Chapter 25
In fact, any one so busy as Miss Chesney during all this day can scarcely be imagined. Her activity is surprising, and draws from Cyril the remark that she ought to go as hospital nurse to the wounded Turks, as she seems eminently fitted for an energetic life.
After luncheon she disappears for a while, so that at last--though not for long--something like repose falls upon the house, which sinks into a state of quietude only to be equaled by that of Verne's "Van Trica.s.se."
Miss Beauchamp is in her room, studying art; Cyril is walking with a heart full of hope toward The Cottage; Lilian is absent; Guy is up-stairs with his mother, relating to her a new grievance anent poachers.
The lad now in trouble is an old offender, and Guy is puzzled what to do with him. As a rule all scamps have something interesting about them, and this Heskett is an unacknowledged favorite of Sir Guy's.
"Still I know I ought to dismiss him," he says, with a rather troubled air, and an angry, disappointed expression upon his face.
"He is young, poor lad," says Lady Chetwoode.
"So he is, and his mother is so respectable. One hardly knows what to do. But this last is such a flagrant act, and I swore I would pack him about his business if it occurred again. The fact is, I rather fancy the boy, and his wild ways, and don't like driving him to destruction. What shall I do, mother?"
"Don't do anything, my dear," replies she, easily.
"I wish I could follow your advice,"--smiling,--"but, unfortunately, if I let him off again I fear it will be a bad example to the others. I almost think----"
But what he thinks on this particular subject is never known.
There is a step outside the door,--a step well known to one at least of those within,--the "soft frou-frou and rustle" of a woman's gown,--and then the door is pushed very gently open, and Lilian enters, with a curious little bundle in her arms.
"See what I've got!" she cries, triumphantly, going over to Lady Chetwoode, and kneeling down beside her. "It's a baby, a real live baby!
look at it, auntie; did you ever see such a beauty?"
"A baby," says Lady Chetwoode, fearfully, putting up her gla.s.ses, and staring cautiously down upon the rosy little fellow who in Lilian's encircling arms is making a desperate effort to a.s.sert his dignity, by sitting up and glaring defiantly around him.
"Yes, indeed; I carried him away when I found him, and have been playing with him for the last ten minutes in my own room. Then I began to think that you might like to see him, too."
"That was very nice of you, my dear," with some hesitation. "It is certainly a very clean baby, but its dress is coa.r.s.e. Whose baby is it?"
"He belongs to the laundress, I think," says Lilian, "but I'm not quite sure. I was running through the kitchen when I saw him; isn't he a rogue?" as baby puts up a chubby hand to seize the golden locks so near him: "look at his eyes, as big as saucers."
She laughs delightedly, and baby laughs back at her again, and makes another violent jump at her yellow hair. Sir Guy, gazing intently at the pretty picture, at Lilian's flushed and lovely face, thinks he has never before seen her look half so sweet. Gay, merry, fascinating she always is, but with this new and womanly tenderness within her eyes, her beauty seems trebled. "See, he wants my hair: is he not a darling?" she says, turning her face, rose-red with pleasure, up to Sir Guy.
"The laundress's
"Well, Jane was holding it in her arms, but it can't be hers, decidedly, because she hasn't got one."
"Proof positive," says Guy.
"Nor can it be cook's, because hers is grown up: so it must be the laundress's. Besides, she was standing by, and she looked so glad about it and so pleased when I took it that I am sure she must be his mother.
And of course she is proud of you, you bonny boy: so should I be, with your lovely face. Oh, look at his little fists! he is doubling them up just as though he were going to fight the world. And so he shall fight it, if he likes, a darling! Come; your mammy is pining for you."
As she speaks she rises, but baby is loath to go yet awhile. He crows so successfully at Lady Chetwoode that he makes another conquest of her, and receives several gentle pats and a kiss from her, to Lilian's great gratification.
"But he is too heavy for you," says her ladys.h.i.+p, addressing Lilian.
"Guy, ring the bell for one of the servants to take him down."
"And offend his mother mortally. No indeed, auntie. We should get no clothes fit to wear next week if we committed such a _betise_. As I brought him up, so I shall carry him down, though, to do him justice, he _is_ heavy. No servant shall touch him, the sweet boy,"--this to baby in a fond aside.
