You will both be wondrously happy, each a gainer in the other," said their friend earnestly. "Do you think you will be able to go down with us, Lionel dear?" "No, darling, I am sure not; I cannot say what train I shall take until I reach the monastery; there we decide." "The plot thickens, a monk makes his _entree_," said Vaura gaily. "Yes, and I shall not tell either of you more of the play, the act will be more interesting, only this, tell Col. Haughton that after dinner, on to-morrow evening three unbidden guests will appear with myself, and that we shall carry a more highly spiced dish than any they have partaken of; further, that it is my wish that the Hall guests hear of the ingredients, so that they can tell the recipe to the London world. Good-bye, till to-morrow night, dear friend; good-bye, darling." "Good-night, Lion, we shall be on the look-out for you; so don't tire our eyes." "I shall feel your eyes, love, and shall hasten." "Be sure, Lionel, that you come with winning cards." "I shall, dear Lady Esmondet; _au revoir_." "How greedily the gossips will partake of the dish in preparation for them! What an exciting scene we shall have!" said Vaura, as dinner over and servants dismissed, the friends chatted over a cup of coffee before retiring. "Yes, indeed, dear; oh! if Lionel could only find this Mrs. Clarmont, with whom they said he eloped, and that she would reveal the facts, what a triumph!" "But, if in reality; this Major Delrose was her favoured lover, he may yet have influence enough over her to stay her tongue," said Vaura, thoughtfully. My own fear, dear, especially as I believe there was a child." "And you say that in the bygone he was an admirer of my uncle's wife?" "So Dame Rumour hath it." "So, so, we all aim at something; the Delrose ambition was to pose as king o' hearts. Strange freak of fortune, that this all comes into the Haughton life; we must now only hope that the clouds in our sky will soon disperse. But, god-mother darling, we had best follow the advice of the liege lord of the wilful Katherine, and 'to bed.'" CHAPTER XXXVI. KNAVES ARE TRUMPS. Vaura spent the night of the fifth in dreamy wakefulness; Lionel's looks, caresses, and loving words seeming hers still; and to-morrow eve; the glad joy of his presence would be again felt; and her sympathy and love for him were so tender and heartfelt, that she lost herself in an intoxicating sense of languor, sweet beyond expression, and which she could scarcely rouse herself from, when her maid, on the morrow bid her arise. Both her god-mother and self, being a good deal excited over the coming events, on meeting at breakfast, spoke either in disjointed sentences, or were buried in thought. "In all your conjectures, ma chere, you have never made one as to your ball dress; if you will like it, and if it is due." "It is useless, god-mother dear; I always adore Worth, and he is always on time." "Dear me," said Lady Esmondet an hour later, as they, in travelling gear, awaited the carnage to take them to the Southern station, "how time drags, I wish we were off." "In our eagerness, we have dressed too soon, god-mother; but still, waiting is insufferable. Poor uncle! I wonder what people are at the Hall? what a scene is on the _tapis_! and what a bore the _expose_ of truth is and will be to poor Lion! But, thank heaven, here is the carriage." At the station they meet Mr. Clayton, who has run up to town on business. He will be with them to the next station, when he takes a branch line to the Lord Elton's, where his wife is; later in the day they run down to Haughton Hall for the ball. "You will see no end of changes at the old place, Miss Vernon; I would give something to see your face as you make your _entree_. I should, in that case, see as many changes as yourself. At the revels each evening, variety holds full sway." "_Tres bien_," she answered carelessly (for she will not lay her heart bare), "some have it that 'variety is the spice of life;' if so, as you and I care nought for a mere existence, we must swallow the spice and smile on the caterer." "Exactly, as the guests do. By the way some one told me Trevalyon was a good deal with you while abroad, but you may not yet have heard that there has been no end of talk about him; the papers have him; in both _Truth_ and the _Daily News_ I read of the scandal myself, and am shocked beyond expression, that a married man should have been running loose all these years; and to my thinking, it makes matters worse that she was the wife of a friend; it was a traitorous act: did he confide in you while abroad? did he tell you of his base act?" "Yes, and 'tis all false as the face of society, and hollow of truth as many of her gems; but the false face will soon be torn off, and the ring of the true diamond will be heard," she said, with