5^f^-
 
 ^t? 
 
 
 Ira 
 
 CENTRAL CIRCULATION AND BOOKSTACKS 
 
 The person borrowing this material is re- 
 sponsible for its renewal or return before 
 the Latest Date stamped below. You may 
 be charged a minimum fee of $75.00 for 
 each non-returned or lost item. 
 
 Theft, mutilation, or defacement of library materials can be 
 causes for student disciplinary action. All materials owned by 
 the University of Illinois Library are the property of the State 
 of Illinois and are protected by Article 16B of Ulinois Criminal 
 Law and Procedure. 
 
 TO RENEW, CALL (217) 333-8400. 
 University of Illinois Library at Urbana-Champaign 
 
 ^Oi 
 
 vr« 
 
 !<? • 
 
 \^^ 
 
 i.^» 
 
 3- 
 
 When renewing by phone, write new due date 
 below previous due date. L162 v
 
 ^ 
 
 ^'^
 
 t^.
 
 BEYMINSTRE.
 
 M'COEQUODALE ANB CO., PRINTERS, LONDON. 
 WORKS— NEWTON. .
 
 BETMINSTRE. 
 
 BY THE AUTHOR OF 
 
 LENA," "KING'S COPE," "ME. WARENNE. 
 
 ETC. ETC. 
 
 IN THEEE VOLUMES. 
 VOL. I. 
 
 LONDON : 
 SMITH, ELDEE, AND CO., 65, CORNHILL. 
 
 1856. 
 
 [_The Right qf Translation is Eeserved.2
 
 15 
 
 iO/55 
 
 BEYMINSTRE 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 England is not, even yet, the land of music ; 
 and, twelve or fifteen years ago, it was still less 
 harmoniously inclined than at present. It is not 
 likely that our streets wall ever resound v»ith 
 Mozart's choruses, nor will guitars thrill niglitly 
 
 ^ beneath our windows : our damp roads forbid such 
 romantic lino-erino; and our fos^s threaten the 
 open mouths so essential to vocal display. And 
 yet, as genius is of no time and no country, as 
 
 '"^ Scotland has produced its Wilkie, and Norway 
 
 ^ the world-honoured chisel of Thorwaldsen ; so you 
 meet sometimes, even in Enc^land, with an intense 
 
 /g veneration for art, and a devotion to its highest 
 
 ^ VOL. I. B
 
 2 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 principles, that could never be surpassed in the 
 sunniest land of song. 
 
 Mr. Winter, the organist of Great St. Benedict's, 
 in the quiet country town of Bradford, is the best 
 illustration I have ever known of these remarks. 
 He is an enthusiast, a devoted and religious enthu- 
 siast, on the subject of his beloved art. He says 
 from his heart, it is angels' work on earth ; and he 
 thinks that those persons who leave that work 
 undone, or un attempted, are behaving in a very 
 sad manner, and he only hopes (with all his 
 charity) that it will not be the worse for them 
 by-and-by. He teaches a great deal, and so 
 do his two sons and his two daughters — all 
 industrious, clever, excellent people; but each of 
 them immeasurably below their father in exquisite 
 perceptions and gentle bearing. 
 
 He, or his children, teach nearly all the first 
 families within reach of Bradford: he goes to 
 some, and some come to him. These proud rich 
 people sometimes do what seems to humble poor 
 people rather mean things. Some of them will 
 send their daughters eight or ten miles to Mr.
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 3 
 
 Winter's house in Bradford ; and he has formed a 
 weekly class, that he may receive and advance all 
 his pupils at the same time. Thereby, these 
 grandees save some ten shillings per head per 
 week, and spend ten times as much coming into 
 Bradford to shop, while their daughters are taking 
 their lesson. 
 
 Mr. Winter has just descended into the music- 
 room, which occupies the whole of the first floor 
 front of his large old-fashioned house, in Prior- 
 street ; it is a warm June afternoon — all the five 
 front windows are open; and the mignonette, 
 that city perfume, blows fitfully in, as the green 
 Venetian blinds stir idly to and fro. 
 
 He is dressed, to receive his class, entirely in 
 black, and is remarkable for the spotless delicacy 
 of his linen : — he is tall, thin, and greyhaired — 
 one of nature's gentlemen — over-endowed with 
 sensibilities, but, as is usually the case, extremely 
 calm in his demeanour. He diffuses an old- 
 fashioned perfume of lavender from his dress — he 
 uses lavender water on his handkerchief — his 
 features are high — his eyes mild and dark — there
 
 4 BEYMINSTRE, 
 
 is something gentle, soothing, elegant, in all he 
 says and does. 
 
 He pauses before one of the grand pianos, and 
 runs his thin artist's fingers along the keys — then 
 steers between a harp and a violoncello, in the 
 direction of his beloved and peculiar instrument, 
 the organ, which stands enthroned on a raised 
 dais at the head of the room. 
 
 He opens the folding- doors of that shrine of 
 harmony — he gazes fondly on the triple row of 
 keys — his hand shifts delicately from stop to stop — 
 drawing out, putting back, combining the rich 
 effects of which that peerless instrument is so 
 prodigal. His blower has not yet arrived — he 
 affixes the iron pedal to the side, and, as he works 
 it, keeps his watchful eye on the fast descending 
 telltale, then crashes into one of Haydn's most 
 impressive movements — the "Et incarnatus" of 
 his Imperial Mass. 
 
 " Let me blow for you, jNIr. Winter," says a 
 gentle voice at his side. 
 
 Mr. Winter is much a gentleman, but more a 
 musician. He will not fracture his ears by taking
 
 BEYMIXSTHE. 
 
 a chord off sharply from his beloved instrument. 
 He lets the notes linger off one by one, till the 
 deepest bass G alone booms and trembles along the 
 floor, and then he rises with the air of a courtier. 
 
 A slender girl of fifteen is standing behind him 
 — his favourite pupil, Eegina Howard. 
 
 She is one of those creatures, beautiful as a dream, 
 whom hardly any body admires. Standing now 
 with her back to the light, her face has the dim 
 radiance of a ground glass lamp ; her sharply cut 
 features, clear and semi-transparent like a cameo, 
 are illumined by dark grey eyes, shadowed beneath 
 long curved lashes as black as ink; and her dark 
 brown hair, shining like satin, is plaited into a long 
 tress, that encircles her head like a crown. 
 
 Mr. Winter, with his artist's perceptions of 
 grace, thinks her adorable — other people are quite 
 discomposed at the opaque whiteness of her skin. 
 Mrs. Winter, who loves her, however, calls her a 
 poor peaking thing, and is always trying to make 
 her eat. 
 
 " My dear Miss Howard, I beg you ten thou- 
 sand pardons," says Mr. Winter as they shake
 
 6 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 hands ; " I hope you have not been standing here 
 long." 
 
 '^ Not half long enough ; for I did not hear you 
 begin that movement. Now I will blow, and you 
 will be so very good as to play it me over again, 
 and afterwards the same subject from Mozart's 
 Twelfth Mass. I hardly know which I like the 
 best." 
 
 " My dear lady, I cannot bear to see you blow ; 
 it is too fatio^uinoj." 
 
 '' I am quite strong enough — I have done it 
 before when Miss Charlotte has played — and it 
 sets your foot at liberty for the pedals." 
 
 The old man cannot resist this plea— he drops 
 his foot on a deep sounding pedal — his long thin 
 fingers creep like spiders among the keys — Regina 
 listens clevoutly. 
 
 It is not a long movement; but, while Mr. Winter 
 plays it, Regina's little history can be easily 
 told. 
 
 Five-and-thlrty years ago, long before Mr, 
 Winter lived in the great house in Prior-street, 
 when he was struggling for a living, teaching the
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 7 
 
 Violin in a little obscure tenement quite at the back 
 of the town, his wife suggested that they should 
 let lodgings to eke out their humble- means. She 
 was, in almost every respect, the direct opposite 
 of her artist husband ; a strong stout body who 
 baked, and brewed, and starched, and ironed, and 
 took the exclusive management of the material in 
 their household, that he might be at full liberty 
 to pursue the ideal. What a character she was ! 
 what a gossip, what a housewife, what an over- 
 flowing, open-handed, passionate reality ! Well — 
 she let her lodgings to a Frenchman, a M. de 
 Laval, and his daughter. The great revolution 
 had ruined them, as well as their neighbours. They 
 had lived in Holland till their money was nearly 
 exhausted ; and, as the Dutch are not supposed to 
 be very ready to supply that deficiency, they came 
 to England while their funds yet enabled them to 
 travel. Mademoiselle de Laval endeavoured to 
 support her father by giving lessons in French. 
 She was fortunate enough to obtain pupils, and 
 they managed to live upon her scanty profits. Now 
 the Winters, unlike each other in most things, had
 
 8 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 one point of resemblance in common — their kind- 
 ness of heart. 
 
 Mr. Winter would deny himself his violoncello, 
 if he thought its incessant groans were likely to 
 distract the beautiful Kegina de Laval and her 
 ailing father. He would much rather have denied 
 himself his cup of tea, truly as he loved that simple 
 refreshment. As for Mrs. Winter, she lived in a 
 perpetual fret lest her lodgers were stinted in their 
 meals. Her Saxon sympathies were always aroused 
 in behalf of the hungry — indeed, I am not sure 
 whether she distinctly understood any other kind 
 of suffering. As she then kept no servant, the 
 cuisine of her lodgers fell into her hands. She 
 strengthened their potages, she added eggs to 
 their omelettes — she had recourse to a hundred 
 little harmless falsehoods, to eke out the duration 
 of their slender household stores. She hardly 
 knew whether to rejoice or mourn when her liberal 
 cares w^ere brought to a happy conclusion by the 
 marriao^e of Mademoiselle de Laval with Mr. 
 Arnold, the rector of Holmwood, a lovely village 
 about two miles from Bradford. The acquaintance
 
 BEYillNSTRE. \) 
 
 between tlie two families was never suffered to 
 die away. During the old Count de Laval's life- 
 time, it was his daily habit to drive into Bradford, 
 and to enjoy a few minutes' gossip with the Winters. 
 And Mr. Arnold, rich and well connected, was 
 enabled to introduce Mr. Winter to a large circle 
 of private pupils, and to obtain fur him the pride 
 and glory of his life^ the blue ribbon of his pro- 
 fession, the organ of Great St. Benedict's. 
 
 Mrs. Arnold had now been for some years a 
 widow. Her daughter, the mother of Regina, had 
 died of consumption about two years after her 
 marriage with her father's curate. Mr. Howard 
 did not loniT survive her, leavins: his little Sfirl to 
 the sole care of her grandmother. He was dis- 
 tantly connected with one of our high families; 
 far too distantly to make it probable they would 
 ever trouble themselves about an obscure descen- 
 dant buried in a country parsonage. 
 
 Mr. Arnold's wealth was principally derived 
 from his living, but he w^as enabled to bequeath to 
 his widow an income of four hundred a year — 
 enough for all her wishes, even for her charities. It
 
 10 BETMINSTRE. 
 
 was not from meanness that she sent Reglna to the 
 class, instead of requiring the services of Mr. Winter 
 at Hohnwood. As her grand-daughter had no com- 
 panions at home, she wished her to have tlie ad- 
 vantage of meeting girls of her own age occasionally, 
 and comparing her progress with theirs. But the 
 class was not productive of all the pleasures she in- 
 tended. Regina never told her grandmama, that 
 the girls herded together and made a party against 
 her — but so it was. There was no reason for this. 
 She was better born, and infinitely better taught, 
 than any of them ; but they never received her on a 
 footing of intimacy. She was not rich enough to 
 command their civility, she would not stoop to 
 beg for it, and they were bitterly jealous of her 
 qualities — of her rich soprano voice, that Mr. 
 AVinter said would make her fortune in public — 
 of her long profusion of shining hair, her inheritance 
 from her foreign ancestry — of her perfect French 
 accent, which they in vain attempted to imitate — ■ 
 of her graceftd demeanour, even when wearing the 
 white striped shawl which they well remembered 
 for three successive springs — above all, of that
 
 BEYJnNSTRE. 11 
 
 tranquil and silent pride, which foiled their petty 
 vulgar sarcasms, as a Milan armour turns the edge 
 of a weapon in warding the stroke. She made 
 them look foolish when they wanted to be clever 
 and ill-natured. It was \Yith some regret, there- 
 fore, that she heard footsteps approaching the door 
 as Mr. Winter brought his last movement to a 
 close. 
 
 The two Misses Chillingvvorth, large handsome 
 girls, very stiff in all their gestures, now entered, 
 accompanied by the three Misses Ramsay, who 
 were singularly plain and rough in person. The 
 Chillingworths were a great county family, ex- 
 cessively and stupidly proud : the Ramsays very 
 rich and vulgar, and humbly delighted with any 
 notice the Chillingworths might please to bestow. 
 Then came a Miss Brown, hard-working but with- 
 out an ear; a Miss Field, clever and careless; 
 and a Miss Clark, who hated the sight of a piano, 
 and regularly set herself against her lesson as a 
 child sets itself against its spoonful of brimstone 
 and treacle. 
 
