LI E) R.AFLY 
 
 OF THE 
 UNIVERSITY 
 or ILLINOIS 
 
 623 
 G66Sac
 
 c. 
 
 CREATURES OF CLAY
 
 CREATURES OF CLAY 
 
 Ji Itoin;!. 
 
 BY 
 
 LADY VIOLET GREVILLE, 
 
 AUTHOR OF "ZOB," "KEITH'S WIFE," ETC. 
 
 Yc children of mau ! Whose life is a spau. 
 
 Protracted with sorrow from day to day, 
 Naked and fcatherless, feeble and querulous. 
 
 Sickly, calamitous Creatures of Clay." 
 
 AllISTOrHANEb. 
 
 IN THREE VOLUMES. 
 VOL. L 
 
 LONDON— CLIAPMAN and HALL 
 
 LIMITED. 
 
 1885. 
 \_AU Rights Itcscrvcd.']
 
 WESTMINSTER: 
 
 PRINTED BY NICHOLS AND SONS, 
 
 25, PARLIAMENT STREET.
 
 8SS 
 
 fu 
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 VOLUME I. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
 I. — Foiled 
 II. — An Old Friend 
 Til. — Cousinly Affection . 
 IV. — The Family Lawyer . 
 
 V. — Maud anticipates 
 VI. — Luce Windermere 
 
 VII. — A RELUCTANT CANDIDATE 
 
 .^- VIII. — The Pearl Necklace . 
 
 •^ 
 
 '^ IX. — A nice Girl 
 
 -V X. — The Meeting in the Town Hall 
 
 .^ XI.^" Granny" 
 
 js XII. — The Black Mare 
 
 /< XIII. — Luce is coy 
 
 ^XIV. — Julian finds an agreeable Girl 
 ^ XV. — Mrs. Vincent is annoyed 
 
 ^ XVL— Was it Love ? . 
 
 ^-XVII. — Granny's Reminiscences 
 
 ^ XVIII. — Lady Fenchurch receives a letter 
 
 ;5 
 
 XIX. — Dick accepts a Trust 
 
 ^ XX. — The Trust proves a Curse 
 
 page 
 
 1 
 
 26 
 
 41 
 
 52 
 
 63 
 
 78 
 
 95 
 
 115 
 
 127 
 
 142 
 
 156 
 
 172 
 
 185 
 
 197 
 
 218 
 
 231 
 
 248 
 
 266 
 
 289 
 
 301
 
 CREATURES OF CLAY. 
 
 CHAPTER 1. 
 
 It was August in London, dull, hot, stifling 
 weather, when the sky looks brazen, the 
 prematurely-faded yellow leaves begin to 
 flutter and fall from the grimy trees in 
 the parks^ and the streets become dusty and 
 ill-odorous. Dirty bits of paper fly up and 
 about in the scorching scirrocco-like air, 
 everybody of any importance is out of 
 town ; the blinds of fashionable houses are 
 closed, and the care-takers go about in curl- 
 papers and slippers. 
 
 On such a day a young man, morosely 
 chewing at a cigar, sat in the window of one 
 of the few West End clubs that was not shut 
 up in consequence of cleaning or repairs. 
 He had a bright, fair, young, English face, 
 which at that instant wore an evil expression 
 of angry despair, evidently foreign to its 
 
 VOL. I. B
 
 2 Creatukes of Clay. 
 
 character. After a few moments of sullen 
 
 reflection, the young man rose and walked 
 to the chimney-piece, against which he 
 
 rested his forehead gloomily. 
 
 '' I say, Dick," exclaimed another young 
 man who was reading the paper at a little 
 distance, ^^why don't you answer ? I asked 
 you if you knew that Evelyn Bray, the girl 
 we met at the Milners in the summer, that 
 time at Henley, you know, when we had 
 such jolly water-parties, was just married 
 to old Sir Hilary Fenchurch." 
 
 ''I didn't know it till you read out the 
 news just now,'* answered his friend, sullenly. 
 
 '' She was very good-looking," mused the 
 other, ^' and I suppose she thinks she has 
 made a good thing of it, for I believe she 
 
 is an orphan without a penny — seems rather 
 a pity though, doesn't it ? He must be old 
 enough for her father." 
 
 ^ ' Rather a pity ! I should just think it was ; 
 it's disgusting to see a girl sell herself like 
 that." 
 
 '' Oh well, my dear fellow, it doesn't do 
 to be too hard upon them, poor things, it is 
 their profession, you know, like the army 
 for me "
 
 Creatures of Clay. 3 
 
 '^A vile profession ! " said Dick, vin- 
 dictively. 
 
 ^^ What a bad temper you are in to-day, 
 what's the matter, eh ? " said the other, 
 stretching himself more luxuriously in his 
 deep arm-chair, and extending a languid 
 hand to the glass of iced lemon and soda- 
 water that stood on a little table beside 
 him. '' Tailor sent your bill in — or lost at 
 Goodwood, eh ? " 
 
 '^ Neither. I'm only sick of the folly of 
 the life we lead ; what's the good of it all ? 
 How long will it last ? Women cheat, men 
 lie and rob you, and — its confoundedly hot." 
 
 ^' So it is, but you can't reform the world; 
 get as much fun as you can out of it, that's 
 my maxim, and don't fuss yourself." 
 
 '^ You never fussed yourself, I'm sure," 
 sneered Dick. 
 
 " Never, It don't pay." 
 
 '^ I should like to know what does pay, 
 Eellows grumble at the army, the navy, 
 their wives, their people — ever}/ thing." 
 
 ^' At least, you can't grumble. You have 
 all that a man can want, nothing to do, 
 splendid prospects, and a grandmother who 
 will stand 3^ou an^r amount of money." 
 
 B 2
 
 4 Ckeatuhes or Clay. 
 
 Dick was silent. The bitterness he felt 
 was too deep for words. Presently he 
 quitted the club and his contented friend, 
 who, left in solitude, dropped off into 
 peaceful slumbers for the rest of the after- 
 noon, and woke up, cool and refreshed, just 
 in time for dinner. Dick, on the contrary, 
 once in the street, walked on quickly, re- 
 gardless of the heat, until he reached his 
 lodgings, where he set to work energetically 
 to pack a portmanteau. 
 
 Dick Carrol was a spoilt favourite of for- 
 tune. He had been brought up by an 
 adoring grandmother, and pampered by 
 society, who beheld in him the possible heir 
 to a large fortune. He had scarcely ever 
 been contradicted, and never knew wliat 
 it was to receive the thing expressed by 
 that salutary but disagreeable figure of 
 speech, a slap in the face. Dick now, for the 
 first time in his life, was hopelessly, stupidly, 
 wretchedly in love. And, having informed 
 his goddess of this condition of things, 
 which ought to have made some impression 
 upon her heart, he was forced to read of her 
 marriage to another, an elderly, common- 
 place, country baronet. Not only therefore
 
 Creatures of Clay. 5 
 
 was she imfaitliful and unappreciative, but 
 she was also mercenary. Dick, maddened 
 and impetuous, resolved to revenge himself. 
 He would wildly pursue, would taunt, up- 
 braid, and dismay her. The newspaper in- 
 formed him that the happy couple were gone 
 to Switzerland (happy couple indeed) ! Dick 
 ground his teeth, he saw it was not a large 
 country on the map, he would scour tlie 
 country, search every hotel, and find them. 
 In this frame of mind he left England, and, 
 soon enough, came upon the traces of his 
 beloved and unfaithful mistress. 
 
 Meanwhile, Sir Hilary and Lady Fen- 
 church had been married a fortnight, and 
 the time allotted to the honeymoon, which, 
 according to the roving habits of the 
 English people, they had been spending in 
 Switzerland, was nearly exhausted. The 
 link that bound Imsband and wife together 
 was partly new and partly old. Evelyn 
 Bray, the orphan daughter of a poor gentle- 
 man, had lived with her guardian. Sir 
 Hilary Fenchurcli, and his sister, for several 
 years, until the time appointed for the 
 ratification of the solemn promise Sir Hilary 
 liad made to her dying father arrived,
 
 6 Creatures or Clay. 
 
 and he had clairaed her for his wife. Evelyn 
 made no objection ; Sir Hilary was about 
 thirty years older than herself, but he 
 was a kindly as well as a rich man, and 
 she had been brought up to value her 
 future position, and to consult his habits 
 and wishes. She was docile and gentle, not 
 particularly imaginative, and possessed all 
 the woman's love of luxuries and comforts. 
 She only vaguely realized the irrevo- 
 cability of the marriage tie, nor did she 
 anticipate any gi-eat or pleasurable result 
 from the change in her condition. Once 
 married. Sir Hilary treated her in his 
 usual fashion, pleasantly, 'considerately, with 
 a tinge of old-fashioned courtly deference 
 in his manner, which was rather flat- 
 tering to a young creature, but with none 
 of a lover's warmth. Evelyn was grate- 
 ful to him for this concession, for the sight 
 of an amorous middle-aged man disporting 
 himself in fond caresses is a somewhat dis- 
 agreeable spectacle, and, though Lady Een- 
 church entertained a calm affection for Sir 
 Hilary, any exhibition of passion on his part 
 would only have alarmed and disgusted her. 
 Those persons who were staying in the
 
 Creatures of Clay. 7 
 
 pleasantly picturesque mountain resort where 
 Sir Hilary and his wife elected to pass a few 
 days observed the new- married couple walk- 
 ing up and down, arm in arm, in the early 
 morning, (while Sir Hilary drank a couple of 
 glasses of some nauseous water, recommended 
 by the doctors for his periodical attacks of 
 gout), and noticed with surprise the happy 
 union of December and May. Yet, as every 
 bright thing has its reverse, so when Evelyn 
 remained alone, and Sir Hilary took a longer 
 or steeper pedestrian stretch, the placid ex- 
 pression of her face underwent a considerable 
 change. At such times she would wander into 
 som.e solitary part of the woods, nominally 
 intent on sketching purposes, in reality a prey 
 to disagreeable thoughts. For she then re- 
 called to her mind an episode of the last few 
 months which she had not confided to Sir 
 Hilary, and which, though it left her outward 
 circumstances unchanged, considerably modi- 
 fied her inner life. While on a visit to a friend, 
 but a few weeks before her marriage, she met 
 a handsome young man. They walked and 
 talked together in the intimacy of country- 
 house life, grew to understand and appreciate 
 eacli other, until one day he told her he loved
 
 8 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 her. And she, hearing such strange and 
 pleasant words, and for a moment forgetting 
 the rigid future in store for her, including 
 Sir Hilary and the comfortable settlement 
 to which she was destined, listened eagerly. 
 Listened to the detriment of her peace and 
 the loss of her self-respect, yet with the 
 lightness of her age and sex snatching at 
 the forbidden pleasure, and drinking in the 
 words of flattering love. Then, woman- 
 like, when her lover pressed her to throw 
 off the conventional shackles that bound 
 her, she dared not, and, true to neither, 
 married one man while her heart was given 
 to another. Powerless and disinclined to 
 forget a part of which she was now ashamed, 
 she weakly feared to speak of this to her 
 husband. For, she argued, what was there 
 to tell ? She had sent her lover away, assured 
 him that what he asked was im^^osssible, 
 that he must never think of her, that he 
 must never again see her- -in short, all the 
 pretty insincere vows and protestations that 
 women hard-pressed are wont to utter. She 
 left the house, feeling she had acted honour- 
 ably; she heard no more of him, and believed 
 he had forgotten her, yet, strangely enougli.
 
 Creatures of Clay. 9 
 
 indeed, this last thought increased her regret. 
 Occasionally, overcome by temptation, she 
 would put down her drawing materials, and, 
 leaning her head on her hand as she sat 
 among the cool green ferns and mosses, think 
 of tlie past with tearful sorrow; then, after 
 a little, remembering Sir Hilary, bestir her- 
 self and walk home, her hollow eyes and 
 pale cheeks rising up as witnesses against her. 
 This was certainly an uncomfortable and a 
 useless way of passing a honeymoon, and 
 poor Evelyn sometimes feared that Sir Hilary, 
 plain and practical as he was, might suspect 
 something unusual. At other times her 
 speculations led her to wonder aimlessly 
 where her lover might be, and if he had 
 really consoled himself for her loss with his 
 pretty cousin Maud, to whom the world's 
 gossip already married him ; but when they 
 readied this point her speculations invariably 
 ended in tears. Even the most heroically 
 prudish woman does not like to feel that she is 
 forgotten. By dint of musing over these sad 
 and hopeless reminiscences Evelyn attained 
 to a gentle melancholy and an uncontrollable 
 desire to see once more, if only to take a 
 pathetic farewell of him, the hero of her
 
 10 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 dreams. One afternoon especially, \\hen she 
 had plunged as usual into the recesses of the 
 pine- woods and walked listlessly to a spot 
 whence she could see range upon range 
 of distant snow-capped peaks melting into a 
 dim blue distance or standing out sharply 
 against the clear sky, silent and wonderful 
 in their majesty ; the longing to see Dick 
 grew more intense than ever, and she per- 
 mitted her thoughts to stray back to those 
 bright halcyon day s of lovemaking which now 
 seemed to her so precious, but which at the 
 time she had not sufficiently valued. They 
 were irrevocably gone, no longings could 
 recall them, why might she not therefore 
 retrace that happy time as if it concerned 
 some one else and not herself? Thinking 
 thus, she mused luxuriously in a kind of 
 melancholy rapture and was scarcely sur- 
 prised to see before her the object of her 
 tlioughts, who after severe travelling had 
 discovered her abode, and followed her in 
 her solitary walk. She felt pleased and 
 yet a little frightened. Such a pursuit 
 scarcely argued forgetfulness, and though 
 agreeable to dream of a lover it miglit not be 
 so easy to deal with him in flesh and blood.
 
 Creatures or Clay. 11 
 
 Dick left London with the intention of 
 indulging in a series of melodramatic re- 
 proaches; instead, as he saw the startled face 
 of a pretty girl before him, he threw himself 
 down beside her, and, taking her hand gently, 
 said '' Evelyn ! " Love was more prominent 
 than reproach in this adjuration, and as to 
 revenge he had totally forgotten its existence. 
 
 ^'Evelyn, why have you behaved so 
 cruelly ? Why did you marry another man 
 when I loved you and you knew it ? " 
 
 Youth always considers its own rights 
 first. 
 
 ^^ I said that our love — your love — was 
 wrong and foolisli," stammered Evelyn. 
 
 ^•' I can't see that; you were not obliged 
 to marry Sir Hilary." 
 
 ^' I could not help it, our engagement had 
 lasted so long. Papa wislied it, and on his 
 deathbed Sir Hilary promised him he would 
 marry me, and I " 
 
 ^ ' And for some silly idea of duty you 
 have spoilt my life and yours. I never 
 believed you really meant it ; I thouglit that, 
 if I gave you time and did not worry you, 
 you would understand — would relent. I 
 loved you, Evelyn, and when a man loves
 
 12 Creatuhes of Clay. 
 
 lie deserves some consideration," said Dick, 
 reproachfully. 
 
 '^ Indeed, I am very sorry." 
 
 '' Venj soi^i^y! you speak like a little 
 school-girl ; didn't you love me ? " 
 
 ^' Well — you said so ; " the coquette in 
 her nature asserted itself. 
 
 ^^ You might at least have waited a bit, 
 have given a fellow some chance." 
 
 '^ There was no use in waiting," 
 
 ^' Everything would have come right if 
 you had only waited," he argued again 
 imj^atiently. 
 
 "' Yes, but I could not," she said softly. 
 
 " You were very cruel." 
 
 '^ Cruel to myself, don't you think I 
 suffered ? but then I knew it was right." 
 
 '^ Right, right ! you women only think of 
 yourselves; what a man feels is nothing. If 
 you had only trusted me, instead of sending 
 me away — to read your marriage one day 
 in a newspaper." 
 
 ^^ But Sir Hilary?" 
 
 '^ Hang Sir Hilary ! What a situation for 
 5^ou ! a prim old fellow, wlio will be just as 
 fond of the Board of Guardians or of his
 
 Creatures of Clay. 13 
 
 turnips as of Lis wife ; who won't understand 
 you or share your pleasures." 
 
 '* He is very kind," she whispered, trying 
 to palliate to her conscience the sin of hear- 
 ing her husband's character discussed. 
 
 ^' Can you not believe that I should have 
 been kinder ? " 
 
 Tears stood in Evelyn's eyes. She was 
 pitying herself, and imagining what im- 
 measurable bliss Dick's affection would have 
 afforded her. He saw his advantage. 
 
 ^' Do you not know that men have strong 
 passions, that they can feel ? Ay ! as you 
 never felt in your life, hedged in by all 
 your tepid ideas of duty and sentiment.*' 
 
 '' Oh, Dick! forgive me — forget me." 
 
 *' Forget you ! and- if I cannot ? if you're 
 the first woman I ever really loved ? — if you 
 seem to have taken away my very heart 
 with you? — if — oh! I cannot bear it, Evelyn! 
 I came all this way just to see you, just to 
 tell you, for once, what I think of you — of a 
 girl who plays with a man as you did ! 
 You shall hear ! " he emphasized, as she 
 tried to rise. ^' I loved you, and you jilted 
 me for a rich old man." 
 
 '' Oh ! Dick ! Dick ! how can you ? " she
 
 14 Ckeatures of Clay. 
 
 cried, fairly friglitened now, and wondering 
 how she should get rid of him. ^' I could 
 not help it — indeed I could not if I loved 
 you." 
 
 '' You loved me ! — you love me still ! — 
 you're miseimhle! I'm glad you're miserable, 
 Lady Fenchurch ! " 
 
 He jumped up and stood over her, lashing 
 himself into a rage as he spoke. Her head 
 sank lower and lower ; she picked nervously 
 with her fingers at the tiny grasses She 
 was a little ashamed, and not a little 
 alarmed. 
 
 '* Do not let us reproach each other," she 
 said quietly, though her heart beat fast. 
 ^' We have been rudely parted, I know ; 
 and I assure you I have suffered bitterly ; 
 but I will try to bear my burden, and you 
 must try to bear yours — for my sake, 
 please." 
 
 Her voice faltered. He looked at her, 
 first angrily, then kindly, then triumphantly. 
 He thought he saw the weakness in the 
 strength she tried to assume. 
 
 ^•For your sake! Women always say 
 that.'' 
 
 '' The loss of a woman, after all, is
 
 Creatures of Clay. 15 
 
 nothing in a man's life. You are a noble 
 fellow ; you are sure to do what is right ; 
 — forget '' 
 
 She could say no more. The tears ruslied 
 to her eyes, yet she felt a sense of pride 
 almost as great as if she had won a victory. 
 He threw himself again beside her, and 
 pressed her hand in his. 
 
 *' Evelyn, these heroics are absurd. Why 
 shouldn't we be happy ? why should our 
 life be spoiled ? You have been married 
 through a terrible misunderstanding ; you 
 could not help it, I know, but you will never 
 love Sir Hilary ; never be happy. Come 
 with me — come. I will love you and care 
 for you." 
 
 She put out her hands as if to keep him 
 off, and shrank away ; she had no desire to 
 outrage society. 
 
 ^' No, no ! not that ; never say that again, 
 such things are nonsense," she said. 
 
 '^ Nonsense — Ah, I thought you could not 
 love me,'' he said gloomily. ''Yet I cannot 
 bear to see you wretched all your life.'' 
 
 ''I shall not be wretched," she said, with a 
 little forced laugh ; ''I mean to enjoy my-
 
 16 CiiEATUiiES OF Clay. 
 
 self, to be very good; Sir Hilary is most 
 indulgent." 
 
 *^ You don't love me ; and I was a fool to 
 think so," he said angrily. 
 
 ^^It must be as I said, Dick," she answered 
 severely ; '^ you know it must." 
 
 '^Must be — must be!" muttered the 
 young man, impatiently, feeling, for the 
 first time in his life, an impracticable barrier 
 opposed to his wishes. ^' Of course, it is for 
 you to decide ; if you tell me of your own 
 free will to go, I must ; but " 
 
 ^' I do tell you — I wish it." 
 
 He looked at her keenly. Her voice 
 sounded firm and clear ; she evidently meant 
 it. His happiness was nothing to her ; she 
 had chosen her own line and intended to 
 keep to it. After all, perhaps, she was 
 right, there would be complications — and 
 men did not die of love. Still he hesitated ; 
 she was so beautiful ; no woman had ever 
 appeared to him so beautiful before, and he 
 was unaccustomed to be jilted ; the circum- 
 stances were usually reversed, girls had 
 cared hopelessly for him^ and he had never 
 given them a thought. 
 
 *^ Evelyn! Evelyn! pray reflect! you
 
 Ckeatures of Clay. 17 
 
 cannot send me away so." No answer. 
 She was very pale. And yet much calmer 
 than, in his infatuation, he would have ex- 
 pected. He rose slowly to his feet, waiting 
 for her to speak, ^' I am going," he said, 
 " Haven't you a word for me ? Won't you 
 change your mind, darling ? 1 do love you 
 so." 
 
 She rose also, and held out her hand, 
 turning away her head. 
 
 "Good-bye, forgive me," she said, quietly. 
 
 Then he jerked away her hand, and in 
 another instant the crashing of the bushoKS 
 told her he was gone. Pale and trembling, 
 she steadied herself against the trunk of a 
 pinetree, thoroughly exhausted and unnerved. 
 The sweet wild pink scented the air with 
 its fragrance, and the silver tinkle of the 
 cowbells sounded merrily from the valley, 
 but she saw and felt nothing. Her heart 
 seemed to stand still and a great veil of 
 darkness obscured her sight. How hard it 
 had been to convince him, what a pang it 
 had cost her ! Presently, as in a dream, she 
 walked on. The sun had set quite suddenly, 
 as happens in mountainous regions, and 
 the hills, but recently bathed in gleams of 
 VOL. I. c
 
 18 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 roseate light were now a sombre violet, a 
 small pale evening star twinkled above, and 
 the air was tinged with a sharp and frosty 
 coolness. She fell benumbed morally and 
 physically, and the chill air revived her. 
 
 When she reached home she found Sir 
 Hilary waiting and somewhat anxious. He 
 gently chid her for staying out so late, and 
 her conscience smote her as she saw that 
 he looked pale and worried. If he had but 
 known on what a thread her future happi- 
 ness still hung. 
 
 ^^ The papers are come," he said, looking 
 as unlike a jealous husband as possible, 
 " sit down here, you will like to read 
 them." 
 
 Gladly hailing this as a relief from con- 
 versation, she sat down, until by degrees 
 she was able to control her nervousness 
 and the tremulous tones of her voice. 
 
 In the morning a note was handed her 
 by the chambermaid. It contained only a 
 few lines : 
 
 '' You have willed it so. I leave to- 
 morrow. Still I give you one chance 
 more before I go. (I know not where, 
 to do what! ) Give myself to the Devil, 
 I suppose. Evelyn, do you really wish me
 
 Creatures of Clay. 19 
 
 to leave you ? If not send me a line to the 
 hotel, where I shall wait all dav. 
 
 '' Yours till death, 
 
 Evelyn crumpled the paper together in 
 her hands when she had read it. '' Why 
 does he try to tempt me, and make me 
 run such risks?" she cried; ^^it is cruel, 
 shameful ! " Yet many a time during 
 that dreadfully long hot day did she feel 
 inclined to waver, to be a flirt, and to 
 say, '' Come back, do not leave me, be my 
 friend." 
 
 Surely, she might at least have kept him 
 as a friend, — she was innocent of all wrong- 
 doing, and determined to continue to act 
 honestly ; but the sight of his countenance 
 would have been pleasant; why need she 
 deny herself that happiness ? Once she 
 seized a pen and began to write, then drop- 
 ping it buried her face in her hands, ^' Oh ! 
 how weak I am, how wicked ! " She 
 glanced at the clock and thought the day 
 interminable ; it was kind at least of Sir 
 Hilary to leave her alone and prolong 
 his constitutional beyond the usual limits 
 — soon, very soon, the feverish hours would 
 
 c2
 
 20 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 pass and slie wonld regain calm and quiet 
 again. 
 
 Outside every-day life proceeded merrily, 
 carts and carriages rattled along, drivers 
 cracked their whips with a will, bells 
 jingled and dust bepowdered the red car- 
 nations at the window and flew lightly into 
 the room. 
 
 Three o'clock, four o'clock, dusk, then 
 evening came. Elv^elyn lay on the sofa. Her 
 head ached. Meantime Dick, half mad with 
 rage and disappointment, sat biting at a 
 cigar and listening to every sound in the 
 hotel. To the very last he hoped and be- 
 lieved in his influence over her. She liad 
 seemed so affectionate, so pliable, before her 
 marriage, that he could not realize the 
 sudden change. He never considered what 
 was to follow, or what their lives would 
 have been in the future ; he never asked 
 liimself these questions ; he was young and 
 sanguine, and he loved her. That was 
 enough. Occasionally, indeed, he remorse- 
 fully remembered his grandmother, who 
 bestowed on him a handsome allowance, 
 whose heir he was supposed to be, and who 
 had hitherto proved invariably indulgent to
 
 Creatures of Clay. 21 
 
 all his follies. She was old and the shock 
 might harm her, kill her perhaps. No, no, 
 he said to himself, he would manage her, 
 talk to her, old folks were not so sensi- 
 tive, she would forgive him, and they would 
 all be happy eventually. Then as the hours 
 flew by he grew angry. Evelyn was seliisli, 
 she did not love him ; she must always 
 have intended to deceive him ; she told him 
 of her engagement, certainly, but he had 
 never believed her marriage to be so near 
 and so irrevocable. The news dealt his 
 hopes and his vanity a severe blow. He 
 had undertaken a long journey counting on 
 his influence over her, and it had proved 
 useless. No wonder he was angry, disap- 
 pointed, and miserable. 
 
 Night merged into morning, yet she did 
 not write. What a fool he was to have 
 believed in, to have cared for, her. It proved 
 that women were, as men had often said 
 in his hearing, only heartless coquettes. 
 Never again would he love. Then, with a 
 great revulsion of feeling, he began fo 
 question whether his passion had been of 
 so durable, so intense a nature. He was 
 very young, and life with all its possi-
 
 22 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 bilities lay before him, perhaps on the 
 whole it was best for him so, best that slie 
 had not consented to his prayer. He was 
 still free ! Then, almost with joy and a 
 great longing to shake the soil of the 
 hateful place from his feet, he departed. 
 
 The dust and hubbub of his travelling- 
 carriage reached the room where Evelyn 
 lay, wakefully tormenting herself with sad 
 thoughts; but no presentiment warned her 
 that the crisis in her fate was passed, 
 and that henceforth a new chapter of her 
 life would begin. 
 
 In such rude fashion ended Evelyn's 
 honeymoon, and in October the newly- 
 married pair returned to Oakdene, — Evelyn 
 quietly taking on pretty little matronly airs 
 and Sir Hilary seeming ruddy and cheerful 
 among his partridges and his turnips. 
 
 With the kind of sensation, as though she 
 had dropped down to earth from some fair 
 fairyland, Evelyn took up existence as she 
 had left it, listened to Miss Fenchurch's long 
 pointless monologues, walked down the silent 
 oaken galleries, passed through the unused 
 drawing-room, shrouded in holland covers 
 and fragrant with a faint smell of potpourri
 
 Creatures of Clay. 23 
 
 and camphor, held colloquies with the house- 
 keeper over jams and preserves, and heard 
 herself called distantly '^ My Lady " by 
 familiar voices who had hitherto said ^' Miss 
 Evelyn." Everything was quite 'the same 
 and yet really everything was quite dif- 
 ferent. Miss Fen church formally resigned 
 the keys and no longer made tea at break- 
 fast, an arrangement which enabled her to 
 knit indefatigably during the meal ; but the 
 gust of passion had passed over Evelyn's 
 soul and she could not forget. To herself 
 she was still Evelyn, not Lady Fenchurch, 
 and no formal ceremony of resigning keys 
 could force the fact upon her. 
 
 '^ She moped," Miss Fenchurch said; '^ it 
 was sad for a married woman to sit about 
 reading novels and dreaming away half the 
 day — let her take some exercise." 
 
 ^^Plunting," suggested Sir Hilary, cheerily. 
 
 '^ Certainly not ! what are you thinking 
 
 of, my dear brother, a married woman ? — 
 
 most injurious to the health." Sir Hilary 
 
 subsided, with a conscious chuckle. 
 
 Evelyn flamed out, '^ Why not, pray? why 
 should I not ? I love riding, Hilary ; I will 
 go out hunting with you to-morrow."
 
 24 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 Miss Fenclmrcli sliook her head, and Sir 
 Hilary, puzzled, glanced from one to the 
 other. 
 
 A considerable portion of Evelyn's time 
 was occupied by the never-ending callers, 
 wlio, partly impelled by curiosity, and partly 
 for want of something to do, inflicted them- 
 selves on the young bride. They had known 
 her for years as Evelyn Bray, but Evelyn 
 Fen church possessed the charm of novelty. 
 Each person reported what kind of dress she 
 was wearing, what wedding presents lay on 
 the table, whether the jewellery displayed 
 was handsome or betokened stinginess on the 
 p9j:t of Sir Hilary, regretting that the family 
 diamonds, of courpe, could only be seen to 
 advantage at the next county ball. How 
 Lady Fenchurch bore herself, whether she 
 looked happy, why the marriage had been 
 celebrated in perfect privacy in town, and 
 whether she had improved in looks, afforded 
 food for much gossip and a great deal of 
 very agreeable tea- drinking. Opinions were 
 divided as to whether she would be an 
 addition to the county society or not. Of 
 course, if she entertained and spent some of 
 the money which Sir Hilary had hitherto so
 
 Creatures of Clay. 25 
 
 carefully hoarded, it would be well enough. 
 Did he intend to stand for Parliament, and 
 would his wife make herself popular, were 
 the further questions the county asked itself, 
 and to which it eagerly awaited the answers.
 
 26 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 Dick went into Italy, dawdled away a fort- 
 night at Venice, took a run down to Rome, 
 and discovered, with surprise, that foreign 
 travel was in no ways distracting. Dis- 
 gusted and sore at heart he returned to 
 England. The first person he stumbled up 
 against in London was his cousin, Maud 
 Hardfast, whose joy at meeting him was at 
 least refreshing. Though a very handsome 
 girl, she had not succeeded in making a 
 match, and it occurred to her that Dick was a 
 chance not to be thrown away. Partly ow- 
 ing to her own talents as an accomplished 
 flirt, and partly to her mother's straitened 
 circumstances, the two women were regarded 
 by society in the light of hawks ready to 
 swoop down on any marriageable young man, 
 and were universally exposed to detraction
 
 Creatures of Clay. 27 
 
 by their own sex accordingly. To be "skied" 
 at the academy, to write poems which nobody 
 will read, to breed cattle who die of plem^o- 
 pneumonia the week before the show at 
 which in all likelihood they must have taken 
 prizes, are bitter things indeed, yet not more 
 fraught with bitterness than the feelings of a 
 hawked-about girl, who displays her wares 
 in vain, and leaves London season after 
 season, ticketed '' unsaleable." So Maud's 
 face brightened as she beheld her cousin, 
 and thought that there was still some hope 
 of her obtaining a desirable husband. 
 
 '^ Where do you come from ? What luck 
 to find you in town ! " she said, sweetly. 
 
 ^^ I've come from Dover," he answered, 
 rather ungraciously, hating to be cross- 
 questioned. '' I've been travelling abroad." 
 
 But Maud knew men's ways. She soon 
 smoothed down his rufHed features, and by 
 gentle means drove away his ill-temper, with 
 the result that he promised to visit her 
 mother on the morrow. 
 
 Dick felt terribly bored, with the ennui 
 that comes from a total want of any interest 
 in life, and almost any distraction seemed 
 good to him at that moment. So in an
 
 28 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 arclourless and yet expectant mood he pre- 
 sented liimself at Mrs. Hardfast's house. It 
 was part of the latter's principles never to 
 parade economy in any shape, her house 
 was as dai?itily furnished, her chintzes as 
 fresh, her muslin curtains as snowy as pos- 
 sible ; if the servants complained of scanty 
 wages, hard work, and numerous petty 
 makeshifts, and if stinginess were practised 
 in secret, yet nothing of this v/as evident 
 to Mrs. Hardfast's friends. The ladies 
 dined out a great deal, and when there 
 came no invitations contented themselves 
 with a slender tea and food that a 
 pampered footman would have rejected. 
 But then Maud's ball-dresses were beautifub 
 and her mother prided herself on being a 
 wondrous manager. The cool atmosphere of 
 the little drawing-room formed a delightful 
 contrast on tins broiling September day ; 
 sweet-smelling flowers filled innumerable 
 glasses on the table, and Maud herself, 
 dressed in the airiest and lightest of gar- 
 ments, radiated smiles and amiability. After 
 the soul-tempests Dick had undergone, and 
 the gradual conviction that was stealing 
 over him that he had made an egregious fool
 
 Creatures of Clay. 29 
 
 of himself, it suited him to talk of nothings, 
 and fling about the light ball of flimsy 
 society talk. Maud knew all the gossip, 
 and had a perfect store of amusing bits of 
 scandal to relate, so that the time passed 
 pleasantly, and he found little hesitation in 
 staying for five-o'clock tea, then staying on 
 to dinner, finally promising to call again on 
 the morrow. Maud was a wise girl in her 
 generation; she showed him nothing but 
 the frankest cordiality, without a spice of 
 coquetry, and soon restored him to good 
 liumour and a belief in himself, not one of 
 the least remarkable results of a clever 
 woman's tact. Things continued on this 
 footing, Maud gradually edging herself into 
 his confidence, and resuming her cousinly 
 authority, which had been, to some extent, 
 shaken during his infatuation for Lady 
 Fenchurch. She made herself necessary to 
 liini, used him as a friend, adviser, and 
 companion, and flattered his tastes and 
 vanity. '^ He is a wary bird,'* she said to 
 herself once, glancing at her handsome bold 
 features reflected in the chimney -glass, ^^ but 
 I think I am a match for him." 
 
 Mrs. Hardfast on these occasions found
 
 30 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 endless work in her household occupations, 
 and gracefully apologised for leaving the 
 young people alone. Her absence was a 
 boon to Dick, who was learning to appreciate 
 the pleasant dallying with a pretty woman, 
 and a machinery of companionship so care- 
 fully adjusted that not a jar or a hitch came 
 to break the agreeable and even monotony. 
 He was aimless and objectless, and shrank 
 nervously from going to his grandmother's, 
 where he was now long overdue; while Maud, 
 working on this reluctance, took every 
 opportunity of impressing on him that in 
 society alone, and in her society above all, 
 could be found real satisfaction. One day 
 Mrs. Hardfast, who possessed an only son, a 
 spoiled boy of about eleven, consulted Dick, 
 now installed as the intimate friend of the 
 family, about his education. She had heard 
 of a classical tutor, an Oxford man, highly 
 recommended, whose terms were moderate, 
 and she wondered if Dick would really be 
 so kind as to go and see him. Dick, now 
 in a mood of universal obligingness, promised, 
 and set out for the address given After a 
 lengthy drive he knocked at a small house 
 standing in a pretty little garden in the
 
 Creatures of Clay. 31 
 
 outskirts of London. The door was opened 
 to him by a lady. 
 
 '^ Is Mr. Bruce at home?" he asked, 
 doubtfully. 
 
 '^ Oh, yes/' said the lady, with a toss of 
 her head, and a glance of approval at Dick's 
 appearance. '' Pray step in here." 
 
 Dick, believing her to be the tutor's wife, 
 marvelled at his choice. '^ Mrs. Bruce, I 
 presume ? " he said. 
 
 ^' Oh dear no!" laughed the lively little 
 lady, her big black eyes sparkling, and her 
 parted lips displaying an even row of white 
 teeth. '' Mr, Bruce is a bachelor, and I am 
 his landlady, Mrs. Flinks." 
 
 " Indeed ! and a very charming one, Mrs. 
 Flinks," responded Dick, gallantly. 
 
 *' Single gentlemen are easy to please," 
 said the landlady, reflectively, posing her 
 head on one side in the attitude of a young 
 person on the lid of a French plum-box, 
 '' though to be sure I never was brought up 
 to let lodgings, and it does go^ against the 
 grain ; my poor pa would never have believed 
 I should come to this — but there, you want 
 to see Mr. Bruce — a college friend I presume
 
 32 Cheatures of Clay. 
 
 — and of course my blighted life is of no 
 moment to you." 
 
 '^ Your conversation is most attractive, but 
 you see I have business with Mr. Bruce." 
 
 ** Exactly so, I will acquaint him with it 
 at once," said the landlady, seductively sail- 
 ing from the room. Much amused at the 
 strange little creature's ways, Dick glanced 
 around. The room, evidently the landlady's 
 own, was nicely furnished with chairs and 
 sofa covered in green reps, a canary in a 
 bright brass cage hung in the window be- 
 tween the snowy muslin curtains, a print of 
 the Emperor Napoleon in historically martial 
 attitude scowled from the wall, and on the 
 tables were scattered photographs in plush 
 frames of simpering ladies and gentlemen. 
 In one corner stood a piano, and on the 
 music stool, with its pages open, lay the 
 score of Madame Angot set to English words. 
 After a few moments the landlady returned, 
 bridling and laughing, and proceeded to 
 escort her visitor upstairs, where, after 
 throwing open the door of the first-floor 
 sitting-room with a dramatic flourish, she at 
 last consented to leave the two men alone.
 
 Ckeatukes of Clay. 33 
 
 '^ Julian ! " ^^ Dick ! " burst simultane- 
 ously from their lips as they shook one 
 another heartily by the hand. ^'Who would 
 have thought of finding you here, old fel- 
 low ? " 
 
 '^ How did you track me out ? and how 
 well and — yes, manly you are looking, 
 Dick." Mr. Bruce drew forward a chair, 
 and a faint flush of pleasure rose on his 
 pallid cheek. Julian and Dick were old 
 school-fellows, they had messed, worked, and 
 consorted together. Dick, famous in the 
 cricket and playing fields, was a tyro at liis 
 books, and witli these Julian was ever ready 
 to help and advise. The two boys parted 
 when thev left school, Dick went to Cam-, 
 bridge and Julian to Oxford, and only met 
 occasionally. Dick hunted and boated and 
 spent money, Julian, as before, worked hard, 
 and owing his education to the savings of a 
 widowed mother, felt no temptation to spend, 
 but preferred honours to sporting notoriety. 
 Thus they drifted apart, their paths in life 
 diverging ever, and for the last two years 
 had completely lost sight of one another, 
 though each still retained an affection for 
 tlie playmate of his youth. They were a 
 
 VOL. I. D
 
 34 Ckeatukes of Clay. 
 
 contrast physically as well as morally. Dick 
 was well-knit, large of limb, fair and ruddy ; 
 athletics had developed his figure and given 
 him ease and grace of carriage. His bright 
 clear eyes, undimmed by care or work, 
 looked fearlessly out from beneath the broad 
 low forehead, while the curves of his full 
 mobile lips, hidden under the small mous- 
 tache, and the keen delicate nostrils de- 
 noted an emotional and impulsive tempera- 
 ment. Julian's height was above the aver- 
 age; his reedy, lank figure, bowed by study, 
 looked shrunken in the loosely-fitting old 
 grey coat he wore ; his hands, which in con- 
 versation he had a trick of knotting together 
 nervously, were thin and delicate as a wo- 
 man's ; his hair, fair and colourless, thrown 
 back from an exceptionally liigh white fore- 
 head, hung straight and limp; his eyes, of a 
 cool grey tint, had a dim absent exj)ression, 
 the expression of a thinker rather than a man 
 of action ; but the delicacy and feminine soft- 
 ness of his appearance was effectually contra-' 
 dieted by the large square chin and well 
 chiselled expressive mouth. His strength 
 of endurance was great, his ca23acity for 
 work immense. Dick's power, on the con-
 
 CHEATUKES OF ClAY. 35 
 
 trary, consisted in passionate energy, 
 though the energy, as a rule, lay dor- 
 mant and could be called out only by ex- 
 ceptional and serious circumstances. 
 
 The young student looked with pleasure at 
 his friend. His life was dull and lonely, but 
 beneath his calm exterior beat a warm and 
 tender heart. Dick, on his part, at sight 
 of him, recalled the happy days of boy- 
 hood, when to be captain of the boats 
 meant glory, and in the difficulties of Latin 
 verse consisted life's greatest misery. In 
 those days Dick had unconsciously deferred 
 to Julian, feeding the real superiority of 
 determination and pluck hidden under the 
 shy reserve of the quiet retiring boy. He * 
 had lived with other men since, had been 
 flattered and made up to, and influenced, 
 but he had never known what it was to 
 lean implicitly on the stay of true and 
 disinterested friendship since the hour he 
 parted from Julian. 
 
 ''Why, Julian, old fellow! how is it 
 you've come down to this ? Surely yoii are 
 not going in for the horrible drudgery of a 
 boy's tutor ? " 
 
 ^' Why not ? Is it not the work of a 
 
 D 2
 
 36 Ckeatuiies of Clay. 
 
 philosopher to be, as Addison says, ^ every 
 day subduing his passions and laying aside 
 his prejudices?' If prejudices prevent my 
 working for my bread, the sooner I divest 
 myself of them the better.'' 
 
 '' You are the same as ever, I see." 
 
 '^ Perhaps, not quite though ; can we ever 
 stand still ? " 
 
 '^ Well, I call it frittering away your 
 faculties to try and teach dull boys. By 
 Jove ! I hope for your sake, Julian, they 
 will be brighter at their books than I was." 
 
 ^' I confess it is the occupation of 
 necessity not of choice. I am working at a 
 ' magnum opus,' my dear Dick, a work 
 which, I trust, will revolutionise the whole 
 province of history, but like most good and 
 great undertakings it will not pay, and to 
 live (even the student requires some kind of 
 food) I must take what I can find, and 
 learn to be content with little ; hence the 
 descent, as you are pleased to consider it, to 
 teaching." 
 
 ^' Can I help you ? It does not seem fair 
 that your abilities should be wasted thus. 
 I have a good allowance myself, and there's
 
 Creatures of Clay. 37 
 
 granny, I am sure she would let me help 
 you." 
 