impulsive fervor. "Indeed! you surprise me, Miss Vernon; but I shall be really glad if Trevalyon comes out a free man and can prove himself so to the suspicious eye of society." "Conveniently blind, Mr. Clayton, when she chooses." "Distended and greedy in Trevalyon's case; he has been too independent of her," he said thoughtfully; "but here is my halting place, sorry to leave you both, but only till to-night." It was the lightning express, and there was no other stopping place until they reach the village of Haughton, Here they stayed just long enough to allow the Hall people to make a speedy exit. On our friends alighting they were a little surprised to see Blanche Tompkins followed by Sir Tilton Everly (who, on seeing them, looked not unlike a whipped cur), emerge from a second class coach. "Some of the spice of variety we were to look for," said Vaura, in an undertone. "_Oui, ma chere_, and I am sure we are both prepared not to be astonished at the seasoning, no matter what shape it may take." Blanche was gaily dressed in a seal brown silk suit, trimmed with ermine, a large brown beaver flat with ostrich feathers; the wee white mouse face almost hidden, the sharp little pink eyes--for pink they looked--the rims red as usual, and a cold in the head giving them a swollen appearance. She had not forgotten her golden loves, for, from ears, throat, and wrists, dangled many yellow dollars. With a whispered, "Don't let the cat out of the bag till I bid you, or you're not worth a cent," she stepped over to Lady Esmondet and Vaura, saying: "I'm sure you're too awfully surprised for anything to see me." "Not at all, Miss Tompkins,"' said Lady Esmondet. Here Sir Tilton came up, lifted his bat, while both ladies shook hands with him. "You have a truant look about you, Sir Tilton," laughed Vaura; "do you foresee a fair woman's frown for your absence?" "Don't chaff me, dear Miss Vernon; I can't stand it just now." "Fact is," said Blanche, with cunning effrontery, "I wanted some gay fixings for the ball, so I took the rail to London, got 'em, stayed all night with the Claytons, and am bringing back to Mrs. Haughton her dear little Sir Tilton." "Why, we met Mr. Clayton, and he says they are staying at Oak Hall at the Lord Eltons," exclaimed Vaura amusedly, and to see how Blanche would extricate herself. "See you know too much; but don't say anything, for here is the trap, with the Colonel inside, I suppose, and he's too awfully too, I'll tell you later on; Mrs. Haughton don't do all the tricks." "But should you have been missed, what then?" "Oh, that's too easy, Miss Vernon; I've been too awfully busy with my maid; headache, anything that comes first." "A pupil of Madame would naturally learn how to shuffle the cards," said Lady Esmondet, a trifle cynically, and, _sotto voce_, "I am too awfully sleepy to take you in, Lady Esmondet," said Blanche, yawning. A covered carriage with two servants, drives to the steps; the Colonel is not inside; leaving one man to look after their maids and belongings, they enter, and are soon on the well known road. "I wonder my uncle did not meet us; especially as he must have received our telegram." "Surely he is not ill! How was he when you left the Hall, Miss Tompkins?" inquired Lady Esmondet. "A one, and it's too awfully funny he wasn't down. But I remember, whenever he and Mrs. Haughton have a spat, and they had one (this time hare and hounds), he clears out and takes to the lodge, so perhaps he never spotted your telegram." Lady Esmondet and Vaura, exchanging glances, fell into deep thought, while Blanche and the small Baronet carried on a half-whispered conversation, with a yawning accompaniment from the young woman. CHAPTER XXXVII. WEE WHITE MOUSE WINS A POINT. But the reverie and wagging of tongue is over and ceases, to give place to society's mask, for the picturesque lodge with its gabled roof and climbing vines is in sight, and in the twinkling of an eye the great gates are reached, which are wide open, for 'tis the entrance to Liberty Hall under the present _regime_. Leaning against the door post is a tall military looking figure, smoking vigorously, as men will, if life's springs want oiling. Both ladies see him, and Vaura's face is at the window. "Halt, John," shouts his master, for the man is a new servant, and driving full speed for the Hall. "My two darlings, how glad I am to see you both," and kisses with long hand-clasps are exchanged. "And we are more than glad to see you again, dearest uncle." "Blanche, you here! and Sir Tilton; it was kind of you to meet them." "Yes, we tripped down, as you had cut and run," tittered Blanche. Here the Colonel took Sir Tilton's offered seat, who, getting out, said he would prefer to walk up the long avenue. "You must both make your home with me, dears, else it will not be