Peter's Mother

it is a great relief, as I cannot deny, to open my mind to you, who kn

and on his return found that the workmen, who had reigned o

work proceeded; but now the usual living-rooms had been restored to their occ

n the place," said the

said Miss Crewys, pathetically, "but it's

sister, with asperity. "One can't look fu

re, because they often found the early June evenings chilly. But the sofa with broken springs, which they specially affe

t of Barracombe House, had been carefully an

nd solid panelling, had been removed; and the freshly polished

moved, as the two indignant critics pointed out, from common whitewash. A great screen of Spanish leather

space between the two great windows were two portraits of equal size; the famous Sir Peter Crewys, by Lely, painte

the hall; and his sober wearing apparel, a plain green coat without collar or

one the round mahogany table, the waxen bouquets, and the horsehair chairs. The ancient tapestry

g-wheel and a grandfather's chair. A great bowl of roses stood on the broad window-seat. There were roses, indeed, everywhere, and books on every table. But the crowning grievance of all was the cottage pian

? That's what I say to Isabella. Where are our goloshes? Where is anything, indeed, that one would expect to find in a gentleman's hall? Not so much as a walking-stick. Everything to be

ry properly hid it away. If you will believe me, canon, that dresser was brought up from the kitchen, and every single pot and pan that decorates it used to be kept in the housekeeper's r

s Peter's house, or will be v

" cried Lady Belstone; "and he come

sailed," said the canon. "No

e for his return. Young John says we may expect him any time. I do not kno

stone; "he makes no fuss about his wounded arm. He is a th

uld not have been expected of him. Yet poor Mary was quite put out, as I plainly

e us by surprise. So many of the officers have got passages at the last moment, unexpectedly. And we shall turn out to rec

," said Lady Belstone, shaking her head. "I wish he may not find himself pretty nigh ruined when

," said the canon, warmly, "and he informed me that Mr

d Miss Crewys. "I don't deny that he is a rising young man, and that his man

d Lady Belstone, emphatically, "will ever c

on," said Miss Crewys. "In my opinion, it is all this mod

!" said t

ever, that she will hear nothing against him. One

ewys, "and the only excuse he offered, so far as I could und

be amused?" said Lady

dear lady?" asked t

r horror and dis

I called it a laugh. It takes almost

elancholy," said the canon, almost

dy Belstone, in awful

nt which did not escape the vigilant observatio

bella," said Miss Crewys, "for she has d

impelled to defend the absent. "It is-getting

rs and four months

id Lady Belstone, who often became slightly nautical in phr

ef she held up was de

oated on either side

e mysteries of a widow's garments had best not be di

d Miss Crewys. "She leapt in a single hou

atal operation surpassed even the bounds of decorum,"

etic expression in her small, red-rimmed,

n curiously alike during the close association of nearly eighty years, though i

e showed any sign of her great age; her sister wore gloves, as was the habit of both when unocc

es were seriously troubled concernin

gyman," said Miss Crewys; and the poor g

udging those younger than ourselves," said the canon, gallantly coupling himself with his auditors,' though acutely conscious that he was some twenty years the junior of both, "we must not forget that t

ly; "when they can sing and play all the day and

the hall, though Sir Timothy

violet silk of sombre hue, ornamented by a black silk apron and a black lace scarf. The velvet bow which served so very i

est scheme of all,

! What ma

to be hired as soon

ondered why none of you ever cared to go to London, if only for your shopp

nce he wrote he was in rags, a new outfit. These, it seems, can only be obtained in the Metropolis nowadays. My brother's tailor still lives in

remember, Isabella, how quickly he put

human beings," said Lady Belstone. "The point is, that if my poor brother Timothy had not been mad enough to go to London, he would have bee

ul subject, my dear la

furnished house that L

imothy never hired a furnished house," said Mis

change?" sugge

him literally. "No; she

ever seen her, and

, with e

tle excitement at times," said the courageous canon. "There is so much to be seen and

t more than enough," sa

in alarm. "No, no; I don't mean hers is not cha

iss Crewys, crocheting more busily than ever. "I

re so many other things," he said d

wfully. She waved her handkerchief towards the panelled wall

fully; "and I hear the gallery upstairs has been restored and supported, to render it