 ^' Thanks, Dick. There is no one in the 
 world to whom I would so willingly be in- 
 debted as yourself, but I cannot do this. 
 The moment a man accepts aid, he is 
 ruined ; his genius is fettered, his work 
 becomes indifferent, and self-reliance, that 
 invaluable quality, leaves him." 
 
 ^' Nonsense, Julian ! of some men that 
 might be true, but not of you and with mey 
 
 Julian shook his head. 
 
 ^' [ cannot tell, but I dare not test it. 1 
 have made two rules for my conduct in life 
 which I am determined not to break. ^ Be 
 honest with yourself,' and ^ Be under money 
 obligations to no man.' Let us talk of 
 something else ; what have you been 
 doing ? " 
 
 " Nothing ; I don't wish to do anything," 
 said Dick sadly ; ^^ I want to live my life as 
 I like, and hurt nobody, but they won't let 
 one alone to do so, and if one cares for any- 
 thing it is sure to go wrong. Life is a 
 gigantic mistake." 
 
 ^^Yes, life is a mistake," answered 
 Julian, a rapt exjDression coming into his
 
 38 CllEATUKES OF ClAY. 
 
 grey eyes, '^ and, because it is a tangle, the 
 best of us here below, the strongest and tlie 
 wisest, set to work to unravel it. The 
 Minotaur's labyrinth is no myth, but it needs 
 a hero to find the clue. What troubles you, 
 Dick ? you look honest and unspoiled : you 
 cannot be hampered for money ; what is it ? 
 tell me.'' 
 
 '^ I suppose it's the everlasting story — a 
 woman." 
 
 '^ Ah! '' said Julian, 'Hhen it's serious." 
 Characteristically, though this young man 
 had never known any woman intimately, 
 except his mother, a loving simple soul, he 
 believed implicitly in love as an over- 
 mastering passion. Dick, with very little 
 persuasion, unburdened himself (he knew 
 the secret fastnesses of his friend's heart), 
 and told of his mad, passionate, hopeless 
 love, which had come and grown and 
 withered like the gourd of scripture. 
 
 '^ The experience has been sharp," said 
 Julian, when he had finished ; ''but perhaps 
 salutary. You musn't sit down and moan ; 
 let it make a man of you. That woman's 
 picture in your heart may keep you always 
 from harm, she is sacred to you now."
 
 Creatures of Clay*. 39 
 
 ^' Yes " siohed Dick '' she will not see me 
 
 again. 
 
 in' 
 '? 
 
 '^ All honour to her. She has suffered, I 
 have no doubt, suffered doubly from her 
 weakness and apparent treachery. There^s 
 the sting, Dick, in the treachery ; but the 
 struggle is over now, and you are young 
 and have your life before you still." 
 
 At this juncture the irrepressible landlady 
 appeared bearing the tea-tray, which she 
 placed on the table, much to Julian's annoy- 
 ance -brushing aside as she did so one of his 
 most cherished manuscripts. '^ Shall I pour 
 out the tea ? " she asked, pluming herself, 
 ^^ Pa always said I was the best tea-maker 
 he knew and exactly understood the pro23er 
 mixture of green tea. Green is good for the 
 digestion, Mr. Bruce." ^'Thank you, madam, 
 I will pour out the tea myself." Bruce 
 politely bowed her away, and before the 
 good lady had recovered from her astonish- 
 ment she found herself alone in the passage 
 outside. ^' Well, I never,'' she muttered 
 viciously, ^^ he ain't a gentleman, though I do 
 believe his friend was better mannered." 
 Thereupon she applied her ear to the key- 
 hole in the hopes of hearing a remark about
 
 4.0 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 herself. In this she was disappointed ; the 
 two friends had reverted to politics. '^ I 
 should like to see you in Parliament. Dick," 
 said Julian, ^Hhere is your sphere; not to be- 
 come a place-hunter, a conscienceless official, 
 or a mere party man, but to take your own 
 line, to be independent, and act in the 
 interests of the people — the people, Dick, who 
 have made England. Let patriotism and 
 courage be your watchwords, words almost 
 forgotten in the strife of contending con- 
 stituencies, yet words which can be your 
 beacon and your reward. Must you be 
 going? " he added as Dick rose, "Good-bye, 
 I trust we shall meet again soon ; never let a 
 woman break your heart, Dick, not because 
 of her umvorthinesSj but because of the 
 ivorthiness which it must be your business to 
 display." 
 
 The two friends then shook hands, Dick 
 wending his way home more cheerfully 
 and Julian placidly reverting to his books.
 
 41 
 
 CHAPTEE III. 
 
 Maud waited in vain for her cousin that day. 
 In vain slie donned an attire of cerulean 
 blue, supposed to be especially bewitching, 
 and fit to ravish a man's eyes; no man came 
 to be ravished and delighted. Maud sat at 
 the window as the afternoon waned, gradually 
 growing crosser and crosser. ^' You had better 
 take off that gown " called Mrs. Hardfast 
 from her armchair, ^' he won't come now, 
 and that gown is your best, and vastly too 
 good to be crumpled up as you are doing." 
 
 '^ Oh mamma, don't worry, please," said 
 the girl pettishly.. 
 
 '^ I should like to know what would 
 happen to you if I did not worry," said her 
 mother, placidly, "if I had not slaved to 
 make both ends meet and given all my mind 
 to it, you couldn't be turned out as you are
 
 42 Creatures or Clay. 
 
 — fresli dresses, Paris make, fit for a duchess's 
 dauorliter. It is a comfort I am accustomed 
 to ingratitude." 
 
 ^^I'm not ungrateful," Maud sighed, ^'but 
 really, it is too hot to argue." 
 
 ^' I wonder who would have children if 
 one only knew beforehand what trouble and 
 annoyance they entail," continued Mrs. 
 Hardfast. ^' Maud, it's my belief you will 
 never marry Dick. He means nothing, and 
 is only dangling after you because he has 
 not anything better to do." 
 
 Mrs. Hardfast had a peculiarly cutting way 
 of uttering home-truths in a quiet voice, 
 wliich was extremely galling to the victim. 
 Maud turned pale and bit her pretty lips with 
 annoyance. 
 
 '' I am not at all sure that the report we 
 heard about Dick's falling in love with Lady 
 Fenchurch was not true. Dick is too much 
 of a gentleman to compromise a woman, but 
 he is deep and sly. Did you notice that he 
 never told us where he had been when he 
 went abroad ?" 
 
 '^He said he had been to Rome." 
 
 ^^ Yes, in an off-hand kind of way, but he 
 did not stay there all the time. Where did he
 
 Creatures of Clay. 43 
 
 spend that time? Men always talk about 
 their doings unless they have something- to 
 hide. They like the sound of their own 
 voices too well to be mute. Dick is hiding 
 something from us, I'm sure." 
 
 '' He is not bound to tell us everything," 
 said Maud, revealing a shade more interest 
 in the subject than she had previously 
 showed. 
 
 '' Certainly not. But you ought to find 
 out everything about his movements, for you 
 spend hours in his company," added her 
 mother, meaningly. 
 
 " We do not always talk," said Maud 
 crossly. 
 
 " What do you do, then, you don't make 
 love, I know ; do you go to sleep ? Eeall}^ 
 Maud, considering all the pains I have taken 
 to bring you up, and the advantages you 
 have had, you are a perfect fool." 
 
 Maud smiled a little, a bitter sarcastic 
 
 smile. 
 
 ^^ What visits shall we pay this autumn ? " 
 
 pursued Mrs. Hardfast reflectively; "Let me 
 
 see, this is the end of September, everyone 
 
 has returned from the seaside or foreign 
 
 baths ; I'm glad we saved our money and
 
 41 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 did not go there, for a campaign in country 
 liouscs is your best chance now; you phi}^ 
 tennis splendidly, and your figure can stand 
 those flannel gowns which are so dreadfully 
 unbecoming. You mustn't get any stouter 
 though, my dear, your bust is quite full 
 enough, and at your age stoutness detracts 
 from a youthful appearance." 
 
 ^' My age ! " said Maud. 
 
 '^Yes, your age; we needn't stand on cere- 
 mony and })retend to fine feelings when we 
 are alone ; let me tell you you're four and 
 twenty; getting on, my dear, getting on! 
 Now what invitations have you picked up ? 
 Not many, I'm afraid; I hope your sun hasn't 
 gone down yet; if so, you must marry a 
 parson or a country squire." 
 
 ^'Providing of course I fail with Dick; 
 why are you taking it for granted?" 
 
 ^^I won't do that," said Mrs. Hardfast, 
 looking admiringly at her daughter as she 
 rose and walked across the room. ^^ You are 
 very graceful and dance to perfection ; but 
 I think we are out of luck. Lady Bobadil 
 has married off her four ugly daugliters, 
 already." 
 
 '' That's different, she gives parties.''
 
 Creatukes of Clay. 45 
 
 Maud's ideal was not a high one; she was 
 accustomed to attribute every action to a 
 shabby motive, and the greater part of her 
 friends' conduct to petty design. She knew 
 no better, poor thing ! Happiness to her 
 meant a good settlement, and a nice person, 
 one who was susceptible to her beauty. 
 She loved her cousin according to her ability, 
 but she would have married any rich man 
 who came within her grasp. Such matter of 
 fact minds are not the highest types, but 
 they are very common in society, and if 
 they are not exceptionally tested prove 
 capable of sufficient attachment and ordinary 
 amiability. Maud received her cousin next 
 day with a little pleased air of surprise, and 
 with feline subtlety cross-questioned him as 
 her mother had advised. But Dick was 
 either obtuse or clever ; he parried her 
 attacks skilfully and she discovered nothing. 
 While they were talking, another visitor was 
 announced. This was the reserve arrow 
 Maud had privately kept to herself in case 
 of failure with her cousin, and perhaps as an 
 additional weapon should Dick prove recal- 
 citrant. Arthur Sterney was an ensign in 
 the Guards, addicted to tight clothes, gaudy
 
 46 Ckeatuhes of Clay. 
 
 ties, high collars, large cigars, late hours, and 
 full-blown women. He admired Maud 
 extremely, but it argued for the desperation 
 of her ambition to liave fixed her choice 
 upon him, for, though entitled to a sufficient 
 inheritance at his father's death, he had 
 already disposed of the major part at exor- 
 bitant interest to various obliging money- 
 lenders. 
 
 '' My cousin, Mr. Carrol ! " said Maud, 
 with a wave of her hand. 
 
 '^ Oh ! aw ! very happy to make your 
 acquaintance I'm sure ! " he said, after a 
 ])ause. 
 
 '' Dick has just returned from abroad,'' 
 she explained, to cover the awkward silence. 
 
 ^^ Oh ! aw! Paris I suppose? Wish I 
 could get away too ; they will keep me 
 stewing at Aldershot ; 'pon my word we 
 are as hard worked as navvies ; what's 
 the use of being a gentleman if you're to 
 work like a nigger ? Are you in the 
 army, Mr. Carrol ? " 
 
 Dick ex])lained that he was a free man, 
 consequently a happy one, and Mr. Sterney 
 forthwith aired his grievances. He told 
 how his maternal great- uncle owned the
 
 Creatukes of Clay. 47 
 
 best moor in Scotland, and how he had 
 been prevented by the unsymjDathetic au- 
 tliorities from shooting so much as a brace 
 of grouse. ^^ It's all the fault of the 
 radicals ; they won't understand that a gentle- 
 man is accustomed to certain things, and 
 can't exist without 'em." 
 
 Dick hereupon smothered a yawn, and 
 Maud deftly turned the conversation into 
 the channel of theatres. Young Sterney 
 was equally at home on this subject. 
 
 '^ Seen little Sally ? " he asked acconnno- 
 datingly ; '' oh ! she's capital ; a Yankee, you 
 know, keeps you in fits of laughter, and 
 dances like a tennis ball — beats the English 
 girls to nothing. I went last night, and 
 I'm going to-morrow. I've taken a stall 
 for the season. You really ought to come, 
 Miss Hardfast, do ! I'll get a box and give 
 you some supper at the Orleans afterwards. 
 The fellows in my regiment are mad about 
 her." 
 
 '^ Thanks," said Maud, demurely, ^^ I will 
 see if we can manage it." She had no ob- 
 jection to showing Dick how anxious other 
 young men were for her company, and how 
 desirous to minister to her pleasures. Dick
 
 48 CllEATURES OF ClAY. 
 
 certainly displayed the most complete in- 
 difference ; he expressed a friendly interest 
 in the theatrical performance, neither offer- 
 ing his escort, nor objecting to that of 
 the young ensign. However, she had her 
 revenge, for when Mr. Sterney had de- 
 parted, making his exit in as wooden 
 and imperturbable a manner as he had 
 effected his entrance, Dick settled himself 
 more comfortably, and, encouraged by her 
 sympathy, began to unfold to her some of his 
 ideas : — 
 
 ^^I met an old school-friend yesterday, 
 and. he has advised me to get something 
 to do. You see it's a bore, being an idle 
 man ? '' 
 
 ^' Yes," responded Maud, thinking that 
 if he were once married she would give 
 him plenty of occupation in escorting her 
 to balls and parties. 
 
 '^ He advises Parliament. I don't know 
 much about it, but I suppose one can learn ; 
 there are fellows who coach you up for every- 
 thing, politics and such like." 
 
 ^' Of course, and you are so clever." 
 
 '^ I don't think I am clever, but I have some
 
 Ckeatukes of Clay. 49 
 
 common sense, and I daresay I could get up 
 an interest in anything.'^ 
 
 ^' Have you any place in view ? How I 
 should like to canvass for you ! " 
 
 Her cheeks glowed and her eyes spoke 
 volumes of sympathy. 
 
 ^^I shall write to Granny to ask if she 
 has any objection. I must you know, for 
 the form of the thing, and I mean to go 
 down there in a day or two to talk over 
 matters, she has been expecting me some 
 time already." 
 
 " What do you think she will say ? " 
 
 '^ Nothing much, but I suppose Uncle 
 Vincent and his wife will make them- 
 selves disagreeable, however, I can generally 
 manage granny. What are your plans, you 
 are not going to stay on here, are you ? " 
 
 ^' Oh, no ! " Maud poised her pretty head 
 reflectively, '' we intend to pay a number 
 of country visits, perhaps we shall meet, who 
 knows ? " 
 
 ^' I hope we shall," he said heartily. 
 
 Maud had acquired the information she 
 sought. That same afternoon she dashed off 
 a note to Lady Eleanor High view whose 
 house, though in the neighbouring county, 
 
 VOL. I. E
 
 50 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 was not far distant from the abode of Dick's 
 grandmother. Once there, Maud would 
 manage the remainder, contrive to see him 
 by hook or by crook, deepen the impression 
 she had made upon him, increase her in- 
 fluence, finally carry him off captive. Politics 
 were a nice safety-valve, and anything was 
 better for her purpose than the society of 
 other women. 
 
 Maud then proceeded to her dressmaker's, 
 where she ordered one or two pretty walk- 
 ing-dresses and some new hats, promising 
 to send a cheque shortly for the amount of 
 last year's account — had she not incurred 
 fresh expense she would long since have 
 been pressed for it, — and calmly sat down 
 to await the answer to ner letter. It came in 
 a few days. Lady Eleanor said she would be 
 delighted to see Maud and her mother, and 
 thought it kind of them to have taken her at 
 her word, and interpreted the general invita- 
 tion given in the season into a special one. 
 No doubt some young people would be stay- 
 ing with her, and Maud must prepare herself 
 for tennis and balls. Maud's eyes sparkled 
 as she read the cordial letter. 
 
 '^ There, mamma ! you see I was not
 
 Creatures of Clay. 51 
 
 mistaken, my sun has not gone down yet, 
 for Lady Eleanor never invites people who 
 are not good-looking, agreeable, or useful. 
 I am not useful, for I have no money 
 and no interest, consequently I must be 
 good-looking." 
 
 Mrs. Hardfast smiled, and inmiediately 
 proceeded to discharge her cook, and to 
 screw the housemaid down to the lowest 
 possible figure of board wages, on the plea 
 that, with rents unpaid and Christmas 
 presents in prospect, she could not afford 
 more. Mrs. Hardfast's Christmas presents 
 to her servants consisted of an old gown 
 which could be of no possible use to her, 
 and of the winter number of some goody 
 picture paper. The housemaid was a new 
 arrival, however, and, imagining the Christ- 
 mas presents to mean a crisp bank-note, 
 consented, after a little demurring, to the 
 board wages proposed. 
 
 " And now, Maud," cried Mrs. Hard- 
 fast, having settled these agreeable pre- 
 liminaries, '^ I am ready to start whenever 
 you like." 
 
 E 2
 
 52 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 It was about tliis time, that one evening Sir 
 Hilary Fencliurch imparted a piece of news 
 to his wife and sister. Returning from the 
 county town he met the family lawyer, 
 Mr. Dewsnap, who received it straight from 
 Mr. Marall the member's own lips, that he 
 had decided to retire from Parliament, and 
 agreed to ask Sir Hilary to be his sub- 
 stitute in the event of a vacancy for the 
 county, in which case there might possibly 
 be a contest. Hitherto a quiet and undis- 
 puted Tory seat, some dashing young Liberal 
 might take it into his head to come down 
 and make a forlorn trial to regain it. 
 
 ^^They wish you to stand?" said Miss 
 Fen church. 
 
 '"' Yes." Sir Hilary hesitated a little.
 
 Creatures of Clay. 53 
 
 ^* Dewsnap thinks I have a very good 
 chance." 
 
 ^* Oh ! Hilary, pray accept and take your 
 rightful position.'' 
 
 ^^ To be sure, Mr. MaralFs proj)erty was 
 never as large as mine, and my farms are all 
 in first-rate condition, while his, I am told, 
 are shockingly out of repair, and there is not 
 a good gate on his estate ; but then times 
 are changed, and what did very well twenty 
 years ago won't do now, and then, with the 
 ballot and the impossibility of bribing, it is 
 hard to say who has a chance." 
 
 '' I have heard that the ballot is really a 
 gain to the Conservative party," put in 
 Evelyn. 
 
 ^' Nonsense ! the only use of the ballot is 
 to help those who haven't the courage of 
 their opinions. Really, now I think of it, I 
 do believe I'm fairly popular, hunting-men 
 generally agree with the farmers, they're glad 
 of the chance of getting compensation for 
 the chickens, and finding a market for their 
 young horses. I'll ride over to West Thorpe 
 to-morrow and consult Dewsnap. There's one 
 thing to be said ; if I do stand, the people 
 will have a real good staunch Conservative
 
 54 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 to represent them, and a man who wiil exert 
 himself in the cause of his party. That poor 
 Marall was gouty, and couldn't speak; he 
 let everything go by default ; I shan't do 
 that. There's education now, those in- 
 fernal Board Schools, that cost something 
 shameful ! I've no patience with the way 
 they cocker up the children of the poor, 
 giving them all kinds of ridiculous learning ; 
 much better give them boots; the proper 
 education of a labouring man is, in the words 
 of the Catechism, to ' learn to labour truly, 
 and to do his duty in that state of life to 
 which it has pleased God to call him.' 
 Every man wishes to change his state of 
 life ; which must lead to discontent and un- 
 settle the mind.'' 
 
 '^ Indeed, you're right, Hilary ; it is quite 
 impossible to get a good servant now," said 
 Miss Fen church peevishly. ^^ That house- 
 maid of yours, Evelyn, with the fringe of 
 fair hair, looks more like an actress than a 
 decent respectable servant. I caught her in 
 the passage the other day, reading a novel, 
 which she hid away when she saw me, with 
 an insolent giggle." 
 
 ^^True," said Sir Hilary ^'it is deplorable;'*
 
 Creatures of Clay. 55 
 
 then turning to his wife he said, ^^ you must 
 canvass for me, Evelyn, and on such an 
 occasion we had better waive all fear of 
 infectious diseases and visit the cottages 
 together." 
 
 '' Be sure to put some camphor in your 
 dress," said Miss Fenchurch warningly. 
 
 ^' I shall be glad to help you." Lady 
 Fenchurch's voice rang so gaily that her 
 sister-in-law stared at her in amazement. 
 ^^ And you will persuade the Government to 
 improve the poor people's houses, won't you ? 
 and I w^ill bribe the electors with pretty 
 speeches." 
 
 Sir Hilary did not answer ; it was hardly 
 so much with the idea of improving the con-* 
 dition of the helpless as of increasing his own 
 popularity and influence that he decided to 
 come forward as a candidate for Parlia- 
 mentary honours. Such motives are unfor- 
 tunately extremely common in the political 
 world and nobody thinks the worse if a man 
 in consequence. 
 
 On the following morning Sir Hilary 
 mounted his grey cob and rode along the 
 autumnal tinted lanes to West Thorpe^ He 
 had lighted a cigar and was thinking deeply.
 
 56 Creatures of Ci>ay. 
 
 Actuated by a keen sense of propriety in 
 contradiction to eccentricity, and knowing 
 that certain things were expected of him, he 
 determined that society should not be dis- 
 appointed. Sir Hilary belonged to the old 
 school of Tories, who cherish the comfortable 
 conviction that Britons never will be slaves 
 and that the Englishman is the finest fellow 
 in the world. He considered the duties of 
 an M.P. to be comprised in voting steadily 
 with his party, presiding at agricultural 
 dinners, and giving away prizes to Volunteers. 
 Needless to say he was oppressed by no deep 
 sense of moral responsibility, consequently 
 his meditations were caused solely by the 
 problem of the cost of elections. For Sir 
 Hilary, though tolerably oj^en-handed, was 
 like all good men of business, averse to 
 spending money uselessly. He ran over in 
 his mind the chances of a rival candidate, 
 with the speculation as to who tliat rival 
 might be. West Thorpe, though a market 
 and county town, was a sleepy place. Trade 
 had dwindled and the progress made was in 
 a retrograde direction. The town itself con- 
 sisted of a number of narrow twisting streets 
 converging on the market-place, and running
 
 Creatures of Clay. 57 
 
 away into various intricate offshoots of small 
 courts and alleys. The variety of size and 
 shape of the houses, which were some square 
 and red brick, some white with gabled win- 
 dows and starred with black beams, some big, 
 some little, some thatched, some slated, clus- 
 tering up and down from the river-side to 
 the elevation of the market-place, rendered 
 the town a very picturesque object. Artists 
 came to paint and photographers to photo- 
 graph it, while the church itself, an ancient 
 building whose spire was nearly on a level 
 with the market-place, formed the legitimate 
 pride of the inhabitants. Yet, as it was 
 gradually falling into ruin, and the restora- 
 tion begun in the last few years had never 
 been completed, owing to the want of funds 
 and the lack of any great local magnate to 
 cherish the undertaking, it seemed probable 
 that decay would soon overtake and smother 
 the restorations. The church remained in 
 the position of a beauty with a patch over 
 one eye, or of a picture by some great artist 
 upon which a mischievous school-boy has 
 daubed a splash of whitewash. 
 
 As you entered the main street there stood 
 facing you a massive square red brick house
 
 58 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 with a large brass knocker and a porch over- 
 shadowed by a handsome magnolia tree. 
 This was the lawyer's house, and here Sir 
 Hilary stopped, rang the bell loudly, and 
 asked for Mr. Dewsnap, leaving his pony 
 in the care of the page-boy, who owned an 
 immense admiration for the sleek and well- 
 fed animal, and showed it obligingly by 
 tickling him under his stomach to see if 
 he would kick, and poking him in the ribs 
 as a proof of familiar affection. When 
 on the return journey the cob snorted and 
 jumped about, his unconscious owner merely 
 attributed this to high spirits and to a 
 lack of patience common to both women 
 and horses. Mr. Dewsnap was elderly and 
 had a thick head of iron-grey hair; his 
 little light eyes were sharp and shrewd ; his 
 lips thin and firmly compressed, though a 
 sarcastic smile occasionally played about 
 them when in company of his clients, which 
 caused the latter to feel uncomfortable and to 
 fear rather than love him. He had studied 
 the worst side of nature in his profession, 
 and invariably looked to self-interest as the 
 motive of conduct, and mistrusted all those 
 who talked of principles and honour; yet in
 
 Creatures of Clay. 59 
 
 ordinary life he was a kind-hearted man, a 
 good husband and a good father, and his 
 word could be implicitly relied upon, so that 
 he grew to be regarded as an oracle of clever- 
 ness and wisdom. Sir Hilary esteemed him 
 highly. Sentiment in matters of business he 
 considered out of place, and, when the 
 lawyer had once ventured to remark to him 
 on the folly of an old man taking a young 
 wife, Sir Hilary had been mortally offended. 
 It was some months before he forgave him, 
 but now, in a moment of difficulty and 
 excitement, he instinctively turned to him for 
 advice. Mr. Dewsnap settled his spectacles 
 carefully on his nose as Sir Hilary entered 
 and prepared to greet his client. The 
 spectacles were unnecessary, for Mr. Dew- 
 snap's eyesight was excellent, but they 
 served him as a shield and an excuse when 
 dealing with difficult or slippery people. Sir 
 Hilary drojDped at once into the large 
 leather armchair that stood with its face 
 towards the light and began: — 
 
 '' Well, Dewsnap, I've made up my mind 
 to stand." 
 
 '' A very wise resolution, I'm sure, Sir 
 Hilary, and the county ought to return
 
 60 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 you if it looked to its own interests ; but 
 I hear there is to be a contest, the Liberals 
 mean to bring forward a candidate." 
 
 '' I don't see who is to come forward," 
 said Sir Hilary, perplexed; ''old Marall 
 has no relations^, Lord Dilbury is abroad, I 
 can't think of any one.'' 
 
 '' You've forgotten one important person." 
 
 '* Who is that? There is none but High- 
 view ) he would not care for it." 
 
 ''Perhaj)s not, but you've been in love 
 though. Sir Hilary, and you're a married 
 man ; liave you never found yourself doing 
 something you had not intended at your 
 wife's instigation ? " 
 
 ''Never!" 
 
 " Then you're exceptionately fortunate ; 
 in my profession I constantly see the most 
 independent men the most influenced by their 
 families. Lady Eleanor is a very remark- 
 able person, I have had several proofs of it. 
 I can fancy that she might wish her hus- 
 band to be an M.P., or rather that she wishes 
 to return an M.P., either her husband or 
 another." 
 
 " To whom do you refer ? " 
 
 " To Mr. Dick Carrol. She has decided
 
 Creatures of Clay. 61 
 
 upon him, I believe ; he's young and good- 
 looking, and would make an easy puppet in 
 her hands." 
 
 '^What! you mean Mrs. Carrol's grand- 
 son ? '' 
 
 " Yes, her heir. She can't live very long ; 
 she is an old lady, and then the fine place 
 of Long Leam will be his." 
 
 '^ But she is not exactly one of the county 
 people ? '' 
 
 ^^No, but she owns some property here; 
 her grandson would have a good chance." 
 
 '^ It will be a fight, Dewsnap ? " 
 
 ^^ Yes, it will be a fight : you are not 
 alarmed ? " 
 
 " No, oh dear no ! I'll fight to the last, 
 though it will be expensive. I've no idea of 
 a stuck-up young jackanapes from a neigh- 
 bouring county ousting me from my proper 
 position. I'll sjDare neither trouble or ex- 
 pense to beat him." 
 
 " It will depend greatly on the ladies. 
 Lady Eleanor versus Lady Fenchurch. 
 The former is a seasoned old soldier but 
 the latter has youth and beauty on her side. 
 It is still possible to bribe with kind looks
 
 62 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 and pretty words, Sir ITilary, and if we do 
 win, why it will be all the greater triumph." 
 
 ^' How much will it cost ? '' said Sir 
 Hilary, after a pause ; '' not that money is 
 any object, none whatever. I have been a 
 thrifty man all my life, and I have savings." 
 
 ^^ It may be a matter of five or six 
 thousand ; you must get Camps as your 
 agent ; he is the best ; he is up to all the 
 dodges and will keep you strictly within the 
 law. See him to-day, if you can, and lose 
 no time about it ; he is in the town at 
 this moment, I happen to know." 
 
 '^ Very well, I'll try to find him at once." 
 Sir Hilary buttoned his coat; ^^ Give me a 
 glass of your old Madeira first, and I'll 
 bo off." 
 
 Mr. Dewsnap supplied the Madeira and 
 watched Sir Hilary ride down the street. 
 
 *^He looks gloomy, I should say a man 
 with whom marriage hasn't agreed particu- 
 larly," thought the shrewd lawyer to himself 
 as he replaced the wine in the cupboard.
 
 63 
 
 CHAPTER V, 
 
 We left Dick meditating on the advantages 
 to be derived from a parliamentary career, 
 and somewhat inclined to adopt it. He 
 possessed a certain amount of talent, which, 
 however, had hitherto lain dormant, but, 
 thanks to Julian's advice, it seemed probable 
 that he might yet cut a figure. The abrupt 
 termination of his love affair in some 
 measure assisted this, for he was sore and 
 angry at heart, and ready to plunge into 
 any form of excitement that presented itself. 
 A few days later he was to be found again 
 in Julian's little parlour, drinking in his 
 friend's wisdom, and resting himself in the 
 calm and rational atmosphere of study. 
 Mrs. Flinks, on her part, who appreciated 
 the unworldliness of her lodger, even while 
 she felt inclined to despise him for it,
 
 64 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 viewed Dick's coming with much interest. 
 Julian's extreme imperviousness to her 
 coquettish ways exasperated her occasion- 
 ally, and the fact that she might be wearing 
 her most becoming mob-cap, or her best- 
 fitting gown, without even causing him to 
 lift his head from the big folio in which he 
 was immersed, would have tried a saint's 
 patience. But then in return he was so 
 quiet, so unassuming, so uncomplaining, that 
 if his fire were let out, or the hot water 
 proved to be tepid, or the sugar unex- 
 pectedly exhausted, it was all the same to 
 him, he never murmured. In fact he was 
 so remarkably childisli and unsophisticated, 
 in subtle Mrs. Flinks's opinion, that she put 
 him down as somewhat weak in mind. 
 That was certainly not the case with the 
 nice bright-looking young gentleman, his 
 friend. There was nothing weak about him. 
 The two men were in Julian's little untidy 
 room, littered with books and papers ; Dick 
 seated in the only arm-chair, Julian himself 
 at the table, jotting clown notes on a bit of 
 paper. 
 
 '' In another year or two," he was saying, 
 ^' I shall have finished my History, the
 
 Creatures of Clay. 65 
 
 history of the social development of Eng- 
 land : it is the kind of history we want now, 
 not a dry abstract of wars and intrigues, but 
 the story of the life of the people, the record 
 of their faith, their language, their social 
 habits." Julian sighed a little ; his mild 
 eyes bore a wearied expression. 
 
 '^ You're tired, old fellow," said Dick, 
 taking the cigar out of his mouth. Julian 
 contented himself with a clay pipe, but his 
 friend had more fastidious tastes. ^' Why 
 do you work yourself to death like this? 
 what's the use of it ? If 7/ou don't find out 
 all these things, some other fellow will — an 
 empty place is filled up directly." 
 
 '' Don't say that, Dick," Julian's tone • 
 was pained. '^ That's the fiendish voice 
 that haunts me sometimes, when I'm alone 
 and weary, and whispers to me that there is 
 nothing worth, nothing true, nothing right ; 
 that I've slaved and toiled for nothing, and 
 that there is no reward — none. That we 
 must just grope and wonder, and — die. 
 But it isn't true, I tell you it isn't ; work is 
 its own reward, and good work is the divine 
 seed sown by feeble human hands.'' 
 
 VOL. I. F
 
 66 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 '^ Probably ; but you're morbid, Julian. 
 Come away to the country with me, to the 
 green fields, and the tennis, and the birds, 
 and the garden ; " he hesitated, not being 
 used to sentimental descriptions ; '' you'd 
 enjoy it — take a holiday." 
 
 " There is no good work to be done in 
 spurts ; I must persevere. I am putting the 
 very best of myself into this book ; and if 
 afterwards I break down — well, when a man 
 has done his duty he must not count the 
 cost." 
 
 '^ Ridiculous creature ! Why not be prac- 
 tical and help me '^ I'm one of the people ! 
 take an interest in my social development. 
 You talked to me about political life the 
 last time I was here ; well, since then, I've 
 been offered a seat in Parliament." 
 
 ^' Indeed, tell me about it." 
 
 '^ A distant sort of connection of mine, a 
 Mr. Highview, has written to propose I 
 should stand for the county ; the old mem- 
 ber is about to retire and they think the 
 seat can be won by a Liberal." 
 
 '' Of course — a Liberal — a social reformer, 
 Dick."
 
 Creatures of Clay. 67 
 
 '' I'd better reform myself first, I think, 
 I don't know or care a fio; about reforms." 
 
 '' That will come," said Julian, confi- 
 dently. 
 
 ^* There will be a contest ; I shall rather 
 like that — the excitement will be as good 
 as a campaign — (ah, why didn't granny let 
 me be a soldier ?) I'm fond of fighting, and 
 my opponent will be some respectable old 
 Tory nonentity, I suppose — Mr. Highview 
 does not state who it is — but he seems pretty 
 confident of my success." 
 
 '' Of course it depends upon your adver- 
 sary — the agricultural interest is usually 
 shortsighted and conservative — if your rival 
 is a large landed proprietor you do not 
 stand so good a chance." 
 
 ^^ Mr. Highview thinks well of it and so 
 does Lady Eleanor, which is even more to 
 the point ; she rules him, you know, and 
 whatever she undertakes I am confident she 
 will succeed in." 
 
 ^' That is right then, I liave nothing to 
 add, but to wish you well, Dick. Try to do 
 yourself justice — a man has no business to 
 sit down with hands folded, or plant cab- 
 bages, till he has earned the right to do so ; 
 
 r 2
 
 68 CllEATUKES OF ClAY. 
 
 there is heroism even in giving the right 
 vote according to your conviction." 
 
 ^^I don't feel like a hero," said Dick, 
 stretching himself lazily, ^ ' I haven't a par- 
 ticle of ambition, and I don't care sufficiently 
 about anything to make myself uncomfort- 
 able, certainly not for any abstract idea." 
 
 ^' You may in time, perhaps." 
 
 ''There is another reason," Dick hesitated, 
 '' why I'm not sure if I ought to accept — 
 you see, the lady I told you about lives in 
 the county — I might be thrown into her 
 society ; I don't want to behave ill to her or 
 to get into a bother." 
 
 u 
 
 Have you any reason to believe that her 
 husband will take any active part in the 
 election ? " 
 
 '' None whatever, Mr. Higliview does not 
 mention him. He said no Tory candidate 
 had been decided upon, and he is anxious 
 for an early answer in order that I may be 
 first in the field." 
 
 '' Then decide to accept. You need not 
 court the lady's society, and remember that 
 your public duty is the engrossing one. 
 When the first pang of hearing your name 
 mentioned is over, she will learn to get
 
 Creattires of Clay. 69 
 
 accustomed to it. Besides, possibly you ex- 
 aggerate her feelings ; she is married — why 
 should she not love her husband ? " 
 
 '^ It was a mar lag e de convenancey 
 
 '^ Even so — you must not give way to 
 morbid feelings ; all is over between you 
 two now ; do not let yourself dream of pos- 
 sibilities ; shape your future without a 
 tliought of her — the only way to overcome 
 weakness is to look a thing straight in the 
 face without flinching — and grapple with 
 your difficulties bravely. You forgive me 
 for speaking out ? " 
 
 ^'Certainly. I know, old fellow, no man 
 could have a truer or a kinder friend than 
 you, only, you see, I'm not a bit of a hero. 
 If I accept this offer I shall make one con- 
 dition, that vou come down with me and 
 help in my campaign." 
 
 '' Much as I regret leaving my books," 
 said Julian, warmly, ^' in this case I cannot 
 liesitate ; you may command my services 
 whenever you like." 
 
 Dick left his friend's lodging that day in 
 a more contented frame of mind ; fate liad 
 decided for him ; he had nothing to do now 
 but to float on the stream, and the sense of
 
 70 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 a resolution taken seemed to lift a cloud 
 of difficulty from his mind ; yet lie was still 
 too much engrossed even to regard Mrs. 
 Flinks^s eager invitation to step into her par- 
 lour as he went out. The little woman 
 watched him leave the house with mingled 
 anger and disappointment, then flounced 
 downstairs to her kitchen, where the elderly 
 maid-of -all- work stood with bare red arms 
 washing up her dishes. 
 
 ^^ He's gone again. Eves, without so much 
 as a word, and I in my new cherry 
 ribbons. It's my belief that that pale, 
 mean-spirited Cripps, who gets his bread 
 by scribbling, and hasn't a thought beyond 
 steel pens and watery ink, put him up to 
 slighting me. If my dear Pa were still alive 
 wouldn't he just give him a bit of his mind." 
 
 '^ Lor, bless you, Mum," answered Eves, 
 without turning her head, ^'^if I was you I'd 
 give up hankering after fine gentlemen that 
 ain't worth the butcher's meat they consume, 
 and take a honest tradesman who could live 
 in a villa, and keep a gig to save yer feet 
 getting wet o' Sundays." 
 
 Mrs. Flinks, accustomed to the old woman's
 
 Creatures of Clay. 71 
 
 homely advice, shrug-gecl her shoulders, and 
 threw herself pettishly into a chair. 
 
 Eves, still at her washing, continued : 
 
 *^ And then when ye're married there comes 
 a heap of children to worrit yer. Who would 
 be so anxious to have a family, I wonder ? 
 Childern, when they're young, are a armful; 
 but when they're bigger they're a heartful, 
 and my sakes, that's just worse." 
 
 Dick, unconscious of the storm brewing 
 behind him, pursued his way quietly to the 
 Hardfasts' house. Maud was at home, look- 
 ing ver}^ handsome in dark blue cashmere. 
 She had a useful knack of being always in 
 the fashion, and yet never appearing over- 
 dressed or eccentric. 
 
 '^ I am so glad you came," she said, 
 sweetly. '^ Mamma is out, and, as in her 
 absence I can never receive visitors except 
 you (you, of course, are a relation), I should 
 have felt very dull all the afternoon." 
 
 '' Then you only care for somebody to 
 call ; you are not particular as to who it is?'' 
 
 ^^Dick! Don't be an idiot. I'm always 
 , pleased to see you, only I don't always say 
 so ; it might seem like flattery."
 
 72 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 '^ I'm glad of that," Ksaid Dick, edging liis 
 chair a little nearer, *' for I want to consult 
 you about a very important matter, on which 
 I wish your advice." 
 
 Maud's heart gave a flutter — could the 
 momentous words be spoken now what 
 an amount of worry and trouble would be 
 saved, and everything satisfactorily ar- 
 ranged. 
 
 '^ We've always been good friends, Maud, 
 haven't we ? " 
 
 ^' Always,'' she answered, sweetly. 
 
 '^ Ever since the days we stole cherries off 
 the garden wall, and hid under the water- 
 butt to escape the gardener — and I ha\e 
 always had such an opinion of your clever- 
 ness that now I am going to take a very 
 important step, I cannot do so unless you 
 give it your sanction.'' 
 
 Maud listened impatiently, a rosy flush 
 mantling her cheek. It seemed quite un- 
 necessary to make all these preliminary 
 speeches. What cared she about childhood 
 and cherries, sorry reminders of long years 
 of backboards and dreary lesson-learning? 
 It need not prove so very difficult to ask a girl 
 to be your wife, and seal the bargain with a
 
 Creatures of Clay. 73 
 
 kiss. How provoking, to be sure, to be a 
 woman, and have to sit still and look un- 
 conscious, and not dare to help out the stam- 
 mered and bungling confession, but on the 
 contrary pretend to a pleased surprise and 
 agitation, emotions which she could only 
 feel on the score of her mother's premature 
 return before the irrevocable words had 
 been spoken ! 
 
 "Do you know Mr. Qighview?" asked 
 Dick. 
 
 Maud stared. 
 
 '^ Of course I do ! '' 
 
 What in the world had this beginning to 
 do with tlie projDosal Dick was about to 
 make ? She supposed it must be attributed 
 to nervousness, and a habit of procrastination, 
 and she rather snappisldy continued : 
 
 " He was poor dear papa's friend.'* 
 
 ^' Ah ! I had forgotten." 
 
 Dick paused again, and Maud began to 
 beat the carpet with her shoe ; she could not 
 help it, these wanderings from the beaten 
 path of love seemed so very unnecessary. 
 
 '^ He has asked me to stand for the county, 
 and do the canvassing from his place, wliicli 
 is more convenient than granny's for the
 
 74 Creatuiies of Clay. 
 
 purpose. I am rather tempted. An election 
 must be exciting — almost as good as fox- 
 hunting. Of course I'm not clever, and I 
 don't much care about it ; but I think I 
 sliould cut a very tolerable figure, don't you, 
 Maud ? " 
 
 Maud was occupied dissembling her rage. 
 To have her expectations raised, her feelings 
 so cruelly trampled upon, was too bad. 
 Dick was perfectly brutal — heartless. She 
 made a superhuman effort, however ; the 
 happy moment might only be deferred, not 
 lost for ever. ^' Yes, dear Dick, you know I 
 think you vei^y clever; it will be an excellent 
 thing, and as you say quite an excitement ; 
 besides perhaps I can help you a tiny bit, 
 for we are going to stay with the Highviews 
 too ; how fortunate, isn't it, and how I shall 
 hail all your achievements, and listen 
 greedily to your first speech ! I shall make 
 mamma often take me to the House of 
 Commons, and try to secure a front place in 
 the ladies' gallery among all the old women, 
 who suck peppermint lozenges, and discuss 
 the merits of the speakers during the de- 
 bates." 
 
 ^' Would jou indeed do this?" cried Dick,
 
 Creatures of Clay. 75 
 
 seizing her hand, '' what a good woman you 
 are to be sure, Maud ! I never half appre- 
 ciated you till this moment — you really 
 approve and you really advise me to try ? It 
 wouldn't do for a fellow to fail, you know, 
 if he did try, and make an ass of himself. 
 I was half afraid you would discourage me 
 and " 
 
 ''And why, pray?" she inquired, looking 
 up at him languidly through her expressive, 
 half-closed eyes ; ^ ^ whatever promotes your 
 happiness gives me happiness too " 
 
 Here was an opening for a man whose 
 heart was given to the pretty girl sitting 
 beside him, and glowing with gentle interest 
 and devoted sympathy. But Dick's mind 
 was not running on love, he only cared for 
 Maud's approval, because, like the rest of us, 
 he preferred his decision to be strengthened 
 by the approval of his friends. He certainly 
 thought it a little remarkable that a young 
 and goodlooking girl should show such 
 interest in politics, but in these days of 
 female education and advanced views on all 
 subjects one need be surprised at nothing. 
 