 On this day, as soon as the regular lessons had
 
 12 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 been gone tlirough, a very important affair was to 
 be discussed — the programme of an annual concert, 
 given by Mr. Winter to the friends of his pupils, 
 in which the said pupils and his own family were 
 the sole performers. This was not so easily ar- 
 ranged. It was natural that Mr. Winter should 
 desire to make Kegina — his favourite pupil and 
 infinitely the best player in the class — a prominent 
 performer on the occasion. It was quite as natural 
 that the Misses Chihingworth should repel the very 
 idea of playing second to Miss Howard either in 
 a song or concerts. The Ramsays imitated the 
 Chiilingworths, and scorned the thought of 
 uplifting their voices in harmony with the poor 
 Xleinna. 
 
 '^ They could not sing seconds, and their 
 mama did not like them to play duets." 
 
 The said mama being a continual torment to 
 Mr. Winter — such as an ignorant and suspicious 
 woman, when she is rich and vulgar, has it in her 
 power to be to a genuine artist. 
 
 Kegina drew Mr. Winter a little on one side — 
 
 ^' Put me entirely out of the question, until you
 
 BEYMIXSTRE. 13 
 
 have settled what all these ladies are to do, and 
 then you will find it very easy to come to a deci- 
 sion. You know beforehand that / will sing or 
 play whatever you please to give me." 
 
 Mr. Winter had the good sense to act upon this 
 advice, though at some expense to his feelings. 
 He turned to Miss Chillingworth with all his usual 
 deference of manner — 
 
 *^ You have told us, dear lady, what you will not 
 do," he said — '^ perhaps you will now tell us what 
 you icill do." 
 
 Miss Chillingworth suspected a little touch of 
 irony in the remark. She looked annoyed, almost 
 ashamed for a minute, and then selected two or 
 three of her most difficult studies — thinirs that had 
 been given her to practise, without the least proba- 
 bility of her ever being able to master them. Mr. 
 Winter let her do as she pleased. 
 
 The Eamsays, with a shade more of timidity in 
 their composition, were willing to take what Mr. 
 W^inter had chosen for them. Kcgina was to play 
 one of Haydn's symphonies, accompanied by ^^Ir. 
 Winter and his son, Mr. Richard. Miss Chilling-
 
 14 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 worth declined being accompanied ; ^* It made her 
 nervous." Indeed there was a standing joke be- 
 tween her and Julia Ramsay on the subject of 
 Mr. Richard, who was very ugly, with an impos- 
 sible nose, and whom she suspected (very unjustly) 
 of being hopelessly attached to her. How any one 
 could be made nervous by Mr. Richard playing 
 the violoncello, which sounded in his hands like a 
 beautiful human voice, Regina could not imagine. 
 
 The Winters were so much respected, that it 
 was not at all uncommon for the parents to take 
 a cup of tea with them at five o'clock, when they 
 called to fetch away their daughters. 
 
 In the low old-fashioned parlour on the ground 
 floor, Mrs. Winter fills a copious arm-chair at the 
 head of her well-spread table; for tea is a serious 
 meal in her house — and Mrs. Chilliugworth, seated 
 beside her, is sipping a cup of coffee whose fragrance 
 scents the whole room ; Mr. Richard is carving a 
 fowl; Miss Charlotte is making all haste, for she 
 has a class in the church at six; while Miss 
 Winter, who loves talking better than eating 
 (though she has a class at six, too), is holding forth
 
 EEYMINSTRE. 15 
 
 Upon some of her mother's good deeds. Mr. 
 Winter pushes open the door, and ushers in his 
 class; for the young ladies have been singing, and 
 they always take a cup of Mrs. Winter's exquisite 
 tea before they put on their bonnets. 
 
 Mrs. Chillingworth is a very wide flat-looking 
 w^oman, with wild eyes — she accepts Regina's bow, 
 and then, as a second thought, holds out her hand. 
 The Ranisays greet her wdth ecstasy ; and all take 
 their places at the table. 
 
 ;Mr. Richard, though tall, and awkward, and 
 ugly, has a touch of his father's sensibility to 
 beauty; he cannot take his eyes off" Regina, and 
 he does not try to do so. He is certainly rather 
 familiar in his manner — not by any means the 
 familiarity of a shopman, but rather the whimsical 
 bluntness of a rouo;h oriofinal. Miss Chillino-- 
 worth, who has very few perceptions, is always 
 standing on the defensive when he approaches her, 
 and fancying that his feelings will make him 
 encroaching. 
 
 " Well, ma'am, am I to have the pleasure of 
 appearing with you on the 20th?" he asks jocularly.
 
 IG BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 Miss Cliillingworth stirs her tea, and becomes 
 inarticulate. 
 
 " Don't faint, or any thing of that sort, pray," 
 he continued audaciously, " as poor Miss Price 
 did the night of her debut — you remember, father, 
 she had to play that nice little rondo by Kalk- 
 brenner; and when she was led to the piano (I 
 had almost said the stake), dear me, we had such 
 a scene ; the poor thing turned as white as a sheet; 
 I believe it ended in a fit of tears though!" 
 
 Miss Chillingworth swells with indignation. 
 
 Miss Ramsay whispers to her, '^ Poor man!" 
 
 " I will promise you, Mr. Eichard," cried Regina^ 
 " not to use my eyes for garden water-pots on 
 this occasion — I shall trust entirely to you and Mr. 
 Winter to conceal my blunders from the public." 
 
 The genteel part of the company look extremely 
 disgusted at the expression Regina has used ; they 
 don't happen to remember the " grey discrowned 
 head " from whence it came. Mr. Richard, who 
 does, brightens up — 
 
 '* I am to play with you? Come, I'm glad of 
 that — I know yon keep your time."
 
 BEYMINSTRE. . 17 
 
 Miss Winter goes on steadily through all the 
 talking, telling Mrs. Chillingworth what it is 
 evident she does not care to hear. 
 
 " So, Mrs. Chillingworth, yesterday being my 
 mother's birthday, she sent out sixty-nine dinners 
 to as many poor families — baked plum-pudding 
 and excellent roast beef, together with a quart of 
 strong ale — as she always does on that anniver- 
 sary ; last year, of course the number of dinners 
 was sixty-eight." 
 
 " And next time, Sarah (please God), it will be 
 seventy," said Mrs. Winter with a satisfied look, 
 foldino: her fat hands in front of her. 
 
 '' I am quite surprised to hear that there are 
 sixty-nine poor families in Bradford," remarked 
 Mrs. ChillinfTworth, o^larino; throucfh her licrht 
 curls. 
 
 " So you gave a grand party, ma'am, last week," 
 said Mrs. Winter. 
 
 " A little archery meeting for the young 
 people, " replied Mrs. Chillingworth. 
 
 '^ I am sure," cried one of the Ramsays, ^' I 
 never saw any thing so beautiful in my life ! " 
 
 VOL. I. c
 
 18 BEYMINSTflE. 
 
 "It was indeed a brilliant afifair," whispered 
 J ulia — " and quite a day of triumphs to you, dear 
 Louisa ! " 
 
 " Oh, don't talk of me ! " cried Miss Chilling- 
 worth, " after Lady Oswestry : — is not she a 
 splendid creature ? '' 
 
 " Oh yes ! and how beautifully dressed ! " 
 
 "Did you see Lord Oswestry?" 
 
 *^ You naughty Louisa, I think I did, indeed ; 
 and I saw, too, how somebody was flirting with 
 him." 
 
 Their voices sank to a whisper; and they 
 giggled and glanced, for all the world like Miss 
 Clark and Miss Brown at the other end of the 
 table, " below the salt." 
 
 Kegina's colour mounted a little. Almost every 
 body she knew had been asked to this archery, 
 except herself; and Mrs. Chilling worth was 
 related to her family, that lady's mother having 
 been first cousin to the late Mr. Arnold; she 
 hardly knew why she should have been so care- 
 fully left out of this party. And it was the more 
 provoking as she had never seen an archery meet-
 
 BEY3IINSTRE. 19 
 
 ingj and had a great curiosity about it ; and, still 
 greater than her longing for bows and targets, was 
 her desire to see the beautiful Lady Oswestry, of 
 whom she remembered, when a little girl, to have 
 heard her grandfather speak, "as the beautiful Lady 
 Violet Montressor;" and the Oswestrys were so 
 very seldom seen in that part of the country — 
 they had lived abroad almost entirely since their 
 marriage — she might never have such an oppor- 
 tunity again, and she had a poet's love for liv- 
 ing beauty. She would rather, if the truth were 
 told, have seen Lady Oswestry than the great 
 Carlo Dolce of Burghley House. And she 
 remembered, too, that the late Lord Oswestry had 
 been her grandfather's intimate friend, and had 
 presented him to the living of Holmwood. She 
 felt almost as if there was some connection between 
 her and the Oswestrys, and thought it a great 
 shame that she alone, of all the neighbourhood, 
 should have been denied the opportunity of seeing 
 them. 
 
 She could not help listening through all that Mr, 
 Richard was telling her about the clock symphony
 
 20 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 which she was learning for the concert, to all the 
 scraps that met her ear about these Oswestrys : — 
 she found that they declared they had never seen a 
 prettier fete — that they were quite sorry they were 
 going down the Rhine, they would so like to have 
 made riding parties with the Chillingworths. 
 This idea seemed to have come from Lord Oswes- 
 try, who was likewise supposed to have compli- 
 mented Miss Chillingworth on the dazzling 
 complexion which he was sure was the result of 
 her being so good a horsewoman. She likewise 
 heard every inch of Lady Oswestry's dress 
 enumerated, together with the braided tunic of 
 the little Lord Exmoor, and the delicate muslin 
 frock of Lady Violet. After a whole litany ot 
 interjections upon the beauty of these fabrics, she 
 was quite startled by hearing Julia Kamsay say — 
 
 " But, my dear Louisa, did you ever in your life 
 see any thing so absurd as Winny Hopper looked, 
 with that short gown of hers, and her bonnet 
 tilted over her nose ? " 
 
 " Poor old thing ! " rejoined Miss Chilling- 
 worth.
 
 BEYMIXSTRK. 21 
 
 "It is very strange that elderly females will 
 come to those places, especially if they don't know 
 how to dress," cried Julia. 
 
 " Which they never do" — added her friend. 
 
 " Miss Hopper ! " exclaimed Regina. 
 
 "Yes — your friend^ Miss Hopper," remarked 
 Miss Chilling worth, with something of a mali- 
 cious accent in her voice : " you should give her a 
 hint, my dear, to leave off some of those singular 
 odds and ends, with which she astonishes our 
 weak minds when she is in full toilet." 
 
 " If she were my friend perhaps I might," said 
 Regina steadily—" but I thought, though I know 
 but little of her, that she did not go out to gay 
 parties." 
 
 " Oh! but you know she has left off being pious ;" 
 cried Miss Ramsay. " She was at Mrs. Lee's ball 
 in the winter." 
 
 " Yes ! and though she did not dance herself, 
 she sat smiling while we all galopaded over her 
 feet," added Miss Chillingworth. 
 
 " She has not been pious since your grandpapa's 
 time," said Eliza, the youngest Ramsay; " and yet
 
 22 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 she is all in all with the Millers, who are the lowest 
 of low church people/' remarked Miss Chilling- 
 worth. 
 
 " She is a mystery to me," said Regina quietly. 
 " I suppose you know she is trying her very hard- 
 est to become Mrs. Morley, your rector's wdfe?" 
 said Sophia, Miss Chillingworth's quiet sister. 
 
 "At her age, too!" exclaimed Julia Ramsay; 
 " isn't it diso-ustinor *? " 
 
 " She has worked him a pair of slippers, with a 
 cross on the toes, to my certain knowledge," 
 lauo^hed Eliza. 
 
 Mrs. ChiUingworth seemed to catch some frag- 
 ments of this discourse, for she turned to Regina, 
 and glaring, as she always did whenever she ad- 
 dressed any one, she said — 
 
 " I did not ask you, my dear, because I know 
 Mrs. Arnold does not like these gay parties ; and, 
 really, we never have any quiet little affairs such 
 as she would enjoy." 
 
 Regina smiled and bowed; for she did not know 
 what other reply to make. 
 
 And now they were all going away. Mrs. Chil-
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 23 
 
 lingworth's great carriage rolled to the door. The 
 RaDisays' greater footman arrived to walk home 
 behind them; and Regina's humble Beckej, amid 
 the sneers of her companions, gathered her young 
 lady's music under one arm, while she poised on 
 the other a wicker basket, in which she had just 
 deposited some needful household purchases. 
 