Miss Crewys. "John has persuaded her, if persuasion was needed, which I take leave to doubt

e your opinions on that

of a theatre-go

quented such places of amusement. But he said he could not have enjoyed a ballet properly with me looking on. His feelings were singularly delicate." "I am

r through her spectacles, though he

. I've hear

ear anything. But a widow cannot be too cautious in her behaviour. A

rd dear Mary's reputat

ed exclamation; then recollecting the age and temperamen

ainst that-against our dear and sweet Lady Mary. But if there is any one, I ca

nnecessarily," said Lady Belstone, with assumed s

ns?" almost sh

ry's extraordinary par

the observation of

o leave him alone with her for a sing

said. "Lady Mary is a very charming and beautiful woman. Who could dar

sharply. "You go a great deal too fast, canon. Luckily, our poor Mary is deba

rom a secon

sible you

exchanged me

ne to the other

," said Miss Crewys, "she forfe

all?" h

It is no less than two thousand a year. In my opini

jointure. I should have formed a low opinion, indeed, of any gentleman who asked me to marry

ic of conversation. Experience had taught him to discredit most of the assumptions of Lady Mary's sis

"and with your permission I will stroll out into the groun

n, when he manages to get away so often. As for Mary, you know her way of inviting people to lunch, and then going out for a walk, or up to h

r it. "And there is an hour and a half yet. You lunch at two? I came straight from t

annot say we approve of her, since she has been out so m

ntly, "little Sarah growing up into a fashionab

hair. In my young days, red hair was just a misfortune like any other," said Miss Crewys. "Dr. Blu

s," said Lady Belstone, viciously; "but he pretends to like the innovation

er when the boy comes back. A great mome

n which guarded the entrance to the hall, and di

e not a family prone to display weak emo

preservation through this terrible war, now so happily ended. And to think the boy should have earned so much distinction for himself, a

, canon,"

ad come so quietly round the great screen and into th

eeply tanned, and very wiry and thin in figure; with a brown, narrow face, a dark streak of moustache, a long nose, and

canon seized the hand which Peter held out, and, scarcely noticin

an unheeded down his plump, rosy cheeks. "Peter, my boy

Lady Belstone. "

Miss Crewys, showing symptoms of

on, and came hurriedly forward

f-command, Georgina?" sai

t, Isabella. It was the unexpe

dy Belstone and she fell back

hey saw that he had lost his right arm.

owards him. "My poo

ther annoyed tones. "I can use my left ha

his speech caused his aunt

has not chan

s, Peter," said t

ewspaper chap to cork it down about my being shot in the arm, without

t Georgina and me a te

ne, fa

valided home to turn up without a single s

father!" sai

death if I had told her," said Peter. "I want her to see with her own

le thought,"

she?" dema

he hall to the staircase b

ome one to

" said Peter. "She's

te w

h emphasis that seemed to imply Lady Mar

Peter, "seen her look so well, nor so-so lovely, nor so-so bri

ough his newly acquired eyegl

o slip home quietly, that's the fact; or I knew th

you," said the canon, warmly. "Banners, music,

them I hate banners and music and ad

omebody to the war; son or brother or sweetheart. And all that's left for-for those who stay behind-not always the least hard thing to do for a patriot, Peter-is to honour, as far as th

lent, embarrassed by the canon's emotion

him the trouble; "we can discuss it lat

above. She was humming a song, and as she neared the open stai

nd tout bas? Ton doux chant me ra

ter, in bewildered accents;

sence of mind that sel

protesting, into the drawing-roo

ly noticed t

eur sans détours, Ah! riez, rie

Lady

y mother sing be