Miles Tremenhere Volume I Part 17

"I would not dream of it, except in an extreme case," said Tremenhere; "but if they take her away, what will my position then be? _There_ she will be under the eye of one--my cousin--who has the devil's cunning.

They will act upon her heart in every way. Poor child!--what would she be in their hands?"

"And what would your feelings then be, were she privately your wife? How could you endure in absence all she would be made to suffer?"

"I should have a security, Skaife. They could not force her; and we could but acknowledge our union, even though before the time I myself should wish to do so. I would be again master of the house yonder, before I claimed her."

"You are too sanguine, I fear, in your hopes. I do not for an instant suspect your rights; but I do your power of proving them. There have been too wily persons at work for you ever to discover the lost clue.

Seven years have pa.s.sed, and, were Miss Dalzell your wife, could you patiently wait and labour as many more--perhaps even then without success--and leave her your unacknowledged wife?"

"Pshaw!" replied Tremenhere impatiently, "you argue like a man--a clergyman, bound to give good advice--and one who has never loved!"

He was quite ignorant that the other had ever been a suitor of Minnie's.

Skaife looked fixedly at him--then, turning aside, choked down a sigh, and answered with seeming calmness--

"Not as a mere clergyman by profession--bound to throw in his advice on every occasion where there is an opportunity, for form's sake; but as a sincere friend to both. Tremenhere, I beseech you, think well on all you do respecting Miss Dalzell. _I_ believe her to possess strong affections, and far more strength of mind than you give her credit for."

"It may be so. I am sure she loves me now; but she is very young, and ignorant of the world. How could she be certain of resisting the threats and importunities of my enemies?"

"If so weak, how would she be able to pa.s.s through the world, and its many devious paths? How never swerve from the straight one? You wrong her; believe me, she is stronger than you imagine in soul and mind."

"Well, perhaps so--I hope so; but, as my wife, _I_ should ever be there to sustain her."

"Not always, perhaps. Depend upon it, a woman never shows her true strength, of either virtue or forbearance, until she has to rely upon herself _alone_. Much as I wish to oblige you, Tremenhere, my anxiety to _serve_ both, is greater. I cannot be a party to any secret marriage. I _know_ it would not be for the happiness of either."

"Thank you, Skaife," answered the other, offering his hand in all candour of heart. "I know whatever you do, is conscientiously done; so now for my last hope. In peace, adieu!" And they parted.

CHAPTER XVI.

Juvenal sat in the library, concocting a letter to his counsellor and friend, Burton, when the servant threw open the door, and announced "Mr.

Tremenhere." Juvenal was not a very courageous man, more especially unsupported; the pen slid from his fingers, and he staggered to his feet. "Stop!" he cried to the servant, but the voice was so faint that the man did not hear it; then he made a sort of rush towards the bell, but catching the other's calm, contemptuous smile, he stopped irresolute. "Pardon me, Mr. Formby," said Miles quietly; "but I think this interview were as well between ourselves: I see you are about summoning witnesses."

"Pray, sir," asked Juvenal, forcing an appearance of calmness most foreign to his real state, "may I ask the motive of this intrusion?"

"One," answered the other, "which I think scarcely merits so harsh a term, Mr. Formby. I came to save you the trouble of answering a letter I sent, presuming that, as a gentleman, you purpose doing so, even though probably time has not permitted you to accomplish that intention yet."

Tremenhere's indignation overcame his prudence, when he found himself in the presence of Minnie's persecutor.

"Do you come here to insult me, sir?" asked Juvenal, amazed at this tone and manner.

"Pardon me, Mr. Formby; no. I was led away by an excusable surprise at your want of courtesy towards one, with whom you were once on terms, at all events, of harmony; one, myself, who has never, by any act, forfeited his right to your good opinion."

Juvenal was dreadfully embarra.s.sed. He did not like summoning an attendant to listen to perhaps a few unpleasant truths against himself; he felt Tremenhere's cause was the just one.

"Pray, sir," he said at last, "what do you call your unjustifiable pursuit of my niece, Miss Dalzell?"

"That is a recent crime in your eyes. I was alluding to a prejudice against _poor_ Miles Tremenhere, who, as master of the manor-house, was permitted to style himself your acquaintance at least; but it is not of wrongs--of _past_ wrongs--I come to speak. I come, Mr. Formby, to you, as Miss Dalzell's uncle and guardian, seeking an answer to my solicited permission to address her as a suitor."

"Your audacity surpa.s.ses all I ever heard of," cried Juvenal, bounding from his chair, into which he had dropped. "It more than surpa.s.ses all I have been told you were capable of."