 '^ Now, you take that clock movement slow and 
 sure," quoth Mr. Eichard, as he opened the door 
 for Eegina ; " and you see if we don't let them 
 know what's o'clock on the 20th. I only wish old 
 Haydn could hear us ! "
 
 24 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 It is a brio:lit still June evenino^. The hedo^es 
 are gay with dog-roses, and the air sweet with 
 honeysuckles and new-mown grass. The mighty 
 oaks on Holm wood common turn into gold, as the 
 sun sinks behind their wide branches. The still- 
 ness deepens — all the tints in the distant country 
 assume a softer hue — now a bird on the wing 
 flutters past to a bush — now a lark rushes down 
 to his nest in the heather. A little old lady, all 
 in fresh black silk and white lawn, is seen winding 
 her way among the tall ferns. She is the prettiest 
 old woman in the world ; delicately fair, with a 
 little bloom like rouge just on the turn of the 
 cheek, and blue eyes as bright and searching as a 
 child's. The old lady stops and shades her eyes 
 with her hand; for there is that quiver in the
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 25 
 
 atmosphere whicli belongs to the misty smiimer 
 heat. She walks a little farther, and stops again ; 
 a thrush is singing, and, until the bird finishes his 
 strain without the delicious gurgle, she thinks it is 
 the note of the nightingale. At last she sees, all 
 among the golden broom, the slight elastic figure 
 of a young girl, bearing a handful of wild-flowers, 
 hastening towards her. It is Regina, followed 
 close by the substantial form of Becky Halliday. 
 
 *^ Dear granny, look at the honeysuckles I have 
 gathered for you." 
 
 "My Regina! has all gone well with you to-day?" 
 
 " Oh yes ! Mr. Winter is always contented with 
 me ; but, granny, do you know that Miss Hopper 
 went to Mrs. Chillingworth's archery fete ? " cried 
 Regina, beginning at once with the subject that 
 filled her mind. 
 
 " I did not know it, my dear ; but it does not 
 surprise me." 
 
 " Grandmama, Mrs. Chillingworth said that you 
 did not approve of gay parties, and therefore she 
 had not asked me. Is it so ? " 
 
 " I would have allowed you to go with pleasure,
 
 26 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 my love, had you been invited. I cannot think 
 it well for people to spend their lives in company, 
 without time for thought, for reading, or for serv- 
 ing their poorer neighbours ; but you, my Regina, 
 can see the difference between passing your life 
 in that manner, and perhaps going to a ball or a 
 breakfast once in a season." 
 
 " I thought at the time, granny, it was an 
 excuse." 
 
 " I dare say Mrs. Chillingworth thought I 
 should object, my dear. Your grandpapa and I 
 never entered into much gaiety — it was not his 
 wish. His interests were so totally embarked in 
 his duties, that society, unless of a quiet kind, 
 seemed to jar with his dally occupations ; and a 
 stroll on the common refreshed his mind more 
 than a gay party could have done. He was 
 called, what he never ventured to call himself, an 
 Evangelical clergyman — a class who seem now to 
 be somewhat out of repute. But, to go back to 
 the archery — accept, my dear Kegina, whenever 
 they ask you. It is very right that you should 
 see a little of the world,"
 
 BEYSnNSTRE. 27 
 
 " But they don't ask me, granny ! " 
 
 " Why then, my child, if you are a philosopher," 
 said the old lady archly, " you will content your- 
 self with staying at home." 
 
 Regina had a happy temper, that did not long 
 make a grievance of any thing. She laughed and 
 turned the subject. 
 
 "Mrs. Winter sends her best duty to you, 
 granny, and begs that you will give me a beef- 
 steak for supper." 
 
 Mrs. Arnold joined in the laugh — " And yet 
 you are not so very thin and pale, my child," she 
 said, looking at the beautiful carmine colour that 
 exercise had brought into Regina's transparent 
 cheek. 
 
 " I look so pitiful beside the great Misses Chil- 
 lingworth," laughed Regina ; " they are so stout 
 and fresh; but they drink beer, which I don't 
 like." 
 
 " Ah ! this time I am not mistaken ; " said 
 Mrs. Arnold, pausing near a thicket of hawthorns 
 — " that IS the note of the niofhtinorale."
 
 28 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 " Thou wast not born for death, immortal bird, 
 No hungry generations tread thee down : 
 The voice I hear this passing night, was heard 
 In ancient days by emperor and clown. 
 Perhaps the selfsame song that found a path 
 To the sad heart of Ruth, when, sick for home, 
 She stood in tears amid the alien corn." 
 
 The old lady repeated these lines in a sweet 
 clear voice, without the slightest foreign accent, 
 unless a more careful and distinct pronunciation 
 of our noble language might betray that she had 
 not altogether reached that native point of famili- 
 arity which merges into contempt and negligence. 
 
 '' It is sad, like all beautiful things," said Regina. 
 
 " It is new, like all beautiful things," returned 
 the grandmama. 
 
 And they stood still to listen, as if it were a 
 fresh song, a newly discovered bird ; and Becky 
 grounded her basket, and stared at them in wonder, 
 for '' she did not see why a little whiffling bit of a 
 bird, which her missis could hear any night, 
 should keep her out in the damp like that." 
 
 For it requires cultivation to appreciate the 
 simplest pleasures. 
 
 They were drawing near to a pretty grove of
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 29 
 
 fir-trees which skirted a house situated in the very 
 middle of the common. This secluded dwelling 
 was supposed to be inhabited by an old miser of 
 fabulous wealth, and very retired habits. Others 
 said it belonged to some rich proprietor in the 
 neighbouring county, who left it to the care of a 
 couple of old servants. At any rate the grounds 
 were carefully enclosed by a high wall, which 
 scarcely allowed the roof and upper windows to 
 be visible. The fir-tree walk was well known to 
 all the nursemaids and children about Holmwood, 
 and had been the favourite resort of Reglna, at a 
 time when she built houses and made fireplaces 
 among: the roots of the old trees. There was a 
 wicket-gate cut in the wall with a stone step in 
 front, which Regina never could pass without 
 thinking of the Arabian Nights, and the doors in 
 their i^arden walls. 
 
 o 
 
 " I really feel ashamed every time I pass that 
 gate," cried Regina. 
 
 *^ I don't wonder; naughty little thing that you 
 were, my Regina." 
 
 " Grandmama ! '*
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 " What is it, my love ? " 
 
 " Some one within the wall echoed my name ; 
 did not you hear ^Regina' quite plainly? The 
 miser must be come back." 
 
 " Speak lower, then, my child ; don't behave as 
 badly as you did seven years ago." 
 ^- " There, grandmama ! I saw a face at the 
 wicket ! " 
 
 " My dear child, you are quite nervous this 
 evenino;; there's nothins: but the iron gratino^ — 
 look again." 
 
 " It was only for the moment ; but I'm sure I 
 saw a thin old face. What is it, I wonder, that I 
 feel sometimes — as if there had been, or would be, 
 a link between me and some people? I have 
 that feeling whenever I hear of the Oswestrys; 
 but what is there in common between me and the 
 old miser?" 
 
 " A great deal, I think. He must recollect you 
 as a very saucy little girl," laughed the old lady. 
 
 For, seven years ago, when Regina was playing 
 with some other children at the foot of those old 
 firs, it chanced that some of them cast their eyes
 
 EEYMIXSTRE. 31 
 
 up to a cherry-tree that stood within the myste- 
 rious garden, laden with beautiful waxen fruit. ' 
 
 " If the miser would but give us some cherries ! " 
 cried one child. 
 
 " Yes — even a miser might spare us one hand- 
 ful ! It would be only taking them from the birds." 
 
 '^ You would not dare to knock at the door and 
 ask him ! '* 
 
 "Nor you!" 
 
 "NorRegina!" 
 
 " Yes, I would." 
 
 " Ah ! what would you say ? " 
 
 " You shall hear," replied the little girl, as she 
 mounted the stone step and knocked at the wicket. 
 
 The children gathered round breathless; a 
 miser, an ogre, a giant, something quite different 
 from other human beings, dwelt behind that wall. 
 
 " It is of no use, Regina ! " 
 
 " Nobody hears you ! " 
 
 " I don't believe there is a miser I " echoed from 
 the little group. 
 
 Regina knocked again. There was another 
 pause.
 
 32 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 *^ We must knock three times at all fairy 
 plfices ! " she exclaimed, turning to her companions, 
 and then the giant comes out and says — 
 
 " What do you want ? " asked a voice as the 
 wicket opened. 
 
 Eegina almost slipped off the step with surprise, 
 but she answered boldly — 
 
 " Miser — raiser — my name's Kegina, and I 
 want some cherries ! " 
 
 The person at the gate must have been just 
 gathering some, fpr the edge of a basket was raised 
 to the open wicket, and a shower of pink and 
 white cherries fell at her feet. The wicket closed 
 at the same instant, and she remembered how 
 she stood gazing at it, while the others seized 
 the spoil, and sat feasting in a circle on the 
 ijround. « 
 
 "You were always an odd little thing/* said 
 Mrs. Arnold; "and you are just the same now. 
 I don't know what I shall do with you.'* 
 
 " You don't believe in my fancies, grandmama ; 
 and yet I have one at this moment — I feel as if 
 something were going to happen."
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 33 
 
 "*Bj the pricking of my thumbs, 
 Something wicked this way comes,"* 
 
 returned Mrs. Arnold, laughing. 
 
 ^' Oh, grandmama ! how a propos I " cried 
 Regina ; " for there goes Miss Hopper, arm-in-arm 
 with Mr. Brand, the curate ! " 
 
 "Mj dear Regina!" interposed Mrs. Arnold 
 gently, '' I had not the least idea that Miss Hopper 
 was in sight, I am sure." 
 
 '' Then why does she shuffle round the corner, 
 with her head down in that way, -to avoid you ? 
 Why did she not come forward when she saw you 
 (as she did), and speak to you — you, the best 
 friend she ever had ? " cried Kegina, glowing with 
 indignation. " Why has she supplanted you at the 
 rectory, at the schools — your own schools that 
 you founded; — with your old acquaintances, the 
 IMillersI Did not she tell Mrs. Miller that you were 
 a Catholic, and had a crucifix in your bedroom? and 
 did not she declare to Mr. Alorley, that you were 
 a more bitter Huguenot than any of your ancestors? 
 that you had roast beef on a Friday, and would 
 not give her any wool for the church carpet? 
 
 VOL. I. D
 
 34 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 Has not she set against you almost every family In 
 Holmwood ? As for her own church creed, !Mr. 
 James Kamsay was not far from the mark when 
 he said, she was ^ High, low, jack, and the game,' 
 as best suited her purpose." 
 
 "My dear, dear Eegina, we know nothing of all 
 this — we ought to judge charitably; and here 
 comes Dame Kobins, very opportunely I think, to 
 put an end to your tirade." 
 
 Dame Robins, the hostess of the pretty rustic 
 inn called the Great Bear, a neat fresh middle- 
 aged woman, tripped across the road to meet 
 them. 
 
 ^^ Good-evening, Mrs. Robins ; do you wish to 
 speak with me ? " asked the old lady. 
 
 "Why, yes, if you please,! did, Madam Arnold," 
 said the rosy dame, rubbing up one corner of her 
 snowy apron to assist her speech. " You see to-day 
 is the grand Bradford ploughing-match, and a 
 many of the farmers wdio come from a distance, 
 they stay the night either here or at the Star at 
 Bradford, and every bed I had was bespoke may 
 be ten days or a fortnight ago. And a Bradford
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 35 
 
 coach just now sets a lady down at my door — a 
 real lady, in bad health seemingly, and quite worn 
 out with a long journey; and, finding we can't 
 accommodate her for the night, she wishes to get 
 a lodging in the village rather than go on any 
 farther — but you know, Madam Arnold, lodgings 
 are not plenty with us." 
 
 '^They are not indeed, Mrs. Kobins. I don't 
 know really — you say the lady is respectable." 
 
 *' I'll warrant that. Madam Arnold ; I see too 
 many of all sorts to make a mistake in that 
 matter." 
 
 " Then I will beg the lady to accept a night's 
 lodging at my house ; and Regina, my love, make 
 haste home with Becky and get all ready for a 
 guest." 
 
 The good hostess showed Mrs. Arnold into her 
 little parlour, smelling very vilely of stale tobacco, 
 where a lady was seated in an uneasy wooden 
 chair, from which she half rose in answer to IMrs. 
 Robins' blunt form of introduction. 
 
 '' I learn, madam, that you are disappointed in 
 obtaining rooms to-night in our little village inn,
 
 36 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 may I hope that you will accept from a stranger 
 this trijfling accommodation ? Be assured, madam, 
 that, although my hospitality is of the simplest, it 
 is very heartily oiFered," said Mrs. Arnold with 
 her musical accent, and a charming expression of 
 entreaty in her gesture. 
 
