Milly Darrell and Other Tales

in a short distance of Rebecca Thatcher's cottage when the first vivid flash broke through the leaden clouds, and the first long pea

gure stood between us and the little window

of surprise; and as the

ised Mr.

ong the poor we had

ore the rain has begun. I think we shall have it pretty heavy presently. How surprised you look to see me here, Miss Darrell! Becky i

you at least, for there's none but you left now. But I suppose you'll be getting m

ok his head with

t a gloomy old house, and a perpetual struggle to make hundreds do the work of

d Rebecca Thatcher. 'You don't mean what you say, Mr. Egerton. You kn

nd changed th

ing a great deal of the Pensil

'you did not appear to be much

ut I can assure you I can hear two or three conversations at once.

Pensildon's on the 31st

again. I shall be sorry to go, too, for I had intended to torment you continually about your art studies. You have really a genius for landscape, you know,

at

I suppose he will be a good deal with you,

a time. He has the chief posi

as if the cares of busines

ng of Mr. Stormont. Was he really going away, I wondered

I think, to Milly, in spite of the closeness of the atmosphere and the medical odour of the herbs. Angus Egerton stood beside her chair all the time, loo

re talking about his in

gerto

could believe that any one would miss me ever so l

ow voice-something that brought vivid blushes to her face; and a few minutes afterwards they went to the door to look at the weather, and stood there talking till I had heard the last o

es after rain. We talked of all kinds of things. Mr. Egerton had almost made up his mind to spend the autumn at Cumber, he told us; and h

half an hour in happy idle talk before going to bed; but I was sure from my darling's manner she had something to tell me. S

pause, 'do you think people are inte

ands, and that it rests with themselves to find happiness. And there are many natures that are elevated and purif

. It seems as if it could not last. If it could, if I dared belie

y dear Milly? I don't think yo

and papa's marriage has been a greater grief to me than you would believe, Mary. This house has never seemed

my neck, and hid her

ton said to me to-day?' she as

rful, dear-or something as o

ink he cared for me-I had never dared to hope; for I have liked him a l

g. There is nothing in the world more transparent tha

!' she cried reproachfully. 'But he loves me, dear. He has loved

stations about never asking

f I had been a penniless girl, he should have proposed t

ll will ever consent to

ed gr

must have seen how he has softened towards him since they met. Mr. Egerton's old family and position are

erton very well as a visitor-quite another to accept him as a son-in-l

y, 'I can see what it is-you are

very much. It is difficult for any one to avoid liking him. But

y n

The subject was a serious-almost a dangerous-one; and I had no positive evidence to bring forward in proof of my fancy. It

. Egerton, and if your father can trust him, my fancies can matter ve

ry unhappy by your doub

and instead of sharing her happiness, I had made her miserable by my fanciful doubts and gloomy forebodings. After she had gone, I sat by the window for a long time, thinking of her disconsolately, and feeli

ring which his proposal was most firmly rejected. Milly and I knew that he was in the house, and my poor girl walked up an

a little piteous loo

ay from the fro

has been rejected. I do not think he would have gone awa

n us both to the librar

d hand clas

ting with her back to the window, very pale

on,' Mr. Darrell said

come

looking at him all the time in an eager beseeching way that I think must have gone to his heart. He

illy,' he began, 'and that your happ

e of tha

ou have de

u? O papa, i

r husband; by suffering your feelings to become engaged, without one word of warning to

day that Mr. Egerton spoke for the first ti

ayed any actual declaration until my return-with an artful appearance of consideration

here was never anything but the most

Miss Crofton,' her fat

very wrong in encoura

inion of Angus Eger

been altogether a matter of accident from first to last. What

t firmness, looking brave

ce me to consent to such a marriage. I h

ms very h

knew my opinion

ge if you knew

never approve of him as a son-in-law. Besides, I have other views

e except Mr. Egerton. I may never marry at all, if you refuse to change your decisi

ich I had noticed in his portrait and in himself from the very first, was intensified to-da

a girl's folly. I have been a very indulgent father, but I am not a weak or yielding one. Y

illy answered resolutely. 'Perhaps you think Mr. Egerton cares for my fortune. Put him to the

pdaughter with a sudden look in her

d?' she asked. 'Have you such sup

t confi

tered fortunes? You think him all truth and devotion? He, a blasé man of the world, of three-and-thirty; a man who has outlived the

estraint to keep her from some passionate outburst that would have betrayed the secret of her life. I w

. 'I know he loved some one very dearly, a long time ago. He spoke of that

perhaps-like the creatures that hide themselves in the ground and lie torpi

nsideration with him can make no possible difference in my decision. Nothing will ever induce me to consent to your marrying him. Of course, if y

illy, 'you will

that there might be no chance of misunderstanding between us; and I rely upon your honour that there shall be no clandestine meeting between y

disconsolately. 'I daresay Mr. Egerton will l

may,' said

he door she stopped, and turned her white despai

not bear to forfeit your love, even for his

nt over to her

n a kinder tone than he had used before. 'There, my love, go and be happy with Mi

ks and drawing materials, and all the airy trifles that had made our lives pleasant to us until that hour. Milly sat on a low stool at my feet, and buried h

t after to-day. And I will try to do my duty to papa, and bear my life without that new happiness,

it, dear, if he loves yo

last night. I thought it had been restored with some of my money, and that the

think it v

him any more. I could n

ry

f you were to do that for t

nger. I know that he is noble and good. But my father was all the worl

hanges may come to pass in the future. Obedience will make you very dear to yo

f I could

hing, dear, if y

ugh it was still very pale. Mrs. Darrell looked at her wonderingly, and with a half-contemptuous expre

every day to inquire about her. She made this cold-which was really a very slight affair-an excuse for a week's solitude, and at the end of that time reappeared among us with no trace of her secret