 ^'I'll write to High view to-night," he said, 
 quietly, " and accept. He will want me to
 
 70 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 go down there at once, I expect. Granny 
 will have to wait again— poor old dear ! She 
 won't mind — she's used to it." 
 
 ^^ We shall be at High view Castle together, 
 I hope," said Maud, ^' it is such a nice place, 
 and Lady Eleanor is so kind — but you 
 musn't fall in love with Luce." 
 
 '' Who is Luce ? and why should I fall in 
 love with her ? " asked Dick, absently. 
 
 '' She is Lady Eleanor's niece, and of 
 course they will try to make u]) a match 
 between you — she is a nice girl, but, unfor- 
 tunately, very plain." 
 
 ^' Plain — is she ? " 
 
 '' Yes, thin and pale, and has dark colour- 
 less hair." Maud put her hand up inno- 
 cently to her own glossy auburn locks. 
 
 ^' Plain or not, I shall have other things 
 to think of, and I scarcely imagine Miss 
 Luce will need to complain of my atten- 
 tions." 
 
 '' Don't you intend to speak to us poor 
 ladies then, while you're in the house ? " 
 asked Maud, with a becoming pout of her 
 full red lips. 
 
 '' Oh, yoUj that's different." Maud was 
 triumphant and consoled ; the you, so de-
 
 Creatures of Clay. 77 
 
 cidedly accentuated sounded sweet in her 
 ears; he regarded her, then, as something 
 apart and more j^recious than ordinary girls. 
 After a little further desultory talk, a few 
 more bewitching upward glances from Maud, 
 a lingering pressure of his hand, and many 
 hearty congratulations and good wishes, 
 Dick departed. He was satisfied and re- 
 assured : no man is impervious to cleverly 
 conveyed flattery and pleasant looks and 
 allusions, unless he has reached middle age, 
 and is very crabbed and very sourly inclined 
 indeed. He wrote a gratified and nicely 
 worded acceptance of Mr. Highview's pro- 
 posal, and expressed himself as much pleased 
 and honoured by the offer that had been 
 made him, an offer for which he knew him- 
 self to be indebted to Mr. Highview's kind 
 support. Lady Eleanor smiled and nodded 
 lier head approvingly when her husband 
 lianded her the letter at breakfast, saying, 
 ''Well, my dear, what do you think of 
 that ? " 
 
 "Think! why I never expected anything 
 else ; all young men are ambitious and easily 
 flattered, unless they're fools, and from all I 
 hear Dick Carrol is not a fool."
 
 78 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 The High views and the Fen church s were 
 the two great rival houses in the county, 
 for Lord Dilbury, who was a hypocondriacal 
 old bachelor, lived abroad and had almost 
 ceased to be regarded as an Englishman. 
 He received his rents punctually enough 
 through an agent's hands, but he never 
 did anything for liis tenants, nor took 
 any part in county business or politics, 
 and in fact to most people was only a 
 name, and a very disagreeable name too, 
 on the occasions when the hounds ran 
 through his fine woods, and the huntsmen 
 were suddenly pulled up by locked gates 
 and high iron railings. Mr Marall, the 
 late member, was a fox-hunting squire, 
 illiterate, crusty, and devoted to sport. 
 He neither knew nor cared how to make
 
 Creatukes of Clay. 79 
 
 and keep his position ; thus, while Sir 
 Hilary Fenchurch remained unmarried, 
 Lady Eleanor reigned alone as the great 
 lady of the county. Now, however, with 
 a new and pretty rival both in politics 
 and society, circumstances were consi- 
 derably altered, and the contest seemed 
 likely to be a trial of moral strength on 
 the part of the ladies, quite as much as 
 a battle of wily popularity on the part 
 of the men, and the general result appeared 
 very doubtful. Sir Hilary was pojDular 
 with ihe farmers; he was a good landlord, 
 quiet, but improving, and encouraged 
 the breed of horses ; but he was pig-headed 
 and narrow-minded. 
 
 Mr. Highview, on the contrary, was the 
 friend of the artizans and manufacturers, 
 inclined to be broad and tolerant, and, so 
 long as a man's political opinions were 
 honestly of the right pattern, cared little for 
 his religious views. Lady Eleanor was 7iot 
 liked, though much feared and courted. A 
 long tongue in the upper classes is as great 
 a power as in the ranks of washer- women. 
 Lady Eleanor had a command of language 
 and a choice of admirable maxims which, as
 
 80 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 a rule, loft her opponents but little to 
 answer. Yet, while a great many people 
 distinctly hated, and a few sought her 
 from motives of real affection, the majority 
 distrusted her. It was felt that, whichever 
 way her own interests inclined, in that 
 direction her conduct would tend, and 
 that consequently no positively consistent 
 behaviour on her part could be looked for. 
 She was handsome, clever, and when she 
 pleased indubitably fascinating, so fasci- 
 nating that once in her presence you could 
 not help believing in her. Mr. High- 
 view, himself, who had been fascinated 
 in his early youth, believed in her still. 
 He would bow to her whims and caprices 
 and defend them with a tender care 
 that was peculiarly touching, and drew 
 forth sundry shrugs and compressions 
 of lips from impartial friends. 
 
 French writers assert that love is only 
 kept alive by continual stimulation of 
 surprises and variety. Possibly this may 
 have accounted for Lady Eleanor's empire 
 over her husband, for none could predicate 
 with ease in which direction her newest 
 eccentricity might travel. Uncontradicted
 
 Creatures of Clay. 81 
 
 and undaunted, she had sailed gaily down 
 the stream of life until at fifty years of 
 age she was still buxom and fair, and 
 owned a pair of white and dazzling 
 shoulders, which she was fond of display- 
 ing in the lowest of well-cut gowns. Her 
 face was unruffled, remarkable in its fresh- 
 ness and absence of crows' -feet, yet her 
 favourite figure of speech was to the effect 
 that ^^ her health must soon break down 
 under the strain of constant worry and 
 labour imposed upon her." Just now her 
 hobby was politics, and she certainly did 
 give herself a great deal of trouble in the 
 matter, but the trouble was self-sought and 
 therefore scarcely worthy of commiseration. ' 
 But even Lady Eleanor was not perfectly 
 happy; she had one skeleton in her cupboard, 
 and to her it seemed the bitterest conceiv- 
 able. She had no children. Mr. Highview's 
 niece Luce Windermere lived with them as 
 an adopted daughter at his earnest request, 
 for she was the only child of his dead sister, 
 and dear to him accordingly. This was 
 another trial to poor Lady Eleanor, who 
 had all the trouble and responsibility of 
 
 VOL. I. G
 
 82 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 a school-room without the pleasures of 
 motherhood. 
 
 Lady Eleanor was strict, anxious, and 
 kind in her way, but poor Luce's childhood 
 was brightened by no maternal love. She 
 enjoyed neither kisses, caresses, nor affec- 
 tionate words ; she never felt the touch of a 
 fondly stroking hand with its witchery of 
 subtle speechless sympathy, never saw eyes 
 fill with tears or heard a tremble come into 
 the voice, or saw a shade of mysterious 
 sorrow pass over an anxious face, and 
 pressed the lips put warm and close to hers 
 in an evening benediction. If she knew the 
 meaning of love it was in connection with 
 her uncle. To him she brought her babyish 
 tattle, the hundred pretty exacting ways of 
 childhood, and, much as she shrank from her 
 aunt's cold words, so much the more did she 
 coil round her uncle the clinging tendrils of 
 her loving heart. Luce was said to be plain, 
 and certainly by the side of her handsome 
 aunt she did look plain. The girl felt this 
 want of beauty as a shortcoming, and mixed 
 up with it a remorseful feeling that it was 
 ingratitude on her part that prevented her 
 from responding more fully to Lady Eleanor's
 
 Creatures of Clay. 83 
 
 efforts on her behalf. Sad were the looks 
 the poor child frequently threw in the mirror 
 as she tried to accustom herself to her plain- 
 ness, and wondered why nature, so bountiful 
 to the aunt, had been so niggard to the niece. 
 Perhaps the contrast made her seem even 
 plainer than she really was, for she had a slim 
 and graceful figure, and a pair of beautiful 
 eyes enlivened her small pale face. Even 
 Lady Eleanor confessed that Luce had beau- 
 tiful eyes, large and soft and pleading, but 
 then, as Lady Eleanor said, what was the use 
 of them, when they were generally cast down, 
 and veiled by the long dark lashes, only 
 flashing and lightening when Luce was keen 
 and interested, which in her aunt's presence 
 occurred but seldom. They were such truth- 
 ful eyes too, eyes full of transparent honesty 
 and singleness, indeed their full glance thrown 
 questioningly upon Lady Eleanor in some of 
 her erratic moods proved disturbing to the 
 proud ladj'-'s equanimity. For eyes can 
 speak, and sometimes with a weight of direct- 
 ness and censure that words do not possess. 
 As you looked, that is to say as an impartial ob- 
 server, looked into Luce's eyes and caught the 
 deep spiritual expression that lay in them you 
 
 g2
 
 84 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 forgot that her nose was too square, her mouth 
 too large, her hair absolutely refusing to be 
 crimped and twisted into any fashionable 
 shape, brown and dull, too light to be rich in 
 colour, too dark to be golden, that her 
 manner was shy and constrained, her hands 
 tiny and waxen, and her slim figure marred 
 by a distinct and regrettable stoop. Luce 
 was accustomed to say that it did not matter 
 what she wore or how she looked, for nobody 
 ever threw a glance at her when in company 
 of her queen-like aunt, and that, instead of 
 being named Light, she should have been 
 christened Shadow, her principal mission 
 being to serve as a foil to the radiancy of 
 beauty beside her. Lady Eleanor's object 
 just now, for she always had an object, was to 
 marry Luce to Dick, having fixed upon him 
 as an eligible parti ^ and a person whom she 
 was likely to be able to retain as her nominee 
 and dependant. She had not imparted these 
 views to Mr. Highview, but merely informed 
 him that Mr. Carrol was a promising young 
 man who would do honour to the Liberal cause 
 if he were once instructed in the right path. 
 
 Dick's civil little note had been duly 
 received and Luce informed of his coming.
 
 Creatures of Clay. 85 
 
 which nowise interested her. She was 
 standing at this moment, as was her frequent 
 habit, by the window dreaming. Her large 
 sad eyes were fixed on the autumnal land- 
 scape, on the ruddy beech, and the yellow 
 chestnut-trees, and the dark Scotch firs 
 standing up straight against the cold grey 
 sky ; here and there a lime-tree, already 
 stri23ped of its leaves, showed only the bare 
 and slender twigs and branches. Occasionally 
 a golden leaf fluttered down and added itself 
 to the damp and decaying heap which tlie 
 gardener indefatigably and hopelessly swept 
 together. It w^as a dreary day, a depressing 
 day, and Luce, whose nature was essentially 
 receptive and sensitive, felt it so. Just then 
 her aunt's full cheerful voice disturbed her 
 reverie. 
 
 '^ Ah ! I thought I should find you here. 
 Luce, dawdling about and doing nothing, as 
 usual. Why don't you go for a consti- 
 tutional at least, like other girls, and get a 
 bit of colour into your cheeks ? you will 
 never be anything but sallow at this rate." 
 
 Luce coloured painfully ; it hurt her to be 
 always reminded of bodily infirmities, the 
 possession of which she remembered acutely.
 
 86 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 ^^ Did you want anything, aunt?" she 
 faltered. 
 
 ''Want anything! Did anyone ever see 
 such a creature ? she thinks no one has any- 
 thing to do but to stare blankly out of 
 window all day long, as she does herself I 
 Have you forgotten that we shall have a 
 house-full next week? and the Hardfasts 
 and Mr. Carrol come to-day, and of course 
 the housekeeper has chosen this opportunity 
 to fall ill J and one of the best carriage- 
 horses is lame, and your uncle, as usual, is 
 perfectly placid, so that everything falls 
 upon me, and I'm really not strong." 
 
 '' Can I do anything to help you ? " 
 
 '' I am sure I don't know what you can do, 
 you generally make a muddle of everything 
 you touch. The last time you wrote the 
 invitations you put the Countess of Ditch- 
 water, forgetting that her husband is only a 
 baron, and you presented my compliments to 
 General Truro's wife, who was a housemaid 
 before he married her, and whom I certainly 
 never meant to ask. I often say to myself 
 what is to become of you some day, when I 
 am dead and gone, if you should ever have a
 
 Creatures of Clay. 87 
 
 house of your own to look after, not that 
 that's likely." 
 
 '^No, it isn't likely," said Luce calmly; 
 "then why should we talk about it? I 
 never mean to marry, and when you don't 
 want to keep me you can send me away ; 
 I shall not complain." 
 
 '' Send you away, indeed, child ! that is 
 just like the Highviews, isn't it ? why they 
 have always been generous to a fault. I 
 wonder what your uncle would say to such a 
 speech." 
 
 '' He would not like it, I am sure ; but 
 indeed, aunt, if I am so troublesome why 
 do you keep me here ? " « 
 
 '' Stuff, child ! " said Lady Eleanor, 
 pettisldy, looking severely at Luce, who 
 stood meekly, with hands folded before her. 
 '^ I wish you wouldn't stoop so dreadfully; I 
 declare your figure is shocking ! Can't you 
 hold up your head as I do ? " 
 
 Poor Luce's head drooped lower and 
 lower, and two big tears gathered in her 
 eyes. 
 
 '^ Crying ! I declare you are a regular 
 baby ; nothing spoils the complexion like 
 tears. Don't let your uncle see you with
 
 88 CHEATUHES OF ClAT. 
 
 red eyes, for goodness' sake, or he will think 
 I have been tormenting you, and that you 
 are miserable instead of being, as you really 
 are, a spoilt useless girl. You needn't look 
 like a martyr either when I speak to you 
 for your good, as is my duty. And pra}^ 
 try to be civil to Mr. Carrol when he 
 comes ; I am told he is a charming young 
 man, and, of course, at his grandmother's 
 death he'll be immensely rich. If you lay 
 yourself out to be agreeable, I don't really 
 see why, after all, you may not have a house 
 of your own, some day. He will take 3^ou 
 in to dinner to-night, so do your best." 
 
 Luce coloured painfully. Such speeches 
 were an utter desecration of marriage in her 
 opinion, for she inclined to the idea that 
 only similarity of tastes and mutual love, of 
 which, alas, she was so ignorant, could give 
 peace or sanctity to the union of the sexes. 
 
 Lady Eleanor, satisfied with her perora- 
 tion, now rose and majestically left the 
 room. 
 
 Luce felt more wretched and depressed 
 than ever. She knew she was plain, she 
 had already accepted the fact ; yet surely 
 beauty was not everything ; might it not be
 
 Creatures oe Clay. 89 
 
 possible to possess qualities as valuable and 
 virtues to compensate? An intuition of some- 
 thing higher swept her soul. To hear of 
 heroism and goodness fired her with enthusi- 
 asm ; to read fine poetry roused her ; to listen 
 to sweet music entranced her ; the sight of 
 nature soothed her. Why had she these 
 capacities, these sensibilities, but to unfold 
 and use them ? Life could not be the poor 
 mean thing her aunt suggested, or the sense 
 of its emptiness would crush her at once. 
 No ! no ! her truth and earnestness found a 
 response in nature. It could not be, there 
 was notliing useless in the universe. 
 
 She took down her hat and cloak from the 
 peg where they hung, and went out carry- 
 ing a basket on her arm. The autumnal 
 wind caressed her boisterously, and painted 
 her sallow cheeks a faint rose, so that she 
 looked almost pretty as in the approach she 
 met the fly containing Mrs. Hardfast and 
 Maud, their maid, and a pile of luggage. 
 Maud spied her at once, and jumped out to 
 give her a hearty welcome, while Mrs. Hard- 
 fast called after her daughter — 
 
 ^^ It is very damp and raw, Maud, do
 
 90 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 take care, or you will catch cold and have a 
 red nose at dinner." 
 
 '' No ! no ! " cried Maud, bent on having 
 her own way, and confident in the magnifi- 
 cence of her young strength and beauty to 
 defy a blustering autumn day. '^ Never 
 mind me, you drive on and get a rest before 
 dinner ; a walk will do me good." Then 
 she twined her arm in that of Luce and 
 asked her innumerable questions. 
 
 '' Where are you going to, like an old 
 market-woman, with that basket on your 
 arm ? '' 
 
 '"' To visit some poor people. I have port 
 wine and souj) in the basket.'' 
 
 ^' Oh ! I never visit poor people. I should 
 hate to do so," said Maud, daintily tripping 
 over the wet places in the road. 
 
 ^^ I don't like it much either; but it's 
 something to do, an object for a walk, aad, 
 besides, I really believe it gives them plea- 
 sure." 
 
 " You might find something else to 
 occupy your time, I should think, some- 
 thing pleasanter. I always design a new 
 dress whenever time hangs heavy on my 
 hands."
 
 Creatures of Clay. 91 
 
 ^^ Dress bores me ; my aunt thinks so 
 much of it; I believe she fancies people 
 are only pegs to hang clothes on." 
 
 Maud laughed and shook the golden 
 fringe out of her eyes. ''It is very jolly 
 being here, Luce, don't look so doleful. I 
 mean to enjoy myself. I've got a great 
 many plans in my head, and you must help 
 me with some of them. I can assure you 
 I have a very busy time before me, and you 
 are such an unworldly little creature that 
 you can't stand in my way. Do you know 
 Mr. Carrol ? " * 
 
 ^' No," said Luce, indifferently. 
 
 ^* Oh ! Well, I intend to marry him." 
 
 Luce looked at her a little surprised, and 
 said quietly : '' My aunt wants me to marry 
 him too, but he's sure not to look at me, 
 that's one comfort ! " 
 
 Maud glanced eagerly at her friend to see 
 if she were in earnest. Such supernatural 
 indifference to her prospects surpassed her 
 imagination, but if Luce sj^oke trutli, and 
 Maud really believed she did. Luce, as least, 
 was a valuable and reliable ally. 
 
 '^ Then you will help me ? what a funny 
 girl you are to be sure, Luce ! "
 
 92 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 '' You wouldn't think it funny if you 
 lived my life— it isn't pleasant to be over- 
 looked by every man you meet and re- 
 proached for it afterwards. I wisli I could 
 go out as a governess." 
 
 '' Nonsense ! you are a fool, Luce. I 
 should be glad enough if I had a rich uncle 
 who would let me live with him. You don't 
 know what it is to have to make both ends 
 meet. Mamma works at the pro])lem all the 
 year round, and it's the most difficult sum 
 in creation ; just as you think you have got 
 to the end of ' it, you find a slight omission 
 or mistake in your calculations, and you 
 have to begin all over again. I mean to 
 marry naturally, but, rich or not ricli, 
 every girl is a fool who does not, when she 
 gets a chance. I've never had a real good 
 offer though yet, and of course one can't 
 make a bad bargain." 
 
 ^'I should never better myself," said 
 Luce, hopelessly ; ^' I'm plain, and I can't 
 marry for money, and no one will ever care 
 for me, just for myself; it is no use Maud, 
 tliinking of it. If I married for money, I 
 should simply loathe the man, and kill him, 
 or myself, before the honeymoon was over."
 
 Creatures of Clay. 93 
 
 ^' Fudge ! " said Maud, sharply, '^ Provi- 
 dence helps those that help themselves ; if 
 you cast your eyes down and look glum 
 whenever a man approaches you, of course 
 you can't expect him to find you bewitch- 
 ing. I always smile and appear delighted 
 with every one, no matter how stupid he 
 may be, and then I try to find out as 
 quickly as I can what is his particular 
 weakness and trade upon it ; flatter him up 
 as much as possible ; it's as easy as A B C 
 when you know the way." 
 
 " For all that, Maud, you're four-and- 
 twenty, and not yet married." 
 
 '' At least it is not the fault of my system, 
 but I certainly have been unlucky ; it's our 
 horrid poverty that hinders me, and the 
 awfully mean shifts we're put to. However, 
 this time I really intend to persevere, and 
 not to fail. A country house is such a 
 capital opportunity. Dear me! what a dew 
 there is rising ; we had better go in, I think. 
 I shouldn't at all like to catch a sore throat ; 
 besides, I must change my gown for tea." 
 
 ^^ You look very nice now," cried Luce, 
 simply." 
 
 ''N05 my hair's out of curl, aijd this
 
 .94 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 travelling dress is shabby — ali, my dear, 
 you don't half understand the importance of 
 dress — it is everything when one wishes to 
 captivate. Now, I'll just explain to you: 
 you see blue suits me best, so I am constant 
 to it; but it requires a perfect genius to im- 
 provise perpetual variety in harmony, and 
 you would be surprised to hear of all the 
 shades of blue I have disco verd; there's dark 
 blue, and violet blue, and pansy blue, and 
 Eton blue, and peacock blue, and electric 
 blue, and cornflower blue, and — oh, ever 
 so many more." 
 
 ^' I had no idea dress was such a mystery. 
 I don't think my aunt has made a study of 
 it, she generally leaves it to her dressmaker, 
 though she always bu)<s a new dress for 
 every occasion. "^"^ 
 
 ^^ Dress comprises art, imagination, in- 
 dustry, perseverance," glibly enumerated 
 Maud, ^' Ingenuity, taste, tact, delicacy, 
 why, there really isn't a good quality in 
 the world that you can't use in your study 
 of it, especially if you're not rich."
 
 95 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 The Hardfasts, Dick Carrol, and a couple 
 of neighbours comprised tlie present party, 
 but the following week a large influx of 
 neighbours was expected. Luce felt ex- 
 tremely indifferent to the company, and 
 her only fear was lest Mr. Carrol should 
 mono2)olise her uncle's whole time and 
 attention, and interfere with her enjoyment 
 of the usual afternoon ride with Mr. High- 
 view. 
 
 Dick arrived at tea time. Maud, newly 
 decorated, passed accidentally through the 
 hall at that instant and gave him the first 
 greeting. This was fortunate, it took off 
 the stiffness of his arrival as she sauntered 
 into the library beside him chatting plea- 
 santly ; and made it clear that she was an 
 old and a valued friend. The Castle was 
 very handsome, entirely new, the furniture 
 new, or recently bought, and the gardens 
 newly laid out.
 
 96 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 It had taxed Lady Eleanor's skill and taste 
 somewhat severely to prevent the lack of 
 antiquity from impressing you as bare and 
 comfortless. She had succeeded, however, 
 as she generally did in whatever she under- 
 took. The mansion, a large and imposing 
 edifice, required furniture on the same scale 
 of grandeur and magnificence. Lady Eleanor 
 had ransacked Holland and Italy for her old 
 oak and marqueterie cabinets, her inlaid 
 ivory and ebony, her china, her tapestry, 
 and her carvings. She had caused the ceil- 
 ings to be painted by Italian artists, and 
 the walls to be panelled with old leather 
 from Cordova. There was everything to 
 please the eye, and nothing to offend the 
 taste, though possibly the quantity of beau- 
 tiful things might, in some persons' opinion, 
 have detracted from their quality, and con- 
 veyed the discordant impression of confusion 
 in an old curiosity shop. The interior of 
 the house was the true picture of its mistress's 
 mind, irregular, capricious, and withal fasci- 
 nating. 
 
 Lady Eleanor was a woman of limited 
 culture, such as the age produces; she really 
 knew very little, though she had picked up
 
 Creatukes of Clay. 97 
 
 a good deal, and discoursed eloquently on 
 decoration and bric-a-brac. 
 
 Maud and Luce seated themselves on a 
 crimson plush divan under a large tree- palm 
 set in a massive gilt basin, while Dick with 
 masculine heedlessness leant against the ex- 
 quisitely carved oak chimney-piece on which 
 stood some bits of priceless Chelsea, and 
 Mrs. Hardfast and Lady Eleanor sipped tea 
 out of handleless old Worcester cups. 
 
 "This is a perfect palace of enchantment/' 
 said Dick bending toward his hostess, '' 2 
 can't think how you collected such quan- 
 tities of pretty things." 
 
 She smiled complacently. ^'I generally 
 manage to jDick up things wherever I go. 
 Ah ! I have saved Mr, Highview oceans of 
 money, I assure you. If you buy from a 
 dealer you are certain to be robbed. Now a 
 great deal of this furniture here I found in 
 old country-houses, inns, Venetian palaces, 
 and out-of-the-way places. This house 
 literally cost nothing to furnish, and yet 
 I have matchless cabinets and priceless 
 taj)estry." 
 
 Mr. Highview, who had walked u]) to the 
 table, on which stood a shaded lamp, to try 
 
 VOL. I. H
 
 98 Ckeatukes of Clay. 
 
 and decipher the "^ Times" in the dim light 
 his wife preferred, smiled and said — 
 
 '^ This house cost a pretty penny, though, 
 my dear. I never meant to spend half as 
 much when I began. '^ 
 
 " Of course ! " Lady Eleanor effectively 
 waved her plump white hand as if to avert 
 further argument, ^'people cannot expect 
 everything for nothing ; only the Roth- 
 schilds can beat our collection of bric-a-biac, 
 and I assure you, Mr. Carrol, I am not to be 
 surjoassed in bargains." 
 
 ^'I can quite believe it, ' said Dick turning 
 to look at Maud, who made an artistic pic- 
 ture at that instant. She was leaning back 
 against the crimson velvet cushion, in a pose 
 of studied languor, her fair complexion and 
 golden hair standing out in brilliant relief, 
 her full lips curled in contemptuous indif- 
 ference, her beautiful arm, the sleeve falling 
 back and displaying its snowy contour, 
 raised and reposing loosely among the 
 cushions, while from her hand depended a 
 feather fan. Dick could not help gazing 
 admiringly, for she was tantalizingly beauti- 
 ful, though his mind strayed absently to 
 other memories. He was for ever and ever,
 
 Ckeatukes of Clay. 99 
 
 like an ill-trained hound, harking back, and 
 living over again the past ; for the love of 
 imagination and regret cannot be blotted out 
 in an instant, as we run our fingers over the 
 drops on a window-pane and merge each 
 little stream into one large one. Lady 
 Eleanor was unaware of his preoccupation; 
 she knew but little of Lady Fenchurch, and 
 credited no woman except herself with un- 
 limited power over men. She had welcomed 
 him effusively and monopolized him instantly, 
 and Dick felt at once that he now no longer 
 belonged to himself. Yet his thoughts took 
 a somewhat sombre tinge as he sat alone in 
 his bedroom for a few moments before dinner 
 thinking. 
 
 '^ I am in for it now I suppose, and I must 
 try and succeed, though I hate the whole 
 affair. I shall ask Highvievv who my oppo- 
 nent is. Maud was right," he continued 
 diverging to another topic, ^^tliat niece of 
 Lady Eleanor's is a plain girl. I suppose 
 she will have money to comjjensate. Maud 
 looks well; she grows handsomer every day." 
 And therewith the fortunate young man, who 
 could find pretty women to flatter and talk 
 to him wherever he went, rose, and, ringing 
 
 u 2
 
 100 Ckeatukes of Clay. 
 
 for his valetj began to dress for dinner. 
 When the ladies left the dining-room with a 
 noise and rustle of silky draperies, and Maud 
 had thrown him one last seductive smile, 
 Dick drew his chair up to that of his host, 
 and began. *' Tell me, Mr. High view, is 
 everything satisfactory, I am not likely to 
 find any opposition, eh ?" 
 
 *'I'm sorry to say that is not the case — 
 here have a glass of claret, it's 1870 La llose, 
 and / can recommend it — the man who has 
 chosen to come forward is a certain Sir 
 Hilary Fenchurch. ' ' 
 
 Dick seized the claret decanter and poured 
 himself out a full glass, which he drank off 
 before he answered. '' Is this certain ?'' 
 
 '^ Yes, I'm afraid so ; he has engaged 
 Camps as his agent, Dewsnap the West 
 Thorpe lawyer is working for him; it means 
 money I am afraid." 
 
 " Granny will do all that's necessary in 
 that way, but if I am to have no chance, and 
 how can I, a young untried man, against Sir 
 Hilary Fenchurch ? would it not be better 
 to retire gracefully before we spend our 
 money, and engage our honour in the 
 battle ? ''
 
 Creatures of Clay. 101 
 
 " My honour is eng'a^ed already; I have 
 promised that you shall come forward, and 
 Lady Eleanor is bent upon it ; it would never 
 do to disappoint her; she has elected you as 
 her champion young man, and you know 
 what ladies are when they've made up their 
 mind to a thing." Dick smiled uncomfortably, 
 he scarcely relished the idea of being any 
 lady's champion young man; '^ I do not care 
 to be used as a puppet," he said, ^^and lead a 
 forlorn hope." 
 
 '^A forlorn hope! God bless you, it's 
 nothing of the sort. You shall write M.P. to 
 your name before three months are over. Sir 
 Hilary lias not a chance, the Conservatives'^ 
 day is past. You must not take fright at the 
 very outset ; what will Lady Eleanor say ? '' 
 
 Dick remained silent, and fingered his 
 glass thoughtfully. ^* They like Londoners 
 down here," put in one of the party, an 
 elderly gentleman, whose red face gleamed 
 like a peony from the folds of his voluminous 
 white neck- cloth, ^^ they think more of 
 strangers than of the men who have grown 
 up among them." 
 
 '' Fellows about here are such cads," re- 
 marked another young man with a lisp.
 
 102 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 ^' Sir Hilary Fen church is not a cad, I 
 believe ? " inquired Dick. 
 
 " I don't mean him, but the small squires 
 and the well-to-do farmers; the shopocracy 
 are all as dull and obstinate as pigs. You'll 
 have your work cut out for you, I can tell 
 you; I wouldn't stand for such a county as 
 this." 
 
 " The prospect does not seem encou- 
 raging ; what do you say, Mr. Highview, 
 shall we give it up ? " 
 
 ^' What! and leave the party in the lurch ? 
 decidedly not ! The county can and will be 
 won by a Liberal, and you're the man." 
 
 '^ Oh ! certainly," said the afore-men- 
 tioned old gentleman, who ajDjoeared in 
 imminent risk of choking, and whose nose 
 was growing purple. It was evident that 
 fate intended Dick to be thrust into a posi- 
 tion for which he had no especial liking, and 
 the more fate forced it ujDon him the more 
 he felt inclined to renounce the project. 
 
 '^ You have made up your mind on all 
 necessary questions, I suppose ? " said Mr, 
 Highview, dismissing Dick's scruples airily. 
 ''Are you going to be an independent 
 member, or follow Gladstone implicitly ?
 
 Creatures of Clay. 103 
 
 that's the safest for a young fellow. There's 
 the franchise, and tlie Irish difficulty, and 
 the agricultural labourers, and a dozen more 
 things to occupy your attention. I fear I am 
 still an old Whig, and perhaps you'll con- 
 sider me retrograde, but I confess I am a 
 little afraid of such sweeping changes. 
 Fortunately the Tories serve the purpose of 
 putting on the drag when we are rushing 
 down hill at a breakneck pace.'' 
 
 '^ I am not a party man," said Dick ; ^' I 
 think people ought to have good air, and 
 good water, and good houses ; it's a shame 
 tliey should have to live in pig- sties ; but I 
 don't know how it is to be managed." 
 
 ^' Ah ! then you must stick to your party. 
 The party will find all that out, and the 
 party will do it, and you must just follow in 
 the wake like an obedient sheep. No 
 measure is possible till you have got up a 
 party cry ; then a strong opposition helps 
 rather than retards legislation — remember, to 
 hate and abuse your adversaries is the first 
 duty of a politician." 
 
 '' Must I abuse Sir Hilary? because I am 
 really better with my fists than witii my
 
 104 Creatures of Ci.ay, 
 
 tongue, and should mucli prefer a good 
 stand-up fight.'' 
 
 " I am sorry to observe, Carrol, that you 
 are not half in earnest and impressed with 
 the serious undertaking you have before you ; 
 well, you had better see Gubbins in the 
 morning, he will soon talk you over — he is 
 our agent, you know." 
 
 '* I hope he will, I'm sure ; but I wish I 
 were well out of the affair." 
 
 Dick already repented ; political life 
 seemed a great deal of trouble, and only a 
 shabby concern if you were to follow your 
 leader in sheeplike fashion, and the anta- 
 gonism to Sir Hilarv Fenchurcli, with the 
 hard words and rough attacks tliat must be 
 bandied about and dealt round, displeased 
 him mightily. Evelyn might take it as an 
 insult. Evelyn, the woman he loved ! He 
 loved her still. He felt it — he knew it — and 
 her husband was his opponent. Besides, a 
 parliamentary career was dull and tiresome 
 when stripped of the glamour of excitement. 
 Bruce had said it was a life worth living 
 certainly, but then Bruce was an enthusiast, 
 and enthusiasts, he believed, invariably 
 existed in abject poverty, and died young
 
 Creatures of Clay. 105 
 
 and miserably. Everyone at Higliview 
 Castle seemed to take it for granted that 
 Dick was urged by the pm^est political ambi- 
 tion and aspired to legislate when the real 
 truth remained — that he had no aspirations, 
 and hated trouble. However, it seemed 
 impossible to draw back, and the next day 
 Dick and Mr. Highview jogged slowly along 
 together in the direction of West Thorpe. 
 Luce had lost her ride, as she feared, and 
 was boxed up in the schoolroom helping 
 Maud to trim a ball-gown. 
 
 The day was soft, the bare hedges hung 
 with sparkling dewdrops ; the distance lay 
 bathed in delicate violet and blue tints ; the 
 birds twittered merrily in the bushes. Dick 
 felt better ; he had slejDt well, and his usual 
 easy temper had returned, aud Mr. Higli- 
 view's face was a study of healthy placidity. 
 
 '^What kind of a man is Sir Hilary ? " 
 suddenly asked Dick ; ^^ is he popular ? *' 
 
 '^ So-so ; he is of the good old school of 
 sleepy Conservatives, kind-hearted but 
 narrow minded ; would help a friend with 
 his last shilling, but considers poverty a 
 convenient arrangement of Providence for 
 the benefit of the uj^per classes. Prefers
 
 106 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 to encourage ignorance and respectful de- 
 pendence in the peasantry ; thinks it 
 natural that an aged labourer should look to 
 the workhouse as his only reward, and 
 wonders that a man cannot keep his family 
 on twelve shillings a week." 
 
 ^ ' I wish I could decide on the right line 
 to take." 
 
 '^Carrol, you must certainly have your 
 opinions cut and dried ; if you can't find out 
 for yourself what is best, just become a 
 disciple of somebody else, take it on trust ; 
 only be sure of your facts, and, whatever you 
 do, be thorough." 
 
 " Irresolution is my bane." 
 
 '^ Better be vicious than irresolute ; a man 
 out-grows the one but the other clings about 
 him like ivy about the tree, and smothers 
 life eventually." 
 
 West Thorpe wore an every-day appear- 
 ance, the sluggish river that belted the town 
 flowed along in a dull, oily stream, showing 
 reflections a trifle more deep and defined 
 than usual ; a few scattered groups, evi- 
 dently discussing politics, stood about here 
 and there, and, as a labourer lifted his hat to 
 Mr. Highview, he nudged his neighbour and
 
 Creatures of Clay. 107 
 
 pointed out in a hoarse whisper, '' the young 
 man who's going to contest the county/' 
 Some women, busy at the wash-tub, hurried 
 to the doors wiping the soapsuds from their 
 naked arms, and stared eagerly at Mr. High- 
 view, who trotted quickly on, and drew up at 
 the ^^ Dog and Partridge Hotel," where Mr. 
 Gubbins awaited them. The la Iter was short 
 and thickset and confident, and his brisk jolly 
 manner soon set people at their ease. 
 
 ^^ I'm glad you've come, Mr. High view," 
 he said, turning to the table spread with 
 letters and telegrams, ^^ there's plenty to do, 
 and it's high time we got our address out. 
 Sir Hilary's is placarded all over the town. 
 I hope you are a thorough-paced Liberal, 
 Mr. Carrol. It's the only paying thing now- 
 a-days. If you hang back neither party will 
 claim you. You must promise everything, 
 and carry out what you can afterwards, but 
 above all display a fine programme." 
 
 Dick, having consented to be a candidate, 
 could not refuse to put himself into the 
 knowing Mr. Gubbins's hands, who forthwith 
 drew up a document full of glow^ing promise, 
 advanced views, and compliments flattering 
 to the intelligence of the free and enlightened
 
 108 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 electors which, having read over and pro- 
 nounced to be very good, he pent off to the 
 printers with the ink still wet upon the 
 paper. 
 
 ''Sir Hilary can't beat that," he chuckled ; 
 *' he only promises to uphold Church and 
 State and the old institutions of the country. 
 Vague, sir, very vague, no progress there, 
 nothing to satisfy. Your Radical is the true 
 friend of the people, and I'm happy to say 
 they are getting to know it at last. Now, 
 then, gentleman, suppose we go and call on 
 a few of your leading supporters." 
 
 Yardley, the draper, was the first to fall 
 under this category ; he was a lean, sallow, 
 and discontented looking person, and, when 
 asked for his vote, replied — 
 
 '' I won't promise, I'm sure, sir ; there's 
 folk from London come, and they say this, 
 and they say that, just to get themselves 
 into Parliament. I've no call to complain of 
 a Liberal government. Certainly Mr. Glad- 
 stone is fair enough, and I daresay he does 
 his best, but we've all got to live, and I don't 
 see as food is cheaper, or trade better. And, 
 what with the Factory Acts and the early- 
 closing movement, we don't do near as 
 good a business as we did."
 
 Ckeatukes of Clay. 109 
 
 Dick, well primed by Gubbins, glibly ex- 
 plained that legislation had done much for 
 the country, and that, if trade was not as 
 prosperous as it might be, indeed, positively 
 slack, so deplorable a state of things must be 
 traced to the Tories, and their unreasonable 
 foreign wars. 
 
 "• Look here, now," said Mr. Gubbins, 
 "' how about sugar— isn't sugar cheap? Mrs. 
 Yardley likes her tea sweet, and I'm sure 
 the children love jam." 
 
 '^ I don't deny as you speak fair," said the 
 draper, ^' but the Government is always for 
 helping those who can't help themselves or 
 keep their earnings when they've got them ; 
 the respectable tradesj^eojDle that pay their 
 way honestly get no privileges. Well, I 
 can't promise — I'll see." 
 
 Mr. Sands the grocer came next. He 
 was strong on the Church question, and did 
 not much care which government was in 
 power so long as it did not uphold the State 
 Church. "It's a iniquity, that's what it is, 
 sir, that State Church. I can't abide the 
 parsons, with their coj^es and albs, and 
 stuff and nonsense ; red-hot popery, sir, 
 that's what it is ; and such a lot of new-
 
 110 ClJEATURES OF ClAY. 
 
 f angled services, as if you come a bit late 
 a man can't tell if it's the litany or the 
 burial-service they're saying. We pay them 
 parsons to preach the gospel, don't we ? 
 Well, when my missus was ill for full six 
 weeks, not one of *em so much as came to 
 read to her, though they called pretty smart 
 for a subscription to the improvements of 
 the church. Straw chairs, is it, sir? and 
 paint and pictures, that's what they call 
 improvements; I don't, sir, I calls 'em idola- 
 trous. Well, they do say as the Prime 
 Minister has leanings to Rome, but I can't 
 believe it, for didn't he disestablish the Irish 
 Church? and a very good job too. I read 
 the Bible daily, and I know what's what in 
 religion, and my missis she thinks the same 
 us I do." 
 
 Dick listened meekly to this diatribe, and 
 when they passed out Gubbins whispered 
 to the grocer, ^' He is a true Christian that 
 young man, studies his Bible regularly, you 
 needn't be afraid to vote for him." 
 
 As they proceeded on their house-to-house 
 visitation Dick soon discovered that the 
 science of politics was a sealed book to most 
 voters ; each one had his own grievance or
 
 Creatures of Clay. Ill 
 
 personal fad, and each one looked no further 
 than the bounded horizon, of his own preju- 
 dices, making himself and his private interest 
 the pivot round which revolved the questions 
 of progress, religion, social reform, or edu- 
 cation. Dick, who was honest, though indo- 
 lent, found it hard to make the contradictory 
 promises which his position demanded of 
 Iiim ; he minded less the shaking of hands 
 and kissing of babies than the false words 
 and fair speeches which it was his duty im- 
 partially to distribute. But Gubbins made 
 uj) for all shortcomings; he exhorted, praised, 
 joked, and flattered each independent elector 
 until lie more or less obtained a promise of 
 support. On the homeward road they fell 
 in with an old labourer in a smock-frock, 
 carrying a basket of tools on his shoulder. 
 His white locks streamed in the wind and 
 liis honest weather beaten countenance was 
 seamed and traversed by deep lines of care 
 and toil. 
 
 ''Ah, Peter, how are you?" said Mr. High- 
 view cordially, reining up his horse to speak 
 to him; then in an undertone to Dick, "He's 
 a stonemason, an honest fellow enough, 
 though eccentric, and has the unbounded
 
 112 Ckeatures of Clay. 
 
 confidence of all his mates. Now, Peter, 
 here's the young gentleman who wishes to 
 have the honour of representing you in Par- 
 liament ; what chance has he, do you 
 think ? " Peter touched his cap, lifted his 
 eyes cautiously and quietly, and scratching 
 his head replied, after prolonged deliberation, 
 '' He be a foine young gentleman for sartin 
 to look at ; but have he stuff in him ? that's 
 what he must show us. He be a gentleman, 
 and I s'pose he's a gentleman's ideas. He's 
 a Liberal, be he? Well, now, I never can tell 
 rightly how they can put they four things 
 together, a gentleman, a landlord, a magis- 
 trate, and a radical. It's a queer medley ; 
 there ain't no Liberals now, we must be 
 radicals or nought — a friend of the people 
 and one of the people. No, no, it's nought 
 to me what kind of a government's in power; 
 it strikes me there'll always be poor men, 
 and the rich will be always a talking of 
 helping 'em, but as our Lord said, and he 
 wer a man of the people and no mistake : 
 * the poor ye have always with you.' If 
 the working man is to be helped let him 
 help himself, there's noone else can do it ; 
 but, as far as I see, there must always be toil
 
 Creatures of Clay. 113 
 
 and trouble and sorrow, and then death — 
 tliat's the best of all ; folks can rest and 
 none to rail at 'em. Oh, I dare say the 
 young gentleman 'ull do well enough, and I 
 wish your friend luck, for you're a kind and 
 just landlord, Mr. Highview, and so long as 
 there must be landlords I've no fault to find 
 wi' ye ; ye means well, I know; but I says 
 to my mates, ' lor bless yer, don't yer trust 
 to the government, but trust to yourselves.' 
 Good day, sir, I've a long trudge afore me 
 still, and I wish you well, young gentleman ^ 
 that I do." The old man nodded, took up 
 his basket of tools, and trudged on. 
 