 " Dear madam, I hardly know how to be grate- 
 ful enough for your opportune kindness," returned 
 the lady, rising ; ^' illness makes one very encroach- 
 ing. I confess myself exhausted ; and I accept 
 your very obliging proposal as frankly as it is 
 made. I must name myself to you as Mrs. Ward. 
 I am seeking here a very retired and quiet spot 
 for the recovery of my health, that is my motive 
 for — for leaving town at this season. And I think 
 the first proof I can give of my grateful feelings 
 will be to hurry out of this atmosphere, as dis- 
 agreeable, I am sure, to you as to myself." 
 
 The extreme beauty of the lady, her very 
 graceful deportment, and, above all, that unmis- 
 takeable air of birth, which did not abound among 
 the fair inhabitants of Holmwood, acted upon 
 Mrs-. Arnold like a spell.
 
 BEYMiySTRE. 37 
 
 ** Come, dear madam, I am anxious to possess 
 you," she rejoined in a lively tone. " If you will 
 permit, I will direct that your luggage shall be 
 carried to my house." 
 
 ^'This carpet-bag and that dressing-case are 
 all my luggage," said the lady in a firm tone, and 
 fixing her clear regard upon Mrs. Arnold's face. 
 
 '^ One porter, then, will suffice," returned Mrs. 
 Arnold ; " in that way, you will not lose sight of 
 your property, as he shall walk by our side." 
 
 A gleam of pleasure lighted up the lady's noble 
 face. She knew the world well enough to feel a 
 glad surprise at meeting with a person wdio did 
 not measure her respectability by the weight of 
 her worldly goods. It certainly was a desperate 
 action, and one that had results of which Mrs. 
 Arnold little dreamed, to offer a weary woman the 
 shelter of her roof for a whole night, without an ex- 
 change of visiting cards, or even a letter of intro- 
 duction : the sort of thing that might do very well 
 in Arabia or in the Sandwich Islands, but which 
 made every lady's hair stand on end throughout 
 the adjacent parishes of Holmwood and Dingleby.
 
 38 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 But what would you have? It was only a French- 
 woman ! It was your duty to be fierce, but not 
 astonished, at any thing she might please to do ; 
 and she cared no more for your black looks than 
 if she had not seen them. She was as hardened 
 as a marquise of the Regency. 
 
 Meantime the old lady, always mild and calm, 
 threw open her garden gate, and begged the 
 stranger to enter.
 
 EEYMIXSTRE. 39 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 Mrs. Arnold's house stood in a small court, 
 e-haded by lime-trees planted outside the open 
 paling; it faced the common, which was so enriched 
 with clumps of oak, with hawthorn, broom, and 
 fern, as to resemble a fine extent of park scenery. 
 The street door opened at once into a hall paved 
 with small squares of marble, panelled with 
 wood painted white, with a massive decorated 
 chimneypiece, and a grate composed of two brass 
 andirons. A glass door at the farther end led 
 into a smaller hall, paved also with little chequered 
 squares of black and white marble, which opened 
 directly into the trim old-fashioned garden, and 
 which was used as a kind of green-house, to 
 shelter geraniums and other delicate plants through 
 the winter.
 
 40 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 To the rijjht of the hall was a comfortable 
 dining-room, with deep old-fashioned cupboards 
 on each side of the fireplace : a wide Dutch-look- 
 ing staircase, with thick balustrades painted black 
 and white, led up by easy stages to the cheerful 
 drawing-room, where Kegina, seated at the tea- 
 table, was impatiently expecting her grandmama 
 and her guest. 
 
 '^ You are welcome, madam, to my little home," 
 said Mrs. Arnold as she ushered in the stranger, 
 *' and this is my grandchild, Regina." 
 
 '^ Regina ! " echoed the lady in a sweet languid 
 tone : " my name is Regina, too." 
 
 Regina, who had come forward to help the lady 
 to throw aside her walking things, now looked up 
 into the most beautiful face she had ever beheld. 
 It was a perfect oval, with large deeply set eyes, 
 and thick white lids. The features vrere purely 
 Grecian, and the broad w^hite forehead was just 
 edged with a line of black hair, drawn quite off 
 under a rich lace cap. Her complexion was 
 brilliant — her soft rose-tinted cheeks seemed to 
 deepen the dark blue of the eyes and the inky
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 41 
 
 blackness of the long lashes — her teeth were 
 dazzling, and her carefully cut lips red as cor- 
 nelian. 
 
 " What can be more refreshing than tea after a 
 weary journey?" remarked Mrs. Ward, as she 
 raised her cup with a hand white as alabaster. 
 
 ^' I agree witli you, though I am a French- 
 woman," replied her hostess. " I prefer tea to 
 cofr^'e at all times." 
 
 " You, dear madam, a Frenchwoman? How 
 beautifully you speak our language !" 
 
 " It has been the language of all my great joys, 
 my great sorrows ; I ought therefore to speak it 
 well," said the old lady, quietly. 
 
 " And what a charming; retreat ! What a dear 
 old-fashioned garden! And this pretty room, so 
 enriched with pictures !" said Mrs. Ward, glancing 
 round at some beautiful small paintings that hung 
 on the walls. 
 
 " They are but copies," replied Mrs. Arnold. 
 
 ^' And grandmama copied them all," cried 
 Regina, *^ from original pictures in the possession 
 of different friends — when we liad friends."
 
 42 BEYMINSTRB. 
 
 " My naughty Kegina!" exclaimed Mrs* Arnold, 
 shaking her head 
 
 Mrs. Ward looked inquiring. 
 
 " While Mr. Arnold lived," explained Mrs. 
 Arnold with a half smile, " we were at the Rectory, 
 a large house with good grounds, and kept a 
 regular establishment, instead of Becky and 
 Marianne. Mr. Arnold had a wide circle of con- 
 nections and friends. Without being exactly gay, 
 we received very often ; and you can easily imagine, 
 my dear madam, by casting your eyes around you, 
 that all this opulence is at an end, and that we 
 have very naturally dropped out of sight of the 
 neighbourhood." 
 
 '^ I can imagine," returned Mrs. Ward, " that it 
 requires a superior mind to estimate Mrs. Arnold's 
 qualities ; and that ordinary people might find no 
 especial temptation to seek her society," 
 
 '' Shall I ask Mrs. Ward if s/te is a Frenchwoman? 
 What she says is too obliging," said Mrs. Arnold 
 with a graceful bow. 
 
 " And do you inherit your grandmama's talent 
 for painting? " asked Mrs. Ward, turning to Regina.
 
 BEYMIKSTRE. 43 
 
 ^' I like drawing even better than music," she re- 
 plied ; *' but heads are my study — I do not sketch. 
 If you are fond of music, I hope we shall often 
 play and sing together." 
 
 " Music is my passion. I shall have plenty of 
 leisure, and I trust our acquaintance is only 
 begun." 
 
 " Oh! I hope so— that would be delightful!" 
 cried Regina, eagerly. 
 
 " Do you think, Mrs. Arnold, I have any chance 
 of finding a lodging to suit me near this place?" 
 asked Mrs. Ward. 
 
 " It strikes me that, at Dykeham farm, they 
 would be glad to let two or three rooms," said Mrs. 
 Arnold. '^ It is, certainly, buried among woods and 
 fields, completely out of the high-road, or any 
 road, in fact." 
 
 " The very thing I wish: I shall not be traced 
 there." 
 
 Regina lifted her large grey eyes with a wonder- 
 ing look. 
 
 ^' My dear little girl," said Mrs. Ward, meeting 
 her eye, " be very careful whom you marry."
 
 44 BEYillNSTRE. 
 
 Reglna answered by a vague glance — the clanger 
 was not palpable to her imagination. 
 
 Mrs. Arnold, with the Arab feeling of hospitality 
 before alluded to, was anxious not to surprise the 
 secret of her guest, and turned the conversation 
 upon art again. 
 
 '^ You see, Mrs. Ward, by my attempts, that I 
 am an admirer of the Yenetian school; perhaps 
 you are a convert to the pre-Raphaelite imi- 
 tators?" 
 
 " No, really; I see but little merit in outrageous 
 postures or ugly faces; nor do I know liow nature 
 is imitated by giving to every twig and fold the 
 minuteness they would assume if held close before 
 the eye, to be copied in turn. It appears to me, 
 that these artists have chosen to forget what 
 Francia and jMasaccio had not yet learned— the 
 effect of atmosphere upon every object far or near. 
 I can fancy one of these fathers of art addressing 
 our innovators as Hamlet did Polonius — ' For 
 yourself, sir, shall be as old as I am, if, like a crab, 
 you could go backward.'" 
 
 The conversation, once engaged in so Vride a
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 45 
 
 field as that of art, became still more interesting 
 to the three amateurs. 
 
 Ancient and modern painters — schools of colour 
 — sketches, engravings, outline illustrations — were 
 in turn discussed; then the lives of painters, 
 thence to biography ; from the lives of poets to 
 their poetry ; till at last Mrs. Arnold started up. 
 
 ^' My dear Regina, we are keeping up our guest 
 in the most unconscionable manner with our gossip," 
 
 " The time has passed so pleasantly," remarked 
 Mrs. Ward, opening a little watch in her bracelet, 
 " that I could not have believed it was past ten 
 o'clock. But I will not detain my fair torch-bearer. 
 Good-night, dear madam; with many thanks." 
 
 '^Oh! grandmama, what a dazzling creature !" 
 cried Regina, as she entered the old lady's dressing- 
 room, where she was fidgeting, according to her 
 wont, among the drawers of an Indian cabinet, in 
 which various articles of lace lay perfumed by the 
 sandal-wood ; " I hope you are as much enchanted 
 as I am." 
 
 " Indeed, my dear, I have seldom seen any one 
 so prepossessing.'* 
 
 *L^
 
 46 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 '' And I am sure, granny, you will tell me who 
 she is, even if it is to be kept a secret." 
 
 " 1 know no more about her, my love, than you 
 do. It is evident, from something she let fjxU, 
 that it is her object to live in great seclusion, and, 
 therefore, the less we mention her to the neio-hbours 
 the better, my child ; because, if they make her 
 coming here the general topic of conversation, 
 there is no knowing how far it may spread," 
 
 "So I think, grandmama. If Winny Hopper 
 injures this exquisite creature, I'll — what could I 
 do to punish her? She is impervious; she has not 
 a nerve in her body ; you cannot shame her, you 
 can't baffle her. If you shut the door in her face, 
 she would cringe through the keyhole." 
 
 "Stop, stop, my dear Regina! I was just 
 thinking about Winny. If she has heard that we 
 have a guest, she is very likely to call to-morrow." 
 
 " Very likely, indeed, grandmama ; one of those 
 chances you may safely count upon. And, if you 
 chance to be gone to Dykeham farm with Mrs. 
 Ward, as I hope you will, I shall have the 
 pleasure of receiving Miss Hopper."
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 47 
 
 '* And you will be polite, my little Eegina ; do 
 not let your feelings carry you away." 
 
 '^1 never did, grandmama. When she said I 
 called her a toady, it was not true. We were 
 talking at the Kamsays' about some book, and I 
 said there was no character so detestable as that 
 of a toady. It was not even my word — I quoted it 
 from the book ; and she burst into tears, and asked 
 me if I alluded to her?" 
 
 "And what did you say, unfortunate child?" 
 
 " Why, granny, I confess I was rather naughty. 
 I did feel so disgusted at the whole scene, par- 
 ticularly at the tears as big as peas that rolled off 
 her nose, that I sat in an angry silence, and would 
 not explain; while Mrs. Eamsay fed her with 
 lumps of sugar steeped in lavender drops ; and 
 little Eliza, who is very good-natured, brought the 
 book. Miss Edgeworth's moral tales, and shewed 
 Winny the story." 
 
 " Well, go to bed, madcap ; and sleep if you 
 can, after all your adventures." 
 
 "I fear I am not very punctual," said ^^^Irs. 
 Ward, as she entered the breakfast-room the next
 
 48 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 morninjT, with a sealed letter in her hand; ^^but I 
 was so eager to let my son know my proceedings, 
 and particularly the kindness I so unexpectedly 
 met with, that as soon as I awoke I began to 
 write, and have just completed my letter and my 
 toilet together." 
 
 While Mrs. Arnold replied by some old-fashion- 
 ed and cordial inquiries after her guest's health, 
 sleep, comforts, and so forth, Begina gazed, in the 
 breathless admiration which a girl sometimes feels 
 for a beautiful woman, upon Mrs, Ward's lovely 
 face. It reminded her of the portraits, and still 
 more the descriptions, of Mary, queen of Scots — a 
 face in which the pure outlines and brilliant colours 
 were subordinate to the exquisite sweetness of 
 expression — languid, gracious, loving, womanly in 
 its minutest details. Her figure, too, above the 
 common height, and just full enough to round 
 off every movement into perfect grace, resembled 
 equally the mien and stature of that unhappy 
 queen; and Kegina began to pour out the tea in a 
 sort of dream, thinking of Mary, and Damley, and 
 Scott's Abbot; and wondering whether Mrs. Ward
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 49 
 
 was married to such a man as Bothwell, and where 
 her little boy lived — with his cruel father, perhaps, 
 or some relations, who persecuted his mother for 
 some unknown cause. 
 
