Scenes and Characters, or, Eighteen Months at Beechcroft Part 47

To the consternation of the disconsolate damsels, the first news they heard the next morning was that Mr. Mohun was gone to breakfast at Broomhill, and the intelligence was received by Frank Hawkesworth with a smile which they thought perfectly malicious. Frank, William, and Reginald talked a little at breakfast about the fete, but no one joined them, and Claude looked so grave that Eleanor was convinced that he had a headache, and vainly tried to persuade him to stay at home, instead of setting off to Devereux Castle immediately after breakfast.

The past day had not been spent in vain by Ada. Mrs. Weston had led her by degrees to open her heart to her, had made her perceive the real cause of her father's displeasure, see her faults, and promise to confess them, a promise which she performed with many tears, as soon as she saw Eleanor in the morning.

On telling this to Emily Eleanor was surprised to find that she was not listened to with much satisfaction. Emily seemed to think it a piece of interference on the part of Mrs. Weston, and would not allow that it was likely to be the beginning of improvement in Ada.

'The words were put into her mouth,' said she; 'and they were an easy way of escaping from her present state of disgrace.'

'On the contrary,' said Eleanor, 'she seemed to think that she justly deserved to be in disgrace.'

'Did you think so?' said Emily, in a careless tone.

'You are in a strange mood to-day, Emily,' said Eleanor.

'Am I? I did not know it. I wonder where Lily is.'

Lily was in her own room, teaching Phyllis. Phyllis was rather wild and flighty that morning, scarcely able to command her attention, and every now and then bursting into an irrepressible fit of laughter.

Reginald and Phyllis found it most difficult to avoid betraying Marianne, and as soon as luncheon was over, they agreed to set out on a long expedition into the woods, where they might enjoy their wonderful secret together. Just at this time Mr. Mohun returned. He came into the drawing-room, and Lilias, perceiving that the threatened conversation with Emily was about to take place, made her escape to her own room, whither she was presently followed by Jane, who could not help running after her to report the great news that Emily was to be deposed.

'I am sure of it,' said she. 'They sent me out of the room, but not before I had seen certain symptoms.'

'It is very hard that poor Emily should bear all the blame,' said Lily.

'You have managed to escape it very well,' said Jane, laughing. 'You have all the thanks and praise. I suppose it is because the intimacy with Miss Weston was your work.'

'I will not believe that nonsense,' said Lily.

'Seeing is believing, they say,' said Jane. 'Remember, it is not only me. Think of Rotherwood. And Maurice guesses it too, and Redgie told him great things were going on.'

While Jane was speaking they heard the drawing-room door open, and in another moment Emily came in.

It was true that, as Jane said, she had been deposed. Mr. Mohun had begun by saying, 'Emily, can you bring me such an account of your expenditure as I desired?'

'I scarcely think I can, papa,' said Emily. 'I am sorry to say that my accounts are rather in confusion.'

'That is to say, that you have been as irregular in the management of your own affairs as you have in mine. Well, I have paid your debt to Lilias, and from this time forward I require of you to reduce your expenses to the sum which I consider suitable, and which both Eleanor and Lilias have found perfectly sufficient. And now, Emily, what have you to say for the management of my affairs? Can you offer any excuse for your utter failure?'

'Indeed, papa, I am very sorry I vexed you,' said Emily. 'Our illness last autumn--different things--I know all has not been quite as it should be; but I hope that in future I shall profit by past experience.'

'I hope so,' said Mr. Mohun, 'but I am afraid to trust the management of the family to you any longer. Your trial is over, and you have failed, merely because you would not exert yourself from wilful indolence and negligence. You have not attended to any one thing committed to your charge--you have placed temptation in Esther's way- -and allowed Ada to take up habits which will not be easily corrected. I should not think myself justified in leaving you in charge any longer, lest worse mischief should ensue. I wish you to give up the keys to Eleanor for the present.'

