Miles Tremenhere Volume I Part 22

"How should I?" he answered evasively, to excite more curiosity on his host's part. "By the way, has he finished your 'Aurora' yet?" He wished them to think he was anxious to turn the subject.

"No," replied Lord Randolph. "He says he cannot meet with a face to please him for the G.o.ddess."

"Ha, ha, ha!" laughed Dalby, as if involuntarily. "That's too good a joke!"

"By Jove! you know something more than you tell us, Dalby. Come, man, have it out; make a clean breast of it."

"Pshaw, I know nothing! I only laughed at the idea of not finding a lovely Aurorean face, even in London."

"Come, that won't do," cried two or three; "you _do_ know something--let's have it."

Dalby thought a moment. To tell all these men would not do; he had gained his point, in exciting Lord Randolph's curiosity. His very hesitation said more than words. Finding himself rigorously attacked, he affected to have done this to raise a storm of curiosity in their minds; and, in the midst of their clamour, he quickly turned his eye on his host, and, giving him a peculiar look of intelligence, said, "I a.s.sure you, I know only this, that were I an engaged man, I should very much hesitate in trusting my 'ladye-love' so near so fascinating a man."

Lord Randolph gave a start; even little used as he was to solve enigmas, he saw something was meant, and the look convinced him, for himself alone. By a little _finesse_ he silenced the clamorous, and turned their thoughts into another channel, and thus the after dinner pa.s.sed.

"Come, now," said Lord Randolph, as he and Dalby sat together in the former's dressing-room, smoking a cigar, after every one else had retired for the night, "tell me what you meant after dinner, about Tremenhere. I confess that man, at home and abroad, has sorely puzzled me."

Dalby had well digested his plans, to obtain the concurrence in them which he eventually hoped for from the other, it was necessary that he should excite a feeling of pique against Miles; thus he went to his worthy work, first having bound his listener to solemn secresy, on the plea of personal interest in himself, making him guilty of an unprofessional want of silence and caution; this obtained, he began--"You know, perhaps, that Tremenhere is illegitimate?"

"Not I--how the deuce should I?"

"Well, then, he is. I should be unnecessarily exposing many painful family secrets, to tell you what family he lays claim to kindred with; I merely come to facts, which are true. He has been residing abroad some years--by the way," he seemed as if suddenly enlightened by a thought, though every word had been pre-conceived, "did he not meet Lady Dora Vaughan in Florence?"

"Yes; when I too met him," answered the other, not a little amazed at this turn.

"That, then, accounts for much."

"What _can_ you mean, Dalby--pray, be quick?" actually Lord Randolph's heart gave a little quiet jump.

"Well then, in a few words, Lady Dora was recently in Yorks.h.i.+re, and there too Tremenhere was."

"This has never been alluded to in my presence," said the listener, uncomfortably.

"Nor to one another, _perhaps_," emphasized Dalby. "I think there is a coolness between them _now_."

"By Jove! I said as much to Lady Dora, and she denied it rather angrily and haughtily."

The other smiled. "It was not so in Yorks.h.i.+re. Her ladys.h.i.+p was as usual kind, affable, and condescending, and this Tremenhere (mind I am speaking my mind in all candour to your lords.h.i.+p) mistook it, I fear, and acting thereupon, from what transpired, was rather presuming."

"How? in what manner?" asked Lord Randolph with _hauteur_. "And how did this occur? were they domiciled in one house?"

"No, this made the matter more audacious, he had been driven from this house, and used to enter surrept.i.tiously through the grounds, and intrude upon Lady Dora's privacy."

"By George!" cried Lord Randolph, pa.s.sing his hand through his hair, (like a bird trying to smooth its ruffled feathers,) as if it stood on end with horrified pride; "this comes of mixing in general society, as they do abroad. I set my face against it then, but Lady Lysson liked it, so I gave in; people should keep in their own cla.s.s."

"There certainly are some confoundedly presuming persons," chimed in Dalby, not at all offended at what might have touched his sensitiveness, had he possessed such a thing; but he was, grammatically speaking, "an impersonal," taking nothing to himself. He made a pause here, wis.h.i.+ng the other to commence the next facet in the diamond he was cutting, reserving to his own skill to polish each, according to the light required for his scheme; it would be a precious gem worth setting when he had completed it.