 *'My love," said Mrs. Arnold, "just run out 
 into the hall with Mrs. Ward's letter; Field will 
 take it to the post when he comes in from milking. 
 He is our ^odd man,'" she added, turning to her 
 guest ; " and I can assure you that he in his time 
 plays many parts, from cleaning knives to rearing 
 water-melons." 
 
 Regina took the letter, which was legibly ad- 
 dressed to '-^ John Dods, Post-Office, Glascow. " 
 
 If she dropped it on the tablecloth like a red- 
 hot iron, and took it up again blushing more 
 crimson than a camelia, her only excuse was, that 
 she had never been so startled by a name. 
 
 " I'm so cautious, you see, that I write under 
 cover to a person who will forward my letter," 
 remarked Mrs. Ward, as if she was replying to 
 Regina's thought. 
 
 <^0h!" said Regina to herself, as she laid the 
 letter on the slab in the hall, " how could I accuse 
 
 VOL. I. E »
 
 50 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 that peerless beauty, even for a moment, of being 
 named Mrs. Dods?" 
 
 " Then, if you approve, Mrs. Ward," Mrs. Ar- 
 nold was saying as she came back, " we will walk 
 to Dykeham, as the morning is fine, and see about 
 your lodgings ; but I warn you, that, until every 
 thing is arranged in them to your satisfaction, I 
 shall detain you here as my prisoner." 
 
 " Never was there a more willing prisoner, my 
 dear madam, nor one more grateful," said the lady, 
 pressing Mrs. Arnold's hands in her own ; " I will 
 put on my bonnet, and join you in a moment — but 
 does not my namesake go with us?" 
 
 " I should like nothing better if I had not a great 
 deal to do at home," exclaimed Regina; " besides, 
 I am left to defend the castle while grandmama 
 is out. I expect an attack from Winny Hopper." 
 
 " One of your village gossips? " inquired the lady. 
 
 " Only a neighbour," interrupted Mrs. Arnold 
 mildly, '' who might be a little curious." 
 
 *' And, if this valiant constable were from home, 
 what would Mrs. Hopper achieve?" asked Mrs. 
 Ward, turning to Eegina.
 
 BEYMIXSTRE. 51 
 
 ''Miss Hopper," said Eegina with emphasis^ 
 " would then cross-examine Marianne for half an 
 hour on the name, appearance, state, and retinue 
 of our guest ; and she would draw her own con- 
 clusions from Marianne's conclusions, and would 
 go with them to Mr. Morley and Mr. Brand (the 
 rector and curate) ; and then, having rested her 
 susplcionsin the bosom of the church, her conscience 
 would be at peace." 
 
 " I quite long to see your Miss Hopper," said 
 ^Irs. Ward, stroking Regina's polished hair with 
 her snowy fingers ; " I have often fancied that the 
 intrigues of a village would be as amusing as those 
 of a court." 
 
 " They are amusing only to a by-stander," 
 laughed Regina ; '^ grandmama may shake her 
 head, but she can't deny that it is sharp work to 
 find yourself in the midst of these football players ; 
 it is in vain that you protest against playing — 
 they will insist on mixing you up in the game." 
 
 "Is she saucy?" cried Mrs. Arnold; "come, 
 Mrs. Ward, it is cpiite time for us to leave this 
 censorious little girl." 
 
 U. ^t lU. L.B
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 " Grandmama, I see Miss Hopper coming across 
 
 the common; take your keys and your gloves, 
 and fly!" 
 
 '' And you, my dear Regina, be civil !" 
 
 " As an orange, grandmama — through the glass 
 
 door — that is right! They are gone — and — I 
 
 thought so— a ring at the bell — now for Winny 
 
 Hopper ! "
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 53 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Balzac alone could have done justice to the 
 character of Winny Hopper. I approach Avith 
 diffidence a subject that ought to have been con- 
 signed to his skilful hands. He would have dis- 
 sected, analyzed, combined, all the elements of her 
 disposition ; and the tioith and minuteness of his 
 painting, would have made amends for its want of 
 beauty. I really believe, and Vn^ making a great 
 concession, that Winny wanted to go to Heaven 
 by and by — there was no hurry ; but she wanted 
 to have it all her own way upon earth as well. 
 To accomplish this twofold end, she took up the 
 pious line of business. She gave a great deal of 
 her time, and a very little of her money, to the 
 wants of her poorer neighbours; she had been 
 attached in her day to a good many clergymen,
 
 54 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 and this habit of mind gave her always a friend at 
 headquarters ; for clergymen, like other men, 
 have no objection to be adored, although, like other 
 men, they really cannot accept every lady who 
 makes them an offer. Winny made them a good 
 many offers — with her eyes, be it understood — 
 which for some years had rolled their sugary glances 
 upon her reverend friends in vain. 
 
 Winny was the happiest creature on the face 
 of the globe ; and, I am afraid I must add, the 
 meanest — she was neither sick nor sorry. 
 
 When she lost her relations, it was of no con- 
 sequence ; if they went on badly, she wrapped the 
 cloak of her selfishness more closely round her ; 
 and, so long as they didn't spend her money, 
 which they would have found it hard to do, she 
 left it all to Providence, like a pious soul as she 
 was, and took care not to fret. Ten years ago, if 
 yoi» had been called upon to point out the most 
 insignificant being in Holmwood, you would have 
 mentioned Winny; now she ruled the village, 
 ruled the charities, ruled the clubs and schools — 
 but she could not rule Mrs. Arnold — and so she
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 55 
 
 hated her instead. She hated Reglna, as Mrs. 
 Arnold's grandchild ; she hated the Winters, as 
 her early friends ; she hated even Becky Halliday, 
 Mrs. Arnold's cook and housekeeper ; and Winny 
 was a good hater, if she was good at nothing else. 
 
 She had still a deeper reason for the bitter feel- 
 in o^s with wdiich she resjarded Ile<>:ina Howard. 
 It was not by any means her fault that she was 
 not Kegina's mamma. 
 
 During Mr. Arnold's life, while Mrs. Arnold 
 was, as a matter of course, the most highly con- 
 sidered lady in the village, she had no slave so 
 humble as Winny Hopper. 
 
 Mrs. Hopper, the widow of an inferior trades- 
 man, a quiet, weak woman, came to settle at 
 Holmwood with her only daughter; and Mrs. 
 Arnold, finding that the other families rather hung 
 back from visiting a person whom they did not 
 consider as perfectly genteel, took her by the 
 hand, and made her welcome among the exclusives 
 of the village. Winny was then about the age of 
 her own daughter, and she proved herself so hum- 
 ble and eager, so anxious to be employed in the
 
 56 BEYMIKSTRE. 
 
 schools, SO glad to run of errands (genteel errands, 
 be it understood), that Mrs. Arnold, appreciating 
 so much industry and kindness of heart, rather 
 encouraged an intimacy between Miss Plopper 
 and her own beautiful daughter. Eegina Arnold, 
 perfectl)^ amiable and well-bred, was aware that 
 she could not consistently allow a young lady to 
 teach her class in the Sunday school, and to carry 
 her messages to the Ramsays and the Millers, 
 without treating her in all respects as an equal ; 
 walking with her, lending her books and patterns ; 
 in fact, making a return for her civilities. These 
 w^ere accepted with rapture, and with a gratitude 
 that looked a little servile — she always seemed as 
 if she would have thankfully darned all the 
 Arnold stockings to express her devotion. 
 
 The first thing that disturbed this happy inter- 
 change of feeling, was an attachment that ^liss 
 Hopper was so unlucky as to form to the young 
 curate, Mr. Howard, who, very perversely, was 
 devoted heart and hand to Miss Arnold : and very 
 much perplexed and annoyed the whole Arnold 
 family were, when, through the medium of her
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 57 
 
 mother, Winny announced to them the state of 
 her feelings. She sighed and wept ; she even had 
 recourse to rhyme, in which she upbraided !Miss 
 Arnold with not acting the part of a true fi^iend, 
 and resigning her lover to the one who (she said) 
 loved him best. But this offence she forgave in 
 time, for she had not yet done with the Arnolds ; 
 and perhaps her forgiveness was all the easier, as 
 Mr. Howard was the third clergyman she had 
 loved in vain. But when Mr. Arnold died, and 
 ^Irs. Arnold retired to the red brick house on the 
 common, then Winny began to look about her. 
 The new rector was a high churchman, and re- 
 garded his low predecessor with Popish bitterness. 
 It followed, then, that he looked with a most sus- 
 picious eye upon the relict of the late Mr. Arnold. 
 All that she said and did fell under his ban ; but, 
 unluckily, all that she did not say and did not do, 
 proved equally offensive. Winny went over to 
 the enemy at once ; she became his spy and his 
 trumpeter, his almoner and his maid of all work. 
 He came to Holmwood twice a widower, witli a 
 family of nine children ; but the living was good ;
 
 58 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 his two wives had been rich ; and Winny's eyes 
 began to roll again, with hope to inspire their 
 dulcet o-lances. 
 
 Now I must confess, as I Avould not willingly 
 depict a faultless character, that Regina detested 
 Miss Hopper. Not because she had told Mr. 
 Morley that Regina was an unfit companion for 
 his seven daughters — not because she had told 
 Mr. Brand that Regina had laughed at him — not 
 because she had made Mrs. Miller beheve that 
 ReGfina was an undutiful child to her grandmother 
 — not even because she had said, in several places, 
 that Reoina was attached to Mr. Richard Winter. 
 These distinct falsehoods Regina would not have 
 been at the trouble to contradict, scarcely to 
 remember; but her constant and vexatious hosti- 
 lity to Mrs. Arnold — that Regina never could 
 forgive ! Every little plan of usefulness or of 
 kindness that Mrs. Arnold had set on foot in the 
 village, that Miss Hopper, with Mr. Morley's 
 consent, regularly overturned; and, to heighten 
 the indignity, she always came to inform Mrs. 
 Arnold of these changes, and to descant on Mr.
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 59 
 
 Morley's great skill and wisdom. On these occa- 
 sions Eegina's indignation, when not speechless, 
 was apt to be sarcastic, and it required all Mrs. 
 Arnold's gentleness and tact to keep the peace. 
 For Mrs. Arnold did not hate Winny. She had 
 done her so many kindnesses, that she could not 
 help feeling some interest in her ; she thought her 
 mistaken, forgetful, awkward, any thing but base. 
 
 " Grandmama in, Regina?" squeaked Miss 
 Hopper, shaking hands as she entered. 
 
 " No ; she is out walking," returned Eegina, 
 bearinor as she best mic^ht, the infliction of beins: 
 called by her name, and giving her hand to a 
 person she disliked. 
 
 "I just called with a message from Mr. Morley," 
 "VYinny pursued. "He does not approve the hymn- 
 book grandmama gave to the school children ; so 
 she won't be surprised that there is another in use.*' 
 
 " It is some years since grandmama gave any 
 book to the schools," said Regina coldly; "and 
 nothing will surprise her that comes from ^Ir. 
 Morley." Miss Hopper rolled her eyes as if they 
 went on wires, and, not knowing how to answer,
 
 60 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 sighed — " There is one little point that Mr. Morley 
 thinks odd, particularly in a clergymarCs widow," 
 said Winny ; '^ grandmama gives the almswomen 
 soup every Friday." 
 
 " She does;" and Regina became still colder. 
 
 " Well, Mr. Morley thinks " 
 
 " He thinks " said Regina, impatiently. 
 
 " The church thinks " added Winny. 
 
 Regina's pulse beat faster. 
 
 " As Friday is an appointed fast-day " 
 
 " The church thinks, and Mr. Morley thinks, 
 that the soupe should be maigreT^ exclaimed 
 Regina, no longer able to keep silent ; " but this is 
 Becky's affair, not ours, Miss Hopper ! It is not 
 we who stir the saucepans. Let Mr. Morley 
 condescend to write a receipt for Becky, and let 
 it be signed by all the almswomen, for their con- 
 sciences ought to be studied, — there was a time, 
 you know, when it looked ugly to fast on Fridays; 
 and let him still further condescend to express his 
 wishes in person, and grandmama will give him an 
 answer." 
 
 Winny rolled her eyes, and said, " For such a
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 61 
 
 young person, it did not look well to have any 
 opinions : that the church was our mother." 
 
 " I don't profess any opinion whatever about the 
 church," cried Kegina. " Clever men are wrang- 
 ling bitterly enough about church questions, with- 
 out our joining in the quarrel, Miss Hopper : it is 
 not as if other subjects were scarce." 
 
 "True!" squeaked Winny, and she had a most 
 unnatural voice, like all false persons. "Who 
 was that lady, Regina, that I saw walking with 
 you and grandmama on the common yester- 
 day?" Now Regina knew, that when Winny had 
 met them they were alone, but she had heard 
 afterwards some rumour about Mrs. Ward, and 
 put her question in that form, like a fox as she was. 
 