 ''There, there's a specimen of the work-< 
 ing man," said Mr. Highview, '^he isn't 
 grateful, and he isn't happy, and he works 
 hard, and he enjoys his grumble, but he is 
 patient : oh, the patience of the poor ! it is 
 wonderful, it passes all belief. He was a 
 violent Trades-unionist and speaker once, but 
 he has calmed down now, and has seen the 
 error of his ways." 
 
 ^' I wonder if that is what we shall all 
 come to," mused Dick, '^ to spend the best 
 years of our life pursuing a phantom, and 
 then at the last say ^ there is nothing good 
 
 VOL. I. I
 
 114 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 but death. I might as well never have 
 lived." 
 
 ^' Peter has lived for something. The 
 condition of the labourers is much improved 
 during the last few years— they are better 
 housed, better clothed, better fed ; and he 
 has a son to whom he has given a good 
 education, and who bids fair to be a master 
 mason one day. Peter has only sobered 
 down ; he is getting old, you see, as we all 
 must, and the enthusiasm of youth is giving 
 place to quiet common sense." 
 
 '' So much for education. Are we not 
 better without it ? It is Pegasus harnessed 
 to a plough, and the divine animal has the 
 worst of it, I think," said Dick, bitterly. 
 
 '^ Not a bit of it ; when your joints grow 
 stiff, it is a pleasure to go steadily, and 
 youth, with all its daring, occasionally gets 
 some remarkably unpleasant knocks and 
 tumbles." 
 
 -«4 
 
 I
 
 115 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 ^' PIere, Evelyn, is that the kind of thing 
 you like?" said Sir Hilary, one morning, 
 throwing a pale blue velvet jewel-case into 
 Lady Fenchurch's lap. 
 
 "' Hilary ! Oh, how beautiful ! " Evelyn 
 glanced with admiration at the rows of snowy 
 pearls reposing on their velvet cushion. 
 
 '^ You said the other night that you liked 
 pearls better than any other precious stones, 
 so I sent for these." Sir Hilary put his 
 hands in his pockets, and aired his back 
 before the fire. 
 
 '^ They are lovely; but I meant nothing. 
 I never thought of your giving me any ; 
 they must have cost a great deal." 
 
 Lady Fenchurch's manner was more 
 grieved than glad. 
 
 ''Well, never mind; the money is mine to 
 
 I 2
 
 116 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 do as I like with, and tlie pearls are yours 
 to wear. Give me a kiss, and mind you put 
 them on to-night.'' 
 
 Evelyn raised her face obediently, and 
 Sir Hilary, having deposited a kiss on her 
 cheek, departed His wife looked again 
 sadly at the pearls. She had never cared 
 for jewels or finery, and just now she 
 cared still less. Her mind was running on 
 other topics, and straying into forbidden 
 grooves. It cost her a bitter pang to hear 
 Dick's name in everyone's mouth, to be told 
 of the favourable impression he had created, 
 to read his address, and to find him the 
 universal subject of conversation.. Miss 
 Fen church, pishing and pshawing, had re- 
 ceived a local paper containing a report of 
 his first speech, and Evelyn with a blush 
 at her own infatuation, had secured the paper 
 and hidden it carefully at the bottom of one 
 of her drawers. She had not yet met him ; 
 indeed, she hoped to be spared this ordeal ; 
 but she could not help listening eagerly for 
 his praises. Sorely did she chide herself for 
 disloyalty to Sir Hilary, while she regarded 
 his presents as the price she received for the 
 surrender of her love. Sir Hilary treated 
 her like a child, petted and spoiled her, and
 
 Creatures of Clay. 117 
 
 gave her jewellery, fancying she needed 
 nothing else ; but she, who had tasted one 
 brief moment of dangerous rapture, knew 
 that gifts were but a poor substitute for love. 
 Had she onl}^ known sooner, or had she 
 but possessed the courage to tell Sir Hilary 
 the truth, and break off her engagement, all 
 would have been well, but a foolish fear and 
 a mistaken sense of duty had withheld her, 
 and there was nothing for it now but to 
 trample down the restless longing in her 
 heart and to become in thought, as she was 
 in deed, a blameless wife. With a sigh 
 Evelyn locked up her jewel-case, and ill at 
 ease set fortli on her daily walk. She 
 directed her steps in the opposite direction 
 to West Thorpe, and, having climbed a steep 
 and stony lane, halted to take breath. The 
 still November hush was over everything ; 
 not a sound broke the silence ; it was too 
 late for the song of the thrush, and too early 
 for the bleat of the lambs. The sun struggled 
 vainly through the heavy grey clouds that 
 almost touched the long row of green fields 
 with their black and leafless bordering of 
 trees, stretching away into the dim distance : 
 the tints were crude and colourless, the sky
 
 118 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 low and gloomy. Evelyn leant her head on 
 her hands, and rested by the stile thinking. 
 She was too depressed to care much for the 
 present, or to anticipate the future. A 
 shadowy presentiment encompassed her. Pre- 
 sently the sound of a horse's trot roused her 
 from her reverie, and, fearful lest Sir Hilary 
 should find her sentimentalizing, to which 
 mental pursuit he bore an undying grudge, 
 she turned quickly from the stile towards the 
 road. As she did so she perceived that, 
 contrary to her supposition, Dick was the 
 rider. He pulled up his horse abruptly, and 
 stopped. Evelyn's colour had fled, her lips 
 were white and trembling, her fine brown 
 eyes uplifted pitifully. Dick could not pass 
 on without speaking to her. 
 
 ^^ Lady Fenchurch," he said — he had 
 schooled himself to speak the name — ^^lave 
 you forgiven me?'' This was not at all 
 what he meant to say, but it served the 
 purpose as well as any other speech^ and 
 broke the ice. 
 
 ^^ I have wished so much to meet you." 
 Here he jumped off his horse, and ap- 
 proached. ^^ I want to speak to you ; may I 
 walk with you a little way ? ''
 
 Creatures of Clay. 119 
 
 Evelyn bowed her head ; she dared not 
 trust herself to speak. 
 
 '^ When we met last," he pursued, ^^ you 
 know what my feelings were " 
 
 ^^ Don't speak so/' she interrupted, ^'that 
 is all over^ talk of yourself and your pros- 
 pects." 
 
 ^^I know that is all over," he said, bitterly; 
 '' you spoilt my life for me, and you do not 
 like to think of it ; but, if even you forbid 
 me to speak of them, my feelings are un- 
 changed. I have done my very best to 
 forget you, believe me ; I have plunged into 
 this political career, which strikes me as 
 barren to the core, and I work hard, which 
 I hate, and try not to remember. I can't do 
 more. Is my presence here so distasteful to 
 you, can you not even forgive me for oppos- 
 ing your husband ? I did not know when I 
 accepted the candidature that there was any 
 chance of his coming forward — for, of course, 
 in that case I should never have allowed 
 myself to be nominated." 
 
 ^^ I do not mind," she said, quietly, '' I 
 shall never see you ; our paths in life are 
 quite separate ; I have no possible right to 
 dictate to you what you shall or shall not do.
 
 120 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 But I am glad also that we met to-day — be- 
 cause the last time — you misunderstood me ; '* 
 her eyes filled with tears. Dick longed to kiss 
 away those tears, but he walked doggedly 
 along, his horse's bridle drawn through his 
 arm, scarcely daringv to look at her. To all 
 appearance they were merely taking a casual 
 stroll, but Evelyn's heart felt nigh to break- 
 ing, and Dick was mad with rage and love. 
 
 ^'We understand one another now," he 
 said ^^I'Gsently. '' Oh yes, you will think of 
 me sometimes — as a friend — I will carry 
 the remembrance of you to my dying day, 
 best and dearest of friends — but — you look 
 so pale— you are not unhappy ? " 
 
 ^' No, no. I am very well. I heard that 
 your first speech was much apjoroved of — I 
 was glad, you know — I should like you to 
 persevere — some day perhaps you will be 
 famous." 
 
 ^' Do you wish me to succeed, then ? '' 
 
 ^* You forget Sir Hilary." 
 
 '^I cannot even ask for your good wishes,'' 
 he said, bitterly; '^ it is hard— and our 
 political views don't coincide, or perhaps you 
 have none — do politics bore you ? " 
 
 " No indeed." It could not be doubted
 
 Creatures of Clay. 121 
 
 that no topic chosen by Dick would bore her, 
 so long as he refrained from speaking oi 
 love. ^' Is it pleasant at High view ? " 
 
 ^^ Pretty well, very magnificent! — they 
 are most kind and hospitable — and Mr. High- 
 view is a downright good fellow." 
 
 '' And she ? '' 
 
 ^^ Oh, she is good-natured enough, though 
 she does treat that wTotched little niece of 
 hers with unnecessary severity ; fortunately 
 Maud takes her part and stands up for her." 
 
 '^ Maud Hardfast ! your cousin Maud ; is 
 she staying there, too ? " Evelyn's voice 
 exjDressed dismay. 
 
 " Oh yes, she is there, and her mother 
 also, they are going to stay some time." 
 
 ^' Then I need not ask if High view Castle 
 is a pleasant place to stay in. Why do you 
 deceive me, Dick ? " In her emotion she 
 spoke his name inadvertently, and embold- 
 ened by this he seized her hand. 
 
 ''Deceive you, Evelyn! I could never do so." 
 
 " Oh yes, you can — you pretend to care 
 for me, and all the while you are flirting and 
 making love to your cousin Maud — of course 
 you are right, she is very beautiful - but it 
 is cruel of you to deceive me, and make me
 
 122 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 wretched." Evelyn drew her hand away 
 angrily. 
 
 ''Why, T am not engaged to her, I don't 
 really care a fig for my cousin," this in a 
 tone of surprise. 
 
 ''But you will marry and learn to care 
 for her." 
 
 '' We have known one another from child- 
 hood, we are only friends — surely you 
 understand this.'' 
 
 '^ Just now Z was to be your friend." 
 
 '' So you are, Evelyn dearest ; how you 
 torture me ! " 
 
 '' I am wrong, Dick, don't speak to me 
 any more ; I can't help it, I have no right to 
 find fault —who am I ? — oh, leave me, pray, 
 and never, never come near me again." 
 
 '^ I cannot leave yoa like this, Evelyn ; 
 how excited, how unjust you are ! I don't 
 want to marry ; I am your devoted slave ; it 
 is you who drive me away — believe me, I 
 ask no more than to be always with you." 
 
 ''And that can never be. Goodbye, Dick 
 —Mr. Carrol." 
 
 " Remember," he said earnestly, " I love 
 you ; I shall love you always ; when you 
 need me send for me. I am always yours."
 
 Creatures of Clay. 12J3 
 
 He remounted quickly, and rode off, 
 leaving Evelyn in a dream. She had re- 
 joiced to see him again. The sight of his 
 handsome face had sent her pulses bounding 
 madly vrith joy, till almost immediately her 
 happiness was dashed by a fierce feeling of 
 jealousy. Five minutes of conversation had 
 thus utterly disarranged her life. She was 
 impressed with a sense of her weakness, her 
 wickedness, her ingratitude to Sir Hilary. 
 Oidy flight could save her ; it was igno- 
 minious but sure. She must avoid Dick at 
 all hazards ; they must not meet again. 
 Was she not trembling like an aspen-leaf, 
 while her hand was cold, and her cheeks 
 burning with a painful flush. 
 
 When she reached home, though feeling 
 faint with bodily fatigue, she proceeded at 
 once to the library, where tea was usually 
 served. Sir Hilary was there in a sullen 
 mood. 
 
 ^'You are late," he said shortly, ^^and 
 must be tired." 
 
 '^ Yes, I am tired." She threw off her hat 
 and gloves and sat down. '' I had a long 
 walk ; shall I go and change my things, or 
 make you some tea first ? "
 
 124^ • CREATurvES OF Clay. 
 
 ^' My sister made the tea long ago, as you 
 were out/' he answered, in an aggrieved 
 tone. 
 
 '• Oh ! I am very sorry. It shall not 
 happen again, Hilary." 
 
 "Where did you walk?'' he asked, try- 
 ing to seem more gracious. 
 
 ^ ' Towards Fairholt ; the road is less 
 mudd}^." 
 
 '^ Ah ! then you must have met Dick 
 Carrol ; pray did you speak to him ? I 
 heard he was to be at Fairholt Rectory to- 
 day." 
 
 " Yes, I met him ; " Evelyn tried hard to 
 keep her voice steady. '^ We talked for a 
 few minutes." 
 
 '^ You never told me you knew him ; it 
 was quite accidentally that I heard he was 
 staying at the Milner's when you were there 
 last spring." 
 
 Evelyn, sitting in the hot lamp-lit library, 
 turned suddenly cold. What had Sir Hilary 
 heard ? What could he mean ? 
 
 '^ I did not think you would care about 
 it," she said. 
 
 "My opponent is naturally of interest to 
 me," he said drily, " but you seem to forget
 
 Creatures of Clay. 125 
 
 this — wives do not always have their 
 husbands' interests at heart." 
 
 ^^Oh! but I have, Hilary, you know I 
 have. I hope you will win the election — I 
 should like to help you,'' she said, warmly. 
 
 Sir Hilary gave a sneering laugh. 
 
 ^' What is it, Hilary ? what do you mean ? 
 have I offended you ? Oh ! do speak 
 to me." 
 
 '^ Don't disturb yourself, my dear; I 
 mean nothing ; pray do not make a scene. 
 You have walked too far, and are overtired ; 
 go to your room and lie down a little." 
 
 Evelyn rose. Her faintness and dizziness 
 had increased. Sir Hilary's advice was ex-, 
 cellent ; she would go and lie down. He 
 opened the door for her with his old- 
 fashioned gallantry of manner, and kissed 
 her forehead as she passed out. 
 
 ^^ Lie down, dear, and you will be all right 
 by dinner-time." 
 
 Certainly, it might l)e all right physically 
 with her, yet she could not divest herself of 
 a vague fear, and an apprehension that some 
 deeper meaning lay in Sir Hilary's words. 
 Hitherto Evelyn had only thought of herself 
 and of what might have been ; now a far
 
 126 Creatuhes of Clay. 
 
 more dreadful phantom reared itself before 
 her affrighted gaze, the phantom of domestic 
 troubles and misunderstandings. Would the 
 great fight soon include, not onl37^ her own 
 passions and desires, but the subtle en- 
 croachments of a husband's jealousy ? He 
 jealous of her, she jealous of Dick; what 
 a tangle ! Bitterly did she rue the folly 
 and vacillation which had prevented her 
 from proclaiming her love for Dick, and 
 throwing off the bonds of her engagement, 
 when to have done so would have cost 
 neither truth nor irrevocable pain. There 
 are few people who do not, like Evelyn, hang 
 the veil of expediency before the inner portal 
 of the temple of truth, dreading to look upon 
 the features of the stern goddess without 
 some shadow of protection. Evelyn had 
 said to herself: ^' I cannot — I dare not," 
 and the fiction had become fact. Sir 
 Hilary was a reasonable man, and had she 
 treated him reasonably she need never have 
 regretted it. But it was too late now, and 
 her slight deviation from the path of honesty 
 was likely to lead her into a perfect maze of 
 misery.
 
 127 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 The meeting with his lady-love sorely 
 damped Dick's spirits, which were beginning 
 to rise again with universal encouragement, 
 and the prospects of success. She was his 
 lady-love still, at least, in his dreams, he had 
 not yet accustomed himself to think of her 
 as the wife of another man. She was the 
 same Evelyn, as sweet, as gentle, as pretty, 
 yet not the same ; she was a woman now, 
 oppressed by a woman's responsibilities, ham- 
 pered by a woman's duties, and no longer the 
 bright, careless girl he had known in that 
 brief time of m.utual passion. She was far 
 removed from him, indeed, it was a sin even 
 to think of her. And yet he recalled with 
 delight the sparkle of her eye, the flush of 
 her cheek at his unexpected appearance, and 
 the glory of ambition faded into insignifi-
 
 128 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 cance when lie compared it with the madness 
 of love. 
 
 The company were just filing into dinner 
 like an army of well-dressed mutes as 
 Dick descended the staircase. He offered his 
 arm to the nearest lady, who proved to be 
 his cousin Maud. She was looking her best 
 in a dress of pale blue, but he scarcely cared 
 for her beauty to-night. She rallied him 
 playfully on his moodiness, saying, '' I 
 declare you must have seen a ghost to-day, 
 you look quite scared." 
 
 He had indeed seen a spectre, the ghost 
 of a dead love, but he did not confess to her 
 the correctness of her supposition. In the 
 same bantering tone he answered, that it was 
 the loss of her presence that had made him 
 so dull, and praised her dress. Luce's obser- 
 vant eyes watched them across the table; she 
 knew Maud's enterprise, and she thought she 
 read success in her smiles and blushes. 
 Dick did not see that he was observed; a 
 plain little girl could scarcely arouse his 
 vanity, and he allowed her plenty of leisure 
 to pursue her observations. The dinner was 
 a triumph of French cookery, for Lady 
 Eleanor kept a culinary artist on the premises
 
 Creatures of Clay. 129 
 
 and gave as much attention to her '^ sahiiis'' 
 as to her guests' conversation. Dick, hungry 
 from his ride, did justice to the delicacies 
 set before him, and quaffed largely of his 
 champagne glass. Elated by the froth and 
 sparkle of talk and wine, he presently adven- 
 tured himself into a flirtation with Maud. 
 This was not difficult with such considerate 
 encouragement as she gave him, and, if 
 hearts are not caught in the rebound, at least 
 vanity is. Later in the evening, Maud flut- 
 tered down on to a deep, soft couch, bedded 
 with embroidered cushions and hidden be- 
 hind a large porphyry vase. Luce found her 
 out there and took the place beside her* 
 which Maud had mentally reserved for Dick. 
 '' How cold it is to night! " said the plain 
 girl shivering, ^' I am sure there must be a 
 frost." 
 
 "• Very likely; I don't feel the cold," said 
 Maud, luxuriously spreading out her fair 
 white hands and contemplating them . ' ^ What 
 a chilly little creature you are! go and warm 
 yourself by the fire," she added, her sym- 
 pathy being largely mixed with a desire to 
 get rid of her tactless friend before the 
 arrival of the gentlemen. 
 
 VOL. I K
 
 130 Ceeatures of Clay. 
 
 " No, I will stay here a little. What were 
 you and Mr. Carrol talking about at din- 
 ner ? He looked so interested." 
 
 *^ He is always interested — with me, we 
 understand one another," said the beauty, 
 languidly, not unwilling to be credited with 
 power. *' Men generally like the society of 
 women who can enter into their thoughts." 
 
 "How can you enter into their thoughts?" 
 said plain matter-of-factness. '' What does a 
 girl know of a man's real feelings ? " 
 
 " Dear me. Luce, how stupid you are ! 
 One must study them of course." 
 
 '^ Exactly." Luce relapsed into silence. 
 Luce had been studying too, with what 
 success she knew not. 
 
 '' Come over here, Luce," cried Lady 
 Eleanor, sharply, at that instant. ^'Why 
 do you hide yourself away in a corner?" 
 Luce rose obediently, and Maud thus attained 
 her object. Bruce, in answer to a summons 
 from Dick Carrol, had arrived at the Castle, 
 and the two friends strolled in together 
 from the dining-room ; but an electric flash 
 from Maud's eyes promptly brought Dick 
 to his senses, and a rapid twist of his heel 
 landed him by the couch to which the
 
 Creatures of Clay. 131 
 
 vacant seat invited him. Bruce, who knew 
 no one, glanced indifferently about ; he was 
 like a mole, half -blinded by the light of 
 many wax candles and the blaze of jewellery; 
 he missed his round table, the little reading- 
 lamp, and the familiar folios. Lady Eleanor's 
 loud, sonorous, and yet lady -like tones rang 
 like a Greek chorus in his ear. As he stood 
 motionless, not timid, yet strange, with 
 luminous eyes and bent, reed -like figure, 
 Luce, her lashes wet with tears, turned from 
 the two eager whispering figures on the 
 couch, and beheld Bruce standing thus 
 lonely and unobserved. A feeling of sym- 
 pathy prompted her to approach him, and' 
 say in a voice as soft as the summer wind: 
 
 •' You are Mr. Carrol's friend, are you 
 not ? He was telling us to-day how much 
 he looked forward to your arrival." 
 
 Bruce, responsive to her directions, sat 
 down in a high-backed satin chair, and 
 looked keenl}^ at her before answering. The 
 beauty of her eyes astonished him ; he was 
 not accustomed to such eyes, for a tender, 
 sensitive soul spoke from them. He was 
 unusually indifferent to mere beauty of form 
 and colouring, but intelligence and reason- 
 
 k2
 
 132 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 ableness in a woman seemed to him worthy 
 of attention. 
 
 ^' Yes, I trust I am Dick's greatest friend. 
 He is a dear fellow, a fine character, though 
 undeveloped. The education of the day is 
 answerable for that; it fritters away a man's 
 energies and leaves him no time for concen- 
 tration." 
 
 ^' You approve his political opinions?" she 
 questioned. 
 
 '' Certainly, they are my own. Progress 
 must be every man's ideal. I wish to see 
 the moral condition, the social status, of the 
 people raised. That, it seems to me, is the 
 religion of politics, the spiritual side which 
 everything worth labouring for must possess. 
 Politics are not essentially earthly ; it is a 
 mistake to treat them so, when they refer to 
 man's highest good, to the victory of mo- 
 rality over self-interest. Each man has a 
 political duty towards himself and others 
 from the mere fact that he is a citizen of the 
 state ; to be indifferent to this duty is a 
 blunder and a sin." 
 
 '' I never thought of politics in that sense. 
 You are a great student, Mr. Bruce, I 
 believe ? ''
 
 Creatures of Clay. 133 
 
 '^ I could not live away from my books, 
 those silent, faithful, satisfying, friends." 
 
 '^ And you prefer them to men and women? 
 Perhaps you are right," she added, softly. 
 
 '' Excuse me, I did not say that. I am 
 truly attached to Dick, with a quiet disin- 
 terested feeling that is perhaps somewhat old- 
 fashioned, and I can see that the girl he is 
 speaking to is extremely handsome. I think 
 I understood her name to be Miss Hardfast." 
 
 '^ Yes, she is thought very beautiful," Luce 
 sighed. It was not a sigh of envy, but yet 
 it contained regret. 
 
 ^* She is handsome, but it is not a beauty 
 that appeals to me, it is too sensual. The* 
 young lady is not troubled with soul. If 
 Dick marries her it will be his ruin." 
 
 ^' Do you, who are his friend, think he will 
 marry her ? '' questioned Luce with un- 
 necessary eagerness. 
 
 '^ I cannot tell. He is not in love with her 
 now; if he were, his actions would be incom- 
 prehensible, and mysterious of course.'^ 
 
 ^^Why?" 
 
 '^ Because love is a madness, and there is 
 no reason in insanity." 
 
 '^ That is a hard word. Mr. Carrol is
 
 134 Creatures of ClaYo 
 
 like what I imagine Alexander must, have 
 been. He is so strong, and healthy, and 
 handsome." 
 
 Bruce looked at her with more attention ; 
 the girl's tones, soft as they were, had a 
 warmth that puzzled him. 
 
 *^ Yes, perhaps ; I never thought of hisgood 
 looks, but of course women notice these 
 things. And so you have read too Miss 
 Windermere, I perceive you are a student, as 
 you took a classical personage for your 
 simile; pray be faithful to your studies; there 
 is nothing to be compared with them ; they 
 are the staff of life." 
 
 ^' I am fond of reading, but I don't think 
 deep study is good for worn en. '^ 
 
 '' Why so ? '' 
 
 " Because it makes them sometimes dis- 
 contented with the common-place." 
 
 -^Well?" 
 
 ^^ And — and because men do not like it.'^ 
 
 '' Some men do.'' 
 
 '^ No, no indeed it does not answer, it is 
 better not." 
 
 At this moment there occurred a general 
 move among the company ; a lady rose and 
 went to the piano to sing; some of the gentle-
 
 Creatures of Clay. 135 
 
 men disappeared into the smoking-room — 
 music has that effect occasionally of inciting 
 a desire for soporifics — and the two speakers 
 were parted by the wave of motion, but 
 Maud and Dick sat on behind their porphyry 
 vase happy and quiescent. 
 
 '' And so you speak in the town-hall to 
 morrow," she was saying with a solicitous 
 deflection of her voice ; '' I must go even if I 
 have to walk alone there ; I do so want to 
 hear you speak." 
 
 '^ I had rather not, you will make me 
 nervous." 
 
 " You nervous, impossible ! " Maud threw 
 a cursory glance at his robust figure, his' 
 finely modelled hands, his clear eyes, and 
 ruddy complexion, which were the incarnate 
 expression of perfect health and strength. 
 
 ^' I assure you, I am really very nervous." 
 
 ''Leave that to the women, who are not 
 sure of their own good looks and their 
 powers of pleasing, like poor Luce, for in- 
 stance ; how shy she is ! What does your 
 agent say ? " she added with interest. 
 
 '' He is very sanguine, but then he is 
 always sanguine. He is the kind of man who 
 in a railway accident, with the dead and
 
 136 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 dying around liim, would exclaim, ^ Thank 
 goodness, there are a good many saved ; 
 it is not so bad as it might have been.' " 
 
 "What a charming temperament! I should 
 like to know him.'' 
 
 "Naturally therefore I cannot quite trust 
 to his assurances, but still I hope to be suc- 
 cessful, for I hate to be foiled at anything." 
 
 "And why should you?" Maud contrived 
 to throw a suggestive inflection into her 
 voice conveying the certainty that, given 
 Dick's powers, success was inevitable. 
 
 " But now we really must go,'' she said, 
 seeing the room nearly empty, and Luce 
 hovering near, "I want you to play a game 
 of billiards with me." 
 
 Lady Eleanor, however, who had her own 
 ends in view, waylaid her at this instant, 
 and carried her off to consult about some 
 knotty point of dress or arrangement, and 
 Luce and Dick were left standing alone. 
 
 " I have been talking to your friend, Mr. 
 Bruce," she said, rather timidly ; "how plea- 
 sant he is, and how devoted he seems to you." 
 
 It was almost the first time she had ad- 
 dressed Dick since he entered the house, and 
 her soft harmonious voice pleased his fas-
 
 Creatures of Clay. 137 
 
 tidious ears. Maud's voice was clear and 
 strong and agreeable enough in a fresh com- 
 mon-place way, but it had none of the deli- 
 cate modulations and thrilling reedy sweet- 
 ness of this one. 
 
 '^ I can't half appreciate Bruce," lie an- 
 swered, heartily, '' he is so good, and so un- 
 selfish, and so clever; he works patiently and 
 uncom^^lainingly, and really works for bread. 
 It is not play, like everything I have done 
 hitherto." 
 
 ^^ But you are doing real work now ? '' 
 
 '' Yes, I suppose so." 
 
 '' It must be pleasant to be a man," said 
 Luce, reflectively, " to have a definite object 
 to labour for, and to be able to follow one's 
 own impulses," 
 
 ^^ I am afraid one follows them rather too 
 often ; men have more temptations than 
 women, you know." 
 
 ^'But then they are not nearly so much 
 hampered. This election, now, I suppose it 
 is your own choice ? " 
 
 ^^ Yes, and I assure you I care very little 
 about it." 
 
 ^^ Indeed! I think the sense of power 
 must be fine, it must be nice to feel that you
 
 138 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 can sway a multitude, that people listen for 
 your opinion — don't you like that ? " 
 
 '^ Well, you know my opinion isn't worth 
 much, I know very little of these matters." 
 
 '' But then you are learning." 
 
 Luce's quiet timid manner rather amused 
 him, he thought he would try and draw her 
 out ; she paid him no compliments, and yet 
 seemed to think far more seriously of his 
 future than Maud, notwithstanding her 
 sugar-plum flatteries. The atmosphere of 
 the one girl braced, while the other ener- 
 vated him. 
 
 '' Are you going to the Town Hall ?" he 
 asked ^' I hope so." 
 
 " I think we are all going ; Maud Hardfast 
 has set her heart on it, and my aunt is so 
 very fond of her, she is sure to humour her 
 wishes." 
 
 ^' And are you not fond of her ? " 
 
 '' I like her very well, I don't think I am 
 fond of anyone. Does not that imply a kind 
 of renunciation of self, which I have certainly 
 not yet reached " 
 
 '^ And cannot understand ? '' 
 
 '^ Oh, yes, I can understand it. I can 
 understand a man giving up everything for
 
 Creatures of Clay. 139 
 
 a woman, and caring only to please her, and^ 
 even doing foolish things, and — " here Luce 
 caught Dick's astonished gaze, and hesitated, 
 — ^'but of course I do not know anything 
 about such things, and am never likely to." 
 
 '' Why not ? " he questioned kindly. 
 
 ^' Because I am plain, and men only care 
 for beauty, and no one is likely to take a 
 fancy to me.'' 
 
 ^'Men like nice women. I am sure you 
 are nice." 
 
 Luce coloured painfully. He was laughing 
 at her, she thought, and she felt the sting 
 more acutely, because for once she had for- 
 gotten herself, and spoken out frankly with- 
 out regard to conventionality. 
 
 '^ Why do you stop and look at me so ? " 
 he asked. 
 
 ^^ I think it very bad taste on your part to 
 laugh at a girl because she says openly what 
 you are thinking in your heart," said Luce. 
 
 '' By Jove ! I — I beg your pardon ; that 
 isn't true. I wasn't laughing, I was think- 
 ing I had never met a really modest girl 
 before. I am not a good hand at making 
 protestations, but upon my word, believe me, 
 I wouldn't hurt your feelings for the world."
 
 140 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 ' ^' Plain people ought to have no feelings." 
 
 '^ Look here, Miss Luce, to show you I 
 mean what I say, and to prove to me you 
 don't bear malice, will you talk to me again 
 to-morrow evening, and tell me some of 
 your ideas ? They are so fresh and new to 
 me, you know, I did not think it possible 
 for a woman to be entirely without vanity.'' 
 
 They had wandered thus talking into the 
 billiard-room, and a reproachful look from 
 Maud, who was playing billiards, arrested 
 him. 
 
 '^ Come here," she cried, ^^ please chalk 
 my cue, and do tell me what stroke I had 
 better make next. You said I was to be 
 your pupil, and you have never been near 
 me at all." 
 
 Dick expressed his regret, chalked the 
 cue, and, shutting one eye, deliberated upon 
 the chances of Maud's ball hitting the 
 cushion and cannoning off, or rolling 
 straight into the pocket. The game was 
 exciting, and Maud, who knew how to pose 
 herself so as best to display, when bending 
 over the table, the full curves of her graceful 
 bust, and the rounded plumpness of her 
 beautiful arm, took every precaution that
 
 Creatures of Clay. 141 
 
 Dick should not again stray from her side. 
 She had been practising all the afternoon by 
 herself, and now protested, with pretty little 
 cries of alarm, that she could never, never, 
 never hit that ball unless Dick would just 
 show her how to hold the cue, and stand 
 beside her to give her courage. When the 
 stroke was completed, she would turn to 
 Dick confidentially and express boundless 
 gratitude for his advice. Dick, who was a 
 fine player, grew proud of his pupil, and 
 bestowed no further thought on quiet Luce, 
 who sat by knitting a stocking, and listening 
 half unconsciously to the spicy gossip with 
 which Mrs. Hardfast and Lady Eleanor re- 
 galed her ears.
 
 142 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 It was decided to have an early dinner in 
 preparation for the meeting in the Town Hall. 
 Mr. Highview, Dick, and Julian Bruce 
 were to start first, and the ladies to follow. 
 The household was thrown into a state of 
 confusion, for some of the servants had been 
 given permission to attend the meeting, and 
 the ladies' maids were running to and fro, 
 answering the loudly pealing bells, and 
 hurrying their mistresses' toilettes, in pre- 
 paration for the unusually early meal. 
 Luce was dressed in good time, and de- 
 scended to the drawing-room, where she 
 amused herself with a book of poetry, pend- 
 ing the arrival of the rest of the party. 
 
 She was calm and unhurried ; it was not 
 her habit to hurry ; she had observed its dis- 
 advantages in the case of her aunt, who was
 
 Creatukes of Clay. 143 
 
 always writing letters, or giving orders, or 
 holding audiences up to the very last mo- 
 ment, and then required to be inducted ex- 
 peditiously into her gown by a trembling 
 maid with awkward fingers, who generally 
 broke the lace or fastened the hooks awry, to 
 a running accompaniment of angry rebukes 
 from Lady Eleanor. Mr. Highview kept to 
 his dressing-room at these times, and slunk 
 quietly down stairs when he was ready, lest 
 he should be called on presently to adjudicate 
 between mistress and maid, for after a cer- 
 tain period of terror and semi- imbecility the 
 maid generally turned and treated her mis- 
 tress to saucy answers, with the natural 
 result of speedy dismissal. As these occur- 
 rences were frequent and the scarcity of 
 good maids great, Lady Eleanor usually 
 passed a great many weeks in a condition 
 of abject dependence upon an obliging house- 
 maid's services. Maud and Mrs. Hardfast 
 possessed one maid between them, or rather 
 it might be said that Maud had a maid, for 
 the latter spent two hours with the daughter 
 before she was permitted to bestow five 
 minutes on the mother ; and Mrs. Hardfast 
 would wander helplessly in and out of her
 
 I4i4 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 daughter's room a dozen times in dressing- 
 gown and slippers to find Maud invariably 
 just trying on a wreath, taking down her 
 hair that it might be done over again and 
 please her better, or ordering another dress 
 to be brought from the cupboard instead of 
 the one previously decided upon. As these 
 were the conditions of the ladies' toilets, it 
 is needless to add that an early dinner dis- 
 arranged everything, and that the poor 
 maids had an extra hard time of it on this 
 occasion. At last, however, the party started, 
 six on each side, in an omnibus. Maud sat 
 next the window, saying she required air; 
 opposite her was young Arthur Sterney one 
 of the company, and beside her Luce, whose 
 fingers she could pinch occasionally when 
 desirable, and whose elbow she could nudge 
 if anything specially amusing or piquant 
 attracted her notice. Luce was very quiet ; 
 she was thinking of Dick, and wondering 
 how he would comport himself on the plat- 
 form ; whether his handsome face would 
 grow red, or his eyes wander, and if he 
 would stammer or stutter. She hojDed not 
 with all her heart, and felt quite sick as she 
 reflected on the possibility of his breaking
 
 Ckeatures of Clay. 145 
 
 down. Maud, on the contrary, full of spirits, 
 laughed and talked and kept her hand in 
 by an innocent flirtation with Arthur Ster- 
 ney, who had torn himself away from Lon- 
 don and the theatres, hearing that she was 
 to make one of the party at the Castle. 
 The other occupants of the omnibus were 
 Mr. Glossary, the eminent critic, who cracked 
 jokes and told spicy and improper stories 
 to Lady Eleanor, under cover of her fan, as 
 they rattled over the stony roads, and Lord 
 Newlands and his wife. He had rendered 
 valuable assistance to the Liberal Government 
 at one period, and had been rewarded by a 
 peerage in consequence. Lady Newlands, 
 a Manchester heiress, dressed magnificently 
 in the richest of brocades and satins, but 
 remained a little uncertain as to her h's, and 
 always spoke of her husband as ^^my lord." 
 The omnibus arrived in good time at the 
 door of the Town Hall, around which clus- 
 tered a crowd of dirty boys and men, with 
 a few women holding babies, kept in order 
 by an army of policemen. Maud stepped 
 out gracefully, aided by Arthur Sterney, and 
 followed by Luce, who tripped along by 
 herself; next descended Lord Newlands, who 
 
 VOL. I. L
 
 146 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 inadvertently trod on Lady Eleanor's toe 
 and caused her to exclaim, under her breath, 
 '' Unmannerly wretch! " A great hunt then 
 ensued among the cloaks and cushions for 
 Lady Eleanor's smelling-bottle, which was 
 at last found under the seat, having been 
 used by Lady Newlands as a footstool dur- 
 ing the drive ; finally the stately procession 
 marched up the hall and took their places 
 on the long front row of chairs, provided for 
 them. A great buzz of voices filled the air, 
 people streamed in at the doors, and a few 
 lads at the back tried to get up a disturb- 
 ance. They were promptly hustled and 
 knocked about into silence, and the proceed- 
 ings commenced. Mr. Highview, the chair- 
 man, in a neat little speech recapitulated the 
 object of the meeting, and begged leave to 
 produce the new candidate for the honour 
 of representing the county in Parliament. 
 Dick stepped forward a little sheepishly and 
 began, '^ Ladies and gentlemen." A storm 
 of applause and hisses interrupted him ; the 
 hisses, having been hired, and being in the 
 minority, were after a little while subdued, 
 and Dick recommenced. He did not speak 
 badly. He hesitated occasionally and re-
 
 Creatures of Clay. 147 
 
 peated himself, and his political statements, 
 though strong and damaging to the other 
 side, were scarcely as clear or as logical as 
 might have been wished, but his words were 
 simple and almost colloquial, and thus ap- 
 pealed to the majority, and his sentiments 
 were unexceptionable and manly. He created 
 a favourable impression, and at the end of 
 his speech the applause decidedly drowned 
 the hisses. Dick sat down, a trifle out of 
 breath and rather red in the face, but happy 
 and satisfied. Mr. High view slapped him 
 on the shoulder, remarking, '^ You'll do very 
 well, my dear fellow ; you've said quite the 
 right thing and pleased everybody." And 
 Maud, who had nearly split her new tan suede 
 gloves in applauding vigorously, now waved 
 a red fan to and fro, familiarly, to imply 
 that the speech had received her fullest 
 approval. 
 
 Dick, during the whole of his speech, had 
 been conscious of notliing, he could not have 
 told who was in the hall, nor whether the 
 three first benches were occupied by his 
 personal friends ; only once he had felt a 
 kind of attraction, and caught a pair of eyes 
 fixed upon him that seemed to pierce into 
 
 L 2
 
 148 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 his brain and read his very thoughts. The 
 eyes belonged to Luce, who, breathless, with 
 parted lips, had followed every argument, 
 thrilled to every inflection of his voice, 
 reassured him by her sympathy and ready 
 comprehension, and encouraged him by her 
 approbation when he felt doubtful of the 
 soundness of his arguments. And all this 
 without speaking a word or moving a muscle, 
 simply by the power of her eyes and of her 
 self-abandonment to his influence. It was 
 very strange. The quiet little girl seemed 
 to comprehend him, to be warmed with the 
 cool fire of his own rather lukewarm enthu- 
 siasm, so that involuntarily he made his 
 points for her, sought her steady gaze, and 
 knew that she was pleased. He was not 
 accustomed to such sympathy, and felt 
 grateful, that through the awkwardness of 
 speech his true meaning had been interpreted, 
 like a dumb animal whose demands for sugar 
 or caresses are understood. 
 
 It was Bruce's turn next. He rose with a 
 jerk, a lanky figure in a loose tweed suit, 
 stopped for an instant, and looked round the 
 hall with a wistful reflective gaze, then 
 stroking his hair back from his high fore-
 
 Creatures of Clay. 149 
 
 head, he spoke in quiet monotonous tones. 
 Sundry exclamations burst from the audi 
 ence, and a voice from the crowd cried, 
 '^ Ain't he thin ? I wonder if he's a vege- 
 tarian ! " another, '^ My eyes, don't he want 
 drilling!" another, '^Bill, is not he like a 
 nice young hop pole ? " 
 
 Utterly unmoved, the tall reedy figure^ 
 with the ascetic face and the long thin 
 hands, proceeded steadily with his harangue 
 until the very noisiest consented to listen. 
 The quiet force of his character had con- 
 quered them. He expounded at considerable 
 length his ideas of true politics, from an 
 utterly unconventional standpoint. He gave 
 them none of the usual common abuse of 
 their adversaries, no clap-trap allusions, but 
 he spoke like a philosopher; and as he 
 warmed with his subject, his white face 
 glowed, and his eyes dilated, until the con- 
 cluding words fairly moved his audience to 
 enthusiasm. ^' Friends, it is not for any party 
 that I plead, but for the people. The voice 
 of the people is the voice of God ; the people 
 are the first and last word of the British 
 constitution ; reform touches the people, 
 the rights of property affect the people.
 
 150 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 religion is the religion of the people, and 
 politics means the welfare of the people." 
 Shouts broke from the furthest corners of the 
 packed multitude, applause shook the rafters 
 and echoed over people's heads ; the uproar 
 was deafening. '^ He's the fellow for us." 
 ^'My eyes, he is an out-and out demagogue." 
 ''That chap has got the gift of the gab." 
 '^ Are you a Paddy with your ^ne blarney ?" 
 were some of the cries bandied about, but 
 the general impression made was to the effect 
 that he was a true and earnest man. Bruce 
 retired to the back of the platform, paying 
 no attention to the noise of the multitude; 
 then turned deadly white, and begged a 
 glass of water. The real orator, primed 
 with the living fire of the gods, is moved 
 himself with the force of his own convic- 
 tions, and his influence over others is but 
 the feeble reflex of the quiverings of his 
 own soul. The rest of the speeches fell flat. 
 Lord Newlands drivelled on, on every kind 
 of irrelevant subject, till the impatience of 
 the audience could no longer be subdued. 
 Then Mr. Highview neatly joined together 
 the various threads dropped by the speakers, 
 and bound them into one consecutive and
 
 Creatures of Clay. 151 
 
 plausible whole, and, after a vote of thanks 
 to the chairman, the meeting terminated. 
 
