Peter's Mother

hall at Barracombe House wi

hly carved, that it had defied the ingenuity of the comb engraver. It occupied the further end of the hall, opposite the entrance door, and was lighted dimly by a small heavily leaded, stained-glass window. The floor was likewise black, polished with age and the labour of generations. A de

tion-rooms, which occupied the south front of the house, and into wh

troyed by the decoration which had been bestowed upon

more indignation than admirati

ffed birds ornamented every available recess; mahogany and horsehair chairs were set stiffly round the walls at even dista

since, and had painted three generations of the Crewys family, who were then gathered together beneath its hospitable roof. His diligence

s cousins, Sir Timothy's half-sisters, who were seated beside the great log fire, and who regarded him with approving eyes. For their stranger cou

John was not a Crewys, for he had a remarkably fine head, and had he bee

nor a large nose, nor the height which should be attained by ever

ed head and well-cut features. Clean shaven, as a great lawyer ought to be, with a firm and rather satirical mouth, a broad brow, a

ifice his patrimony. But though he carried his forty-five years lightly, John Crewys had left his boyhood very far behind him. His crisp dark hair was frosted on the temples; he stooped a little after the fashion of the des

owards the venerable ladies, who represente

n their thin shoulders. They retained the manners-almost the speech-of the eighteenth century, to which the grandmother who was responsible for their upbring

uble row of pearls was not unpleasantly displayed. Miss Crewys had never succumbed to the temptations of worldly vanity. She scrupulously parted her scanty grey locks above her polished forehead, and cared not how wide the parting grew. If she wore a velvet bow upon her scalp, it was, as she truly sai

years old, Georgina,"

her did," Miss Crewys would triumphantly reply. "It is surprising to me that a woman

ld let yourself go to rack and ruin, and n

do everything but paint your face, Isabella; and I have little

y preserved a united front before the world, and only argued, s

rn, and the crimson and gold and blue of the Crown Derby tea-set. But the old ladies, though cas

ties of hospitality in my dear brother's house, ever since he married,-odd as it may seem, when we remember how he used once

fully, "or, of course, as the elder sister, I should nat

f course," sa

, as he is, a lawyer, his opinion would carry weight. But I think he will agree with me"-John smiled-"that when the elder

the case," John, bowing polite

ne, returning the bow. "But I have always maintained, and always shall, that when the married si

rewd, expectant grey e

e point," said John Crewy

erruption of an opening door and the

hich supported the great oak staircase

yet returned from her

ith affecte

o see Sir Timothy. She left word she was gone upstairs t

on with effusion, and Dr. B

ook hands with

, Canon Birch, until my sister-in-

s so very unpunctual,

s detained her," said th

kept waiting a quarter of an hour or more for

to feel a little s

lerical visitor rather exclusively, he drew near the recess to w

re before?" asked the d

h given to entertaining visitors. I have never, in fact, seen any of the

eteen," sai

nd me," said John, slightly astonished. "I

h about the same as he do

you know. Not much. An iron-grey, middle-age

nor the softening of age will ever be known to Sir Timothy." He paused, noting the surprised expressio

John. He hesitated, and lowered

come," said the doctor. His tone ch

ndell's plain, dark face. The deeply sunken eyes glowed, and

doctor's gaze, and his own face immed

aircase, in the light of a group of w

as plainly parted. She was pale and even sad-looking, but beautiful still; with a

ecause those eyes-the bluest, he remembered, that he had ever seen-brought back to him, suddenly and vividly,

i' a lang pedigree;" for Sir Timothy was rich. Others had laughed, and said that Sir Timothy was determined that his heirs should be

gnant with Sir Timothy, whose appearance and manner did not attract him. He was reminded that th

n's honest heart. He had not a penny in the world at that time, and could not have married her if he would; but from Lady Mary's wedding h

she look

e previous day, and appealed to him for help in his extremity. He was sorry for his cousin, in spite of the pompousness

connected with his first and only meeting with Lady Mary. Yet now, behold, after nineteen years, the look on her sweet face thrilled his middle-aged bosom as it had thrilled his young manhood. John smiled or

and I was out. Is that Cousin John? We met once before, at my wedding. You have not changed a bit; I rem

entiment had given place to a very real emotion-an almost passionate anxiety to shield one so fair and ge

e, escape the keen eyes of the sisters-in-law, which,

ody pour out tea?

e said that dear Timothy's sisters ousted his wife from her prop

ou have, no doubt, some excellent

ingly to his understanding, "They are old, and rather cranky, but they

and I tired myself; and then I heard Sir Timothy had come back, so I went to see him

ngly at this explanation, and the t

s best to entertain us,

ne, st

t. "The great counsel whose eloquence is listened to with breathless at

e of the life of a briefless barr

f, "I understood that divorce cases, unhappily, occu

u, Mr. Crewys," said the canon, nervously interposi

re divorce cases are not perused, and that is my brother Tim

ward pause which ensued, by a re

ry upstairs, and some beautiful pictures hanging there, including the Vandyck, you know, which Charles II. gave to old Sir Peter, your cavalier an

my grandmother for her son's

y Mary, with rather a wilful intonation. "I always long to bring them to ligh

ul to the past," said M

een as faithful," said Lady M

ke changes," said Lady

thetic smile. "John will think you are laughing

going to be so unkind as to make a man

y, the age of a lady was never referred to in polite conv

sitive on the subject of age. I am sure I do not care who knows that my poor admiral was twenty years my senior. And hi

r the annoyance of Miss Crewys was visible. "I am bound to say t

escapes the wear and

aring at her wi

y-the-by, have you inspected the

t," sai

mediately restored. Prompt action was necessary on the part of the family, or this presumptuous p

llery and in the dining-room," said Miss Crewys, "if my sister

lked to a small rosewood cabinet of curios. "I

not belong t

s-some of the few that

"I am afraid they wo

such things," said John. "Here is a Cosway, and, unl

ith pretty eagerness, and put a

omething you wi

of tiny, pearl-framed, old-world portraits, of handsome nobles and ros

l, grey eyes, and an expression distinctly rather sulky and loweri

eter," said Lad

mething more than beau

certainty of his i

s younger. He was a pretty li

like you," said John, sca

him to admire. He reflected that women were very extraordinary creatures; ready to be pleased with anything Providence might care to bestow upon the

am. I sometimes wish," said Lady Mary, laying the miniature on the table as though she could not bear to shut it away immediately, "that one's ch

ards Peter. So the young cub had presumed to dis

us of the feelings with which he g

id, with her pretty apologetic laugh. "I only mean that, in t

" said Joh

ilst she talked on, always of Peter-his horsemanship and hi

*

was holding a hurried con

in into the dining-room just when Ash must be layin

uite slipped my m

head at all

Miss Crewys, piteously, "or

id Lady Belstone, with the air

tarted. "Ye

portraits. You know, my love, the Vandyck is so very dark and black. She proposes, therefore, with your permis

nervously, and the d

id John, in steady tone

entered