 " When I saw you, we were walliing with 
 Becky," laughed Regina ; " an excellent cook, 
 but no lady, even in these days when ladies are 
 scarce." 
 
 "It was not Becky," said Miss Hopper. 
 
 " I beg your pardon," insisted Regina ; " but 
 when we saw you walking arm-in-arm with Mr. 
 Brand (Miss Hopper blushed), we were closely
 
 62 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 followed by Becky, who carried my music-book 
 for me; and no one else." 
 
 ^* Mr. Morley told me this morning " remark- 
 ed Miss Hopper. 
 
 ^' Told you that you had seen a lady walking 
 with us 1 " asked Eegina, 
 
 " That you had a lady staying with you." 
 
 ''Indeed!" 
 
 " But I suppose he was mistaken " 
 
 " He could not be. Mr. Morley, you know ! " 
 
 '^ Well then, Eegina, you leave a lady guest ? " 
 
 '^ But I don't yet understand. Miss Hopper, what 
 Mr. Morley and you have settled about us. Is it 
 that we are to consider Becky a lady ? or that it 
 was not Becky, but some unknown person, whom 
 you saw with us ? or are we suspected of harbour- 
 ing the said unknown person, who is unpleasing 
 to the church?" 
 
 " I am afraid you are a bad girl, Eegina," said 
 Winny, screwing up her eyes with some attempt 
 at jocularity ; *' but I suppose there is no mystery 
 about this lady ? " 
 
 *'But we have not made out the lady yet, jSIiss
 
 BEYMIXSTRE. 63 
 
 Hopper ; and, talking of ladies, is it true that 'Mr. 
 Morley is going to be married again ? " 
 
 " No," said Winny, turning scarlet ; " where did 
 you hear that ? who is the lady ? " 
 
 ^' I heard it at Bradford — a very pretty 
 young woman, they said, with fifty thousand 
 pounds." 
 
 " Do you think it is true ? " asked Winny, and 
 one tear began to travel slowly down her cheek. 
 Now Regina had heard the report at Bradford, and 
 thought nothing about it — reports were not scarce 
 in a country town ; but she could not help saying, 
 unmoved by the tear, '^ I dare say it is ; for they 
 mentioned at the same time that the lady was a 
 zealous Puseyite." 
 
 *^ I don't know what you mean by Puseyite ! " 
 sobbed Winny ; " perhaps you will give me an ex- 
 planation of the word." 
 
 ^TU give you Sydney Smith's explanation of 
 Puseyism willingly," answered Regina, " and then 
 you know the adjective will be easily under- 
 stood : — ^ A religion of posture and imposture, of 
 circumflection and genuflection, of bowings to the
 
 C4 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 east and coiirtesylngs to the west, and such like 
 absurdities.'" * 
 
 Winny was now in tears, partly caused by this 
 attack upon her new religion, which is always 
 much dearer to people than their old one; but 
 still more by the chance of Mr. Morley being 
 appropriated by another lady. 
 
 But even this melting sight failed to touch 
 Eegina's heart. " Bah ! she has always Mr. 
 Brand to fall back upon if she loses the other; 
 after all, what does it matter ?" she thought. And, 
 though her brain was filled with strange fancies 
 and romantic notions, on this particular subject 
 her feelings were very crude. 
 
 " If a person loves you, what more do you want ? 
 and, if he does not love you, he could never make 
 you happy, nor you him. Therefore, what would 
 you have in either case ? It's ' simple comme 
 bonjour,^ " 
 
 While these thoughts passed through her mind, 
 Winny blew her nose, and tried to compose her- 
 self. 
 
 * From a sermon preached by him at St. Paul's Cathedral.
 
 BEYMIXSTRE. 65 
 
 "Did you, Regina, hear the lady's name?" she 
 sobbed. 
 
 A Miss Cutler, whose father is a dealer in hard- 
 ware in Prior-street ; but it was told me at the 
 Winters' merely as a piece of gossip." 
 
 " Now, I think, Eegina, that is not likely," quoth 
 Winny, after a pause. *^Miss Cutler is not high 
 enough for Mr. Morley. I think I need not be 
 afraid; and I should be sorry, on account of dear 
 Annie Morley, who is nearly eighteen now." 
 
 "^liss Morley has seen her mother replaced 
 once ; perhaps it would not be so bad a second 
 time," said Regina. 
 
 '^ No, as you say ! " exclaimed Winny, brighten- 
 ing up ; " but then it ought to be an older person ; . 
 Miss Cutler is so very young, not above two or 
 three and twenty ; and, as for any body in trade, 
 you know that is quite out of the question for ]\Ir. 
 Morley." And Winny's father had kept a toy- 
 shop! But that she had long forgotten. 
 
 By this time, Regina began to think that their 
 agreeable little conversation had lasted long enough, 
 and to wish very much that Winny would go. 
 
 VOL. I. F
 
 66 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 But Miss Hopper was equally determined to stay, 
 hoping that something might turn up to gratify 
 her curiosity; for she had pledged herself to Mr. 
 Morley to bring him some tidings of the mysterious 
 lady. 
 
 '^ Well, Kegina, how do you get on with your 
 music?" she asked. 
 
 (Winny carried out Shakspeare's idea, and 
 hated it.) 
 
 " Very well, thank you ; I am very busy just 
 now, practising for Mr. Winter's concert." 
 
 "Must not practise too long," cried Winny; 
 " young people are so apt to give too much time to 
 a mere accomplishment." 
 
 " I thought that hint about practising would 
 have loosened her, but she clings like a limpet, and 
 they will be home if she stays much longer ; what 
 shall I do?" said Regina to herself. 
 
 "And how is Mr. Richard?" inquired Winny. 
 
 " Very well, and very happy — you will be de- 
 lighted to hear that he has got the organ of St. 
 Olive's, in the new town; his father is so pleased!" 
 
 Now Regina knew that, when Mr. ^lorley first
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 67 
 
 came to Holmwood, Mrs. Arnold had written to 
 him, warmly requesting that Mr. Eichard might 
 be preferred to the post of organist, which then 
 happened to be vacant; but Winny carried the 
 day against Mr. Richard, whom she disliked for 
 the following reasons. It chanced that she was 
 walking into Bradford just as Mr. Richard was 
 driving out ; she dressed badly, and walked in a 
 particularly vulgar manner, and he, supposing her 
 to be a servant, called out in his rough way, '^ Hollo, 
 my gal! I had nigh driven over you ! " 
 
 Yf inny, therefore, turned very yellow on hearing 
 that the delinquent was appointed to a better 
 organ, and said sharply, " 1 never had a good 
 opinion of Mr. Richard." 
 
 Regina was about to make a hot reply, and thus 
 confirm for ever the idea of her partiality to Mr. 
 Richard, when the door opened, and Mrs. Ward, 
 followed by ^Irs. Arnold, walked quietly in. 
 " Oh ! grand mama," thought Regina, " why 
 could not you have loitered a little on the way ? " 
 
 Mrs. Arnold addressed Winny ; and Mrs. Ward, 
 advancing slowly to Regina, sank into the easy-
 
 68 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 chair beside her, and opened at once upon the sub- 
 ject of her morning's expedition. 
 
 ^' Well, we have been 50 successful/' she began ; 
 *' four such nice rooms, large casement windows, a 
 stone staircase, and such a dairy ! my dear child ; 
 but I learn that the farm was built out of the ruins 
 of an old monastery, and the groined roof of the 
 chapter-house now glooms above the milk-pans." 
 Regina was in agonies ; she well knew that Winny 
 could hear with both ears at once, and that she 
 was at that moment devoting one of those useful 
 imiplements to Mrs. Arnold, while with the other 
 she was gathering up the fragments of Mrs. Ward's 
 description. 
 
 " Yes, it is a pleasant walk," she ans^vered, 
 ^* and the Dykeham woods are all round you ; 
 there is a bridle-path all along the hill-top, from 
 which you have such a lovely view^ of the valley 
 quite as far as Bradford." 
 
 *' You shall shew it me some evening, when you 
 and Mrs. Arnold walk over to taste my strawberries 
 and cream." 
 
 Regina put her hand into Mrs. V^ard's.
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 69" 
 
 ** The little high-born fingers ! " said Mrs. Ward, 
 caressino: them with her own. 
 
 ^' Will you introduce me to your friend, ^Nlrs. 
 Arnold ? " asked Miss Hopper in her very highest 
 key. 
 
 At this piece of presumption, Regina's grey eyes 
 flashed fire; a child could have told that, if an intro- 
 duction had been wished, Mrs. Arnold would have 
 done so unasked. 
 
 " Miss Hopper," said !Mrs. Arnold, indicating 
 Mrs. Ward by a movement of her hand, instead of 
 mentioning her name. 
 
 Mrs. Ward, her beautiful lips trembling with 
 suppressed laughter, bowed in return to Miss 
 Hopper's salutation. 
 
 " I did not quite catch the name ? " said Miss 
 Hopper. 
 
 ** If you will take some luncheon with us, I believe 
 we shall find it ready in the dining-room," remarked 
 Mrs. Arnold, rising. 
 
 Even Miss Hopper could not persist any longer; 
 she declined the luncheon, and suffered Regina to 
 conduct her down-stairs.
 
 70 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 CHAPTER Y. 
 
 Mrs. Ward spent a week with Mrs. Arnold 
 while her lodgings were preparing. She fur- 
 nished them herself, and she appeared to have 
 ample means to gratify her taste. She hired a 
 Dingleby girl to wait on her personally, all other 
 offices being undertaken by the old-fashioned 
 farmer's wife. Certain trunks had arrived to her 
 address during the week, containing store of rich 
 clothes, trinkets, books, and objects of virtu. 
 Every thing she possessed gave the idea that she 
 had been in affluent circumstances; even her 
 dressing-case was splendidly fitted up, and the 
 chased gold tops of the glass bottles within, bore 
 the initials R. W., engraved beneath an ancient 
 coat-of-arms. Regina, poor herald though she 
 was, could tell that this was an old crest, from the
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 71 
 
 device being enclosed in a border, or hordure^ to 
 speak correctly, which is never seen in modern 
 escutcheons. Had Regina been of a prying dis- 
 position, she would very soon have come to the 
 bottom of whatever slight mystery might apper- 
 tain to her friend's situation. For there was a 
 fearless candour about j\Irs. Ward, which fre- 
 quently led her to say things that were any thing 
 but prudent, considering that, by her own shew- 
 ing, she wtis desirous of concealment. Thus she 
 had no scruple in avowing to Regina that she 
 made use of a feigned name. 
 
 " You see, I assumed the name of Ward," she 
 remarked one day as they were standing before 
 her toilet table, on which were displayed several 
 costly trifles inscribed with her armorial bearings ; 
 '' because of my initials, which are marked upon 
 every thing I have. Fancy the washerwoman 
 puzzling over my pocket-handkerchiefs, if I had 
 called myself Mrs. Anderson." 
 
 Regina laughed, but she was fir the more 
 cautious of the two. ITer friendship made her 
 vigilant. She was always putting away j\Jrs.
 
 72 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 "Ward's books, and locking up her toilet bottles; 
 and some very elegant trinkets which her friend 
 had absolutely forced upon her, she put aside, 
 resolving, with what in a young girl was a strong 
 effort of self-denial, that she would not wear them, 
 lest they should be seen by somebody who miglit 
 be acquainted with Mrs. Ward's history, and 
 willing to do her an injury. 
 
 " I believe you suspect Marianne of having 
 graduated under the Garter King-at-Arms !" 
 cried Mrs. Ward one morning, when Regiria 
 snatched up an antique casket that held her 
 crochet, and prepared to run out of the room with 
 it on hearing the bell ring. 
 
 " No!" said Regina, pointing to the brazen lock 
 above which the ancient coat was engraved ; ^' but, 
 if Mr. Brand should come in, you might as well 
 tell him your name at once. He is an excellent 
 herald." 
 
 Mr. Brand did come in just as Regina vanished 
 with the casket. He was a pleasant, good-natured, 
 fat young man, with very small features, that 
 scarcely made any shew on his portly expanse of
 
 BEYMIXSTRE. 73 
 
 face. He was a great favourite with Mrs. Arnold ; 
 a little, perhaps, because he presented so strong a 
 contrast to his principal, !Mr. Morley ; who, dark 
 and gaunt, with a swinging pace, bore a strong 
 analogy to a hungry wolf. 
 
 When Kegina came back empty-handed, she 
 found them all sittinoj round the table, lauf]^hin<^ 
 heartily at a number of Punch which was spread 
 open before them. 
 