"Lady Ripley and her daughter were staying at the former's brother's, were they not? I have heard them speak of a homely Yorks.h.i.+re family of relatives, not known beyond their own grounds."

"The same," answered Dalby, well pleased at the other's ignorance of the Formby family--it furthered his plans.

"And how did terminate?"

"Oh! of course, as you may imagine; Tremenhere was expelled in a summary manner, as her ladys.h.i.+p complained of the annoyance, and now I come to the pith of my tale." Lord Randolph blew forth a long puff of smoke, and drew nearer the fire; he was positively excited. "Remember," said the other in a whisper, "I have your lords.h.i.+p's word that this shall be a profound secret between us, happen what may."

"I pledge you my sacred honour."

"I will not mention names, but facts; this Tremenhere, under a quiet exterior, is a libertine,--one who knows no such thing as honour by practice, though it is a favourite theme of his. Enraged, I presume, by Lady Dora's just repulsion of his impertinence, he carried off a most lovely girl from the neighbourhood, to the distraction of her family, and this girl is now residing with him near Chiswick."

"By heavens!" exclaimed the other, "how one may be deceived! Had this girl no brother?"

"None; those kind of men know where they can in security work their villanies, and when this man complained to you that he could meet with no face worthy of his Aurora, I involuntarily thought of this girl, for she is the perfection of beauty in fairness."

"You know her?"

"I have seen her often; pardon my concealing her name, for the sake of her family."

"Egad, Dalby, I should like to see this girl! I wors.h.i.+p beauty; the fellow deserves it at my hands for his impertinence to Lady Dora."

Dalby had exactly cut his diamond as he had desired to do. "Should you?"

he said thoughtfully; "I will think how it may be done, but he is deucedly jealous often."

"Are they married?" asked Lord Randolph.

"I have _heard_ so, but we hear many things which are untrue." It would not have done to have said, Yes--for, though a fool, Lord Randolph was not devoid of principle.

"He is too jealous, at all events," continued the other, "to make her 'An Aurora' for others to gaze upon."

"Is she then so beautiful?" asked his host eagerly.

"I tell you this, my lord," was the emphatic reply. "I have seen much beauty, many portraits--I cannot in honest truth except _even_ Lady Dora--I never saw _any one_ to equal Mrs. Tremenhere, as they call her."

"_By_ George!" exclaimed his lords.h.i.+p, throwing his cigar in the fire--the words and action, spoke volumes of emotion, for him.

Dalby saw his scheme had taken root; curiosity leads to more real mischief than many another actual vice--he rose.

"Don't go yet; here, smoke another cigar before you go: it is early--not twelve."

"My dear lord, I was up early; we hard-working men are unused to these late hours of luxury. I am dead beat to-night," and he yawned convulsively, for no sleep was near his brain; it was waking, and watching every thing. He had done enough for one night; he would leave his lords.h.i.+p food for reflection. He had several aims in view--to revenge himself on Minnie, was one; but to serve Marmaduke, by driving Tremenhere out of England, was the princ.i.p.al object, thus securing a safe friend and patron to himself. This too, he did, with Lord Randolph, who saw nothing of the wickedness of the plot or plotters. He was ready to run into any mischief, for no particular motive, only from sheer idleness; and he was in good hands to lead him astray. With Tremenhere, he felt quite indignant; and firmly resolved, as soon as practicable, to cut the fellow. He had ordered this "Aurora;" so he must take it.

Meanwhile, he would be very cool when they met, and let him comprehend that any attention he had received had been condescension, not equality.

CHAPTER XXII.

Two days after these events, the lady portion of visiters quitted Uplands--some went one way, some another. Lady Lysson's chaperonage was over, so she, too, quitted her bachelor nephew's, and left him to his male companions, dogs and horses, for a while longer. Dalby remained, and a worse than himself returned--Marmaduke Burton; worse too, that he was more on an equality with their host than Dalby. He could work openly; yet, too, the coward trembled lest Tremenhere should ever discover his share in the nefarious plot--which plot we shall now permit to work itself out, without further explanation.