Chapter 124
"Not absolutely. It was Winthorne told me. Captain Chambers came into the manufactory, and spoke of it this afternoon."
"I dare say it's true," said Henry. "I wonder if Anna Lynn will put on weeds for him?" he sarcastically added.
"Quakers don't wear weeds."
"Teach your grandmother," returned Henry, lapsing into one of those free, popular phrases he indulged in, and _was_ indulged in. "How you stare at me! Do you think I am not _cured_? Ay; years ago."
"You'd have no objection to see Anna marry, I suppose?"
"She's welcome to marry, for me. You may go and propose to her yourself, if you like. I'll be groomsman at the wedding."
"Would the alliance give you pleasure?"
Henry laughed. "You'd deserve hanging in chains, if you did enter upon it; that's all."
"I have had one wife a.s.signed to me to-day," remarked William.
"Whom may she be?"
"Sophy Glenn."
"Sophy Glenn?"
"Sophy Glenn. Chambers gravely a.s.sured me that Helstonleigh had settled the match. He, Chambers, considers that I may go farther and fare worse.
Mr. Ashley said the same."
"But what do _you_ say?" cried Henry, rising up on his sofa, and speaking quite sharply.
"I? Oh, I shall consider of it."
At that moment Mary Ashley appeared on the terrace outside; a small basket and a pair of scissors in her hand. Henry called to her. "Are you going to cut more flowers?"
"Yes. Mamma has sent the others away. She said they were fading." Seeing William there, she nodded to him, her colour rising.
"I say, Mary--he has come here to bring some news," went on Henry. "What do you suppose it is?"
"Mamma has told me. About Herbert Dare."
"Not that. He is going to make himself into a respectable man, and marry Sophy Glenn. He came here to announce it. Don't cut too much of that syringa; its sweetness is overpowering in a room."
Mary walked away. William felt excessively annoyed. "You are more dangerous than a child," he exclaimed. "What made you say that?"
And Henry, like a true child, fell back, laughing aloud. "I say, though, comrade, where are you off to?" he called after William, who was leaving the room.
"To cut the flowers for your sister, of course."
But when William reached Mary Ashley, she had apparently forgotten her errand. Standing in a dark spot against the trunk of the acacia tree, her face was white and still, and the basket lay on the ground. She picked it up, and would have hastened away, but William caught her hand and placed it within his arm, little less agitated than
"Not to tell him that news," he whispered. "I did indeed come here, hoping to solicit one to be my wife; but it was not Sophy Glenn. Mary, you cannot mistake what my feelings have long been."
"But--papa?" she gasped, unable to control her emotion.
He looked at her; he made her look at him. What strange, happy light was that in his earnest eyes, causing her heart to bound? "Mr. Ashley sent me to you," he softly whispered.
Henry lay and waited till he was tired. No William; no Mary; no flowers; no anything. Had they both gone to sleep? He arose; and, taking his stick, limped away to see after them. But he searched the flower-garden in vain.
In the sheltered shrubbery, pacing it leisurely, as closely together as they could well be linked, were they; a great deal too much occupied with each other to pay attention to anything else. The basket lay on the ground, empty of all, except the scissors.
"Well, you two are a nice lot for a summer's day!" began Henry, after his old fas.h.i.+on, and using his own astonished eyes. "What of the flowers?"
Mary would have flown, but William held her tightly, and led her up to her brother. He strove to speak jestingly; but his voice betrayed his emotion.
"Henry, shall it be your sister, or Sophy Glenn?"
"So! you have been settling it for yourselves, have you! I would not be in your shoes, Miss Ashley, when the parental thunderbolts shall descend. Was this what you flung Sir Harry over for? There never was any accounting for taste in this world, and there never will be. I ask you where the flowers are, and I should like an answer."
"I will cut them now," said William. "Will you come?" he asked, holding out his arm to Henry.
"No," replied Henry, sitting down on the shrubbery bench, "I must digest this shock first. You two will be enough to cut them, I dare say."
They walked away towards the flower-garden. But ere they had gone many steps he called out; and they turned.
"Mary! before you tie yourself up irrevocably, I hope you will reflect upon the ignominy of his being nothing on earth but a manufacturer. A pretty come down, that, for the Lady Marr who might have been!"
He was in one of his most ironical moods; a sure sign that his inward state was that of glowing satisfaction. This had been his hope for years--his plan, it may be said; but he had kept himself silent and neutral. As he sat there ruminating, he heard the distant sound of the pony carriage; and, taking a short cut, met it in the park. Mr. Ashley handed the reins to his groom, got out, and gave his arm to Henry.
"How are you by this time?"
"Better, sir. Nothing much to brag of."
"I thought William would have been with you. Is he not come?"
"Yes, he is come. But I am second with him to-day. Miss Mary's first."
"Oh indeed!" returned Mr. Ashley.
"They are gone off somewhere, under the pretext of cutting flowers. I don't think the flowers were quite the object, though."
He stole a glance at his father as he spoke. But he gathered nothing.
And he dashed at once into the subject he had at heart.
"Father, you will not stand in their light! It will be a crus.h.i.+ng blow to both, if you do. Let him have her! There's not a man in the world half as worthy."
But still Mr. Ashley made no rejoinder. Henry scarcely gave him time to make one.
"I have seen it a long time. I have seen how Halliburton kept down his feelings, not being sure of the ground with you. I fear that to-day they must have overmastered him; for he has certainly spoken out. Dear father, don't make two of the best spirits in the world miserable, by withholding your consent!"
"Henry," said Mr. Ashley, turning to him with a smile, "do you fancy William Halliburton is one to have spoken out without my consent?"