 " It's very good, / think," said Mr. Brand ; 
 " but it's not liked at the rectory, and therefore 
 it's not often I get hold of one. Where do you 
 think I picked up this ? " 
 
 "At the Eamsays', I suppose!" exclaimed 
 Regina, drawing near to look at the sketch of a 
 tall, 'angular woman in a large bonnet, represent- 
 ing some political character. " Of course you did, 
 though ; for some one has written Miss Hopper s 
 name at the bottom — one of the many Mr. Ram- 
 says, most likely." 
 
 " Well," said Mr. Brand, turning round and 
 looking up at Regina, " what will you say to my 
 having found this in Miss Hopper's hands this
 
 74 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 morning ? It had been sent her by post ; and as 
 she was — well — was shedding tears over it, I 
 thought the best thing I could do for her was to 
 carry it away." 
 
 " And she said, did she not, that I sent it to 
 her ? " cried Regina. 
 
 "I assure you, Miss Howard," replied Mr. 
 Brand, " that I never believed you capable of 
 it." 
 
 " Thank you," said Regina; ^' it is a little hard 
 that Miss Hopper cannot imagine me to be a 
 gentlewoman, because she is not one herself." 
 
 " Regina, Regina ! " exclaimed Mrs. Arnold. 
 
 ^' I know these female quarrels must appear 
 very small and ridiculous to you," pursued Regina, 
 making a little threatening face at her grandniama ; 
 *' but I ask you, Mr. Brand, if I am not perse- 
 cuted ? Not an idle boy sends Winny Hopper a 
 valentine but she accuses me. If Mr. Morley 
 wants to see a martyr, let him come here ! " 
 
 " Oh, Miss Howard!" said Mr. Brand, trying 
 to look grave. 
 
 " I like your Mr. Brand," whispered Mrs. Ward.
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 75 
 
 " He did that very well ; he saw at a glance, when 
 you first looked at the print, that you had nothing 
 to do with it, and that was all he came for ; I'm 
 rather sorry I shall not be his parishioner." 
 
 " So, Miss Howard, I hear that you are to make 
 a brilliant debut at this concert," said Mr. Brand ; 
 " at least so I learn from ^Ir. Richard." 
 
 " I hope you will be there, Mr. Brand, to 
 encourage me," laughed Regina. 
 
 " Certainly, I shall ; is it thought proper to 
 applaud the performances, Mrs. Arnold ? " 
 
 '^ Oh no! it is conducted in the most discreet 
 manner; and you, what progress do you make on 
 the organ? " 
 
 " Not enough to perform a solo at your concert ; 
 but I can play a chant and half a psalm-tnne. 
 I am getting on, Mrs. Arnold, though Miss 
 Howard is disposed to laugh at me." 
 
 "Indeed, Mr. Brand, I think you a very 
 promising pupil ! " exclaimed Regina. 
 
 " Well, !Mr. Richard thinks he shall make some- 
 thing of me ; and he is a good master, though an 
 odd man."
 
 76 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 " I hear he is not allowed at the rectory," 
 said Regina. '^ They have IVIr. Bradford Winter, 
 with his airs and o^races." 
 
 " What an odd name, Bradford ! " remarked 
 Mrs. Ward. 
 
 " Yes, he was born soon after they came to the 
 town," said Mrs. Arnold ; " but it was a strange 
 fancy." 
 
 ^' A very nice man ! " repeated Mrs. Ward, 
 when Mr. Brand had taken leave ; " whom is he to 
 marry? You know the clergyman of a village is 
 always going to marry somebody." 
 
 " Miss Hopper thinks he is going to marry her, 
 if she cannot get Mr. Morley, that is to say ! " 
 exclaimed Regina ; " but other people think he is 
 to marry Miss Morley, the eldest girl, w^ho is 
 just out." 
 
 '' Is she pretty?" 
 
 " Why, no." 
 
 *^Rich, then?" 
 
 " Mr. Morley must be well off, but he has nine 
 children.'* 
 
 " And is Mr. Brand often here ? "
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 77 
 
 '^Yerj often. He and grandmama are great 
 allies." 
 
 " Then poor Miss Morley ! " 
 
 ^* Why, Mrs. Ward ? I am sure grandmama 
 would never say a word against her." 
 
 " I am sure she would not ! " said Mrs. Ward 
 eagerly ; *^ come, let us try a duet together, 
 * O lovely Peace ! ' — we both adore Handel." 
 
 It was the evening before Mrs. W^ard left them 
 for her home at Dykeham. It happened to be 
 dull and windy ; and there is something doleful in 
 summer wind. It rained, too, in a drizzling chilly 
 way. There was a fire lit in the drawing-room ; 
 Mrs. Arnold was taking her after-dinner sleep, 
 Mrs. Ward was reclining in one of the comfortable 
 chairs with which the room abounded, and Regina, 
 seated on a stool at her side, was resting her head 
 in her friend's lap, and watching the boughs of the 
 great fir-tree, as they swayed to and fro before 
 the window panes. 
 
 " I love the fir," said Regina ; " I am never 
 tired of watching its branches, as they toss and 
 beckon in the wind."
 
 78 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 " What conceit is that, pretty one ? " asked 
 Mrs. Ward. 
 
 " I don't know ; when I read Racine to grand- 
 mama as a child, they used to keep time to the 
 stately lines. It seemed that, while I read, they 
 went through the gestures of the parts. I have 
 seen Andromaque tossing her arms many times, 
 when I have recited those scenes in the twilight 
 to grand mama." 
 
 '^ How lonely I shall feel to-morrow evening ! " 
 said Mrs. Ward, stroking Regina's bright hair. 
 " I shall be thinking of this cheerful room and its 
 kind inmates, and I shall not know how to occupy 
 myself at first. Afterwards, I am so used to 
 solitude, that I shall not be at a loss." 
 
 " And we shall come to you, and see you here, 
 so very often, I hope." 
 
 ^' Oh, yes ! I count upon that." 
 
 "Mrs. Ward," said Regina after a pause, ^'is 
 your little boy like you ? " 
 
 Mrs. Ward, suppressing a strong indication to 
 laugh, replied — " Why, no ! I really think not in 
 the least like me."
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 79 
 
 ^' Oh, what a pity !" cried Reglna. 
 " But I think nobody so handsome," said Mrs. 
 Ward, laughing. " He is very tall (for his age), and 
 very light ; but, that he is so much better-looking, 
 he resembles very much a relation of his. Lord 
 Oswestry, whom you may have seen." 
 " Lord Oswestry ! is he related to you ?" 
 *^To my son, at least — not to my family." 
 " And did I say, grandmama, that I felt as if 
 there was something particular about the Os- 
 w^estrys ; something that interested me, 1 did not 
 know why? and now it is explained !" 
 
 " Grandmama is asleep," said Mrs. Ward, smil- 
 innf. 
 
 o 
 
 '^ Will your little boy be able to come and see 
 you, Mrs. Ward?" 
 
 " Oh, yes ! I quite depend on seeing him soon." 
 
 " I should think he would be very much amused 
 at the farm, with the cattle, and horses, and the 
 harvest that is soon coming on," said Eegina. 
 
 ^' Yes — he is reasonably fond of horses," replied 
 Mrs. Ward. 
 
 "And how old is he?"
 
 80 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 '^ If I tell you his age,'* said Mrs. Ward, patting 
 her cheek, " you would think me an old woman." 
 
 ^' Oh, that I could not ! " exclaimed Regina, 
 risino' and goincr to the tea-table. 
 
 They walked with Mrs. Ward to Dykeham the 
 next day, and yielded to her persuasions to stay 
 and drink tea with her. A warm moonlight even- 
 ing tempted Mrs. Arnold to linger till nine o'clock ; 
 but the walk through the fields was so retired and 
 so short, that they had no fear of returning by 
 themselves, even at that hour. Mrs. Ward was 
 as pleased as a child with exploring the farm in 
 company with Regina. The dairy was especially 
 visited — then the stack-yard, the straw-yard, the 
 barns, the cows, the pigeons. Then the well- 
 stocked garden, enamelled with roses and sweet 
 peas — the arbour, curtained with jessamine — the 
 distant beehives, and the long range of dark beech 
 woods crowning the hill behind — all gave an air of 
 peace and seclusion to the spot. 
 
 " I could almost fancy being happy here," said 
 Mrs. Ward to herself, as they stood at the gate 
 looking out on the rich prospect.
 
 REYMINSTRE. 81 
 
 " How I wish I could make you so !" exclaimed 
 Regina. 
 
 '^ You do make me happier," replied Mrs. Ward ; 
 " I always feel soothed by your presence." 
 
 " And, when your little boy comes, you will be 
 so much more cheerful," added Regina. ^' What 
 delightful walks you will take in the wood I You 
 will not be afraid of gipsies ; for even a boy is a 
 protection, you know. His holidays must soon be 
 here now." 
 
 "Yes — I hope he will soon have a holiday," 
 returned Mrs. Ward. 
 
 " Is he like you in nothing ? is he not fond of 
 music?" asked Regina. 
 
 " Oh, yes ! passionately fond of music. I never 
 met any one more so." 
 
 " You will sino^ to us before we o^o ? " 
 
 " Yes, you shall judge of my new piano." 
 
 Mrs. Ward had a beautiful voice, and a far more 
 finished manner than Regina could boast ; but she 
 always used to say to her — 
 
 " Your pure cathedral style is all in the right 
 way, my dear. You have nothing to unlearn ; and 
 
 VOL. I. G
 
 82 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 a few lessons would give you the Italian manner 
 (if it is worth having) at any time. But I warn 
 you, that when it is not perfectly caught, it is worse 
 than any thing — more like the noise of a sick cow 
 than any human effort of the lungs. I shall see 
 some of you to-morrow I " asked Mrs. Ward in her 
 coaxing tone, as she parted with her two friends 
 at the gate. 
 
 *^ It is Regina's Bradford day, and I am afraid of 
 her doing any thing beyond her lesson ; she is not 
 strong, you know," said Mrs. Arnold. " But if you 
 would take your tea with us " 
 
 ^^ With pleasure. I want to hear ' Angels ever 
 bright and fair,' after the next lesson." 
 
 Every thing went well with Kegina at the Win- 
 ters' ; her symphony was already perfect ; the two 
 songs intrusted to her were " rendered quite profes- 
 sionally," as Mr. Bradford Winter told her : at her 
 particular request Mozart's £t Incarnatus was in- 
 cluded in the programme, and the soprano fell to her 
 share. Mrs. Ward praised and encouraged her, 
 and was never tired of making her rehearse her 
 songs, and teaching her to finish every passage.
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 83 
 
 They were going over the divine Et Incarnatus 
 together that evening, when Mr. Brand came in 
 " promiscuously," as Becky used to say ; Mrs. Ar- 
 nold begged him to take the tenor part, and they 
 went through it very successfully. Mrs. Ward 
 was an excellent musician, and she took up the 
 points of the bass voice so distinctly, that the 
 omission of the fourth part was scarcely felt. 
 
 " How I wish, Mr. Brand, you were to sing 
 this on the 20th, instead of Mr. Bradford Winter ; 
 he has such a tiny voice ; and you are a pupil, 
 you know; why should you not?" cried Regina. 
 
 "No, I'm afraid. Miss Howard; it's a very 
 flattering wish on your part; but it would not be 
 liked at the rectory." 
 
 " Oh ! if Miss Morley objects," laughed Regina. 
 
 " No, indeed. Miss Howard ; you have quite 
 a wrong idea ; I was thinking only of Mr. 
 Morley." 
 
 Mr. Brand looked so hot and earnest, that Mrs. 
 Ward turned the subject. " Suppose we try the 
 Agnus Dei from the Fourth ^lass," she said, turn- 
 ing over the leaves.
 
 84 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 " That is really exquisite," said Mrs. Arnold, as 
 they concluded. 
 
 " And it must be fine to charm my Huguenot 
 grandmama," exclaimed Regina. ^' I cannot 
 think what makes me so fond of all Catholic things; 
 certainly it is not a taste inherited from the La- 
 vals, nor from my dear grandfather, Arnold : but 
 /like the genuine article, Mr. Brand !" 
 
 ^^ Oh, Miss Howard, you are too bad!" re- 
 turned the curate ; *' but I hope Mrs. Arnold will 
 persuade you not to turn Papist." 
 
 '' I have no fear of that, Mr. Brand," said Mrs. 
 Arnold ; " she ventures to be very saucy some- 
 times, and I know you are good enough not to 
 take offence ; but, really, what are we to say to 
 these great wax candles that Mr. Morley has set 
 upon the communion table ? " 
 
 ^Irs. Arnold looked so anxious, that 31r. Brand 
 felt obliged to say something ; he seemed rather 
 puzzled. 
 
 " Why, Mrs. Arnold, we may say — a — tliat — 
 that they are a great expense to the parish." 
 
 !Mrs. Ward laughed. '^ I dare say they look
 
 BEYMINSTRE. S5 
 
 very handsome. Mr. Brand ; you should employ 
 some of your ladies in painting those pretty em- 
 blems which you see affixed to the Catholic 
 tapers : I would volunteer, hut I belong to Din- 
 gleby, where tapers are not encouraged." 
 