"I will carry him down for you," says Guy, advancing slowly from the window where he has been standing.
"You! Oh, Sir Guy, fancy you condescending to touch a baby. Though I forgot," with a quick, mischievous look at him from her azure eyes, "I believe there once was a baby you even professed to be fond of; but that was long ago. By the bye, what were you looking so stern about just as I came in? Were you pa.s.sing sentence of death on any one?"
"Not quite so bad as that," says Lady Chetwoode. "It is another of those tiresome poachers. And this Heskett, is certainly a very naughty boy. He was caught in the act last night, and Guy doesn't know what to do with him."
"Let him off, forgive him," says Lilian, lightly, speaking to her guardian. "You can't think how much pleasanter you will feel if you do."
"I believe you are right," says Guy, laughing, "and I dare say I should give him a last chance, but that I have pa.s.sed my word. Give me that great heavy child: he looks as though he were weighing you down to the ground."
"I think she holds him very prettily," says Lady Chetwoode: "I should like to have a picture of her just so."
"Perhaps some day she will gratify you," returns Guy, encouragingly.
"Are you going to give me that _enfant terrible_, Miss Chesney, before you expire?"
"I am stronger than you think. And are you quite sure you can hold a baby? that you won't let it fall? Take care, now, and don't look as though you thought he would break. That will do. Auntie, don't you think he would make a capital nurse?"
"I hope that child will reach its mother alive," says auntie, in a tone suggestive of doubt, after which Guy, escorted by Lilian, leaves the room.
Half-way down the stairs this brilliant procession meets Florence coming up.
"What is that?" she asks, stopping short in utter amazement, and staring blankly at the baby, who is blinking his great eyes in a most uncompromising fas.h.i.+on and is evidently deriving much refreshment from his little fat, red thumb.
"A baby," says Guy, gravely.
"A real live baby," says Lilian, "a real small duck," giving the child's plump cheek a soft pinch over Guy's shoulder. "Don't be frightened, Florence; he don't bite; you may give him a kiss in all safety."
"Thanks," says Florence, drawing her skirts closer round her, as though the very idea has soiled her garments. "I don't care about kissing promiscuous babies. Really, Guy, if you only knew how ridiculous you look, you would spare yourself the humiliation of being so seen by your servants."
"Blame Lilian for it all," returns Guy. "I know I shall blush myself to death if I meet any of the women."
"I think Sir Guy never before looked so interesting," says Miss Chesney, who is making frantic play all this time with the baby; but its mood has changed, and now her most energetic efforts are received--not with smiles--but with stolid indifference and unblinking contempt by the young gentleman in arms.
"I cannot say I agree with you," Miss Beauchamp says, with much subdued scorn, "and I do not think it is kind to place any one in a false position."
She lets a little disdainful angry glance fall upon Lilian,--who unfortunately does not profit by it, as she does not see it,--and sweeps up the stairs to her aunt's apartments, while Guy (who is not to be sneered out of his undertaking) stalks on majestically to the kitchen, followed by Lilian, and never pauses until he places the chubby little rogue he carries in its mother's arms,--who eventually turns out to be the laundress.
"I am not a judge," he says to this young woman, who is curtsying profusely and is actually consumed with pride, "but Miss Chesney has declared your son to be the loveliest child in the world, and I always agree with Miss Chesney,--for reasons of my own."
"Oh, thank you, Sir Guy; I'm sure I'm much obliged to you, Miss Chesney," says the laundress, turning the color of a full-blown peony, through excitement.
"What is his name?" asks Lilian, giving the boy a last fond poke with her pretty slender finger.
"Abiram, miss," replies the mother, which name much displeases Lilian, who would have liked to hear he was called Alaric, or Lancelot, or any other poetical appellation suitable for the most beautiful child in the world.
"A very charming name," says Guy, gravely; and, having squeezed a half-sovereign into the little fellow's fat hand, he and Lilian go through the pa.s.sages into the open air.
"Guardy," says Lilian, "what is a 'promiscuous baby'?"