The Three Brides

y of Ex

do take her for the

ness of the autumn morning there was a knock at the door, and a low hurried call in Anne's vo

cried Rosamond

reat way off. You

e gallery, from the end window of which the lurid light in the sky, with an occasional flame leaping up, was plainly visible. When Julius joined them he declare

-long ambition, the riding out on the fire-engine. Servants bustled about, exclaiming, tramping, or whisking on the stairs; and Raymond presently appeared to

ng figure, in a scarlet dressing-gown, with a thick plai

that there was fire somewhere-perhaps at home. Mrs. Poynsett was not a nervous woman, and from the time she saw her eldest son come in, all fright was over, and she could have borne to hear that the house

etween it and the drawing-room had an excellent view, as the gr

heard a step-"Here, Julius, help me;" and without more ado, the mother was transported between them to the broad low couch

his brother, Rosamond clung to him, entreating, "P

dearest; I am

id, turning to Raymond. "Make

Rosamond," said the elder bro

she added. "There is nothi

us, "but we'll send if needful. Let go, you f

ire the reasonableness of the Cecil who had never shown any fears for his safety, nor any tenden

of the household but of the village, between the ages of five and seventy, started for W

in attempting a transit, which Dr. Hayter had pronounced to be as much as her mistress's life was worth. Having thus relieved her mind, and finding that M

ill; and Mrs. Poynsett insisted that Rosamond should not stay behind on her account; and, glad to appease the restlessness of anxiety, out went the ladies, to find the

e to isolate it, as in the bush-fires of her experience; and Rosamond related the achiev

relief against the lurid light. She found the key at the sexton's, and led the way up the broken stone stair to the trap-door, where they emerg

ss. Even without this, it was possible to make out two long lines of men between the fire and the river, and at times they fancied they heard the shouting, but the wind generally carried it away. The cold was bitter, and they had to hold together and keep a tight grip upon their garments against the gusts that seemed to rock the tower; but they could not bear to turn away, though the clock beneath pealed out hour after hour; for still, as the flames were s

ollowing with his feathery tail singed, hurried up at once. "I'm not fit to

's my husband?" e

t it a magnificent flare-up? But there was no loss of life; and th

id Rosamond. "Pah! you're like a singed

d Cecil, retreating from the dog, which h

it. It was well he came down; old Briggs, the mayor, lost his head, and Fuller never

mbs, as if they were becoming sensib

church was burn

ot hold of the paper-did you see it?-it was not a thing to forget. I verily believe the whole town would have gone if the Charnocks hadn't come and got a little discipline into the asses. It was just life and death work, fighting the fire to hinder it from getting across Water Lane, and then it would have been all up with High Street. The tongues broke out li

se," she said, laugh

eed, I d

it quite

and the soldiers came up, it was

samond. "Take care! my grandfat

d be pursued, four or five figures on horseback came round the knoll, and Raymond and J

e had little attention to spare for them till she had surveyed her husband, who

guished, but the engines must go on playing on them for some time longer. No lives lost, and very few casualties, b

of bells, and two ladies in a light open carriage, drawn by two spirited ponies, dashed round the knoll; and at

Herbert Bowater, he spr

oking, very handsome, and in slight mourning; and her companion was Miss Vivian. Julius, holding his surviving glass to his eye, likewise stepped forward. "Thank you

ly, making the examination over to a servan

n and let us send you home; I hope you did not get very wet, Lady Rosamond.-Ah! Mr. Strangeways, I did not know you were there," she proceeded, as the youngest of the officers accosted her; "come over and see us. You're better provided now;

!" was young Strang

as if she was quite dazzled. "You never said she

was in the dark

ut Lady Tyrrell. She is just like a

id Raymond,

n, as more than one exclaimed in indignant dismay, she said, "No, not the Gorgon, but the beautiful winged

sister, some of the elder; and it lasted till they entered the park, where all were glad to partake of their well-earned meal

ivil and attentive to her, she found herself effaced by the more full-blown Rosamond, accustomed to the same world as the guests; an

really anticipated with complacency; for though Julius had bidden the bells to be rung for afternoon service, Raymond was

n Church, and overtook the three sisters-in-law

ith you," said Lady Tyrrell, "po

to Wil'sbro'?

along the river. I don't know how we shall ever be able to go back ag

church at once," said Cecil. "Of course they w

ic, but which evidently gratified Cecil. "But we will have a committee of our own, and

every year for the Infirmary, only my fath

different thing. The stall of the three brides. What an attraction! I shal

found there was to be a meeting on Tuesday in the Assembly-room, of both sexes, to consider of the relief of the work-people, and that he would be glad to take her to it. Moreover, as it was to be strictly local, R

said Julius. "I do not want to hav

d Cecil, with a sort of self-ide

ervices as they like; but there is no hour that I

cholas be very edifying for

laugh, "I should think not! Fancy old Fu

that is burnt," re

look on the faces of both the elder clergy, and a horror-stricken one upon Anne's; while Cecil pronounced her inevitable

itary bit of ecclesiastical knowledge-"A friar'

while all the gentlemen laughed. Frank asked if it were really so, and Mr. Bindon made the

by saying, "I saw little Pettitt, Julius, this afternoon, overwhelmed with grati

aggering out, with the fascinating lady with the long eye

hirty shillings each, with natural hair-that they should be destroyed! If the heat or the water did but come near them, Adolphus would never get over it. I could only pacify h

s Pettitt

re took a sudden freak and came down Long Street; and though the house is standing, it had to be emptied and deluged with water to s

caught the sound, and said, "Ah, Julius! don't I rememb

olidays, and Raymond and Miles had been black and blue the whole half-year from having fought my battles whenever I was called either 'Bunny' or 'Grandfather.' So when he assured me he could turn my

Nora had cried for forty minutes over her sum, she declared that she wanted

of every kind of crimson and scarlet. A fearful obj

e all the time on the profanity of flying against Scripture by trying to alter one's hair from what Providence had made it. Nothing would do; her soap only turned it into shades of lemon and

little Radical to hear him talk, and yet staunch in his votes, for he

not lost much

he owes its safety entirely to you, Julius. I think he would present you with

ter marching out of the dining-room, lay in wait to intercept her husband, and when she

t th

at improper way

have said what

preposterous! I ne

n evidently is up

quite sure she said it out of mere opposi

at?" said

ion Dunstone, and tell them t

eyes in wonder and rebuke, he continued, in his elder-brotherly tone of kindness, "You know I t

naged things

aid, "Your father did what he thought his duty, but I do not think it mine, nor yours, to

d. I'm sure I

n may be trying, in these close quarters with a younge

Irish earl, and a C

own place and duties, and Rosamond has hers. If you meddle in them, nothing but annoyance can come of it; and remember, I cannot be appealed to in question

one and Dunstone's daughter were of no account, and her most cherished notions disputed. What was the lady of the manor to do but to superintend the church, parsonage, and pari