 The order of the return journey was 
 somewhat modified. Maud went in the 
 landau with Lady Eleanor, and Luce sat 
 next to Dick in the omnibus. 
 
 ^' How well you spoke ! " Luce said at last, 
 emboldened by the murmur of voices around 
 her. 
 
 *^ Do you know," he confessed, '' that you 
 were an enormous help to me. You have 
 such a strange power ; it seemed to me when 
 I looked at you that you knew what I was 
 trying to say, that you were disentangling 
 my thoughts for me, and pushing me on. ' 
 Have you ever been told this before ? " 
 
 '' Yes, I have. I think the reason is that 
 I am conscious, as it were, of two lives, the 
 one is my own, the other that of any persons 
 in whom I am interested. I seem to feel 
 their sensations ; to know what they are 
 experiencing ; to understand the effect of 
 things upon them. I can almost speak their 
 words before they utter them " 
 
 •^ I never met with anything like it 
 before," said Dick, thoughtfully; "I should
 
 152 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 like you to be always present when I have 
 to make a speech." 
 
 ^'Should you?" Luce blushed a little 
 under her swansdown. 
 
 *^ Yes. It is a most curious faculty ; what 
 can it be, do you think ? " 
 
 '^ I suppose it is mesmeric. I live a great 
 deal alone, and then I am very imaginative, 
 When I am, as it were, placed in mental 
 contact with persons, I live their life instead 
 of my own, and am worked upon by the 
 conditions that affect them '* 
 
 ^^ Have you ever talked to anyone about 
 these things ? I should like to know 
 if " 
 
 ^^ Oh, no, no ! " Luce grew anxiously 
 agitated; '' please never mention anything 
 about me. I should not like to be discussed. 
 If you had not found this out I should never 
 have told you " 
 
 ^' I promise not to speak of it, but tell me 
 one thing. You said you must be interested 
 in people before you felt this strange kind of 
 sensation. Then you were interested in 
 me?" 
 
 '^ I suppose I was," she said, shyly. 
 
 ^^ We have scarcely ever spoken. Do you
 
 Ckeatures of Clay. 153 
 
 know that was a great compliment to pay 
 me?" he said after a pause. 
 
 ^' T did not mean it as a compliment." 
 
 ^* I am sure of that. You never compli- 
 ment people, and yet you say prettier things 
 than anyone I ever met. What did you 
 think of Julian Bruce to-night?" 
 
 '' He was splendid." 
 
 ^* Wasn't he ? Now there's a man you 
 ought to be ' en rapport' with." 
 
 ^' No, he is stronger than I am ; he is too 
 self-contained, one cannot pierce to the depths 
 of his soul. He would never have felt my 
 influence as you did to-night." 
 
 '^ Then I shall keep you all to myself like 
 a kind of Egeria — is that a compact, will you 
 help me?" 
 
 '^ I will do what I can," said Luce, simply, 
 '^ but you overrate my power. I am a very 
 ordinary, quiet kind of person. Now, Maud 
 Hardfast, for instance, is much cleverer.'' 
 
 '^ Perhaps, but you are not to be compared 
 together. Maud is not really sympathetic, 
 though she is very pleasant." 
 
 *' And I am never thought pleasant. My 
 aunt says I am so silent that no one cares to 
 talk to me; in fact, Mr. Carrol, I am a
 
 154 Creatures oe Clay. 
 
 failure, a social failure. Haven't you found 
 that out ? " 
 
 ^^No, and, what's more, I don't believe it." 
 A sudden jerk here informed them that 
 the omnibus was drawn up against the steps 
 of the Castle, and one by one the company 
 filed into the dining-room, where a tempting 
 supper was laid out. 
 
 ^' What a ghost you look ! " whispered 
 Maud, unkindly, to Luce, who in her 
 white cloak, and with her white cheeks, 
 presented rather a spectral appearance. 
 ''I'll bet you've been asleep; it's such a 
 stupid thing to do, one always wakes up 
 to resemble an owl in an ivy-bush, blinking 
 at the light. We sang all the way home. 
 Arthur Stern ey has a capital voice." Then 
 Maud took Dick under her protection, and 
 insisted on his helping her to chicken may- 
 onnaise, and Lady Eleanor found fault be- 
 cause the footmen were so slow, and there 
 were too many lights. Lady Eleanor's com- 
 plexion was a little too delicate to stand a 
 glare. Arthur Sterney began to tell quiet 
 Luce stories about burlesque actresses, and 
 Lord Newlands in a pompous voice enter- 
 tained Mr. Highview with his views on
 
 Creattires op Clay. 155 
 
 politics, and Lady Newlands hunted every- 
 where for a diamond brooch she declared 
 she had lost, and requested honest Bruce, 
 who was dreamily munching sandwiches, to 
 get up and shake the skirts of his coat, lest 
 the brooch should have fallen into them. 
 Meanwhile the butler poured him out a full 
 glass of champagne, which in his disturbance 
 he forgot to drink, a trifling fact which caused 
 the butler to confide to the housekeeper that 
 '^ that 'ere Bruce was a strange fellow, not 
 used to the ways of gentlefolks, he dared 
 say." 
 
 And then, every body having congratulated 
 every body else on the success of the even- 
 ing, the ladies tripped away with a thousand 
 good nights, the elder ones smothering a 
 yawn behind their bed -candlesticks, the 
 younger ones smiling at the men standing 
 below, and the male members retired to the 
 smoking-room to drink whiskey and water, 
 and discuss politics, hunting, racing, and 
 women, until one by one slipped off to bed 
 in the small hours of the morning.
 
 156 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 The meeting in the Town Hall introduced a 
 lull into the political campaign, and the fol- 
 lowing day, when Dick received a missive 
 from his grandmother informing him of an 
 indisposition traceable to a bad cold, and ex- 
 pressing a wish to see him, he determined to 
 start off at once and pay the duty visit wlrch 
 had been so long deferred. Not that he ob- 
 jected to stay at what was virtually his 
 home, nor that he was wanting in the fullest 
 love and respect to his grandmother, who 
 indeed deserved the very fullest, but because 
 Long Learn was an extremely dull house, 
 and his uncle and Aunt Vincent were staying 
 there. Between his Aunt Vincent and him- 
 self there raged an honest, uncompromising 
 hatred, which it may be confessed Dick took 
 no trouble to diminish. However the dis-
 
 Creatures of Clay. 157 
 
 agreeable duty had to be accomplished, 
 and, supported by the faithful Bruce, whose 
 arrival was duly notified to Mrs. Carrol by 
 telegram, Dick started for his home. 
 
 Long Leam lay in a wooded, undulating 
 district; the house itself stood on low ground, 
 and might be considered an uninteresting pile 
 of eighteenth century architecture, but the vast 
 gardens and splendid grounds were an object 
 of admiration to all visitors. They had re- 
 mained untouched ever since they were laid 
 out in the stiff and formal manner affected 
 by our ancestors; the yew hedges had 
 waxed round, and high, and portly, till they 
 formed a massive wall of greenery ; the turf 
 grew as delicate, as thick, and as soft, as a 
 lady's drawing-room carpet ; the gravel- 
 walks, broad and smooth, showed neither 
 weed nor fissure ; the square pieces of water, 
 euphoniously called lakes, lay clear, and 
 still, and limpid in the sunshine, as when 
 they reflected the faces of a powdered belle 
 or a bewigged beau ; the trees and shrubs, 
 carefully tended and punctually trimmed, 
 reached the perfection of beauty and luxuri- 
 ance ; the old sun-dial stood, as it had stood 
 for more than a century, stolid and moss-
 
 158 Creatures oe Clay. 
 
 grown and venerable, telling the time with 
 praiseworthy inaccuracy; the very wild-fowl, 
 fluttering and splashing about the reeds and 
 bulrushes that adorned the edges of the 
 mere, were descendants of the old birds 
 introduced in the reign of the first George. 
 Under those groves it was said Pope had 
 walked, and in that alley Burke composed 
 some of his most famous orations. The 
 interior of the house corresponded; the rooms 
 large and lofty, were but barely furnished, 
 the sofas of an uncomfortable period, hard 
 and high-backed ; the damask curtains some- 
 what faded ; and the tables spindle-legged 
 and ugly; but then the beauty of the cabinets, 
 massive and unique, the collection of old 
 china, uncracked and unbroken, perfect and 
 priceless, compensated for these draw])acks. 
 The old print that hung in the hall depicted 
 the mansion as it existed in the time of Queen 
 Anne ; and a comparison of the picture and 
 the reality showed scarcely a bush or shrub 
 to be missing. A respectable flavour of 
 antiquity hung about the mansion, and, ac- 
 cording to the disposition of the visitor, 
 inspired him with feelings of gravity or con- 
 tempt. The free-and-easy spirit of modern
 
 Creatures or Clay. 159 
 
 society was entirely absent from these walls, 
 of which the mistress herself was not the 
 least appropriate adornment. A handsome 
 old lady, with a complexion of rose and 
 white as delicate as precious china, kind blue 
 eyes, and the tenderest smile imaginable 
 always hovering on the fine curved lips, 
 so gracious and so innocent, a mouth that 
 bespoke her nature, a nature never smirched 
 with the sand and dirt so apt to bespatter 
 us all, but full of imaginative charity, the 
 charity that can picture others' temptations 
 and make allowance for them ; she lived 
 alone, and ruled her house with a mixture 
 of gentleness and firmness. Always clad in 
 the daintiest of silks, preserved by a little 
 white muslin apron, her white hair gathered 
 modestly beneath a pretty cap, set with ribbons 
 to match her gown, and a bunch of keys and 
 scissors hanging by her side, she formed a 
 lovely picture. And even those who sneered 
 on the score of old-fashionedness were con- 
 strained to own her beauty ; in her, old age 
 was adorable, and the decline of life a 
 glorious sunset. '^ Granny," she was called 
 by her son, Mr. Vincent Carrol, and her 
 daughter-in-law Mrs. Vincent, and '' Granny"
 
 160 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 she was to everyone par excellence. Her 
 stately dignity and her sweet sprightliness, 
 her gentle consideration for the feelings of 
 the humblest, were, indeed, things inexpli- 
 cable to Mrs. Vincent, who was formed of 
 coarse common clay, and rather despised, 
 while she traded on, the Chelsea-china bril- 
 liancy and daintiness of the grandmother's 
 composition. Mr. Vincent, who must have 
 inherited some alien blood, loved his mother 
 in a rough downright fashion, laughing a 
 little at her peculiarities, yet rejoicing in 
 the certainty of her generosity and forgive- 
 ness. For Mr. Vincent was her second son ; 
 the eldest, Dick's father, had died young, 
 quickly following his young wife, and Dick 
 was the direct heir to Mrs. Carrol. That 
 this brat should have lived, and have lived 
 to be strong and handsome and hearty, con- 
 siderably vexed Mr. Vincent and his wife, 
 who had extravagant tastes and a quiverful 
 of children. In vain Vincent, who was a 
 bluff and redfaced sportsman, and a constant 
 attendant at racecourses, ventured to cavil at 
 his mother's openhandedness to her depen- 
 dants, and to her grandson ; in vain Mrs. 
 Vincent preached the necessity of self-denial
 
 Creatures of Clay. 161 
 
 for young people; Mrs. Carrol, in her sweet, 
 quiet way, paid everything young Dick 
 asked her and a good deal he had the 
 grace not to ask. For Dick Carrol had 
 been given an Eton education, including 
 unlimited pocket-money, had enjoyed a 
 university career with its attendant hun- 
 ting and other luxuries, had betted too, 
 and lost occasionally, and his grandmother, 
 after a few serious words of warning, had 
 settled his debts. Now she was embarked 
 in all the expenses of an election, and, to use 
 Vincent's words, '' there seemed no end to 
 the thing." Vincent himself would have 
 liked to bet largely and keep racehorses, but 
 his means only allowed of clandestine and 
 fringe-like visits to racecourses, and a doubt- 
 ful hanging on to the skirts of turf notoriety, 
 and the contrast between his purse and his 
 natural desires sharpened his jealousy and 
 dislike of his nephew. Mrs. Vincent, who 
 was no l)lood relation, and, therefore, as she 
 said, had no appearances to keep up, 
 nourished this dislike with all her might, 
 and sought on every occasion to place Dick 
 in an unfavourable light before his grand- 
 mother's eyes. There was scant difficulty 
 
 VOL. I. M
 
 162 CllEATUEES 0¥ ClAY. 
 
 in this, for stories of Dick's wildness or 
 reports of his lavish extravagance constantly 
 reached her ears, and were repeated with 
 considerable variation and embroidery to the 
 unwillingly listening grandmother. Mr. and 
 Mrs. Vincent contrived, on their part, to 
 extract a good deal of comfort from Grannie ; 
 they stayed with her. accompanied by their 
 entire family of eight children, for weeks 
 togetlier, they shot and eat her game, they 
 rode her horses, they made her pay for dear 
 Lottie's doctor, or Tommy's vacation tutor, 
 or Mary's singing lessons ; they drove out 
 in her carriage, and paid visits to their 
 friends, and usually arrived, dressed in such 
 shabby clothes, that, from pure shame. 
 Grannie consented to clothe them anew in 
 fashionable garments. At this moment, Mr. 
 and Mrs. Vincent had arrived on a nice long 
 visit. Dick, l)eing aware of this fact, and 
 knowing how grating to his nerves was the 
 proximity of his aunt and uncle, nowise 
 relished the prospect, but comforted himself 
 by the recollection of Bruce's kind and genial 
 society, to which he resolved chiefly to con- 
 line hinself. '^ Dick comes to-day," said Mrs. 
 Vincent at breakfast, (Granny was having
 
 Creatures of Clay. 163 
 
 hers on a tray in her bedroom, in conse- 
 quence of her indisposition), '^ and I under- 
 stand he brings a friend, a Mr. Bruce ; do 
 you know anything of him ? " 
 
 '' I've seen him/' replied her husband, 
 plunging into a pheasant-pie and carefully 
 extracting all the truffles he could find, ^' a 
 seedy looking fellow, rather short-sighted, 
 and can't shoot." 
 
 '^ That's a blessing ! then dear Watty can 
 take his place and make tlie fourth gun." 
 
 '^ It isn't necessary for the boys always to 
 shoot." 
 
 '' Poor dears! they get little enough of it, 
 and now Dick returns they will get less." 
 
 "" They're welcome to my share at least, 
 for on Thursday I'm going over to Westhorpe 
 to see a little black mare that I am told is a 
 wonder, and Friday I must attend Bignell 
 races." 
 
 '' And you will be away nearly every day 
 while Dick is here; well, you are a fool!" 
 retorted Mrs Vincent, closing her lips with 
 a sharp click. 
 
 ^^Wliy, he doesn't ^^aw^ mef'' said Mr. 
 Vincent innocently, rolling his blood-shot 
 goggle-eyes round the table. 
 
 M 2
 
 164 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 '' I want you ; if Dick has his grandmother 
 all to himself he will get anything in the 
 world out of her," retorted Mrs. Vincent. 
 
 ^' Oh, bother ! I can't turn amateur detec- 
 tive." 
 
 '^ You might at least take a little trouble 
 for the sake of your family." 
 
 '^ If that little black mare is as good as they 
 say, she will about win the Liverpool, and 
 I expect to pick up a tenner or two at 
 Bignell races; that is some good to my family 
 isn't it ? " Mr. Vincent sat down and drank 
 o^ his tea with a satisfied gurgle. 
 . ^' You men are all the same, you never 
 look beyond your nose," snapped his wife. 
 
 '^ And you women are always nagging ; 
 can not a man be master in his own house ? I 
 should like to know who is to prevent him 
 from doing as he pleases?" 
 
 '' When he pleases to fritter away his 
 money in racing, and gambling, and idle 
 amusements, he is not fit to be master." 
 
 '^ Oh, isn't he? I'll just show you." Mr. 
 Vincent rose, and his face grew red while he 
 spluttered, ^' Mind your own business, and 
 I'll mind mine. I'll trouble you not to 
 interfere in my affairs. I'll race if I please.
 
 Creatures of Clay. 165 
 
 and I will bet if I please, and you are not the 
 person who can stop me. I shall do just as 
 I please, and your duty, madam, is to 
 obey — dy'e hear ? to ohey'^ 
 
 Therewith Mr. Vincent marched out of 
 the room holding his head very high, and 
 passing by the butler's pantry looked in and 
 bethought him to ask for a nip of brandy, 
 fortified by which cordial, he strode round 
 to the stables. Mrs. Vincent, meanwhile, 
 shrugging her shoulders, placidly finished 
 her breakfast, gathered up her letters, and pro- 
 ceeded to Granny's room. A. little quarrel 
 with her husband in nowise disturbed the 
 harmony of her married life; she was ac-" 
 customed to these trifling scenes, which broke 
 the monotony of her humdrum existence and 
 gave her a taste of the excitement which 
 more worldly women find in intrigue or 
 flirtation. Besides, she knew that her hus- 
 band relied on her judgment and generally 
 followed her advice, and, though she re- 
 garded him as a fool, and felt that he must 
 be driven and guided for his own good, oc- 
 casional kicks and rebellion against bit and 
 bridle only served to solidify her influence 
 and to give her a pleasing sense of power.
 
 1G6 Creatuhes op Clay. 
 
 Granny's own room was the smallest in the 
 house, a den of some six feet by twelve, but 
 here at least she reigned supreme ; the nook 
 was sacred from intrusion on the part of the 
 young Vincents, and, being chiefly furnished 
 with shabbily-bound books, and littered with 
 business papers, appealed neither to cupidity 
 nor to an aesthetic sense of beauty. 
 
 Yet Grannie was very happy here. Slie 
 was free from Mrs. Vincent's carping mean- 
 ness, and from Vincent's noisy jokes. She 
 was surrounded by her beloved books, her 
 poets, and her classic authors, for Mrs. Car- 
 rol, confessing it only shamefacedly and to 
 her intimate friends, was a true student. 
 Shakespeare, Milton, and the lake poets 
 rose to her lips unconsciously, and it would 
 have been difficult to find a quotation which 
 she could not cap, nor quickly name the 
 author. Her education was of theold-fashioned 
 solid order; she possessed no showy ac- 
 complishments beyond a pretty talent for 
 water-colour painting, which she continued 
 to cultivate even with the drawbacks of old 
 age and spectacles ; but everything within 
 the bounds of reason that a cultivated 
 woman ought to know was familiar to her.
 
 Creatures or Clay. 167 
 
 Slio had decided opinions on literature, on 
 art, on politics, and on religion, though a 
 peculiarly bashful and modest reticence made 
 people sometimes think that old Mrs. Carrol 
 was weak and easily led. So nmch of her 
 life was unselfish, so unassuming were her 
 own personal pleasures, consisting of her 
 garden, her charities, and her books, that 
 the warmth of strong passion and earnest 
 affection that lay buried in her tender heart 
 was almost hidden from the world. People 
 called her a nice intelligent old lady, but few 
 understood that the ordinary run of men 
 and women were scarce worthy to be named 
 with her. Dick alone appreciated her; he had* 
 realised something of the wealth of unselfish 
 devotion that formed the keystone of Gran- 
 ny's character, but even he presumed on her 
 kindness and tried her patience severely. 
 Mrs. Carrol looked up somewhat surprised 
 at Mrs. Vincent's knock and almost simul- 
 taneous entrance. '' What is it? " she said, 
 gently, yet with a tinge of vexation in her 
 quiet voice. 
 
 '' I am sure I hope I don't disturb you, but 
 I wanted a little talk with you, and I thought 
 Dick would be here directly."
 
 168 CHEATUUES OE ClAY. 
 
 ' ^ I certainly hope he will arrive to-day, 
 but I do not expect him so early," said 
 clever Granny, undeceived by this trans- 
 parent pretext. 
 
 '' What prospects has he of election ? '' 
 continued Mrs. Vincent, sitting down on a 
 chair whence she calmly ousted a fat dic- 
 tionary and two volumes of poetry. 
 
 ^' 1 believe they are very good." 
 
 ^'It is very strange, isn't it, for so young 
 a man to be elected M.P. for the county, I 
 think Vincent would have been a far more 
 respectable choice," she continued, smooth- 
 ing out her apron sedately. 
 
 ^^ I do not know that Vincent wished it, 
 or was asked, and I am very glad for Dick 
 to have an occupation," said Mrs. Carrol. 
 
 ^' To be sure, anything is better than that 
 deplorable racing,'' said Mrs. Vincent, fixing 
 her beadlike eyes on the old lady, '^and 
 Dick is so very fond of the turf." 
 
 '^ Young people like excitement. I sup- 
 pose it is natural enough, but without doubt 
 Dick will steady down ; his wish to get into 
 Parliament proves it." 
 
 '^ Really ! Well, now I thought it was 
 Lady Eleanor that had willed it ; she is a
 
 CHEATURES OF ClAT. 169 
 
 managing woman, I believe, and rules every 
 one connected with her. I only met her 
 once and I thought her most objectionable ; 
 she had a crowd of young men round her, 
 and was dressed splendidly, but dreadfully 
 low-necked. I can't think how Mr. High- 
 view can stand the show and expense." 
 
 '' He has a large fortune," Mrs. Carrol 
 said, tapping the paper-cutter against her 
 book a little impatiently, but Mrs. Vincent 
 would not take the hirit ; she had not yet 
 finished. 
 
 ^^ They will get hold of Dick, I suppose. 
 There's nothing like a worldly woman to in- 
 fluence a young man, and Dick is so weak." 
 
 Mrs. Carrol did not answer, she was weary 
 of finding excuses. 
 
 " Let me see, she has a daughter or a 
 niece or something, hasn't she ? A possible 
 wife for Dick ; how should you like that ? " 
 
 '^ My dear Maria, what is the good of 
 speculating? As far as I know, matrimony 
 is far from Dick's thoughts, and Lady 
 Eleanor's niece or another would be wel- 
 come if she made Dick a good wife." 
 
 ^^ I don't suppose he does think of marry- 
 ing ; why it is only a few months ago, if you
 
 170 CiiEATUE.Es or Clay. 
 
 remember, that we heard he was in love with 
 Evelyn Bray, the present Lady Fen church. 
 It was Mrs. Twitter who told us, you know% 
 when she came to inquire the character of a 
 servant. She thought Evelyn Bray had be- 
 haved very badly in the matter." 
 
 '^ My dear, why rake up these things ? 
 Lady Fenchurch is a young woman, and we 
 have no right to blacken her character. 
 Mrs. Twitter may have been mistaken." 
 
 ''Not a bit of it. I have an excellent 
 memory ; but I see you are busy, and per- 
 haps my society is unwelcome,'' she added, 
 viciously. '' I only wanted to ask you if you 
 could spare me that little bit of chinchilla 
 trimming you promised for dear Mary's 
 cloak; the poor child really has not a winter 
 wrap, and it makes me wretched to see her. 
 If you could spare it now, and you're quite 
 sure you won't miss it " 
 
 Mrs. Carrol, without answering, rose and 
 oj^ened the door of her bedroom. 
 
 '' Never mind ringing for Cox, Granny ; 
 I know where she keeps your furs, and I can 
 easily get it without troubling any one — do 
 you hear ? — any one." 
 
 But Mrs. Carrol was firm; she rang for
 
 Creatures of Clay. 171 
 
 the maid, wlio in high dudgeon found and 
 silently handed over the fur, feeling, as she 
 expressed it, *^ downright sorry that her mis- 
 tress was stripping herself of everything at 
 the bidding of that hateful Mrs. Vincent." 
 
 ^^ And now if that is all, Maria, I think I 
 will go on with my letters,'' quietly re- 
 marked Granny, ^^lest Dick should come 
 before 1 have finished.'' 
 
 Mrs. Vincent, forced to content herself 
 with this disnjissal, snatched up the chin- 
 chilla, and, murmuring hurried thanks, re- 
 tired to her own room to consult Mary about 
 her mantle. 
 
 Mrs. Carrol gave a faint sigh when she . 
 was left alone, and glanced a little hopelessly 
 round her book-shelves ; the society of those 
 near and dear to one was certainly trying ; 
 yet she felt she had much to be thankful for; 
 and, plunging again into the consideration 
 of her household books, she endeavoured 
 to forget her daughter-in law's unwelcome 
 intrusion, and to attribute her behaviour to 
 want of thought rather than want of heart, 
 for was not Mrs. Vincent actuated by the 
 most creditable mother's love ? So easy is it 
 for the pure in heart to see good in every- 
 thing.
 
 172 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 In due time Dick and his friend arrived at 
 Long Learn, having driven over sixteen miles 
 in a dog-cart. Dick greeted his grandmother 
 most affectionately, but the welcome his 
 aunt gave him was tinged with exceeding 
 frigidity. However, he bore it well, laughed 
 and joked, inquired after his uncle, and com- 
 plimented Granny on her hothouse flowers. 
 
 '^ The chrysanthemums have not been 
 quite as fine aii usual,'' said Granny, flattered 
 at his remembering her pet hobby, ^^ and 
 Smith has been rather depressed, but I really 
 think on the whole we did as well as our 
 neighbours.'' 
 
 '^ Gardens cost a dreadful quantity oi' 
 money," said Mrs. Vincent, impressively. 
 
 Granny, who fancied this an allusion to 
 her expenditure, hastened to add, ^^ I only 
 keep up the gardens just as they were in 
 my dear husband's time. He wished it to
 
 Creatures op Clay. 173 
 
 be so, and the fern-house I put up last year 
 was built with my pin-money." 
 
 '' Of course, of course, dear Granny, we 
 all know how fond you are of your garden, 
 and we should none of us wish you to give 
 up anything you really liked, but I was only 
 saying that these amusements are dreadfully 
 expensive, and particularly now when there 
 is so much poverty everywhere, and hun- 
 dreds of people starving. You should just 
 read the report I got from our district visitor 
 yesterday. We live in Marylebone, you 
 know — such a poor parish — it makes one 
 wonder whether it is quite right to spend so 
 much on oneself " - 
 
 Granny flushed a little. Mrs. Vincent's 
 words seemed to accuse her of selfishness. 
 '^ Perhaps," she said, a little hastily, '' I 
 dare say you are right, Maria ; but now tell 
 me, Dick, have you lunched ? " 
 
 '^Yes, thank you. Granny; we eat some 
 cold beef and pickles just before starting, 
 and have scarcely got up an appetite since." 
 
 Bruce, who, when the ceremony of pre- 
 sentation was over, felt himself a little 
 isolated in the family circle, now wandered 
 round the room examining the book-shelves.
 
 174 CuEATUREs or Clax. 
 
 Presently lie approached Mrs. Carrol, and 
 said, ^' You have some fine old books here, I 
 see ; if you will permit me I should like to take 
 a look at some of them to-morrow " 
 
 ^' Delighted, indeed, Mr. Bruce," said 
 Mrs. Carrol, enchanted to find a sympathetic 
 book-lover, '' I will show you where the 
 rarest are. We have a fine old edition of 
 Montaigne, and some manuscripts of the six- 
 teenth century, if you care for such things." 
 She drew from her pocket the key of the 
 book-case, and presently Bruce and she 
 were happily bending their heads and 
 trying their eyes over musty folios, and 
 discussing type and editions to their heart's 
 content. Dick stood by the window whist- 
 ling low. Mrs. Vincent approached him. 
 ^' Is it true," she said, " that Lady Eleanor's 
 niece will inherit her uncle's fortune ? " 
 
 ^' I really don't know," answered Dick, 
 wondering on what pretext he could make 
 his escape. 
 
 ^' But what is she like — I am told she is 
 very plain ? " 
 
 " She — who ? Oh, I beg your pardon, yes. 
 I never thought about it. I suppose Miss 
 Windermere is plain, but she is very nice.''
 
 Creatuues of Clay. 175 
 
 ^' That Miss Hardfast was there too 
 
 ? 
 
 was not she ? Not married yet, I suppose. 
 Ah, well, she was a fast, bold girl, and how 
 she and her mother contrive to live on the 
 pittance they have, I am sure I can't think — 
 there are- some queer stories afloat about 
 them. Peoj)le call them the 'birds of prey,' 
 you know." 
 
 '' She is my cousin," said Dick, angrily. 
 
 ^' Of course, yes, in a distant way ; let me 
 see, your mother was a sister of Mr. Hard- 
 fast — that's scarcely much of a relationship 
 — the Hardfasts were nobodies ; but Mrs. 
 Hardfast was worse than a nobody, she was 
 a garrison belle." 
 
 Dick was about to reply, in terms any- 
 thing but complimentary, to his aunt's obser- 
 vations, when the door opened and Vincent 
 Carrol entered noisily. '^ Ah, Dick, my 
 boy, delighted to see you ; drove over, did 
 you ? shocking bad road, ain't it ? stones all 
 the way ; doesn't matter though in a hired 
 trap. Well, and how goes it ?— you look 
 pretty fit." Mr. Vincent did not stojD for 
 Dick's answer, but proceeded, following his 
 mother to the bookshelves, '^ Mother, that 
 coachman of yours is a fool ; he has lamed
 
 176 Creatures op Clay. 
 
 the bay mare, and got the ■ grey so fat he 
 can scarcely go at alh I gave him a bit of 
 my mind to-day ; all ladies' coachmen are 
 the same ; they don't understand their busi- 
 ness, but they know they're safe, because 
 their mistresses are so confoundedly ignorant. 
 Have you been round to the stables yet, 
 Dick ? No ? then you just come along with 
 me. I have got a new pointer to show you 
 — a beauty." Dick, who infinitely preferred 
 his uncle to his aunt, the coarse selfishness 
 of the one, being at least frank and un- 
 affected, while the secret cunning and in- 
 trigue of the other stung like a serpent in 
 the dark, accepted the offer gratefully, and 
 without compunction left Bruce to entertain 
 his grandmother. 
 
 ^' A very pleasant young man — exception- 
 ally well-informed," Granny confided at a 
 later period to Dick; while Bruce, who 
 knew nothing about dogs, and cared less for 
 horseflesh, continued to explain recondite 
 allusions and interpret Greek quotations 
 in her favourite books, never even discover- 
 ing that Mrs. Vincent prowled round, furious 
 at the interest Mrs. Carrol was taking in 
 her visitor, and vainly trying to pick up
 
 Creatures of Clay. 177 
 
 intelligible scraps of the conversation in 
 order that she might find a pretext for inter- 
 rupting the fascinating tete-a-tete. All that 
 afternoon Vincent and his nephew strolled 
 about the stables and the kennel and the 
 farm, ending with a trudge across some 
 stubble-fields to have a look at a colt in 
 Farmer Rogers's paddock, Vincent, who did 
 not care who his companion was provided 
 he could smoke and talk about horses, made 
 himself exceedingly agreeable to his nephew, 
 told him he was delighted at the prospect 
 of his election, and wasn*t a bit envious, no, 
 not he ! finally confided to him his intention 
 of buying the black mare, in order to win the* 
 Liverpool, and the difficulty that stood in 
 the way of his carrying out this project. 
 '^ The fact is, my dear boy,'' he said, staring 
 glassily out of his codfish eyes, ^' the fellow 
 wants 800Z. for the mare ; it's dirt cheap ; she's 
 worth it, every bit of the money, but it's 
 a deuce of a lot, and just now with Christ- 
 mas coming on, you know, and a lot of bills, 
 I am a little pressed for money ; but if I 
 don't decide at once (I've got the refusal of 
 the mare) she will be sold to another man 
 who is sweet upon her ; it would be a thou- 
 
 VOL. I. N
 
 178 CuEATUREs or Clay. 
 
 sand pities, for she's certain to win, and — 
 that's how it is." 
 
 ^^It would be a great pity," said Dick, 
 thinking of something else. 
 
 '' Now, my dear boy, if you would advance 
 me the money, you should go halves in the 
 profits " 
 
 ^^ But I haven't the money 
 
 '? 
 
 '' That does not signify — my mother will 
 give it you, if you ask her ; she is devoted 
 to you, as we all know." 
 
 ^' I don't think I should like to ask her, 
 she disapproves of racing " 
 
 ''Well, don't tell her what the money's 
 for. Say it's election business, or that you 
 have run into debt — or something ; you've 
 got brains — you'll know what to say." 
 
 ^' It is rather difficult," muttered Dick. 
 
 '' The thing is a certainty; I know there is 
 nothing can beat that mare, and we can 
 hedge the bet and stand several thousands 
 to nothing.'' 
 
 '^ I don't care so much about the money, 
 but I should like the kudos of winning the 
 Liverpool." 
 
 '' So would everybody — then it is settled ; 
 vou must get the money and I'll buy the
 
 Creatures of Clay. 179 
 
 • 
 
 mare and take all the trouble off your hands 
 — it is a safe investment you will see, only 
 trust to me.'' 
 
 Dick did not quite like it. He hated tell- 
 ing his grandmother a lie, and he knew she 
 objected to racing; on the other hand he 
 was fired with the ambition to become a 
 hero in the sporting world, and the thing 
 was an excitement in itself; besides, his 
 uncle Vincent was a first-rate judge of horse- 
 flesh, and not likely to make a mistake. So 
 he parted from his uncle promising to give 
 him the money if he could obtain it. 
 
 The month of November had been specially 
 fine. Glorious sunsets were succeeded by 
 bright clear mornings, and to breathe the 
 bracing air became a pleasure. It was Mrs. 
 Carrol's habit whenever the weather per- 
 mitted, to walk up and down the terraces 
 and visit her hothouses every morning for 
 an hour. Dick offered her his arm, and 
 the good lady, counting herself fortunate to 
 possess so attentive a grandson, spent some 
 happy moments parading in the genial sun- 
 shine, leaning on her stalwart grandson's 
 arm, and pointing out to him the merits of 
 tree and shrub. It was during one of these 
 
 N 2
 
 180 CuEATUUEs or Clay. 
 
 airings that Dick propounded to her his 
 request for SOOl. 
 
 ''' Eight hundred pounds ! '' she said, stop- 
 ping short in her walk and looking hard at 
 Dick, who had some ado to keep from blush- 
 ing ; '^ it is a large sum." 
 
 '" Yes, it is," he sheepishly confessed. 
 
 '^ And what are you going to do with it ? " 
 
 ^' Well, you see " This was the diffi- 
 cult moment ; he could not say, ' ' I am going 
 to buy a racehorse ; " and like many a better 
 man he prevaricated, regardless of possible 
 consequences. 
 
 ' ' Well, you see, Granny, there are a lot 
 of expenses for this election.'' 
 
 " Send me in your bill, Dick, and I will 
 
 ' ' Yes ; but there are trifles which cannot 
 be included in an election bill." 
 
 ^' Eight hundred pounds is scarcely a 
 trifle ! " 
 
 "No; but college was so expensive, I have 
 a few debts I should like to settle. Hang it. 
 Granny, I want the money, and I must have 
 it ; please don't ask me any more questions." 
 
 The old lady took her grandson's arm 
 again and proceeded a little way in silence.
 
 Creatuhes of Clay. 181 
 
 ^' Dick,'^ she said at last, ^' I trust you — 
 if you require this money you shall have it ; 
 only be careful, dear ; I am not very well 
 able to spend just now, and perhaps the 
 garden is expensive, and I ought to retrench ; 
 you know that I wish to do all that is right 
 towards you, you are my heir, this place 
 will be yours." She waved her hand to- 
 wards the terrace and the old yew hedges 
 and the mere. '^ I wish to leave you every- 
 thing intact ; it is a fine property, Dick, a 
 fine property, but we must not be extrava- 
 gant.'' 
 
 ^' You are very kind, Granny.'' Dick's 
 head sank a little ; he pushed with his stick* 
 at some weeds in the path. 
 
 '' I should like to put by something, Dick, 
 first for your uncle — he is not rich and has a 
 large family, and then for you - you will 
 marry a wife some day, and she will be 
 young and gay, and find this house old- 
 fashioned, and wish for new furniture and 
 pretty things." 
 
 '^ Long Leam is beautiful ; we shall be 
 quite satisfied," Dick said, deprecatingly. 
 
 ''Yes, my dear. Long Leam is beautiful, 
 and it suits an old woman like me ] it re-
 
 182 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 minds me of my girlhood, and I prefer to 
 see everything about me that has grown old 
 with me ; but young people are different — 
 she will want low arm-chairs and feather 
 screens, and frippery and new carpets, and 
 all that. You shall give them to her, Dick ; 
 but I must save the money for it, and so 
 please do not mind if I say we must not be 
 extravagant.'' 
 
 She smiled one of the gentle spiritual 
 smiles, which made you think her soul was 
 already in heaven, and that the earthly 
 smile was only the reflection of divine glory, 
 and Dick hung his head lower, shamed by 
 her goodness, speechless in his confusion. 
 
 ^^ But you shall have the money, dear ; I 
 was going to do up the conservatory, and 
 get some new vines, and have some fresh 
 hot-water pipes put in, but all that can wait, 
 and if you will come to my room presently 
 I will give you the cheque." 
 
 Dick did not answer, but he took the dear 
 old lady's hand with its mittens, and the 
 quaint antique filagree gold rings set in 
 garnets and emeralds on her fingers, and, 
 lifting it to his lips, kissed it reverently. 
 Here, at least, was true nobility, a heart
 
 Creatures of Clay. 183 
 
 that gave lavishly, generously, and exacted 
 nothing in return. Nothing ? Why, it ex- 
 torted respect, and gained love — the bar- 
 gain was surely a fair one. 
 
 When Dick handed over the cheque to 
 his uncle, he could not help saying, with a 
 gravity somewhat foreign to his nature, 
 '' You are quite sure we are making a 
 good purchase ? — you know I couldn't bear 
 Granny's money to be wasted." 
 
 '^ Wasted ! bless you, there isn't a chance 
 of it ; why the money is as safe as in the 
 funds. I'll go this very day and close the 
 sale, and telegraph to Tommy Lightheart 
 tliat he is to ride her. With such a mare,* 
 and such a jockey, we are as safe as a 
 church." 
 
 Long Leam was as dull as ever, but Dick 
 was so attentive to his grandmother, and so 
 anxious to shoot her coverts as she wished, 
 and to be civil to the neighbours she invited 
 to make up the number of the guns, and 
 so ready to carry her knitting, or put on her 
 shawl, or convey her orders to the gardener, 
 that he had not time to think of being bored. 
 In the evenings he and Bruce held endless 
 smoking parliaments in Dick's room (which
 
 184 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 being at the end of a long passage, and shut 
 off by a baize door, he was permitted to 
 pollute with tobacco), and settled the affairs 
 of the nation ; but though Dick discoursed 
 freely of politics and pleasure he carefully, 
 as by some special instinct, refrained from 
 mentioning his purchase of the black mare, 
 or his hopes of winning the Liverpool ; and 
 if by chance his uncle began the subject of 
 racing in Bruce's presence he would turn 
 the conversation and say, ^^ You know, uncle, 
 Julian is not a sporting character, so all this 
 talk is only Greek to him ; get him upon 
 politics, and see if he doesn't find something 
 interesting to tell us." 
 
 Thus even Bruce, his Fidus Achates, did 
 not know the deepest depths of Dick's soul, 
 nor suspect what a multitude of various 
 mterests occupied his mind.
 
 185 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 The black mare was bought and the jockey 
 duly engaged, and all promised well for the 
 success of Mr. Vincent's project. Unfortu- 
 nately the public had also got wind of the 
 mare's excellence, so that the price he was able 
 to obtain about her was not nearly so advan- 
 tageous as he had hoped ; still this served but 
 to confirm his good opinion of the purchase, 
 and he comforted himself with the thought 
 that a little later on they would be able to 
 hedge their money. But Dick could not 
 dally for ever by an old lady's chair ; the 
 election agent clamoured for his return, 
 and Mr. High view claimed his promise of 
 another visit. So after a few days he took a 
 tender farewell of his grandmother ; his 
 heart smote him and he kissed her more 
 fondly than usual; and, leaving Mr. and Mrs.
 
 186 Creatuhes of Clay. 
 
 Vincent to bear her company, returned to 
 High view Castle. Most of the company had 
 dej)arted, and only Maud Hardfast, who, 
 having lost Arthur Sterney, was sadly at a 
 loss for amusement, remained behind to 
 welcome him. The most constant of men 
 weary of overmuch affection ; and Dick, who 
 was used to Maud's beauty, and began to 
 see through some of her artifices (especially 
 since she had ])layed him off against Arthur 
 Sterney), found her attentions somewhat 
 overpowering. As his aunt Vincent once 
 truly observed, after all Maud was scarcely 
 a relation, and to be seen constantly in her 
 presence, and eternally hanging over and 
 monopolised by her, might lead to complica- 
 tions. He had not the smallest intention of 
 marrying her, he was not even in love with 
 her. She possessed no money, and a 
 good many doubtful relations; and to under- 
 take the responsibility of matrimony was far 
 enough from his thoughts. But he was 
 perfectly aware of the power of gossip, and 
 he decided that it would be advisable to dis- 
 play interest in some one else in order to 
 disarm suspicion. For this purpose Luce 
 presented herself most opportunely. She
 
 CuEATURES or Clay. 187 
 
 was plain and unassuming", and no one could 
 suppose her to be attractive to a gay young 
 man, so that his attentions could only be 
 interpreted to mean civility. Thus it hap- 
 pened that Dick found himself often by 
 Luce's side, that he took her in to dinner 
 whenever he had the chance, and that he 
 would turn over the leaves of her music- 
 book, or wind a skein of worsted for her if 
 she desired it. Lady Eleanor watched these 
 indications of a rising attachment with 
 pleasure, but Maud turned sick with annoy- 
 ance, and almost fell ill from worry. 
 
 '^You little sly minx!'' she said, attacking 
 Luce one dav in the corridor. ^'How dared 
 you say you didn't care to sj^eak to Mr. 
 Carrol, and that you would do your best to 
 help me, when you know you're always with 
 him now, and scarcely let me get a word in 
 edgeways. I hate girls who are humbugs 
 and hypocrites, and you did pretend to be 
 superior to love and marriage." 
 
 '"So I am,'' said Luce, quietly. ^^Mr. 
 Carrol does not love me, but if he pleases to 
 talk to me a little, and I find his company 
 agreeable, I don't see why I should not per-
 
 188 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 mit it. He will not marry you the sooner 
 because he does not talk to me." 
 