"By my worthy cousin, but you are wrong. I come in no insolence of tone or manner, however your dislike may so construe them; but as gentleman to gentleman--suitor, _accepted_ suitor by the lady, to solicit her hand from her guardian." He stood calm and dignified as he spoke; he had evidently set himself a task in this visit--one to go through, before more decided steps, but with little hope of success.

"My answer," said Juvenal, decidedly, though his tone was querulous and weak, "is--that nothing shall ever induce me to consent to Miss Dalzell's marriage with yourself!"

"May I ask your reasons?"

"I do not consider myself obliged to give any; one, however, I will accord you--the lady is engaged."

"Of that I am fully aware--irrevocably engaged."

"If you mean to yourself," cried Juvenal, his anger mastering his fear, "I tell you, I defy you--I forbid it. She shall never marry a nameless, unprincipled man like yourself--one who could attack my friend, Marmaduke Burton, in the ruffianly manner you have done."

"Hus.h.!.+" said the other, advancing with a soft, calm step; "not a breath even against the dead. You term me a nameless man; that will be proved incorrect some day soon, I hope."

Juvenal shrunk back alarmed. "Keep back!" he cried, "or I will summon aid."

"Do not alarm yourself, Mr. Formby," said Tremenhere, retreating contemptuously. "I would not touch, still less harm, any one dear to, or allied to Miss Dalzell--rest well a.s.sured of that; for all I have done to Marmaduke Burton, I would do it again in my just indignation. Did he tell you all? Did he tell you of our first meeting in his apartment, when I chastised the cowardly cur for his base seduction of one almost a sister to me?"

"_His_ seduction?" exclaimed Juvenal--"_your's_, you mean?"

"_Mine!_" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Miles, under his breath from surprise at this infamous charge. "Mine!--did he tell you this?"

"Tell me?--yes! and you know it to be true; he spoke of it with regret, and of your infatuation in guilt, in having taken the girl away to town, where she awaits your coming--and it is to your base arms you would take my innocent niece!"

"'Tis false--false as his own black heart!" thundered Miles, and the red blood mantled in his face, the eyes shot fire. "If this alone be the cause of your _just_ dislike to me--believing this--if I _prove_ it false, may I then hope to win Miss Dalzell at your hands?"

In his heart, Juvenal did not believe this of Miles; he cared little who had been the seducer of Mary Burns, but it suited his purpose to think Miles guilty.

"You cannot prove your innocence," he said; but his uncertain glance shrank from the other's bold, steadfast one.

"I can, and will, if that be the only barrier!" exclaimed the hopeful man. "By the girl herself, Mr. Skaife, your sister Miss Dorcas Formby--by many."

"It could not alter my determination," stammered Juvenal. "I care little about proving, or disproving it, as either way, I should never consent to your marriage with my niece."

Miles's foot beat impatient time on the floor, on which his gaze was fixed, with the knitted brow above it. By an immense effort over himself, he at last looked up, in appearance composed. "I came resolved," he said, "to bear all, suffer any insult for her sake--I came to conciliate if _possible_; and now, once and again, Mr. Formby, I ask you to consent, or, if not that, give her her liberty; give me hope, and I will make a name to win her with, better than any mere birth could bring me; but _that_ too, I feel, I shall regain, and triumph over my enemy. I will win wealth--all--only give me hope; you see I implore now, for both our sakes."

"Hope to you--liberty to her?" laughed Juvenal, ironically, encouraged by Miles's softened tone. "I tell you she shall regain her liberty as Marmaduke Burton's wife--only then."

"You are resolved?--take time to consider." Miles's voice was low and emphatic.

"I need no consideration," answered the excited man; "my mind is made-up, and my word pledged!" He felt in himself that Miles was too n.o.ble for him to have personal violence to dread at his hands--he spoke undauntedly.

"Then, hear me!" said Miles, striding close to him, and whispering hoa.r.s.ely from intense feeling; "I, too, pledge you my word, that if you and all the powers of earth leagued against it, Minnie Dalzell shall be mine! Now, look to it. I have nothing now to restrain my impulse. I have offered you every honourable proposition that man could offer; she loves me--this I know; and war let it be between us, and the victory and Minnie mine! So, look to it! You have driven me to my own resources--do not hereafter blame either her or me!"

"I defy you!--you can do nothing!" shouted Juvenal, rus.h.i.+ng to the bell, intending to order him out by a servant. Miles made no further reply, but, striding to the door, went forth as if the meeting had been one in all good fellows.h.i.+p. As he quitted the house, Juvenal stood petrified, gazing after him. But the tall figure strode on, and never once turned or hesitated.

"He cannot--he cannot approach her!" said Juvenal confidently. "I'll watch--Gillett shall watch; and next week I'll take her to Lancas.h.i.+re.