Mr. Mohun would perhaps have added something if Emily had shown signs of repentance, or even of sorrow. The moment was at least as painful to him as to her, and he had prepared himself to expect either hysterical tears, with vows of amendment, or else an argument on her side that she was right and everybody else wrong. But there was nothing of the kind; Emily neither spoke nor looked; she only carried the tokens of her authority to Eleanor, and left the room. She thought she knew well enough the cause of her deposition, considered it quite as a matter of course, and departed on purpose to avoid hearing the announcement which she expected to follow.

She was annoyed by finding her sisters in her room, and especially irritated by Jane's tone, as she eagerly asked, 'Well, what did he say?'

'Never mind,' replied Emily, pettishly.

'Was it about Miss Weston?' persisted Jane.

'Not actually, but I saw it was coming,' said Emily.

'Ah!' said Jane, 'I was just telling Lily that she owes all her present favour to her having been Alethea's bosom friend.'

'I confess I thought Miss Weston was a.s.suming authority long ago,'

said Emily.

'Emily, how can you say so?' cried Lily. 'How can you be so unjust and ungrateful? I do not believe this report; but if it should be true, are not these foolish expressions of dislike so many attempts to make yourself undutiful?'

'I have rather more sincerity, more dignity, more attachment to my own mother, than to try to gain favour by affecting what I do not feel,' said Emily.

'Rather cutting, Emily,' said Jane.

'Do not give that speech an application which Emily did not intend,'

said Lily, sadly.

'What makes you think I did not intend it?' said Emily, coldly.

'Emily!' exclaimed Lily, starting up, and colouring violently, 'are you thinking what you are saying?'

'I do not know what you mean,' replied Emily quietly, in her soft, unchanging voice; 'I only mean that if you can feel satisfied with the new arrangement you are more easily pleased than I am.'

'Only tell me, Emily, do you accuse me of attempting to gain favour in an unworthy manner?'

'I only congratulate you on standing so well with every one.'

Lily hid her face in her hands. At this moment Eleanor opened the door, saying, 'Can you come down? Mrs. Burnet is here.' Eleanor went without observing Lily, and Emily was obliged to follow. Jane lingered in order to comfort Lily.

'You know she did not quite mean it,' said she; 'she is only very much provoked.'

'I know, I know,' said Lily; 'she is very sorry herself by this time.

Of course she did not mean it, but it is the first unkind thing she ever said to me. It is very silly, and very unjust to take it seriously, but I cannot help it.'

'It is a very abominable shame,' said Jane, 'and so I shall tell Emily.'

'No, do not, Jenny, I beg. I know she thinks so herself, and grieves too much over it. No wonder she is vexed. All my faults have come upon her. You had better go down, Jane; Mrs. Burnet is always vexed if she does not see a good many of us, and I am sure I cannot go.

Besides, Emily dislikes having that girl to entertain.'

'Lily, you are so very gentle and forgiving, that I wonder how any one can say what grieves you,' said Jane, for once struck with admiration.

She went, and Lily remained, weeping over the injustice which she had forgiven, and feeling as if, all the time, it was fair that the rule of 'love' should, as it were, recoil upon her. Her tears flowed fast, as she went over the long line of faults and follies which lay heavy on her conscience. And Emily against her! That sister who, from her infancy, had soothed her in every trouble, of whose sympathy she had always felt sure, whose gentleness had been her admiration in her days of sharp answers and violent temper, who had seemed her own beyond all the others; this wound from her gave Lily a bitter feeling of desertion and loneliness. It was like a completion of her punishment--the broken reed on which she leant had pierced her deeply.

She was still sitting on the side of her bed, weeping, when a slight tap at the door made her start--a gentle tap, the sound of which she had learned to love in her illness. The next moment Alethea stood before her, with outstretched arms. This was a time to feel the value of such a friend, and every suspicion pa.s.sing from her mind, she flew to Alethea, kissed her again and again, and laid her head on her shoulder. Her caress was returned with equal warmth.

'But how is this?' said Alethea, now perceiving that her face was pale, and marked by tears. 'How is this, my dear Lily?'

'Oh, Alethea! I cannot tell you, but it is all misery. The full effect of my baneful principle has appeared!'

'Has anything happened?' exclaimed Alethea.