Mrs. Dorriman, Volume 3 of 3

she would soon have been undeceived. Grace's spirits were a real trial to her, but this was

ceeded to a fortune, and made no secret of it

eeling about it, it was being congratulated u

gh with all her questioning she could not make out exactly what the f

pidly she had acted-it was really very provoking that sometimes people could

th herself, Margaret, for the first t

was kind-hearted, was touched by the signs of sorrow so easily read in her countenan

nxious to arrange something soon. She was urged by Mrs. Dorriman to hurry north that she might have the heat of the s

t she wished about the legacy, Margaret had asked her

nd, for a moment or two, did nothing bu

my good opinion is one. It is best to be frank, Lady Lyons; my sister is not strong, she is not equal

ut I am not certain they will please your sister. I am

will mind that," sai

ach other, Mrs. Drayton; when she spoke to me she distinctly gave me to understand I

ne-it was evident she ha

o laugh at these things. I did not know she had already asked

r Mrs. Drayton, I should, myself, like to go to London for a while. I often feel one of those good London doctors would set me up after a bit. I have often wished to b

he could not help thinking that if Lady Lyons spent her time run

othing to you who throw away thousands

n as regarded her fortune and what she had done with it. "I think not, but I was wond

l her visions fade away. "I only meant that I might

certs, and every attainable thing," said Margaret, impressiv

pleasure. I only mentioned about doctors, because it is, you know, one of the advantages of Lon

n, and she had given up her house. With all Lady Lyons' nonsense and absurdity she

now to do what she had proclaimed herself reluctant to do before; but she was so completely absorbed by the approac

t, which, in a warm June day, was singularly inappropriate, looking fragile but radiant, ord

ack; this one close tie did no

ovement, and change of scene, wrought their own work. The soft colour came into her

she thought, and she looked at the myriads of cowslips and ox-eyed daisies with a sudden longing to be near them. She had a book with her, but she never opened it. She had had a great

to tell about her writing. Yes! one friend, Sir Albert Gerald, and to him she w

the carriage. He had been in a smoking-carriage part of the way, and he no

would be if he could only put suspicion more on one side. His first impulse was to doubt everything and everybody; and his

d Margaret, under his escort,

her name uttered in surprise, and in another mo

ite an animated conversation, forgetting for the moment every

on without her if she did not hurry. Even then she turned naturally to Sir Albert, and he hurried al

say; but his suspicions were all on the alert, and e

irst they both tried to bring him into the conversation, but in vain. He sat grimly in a corner, determined not to be won over by a good-looking young fellow of whom he knew nothing, and wondering at Margaret's glow of colour and animation. Once he heard

ed Sir Albert, suddenly t

red with quite unnecessary short

to us here," said Margaret, gent

nd I do not feel dull," he answ

sked Sir Albert, pleasantly-he was anxious to mak

under the influence of so pleasant a voice and manner. "I am manager in a manufactory, and work is the o

of the brook, the endless stories found in every leaf and blossom, the song of the birds, all these sweet gif

thing-what do we want with it? If we use our faculties, and work to the best of our ability, I conceive that is all that is expected of us. I think life is an easy enough problem, though philosophers try and

hasis on the words. "Do we use our faculties, Mr. Stevens, if we shut our eyes (that

"Looking at flowers and mountains and listening to

see a fine painting, in short, if we see the poetry in other people's w

le have no time for poetry and pretty

Stevens," said Margaret, earnestly, "only think what it must be for a hard-working man to go home to a wretched, comfortless room, without paper on the walls, or an atom of home-look about the place, a tired-out wife, and children cross because their natural energies have no outlet. If he could go home to a comfo

short time," Mr. Stevens said, a little moved by Margaret's

k at places already open to the public! I would give

shall say we are less well-behaved than th

prejudice dropping from him, and beginning to find that there was some

rain Mr. Stevens was quite cordial in expressing hi

lance at Margaret, promised to send him

o," he continued, turning to Margaret

was very kind and very thoughtful

ad started again, she was very mu

like in that young man.

