Janet's Love and Service Part 48

"I confess I fail to see it," said Arthur, a little sharply. Graeme had hardly time to notice his tone. An exclamation from Will startled her.

"What is it, Will?" said Rose: "Another wedding?"

"You'll never guess, Rosie. Never. You need not try."

"Is it Harry this time?" said Arthur, looking in from the hall with his hat on.

"No. Listen, Arthur! Harry says, 'What is this that Mr Green has been telling me about Arthur and little Miss Grove? I was greatly amused at the idea _their_ mutual admiration. Mr Green a.s.sures me that he has the best authority for saying that Arthur is to carry off the heiress.

Charlie, too, has hinted something of the same kind. Tell Graeme, when that happens, I shall expect her to come and keep my house.'"

"They said Mr Green was going to carry off the heiress himself!"

exclaimed Rose.

"Listen!" continued Will. "'Unless, indeed, Graeme should make up her mind to smile on Mr Green and take possession of the "palatial residence," of which he has just laid the foundation near C---.'"

"Here is a bit for you, Graeme. n.o.body is to be left out, it seems. It will be your turn next, Rosie," said Arthur, as he went away laughing.

"But that is all nonsense about Arthur and little Miss Grove?" said Rose, half questioningly.

"I should think so, indeed! Fancy Arthur coming to that fate," said Graeme. "That would be too absurd."

And yet the thought came uncalled several times that day, and her repet.i.tions of "too absurd," became very energetic in her attempts to drive it quite away. The thought was unpleasantly recalled to her when, a day or two after, she saw her brother, standing beside the Grove carriage, apparently so interested in his conversation with the pretty f.a.n.n.y that she and Rose pa.s.sed quite close to them un.o.bserved. It was recalled more unpleasantly still, by the obliging care of Mrs Gridley, who was one of their first visitors after their return. The Grove carriage pa.s.sed as she sat with them, and, nodding significantly toward it, she said:

"I don't know whether I ought to congratulate you or sympathise with you."

Graeme laughed, but she was very much afraid she changed colour, too, as she answered:

"There is no haste. When you make up your mind as to which will be most appropriate, you will be in time."

"Ah! you are not to commit yourself, I see. Well, you are quite right.

She is a harmless little person, I believe, and may turn out very well if withdrawn from the influence of her stepmother."

Something in Graeme's manner stopped the voluble lady more effectually than words could have done, and a rather abrupt turn was given to the conversation. But Graeme could not forget it. Not that she believed in the truth of what Mrs Gridley had hinted at, yet she could not help being annoyed at it. It was rather foolish, she thought, for Arthur to give occasion for such gossip. It was so unlike him, too. And yet so little was enough to raise a rumour like that, especially with so kind a friend as Mrs Gridley to keep the ball rolling. Very likely Arthur knew nothing at all about this rumour, and, as the thought pa.s.sed through her mind, Graeme determined to tell him about it.

But she did not; she could not do so--though why she could not was a mystery to herself. Sometimes she fancied there was that in Arthur's manner which prevented her from pursuing the subject, when an opportunity seemed to offer. When he was not there, she was quite sure it was only her own fancy, but no sooner was the name of Grove mentioned; than the fancy returned, till the very sight of the Grove carriage made her uncomfortable at last, especially if the lady of the mansion was in it. She never failed to lean forward and bow to them with the greatest interest and politeness; and more than once Graeme was left standing looking in at a shop-window, while Arthur obeyed the beckoning hand of the lady, and went to speak to her. Sometimes the pretty f.a.n.n.y was there; sometimes she was not. But her absence did not set Graeme's uncomfortable feelings at rest with regard to her brother.

And yet, why should she be uncomfortable? she asked herself, a thousand times. What right had she to interfere, even in thought, with her brother's friends.h.i.+p? If he admired Miss Grove, if even he were attached to her, or engaged to her, it was nothing with which she could interfere--nothing to which she could even allude--until he should speak first. But then, of course, that was quite absurd! Miss Grove, though very pretty, and the daughter of a man who was reported to be rich, was no more worthy to be Arthur's wife--than--

Oh! of course it was all nonsense. No one had ever heard three words of common sense from those pretty lips. She had heard Arthur say as much as that himself. Miss Grove could dance and flirt and sing a little; that was all that could be said for her, and to suppose that Arthur would ever--

And yet Graeme grew a little indignant standing there looking at, but scarcely seeing the beautiful things in Savage's window, and she inwardly resolved that never again should she wait for the convenience of the free-and-easy occupant of the carriage standing a few doors down the street. She had time to go over the same thoughts a good many times, and the conclusion always was that it was exceedingly impertinent of Mrs Grove, and exceedingly foolish of Arthur, and exceedingly disagreeable to herself, before she was recalled by her brother's voice from her enforced contemplation of the beautiful things before her.

