Heartsease; Or, The Brother's Wife Part 90

'How delightful! How well they suit! I shall have my Annette close to me! They can marry at once! My father will be satisfied. How happy they will be! It will be the repose he wants. Dear Annette, what will she not be under his training!' The joyous impulse was to keep him to dinner; but she had scruples about inviting him in Arthur's absence, and therefore only threw double warmth into her farewells. Her spirits were up to nonsense pitch, and she talked and laughed all the evening with such merriment as Annette had hardly ever known in her.

But when she was alone, and looked her joy in the face, she was amazed to find how she had been forgetting Theodora, whose affairs had lately been uppermost. Annette might be worth a hundred Theodoras: but that did not alter right and justice.

If Theodora was accepting the Earl! Violet knew he was at Baden; he could not yet have been dismissed: and the sister-in-law had proved a disappointing correspondent, her nature being almost as averse to letter-writing as was Arthur's. Let her marry him, and all would be well. The question, however, really lay between Percy and Annette themselves; and Violet thought he had made a wise discovery in preferring her gentle, yielding sister to the former lady of his choice.

Matters might take their course; Arthur would be gratified by this testimony to her family's perfections; John would rejoice in whatever was for his friend's real happiness; to herself, in every way, it would be complete felicity.

Still she hesitated. She had heard of pique driving persons to make a fresh choice, when a former attachment appeared obliterated by indignation, only to revive too late, and to be the misery of all parties. Percy's late words, harsh when he fancied them indifferent, made her doubtful whether it might not be so in his case. In his sound principle she had entire confidence, but he might be in error as to the actual state of his sentiments; and she knew that she should dread, for the peace of mind of all parties, his first meeting, as her sister's husband, with either Miss Martindale, or the Countess of St. Erme.

She decided that Annette ought to hear the whole, so as to act with her eyes open. If she had been engaged, she should never have heard what was past, but she should not encourage him while ignorant of the circ.u.mstances, and, these known, Violet had more reliance on her judgment than on her own. The breach of confidence being thus justified, Violet resolved, and as they sat together late in the evening, found an opportunity of beginning the subject. 'We used to expect a closer connection with him, or I should never have learnt to call him Percy--'

'You told me about poor Mr. Martindale.'

'Yes, but this was to have been a live connection. He was engaged to Theodora.'

Violet was satisfied that the responding interjection was more surprised and curious than disappointed. She related the main features of the story, much to Annette's indignation.

'Why, Violet, you speak as if you were fond of her!'

'That I am. If you knew how n.o.ble and how tender she can be! So generous when most offended! Oh! no one can know her without a sort of admiring love and pity.'

'I do not understand. To me she seems inexcusable.'

'No, no, indeed, Annette! She has had more excuse than almost any one.

It makes one grieve for her to see how the worse nature seems to have been allowed to grow beyond her power, and how it is like something rending her, when right and wrong struggle together for the mastery.'

So many questions ensued, that Violet found her partial disclosure had rendered the curtain over Martindale affairs far less impenetrable; but she had spoken no sooner than was needful, for the very next morning's post brought an envelope, containing a letter for Miss Moss, and a few lines addressed to herself:--

'My Dear Mrs. Martindale,--Trust me. I have discovered my error, and have profited by my lesson. Will you give the enclosed to your sister? I know you will act as kindly as ever by

'Yours, &c.,

'A. P. F.'

So soon! Violet had not been prepared for this. She gasped with wonder and suspense, as she laid the letter before the place where Annette had been sitting, and returned to her seat as a spectator, though far from a calm one: that warmhearted note had made her wishes his earnest partisans, and all her pulses throbbed with the desire that Annette might decide in favour of him; but she thought it wrong to try to influence her, and held her peace, though her heart leapt into her mouth at her sister's exclamation on seeing the letter, and her cheeks glowed when the flush darted into Annette's.

She glanced in a sort of fright over the letter, then looked for help to Violet, and held it to her. 'Oh, Violet! do you know?'

'Yes, I have a note myself. My darling Annette!'

Annette threw herself down by her side, and sat on the floor, studying her face while she read the note, which thus commenced:--

'My Dear Miss Moss,--You will say that our acquaintance is too short to warrant my thus addressing you; but your sister knows me as well as most people; and in knowing your sister, and seeing your resemblance to her, I know you. If AM=VM, and VM=Wordsworth's "spirit yet a woman too," then AM=the same.'

From this curious opening he proceeded to a more ordinary and very earnest entreaty for her consent to his applying to her father.

'Well, Violet!'

'How exactly like him!'

'How highly he does esteem you!' said Annette; 'but if he thinks me like you he would find his mistake. After what you told me--so soon! Oh, I wish it had not happened! Violet, do tell me what to do.'

'I don't think any one can advise in a matter like this.'

'Oh! don't say so, Violet; you know the people, and I don't. Pray say something.'

'He is a most excellent, admirable person,' said Violet, in an unmeaning tone.

'Yes, I know that, but--'

'Really, I think nothing but your own feeling should decide.'

'Ah! you did not hesitate when you were asked!' said Annette, sighing; and Violet at once blushed, smiled, and sighed, as she spoke her quick conscious 'No, no!'

'Such a romance cannot always be expected,' said Annette, a little mournfully. 'He is everything estimable, in spite of his oddness. But then, this affair--so recent! Violet' (impatiently), 'what DO you think?

what do you wish?'

'What I wish? To have my own Annette near me. For two such people to belong to each other! Don't you know what I like? But the question is what you wish.'

'Yes!' sighed Annette.

'I don't think you wish it much,' said Violet, trying to get a view of her face.

'I don't know whether I ought to make up my mind. I am not much inclined to anything. But I dare say it would turn out well. I do like him very much. But Miss Martindale! Now, Violet, will you not tell me what you think? Take pity on me.'

'Annette,' said Violet, not without effort, 'I see you have not the feeling that would make you unhappy in giving him up, so I may speak freely. I am afraid of it. I cannot be certain that he is so completely cured of his old attachment as he supposes himself to be while the anger is fresh. He is as good as possible--quite sincere, and would never willingly pain you, whatever he may feel. But his affection for Theodora was of long standing; and without any one's fault there might be worries and vexations--'

'Yes, yes,' said Annette, in a voice that rea.s.sured her.

'I think it wiser not, and perhaps more honourable to Theodora. Hitherto I have been wis.h.i.+ng that it might yet be made up again. If you had been disposed that way, I should have been anxious,--as you seem doubtful, I fancy it would be safer--'

'O, Violet, I am so glad! It is a great relief to me.'

'But, you know, it is only I that say so.'

'Better you than a hundred! My doubt was this. You know there are a great many of us, and papa wants to see us well married. He has talked more about it since you went. Now this is not romantic; but I was considering whether, for the sake of the rest, I ought not to try whether I could like him. But what you have said sets me quite at ease in refusing him.'

'Poor Percy!' said Violet. 'I am afraid he will be vexed.'

'And it is a great compliment, though that is to you. He takes me on trust from you.'

'And he took me on trust from John,' said Violet. 'I wish he had known you before Theodora.'

'I only hope papa will never hear of it,' said Annette, shrinking. 'How fortunate that he was not here. I shall tell no one at home.'

'If it had not been for Theodora,' sighed Violet, 'I know nothing that would have been more delightful. It was too charming to come true!'