The Three Brides

Explo

more t

a'd to, nor ch

Sparta, nor

ar.-But, soft; wha

er Nigh

t industrious creature, very carefully brought up-nay, if possible,

luxuries than many children, and never was permitted to be naughty; but then she was quite aware that each dainty or each pleasure was granted or withheld from a careful consideration of her welfare, and that nothing

tertainment not to their taste, it was after a debate on the need of condescension and good-nature. She had, however, never had a season in London-a place her father hated; but she was taken abroad as soon as she was deemed old enough thoroughly to appreciate what she was to see there; and in Switzerland her Cousin Raymond, who had at different times visited Dunstone, overto

fully occupied; Raymond, being younger and stronger than her parents, was more competent to escort her to every height or depth to which she wished to go, hunted up information for her, and w

aven dewy lawn, and a bright fire on the hearth, shelves and chiffoniers awaiting her property, and piles of parcels, suggestive of wedding presents, awaiting her hand. She was standing at the table, turning out her travelling-bag with th

re ought to be a bell or go

s is in the morning. I never go to her till ele

o do for her?" asked Cecil,

d out. All I wish is that she

e happiest moments had been spent in devotion to her, and who t

e till eleven

d the broad stairs into the panelled hall, where a great fire was blazing on the hear

old dressing-room, where he sat writing amid all the old associations. Anne was discovered hanging over the dining-room fire, looking whiter and more exhausted

w," said Raymond. "We h

that after Sunday he should be at Matins at nine o'cl

country-King Williamstown nearer than any other town. They had sent thither for a doctor for Miles, and he stayed one night, but said that mother's treatment was quite right; and as it was thirty miles off he did not come again. Thirty miles! what sort of roads? Not bad for wagons. It only took tw

ur mother?"

she was at ho

g that in Scotland gentle blood and Anglicanism did not go

chneyder's Kloof, b

go nowhere?"

as Mr. P

lerg

used to pray and ex

imself?" said Cecil,

together a little flock of all denomina

service," said Julius, with a perception that the s

al inspection, as were Raymond and Cecil on a

n claret colour trimmed with gray fur, with

and you can see the view," said

te side of the valley, where a park with a red mansion in the midst gleamed out among woods of green, red, orange, and brown tints. "How you a

was planted at the birth

o d

ears old. It was

ld vex her i

ed. "It is he

eal in the tone; but she added

o Sir Harry Vivian; but

Your brothers say he has come

only one u

ome to keep house f

ther only writes with difficulty, s

people, very dissipated, and no

ikely to be very desirable acquaintances for you, but there is no rea

stand-as mem

. "Ah! Rosamond!" as she came down in a Galway cloak ov

e-pie order. It looks as if you never suffered a stray leaf to dance without an

then to Julius he said, "Did yo

m to his wife, who clasped both hands on it; while the other couple loo

gates in the opposite direction from Sirenwood. "Which of you was that woman's victim? Was it a sailo

oved from the con

duced to the g

had betray

betray the rest, instead of le

tra gay and thoughtless, the most reckless extravagance. However, he was set upon it, and my mother was forced to consent to the engagement. She seemed equally devoted to him, till she met Lord Tyrrell at some country house, and then a quarrel was picked, either by her mother or herself, about my mother retaini

ng ago

like that, he has got over it, no doubt; but it has made a graver man of him for li

r mother's sake, Juliu

, my Lady

amilla returned with plans t

as a lad of eighteen.-Ah! how d'ye do, Betty?"