 ^^Of course he will. You're trying to 
 spoil my plans, you know you are — you 
 nasty venomous little reptile." 
 
 ^' Don't be angry, Maud; I can't help it. 
 I don't know what is the reason, but I am 
 sure Mr. Carrol avoids you." 
 
 '' And, if it is so, I know the reason: your 
 own flirtation (and really, for a new hand, 
 you're not at all bad) is the cause of it. 1 
 did not think you could be so mean, so 
 ungenerous." 
 
 Here Maud pulled out her pocket-handker- 
 chief and pretended to cry — perhaps she 
 really did shed a few tears — for wounded 
 vanity suffers nearly as much as love. 
 
 ^^ Dear Maud ! '' Luce put her arms round 
 her neck and kissed her affectionately ; 
 ^^ don't cry. I promise not to speak to Mr. 
 Carrol to-day, at least not if I can help it." 
 
 ^^Mind, now, you remember your pro- 
 mise." Maud put away her handkerchief 
 and smiled again graciously. ^' Remember 
 — not one word." 
 
 ^^ I said if 1 could help it," added Luce, as 
 she passed quickly on. She had given the
 
 Creatures of Clay. 189 
 
 promise in a fit of generosity, but Mr. 
 Carrol's own action might absolve her. If 
 he sought her out, if he came and sat by her 
 as usual, she could not turn her back, or be 
 ancivil. No ; in that case she 7nust speak to 
 him. In all honesty, however, she tried to 
 render this less likely. Dick had been away 
 all day canvassing, and he only returned in 
 time for dinner. His place was next Lady 
 Eleanor, and Luce at the other end of the 
 table had no chance of sharing in their con- 
 versation. After dinner she chose a position 
 between Mrs. Hardfast's portly person and a 
 large table, on which were scattered books 
 of photographs of Florence and Rome. One, 
 of these she seized, and made a pretence of 
 being deeply absorbed. When the gentle- 
 men came in she would not look up — for 
 aught she knew there might be magnetism 
 in her eye — but kept her head carefully bent 
 over the photographs. 
 
 Some moments of breathless waiting 
 elapsed before she heard a voice at her 
 elbow say: "What is engrossing you so 
 to-night ? " 
 
 Her heart leapt. He had found her out. 
 He had come to her without any finessing or
 
 190 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 assistance on her part. She was aUsolved 
 from her promise, and he liked to talk to 
 her. 
 
 These varied emotions lent a sparkle to 
 her eye and a colom* to her cheek. ^'She 
 is really not so very plain," thought Dick, as 
 lie drew a chair near and sat down. 
 
 " I can't talk to you with that great table 
 between us. I never knew you were so fond 
 of photographs before." 
 
 '' I am not particularly fond of photo- 
 graphs." 
 
 '^ Then why are you looking at them ? " 
 
 ^^ That is my secret/' said Luce with a 
 smile. 
 
 " I think you mean mischief ; do come 
 away from behind the table and let us sit on 
 that sofa, it will be ever so much more com- 
 fortable." 
 
 ^' You shouldn't talk to me," said poor 
 Luce, abruptly. She understood nothing 
 whatever of diplomacy or she would have 
 managed better. '^Why don't you talk to 
 Maud ? She is sitting all alone, and has not 
 even any photographs to look at." 
 
 '' So she is," said Dick, quietly, stretching 
 himself more comfortably, " sitting all alone ;
 
 CHEATUIIES OE ClAY. 191 
 
 well that must make quite a pleasant variety 
 for her, she is generally surrounded by all 
 the men in the room." 
 
 " And she only cares for one." 
 
 '^ Do you mean me to be fatuous, and 
 apply your observation ? " 
 
 " If you like." 
 
 '' Then I will not. I am sorry to dis- 
 appoint any young lady, but Maud must sit 
 alone to-night." 
 
 ^^ It is hard upon her,'' gently urged 
 Luce. 
 
 ^^ Why hard ? She is nothing to me." 
 
 ^^No! I thought " 
 
 ^' Whatever you thought, forget, please, 
 from this moment. Maud is my cousin, a 
 very pretty, nice, lively girl, but nothing 
 more, and never will be." 
 
 ^' Ave you sure?" 
 
 '^ Perfectly sure. You are the last person 
 who ought to doubt me." 
 
 ^^Why?" 
 
 '' Why, because for the last day or two I 
 have devoted my time chiefly to you." 
 
 Luce coloured painfully. She understood. 
 He could talk to her because she did not 
 count, it could not signify. Her expressive
 
 192 Ceeatures of Clay. 
 
 face told a tale. He saw he had wounded 
 her. 
 
 '^What is it? What have I said, Miss 
 Windermere ? " 
 
 ^' Nothing, Mr. Carrol ; nothing, at least, 
 that I mind." 
 
 '^ But I must have done wrong. I am sure 
 I am very sorry." 
 
 '^ See, my aunt is making me a sign ; we 
 are going to have some music." Luce rose 
 hastily and threaded her way quickly across 
 the room. 
 
 Dick sat on, sulky and alone, refusing to 
 stir. What a perverse world it was to be 
 sure ; if a man felt himself comfortable in a 
 girl's presence ten to one something hap- 
 pened to separate them. No indeed. Luce 
 was certainly not plain, she had fine eyes 
 and the prettiest way of looking interested 
 in all you said, which was not without 
 charm, and she never wanted to talk about 
 herself, or to be paid compliments. Presently 
 Dick, bored with the music, and determined 
 to avoid Maud, slunk out of the room and re- 
 tired to enjoy a lonely pipe. Luce missed 
 him and sang badly in consequence. What 
 was the matter ? Had she offended him ?
 
 Ckeatures op Clay. 193 
 
 She said to herself that no promises, no feel- 
 ing of loyalty, should tempt her to be cold 
 to him to-morrow. Maud must be mistaken, 
 he would never marry her. That evening, 
 Luce, sitting in her bed-room, her brown 
 hair streaming over her shoulders, and two 
 big serious eyes staring at her own reflection 
 in the looking-glass, had an air of extreme 
 youthfulness that became her exceedingly. 
 So thought even Lady Eleanor, who just then 
 walked in. Luce started. 
 
 '^ What are you doing there, child ? How 
 late you are sitting up ! Has Devon left 
 you ? '' 
 
 '^ Oh, yes, aunt," said Luce, hastily twist- < 
 ingup her hair; '^ I shall be ready, directly, 
 I was only " 
 
 ^^Only wool-gathering, as usual," observed 
 Lady Eleanor, seating herself on the edge of 
 the bed ; " when will you give up that bad 
 habit ? However, I must say I think you 
 are improved ; you are more sociable and 
 seem to get on nicely with Mr. Carrol. What 
 has he said to you ? " 
 
 " We spoke of the election, and he told 
 me about his gi-and mother ^' 
 
 VOL. I. o
 
 194 Ceeattjres of Clay. 
 
 ^^ Rubbish! I mean has he said — well, any- 
 thing really marked ? " 
 
 '' No, aunt, he has said nothing, he means 
 nothing ; he prefers Maud to me. Oh, why 
 can one never speak to a man without some 
 hateful after-thought of intentions spoiling 
 all ? " 
 
 ^^Luce, my dear, you forget yourself,'' 
 said Lady Eleanor, severely ; ^ ^ and as to 
 Maud Hardfast, if I thought her presence 
 interfered with your prospects I should turn 
 her out of the house to-morrow." 
 
 ^' No, she does not interfere," said poor 
 Luce incoherently, anxious to avert her aunt's 
 wrath from Maud, ^' but the fact is, there 
 is nothing at all to speak about." 
 
 ^' Then there ought to be. Mr. Carrol is a 
 very eligible person; he has seemed to take 
 an interest in you, has shared your rides, 
 and apparently enjoys the same tastes; under 
 these circumstances, unless a girl is a fool, 
 she ought to know whether a man means 
 anything." 
 
 "• But he does not. Oh, aunt, do not say 
 such things ! " One glance at Luce's distressed 
 countenance impressed Lady Eleanor with the 
 truth of this statement. She relaxed her
 
 Creatures or Clay. 195 
 
 severity a little, and rose majestically, 
 '^ Luce, I believe," she said, as she neared 
 the door, '^ I do believe you have your fate 
 in your own hands; let me beg of you not to 
 throw it away recklessly, or, from any foolish 
 scruples about other silly girls, render 
 yourself distasteful to the man who may 
 possibly offer you a happy home and true 
 affection.'' Lady Eleanor usually talked 
 a great deal about true affection and the 
 domesticities ; she did not practise them much 
 herself, but the words sounded well, and 
 imposed upon her hearers. When Lady 
 Eleanor's stately footsteps ceased to echo 
 down the passage, and Luce once more felt 
 certain she was alone, she quickly put out her 
 candle and threw herself down by the bed- 
 side in her white dressing-gown ; and then in 
 the darkness and the silence she let her tears 
 flow quietly, and her heart breathe out its 
 secret. ^'For I do love him,'' she whispered 
 to the solitude of night. ^' I do love him; 
 he will never love me ; he is nothing to me, 
 he is so handsome, and so clever, and so happy, 
 but still I love him ; '' and the little ligure 
 crouched on thus in the dark and the lone- 
 liness, and the unsatisfied love with which 
 
 o2
 
 196 Creatukes of Clay. 
 
 her gentle soul was overflowing vented itself 
 in sobs and sighs. Lady Eleanor had tram- 
 pled cruelly on her most cherished feelings; 
 but then Lady Eleanor did not know — the 
 affection and domesticities of which she 
 spoke comprised none of the keen and 
 exquisite agony which Luce experienced. 
 Luce, who — proud, reserved, foolish little 
 creature — had given the devotion of her heart 
 to a man who had scarce passed three weeks 
 in her company. It was illogical, it was un- 
 likely, it was far from reasonable, and yet 
 Luce could not help it. In her lonely child- 
 hood, and her stunted girlhood, she had 
 accumulated a volume of feeling, which now 
 spent itself on so ordinary a personage as 
 young Dick Carrol. For when we love wo 
 do not account the object so much as our 
 own capacity for loving. Love works 
 miracles ; it makes the plain girls pretty, the 
 dull men bright ; it transports the elastic soul 
 into regions of light and liberty, where it 
 can roam freely,, and irradiate the very 
 commonplaces of life with the ardent lava- 
 stream that consumes it. To love, all things 
 are possible, for everything is a miracle. 
 Luce loved, and in her madness reckoned 
 herself the most fortunate of mortals.
 
 197 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 For some days subsequently Luce was ver}^ 
 still and silent, her eyes were red-rimmed, 
 and her sad appearance attracted Lady 
 Eleanor's notice, drawing down upon her a 
 torrent of reproaches. It also attracted 
 Maud's attention, but it drew no reproaches* 
 from her. 
 
 ^^Poor Luce!'' she would say, caressingly, 
 ^^ why do you vex yourself ? All men are 
 the same ; it is here to-day and there to- 
 morrow, with them ; they were not created 
 for constancy, and it is useless to expect it 
 of them." 
 
 '' I expect nothing," Luce answered, in- 
 differently. 
 
 " Oh, yes, you do. You expect a great 
 deal more than I have ever asked of men. 
 You give yourself no trouble, you take no
 
 198 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 pains to be pleasant, in fact you rather avoid 
 them ; you would not even be content with 
 an offer of marriage, but you want love." 
 
 '^ Yes. I want love," said Luce. 
 
 '' I declare you are quite indelicate ; love 
 is not in fashion ; there are of course such 
 things as passion and madness ; we hear of 
 them in poetry and on the stage ; but who, 
 in the name of goodness, wants love in 
 ordinary life ? Why, it would be quite out 
 of place, like soup at breakfast. You are so 
 unpractical." 
 
 *^ Have not all the best things in life been 
 done by unpractical people ? All the re- 
 forms, all the inventions, all the literature — 
 the authors of such things were always called 
 unpractical because they lived on a higher, 
 a heroic, plane of life." 
 
 '' Well, we are not inventors, and I'm sure 
 I don't wish to be heroic. We are only two 
 commonplace girls, and our business is to do 
 the best we can for ourselves. For my part, 
 if Dick sheers off now I shall marry Arthur 
 Sterney, debts and duns and all, and try if 
 I can't keep him in order." Therewith she 
 danced off to a mirror, posed herself, ruffled 
 up her golden fringe a bit, humming a valse
 
 Creatures of Clay. 199 
 
 tune to herself as she did so, and finally 
 returned to where Luce sat, book in hand, 
 by the fire. 
 
 ^' Seriously, Luce, what are you aiming 
 at ? " 
 
 ^* I have already told you — at nothing. 
 Why should one always have some scheme 
 on hand ? " 
 
 ^^Why? because it's human nature. Mam- 
 ma always schemed and I've inherited the 
 faculty. Ever since I can remember I have 
 always played a part. When I was a little 
 girl, and came down to the drawing-room in 
 short frocks and pink ribbons. Mamma used 
 to say to me, ' Now mind, Maud, you be- 
 have nicely, and look pretty, or I don't 
 know what so-and-so will think of you.' 
 1 have gone on behaving nicely and looking 
 pretty ever since.'' 
 
 '^ It must be very fatiguing." 
 
 ^^ Not a bit ; habit is second nature." 
 
 '^A very unpleasant second nature, I 
 should think. Shall you give up scheming 
 when you are married ? " 
 
 '^Certainly not. I shall want other things 
 then ; it is only the stupid sheeplike women 
 who sit down patiently and ask for nothing.
 
 200 Creatures oe Clay. 
 
 You're one of those ruminating creatures^ 
 Luce, and will never get your own way in 
 anything." 
 
 This was precisely what Luce said to her" 
 self. She chid herself for foolish fancies and 
 happy day-dreams. She repeated to herself 
 over and over again that she was plain, and 
 that nobody could love her ; that Dick only 
 amused himself with her from desoeuvre- 
 ment^ and that he would soon go away, and 
 she would probably never see him again. 
 And yet, though she sought by every means 
 in her power to wrap herself in a mantle of 
 chilly stoicism, she could not help it that his 
 voice brought the blood into her cheeks, nor 
 that his step set her heart beating. No one 
 could say that Dick's notice of her was any- 
 thing but friendly and undemonstrative, and 
 just what was fitting to be paid to the 
 adopted daughter of his host, and yet Luce 
 felt that their intercourse was on a different 
 footing from ordinary acquaintance. Dick 
 talked to her as to a trusted friend ; as to 
 one in whose presence he need not be con- 
 strained, and one who asked truth rather 
 than pretty speeches. He knew she was 
 neither mercenary nor intriguing, and the
 
 Creatures oe Clay. 201 
 
 sense of rest conveyed to him in this convic- 
 tion, served to render the companionship 
 doubly agreeable to a man who had never 
 known the frank and loving comradeship of 
 a sister. He found himself telling her things 
 that he had breathed to no living soul except 
 Bruce ; asking her advice, speaking of his 
 thoughts, his wishes, his illusions. She 
 knew all about his grandmother, and the 
 teazing reproaches of his aunt Vincent, and 
 the Gargantuan propensities of his uncle 
 Vincent ; she knew the names of his dogs, 
 how many rats Vic could kill, and the prizes 
 Gip took, and the age of the old hunter who 
 had carried him so well at college, and the 
 history of the pictures and the prints at 
 Long Leam. And Luce was never tired of 
 listening. Accustomed to the gaudy and 
 lavish splendour of Highview Castle, the 
 description of grannie, with her old-fashioned 
 gentle ways, her white-haired retainers, and 
 her clockwork establishment, charmed her 
 fancy and interested her imagination. 
 
 '' You must let me see your grannie," she 
 said one day, impulsively. '^ I have never 
 known of any one resembling her. She is 
 like an old chatelaine in a fairy tale."
 
 202 Creatuees op Clay. 
 
 '' She is just like one," Dick answered, 
 ^' and 1 love her dearly, kind old thing ; but 
 you would perhaps find her antiquated." 
 
 ^^ Not I ; my aunt might, but I like what 
 is old. Things are too new to please me 
 here," she answered, decidedly. 
 
 Dick, who in his heart of hearts was proud 
 of the fine old lady, smiled, and promised 
 to arrange an interview between them. These 
 conversations usually took place in the even- 
 ing, for Dick's electioneering business took up 
 most of his time ; and thanks to Mr. High- 
 view's matter-of-fact energy and Bruce's 
 enthusiasm he was never allowed to grow 
 slack for an instant. Dick was beginning to 
 take a real interest in politics. Under such 
 able tuition as that of his friend Bruce this 
 was not surprising, for his political views 
 tinged every thought of Bruce's mind. 
 
 '' If politics do not mean everything to a 
 man," the latter would say, ^'they must 
 mean nothing ; for politics rightly considered 
 comprise every question of social and moral 
 importance. The family is a part of the state, 
 and the state includes the general well-being 
 of humanity. If the motive power of parties 
 be self-interest the decadence of a nation
 
 Creatukes of Clay. 203 
 
 cannot be far off, and is a mere matter of 
 time ; therefore, purity of election, universal 
 suffrage, and worthy candidates, are the three 
 chief ends to be desired. When you have 
 educated the masses and given them freedom 
 of citizenship, you are likely to arrive at 
 some concensus which will represent the 
 broadest and fairest level of thought." 
 
 Dick could not go quite so far as this ; he, 
 like Mr. Highview, preferred to wait and 
 let wants shape themselves rather than 
 dictate what form they should take. He 
 believed in a doctrine of atoms, that affinity 
 would attract and crystallize into the most 
 suitable forms. He thought things tolerably' 
 satisfactory as they were, and, that unless 
 distinct pressure were brought to bear upon 
 the prejudices and customs of society, it was 
 unnecessary to excite class feeling and party 
 spite. He wished to do what was right, but, 
 as he did not see his way clearly to what was 
 right, he preferred a passive and doubtful 
 attitude. The variety of problems that pre- 
 sented themselves, their various discordant 
 elements, the contradictions that arrested his 
 footsteps and troubled his mind, all puzzled 
 while they interested him. He had no idea
 
 204 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 that to be a Member of Parliament implied 
 such responsibilities, such a perpetual making 
 up one's mind, such constant and seemingly 
 important decisions. He began to be afraid 
 that he should be a useless member of the 
 House ; and felt helpless and irresolute. 
 Hitherto he had supposed that to take one^s 
 place creditably in Parliamentary life it 
 needed only good health, stentorian lungs, a 
 habit of sitting up late, and an announcement 
 which placarded one amongst one's friends 
 as a Liberal or a Tory. Now, he found that 
 honesty was not always expediency, and 
 that if you agreed to one proposition it did 
 not follow as a corollary that you agreed 
 to a dozen others. Occasionally he felt 
 himself drawn towards a conservative creed, 
 especially if the question touched upon 
 personal matters, such as payment of rents, 
 or landlord's privileges, or the game-laws ; 
 at other times he boldly espoused radical 
 principles, and accused the Tories of blind- 
 ness, stupidity, and retrograde opinions. 
 
 '' Now you see, my dear boy," Mr. High- 
 view dinned into his ears, ^^ you can't work 
 on independent lines; it don't pay; first 
 belong to a party, then stick to it. You'll
 
 Creatures of Clay. 205 
 
 find it tlie onl}^ advisable thing in the long- 
 run. Never make yourself peculiar, for then 
 every one is your enemy, but do as others 
 — abide by a common-place standard, and 
 you'll find all men your friends. Eccentri- 
 city^ implies superiority, at least in your own 
 mind, and superiority rubs up every one's 
 back. A man can afford to forgive ; he 
 cannot bear to envy. Your friend Bruce, 
 though he is very clever, and I am sure a 
 most well-meaning person, is an enthusiast, 
 and will never be successful. Success in 
 life means ordinary capacities, with an ex- 
 traordinary power of using them. Now, 
 Bruce theorizes splendidly, but in practice 
 his scruples will always impede any real 
 progress. He will never trample on the 
 weak, and to do much good you must be 
 capable of doing a little evil.'' 
 ^ Between such contradictory exhortations 
 Dick performed his canvassing, and attained 
 at last to a very fair measure of the golden 
 mean. He promised easily enough, knowing 
 that it was not in his power to perform, but, 
 judging that hope is a great factor in hap- 
 piness ; he listened to grievances cum grano^ 
 and felt that there was a great deal to be
 
 206 Ckeatuhes of Clay. 
 
 said on both sides. He raged against his 
 opponents, comforting his conscience by the 
 knowledge that they raged against him, and 
 he thus secured a hearty following and 
 appreciative audiences. Sir Hilary Fen- 
 church, on his part, had wasted no time ; he 
 was of a good old stock, a sportsman, a 
 generous landlord, and a tried man of busi- 
 ness. Lady Fenchurch's fair face, though 
 she said little, and only smiled sweetly, had 
 been of considerable assistance in his visits 
 to farmers' wives, who were supposed to 
 influence their husbands, and he spoke in a 
 fluent, careful fashion, with a sense of con- 
 viction and a mode of placing further appeal 
 out of the question, that carried away his 
 hearers. The fight promised to be a close 
 one. Every nerve was strained by rival 
 agents ; every argument used by the respec- 
 tive candidates. The instant one announced 
 a full and enthusiastic meeting, the other 
 followed suit by holding a monster gathering 
 of the electors ; did one hoist a squib or a 
 cartoon, the other immediately invented 
 something more sharp and stinging. 
 
 Hitherto, however, these attacks, though 
 rude and personal, had attained but little
 
 Creatures of Clay. 207 
 
 importance, for Sir Hilary was a gentleman 
 above reproach, and Dick was a young and 
 untried man. It was hard to get hold of 
 truth or satire that would really wound and 
 rankle in them. Dick began to feel happy; 
 the sense of power gratified him, and exist- 
 ence at Highview was the most luxurious 
 possible. Not a trifling or a fashionable 
 caprice but could there be immediately 
 gratified ; the hothouses were regal, when- 
 ever he wished it a gardenia adorned his 
 buttonhole, while mountains of pines and 
 grapes made their appearance every day at 
 dessert ; horses and carriages existed in pro- 
 fusion, and even a quiet library was set apart . 
 for Bruce's good pleasure. To the latter the 
 place seemed a kind of Capua, whose charms 
 would entice the strongest ; each da}^ he de- 
 clared he must really return to his work and 
 his London lodging, and each day Dick 
 prevailed upon him to grant further delay. 
 
 Julian consented easily enough, for when 
 he was not engaged canvassing no one 
 troubled their head about him, and he was 
 as much buried among his books as in his 
 own home. Towards dusk he might be met, 
 a tall figure in flap hat and grey overcoat,
 
 208 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 striding along with head bent down and 
 hands clasped behind his back. Asked what 
 he had seen when on one of these rapid 
 pedestrian tours he would answer ^'Nothing." 
 How nothing ? Then Julian confessed that 
 he believed it was a cold day or a bright 
 day, but that really he could not be sure, 
 nor remember where he had walked (he 
 usually took the same constitutional, two 
 miles out and two miles in along the turn- 
 pike road), for he had been busy running 
 over in his mind some arguments in favour 
 of socialism, or grappling with an abstruse 
 question of feudal law. Once Luce took 
 him out for a walk ; she showed him her 
 favourite flowers, and pointed out some 
 lovely tints of the late autumnal foliage, and 
 the effect of chequered gleams of sunshine 
 under the avenue trees. He opened his mild 
 eyes, and looked where he was desired, and 
 said it ' ' was very pretty, indeed quite re- 
 markable, an optic illusion he supposed," 
 until Luce burst out laughing, and, seeing 
 his meditative gaze fixed upon her face, 
 said, '^ I suppose you don't know the dif- 
 ference between a woman and the Elgin 
 marbles, or the muddy London streets and a
 
 Creatures op Clay. 209 
 
 cowslip meadow, Mr. Bruce, if you always 
 wander about with your eyes shut." 
 
 '^ Excuse me. Miss Windermere, I am 
 afraid I have been rude ; but the fact is I 
 have never yet had time to observe the 
 beauties of nature, and Greek manuscripts 
 have injured my sight. When I was at 
 Cambridge I only walked from necessity, 
 and generally with a book in my hand ; 
 some day when I have leisure I must do a 
 course of sunsets." 
 
 '' And sunrises ; it will be so good for 
 your health." 
 
 Bruce considered Luce a very agreeable 
 young lady, a fact which he gave her to, 
 understand in some clumsy Homeric fashion ; 
 nineteenth-century young ladies not having 
 yet come within the orbit of his vision, and 
 his mother, a prim be- capped widow, being the 
 latest manifestation of womanhood to which 
 he had bent his attention. Yet, as has been 
 said, he owned a kind of distant ideal cult 
 for women, and in his heart treasured the 
 notion that some day, when he had leisure, 
 he should taste love ; but the period at 
 which he would allow himself such an epi- 
 curean excess was hid in a far-off distant 
 
 VOL. I. P
 
 210 Creatures oe Clay. 
 
 future. Meanwhile, he was content with 
 books. Lady Eleanor honestly despised 
 him ; he was not a man, but a mole, she 
 declared ; and, as for being young and a eon- 
 temporary of Dick's, she believed him rather 
 to be a dug-up centenarian, a kind of resus- 
 citated toad-in-the-hole. She tolerated him on 
 Dick's account and because he was quiet and 
 inoffensive, but declined taking any trouble 
 about him or casting him a thought, except 
 when she saw a mark of muddy boots on the 
 carpet, or discovered a trace of cigar-ash on 
 the library table-cloth, and his presence ob- 
 truded itself on her mind. Maud had at first 
 set her cap at him, as she did at all men, but 
 finding that he never looked at her, and only 
 responded to her advances by a few precise 
 speeches, she soon gave him up as ineligible, 
 and he was left to solitude and the tender 
 mercies of kind-hearted Luce, who liked him 
 for many reasons. First, because he was shy 
 and quiet ; next, because he was poor and 
 unpopular; and thirdly, because he was 
 Dick's friend; the latter, the most potent 
 reason of all. The days slipped by and 
 Christmas was approaching. Dick intended 
 to spend it at his grandmother's, and Bruce
 
 Creatures of Clay. 211 
 
 among his books in London. The moment 
 of parting, to which Luce looked forward 
 with silent terror, rapidly approached. Dick 
 was kind and friendly and cool as usual ; he 
 had not said one word that would lead her 
 to think he cared for her, but he had pro- 
 mised her an invitation to Long Learn, and 
 on that anticipation she now lived. The 
 day before his departure was wild and 
 snowy. '^ Seasonable weather/' as some 
 stout elderly people are fond of remarking ; 
 '' shrivelling weather," as Luce said, who 
 was of a chilly constitution. Dick had re- 
 turned, cold and miserable, from a dHve in 
 the dog-cart, along the slippery snow-cov-* 
 ered roads, and was gone to his room to 
 change his wet clothes. Maud in the bil- 
 liard-room practised difficult strokes by her- 
 self; Lady Eleanor and Mrs. Hardfast were 
 closeted in the latter's boudoir^ and the 
 morning-room was empty, save for Luce, 
 who, curled up by the fire, sat gazing into 
 the red embers. The last month had been 
 the happiest of her life, and now it was over, 
 gone like everything else, a mere shred of 
 time, ragged and unfinished. Nature, heed- 
 less in her impassive calm, leaves much 
 
 p 2
 
 212 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 unfinished work, patches here, and rents 
 there, and hearts torn as inder, and loves 
 parted, and hopes raised bat to be dashed 
 to pieces. What becomes of all the un- 
 finished lives, of those who have missed their 
 meaning, of those who die young, standing 
 crowned with flowers, gay and confident on 
 the threshold of existence, of the mother 
 love rudely snapped with the frail baby's 
 wasting breath, of the genius whose unfolded 
 wings, soaring to heaven, wax feeble and 
 sink into the jaws of death, of the songs 
 unsung, and the loves unloved, and all the 
 mystery and pain of earth ? Are they lived 
 again, or does the book close at the turned- 
 down page, just as the interest is most keen, 
 the picture most vivid ? 
 
 Luce sat and wondered. Presently the 
 door opened and Bruce stole in, absent, 
 gentle, noiseless as usual. 
 
 ^' I am alone," said Luce, in a low voice, 
 from the fireplace, '^ I don't know where all 
 the others have gone to." 
 
 '' What a bright fire ! " said Bruce warm- 
 ing his thin white hands at the blaze. ^'The 
 fire- worshippers were not far wrong, for
 
 Creatures of Clay. 213 
 
 warmth is the medicine, if not the source, 
 of life, and the best gift of the gods." 
 
 '^Yes, I feel that too in the sunshine, how 
 glorious it is ! sometimes the mere exhilara- 
 tion it gives becomes pleasure." 
 
 ''You are sensitive," said Bruce, seating 
 himself ; ^Hhat is a dangerous temperament." 
 
 '^ We cannot help our temperament, can 
 we?" asked Luce, with a tiny laugh. ^' Don't 
 you think the paper on the nursery walls, or 
 the songs with which our nurses hush us to 
 sleep, are answerable for a good deal ? " 
 
 ^^No doubt. Early association is far more 
 important than any one supposes, but the 
 philosophical mind endeavours to rise su- 
 perior to temperament." 
 
 ^' Women are not superior beings, so I 
 suppose that does not apply to us," she said. 
 
 ^' In some measure of course it does. We 
 are all free beings." 
 
 ''■ Are we ? I often doubt it. Who is free ? 
 You are, perhaps, and Mr. Carrol, but I 
 am not free." 
 
 *' You can preserve your own individuality. 
 That is every one's duty." 
 
 '' I suppose it is," Luce sighed. 
 
 '' Of course we are influenced because we
 
 214 Creatuhes or Clay. 
 
 are human beings, but so long as we do not 
 merge our ego we are safe." 
 
 ^^ Do you call being in love merging one's 
 individuality ? " asked Luce, shading her 
 eyes from the fire, which vividly lighted up 
 Bruce's long earnest face. 
 
 ^'No, for love is right and natural; we love 
 the good qualities of another, we need not 
 adopt his bad ones ; we have strength to see 
 where the right course lies and to pursue our 
 better judgment, even though we love." 
 
 ^^ I think if I loved I should be weak." 
 
 ^^ I am sure you would not, for you have 
 a great deal of character. That yielding up 
 one's convictions is weakness, not love. All 
 this applies to friendship as well, for where 
 there is no respect there can be no friend- 
 ship." 
 
 '^ You respect Mr. Carrol," she asked. 
 
 '^ Of course, or he would not be my 
 friend/' 
 
 ^^You are a stoic, Mr. Bruce; I could 
 never be so strong as that." 
 
 Julian smiled. 
 
 ^ ^ I think I set a right value on friendship, 
 that is all. I could not lie or steal or cheat 
 to oblige my dearest friend."
 
 Creatures of Clay. 215 
 
 ^^ But you would stand by him, even if he 
 did some of these things ? " 
 
 '^ I really cannot tell, I don't think so, 
 but I trust my friends are not of that sort." 
 
 ^' Mr. Carrol is not." 
 
 ''No, he is a real good fellow. There is 
 plenty of stuff in him, you will see, it is sure 
 to come out some day. I only hope he will 
 marry well, for he is very susceptible to 
 female influence.'' 
 
 '' Yes, of course, we must hope he will 
 marry well." As Luce, the serious circum- 
 spect air sitting quaintly on her young face, 
 said these words with the gravity of an 
 elderly matron discussing the prospects of 
 her child, she had no idea of herself as a 
 possible wife for Dick, nor did she for an 
 instant suppose that Bruce meant anything 
 by his remarks. These two were so un- 
 worldly that they could meet serenely on 
 their own level, a level different to that 
 of poor average humanity, though perhaps 
 to some, such absence of guilelessness might 
 have seemed the level of folly. 
 
 '^ Marriage will be the making of him," 
 repeated Bruce, slowly rubbing his hands, 
 '' and he is worth a good woman's love."
 
 216 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 Luce said nothing ; she enjoyed the quiet 
 and the luxurious sense of ease and warmth, 
 as she listened to the praises of the man she 
 loved, doled out in Bruce's slow measured 
 tones. The slowness of tlie tones seemed 
 to give greater weight to the praises. The 
 candles had not yet been brought in ; shadows 
 fell around, and a sense of darkness and 
 mystery haunted the furthest corners of the 
 room ; but in the cosy ingle under the re- 
 cessed marble chimney-piece, rosy with the 
 leaping reflections of the firelight, it was 
 warm, and bright, and cheerful. Dick found 
 them thus when, a few moments later, dry, 
 and reclothed, he entered the room. ^^ What, 
 sitting in the dark ? " he said in his bright 
 manly voice. 
 
 '' The twilight is so pleasant," urged 
 Luce, in extenuation of her idleness. 
 
 '^ And for a wonder you are not reading, 
 Julian." 
 
 ** No. Miss Windermere has entertained 
 me agreeably." 
 
 " That is a great compliment for ?/ow," said 
 Dick turning to Luce; ^' the most beautiful 
 woman in creation would not keep him a
 
 Creatures of Clay. 217 
 
 moment if she were not agreeable and could 
 not talk." 
 
 Luce blushed a little, but in the dim, rosy 
 glow her blush was not observed. 
 
 ^' I have a letter from Granny," continued 
 Dick, " and she tells me she has written to 
 your uncle and aunt asking them to come 
 with you and spend Christmas at Long Leam, 
 or to spare you if they cannot leave home 
 themselves. 
 
 *^ How delightful ! I do hope it can be 
 managed." 
 
 '^ It must be managed. Use all your 
 diplomacy, Miss Luce, for 1 ^Dant you to 
 come." • 
 
 " I shall try my very best. How kind of 
 Mrs. Carrol to ask me." 
 
 " I have told her so much. She is in- 
 terested in you, and she likes young people." 
 
 " And I shall loi'^e her I am sure ! " cried 
 Luce, springing up with sudden energy as 
 the footman entered, bearing the lamps.
 
 218 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 Lady Eleanor sent a civil excuse for her- 
 self to Mrs. Carrol, but Mr. Higliview and 
 his niece eagerly accepted the invitation. 
 He remained the appointed time, at the 
 end of which Mrs. Carrol begged him to 
 confide Luce to her charge, and the girl, 
 with anxious appeal in her eyes, pleaded 
 hard for permission. Lady Eleanor, whom 
 her husband consulted by telegram, gra- 
 ciously gave consent, and thus Luce became 
 one of the family party at Long Leam. On 
 her arrival Mrs. Carrol greeted her with 
 out-stretched hands, and a cordial kiss, 
 showed her into a bright little nest of 
 chintz and white panelled walls, told her 
 to make herself at home, and that she was 
 glad to see her. The old lady's manner 
 was so simple and so genuine that Luce,
 
 Creatures of Clay. 219 
 
 who usually fled from strangers, was at- 
 tracted at once. 
 
 ^^ Would you like your tea here?'' said 
 the old lady, lighting two more candles on 
 the dressing-table, " or will you come down 
 stairs ? Do just as you like." 
 
 '' I should like to come down,'' said Luce 
 to whom kind consideration for her in- 
 dividual fancies was an unknown luxury. 
 At dinner she sat next Dick, who was in 
 unusually high spirits, and entertained her 
 with a number of funny anecdotes about 
 his dogs. And afterwards, she sang to Mrs. 
 Carrol, in the large, dimly-lighted drawing- 
 room. Luce had a pretty little voice, with 
 a note of feeling and acute sensitiveness in 
 it that occasionally proved unmanageable 
 in the cold decorum of post-prandial sing- 
 ing, but, alone with old Mrs. Carrol (Mrs. 
 Vincent having retired to look after some 
 of her numerous brood of children), she 
 sang unconcernedly to her heart's content; 
 sweet simple volks-lieder, of which her Ger- 
 man governess had taught her at least a 
 score, or old English ballads with a sad un- 
 finished refrain. Mrs Carrol dropped her 
 knitting as the girl's voice sounded clear
 
 220 Creatures oe Clay. 
 
 and pathetic, the high notes a little voilees 
 through the spacious chamber ; she bent 
 her head, and old-world dreams came to her. 
 She saw herself again a merry girl in short- 
 waisted muslin gown, her hair crowned by 
 a large straw hat, and a circle of beaux 
 round her whispering their prim and cere- 
 monious addresses. How long ago it seemed, 
 how very long, and yet her heart still felt 
 quite young and fresh. 
 
 ^' Do you like that, Mrs. Carrol ? " Luce's 
 young voice asked from the piano. 
 
 ^^Ah, my dear, come here.*' The girl 
 approached, and drawing a footstool near, 
 sat at the old lady's feet. 
 
 ^' Give me your hand ; you have caused 
 me so much pleasure." She wiped away a 
 tear with her thin cambric handkerchief 
 as she said this. ^^You made me young 
 again. Where did you learn that way of 
 touching people ? My grand-daughters sing, 
 but they do not make me cry. See, I am 
 quite a silly old woman." 
 
 Luce drew down the slim and somewhat 
 shrunken white hand, on which the antique 
 diamonds and amethysts glittered brightl} 
 and kissed it. 
 
 T
 
 Creatures oe Clay. 221 
 
 ''' I am so glad ! " she gently sighed. 
 
 " It is good of you to amuse an old woman 
 like me,'' said Granny. 
 
 '^ It was good of you to let me come." 
 
 ^' But we are dull people here," said 
 Granny, looking very closely into Luce's 
 face. 
 
 " I do not find it dull." 
 
 ^'What, not away from your own home, 
 your aunt, all 3^our pleasures ? " 
 
 ^' My aunt does not care for my society." 
 
 ^^ But she loves you ? " 
 
 ^' I don't know. Yes, I suppose she 
 does," said Luce, burying her face in Mrs. 
 Carrol's pale lilac brocade. 
 
 ''J love you, child," said Granny, gently. 
 And then the two women, the old one and 
 the young one, kissed each other, silently ; 
 and Luce felt that love had come into her 
 life. This love at least would never dis- 
 appoint her ; it was so different from the 
 violent friendships, their briefness measured 
 by their violence, she had seen in the world 
 of fashion ; and then, Luce reflected with in- 
 finite pleasure, they would at least have one 
 surpassing interest in common — Dick's wel- 
 fare. For Luce, once admitted into the
 
 222 Oreatukes of Clay. 
 
 grandmother's heart, became a sharer of 
 her hopes and fears — planned, thought, and 
 worked for Dick as Granny did. She could 
 talk of him to her heart's content, for 
 Granny loved him better than anything 
 else in the world, and was never tired of 
 discussing his affairs. She spoke seldom of 
 her late husband or of her eldest son ; all the 
 concentrated love of years seemed poured 
 out upon this young man, who, though 
 neither his grandmother nor Luce confessed 
 it, was but a very ordinary piece of huma- 
 nity after all. 
 
 '^ When Dick is in Parliament he must 
 marry,'' jDlanned the grandmother. 
 
 ^^ Oh, yes," echoed Luce, '^ a good wife 
 will be the making of him. And then he is 
 worthy of a good woman's love," she added, 
 remembering the words of his friend Bruce. 
 
 '^I am so afraid of the present young 
 ladies — I don't mind telling you this Luce, 
 because you are not a bit like them— but I 
 dread his bringing home a fine fashionable 
 woman who would sneer at everything and 
 make him miserable, for he has right feeling, 
 the dear boy." 
 
 Then Luce, thinking of Maud, agreed.
 
 Creatures or Clay. 223 
 
 How terrible worldly cynicism coming from 
 such rosy lips would^seem to simple Granny. 
 And one day when Luce had been singing her 
 best, Granny took both her hands, and 
 holding her at arm's length, after a pro- 
 longed look at her irregular features and the 
 soft intelligent eyes, said, ^' My dear, I wish 
 Dick would ask i/ou to be his wife." 
 
 ^' Oh, dear Mrs. Carrol, don't say such 
 things ; indeed, indeed, I am not good 
 enough. I am so plain you know." 
 
 " I don't think you plain, child ; your eyes 
 are wonderful, and you have such a sweet 
 voice ; and somehow, I am sure when you 
 love you will love rightly, for remember, 
 Luce, marriage without love is misery.'^^ 
 
 Luce bowed her head, and went to her 
 room with a slow and chastened step. 
 
 Love — yes, indeed, she could love well, 
 there need be no fear of that ; she had not 
 squandered her treasure and cast it at hap- 
 hazard right and left upon the waters ; it 
 was all there, pure and priceless, waiting to be 
 thrown into the lap of him she loved. She 
 would never change, she was sure of that, she 
 had been starved too long ; her hunger once 
 appeased, it would be for ever. And then she
 
 224 Creatuhes of Clay. 
 
 said to herself that her hopes were always 
 dashed, and that the ideal never became re- 
 ality, and that she must drive such thoughts 
 from her mind. 
 
 Mrs. Vincent observed Granny's infatua- 
 tion for Luce with increasing displeasure. 
 
 Luce mistrusted her, and involuntarily 
 showed it, but Mrs. Vincent was more than 
 a match for her, and determined upon the 
 expulsion of the intruder. 
 
 " The little minx ! what does she mean by 
 coming here and making up to Granny in 
 that disgusting way/' she remarked on one 
 occasion to her husband. 
 
 '• She will have money some day, I expect," 
 stolidly said Vincent, who just now felt con- 
 siderable embarrassment from the want of 
 some ready cash, and meditated asking Dick 
 to lend him a little ; ^' it would not be half 
 a bad thing for Dick." 
 
 '' Dick ! " almost screamed Mrs. Vincent. 
 ^' Is everything to be for him then. I wonder 
 you are not ashamed of the way you try, on 
 all occasions, to take the bread out of your 
 children's mouths." 
 
 '' Well, they are not likely to marry Miss 
 Luce, at any rate; Watty is only just gone
 
 Creatures of Clay. 225 
 
 to college, and you know he is awkward and 
 has red hair, and Tom is at school. I don't 
 think she would look at either of themy 
 
 ' ' That's right, abuse your family ; I am 
 accustomed to it. But what I do know is, 
 that that girl, with her pale face aad her 
 quiet ways, is a schemer. I have noticed her 
 carefully. Why need she be always picking 
 up the stitches in Granny's knitting, and 
 singing those mawkish songs to her, and 
 cooing over her like a hoarse wood-pigeon, 
 and listening to all she says as if it were the 
 gospel? I know what old people are; you 
 have only got to flatter them and they be- 
 lieve it all." 
 
 '^ Why don't you do it then, Maria ? You 
 make good use of grannie, but you never put 
 yourself out to say a civil word to her." 
 