old him the story of his

efore your marriage? Mos

h herself, because she f

lour he said, with

xtraord

citement which prevented her sleeping. With the tenderness of conscience, which amounted to something

not even for the light of day a few weeks ago? And now a change of scene, meeting with

and painful, for a mother cannot forget. But the crushing sense of having done something unworthy had been lifted from her. The tone of gentle respect and sympathy shown her by Sir Alb

the old haunts. Her head was turning in rapid succession

ent of the other passengers, "there is the old k

un away, did you?" said an el

ed, in an abstracted manner, "but they are

she also looked eagerly at a pla

l outlines sharp and clear against a pale sky, on which floated a f

ade the bright radiance of the sun's last rays exquisitely beautiful, and the crest of each restless wave see

resolved not to give way, made singular faces, as

d Margaret's calm face, expecting every moment to see her brea

asm if something brought it suddenly before her; but Mrs. Dorriman had no association in connection with it. She reminded her of her girlhood, of Lornb

g home," she said

oor c

o know that bent fir-tree and the look of th

tting her sentiment and tears upon one si

exclaimed Margaret, as the famous pony

some one who could appreciate all these things at her side. "My own idea is that the breath of the sea and th

tfully; "it is like a beautiful awakening in

e, I do so want to

nything y

would you give me a name? I am too old to be cal

y own, my very own, relation, and do call you 'Aunti

one to love you. I have had so little affection all my life, and sometimes it makes

w ties can come up to it," she added, hastily, afraid of allowing even Mr

flower-garden with its gay flower-beds and velvet lawn, and a background of pines with their red stems glowing in the sunset, and a magnificent range of rocks behind it; while through the del

at once to see that she had hitherto missed something in her life which was now given her. She put up her hand as Mrs. Dorriman was going t

tinct from the solemn thud of the

ch when I went to Renton," answered Mrs. Dorriman,

gs of a relentless fate," said Margaret, dr

that louder noise through all is the waterfall. Come and have som

lowed Mrs. Dorriman into the bright little drawing-r

her own room, which was

ng all this!" she exclaimed a

rt and pleasure. I am glad I went, for many reasons, bu

of the Clyde heavenly, and it lingered in her memory as she had watched it with Grace that first night, and h

Albert Gerald's yacht gliding into the bright moonlit streak, like a bird r

helter, can possibly equal in grandeur the same sea crashing in against perpendicular rocks, dashing itself with terrific strength against an iron-bound coast, as though scorning the o

riman, who, while striving to keep every word she said away from subjects likely to touch upon poor Margaret's loss, betrayed by the very pains she

ould n

h any one. Her husband's madness had been very terrible, so terrible that she

hey had not been injured for all time. The stain was not permanent, and she had passed through it all without understanding it, except so far

t of sympathy in Grace had sent back all the touching records, so dear t

you never saw my child. I should like to tell o

iman, and her voice trembled

e to whom I could sometimes speak of it-it hurts me to feel that it

giving Margaret pain, could only answer b

lying here and leaving me childless and alone. It was very fair, auntie, and had winning ways...." She stopped for a moment and went o

en much illn

en I stroke the little faded cheek of another child I still think of mine, for I am still selfish in my grief; but the joy of seeing a child recover kills the selfishness,

riman like some fair saint, with her unclouded eyes an

row," said Mrs. Dorriman; "but somehow, with th

water is taxed even to the very poor, the very kindling of their fires is a difficulty. Here the people have

the ambition of many is to leave

g, but what I hope to live to see one

d Mrs. Dorriman; "I do not

erstanding are unjust. They blame the rich, but the rich are not to blame; they pay often a hundred per cent. where the workman does not get ten. It is the middle-man who grows rich grasping on either side, and who spend their m

an, "and now I do not quite understand. Shopkeep

out in London where coals are sold by the pound and tea in ounces, and those places where shirts are made, lit

be done?" said

ten possible. Oh, there is so much to put right it does not bear