"Mrs Grove wanted to speak to you, Graeme," said he, with a little embarra.s.sment.

"I could hardly be expected to know that by intuition," said Graeme, coldly.

"She beckoned. Did you not see?"

"She beckoned to you; she would hardly venture on such a liberty with me. There is not the slightest approach to intimacy between us, and never will be, unless I have greatly mistaken her character."

"Oh, well, you may very easily have done that, you know very little about her. She thinks very highly of you, I can a.s.sure you."

"Stuff!" p.r.o.nounced Graeme, with such emphasis that she startled herself, and provoked a hearty laugh from her brother.

"I declare, Graeme, I thought for the moment it was Harry that spoke for Mrs Gridley in one of her least tolerant moods. It did not sound the least like you."

Graeme laughed, too.

"Well, I was thinking of Harry at the minute, and as for Mrs Gridley--I didn't mean to be cross, Arthur, but something disagreeable that she once said to me did come into my mind at the moment, I must confess."

"Well, I wish you a more pleasant subject for meditation on your way home," said Arthur. "Wait till I see if there are any letters. None, I believe. Good-bye."

Mrs Gridley did not occupy Graeme's thoughts on her way home, yet they were not very pleasant. All the way along the sunny streets she was repeating to herself, "so absurd", "so foolish", "so impertinent of Mrs Grove", "so disagreeable to be made the subject of gossip," and so on, over and over again, till the sight of the obnoxious carriage gave her a fresh start again. The lady did not beckon this time, she only bowed and smiled most sweetly. But her smiles did not soothe Graeme's ruffled temper, and she reached home at last quite ashamed of her folly. For, after all, it was far less disagreeable to call herself silly than to call Arthur foolish, and Mrs Grove impertinent, and she would not think about it any more. So she said, and so she repeated, still thinking about it more than was either pleasant or needful.

One night, Charlie Millar paid them a visit. He made no secret of his delight at their return home, declaring that he had not known what to do with himself in their absence, and that he had not been quite content or at his ease since he sat in Graeme's arm-chair three months ago.

"One would not think so from the visits you have made us since we came home," said Graeme, smiling. "You have only looked in upon us. We were thinking you had forsaken us, or that you had found a more comfortable arm-chair, at a pleasanter fireside."

"Business, business," repeated Charlie, gravely. "I a.s.sure you that Harry out there, and I here, have had all that we have been able to attend to during the last three months. It is only to the unexpected delay of the steamer that I owe the leisure of this evening."

"You expect us to believe all that, I suppose," said Graeme, laughing.

"Indeed, you may believe me, Miss Elliott. It is quite true. I can't understand how it is that my wise brother can stay away so long just now. If he does not know how much he is needed it is not for want of telling, I a.s.sure you."

"You hear often from him, I suppose?"

"Yes. I had a note from Lilias the other day, in a letter I got from my mother. She sent 'kind regards' to the Misses Elliott, which I take the present opportunity of delivering."

"Business having hitherto prevented," said Rose.

"You don't seem to have faith in my business engagements, Miss Rose; but I a.s.sure you that Harry and I deserve great credit for having carried on the business so successfully for the last three months."

"Where is Mr Gilchrist?" asked Arthur.

"Oh, he's here, there, and everywhere. But Mr Gilchrist is an 'old fogey,' and he has not helped but hindered matters, now and then. It is not easy getting on with those slow-going, obstinate old gentlemen; I can't understand how Allan used to manage him so well. However, he had unbounded confidence in Allan's powers, and let him do as he pleased."

"And the obstinate old gentleman has not unbounded confidence in the powers of you and Harry?" said Arthur, laughing. "Upon the whole I think, in the absence of your brother, it is as well, that you two lads should have some check upon you, now and then."

"Not at all, I a.s.sure you," said Charlie. "As for Harry--Miss Elliott, I wish I could tell you half the kind things I hear about Harry from our correspondents out there."

Graeme smiled brightly. She was permitting herself to rely entirely upon Harry now.

"But, Charlie," said Will from his corner, "what is this nonsense you have been telling Harry about Arthur and the beautiful Miss Grove?"

Charlie started and coloured, and so did Graeme, and both glanced hastily at Arthur, who neither started nor coloured, as Graeme was very glad to perceive.

"Nonsense!" said Charlie, with a great show of astonishment and indignation. "I don't understand you, Will."