 ''I can't be a humbug," said Maria, sharply. 
 '^As dear Mr. Supple observed the other day 
 in his sermon, we must not pander to un- 
 christian desires. I caught Luce yawning 
 over the delightful volume of sermons 1 was 
 reading aloud the other night, but she never 
 yawns when she reads that interminable 
 poetry to Granny." 
 
 VOL. I. Q
 
 226 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 ^' You should have brought up your girls 
 to read poetry then.'" 
 
 '' I'll trouble you to leave my girls alone, 
 poor darlings ; they are not hypocrites." 
 
 '^ Well, settle it your own way. I think 
 Luce a very nice girl, unaffected and civil, 
 which is more than most modern minxes 
 are, and she can ride.'' Therewith uncle 
 Vincent departed to the stables to try and 
 find Dick, with whom he desired a serious 
 consultation. Things had not gone quite so 
 well as he wished. The mare lamed herself 
 one night in her box, and her work was 
 stopped in consequence. This had thrown 
 her out and made her go back in the betting, 
 added to which there were ugly rumours 
 about a dark horse, which had been kept 
 specially for the Liverpool, and of whom 
 the owners entertained sanguine anticipa- 
 tions. He found Dick smoking in the 
 stables as he had expected, amusing himself 
 with a couple of terriers, who were springing 
 up and barking to their hearts' content, 
 while the bay horse in the stable looked 
 round in silent wonder and contempt. 
 
 " The mare has been lame," blurted out
 
 Creatures of Clay. 227 
 
 uncle Vincent, gloomily, when he ap- 
 proached. 
 
 *^What! Fairy Queen?'' said Dick, 
 stooping to feel the horse's legs. 
 
 ^^Yes, and it's the devil!" Uncle Vincent 
 put his hands in his pockets and stared at 
 the neat straw plaiting that edged the stall. 
 
 ^^ I suppose she's all right again?" said 
 Dick, sticking his pipe more firmly in the 
 side of his mouth. 
 
 '' Oh ! yes, she's right again, but " 
 
 ^' But what ? Did you get all the money 
 on ? " 
 
 '^ Yes, but there's no chance of hedging at 
 present, and I've laid against the favourits. 
 If we shouldn't win " 
 
 '' I thought you said we should win ? '' 
 said Dick, less absently, straightening him- 
 self. 
 
 '^ Of course I expect we shall, but just 
 now I'm a good deal pressed — you couldn't 
 lend me something, just for a month or two?" 
 
 " I liaven't a mag, myself, and I cannot 
 think of asking Granny again." 
 
 '' And there are the training bills," added 
 uncle Vincent in a sepulchral tone. 
 
 '' Hang it ! I wish I had never listened to 
 
 Q 2
 
 228 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 you at all. It is much better fun betting on 
 other people's horses than keeping them 
 oneself, with all the confounded worries they 
 entail upon you." 
 
 '^ If you don't want a share of the mare 
 you can say so, I'll let you off, only I can't 
 pay you for a bit." 
 
 ^' I don't mind ; the mare seems a good 
 thing. You have not told any one I am part 
 owner, have you ? for I don't want Granny 
 to hear of it." 
 
 ''As it happens, you are entire owner just 
 now," grinned uncle Vincent, '^ for you 
 advanced the money, and wrote me a line to 
 that effect, which letter I kept — for business 
 is business, you know." 
 
 '' Well, if I think things look ugly I shall 
 find a purchaser for the mare, that's all," 
 said Dick, airily, turning away to the loose 
 box, where the grey, who knew his voice, 
 gently whinneyed him a welcome. Uncle 
 Vincent was only half satisfied. Dick was 
 too indifferent to go heart and soul into 
 the business, and too sharj) to be made a 
 thorough tool of. Had he not been so, uncle 
 Vincent would have entertained no scruples 
 on the score of relationship. He despised
 
 Creatures of Clay. 229 
 
 people who dealt in false delicacy : ^' the 
 world is made for us all,'' he would say, 
 ^' and each man has a right to get the best 
 place he can in it.-' He and his wife were 
 thoroughly agreed in their worship of self, 
 but she carried it into the petty details of cast- 
 off dresses, filching of grocery, or implied 
 dishonesty in letting Granny pay the bills 
 she herself had incurred ; while uncle Vin- 
 cent dealt with things in a broader and mor^ 
 manly spirit ; in common parlance he was a 
 sharp, could tinker up a screw, or sell an un- 
 sound or vicious horse for a sound one, and 
 cheat a friend out of a sixpence, but he was 
 no humbug. His very bluffness and heartf- 
 ness caused Dick to bear him a grudging 
 goodwill, and his companions to speak of 
 him as ^^ a capital fellow." Nevertheless, if 
 he could have seen his way towards jockey- 
 ing Dick he would have done so with plea- 
 sure and chuckled over his own cleverness. 
 It was infernally hard upon a fellow, he 
 reflected, to be as it were dependent upon 
 a boy like Dick, and forced to come cringing 
 to him for a few driblets of the money which 
 ought by rights to have been his. He had 
 a grudge against fate. When his elder
 
 230 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 brother died, the baby had no business to 
 live, and grow up to plague deserving 
 people with its health and strength, and 
 prove a thorn in their side.
 
 231 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 Luce had formed a habit of taking long and 
 solitary walks. She was fond of exercise, and 
 Granny insisted on her going out every after- 
 noon. At first Luce demurred, saying she 
 would prefer to drive with Granny or accom- 
 pany her up and down the terrace, should 
 she feel inclined to stroll. But Granny was* 
 firm. ^^It is too cold to drive," she said, 
 '^ and if I want to walk Mrs. Vincent will 
 give me an arm ; but you are young, and 
 you must run and step out and. spring 
 along as becomes your age." Luce obeyed. 
 Granny's gentle exhortations, firm and mild 
 as they were, had a different ring from Lady 
 Eleanor's cold formulas. To walk for one's 
 complexion, to prevent oneself looking sal- 
 low, seemed the direct converse to walking 
 for one's pleasure in clear frosty air, tinged 
 with exhilarating freshness.
 
 232 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 Luce was returning one afternoon from 
 an expedition to a distant common, where 
 the low thorn-trees formed in summer a 
 favourite resort for the nightingales. She was 
 accompanied by Vic, the terrier, who had 
 taken a violent fancy to her, and was stepping 
 along quickly, notwithstanding her previous 
 long walk. Behind her the sun, an incan- 
 descent ball, rested in a blood-red sheet of 
 flame, which filled the horizon with a lurid 
 glare, and threw a mantle of roseate hues 
 over the bare branches of the distant trees ; 
 beyond, the sky was of a pure steely blue, 
 in which a few stars twinkled ; above, the 
 crescent moon gleamed coldly. The air was 
 calm ; but to stand still, even for an instant, 
 became unpleasant and chilling to the blood. 
 Luce hurried on ; it was getting late. Turn- 
 ing a corner she came up at right angles 
 with a man who was getting over a stile 
 out of a stubble field. A dog accompanied 
 him, whom Vic, running forward, saluted 
 joyously, presently rubbing herself up 
 against his owner's legs, and thereby ac- 
 knowledging her master. 
 
 ^* Miss Windermere!" said he, stopping
 
 CuEATURES or Clay. 233 
 
 to shift his gun on to the other shoulder, 
 *^ how late you are ; where have you been ?" 
 
 ^^ To Thornham Common," she answered. 
 
 *^ That is a long walk. I did not know 
 you were a great pedestrian. I thought you 
 were only a drawing-room young lady,'* 
 said Dick with a laugh. 
 
 '^ This is not much of a walk, but I have 
 the use of my limbs, I am happy to say." 
 
 '^ And you don't mind walking alone." 
 
 '^I am accustomed to it/' she answered 
 briefly. 
 
 Dick accommodated his long stride to 
 hers, and quite naturally prepared to walk 
 home with her. For the first time they were < 
 alone together. 
 
 Their conversation, confidential as it had 
 sometimes been, was always carried on in 
 company, for the careless buzz of a drawing- 
 room confers almost as great privacy as can 
 be obtained on a lonely mountain-side. She 
 and Dick were accustomed to society, and 
 knew how to make the most of their advan- 
 tages. But this solitary walk with the 
 ruddy sunset, and the heavenly glow upon 
 the silent earth ; the chill landscape, devoid 
 of all animal life ; the strangeness, mingled
 
 234 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 with the sense of comfort that came over 
 her, — was a new experience. Eor a while 
 she remained silent, commonplaces seemed 
 foolish and unreal. Dick was silent, too ; 
 then, as they passed a small plantation, " To 
 heel. Rover!" he cried, ^Ho heel; that brute 
 of a dog is after a rabbit." This little inci- 
 dent, which occupied a few moments before 
 the refractory dog, — who had ranged around 
 rejoicing in the new-found experience of 
 mischief, followed by Vic, to whom the 
 temptation proved likewise overwhelming 
 (for dogs, like men, easily copy a bad ex- 
 ample), — had been chastised, reproved, and 
 once more reduced to orderly behaviour, 
 broke the ice, and dispelled the strangeness 
 which had arrested Luce's tongue. 
 
 '' I'm so very glad you and Granny get 
 on," said Dick, whose observation of domestic 
 affairs was tolerably keen; ''it is a great 
 pleasure to her to have your company." 
 
 *'No one could help loving her," said 
 Luce, warmly, '' she is as good as you said, 
 only still more perfect." 
 
 ^' I don't like perfection myself as a rule," 
 observed the young man, "it's generally so 
 deuced disagreeable, but I must say Granny
 
 Creatures of Clay. 235 
 
 is kindness itself. I often feel sorry to see 
 how shamefully uncle Vincent and his wife 
 trade upon her kindness." Dick omitted to 
 state that he had frequently done the same, 
 and the slight return he had offered her. 
 
 ^' She is devoted to you," said Luce ; '^ she 
 would like to have you always with her." 
 
 ^' Well, that is not possible," laughed the 
 young man. 
 
 *^ But now, when you are in Parliament, 
 your duties to your constituents will bring 
 you here oftener." 
 
 '^ Oh, yes, I suppose they may; but you 
 know, however fond I am of Granny, Long 
 Leam is but a dull hole ; I'm not master < 
 here ; I can't do a thing, and my uncle and 
 aunt are almost always about poking their 
 noses everywhere and interfering. Since 
 you came it has been different ; you under- 
 stand me, and you're young." 
 
 ^^ Yes, I am young," answered Luce, 
 feeling grateful for this bond of sympathy 
 between them. 
 
 ^' And there is no nonsense about you — 
 you are not vain like Maud, nor a prude like 
 aunt Vincent." 
 
 Luce was silent — she could not appraise 
 herself.
 
 236 Creatuhes of Clay. 
 
 ^^ Some day you will marry," she said 
 softly, ^' and then you will not be lonely." 
 
 ''Marry — no, I shan't marry!" he said 
 quickly. 
 
 Luce threw him a curious glance. 
 
 ''I mean, I don't think I shall ever care 
 for any woman enough to marry her " 
 
 " Oh, Mr. Carrol, I am sure you wilL" 
 
 '' That is to say — I don't mind telling you, 
 Luce (let me call you Luce, it is less stiff) — 
 I have loved, I did love once — some one — 
 very dearly indeed." 
 
 ''And she died?" asked Luce, in a low 
 sympathetic voice. 
 
 " No, she is married ! " 
 
 " Then she did not care ? " 
 
 " To tell you the truth T do not know. I 
 thought, I believed she did. I was mad and 
 reckless and foolish, but she kept her head 
 — and married." 
 
 " Poor Dick ! " sighed Luce. 
 
 " I felt it, I can tell you; that was what 
 made me take to politics, just to crush the 
 pain. What did I say, that I would never 
 marry ? Of cou7^se I shall marry any one 
 grannie likes ; it is nothing to me now I 
 can't have her^ and that is all over."
 
 Creatures of Clay. 237 
 
 At that instant the fiery glow faded out of 
 the sky, the sun dropped, and with it gloom 
 and darkness shrouded everything. Luce 
 felt as though the light had gone out of her 
 life. Dick could never love again. 
 
 ^^ Why is not everyone like you, Luce? 
 Why are there hard things, and cruel things, 
 and selfish people in the world ? You have 
 a kind heart, I know ; you pity me." 
 
 *^ Yes, I pity you," said Luce, putting her 
 little hand gently on his arm. '^ I know 
 what it is not to be loved " 
 
 ^'It is not only that, but to feel that she 
 belongs to another. God ! I can't bear even 
 to think of it," and he clenched his hand, 
 violently. 
 
 ^' It is very bad, I know,'' said Luce, 
 soothingly. 
 
 They walked a little way in silence. 
 Then he said, stopping suddenly to look at 
 her : 
 
 ^' What a strange girl you are, Luce. I 
 do believe you care what happens to me, 
 and yet you listen sweetly to what would 
 make some women mad. They cannot bear 
 to hear another praised."
 
 238 CHEATURES OF ClAY. 
 
 '' I suppose she was very beautiful/' said 
 Luce, calmly. 
 
 ^^ Yes, she was beautiful — to my mind the 
 most beautiful creature I ever saw, but what 
 of that — her beauty did not keep her true — 
 Ah ! if she had only been like you — I know 
 you are true.'' 
 
 '^ Thank you," said Luce, simply. 
 
 ^^ I shall never forget her ; of course it has 
 altered my whole life, but I shall try to 
 make the best of things." 
 
 ^' You have great scope." 
 
 '^ Do you know. Luce, perhaps Granny 
 was right. I ought to marry — the sense 
 that I was bound to another woman would 
 prevent any vain barkings back — make the 
 breach irrevocable — I do so fear being weak 
 again; that woman has bewitched me, I 
 believe." 
 
 '^ It would not be fair to marry while you 
 feel like that," said Luce, decisively. 
 
 ^'I would be good to my wife, I would 
 study her wishes, she should have the best 
 of everything." 
 
 " Except love." 
 
 ''Say rather except passion — I should 
 love her in a different way."
 
 Creatures or Clay. 239 
 
 They had reached the gates of liOng Learn 
 and turned into the avenue; the dogs ran 
 on in front joyfully sniffing and smelling 
 about ; the moon threw silvery gleams of 
 light across the road, and Luce's face looked 
 almost ghastly in its pallor. In another 
 instant they would part indifferently, and a 
 conversation so strange, so intimate, never 
 be renewed. Luce made an effort. 
 
 ^^ Thank you for telling me," she said; 
 '^ I am so sorry you have suffered." 
 
 " It sours a man," he said, gloomily, kick- 
 ing away with his boot a little mound of 
 gravel ; '^ but I suppose it happens to every 
 one." And then they mounted the steps and < 
 rang the bell, and went into the firelight and 
 cosiness, where Granny waited with the tea. 
 '^What a little ghost you look!" said 
 Granny, kindly, as she patted Luce's cold 
 cheeks. 
 
 ** These roads are not safe for girls to be 
 out after dark," remarked Mrs. Vincent, 
 sharply, looking up from her knitting ; ^' but 
 then, to be sure, you had an escort. Pray, 
 Dick, did you go out with Miss Luce, or 
 meet her by appointment ? " 
 
 '' 1 fell in with her accidentally, and was
 
 24iO CiiEATUiiEs OF Clay. 
 
 exceedingly surpriserj to see her, wasn't I ? '' 
 said Dick, addressing Luce, and pouring him- 
 self out a cup of strong black tea. 
 
 ^^ Why don't you ask one of my girls to 
 go with you ? " said Mrs. Vincent, severely, 
 to Luce; '^I am sure it would be much better 
 than trapesing about the country alone like 
 a gipsy. You will be robbed and murdered 
 some day." 
 
 ^'I am not worth robbing," said Luce, 
 with a faint smile. 
 
 " Thieves can not know that ; by the time 
 they have found it out you will be knocked 
 down and battered about in the mud.'' 
 
 ^'There's a pleasant look-out for you," 
 said Dick, cheerfully. ^^ Aunt Vincent cer- 
 tainly has the most depressing ideas." 
 
 " I am not a fool," said Mrs. Vincent, 
 with a fresh accent of dignity. 
 
 ^' Heaven defend me from accusing you of 
 such a thing ; you are sharp enough for me." 
 
 The little sparring-matches which went on 
 between Dick and his aunt amused him 
 while tliey angered her, and served the 
 present purpose of distracting her attention 
 from Luce, to whom her stabs gave evident 
 pain. The latter threw Dick a grateful look,
 
 Creatures or Clay. 241 
 
 and stole nearer to Granny, in whose love 
 was to be found honourable shelter. 
 
 That evening grannie played on the piano 
 quaint sparkling gavottes and slow graceful 
 minuets, and rippling fugues, stiff anti- 
 quated music often in the minor mode, set 
 in its simple chords and perfect cadences. 
 She characterized modern music as froth and 
 flim-flams, abhorring with all the righteous 
 horror of her soul the glaring discords and 
 meaningless changes and artificial harmonies 
 which make up a great share of its composi- 
 tion. Luce sat by the fire listening. As 
 Granny's thin fingers glided gently over the 
 keys — with a delicacy and precision wanting 
 to many brilliant performers — the tightness at 
 her heart relaxed, the keen pain she was 
 enduring grew more tolerable, a gentle pity 
 took the place of wounded love. Who was 
 she, what was she, to exact more than could 
 be given her ? Trust, confidence, affection 
 — she had all these — and yet she wanted 
 more ; her hungry heart cried out for 
 nourishment for the strong satisfying meat 
 of love, and not the phantom food of friend- 
 ship. Granny's life neared its close ; those 
 agile fingers must soon relax their grip, and 
 
 VOL. I. R
 
 242 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 fall nerveless by her side ; the warm heart 
 cease to beat, the eye gloss over with the 
 film of death. What had she received, what 
 happiness gilt her declining years, what 
 prudent careful hand guided her steps, and 
 given back love for love ? None that Luce 
 could see, yet Granny was serenely, beauti- 
 fully happy. '^ It will come, I suppose, in 
 time ; when I am old I shall be happy," she 
 thought, and rose to light Granny's candle. 
 Usually Luce lingered a while in Granny's 
 bedroom chatting or reading her to sleep ; 
 to-night the old lady dismissed her quickly. 
 
 ''' Go, dear," she said, '^ you look tired ; I 
 am a selfish old woman to keep you — go, 
 rest well ; God bless you, my own dear 
 child." 
 
 Granny folded her in her arms, and 
 the withered cheek held a sweetness for 
 Luce of which the peach-blossom skin of 
 Lady Eleanor owned no suspicion. The 
 one is human flesh, she thought, the other 
 pearl-powder and cold cream. Luce waited 
 till old Jane the maid appeared, carefully 
 extinguishing her dip in the doorway as she 
 entered, and proceeded to remove Granny's 
 pretty cap, and let the flowing grey hair
 
 Creatures of Clay. 2i3 
 
 about her shoulders. Luce was never tired 
 of admiring the old lady as she sat there, 
 patiently submitting to the maid's ministra- 
 tions. 
 
 '^ When I am old my hair will be grey 
 too, and I shall be glad to be like you, 
 Granny," she said playfully, as she retired. 
 Luce had to traverse the whole length of the 
 broad corridor before arriving at her own 
 room, and, as she did so this evening, through 
 the swing-door at the end hurriedly burst 
 Dick, in smoking-jacket and slippers. 
 
 '^ Is that you, have you left Granny — I 
 wanted to speak to her ? " 
 
 '^ She is going to bed. She dismissed m^ 
 early ; I think you had better not disturb 
 her — it might interfere with her night's 
 rest." 
 
 " Then I will not. Luce, stay a moment; 
 you cannot be tired." He took the candle 
 gently from her hand, and put it on an old 
 Italian chest that stood near. " Let me ask 
 you a question. Do you remember our con- 
 versation of this afternoon ? " 
 
 ^' Yes," faltered Luce, scared at this 
 opening. 
 
 ^' Well, I told you my story. I was 

 
 244 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 honest, at least ; many a man might not 
 have confessed. I told you I must marry, 
 Granny wishes it. She urged me again this 
 evening. I cannot love as I have done, you 
 know, but my wife will be very dear to me ; 
 can you — will you be that wife ? " 
 
 Luce shrank away ; she covered her face 
 with her hands. 
 
 ^^ Don't shrink from me, dear. I tell you 
 sincerely I never met a woman so true, so 
 kindly, as yourself ; we should not quarrel 
 I am sure. I can give you a nice home and 
 comfort, and you love Granny — 
 
 
 ' I could not make you happy 
 
 Oh, yes, I am easily pleased ; you suit 
 me ; we have the same tastes ; I shall 
 grow very fond of you, my little gentle 
 
 mouse " 
 
 ^' No, no ! " faltered Luce. 
 
 ^'You need not be afraid; 1 will not 
 neglect you or be cruel to you. I shall love 
 you as a dear sister, companion, friend, 
 truly, lastingly. Passion is not happiness, 
 I am sure of that now ; besides, you are 
 too young for passion ; you must never 
 know it— I am not a bad fellow, really " 
 
 He did not love her, yet he offered to
 
 Creatures of Clay. 245 
 
 marry her she thought. He had treated her 
 fairly and honourably ; would any woman 
 ask more or refuse him, who loved as Luce 
 did with every fibre of her heart. She 
 would force love from him, she felt ; would 
 show him that she was not too young for 
 passion (the very idea made her laugh). 
 Some women might be too proud, might talk 
 of self-respect, but where was the self-respect 
 when one loved madly and unreasonably ? 
 lie would be hers, to love, to caress, to 
 dream of, to scheme for, her life -- could she 
 part from her life ? 
 
 '^ Don't be startled, dear; it seems sudden, 
 perhaps, to you, but not to me ; ever since J 
 have known you and watched your sweet 
 unselfish ways, I felt you were the .woman 
 for me, and Granny thinks so too." 
 
 The family, then, had sat in conclave on 
 her merits, had approved of her like a prize 
 ox or a show cauliflower. 
 
 "You will understand me, you will be 
 lenient to my faults — I am full of faults." 
 
 '' Ah, how you speak ! " cried the girl, 
 lashed by the violence of her feelings into 
 speech. "Do you think I have none? Do 
 you think I am made of marble ? Do you
 
 246 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 think I can bear to hear you ask me to marry 
 you and in the same breath confess you do not 
 love me ? Am I not human ? Am I not a 
 woman? Do I not love you ? " The last 
 words escaped in a sob, as Luce threw her- 
 self upon a chair and laid her burning face 
 against its back. 
 
 " Luce, darling, do you love me ; ah, I 
 never hoped for this ; I thought it would be 
 a reasonable, a commonplace marriage — but 
 love " 
 
 '^ Why do you talk of love ? Haven't you 
 said already there is to be none between 
 us?" 
 
 ^^ The case is altered — you must make 
 me love you, little one, you women are so 
 clever." 
 
 Luce shook her head. " I am not clever 
 enough for that.^^ 
 
 ^^ But a companion. Luce, a friend; a 
 woman to whom one can tell everything ; 
 who has no petty jealousies, no envious 
 thoughts ; where could I find such another ? — 
 you are priceless. Luce, unique in your sex.'' 
 
 '^ Perhaps I shall be jealous," said Luce, 
 slowly, '' If I love you " 
 
 ^' I will take the risk, little one," he said,
 
 Creatures op Clay. 247 
 
 wrapping her in his arms, while his silky 
 moustache rested on her lips. The first kiss! 
 More suffering than bliss was contained in 
 it. It had an acrid taste of sub-acute pain 
 mixed with the pleasure, for she was not his 
 really, but his only on sufferance, his by pres- 
 sure of lips rather than gift of heart ; his wife, 
 his betrothed, but not the woman in the world 
 for him ! And yet, as she lay in his arms, 
 despising herself for her weakness, conscious 
 of all she was surrendering, of her young 
 life dedicated, her body given, her soul a 
 slave, she felt she could do no otherwise, 
 and yielding, faintly murmured with a sigh 
 of content, ^' Mine, mine ! " •
 
 248 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 As from some wonderful dream Luce awoke 
 the next morning", asking herself if it was 
 true. The midnight interview in the cor- 
 ridors, the words spoken in the silence and 
 shadow of night, the long-drawn kiss, the 
 moment of passion she had experienced, rose 
 to her mind, painted in glowing mystical 
 colours. What had she done? — betrayed her 
 maidenly modesty, given her promise to a 
 man who did not love her. Oh, it was weak, 
 execrably weak, and yet she felt, did the 
 temptation return, she must succumb to it 
 once more. She lingered over her toilet, 
 she daied not, with the guilty blush of 
 shame upon her cheek, face Mrs. Vincent 
 and her coldly cruel eyes and plausible sting- 
 ing advice. The breakfast-bell rang, but 
 she did not stir ; presently there came a tap
 
 Creatures of Clay. 249 
 
 at her door, ^'Was Miss 'Windermere ill, 
 would she like her breakfast upstairs ? " 
 ^' Oh no, no ! " cried poor Luce, feeling that 
 she must take the awful plunge. In the 
 dining-room, over the remains of breakfast, 
 sat Mrs. Vincent, her husband, and Granny. 
 Dick's place was empty, but Luce divined 
 that he had finished his meal. At least then 
 she need not dread his eyes. How would 
 he look, had he repented already, was it only 
 a heated fancy, born and bred of night, 
 would he seem cold and distant, perhaps tell 
 her it was all a mistake ? Luce approached 
 the table slowly. 
 
 ^^Come here, dear," said grannie, holding 
 out her hand, ^' sit by me. Have you slept 
 well ? " 
 
 ^' You went to bed early enough, said 
 Mrs. Vincent, sharply, ^'though I believe 
 you amused yourself walking about after- 
 wards, for I heard steps and voices in the 
 corridor till any hour, and very nearly came 
 out to see what was the matter." This 
 speech conjured up an awful vision before 
 Luce's eyes. If Mrs. Vincent, in nightcap 
 and dressing-gown, had indeed appeared like 
 an avenging fury, candle in hand, just at the
 
 250 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 instant of that portentous kiss ! ^^ However, 
 I said to myself, it's probably only some of 
 those silly maids whispering and giggling, 
 and it was really too cold to turn out of bed 
 for such nonsense." 
 
 '' You were right not to disturb yourself," 
 said Luce, gravely. 
 
 ^^ Doesn't the housekeeper go round the 
 house. Granny ? " pursued Mrs. Vincent, 
 pleased to direct her attack upon another 
 inoffensive creature. '^ She should go round 
 the very last thing, lock all the maids into 
 their rooms, and see that every door is shut. 
 / do that at home, but, of course, one can 
 never trust servants. It is very foolish to 
 do so." 
 
 '' The doors are always locked by the 
 butler," said Granny, quietly. 
 
 '^ But so often men are drunk. It is really 
 not safe to leave it to them." 
 
 ^' I can trust Porter," said Granny; '^ he 
 has been with me these fifteen years." 
 
 ^' Ah, well, of course, if you are sure. 
 Some people have such confidence, and seem 
 quite surprised when they are imposed 
 upon." 
 
 '^ I would rather trust than always sus-
 
 Creatures of Clay. 251 
 
 pect, as you do, Maria. You render your life 
 wretched by your suspicions " 
 
 ^' That is better, at least, than to be made 
 a fool of." 
 
 After breakfast Luce followed Granny 
 into her own little study, and there, having 
 first carefully shut the door lest Mrs. Vin- 
 cent's sharp ears should be within reach, she 
 drew Luce to her and said, ^^ Thank you, 
 my dear, dear child. Dick tells me that he 
 has asked you to be his wife." 
 
 '' But oh, Granny," said Luce, flushing 
 and trembling, '' I don't know whether I 
 ought ; I am so plain, he will never love me. 
 How can T make him happy ? " • 
 
 '^ Have no fear, child, you love him ? " 
 
 ^^OJi yes, I love him dearly." She had the 
 right to say it now ; she raised her eyes and 
 looked proudly at grannie. The old lady 
 seemed to sympathise ; she patted her hair 
 gently, and made her sit beside her. 
 
 ''I am so glad to have you as a daughter, I 
 think we understand each other." The cold 
 wintry sun laid a ray upon Luce's brown hair 
 till it shone like gold, while a gleam of the 
 sunshine sparkled in her eye. ^^ You must 
 not be afraid of yourself and say you are
 
 252 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 plain. You are going to be very happy, 
 and a happy woman is never plain. To my 
 mind Mrs. Vincent is plain, and yet she was 
 a fine girl in her youth, or Vincent would 
 never have married her ; but ill-temper and 
 envy have dragged down her mouth, and 
 unkindness has robbed her eye of its light. 
 Character stamps faces, you know.'' 
 
 Luce realised this as she glanced at 
 Granny's mouth — the sweetest, humanest 
 feature in her kind countenance. 
 
 '^ And now, my child, I am not going to 
 be selfish, you want to see Dick ; you have 
 a number of things to talk about ; you are 
 young, and the world is before you ; go, be 
 open and confiding with each other, it is the 
 secret of happiness." 
 
 " I won't go yet," said Luce, clinging to 
 Granny's hand. ^'I like to be with you ; 
 you do me good ; you are so young." 
 
 Granny smiled. That young heart of 
 hers had played sad pranks in the aged 
 breast, and yet she would not have changed 
 it with Mrs. Vincent's stony organ for all 
 the world. 
 
 '' Granny, tell me about your youth, your
 
 Creatures of Clay. 253 
 
 time of love ; how pretty you must have 
 been then!" 
 
 ^^He said so — my husband:'' said Granny 
 with a sigh. ^' But he was partial, for he 
 loved me dearly. We were very happy — 
 but that was fifty years ago — and then he 
 died." 
 
 '^ And you never married again ? " 
 
 '^ Why should I ? Each fortunate creature 
 has its gleam of sunshine on earth. I had 
 had mine ; it could never come again. T 
 waited, I have been waiting forty-five years, 
 my time is drawing near." 
 
 " But, Granny, you have lived a dozen 
 lives in those you have made happy." ^ 
 
 '^ I have tried my best ; though we can do 
 little ourselves; we must leave it all to 
 God." 
 
 Luce sat stroking Granny's fingers; she 
 did not speak, seemingly absorbed in noting 
 the quaint- cut sparkling gems that adorned 
 them. 
 
 '^I wonder if I shall be happy, Granny ? " 
 
 '^ Of course you will, child; though even 
 should you not, remember ' as your day is 
 so shall your strength be.' " 
 
 I am not strong, my nerves are weak^ — I 
 
 u
 
 254 Creatures or Clay. 
 
 dread to suffer — if I should prove a burden 
 to iiiy husband ! " 
 
 '^Husband'' had a sweet sound; Luce's 
 tongue lingered over it tenderly. 
 
 «^A girl who loves should not talk like 
 this." 
 
 '^ I have never believed myself destined 
 for happiness ; a quiet twilight of content- 
 ment suits me best, the half-lights and sub- 
 dued tints are mine." 
 
 ' ' But yet you see Providence has willed it 
 otherwise ; he has given to me my fondest 
 wish — a dear daughter ; and now. Luce, I 
 cannot let you moralise any more. I shall 
 call Dick." 
 
 Luce submitted passively, and presently, 
 when Grranny had been absent a few 
 moments, Dick slowly pushed the door open. 
 His eyes took in Luce's figure, her nervous 
 agitation, her gentle questioning look, the 
 happiness in her eyes, that scarce suppressed, 
 radiated at sight of him. He stepped for- 
 ward and took both her hands in his. 
 
 '^ Luce," he said, standing over her grave- 
 ly ; '^ you have not repented, you mean to 
 be my wife ? " 
 
 '^ You really wish it ? ''
 
 Creatures of Clay. 255 
 
 '^ Of course ; I cannot trifle with such 
 serious things." Her eyes brightened. 
 
 '' Oh, Luce ! '' he continued, taking a place 
 beside her on the narrow couch. '' Grannie 
 is so pleased ; she says it will be the making 
 of me ; that you are just what I wanted — 
 the balance of love she called it in her 
 poetical fashion." 
 
 '^ But there is to be no love, " said Luce, 
 with affright. Whatever might betide, there 
 must be truth between them. 
 
 '* Well, we'll see about that. Won't aunt 
 Vincent be rabid, just? we haven't told her 
 yet, you know ; she always hoped I should 
 never marry, and leave her sons to inherit.'' 
 
 '^ That was not likely," broke in Luce, 
 hotly. '' How can people be so mean ? " 
 
 ^^She is the incarnation of meanness ; she 
 is mean even to that poor, cunning, foolish 
 wretch of a husband, for whom she has a 
 sneaking affection; she stints him in his 
 food, which makes him so fond of coming 
 here to get a good meal, and she is always 
 reproaching him because his nose is red, and 
 he smells of stables. 
 
 '' Horrid ! " said Luce. 
 
 '' We will not be like that, Luce ; we will
 
 256 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 have no secrets and no shams ; if we are 
 poor, we will be poor, and not pretend; 
 though I know Granny will deluge us with 
 all manner of kind things, so there is no fear 
 of that." 
 
 '^ I am glad," said Luce, laying her head 
 on his shoulder. '^ I don't think poverty 
 would suit you, and I should hate being the 
 involuntary cause of it." 
 
 ' ' Little duck ! you grow prettier every 
 day, Luce. You must get yourself a blue 
 gown with brown fur on it like Maud Hard- 
 fast's, it would suit you so well." 
 
 " T don't care to dress like Maud Hard- 
 fast. I shall always be plain and simple. 
 Aunt used to say I never did the best French 
 dressmaker any credit." 
 
 '' But you have a neat little waist and 
 the tiniest of hands— by Jove, Luce, what 
 a tiny hand it is ! I shall never be able to 
 get a ring to fit you." 
 
 " I don't want rings," said Luce, shortly. 
 
 '' Rubbish ! I shall give you a ring, a little 
 plain gold band with a turquoise in it, the 
 colour of evening sky as it is called, to 
 remind you of that walk we took last night.
 
 Creatures of Clay. 257 
 
 Was I a brute, Luce, to talk to you as I 
 did ?" 
 
 '^ I should never have forgiven you if you 
 had not told me. To think that you were 
 unhappy and that I could help you, gave me 
 confidence. Do you really believe I shall 
 make you happy ? " 
 
 *^I am sure of it,'' said Dick, sealing the 
 assertion with a kiss. 
 
 '^ Then, Dick," she hesitated, twining her 
 fingers softly around his, " then Dick, you 
 will tell her that you mean to marry me. 
 You will not give her unnecessary pain, not 
 leave her to hear it from a stranger.'' 
 
 *' As I heard of her marriage," interrupted 
 Dick, angrily. ^^Why not? She must be 
 nothing to me now." 
 
 '^ But I should feel happier if she knew, if 
 she gave her consent; you understand Dick 
 what to say, you need not see her, I don't 
 think I should like that, but, just write to 
 her kindly, to please me." 
 
 ''I think it very unnecessary," he answered 
 somewhat sullenly. '' Of course she does not 
 care now — why should she ? She left me first, 
 she spoilt my hfe." 
 
 '' Oh, Dick ! " 
 
 VOL. I. S
 
 258 CllEATUKES OF ClAY. 
 
 " Well," he said, taking her in his arms, 
 '' I mean she spoilt it until you came with 
 your really nice ways; and now you are 
 going to make something good of me ; you 
 will have all your work cut out, though, I tell 
 you beforehand." 
 
 Luce was very happy, so happy that her 
 blunted confidence in herself returned; she 
 was evidently not destined to be the pariah 
 in life she had supposed, but to taste of the 
 ricli banquet of love. The reaction from 
 severest self-denial to perfect unfolding of 
 each hidden petal of her tender heart, made 
 the sense of bliss more exquisite. Even the 
 letter which had to be written to Lady 
 Eleanor cost her little effort, though she 
 knew that the answer would inevitably pour 
 a cold douche of worldly sarcasm upon the 
 warmth of her feelings. Lady Eleanor 
 promptly wrote back in a kind and congratu- 
 latory strain which seemed to her appropriate 
 to the occasion. 
 '' My deah Luce, 
 
 I cannot express to you my 
 pleasure at finding that you have at last ^ 
 profited by the excellent education I gave 
 you. It is a girl's first duty to respond to ^, 
 
 ^
 
 Creatures oe Clay. 259 
 
 the efforts her elders make on her behalf, 
 and to do credit to her training. You must 
 have managed well to have secured Mr. 
 Carrol, who at his grandmother's death will 
 inherit a handsome fortune, and, as the latter 
 is turned seventy, you will not have long to 
 wait. I had lately heard unfortunate rumours 
 about Mr. Carrol's little affair with Miss Bray 
 before her marriage, but of course, as he has 
 proposed to you, this can only have been a 
 caprice on his part, which absence and change 
 of scene have dispelled. They tell me Mr. 
 and Mrs. Vincent Carrol are regular sponges 
 and live upon the old lady ; of course you will 
 make it your business to oust them as soon 
 as possible. There cannot be two mistresses 
 in a household. I have always acted upon 
 this principle in my life, and have found it 
 answer well. Be perfectly sure of your own 
 position, and secure it by every means in 
 your power. Is there anytime proposed for 
 the wedding ? I see no reason for delay, and 
 think that as soon as the election is over 
 you could be married. It will not take long 
 to get the settlements drawn out, and the 
 trousseau ready. Let me hear what are 
 
 s 2
 
 260 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 your views on this matter, and believe me, 
 my dear Luce, 
 
 Your affectionate aunt, 
 Eleanor Highview. 
 
 The letter dropped from Luce's fingers. 
 
 '^ The little affair with Miss Bray." So 
 that was the way Dick's love, a love which 
 he said had altered his whole life, was 
 spoken of ; every one was aware of it ; it 
 formed the subject of sarcastic talk between 
 Lady Eleanor and her gossiping friends. 
 Besides which. Lady Penchurch lived in the 
 next county, not more than fifteen miles 
 from Long Leam, and Luce and she must 
 meet and speak and smile at each other, and 
 hold out their hands with the knowledge of 
 the past burning in their hearts. So long as 
 Dick's love had been a secret confided to her 
 only, so long as it was but a kind of honour- 
 able trust. Luce had felt capable of taking a 
 philosophical view, in which disapproval 
 neatly tempered by pity was not found un- 
 endurable, but to share this secret with the 
 common herd, to hear it spoken of and 
 glossed over, and sneered at, would need 
 almost superhuman strength, while, to feel
 
 Creatures of Clay. 261 
 
 she had contented herself with another's 
 leavings must be sadly wounding to vanity. 
 Thus argued Luce. Finally reproaching her- 
 self for fainting already beneath the burden 
 she had freely accepted, she descended to the 
 drawing-room to sing, as was her usual 
 habit, to Granny in the twilight. Granny 
 was not there, however, but Mrs. Vincent 
 was. The third day of Luce's engagement 
 had now arrived, and, at her earnest request, 
 Mrs. Vincent was told nothing definite until 
 the consent arrived from Lady Eleanor. 
 Mrs. Vincent, however, had her suspicions, 
 and promptly attacked Granny, who, taken 
 at a disadvantage, was signally routed an^l 
 confessed the truth. 
 
 '^ Ah, I always said she was a schemer,'' 
 snorted Mrs. Vincent. '^ Those girls with 
 brown hair and pale faces and quiet un- 
 obtrusive manners always are. They per- 
 petually watch you and find out your very 
 thoughts in the style of a perfect nineteenth- 
 century inquisition. I knew she was up to 
 mischief." 
 
 ^' Dick loves her,'' said Granny, meekly. 
 
 '^ Fuzzle-de-boo ! he loved Evelyn Bray 
 six months ago, and he will love some one else
 
 262 CuEATUREs OP Clay. 
 
 six months hence. Luce merclv flattered 
 him and traded on his weakness ; bless you, 
 I know it all ; young men are as weak as 
 water." 
 
 ^' She will make him an excellent wife." 
 
 '^ And pray what did he want a wife for ? 
 Or why couldn't he have married one of his 
 cousins ? There is Dolly, who plays the 
 piano like a professor, she will be eighteen 
 next month, or Eliza, who draws in oils and 
 watercolours, she is sixteen and has a 
 lovely complexion. But to go and marry 
 a plain girl like Luce. However, I suppose 
 it's for her money. Will she have a large 
 fortune ? " 
 
 '^ As far as I know she will have none ; 
 she is entitled to none at least, unless her 
 uncle chooses to leave her something.'' 
 
 ^^ What a disgusting affair!" responded 
 Mrs. Vincent, flouncing out of the room. 
 
 It may be surmised from this specimen of 
 Mrs. Vincent's feelings that when Luce 
 found her alone in the drawing-room the 
 former lady did not scruple to give her a 
 bit of her mind. 
 
 " You are mighty close, Miss,'' she said. 
 *' I congratulate you on being able to hold
 
 Creatures of Clay. 263 
 
 your tongue. In my day, when young 
 ladies were engaged to be married they did 
 not make a secret of it, but they consulted 
 their family and asked for their consent." 
 
 ^^ I don't know what you mean," said 
 Luce, holding her music-book before her 
 like a shield. 
 
 '' Oh, don't you ? I understand you wish 
 to become my niece, but you haven't asked 
 my advice." 
 
 ^^ I beg your pardon, Mrs. Vincent ; I 
 scarcely see what you have to do with me." 
 " Highty-tighty, young lady, you take it 
 very coolly. You are not mistress here 
 yet." 
 
 The words of Lady Eleanor's letter flashed 
 to Luce's mind; her aunt was right; this 
 woman would be a thorn in her side. 
 Accustomed to gentle yielding. Luce said : 
 
 ^^ Well, Mrs. Vincent, you don't object to 
 me. I hope we shall be good friends." 
 
 ^' Friends! you have acted like an enemy. 
 You came here determined to captivate 
 my nephew. I saw you, I appreciated your 
 little game ; you humbugged Dick, pretend- 
 ing to care for the dogs and the horses, and 
 sitting openmouthed when he talked of his
 
 264 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 speeches and his canyassing; you, who know 
 he can't string three words together gram- 
 matically. You did lapdog to Granny, and 
 boxed yourself up with her until you made 
 her think you preferred a doting old woman's 
 society to the amusements suited to your 
 age. Luce Windermere, I have seen through 
 your intrigueSj I appreciate your subter- 
 fuges, you cannot humbug meP 
 
 When she paused for breath Luce quietly 
 observed, ^^ I have no wish to humbug you, 
 Mrs. Vincent, I wished to be friends ; but if 
 you will not have it so, I suppose I must 
 submit. Dick has asked me to marry him, 
 and that is a question on which I think he 
 must be the best judge.'' 
 