Julius had not the doubtful satisfaction of coming like a missionary or reformer. The church, though not exactly as with his present lights he would have made it, was in respectable order, and contained hardly

n, whom she, as well as Julius, greeted as an old friend, was the typical modern priest, full of his work, and caring for nothin

and over the wall from the churchyard leapt first a black retriever, secondly a Skye terrier, thirdly a bull ditto, fourthly a young man,

is that you?"

t taking the short cut! I had no idea-Here, Mungo, you ruf

tanding, whose round open happy blue eyes, ruddy cheeks, merry lips, and curly light hair, did not seem in keeping with the rigidly straight collar and waistcoat, and the long black

he foot to the big dog, who was about to shake his dripping coat for the ladies' special benefit. "I saw you arri

did not see

id Mr. Bindon. "You shone in that,

t all," said Julius, "coming in t

e would be taken for the Squire, that he dashed in on his way to warn me to choke them off. If she hadn

ill, poor thin

master's calls and apologies, and her caresses and excuses, not much more was heard,

hought they would get into trouble in the preserves, and there isn't ro

ly. "It would have been the right preferment for Bowater. T

e given up sport," he added ruefully; "but only just as companions!-Ain't you, Rollo?" he added, almost with tears in his eyes, and a hand on th

ed you can manage with the old women's cats. I should

-up yesterday, but I showed them the sense of it. You might teach those

war-cry, while, to Rosamond's great amusement, "rats" was no less a peal to Rector and senior; and for the next quarter of an hour the three clergymen moved bricks, poked with t

r first day!" sa

ught the jolliest hamper! Game-pie, and preserved magnum-bonums, and pears off the old jargon

ius wrote a word or two on a card, which he despatched to the Hall by the first child he encountered. In a few minutes they reached the ni

and her little niece, who rejoiced in the peculiar name of Dilemma; while Rosamond petted Tartar upon her lap, and the two elder clergymen, each with an elbow against the

, and the junior observed that he would walk home to-night and back

oon, however, tumbling over another stone wall with all his dogs, an

low-but we mustn't make it a custom to be always going in to partake of

ust like

ave a pl

e feast I

boy with a s

aters are like one's own kindred!

mother done

fore consenting to give him a title at once, but his father and Jenny wished

e among ailing old women than prim school-children

xcept on short visits, for five years, so that Rosamond declared that this was a staple of his conversation: "Then it was Tom

chief of whom seemed to be a large-boned lively-eyed old dame, who, after minute inquiries after "the Lady Poynse

dmitted

? 'Pon my word of honour, says I to Sally when her telled I

one that is not older than yourself! I'm afraid h

have turned my black bonnet a purpose. It be one of the Lady Poynsett's, as her gave I when my old gentleman was took two ye

rning, I h

it ain't becoming for a woman of my age, seventy-nine come Christmas, to s

ut of conviction. "Mr. Bowater isn't so young as he lo

d the undaunted Betty. "Spare

w leaves sent them hurrying into a cart-shed, where, with a sudden start, they found themselves rushing in on some one. Who was it? A girl-a young lady. That was

ge of me," said Julius, a little s

, with a superbly carried head and neck, simply dressed in gray cloth. "Are you shelt

ting some bold outlines on large pap

" said Rosamond

andmother's umbrella. He is th

g a Giotto?" asked Jul

irit, that I could not help offering him some lessons. Only see, d

comes of his pigs?

tly conversational animals were audible through the walls. "Th

?" asked t

s a boy about ten years old came lumbering up in big boots, with a hea

ke your bow to the

, pretty, fair boy, of that delicately-complexioned English t

," said Julius, kindl

ir, Joshua

" whispere

f a name," retu

Reynolds's boys, o

ides wit

tangling the pedigree but inquired abou

ain't nothin

one by such a mite

id the Rector; "wha

-star

el

Farmer Light's; but they won't take I on for a carter-

u learnt

icely," interpo

ach him?" s

me six weeks, you know, and I did not know I was poaching on your manor,"

n the ladies as to shawl and umbrella, each declaring her dress unspoilable, till it ended in E

o expand a magnificent green vault, with a lesser leathern arctic zone round the pole; but when he had handed it to Miss Vivian, and she had linked her arm

"Two ladies carried

can grapple with it bu

who, with both clinging to his arm, conducted them at last to the lodge, where Julius could only come in

seen, only heard and felt; and when Rosamond, in the light of the hall, discovered the extent of the splashes, she had to leave Julius still contending with the umbrella; and when, in spite of the united e