 ^' Hear her, the little plausible minx ; just 
 now the gentle shrinking madam did not 
 know what I meant, but she understands at 
 least what she means herself; you will be an 
 excellent wife for Dick, madam ; he will not 
 dare to say a word to save his life ; he is 
 very fortunate, I must say, to have such a 
 termagant for his own. I shan't trouble you 
 much, oh dear no ! " 
 
 Aunt Vincent seized her worsted, skewered
 
 Creatuhes of Clay. 265 
 
 it with the large crochet-pin, and stalked 
 from the room. Luce had gained a victory, 
 but it was dearly bought. Mrs. Vincent was 
 her enemy for life !
 
 266 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 Lady Fenchurch meanwhile passed her time 
 in considerable suspense and anxiety. Her 
 canvassing was but half-hearted, for she felt 
 herself a traitor to both causes, while she 
 tried to shut her ears to all mention of Dick, 
 and to devote her attention to her husband's 
 interests. This was tlie less difficult, as Miss 
 Fenchurch, with all an old maid's pertina- 
 city, read the local Tory paper outloud every 
 day from beginning to end, emphasizing the 
 favourable comments upon Sir Hilary's 
 speeches with her own pithy remarks, and 
 holding him up to admiration on all occa- 
 sions. No man need blow his own trumpet 
 when he has adoring womankind belonging 
 to him, the tone they are able to produce is 
 much more strident and far-reaching than 
 any effort of which he is capable. Miss
 
 Creatuhes of Clay. 267 
 
 Fenchurch admired her brother beyond 
 everything, and was never tired of dinning 
 into Lady Fenchurch's ears that she ought 
 to esteem herself fortunate in holding the 
 proud position of his wife. Naturally, when 
 we are told to be thankful for undeserved 
 blessings we rebel against the suggestion, 
 and Lady Fenchurch scarcely felt as grateful 
 as she ought to have done. Sir Hilary was 
 irritable too. He was forced to get up early 
 and drive long distances on foggy cold days, 
 and occasionally return late for dinner, in 
 addition to the unceasing worries of agents, 
 electors, and the numerous temptations to 
 bribery ; and these things disturbed hi^ 
 equanimity and his digestion, and made him 
 less amicable at home. It was therefore 
 with considerable tremor that Evelyn re- 
 ceived a letter in Dick's handwriting duly 
 extracted from the postbag at the matutinal 
 breakfast-table, and handed to her by Sir 
 Hilary. He was absorbed in the perusal of 
 his own correspondence at the moment, and 
 did not notice that his wife, on reading 
 the sujDcrscription of the envelope, blushed, 
 slipped it into her pocket, and pretended to 
 sip her tea ; but Miss Fenchurch's eagle-eyes
 
 268 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 observed the manoeuvre, and she quickly 
 inquired : '' From whom is your letter, 
 Evelyn, and what is it all about — good news, 
 I trust ? " 
 
 ^^Itis nothing important," said Evelyn, 
 feeling guilty; ^^dear me, how late it is to 
 be sure ; I had no idea we had been such an 
 age at breakfast. Where are you going to- 
 day, Hilary ? '' 
 
 '' I have a long ride before me ; Dewsnap 
 goes too ; some doubtful fellows to visit the 
 other side of the country. I may be late for 
 dinner; you need not wait for me " 
 
 ^' Of course we shall wait," said Miss 
 Fenchurch with dignity, shutting the tea- 
 caddy with a snap. 
 
 Evelyn hurried to her room at the earliest 
 opportunity, and there with trembling hands 
 she tore open her letter. 
 
 ^' My friends wish me to marry, but I can 
 do nothing without telling you, Evelyn. If 
 you do not approve, say so freely, though I 
 scarcely think that my actions can in any 
 way interest you now. Dick " 
 
 Evelyn walked up and down in agitation ; 
 a few tears sprang to her eyes. She had 
 never cared for Dick sufficiently to break
 
 Creatures oe Clay. 269 
 
 her heart for him, though she had nursed 
 her love into an interesting and sentimental 
 grievance. She sincerely meant to forget 
 him, and her life witli Sir Hilary was as 
 pleasant and honourable as she had ever 
 anticipated; yet she would have been 
 scarcely a woman had she heard of her 
 lover's engagement unmoved. What was 
 she to answer, how could she write? Anger, 
 wounded pride, and sentimental love all 
 struggled for mastery in her breast ; first she 
 vowed he should not marry ; then she said 
 he should, and suffer for it ; finally she per- 
 suaded herself she did not care, and that it 
 was a matter of perfect indifference to her. 
 All the morning she walked up and down 
 her room with impatient uneven steps, 
 winding and crushing her pocket-handker- 
 chief between her fingers, biting her lips, 
 and behaving altogether like a foolish pas- 
 sionate woman. 
 
 Presently Miss Fenchurch knocked at the 
 door. ^'What is the matter, Evelyn? Do 
 let me in. You fidget me so, walking up 
 and down in that irritating way. I can hear 
 you as I sit in the library; if you want 
 exercise why don't you go out, and take
 
 270 CiiEATUREs OP Clay. 
 
 Jenny Jones her broth. You promised she 
 should have it to-day." 
 
 '' I will not walk up and down any more,'' 
 said Evelyn, calmly, through the half-open 
 door. "" I am busy writing letters ; if neces- 
 sary, my maid can take Jenny Jones her 
 broth." 
 
 Jenny Jones, indeed ! Broth, indeed ! 
 Far other cares occupied her thoughts. Miss 
 Fenchurch somewhat grumblingly retired, 
 and Lady Fenchurch once more resumed 
 the thread of her self - discourse. For one 
 thing she was not veri/ sorry for this project 
 of Dick's, it would have been no doubt sweet 
 to meet occasionally, and to consider herself 
 the guiding-star and angel of a young man's 
 life ; but then again people had gossipped 
 a little about her. Miss Fenchurch told her 
 this one day when she had lectured her 
 about the propriety of demeanour necessary 
 in the young wife of an elderly baronet. 
 Sir Hilary's eye, too, had glittered with a 
 strange light when he inquired if she had 
 met Dick on the day of their last interview, 
 and her position was altogether too comfort- 
 able and easy for her to risk the loss of it. 
 After a while Evelyn sat down, and, taking
 
 Creatures or Clay. 271 
 
 a fair sheet of paper, she quickly wrote these 
 few words : 
 
 '^ YeSj Dick, it is best so. Marry if you 
 think it will give you happiness, and forget 
 me. Grod bless you always." 
 
 She read over this letter, and thought as 
 she did so that a little pique sounded through 
 the expression of her good wishes ; yet, as it 
 was written now, the sentences, poor and 
 unsatisfactory as they seemed, must remain. 
 The very mystery and doubt that hung 
 about them might give more impressiveness 
 to the decision. She closed up the letter, 
 put it in her pocket where Dick's note rested 
 already, and came down to luncheon dressed 
 for driving. 
 
 ^' I am going into West Thorpe," she said 
 unconcernedly to Miss Fenchurch ; ^' will you 
 come also ? " 
 
 '^ No, thank you ; I have too much regard 
 for my health ; there is a bitter east wind 
 blowing, and I should be sure to get neu- 
 ralgia." 
 
 .'^ Very well, then, I will order the pony 
 carriage and drive myself." 
 
 " Are you sure you will not catch cold ? 
 Hilary would not like that you know."
 
 272 Creatures oe Clay. 
 
 '^ I am not afraid of a little bit of cold ; it 
 braces me, and I can well take care of 
 myself," said Lady Fenchurch, somewhat 
 haughtily. She would post her letter in 
 West Thorpe, she said to herself, and thus 
 feel sure it would reach its destination ; and 
 perhaps, who could tell, see Dick walking 
 or riding in the town ; and she would leave 
 her pearl necklace at Cherry and Appleton, 
 the 2:oldsmiths, and get them to re-string it, 
 for one of the beads had become detached 
 the last time she wore it. She drove the 
 ponies — who jumped and kicked about, and in 
 their joy at leaving the stable nearly pulled 
 her arms off — quickly into West Thorpe, and 
 drew up with a splash at the door of the 
 jeweller. One of the fat partners came 
 out bowing and smiling. ^' Now mind, I 
 want the necklace back on Friday," she 
 said, ^^for Sir Hilary does not know the 
 string is broken, and he wishes me to wear 
 it at a large dinner-party the same night. 
 He is very particular; don't forget, please." 
 ^'I won't forget, your ladyship," said the 
 jeweller, as he watched her flick the steam- 
 ing ponies with her whip and start off again 
 rapidly.
 
 Creatures of Clay. 273 
 
 ^' A fine young woman, that," he said to 
 himself, as he leisurely re-entered the shop ; 
 ^* looks as if she had a will of her own, too." 
 
 Evelyn drove about the town, bought lace 
 at the draper's and an almanac at the sta- 
 tioner's, and called at the grocer's, and gave 
 an order at the fruiterer's, and posted her 
 letter, but no sign did she see of Dick, nor 
 did she hear his name mentioned by any of 
 the obsequious tradespeople who served her. 
 Reluctantly she turned her ponies' heads, 
 and proceeded at a more sedate pace towards 
 home. Indeed, what had she expected? 
 After such a letter how could she speak to 
 him, save as a perfect stranger ; how should 
 she school her lips, her eyes, those tell-tale 
 creatures ; and yet with the duplex sensitive- 
 ness to impressions of her sex, she longed to 
 meet him, to watch the effect of her com- 
 munication, to note if he cared for the girl 
 he was going to marry. She had a curiosity 
 to know something about her too ; of course, 
 it was not a union of love. Evelyn pressed 
 her lips together haughtily, she could not 
 be forgotten already. Possibly the affair 
 might have been arranged so as to stop the 
 mouth of scandal. That was just like him, 
 
 VOL. I. T
 
 274 CllEATURES OF ClAY. 
 
 to be kind and considerate to her. She 
 had not been so considerate, leaving him to 
 hear of her marriage from the newspapers ; 
 but then men and women were different — he 
 was bound to regard her reputation, her 
 honour — while her duties towards him were 
 less plain and imperative. Deep in thought 
 she slackened her hold upon the ponies, and 
 one of them, missing the pressure of the bit, 
 sprang on one side shying sportively at a 
 glistening puddle. His mistress was all 
 attention at once. 
 
 '^ Quiet, Box," she said, patting him 
 gently with her whip, '' quiet, quiet ! " As 
 she spoke in caressing accents to her ponies 
 she suddenly discovered what, owing to this 
 little difficulty, had escaped her previous 
 observation, that the horseman rapidly 
 approaching was Dick himself. Involun- 
 tarily she checked the ponies, and he pulled 
 up, and, as they both did so, both coloured 
 at the recollection of their own thoughts, 
 and remained silent. She first recovered 
 herself. 
 
 '^ I have just posted a letter to you," she 
 said, with a pretty hesitation. 
 
 '' Is it satisfactory?" he asked, eagerly.
 
 CUEATURES OF ClAY. 275 
 
 u 
 
 How do you mean ? " She drew herself 
 up rather stiffly. '' I cannot tell what will 
 satisfy you." 
 
 What, indeed ! It was a strange posi- 
 tion for a young woman, and both felt it, 
 while their very hesitation prolonged the 
 dilemma. 
 
 '' I know you will do what is kind and 
 wise," he said, soothingly. 
 
 ^' Kind and wise ! " she repeated ; '' it is 
 not so easy to know what is kind and wise. 
 You must please yourself ; you have a 
 right." 
 
 ' ' I should like to be sure you are happy 
 — that you do not care " — he said, linger- 
 ingly. 
 
 ^^ Of course, I am very happy; you have 
 no right to doubt it," she said, haughtily. 
 ^' I suppose it is your cousin you mean to 
 marry ? " 
 
 ^'No, not my cousin — a very nice girl, 
 though.'' Then remembering that praise of 
 another could not be particularly agreeable 
 to Evelyn, he added, '^ Granny wishes it ; 
 it is to please her, you know." 
 
 ^' Exactly — you feel like a good little boy. 
 Well, I'm sure, I hope the plan will succeed." 
 
 T 2
 
 276 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 Evelyn smiled somewhat sarcastically 
 He felt nettled. 
 
 ** I gave you the choice, you had my life 
 in your hands— it is not too late even now." 
 He knew he could count on Luce's gener- 
 osity and forbearance, especially as there 
 was no question of love between them. 
 
 "Evelyn, pray speak! What do you 
 wish ? " 
 
 *' I wish nothing. I am satisfied you 
 should do what you think best for yourself." 
 
 ^^ Evelyn ! Evelyn ! if things had been 
 different " 
 
 " Well, it is no use thinking of that now, 
 is it ? " she said, flicking one of the ponies so 
 that he started, then checking him abruptly 
 with a turn of her wrist, ^'we had better 
 talk of something else." 
 
 "• You have been shopping ? " he asked 
 absently, biting his moustache and wondering 
 how far he dare speak of liis feelings. 
 
 ^^Yes," she answered lightly, *^ buying 
 trash, the kind of useless trifles women can 
 never resist when they see them in shops — 
 would you like an almanac for the new 
 year? — and I have been leaving my pearl 
 necklace to be re- strung at the jewellers. It
 
 Creatures oy Clay. 277 
 
 was a birthday present from Sir Hilary, you 
 knowj and he likes me particularly to wear 
 it." 
 
 '^ Which jeweller do you employ ? " he 
 asked, mechanically, still pondering what 
 he should say next. 
 
 ^^ Oh, the old-established pair. Cherry an 
 Aj)pleton. What funny old men those two 
 partners are, with their rosy cheeks and bald 
 heads ; and the way they have of always 
 washing their hands with imaginary soap as 
 they talk to you." 
 
 Dick thought Evelyn had not improved, 
 her manner was decidedly flippant. 
 
 " I must go now, you will let me know the 
 result of my letter — or no, you had better 
 not — I shall learn it soon enough, this is such 
 a gossiping county." 
 
 And with these light words they parted ; 
 the impatient ponies gladly obeyed the en- 
 couragement given them to go, and shaking 
 their merry heads trotted off briskly. 
 
 Dick, left alone, brushed his hand across 
 his eyes, and somewhat moodily rode on. So 
 it was over ; he was free ; and henceforth a 
 parliamentary career and Luce must be his 
 guiding stars. How easily she had quitted
 
 278 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 him ; how little she had appeared to care ; and 
 yet for that woman he nearly broke his heart, 
 as near, namely, as a gay young man can ever 
 break what he is pleased to call his heart. 
 He had endured horrid scruples, and bitter 
 thoughts, and sleepless nights, and once his 
 appetite had failed, and he had felt weary 
 and disillusioned and sad ; and behold in the 
 same breath she could give him his conge, 
 drive her ponies gaily, and prattle of the 
 birthday present Sir Hilary had given her, 
 pearls, precious stones — of course no w^oman 
 could resist their fascination. He did not 
 know that women hide the deepest grief 
 under a gay exterior ; that dissimulation and 
 smiles are the parry and thrust of the sexes' 
 lively fencing. Had he beheld Evelyn a 
 moment later, with the gaiety vanished, the 
 brow puckered, the lips close pressed and 
 drawn down, and sombre annoyance written 
 upon her countenance, perhaps he miglit 
 have changed his opinion. Notwithstanding 
 the east wind, the ponies steamed and panted 
 when they stopped at the bottom of the stone 
 steps of Oakdene. Evelyn threw the reins 
 carelessly on their backs, while the agile
 
 Creatuues of Clay. 279 
 
 §^room jumped down and ran up the steps to 
 ring the bell. 
 
 '^ Sir Hilary has returned/' said the butler, 
 when he assisted Lady Fenchurch out of the 
 carriage, '^ and he expects you in the 
 library." 
 
 ^' Why, it is not tea-time yet, is it Jones?" 
 asked Evelyn wonderingly. 
 
 '^No, my lady, it has but just struck four." 
 
 Leisurely stripping off her gloves as she 
 went along, Evelyn pushed open the door of 
 the library and beheld Miss Fenchurch and 
 her brother in close confab on the rug in 
 front of the fire. 
 
 ^' Shocking ! how ungrateful ! " Miss F^i- 
 churcli was saying in shrill maidenly tones. 
 They parted guiltily at Evelyn's approach, 
 who, with cheeks slightly reddened by the 
 chill atmosphere in which she had been 
 driving, and eyes still glistening with emo- 
 tion, looked questioningly towards them. 
 
 "Ah! here is Evelyn," said Miss Fen- 
 church. '^ Now I will just leave you two to- 
 gether, while I go and finish marking those 
 pocket-handkerchiefs of yours, Hilary." 
 
 Miss Fenchurch, with angular activity.
 
 280 Ckeatuees or Clay. 
 
 slipped from the room, and left the husband 
 and wife alone. 
 
 Sir Hilary, who was dressed in riding- 
 clothes, began to flick nervously with his 
 whij) against his high leather boots, while 
 Lady Fenchurch, engaged in unbuttoning 
 her sealskin jacket, remarked unconcernedly 
 upon his early return. 
 
 '^ How soon you came home to-day, 
 Hilary ! I thought you said you were going 
 for a long ride with Dewsnap, and that we 
 were not to wait dinner for vou. I never 
 expected to see you already," she said, cheer- 
 fully. 
 
 '^ I have no doubt you did not," he 
 answered drily. 
 
 '^ I hope you are not ill ? " she continued, 
 in a tone of wifely concern. 
 
 '^ Oh dear no— not that I'm aware of.'' 
 
 '^ Haven't you had a good day, dear ? " 
 
 ^' Well, I don't know what you call a good 
 day ; I should call it a very bad one/' he 
 answered, sharply. 
 
 '' What is it — won't you tell me ? I am so 
 sorry, Hilary," said Evelyn, sweetly. 
 
 ^' Sorry ! Fashionable wives don't care 
 much about their husbands' annoyances."
 
 Ckeatures oe Clay. 281 
 
 *' I am not a fashionable wife." 
 
 ^' You are trying to be one." 
 
 ^' What is the matter, Hilary ? Do speak 
 out." 
 
 '^ It might not be pleasant for you if I 
 spoke out ; however, I will be as exj)licit as I 
 can. Tell me truly ; did you gain or lose by 
 marrying me ? Have I been kind to you ; 
 let you have all you wished for — given you 
 presen ts ? ' 
 
 ^^Yes, yes!^' cried Evelyn, wonderingly, 
 remembering the pearl necklace, and Sir 
 Hilary's generosity, ''you have been most 
 kind." 
 
 '' And how have you repaid me ? L 
 certainly was not a puling schoolboy when I 
 married you. I did not write verses to 
 your eyes, or compare you to the moon, or 
 practise any of the silly sentimental fashions 
 of young fools. I did not do this, and I did 
 not think you would expect me to do it, but 
 I gave you my name, and a position, and a 
 home, and everything which an honest man 
 can give his wife. Say, did I, or did 1 
 not ? " as Sir Hilary spoke he drew himself 
 up. 
 
 " You have behaved very well."
 
 282 Creatures or Clay. 
 
 ^^ Then why do you on your part deceive 
 me, and disgrace me, and make my name a 
 by- word ? " 
 
 ^^ I ? Hilary, what do you mean ? " 
 
 ^' You know, you know well enough, you 
 had a love affair with that young Dick 
 Carrol while you were engaged to me; you 
 met him at the Meynells, they told me so 
 themselves; he was in Switzerland at the 
 very time of our honeymoon, I believe you 
 saw him ; you have met him since, clandes- 
 tinely, on the road to-day even for aught I 
 know '' 
 
 Evelyn turned white, and her knees trem- 
 bled under her ; appearances were certainly 
 suspicious; yet she w^as really innocent, but 
 could she convince Sir Hilary of this. He 
 was a rough, straightforward, honourable 
 man, he would understand none of the deli- 
 cate mental sophistry in which feminine 
 minds excel; his anger once excited would, 
 she knew, be difficult to allay. He continued 
 
 ^' Why you didn't marry him I am at a 
 loss to conceive ; you we7'e free once, and no 
 one would have objected ; instead of which 
 you let me become your husband under false 
 pretences, to redeem the word I gave your
 
 Creatures of Clay. 283 
 
 father (a real gentleman if ever there was one) 
 when he died under my roof, and I promised 
 to take care of his daughter. How could J do 
 this better than by marrying you ? Evelyn, 
 you have treated me shamefully ! " 
 
 " Indeed, Hilary, if you will only listen, I 
 am not so guilty as you think." 
 
 ^' Not so guilty ! I only acknowledge two 
 things — right and wrong.-' 
 
 '^ I mean I have been a good wife to you, 
 and I intend to continue ; don't be so harsh in 
 your judgments; if I — if Mr. Carrol " 
 
 '' If you love each other, I suppose you 
 mean, what does it signify ? But it does 
 signify; I'll stand no playing fast and loose, 
 under my roof ; answer me, has there been 
 any love-making between you and Carrol — 
 I want a plain answer, yes or no ? " He 
 seized her hand and held her at arm's length 
 threateningly. The blood crimsoned his 
 wife's fair cheek and the veins in her neck 
 swelled visibly. 
 
 '* You must not speak like that," she said 
 haughtily. '^ I am not a prisoner." 
 
 ^' No, by heaven! " he said bitterly, letting 
 her go and falling back a step. ^'I know that ; 
 and no bars and bolts can keep a woman
 
 284 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 from getting her head loose, and doing as 
 she pleases. Well, answer me, tell me the 
 truth if you can." 
 
 '^ The truth is this/' she said rapidly, 
 hurrying her words as if to get the anguish 
 of speaking over quickly. ^' The truth is 
 that I did meet Dick Carrol at the Mevnells : 
 he liked me, he said, and I listened, for a 
 little — then I remembered you." 
 
 '^It was high time you did," muttered 
 her husband between his teeth. 
 
 ^' And I told him of my engagement and 
 that I meant to keep it ; after that I married ; 
 I have seen Mr. Carrol once or twice since 
 accidentally— that is all I have to tell you." 
 
 ^^ My sister says you blushed violently to- 
 day when a letter was put into your hands ; 
 you seemed agitated all the morning and 
 drove into West Thorpe this afternoon. Was 
 the letter from Mr, Carrol, and did you see 
 him ? " 
 
 ^* He wrote to tell me he was going to be 
 married; I saw him coming out of West 
 Thorpe ; I met him riding, and we spoke for 
 a few moments about nothing — I said I had 
 been shopjDing." Sir Hilary's brow grew 
 more cloudy.
 
 Creatures of Clay. 285 
 
 ^^Very nicely concocted, a sweet simple 
 story, which does your heart and your head 
 credit, only unfortunately I don't believe a 
 word of it.'' 
 
 ^' Hilary ! '' she exclaimed, in amaze. 
 
 '' Evelyn ! You must try to understand 
 that I resent being imposed upon ; when I 
 deal fairly with people I expect them to deal 
 fairly with me ; you have not done so, conse- 
 quently I cannot believe the most plausible 
 story you may set up.'' 
 
 *^ Don't be jealous, Hilary," she pleaded. 
 
 ^^ Jealous! am I jealous? I don't think 
 so ; I wish to be just, just to you and just to 
 myself. All this affair is too new and too 
 unfortunate for you and me to discuss it 
 quietly. Go to your room, Evelyn ; let us 
 both think — and try to have confidence in 
 me if yoa can," he added, more gently. 
 
 ^^ You will not believe me; what can I 
 say, what can I do ? I would not make you 
 unhappy, or vex you, if I could help it. I 
 am not really to blame. I was only weak 
 and foolish — and afraid," she said,falteringly. 
 ^^Yes," he said, conducting her to the 
 door with his old-fashioned politeness, which, 
 even at such moments, did not desert him.
 
 286 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 '^ Yes, weak and foolish, that is what all 
 women begin by, and then later they are 
 not afraid to be wicked." 
 
 Evelyn sobbed when she reached her room, 
 she threw her gloves and hat petulantly 
 aside and cried till she was tired. To be 
 disbelieved, to be worried and badgered 
 about a lover whom she had rejected of her 
 own accord, and who was now about to 
 console himself with another woman, seemed 
 too cruel, and unjust, Friendless and alone, 
 as she was, there was no one to help or ad- 
 vise her. She loathed the hour in which 
 she first met Dick ; she almost hated him for 
 having brought such trouble upon her ; j ust 
 for a little bit of flirtation, a few idle words 
 of love, to be punished like this — certainly 
 it was unendurable. She had meant nothing 
 serious, a May-day fancy only, which, once 
 dismissed from her mind, should have been 
 forgotten by every one else ; and, which were 
 it not for the headstrong passion of her lover, 
 might have resulted in no serious con- 
 sequences. She was not even flattered by 
 the persistency of his affection, for had he 
 remained abroad, and never written to her, 
 all would have been well. She was impatient
 
 Creatures oe Clay, 287 
 
 at lier helplessness, and angry with every 
 one concerned 
 
 At ^ye o'clock Miss Fenchurch entered the 
 room with a cup of tea and a plate of muffins. 
 ^' Hilary sent you this," she said, with a 
 studied air of indifference. 
 
 '^ Why, I am not a prisoner ? '' cried 
 Evelyn, starting up dishevelled from the 
 bed where she was lying. 
 
 ^^He thought that just now, perhaps, you 
 would rather not come down." 
 
 '^ And the servants, what will they think ? 
 Tell him I am obliged for the tea, but I 
 shall certainly make a point of appearing at 
 dinner." 
 
 '' Evelyn, do not make Hilary angry," 
 warned Miss Fenchurch. 
 
 ^^ Angry! it is I who am angry. I told 
 him the truth, and he does not believe me. 
 Eachel, now say, do I look like a guilty 
 wife ? " 
 
 She threw herself impulsively into the old 
 maid's arms. '* You believe me, don't you?" 
 
 ^' Yes, yes, my dear!" said Miss Fen- 
 church, gently disentangling herself from 
 the embrace, and speaking soothingly, as 
 she might to a naughty child, '^ I am quite
 
 288 Ckeatures of Clay. 
 
 sure you would not be so wicked as to 
 deceive Hilary, the very best of men. You 
 know what his truth and honour are, and 
 how much he thinks of them.'' 
 
 ^^ But I have truth and honour too," said 
 Evelyn, tearfully, '^and I have done nothing 
 wrong, except, perhaps, to marry him.'' 
 
 "Hush, my dear! " Miss Fenchurch looked 
 as shocked as possible at such a sentiment. 
 " You must try and deserve his favour 
 and not irritate him with your obstinacy, 
 and I will tell him, that, on account of the 
 servants, you think it better to come down 
 to dinner. He will quite understand, for he 
 detests anything like a family quarrel before 
 one's inferiors." 
 
 It is probable that had Lady Eenchurch 
 really been guilty of a grave crime for which 
 she was enduring agonies of remorse, she 
 could scarcely have suffered more than she 
 did at that instant from the pangs of wounded 
 self-love, anxiety, and angry pique. For a 
 great passion strips insignificant things of all 
 their sting and in its vastness merges all 
 petty miseries.
 
 289 
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 Dick rode home thoughtfully. Some people 
 would have called it a stroke of luck that 
 Evelyn, contrary to the rapaciousness of her 
 sex, should so easily have consented to 
 resign him to another. Yet he felt aggrieved 
 and at the same time more easy in his mind. 
 The next morning he received Lady Fen- 
 church's letter. As soon as he found him- 
 self on the terrace, where he now regularly 
 smoked his morning cigar, with Luce by 
 his side, he pulled it out of his pocket. 
 
 '^ There, Luce, there is a letter from the 
 woman I loved so foolishly. She does not 
 care a bit for me, but you were justified 
 in making me write to her." Luce read, 
 and, when she had done so, smoothed out the 
 letter carefully. 
 
 ''I think she did care, Dick, but she is 
 
 VOL. I. U
 
 290 Creatures of Ctay. 
 
 evidently proud and right-minded. Well, 
 all is clear before you now, at any rate." 
 
 '^She was a heartless coquette!" Dick 
 puffed, vehemently at his cigar. 
 
 '' No, no, Dick ! don't reproach her, and 
 try to be a little happy with me," she said, 
 gently. 
 
 '' You angel ! " said Dick, rapturously. 
 Kindly feeling and absence of envy seemed 
 a rare thing in his young experience. 
 
 "' Not an angel, please ; nobody was ever 
 in love with an angel, and I want you " — 
 hesitating — '' to love me some day, Dick." 
 
 '^ The some day will be sooner than you 
 think, perhaps." He took her hand kindly. 
 
 '^ Don't talk nonsense, Dick — why here is 
 Granny." 
 
 It was indeed Granny come out in the 
 sunshine to look at her two dear children — 
 the children of her old age, who had suc- 
 ceeded in making her heart glad. 
 
 ^'Vincent wants yoii in the stables, Dick," 
 she said in her kind voice, as Dick hurried 
 up and offered his arm. ^' Never mind me 
 now, Luce will help the old woman." 
 
 Luce brightly accepted the trust, and her 
 lover departed, whistling.
 
 Creatures or Clay. 291 
 
 He found Uncle Vincent pacing up and 
 down the yard, speaking in a loud angry 
 voice to the stable-men, who flew to execute 
 his behests. '' A parcel of lazy, idle, good- 
 for-nothing blockheads," he was saying. 
 ^^ I've a great mind to sack you all ; don't 
 know your business, and don't want to know 
 it, and get drunk whenever you can." 
 Uncle Vincent had been drinking too, the 
 tip of his nose was redder than usual, and 
 his voice was rasping and coarse. 
 
 ^'What is it?" said Dick, appearing 
 smiling and fresh as a rose-bud on the scene. 
 Fortune was dealing kindly enough with 
 him just now, and her favours were written 
 in the clear eye and lazy contented voice. 
 
 ^^Ah, is that you, Dick? Come here, 1 
 want a word with you, my dear fellow. 1 
 must have your advice —listen." He drew 
 him aside while the stable-men clattered to 
 and fro with their buckets. ^^ Fairy Queen 
 has broken down ! " 
 
 '^Broken down!" Dick stood aghast. 
 Only this very instant he had felt so confident 
 in his good luck. 
 
 '* There is nothing to be done — we must 
 scratch her." 
 
 V 2
 
 292 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 ^^What! is the thing already known?" 
 gasped Dick. 
 
 *'It was in the paper this morning." 
 Uncle Vincent drew out and unfolded a 
 crumpled piece of pink paper he had thrust 
 into his pocket. '' Those touts know every- 
 thing — cursed brutes " 
 
 ^^ And you haven't hedged?" murmured 
 Dick, as the letters danced before his eyes. 
 
 " Scarcely at all, and we shall have to 
 pay up shortly." 
 
 '^ It will be very inconvenient," said Dick. 
 
 ^' More than inconvenient for me — it's 
 impossible," answered uncle Vincent. 
 
 ^' What is to be done ? Why did you 
 ever persuade me into this ? " angrily said 
 Dick. 
 
 ^' Oh, come, you're of age. You could 
 judge for yourself," said uncle Vincent, 
 spitefully. 
 
 ^' Granny won't like my asking her again 
 for money, just now, too, when I'm engaged 
 to be married," Dick reflected. 
 
 " That's true, then ; I heard a rumour of 
 it " 
 
 ^' It is true. Now what do you propose?''
 
 Creatures of Clay. 293 
 
 '^We must pay up. I could manage 300^. 
 or 400Z. I think if I tried." 
 
 '' But I had backed her for as much. I 
 tell you what it is. My mother has just 
 given a cheque of three hundred to my wife 
 for the girls' lessons, clothes, &c. I saw it 
 in her desk ; I'll get her to hand it over to 
 me, and you can make it good later on. If 
 you will cash it at West Thorpe this afternoon 
 I can pay the fellow at once, for I should 
 not like to send a cheque of my mother's to 
 Jimmy Shaw, who made the bet." 
 
 ^'Well, I suppose if the cheque is your 
 wife's you can let the girls wait a bit ; but 
 it is the very last time, Uncle Vincent, I wfll 
 have anything to do with your racing 
 transactions — I am not going to bet any 
 more " 
 
 '^ Of course not," said his uncle, putting 
 the tip of his forefinger somewhat irreve- 
 rently up to his nose, '' of course not ; ^ when 
 the Devil was sick' — we all know the rest." 
 
 "^ If you want me to cash that cheque you 
 had better make haste," interrupted Dick ; 
 ^^I am going into West Thorpe immediately, 
 and I must collect all my own ready-money 
 to pay off those idiotic bets."
 
 294 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 Dick proved asS good as his word. He 
 cashed the cheque at the bank, and having 
 settled, not without considerable difficulty, 
 his own share in the transaction, he dismissed 
 the subject lightly from his mind, and pro- 
 ceeded to stroll about the town. Suddenly 
 he remembered that he had lost his watch- 
 key, and resolved to go into Cherry and 
 Appleton's and buy another. While the 
 attentive shopman was serving him, Dick 
 noticed a parcel lying on the counter 
 directed to Lady Fenchurqh. The name 
 attracted his attention, and he got up to 
 look a little closer. 
 
 '' Ah, that,'' said the assistant, noticing 
 the direction of his eyes, '^ is a parcel we are 
 just sending to Lady Fen church ; it contains 
 her pearl necklace — a very fine one — a birth- 
 day present from Sir Hilary ; he is a gentle- 
 man of great taste. Her ladyship called 
 here and left it herself two days ago, and 
 desired particularl}^ that it might be sent her 
 to-day without delay ; she is most anxious to 
 wear it on Friday evening. It is rather a 
 long way to send by hand, but we were 
 afraid there might be some delay if we
 
 Creatures of Clay. 295 
 
 trusted to the post, and her ladyship was so 
 very particular." 
 
 ^^ How do you send it ? " 
 ^' By hand — by special messenger. It is a 
 little inconvenient, but we are most anxious 
 not to disappoint her ladyship, who is a very 
 good customer." 
 
 ^'Of course " Dick hesitated. "I 
 
 have to ride past the lodge -gates this after- 
 noon on business of my own — I suppose it 
 would not be any assistance to you if I 
 offered to leave it." 
 
 ^^I am sure it would, sir ; I will just speak 
 to Mr. Cherry.'' 
 
 Mr. Cherry, a bland obese personage, oh 
 being applied to, came forward civilly and 
 thanked Dick. '' We shall be much obliged 
 to you, sir, if you will kindly take the 
 trouble to leave it." 
 
 Dick pocketed the parcel, and, with a lin- 
 gering feeling of pleasure at being the fortu- 
 nate means of doing any little service for his 
 lady-love, rode off quickly. He had not 
 gone many miles before he met Gubbins 
 primed with interesting intelligence and 
 effusive bustle. 
 
 ^' So sclad to see you, my dear fellow ; a
 
 296 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 most important voter lives near here; you 
 must come with me at once ; he is very 
 troublesome, and wants a great deal of 
 persuasion," said Gubbins, warmly. 
 
 '' But I am on my way to Fairholt." Dick 
 did not like to mention that he had promised 
 to leave a parcel for Lady Fenchurch ; he 
 was not quite certain if she would approve. 
 
 '^ Never mind, you can go there after- 
 wards," said the agent. 
 
 Dick reluctantly turned his horse's head 
 and followed Gubbins. The interview 
 proved longer and more vexatious than they 
 had anticipated ; the afternoon waned, and 
 what with the talk and the worry, and 
 Slyforth's monopolization of all his thoughts, 
 Dick completely forgot the parcel with 
 which he had been entrusted. The next 
 day he started again early, and the packet 
 which his valet had extracted from the pocket 
 of his coat, and laid in his master's drawer, 
 again failed to recur to Dick's memory. 
 In fact, when later on these trivial facts 
 assumed a terrible importance, Dick could not 
 remember what he had done with the neck- 
 lace, and only retained the distinct recollec- 
 tion of having put it in his pocket. He had
 
 Creatures of Clay. 297 
 
 been so absorbed, and engrossed, with the 
 business of electioneering, that he ceased 
 to take a real interest in anything else. 
 He liked the sense of being flattered and 
 consulted, and feeling himself a person of 
 importance. He was remarkably sensitive 
 to the good opinion of his neighbours, while 
 taking little pains to conciliate it ; he liked 
 to be the best mounted and the best dressed 
 man at the covert side ; he liked to be thought 
 and rated as a good shot, and asked to join 
 the best battues in the neighbourhood. In 
 short, he liked to be talked about and 
 praised. He would have preferred to con- 
 duct battues of his own (but in this case* 
 Granny was inexorable ; she would spend no 
 unnecessary money in rearing quantities of 
 fat pheasants merely for the satisfaction 
 of so called sportsmen, whose habit it is 
 ruthlessly to slaughter and to sell them, thus 
 converting sport into a mercantile transac- 
 tion), and in his own mind he already drew 
 a flattering and agreeable picture of himself 
 as a popular M.P., and a personage in the 
 arena of politics. Each day that passed con- 
 firmed him more and more in the conviction 
 that Lady Fenchurch's marriage had been a
 
 298 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 fortunate thing for him. If the clandestine 
 love affair had dragged on ; if Sir Hilary 
 had ever heard of it, and made a troublesome 
 fuss, as he might have done, being neither a 
 Londoner nor a heartless rone^ but only a 
 sober practical country squire, jealous of his 
 name and his honour ; if Luce had not been 
 as she was — the sweetest and the most 
 amiable of her sex, and allied to Lady 
 Eleanor High view, whose connections, being 
 of the most excellent blue blood, were 
 necessarily of great assistance in all social re- 
 quirements; had all these various things been 
 different he would probably have cursed 
 his luck about Fairy Queen, and done his 
 best to feel miserable. As it was, the polling- 
 day approached, and his prospects were fair. 
 The finest anticipations are always raised by 
 untried horses, and the balance of proba- 
 bility in the result of the fickle mob's favour 
 seemed rapidly to point towards Dick^s can- 
 didature. 
 
 Luce had returned to Highview nomi- 
 nally on the score of propriety (now 
 that her engagement was gradually hinted 
 abroad, though still supposed to be involved 
 in mystery), but, as Dick laughingly de-
 
 Creatures of Clay. 299 
 
 clared, really in order to spend her aunt's 
 fortune in laces and ribbons preparatory to 
 spending his. Old Mrs. Carrol was duly 
 closeted with her lawyer for a portion of 
 every day discussing ways and means, 
 marriage settlements, younger children's 
 portions, and widows' jointures, and all the 
 legal jargon which provides for a woman 
 from the time of her birth till the day of her 
 death, and never leaves her a free agent for 
 an instant. Mrs. Vincent, surrounded by 
 Dolly and Eliza, concocted spring garments 
 out of the remains of last year's wardrobe, 
 and the booty of which she had rifled 
 Granny's drawers. 
 
 The family were thus employed one 
 morning when Mrs. Carrol, having emerged 
 from her study to ask a question of Dick, 
 who, sauntering up and down smoking, 
 merely put in his head at the long window, 
 holding his cigar behind his back that the 
 smoke might not incommode his grand- 
 mother. The family, thus innocently and 
 harmoniously collected, might have seemed 
 basking in the sunshine of prosperity, and 
 to have entered on a new career of happi- 
 ness and favour. Mrs. Vincent certainly
 
 300 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 was still troubled with a few pricks of envy, 
 as she watched the two brown heads of 
 Dolly and Eliza bent over their needle-work, 
 and remembered that this fine house, with 
 all it contained, would pass into the hands 
 of a young lady she had once denominated 
 a minx ; still, even she had by this time 
 schooled herself to the inevitable, and de- 
 termined to be as amiable as the natural 
 acidity of her temper would allow. It had 
 therefore something of the effect of a thunder- 
 bolt when Uncle Vincent, in riding-gaiters, 
 with splashed clothes and a heightened colour, 
 burst into the room, and exclaimed, in loud, 
 imprudent tones : '' Here's a pretty kettle of 
 fish!" 
 
 Dolly and Eliza looked up in amused 
 astonishment. Mrs. Vincent dropped her 
 work, and Mrs. Carrol, fearing some calamity, 
 laid a trembling hand on the edge of the 
 large marble-topped table, while Dick, still 
 holding his cigar behind him, moved a step 
 forward. 
 
 ^' What do you think these d d Tories 
 
 have done ? " 
 
 '' What ? " cried every one at once. 
 
 ^' Oh, Vincent, I thought from your face
 
 Creatures of Clay. 301 
 
 there had been a death," gasped Granny, 
 who now turned quite pale. 
 
 " Look ! just look ! " Uncle Vincent held 
 a flaming red poster in his hand. '^ They are 
 placarded everywhere, the town is swarming 
 with 'em, they have broken out like summer 
 blisters — it's all up with you, Dick, I expect." 
 
 ^^ What is it?" 
 
 Dick now dropped his cigar and strode 
 into the room. He seized the placard, of 
 which Aunt Vincent's keen glance had already 
 gained a fair idea, read it, and looked around 
 at the party with stupid staring eyes. 
 
 ^^ What is it, Dick?" asked Granny, in 
 her soft, gentle voice. 
 
 ^' It is an insult — a lie," said Dick, hotly. 
 " I must go and see about it at once." 
 
 ^^My dear boy, don't fret; perhaps it's 
 only an election squib,'' said Granny. 
 
 " Itis worse than that — it's a formal accu- 
 sation." ♦ 
 
 ^^ Who accuses you —and of what?" she 
 said, quickly. 
 
 '' Well, it's deuced nasty, I must say," 
 remarked Uncle Vincent ; *' they call him a 
 thief ; there's no mistake about it, it is all 
 plump and plain."
 
 302 Creatures of Clay. 
 
 '' Such a thing must be actionable," ob- 
 jected Granny. ^' How can they dare " 
 
 '^ At election time people dare all." 
 
 ' ^ Perhaps it is true ; what have you done, 
 Dick ? " said Aunt Vincent, quietly. 
 
 '^True!" 
 
 Dick gave his aunt a look which, had she 
 been more sensitive, must have withered 
 her, and fled from the room, followed by 
 Uncle Vincent. The red placard lay on 
 the floor, where Dick had thrown it. Aunt 
 Vincent picked it up and read it carefully ; 
 then suddenly looking round she exclaimed, 
 ^^ Dolly — Eliza, good gracious! run, get salts 
 and eau-de cologne, and call the servants — 
 be quick, d'ye hear — don't you see — Granny 
 has fainted ! " 
 
 END OF VOL. I.