 " If, instead of that, Mrs. Ward, you and Miss 
 Howard will sing me a duet, I will not say that I 
 shall not be more obliged to you." 
 
 IMrs. Ward and Regina readily complied ; but 
 Mr. Brand, with all his love of music, instead of 
 approaching the piano, drew his chair close to 
 Mrs. Arnold, and said in a low tone : *^* That is a 
 very beautiful creature, and a lady of distinction, 
 to judge by her manners." 
 
 ^' So I think," replied Mrs Arnold. 
 
 " I thought it better— I called this evening," 
 
 said Mr. Brand with a good deal of hesitation — '^ it 
 
 could do no harm to let you know, that Mr. Mor- 
 
 ley intends calling on you upon this very subject." 
 
 " You fri^rhten me, Mr. Brand ! What is his 
 
 object?" 
 
 < 
 
 " He imagines there is some mystery connected 
 with this lady, and he conceives (I do not defend
 
 86 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 him) that your intimacy with her is objectionable, 
 if you cannot explain who and what she is, and 
 give a sufficient reason for her being here at 
 Holmwood." 
 
 " What a fortunate circumstance that her lodir- 
 ings are in Dinglebj^! I hope that will set his 
 mind at rest; at least it will acquit me of any 
 obligation to betray her confidence, if I possess it; 
 but really, Mr. Brand, this is a little inquisitorial — 
 is it not ? Nobody used to the world can look at 
 that lady, and not be convinced that she is respect- 
 able ; and, beyond that, what right has any one to 
 investigate ? " 
 
 '^ I do not advocate it, I assure you, Mrs. Arnold. 
 I merely wished you to be prepared for his visit." 
 
 " And I feel your kindness very much, Mr. 
 Brand : by the way, perhaps, you will mention that 
 I give my soup on Thursday. In little things I 
 should always wish to comply with his demands, 
 though I could desire that they were not con- 
 veyed through the medium of Miss Hopper ; but 
 really this invasion of one's house and hearth — 
 my Huguenot blood begins to rebel ! "
 
 BEYMINSTKE. 87 
 
 "My dear," said Mrs. Ward, while she was 
 playing the symphony, "I do believe it is com- 
 ing — the pro])Osal is coming I I don't know whether 
 you are used to the sort of thing; but at any rate 
 you can make up your mind while I am getting 
 through this little bit of solo. Make haste ! 
 I am o:oinoj to beofin, ! " 
 
 " Don't, Mrs. Ward ; you set me laughing ! " 
 
 " There you lost your time, silly child ! To be 
 sure it is nervous — these things don't happen every 
 day." 
 
 " I think, ladies, you are merrier than we have 
 been," said Mr. Brand, approaching them* 
 
 "How's that, Mr. Brand?" asked Mrs. Ward, 
 turning from the piano. 
 
 " I am never merry when I hear sweet music," 
 he replied. 
 
 "Mr. Brand, I hope you don't forget to- 
 morrow?" cried Ref^^ina. 
 
 " W^hat to-morrow. Miss Howard?" he asked 
 half laughing, yet looking as if he perfectly 
 expected an attack. 
 
 " The eve of St. Ildefonso ! Dear me, wliat
 
 88 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 would become of you, if I did not remind you of 
 your duties ? " 
 
 Mr. Brand laughed heartily, and made his 
 adieu to the party. 
 
 " He is so good-tempered," remarked J^.Irs. 
 Arnold. 
 
 " I am quite in love with him," said Mrs. Ward. 
 
 Kegina was shutting up the piano. 
 
 "My namesake says nothing!" added Mrs. 
 Ward. 
 
 " Oh, yes ! I am charmed with him, of course," 
 cried Kegina, closing the instrument carefully. 
 
 " And, my dear madam," asked Mrs. Ward, 
 affecting to whisper, " what does he propose to 
 settle on our little friend ? something handsome, 
 I trust." 
 
 " My dear Mrs. Ward, that child ! " returned 
 Mrs. Arnold, laughing. 
 
 " We are never children in these days ; we 
 begin to think about pin-money at five years 
 old," replied ^Irs. Ward. 
 
 " My opinion," said Kegina, *^ is, that though 
 somebody is very witty and very gay, she is like-
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 89 
 
 wise very tired, and ought not to sit up any 
 longer." 
 
 *^ The child is right" returned Mrs. Ward ; 
 '' pleasure flitlgues nie, pain exhausts me, but my 
 spirits run away with me sometimes. My spirits ! 
 I do beheve there are some things you cannot de- 
 stroy!" 
 
 ^' Oh, grandmama ! " cried Eegina, as she was 
 putting on her friend's shawl, *' I do believe I saw 
 the miser on the common, as I was returning from 
 Bradford with Becky — such a thin grey old man ! 
 He followed us close for a long way : once I 
 thought he seemed listening to w4iat we were 
 saying." 
 
 " Wlio is the miser?" asked Mrs. Ward, sitting 
 down again. 
 
 " An old man, supposed to live in that house on 
 the common ; they say his name his Baker." 
 
 "Baker!" repeated Mrs. Ward, and she sat 
 thlnklnof for some moments, 
 
 o 
 
 *' What can she know about Bakers ? " thought 
 Reglna; "it is such a common name — first Duds, 
 and then Baker ! "
 
 90 BETMINSTRE. 
 
 "Is he a gentleman, your miser?" she asked, 
 after a pause. 
 
 *^ He is a very shabby, poor-looking old man," 
 said Regina ; " but when people are old I think 
 they are seldom vulgar — white hairs ennoble." 
 
 " She is odd, Mrs. Arnold," exclaimed Mrs. 
 Ward, rising. " Well, Regina, I expect my little 
 boy from day to day ; you must help me to amuse 
 him." 
 
 *' That I will !" she cried ; " but I know so few 
 games, having no brothers, and though there are 
 some ninepins in the summer-house, half of them 
 are lost." 
 
 " What a pity ! " returned Mrs. Ward. " Good- 
 night, dear Mrs. Arnold."
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 91 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 Mk. Morley did not fail to pay his promised 
 visit on the morrow. Eegina took care to be in 
 the drawinor-room, while her o;randmama received 
 him below. 
 
 "I know I shall be pert, granny, if he is 
 insolent," she said ; ^' you would rather, would 
 you not, that I kept out of harm's way." 
 
 " Much rather, my little Regina," said the old 
 lady, taking out her knitting. 
 
 She looked so delicate and pretty in the cool 
 shady room — so like a picture, with her ever fresh 
 cambric frills, and her long rich black silk gown — 
 that a man less spiritual-minded might have felt 
 the charm of her gracious presence, and lowered 
 his voice accordingly. 
 
 He came in, however, gaunt as usual, his black
 
 92 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 hair in disorder, his teeth projecting, his surly 
 eyes set close together, and a drop in one eyelid, 
 which is ever to be shunned. 
 
 " Be seated, Mr. Morley," said the old lady 
 half rising, the coy perfume of violets diffusing 
 itself from every fold of her spotless dress as she 
 moved. 
 
 '^ Oh ! I called to inquire about the lady you 
 have with you," said Mr. Morley, laying his hat 
 on the ground before him. 
 
 '' That lady is no longer in my house ; she has 
 taken lodgings in the parish of Dingleby," replied 
 Mrs. Arnold. 
 
 *' In that case, and if your acquaintance with 
 her has wholly ceased " 
 
 " Far from it, Mr. Morley ; I am just beginning 
 to know her." 
 
 a \Yell_who and what is she "i " 
 
 " I scarcely know how to answer your unusual 
 questions," returned the old lady mildly ; but the 
 beautiful rouge-spot deepened upon either cheek. 
 
 ^' What's her name, ma'am 1 " 
 
 " \Yard."
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 93 
 
 '^ You know that to be her name?" 
 
 ** That is the name by which she is known to me." 
 
 '^ Brand says she is a woman of quality." 
 
 '* She seemed to strike Mr. Brand as such ; but 
 I need not remind Mr. Morley that in England, 
 where the birth is gentle, a title does not add any 
 thing but precedence to the estimation in which a 
 lady is held." 
 
 Mr. Morley never thought any remark a woman 
 made worth a direct answer ; he went on with his 
 cross (very cross) examination. 
 
 " Well, but what is she? is she a widow?" 
 
 " I never took the liberty of asking her that 
 question." 
 
 ** Because you must be aware that is an impor- 
 tant point to ascertain. If she is not a widow, 
 what business has she away from her husband?" 
 
 " I can imagine many causes that might justify 
 such a step," replied Mrs. Arnold gently ; " but I 
 have not seen it my duty to pry into her concerns." 
 
 '^ It is your duty, then, Mrs. Arnold ! Here is 
 your grand-daughter associating with you don't 
 know who ! a young person, I must add, the
 
 94 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 last in the world to be allowed to run loose with 
 any chance acquaintance." 
 
 '^ Mr. Morley, I am as solicitous for my grand- 
 child's welfare as you can be ; but all our ideas of 
 duty seem to me so opposite, that I think they 
 will be only strengthened on either side by 
 discussion." 
 
 " Your ideas, ma'am ? What can they possibly 
 be when compared with mine ? Am not I a priest ? " 
 
 Mrs. Arnold might have replied, had she 
 spoken her thoughts, ** By no manner of means. 
 No sacrifice, no priest ! " But she merely answered 
 with that " J^/^ sourire^^ for which we have no 
 equivalent term — " If, Mr. Morley, the clergy are 
 infallible, I claim that right for your predecessor. 
 Mr. Arnold gave me almost all the ideas I possess." 
 
 No doubt Mr. Morley had a crushing argument 
 in reserve, if he had chosen to employ it ; but as 
 he adhered to his rule of neglecting all her replies, 
 leaving them quite out of the conversation, as it 
 were, he went on improving his hearer to this effect. 
 
 " Well, ma'am, I take leave to tell you that all 
 this looks very suspicious. Here's a woman, who
 
 BEYMI^■STRE. 95 
 
 does not proclaim herself a Avidow, living without 
 her husband ; no possible treatment can justify 
 her escaping from his control " 
 
 *^ How if he attempted her life, Mr. Morley ? " 
 asked Mrs. Arnold, meekly. 
 
 " That would have nothing to do with it. 
 Besides, what do you call attempting her life? 
 IIow^ do you know he attempted it ? As long as 
 she is not dead, it is a proof, I suppose, that she 
 is living." 
 
 Mrs. Arnold did not deny it. 
 
 "And 1 must tell you that a lady of great good 
 sense. Miss Hopper, who met her here, mentioned 
 her to me as a very flighty sort of person." 
 
 Again the spiritual smile. Unfortunately his 
 authority was not a weighty one in that house. 
 
 " And, in connection with that subject," he 
 added (taking up his hat, to Mrs. Arnold's great 
 refreshment), " let me advise you to caution Miss 
 How\ard to spread no more reports of my matri- 
 monial views. It is not pleasing to me that any 
 thing connected with my affairs should be the 
 subject of discussion."
 
 96 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 ^' I must venture to say, in defence of my grand- 
 daughter/' remarked Mrs. Arnold, ^*that if slie 
 confided any current report to a lady of Miss 
 Hopper's sense and discretion, it was the farthest 
 from her thought that it would be carried round 
 to the only person it was likely to annoy." 
 
 The irony of the defence escaped him, but not 
 the boldness of making any defence at all. He 
 rose with a sullen nod, meant to acknowledge 
 Mrs. Arnold's graceful courtesy, and stalked out 
 of the room. 
 
 '^Oh, my little Regina! what have you been 
 doing?" cried Mrs. Arnold, when her grandchild, 
 swift and light as a bird, darted into the room, 
 which Mr. Morley had just lightened of his pre- 
 sence ; *' what is this report you have spread about 
 our rector?" 
 
 " Vf hy, granny, I merely told Winny a piece of 
 Bradford gossip about him and Miss Cutler, to 
 divert her from her kind inquiries after Mrs. Ward, 
 and here she has carried it straight to Mr. Morley ! 
 Delicate ! I suppose you can see now what a 
 well-wisher she is to both of us !"
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 97 
 
 "She cannot wish, my dear, to injure us; we 
 have never done her any thing but good." 
 
 '* You have not, granny ! But even Winny must 
 see that / despise her, and that is not to be for- 
 given." 
 
 "Miss Hopper is not judicious," began Mrs. 
 Arnold. 
 
 "Now, granny, I think her the most judicious 
 woman that ever lived. She is a female vicar of 
 Bray; she knows how to get good things from 
 every body, thougli how she manages to secure 
 }.Ir. Morley's patronage, and Mr. Miller's favour, 
 at the same time^ is a mystery to me ; I'll ask her 
 some day for the receipt." 
 
 "My little Kegina will do nothing that slie 
 knows will vex her grandmama. Is the fly come 
 abeady? I have so much shopping to do at 
 Bradford that you will not see me here much 
 before one o'clock, but you will be so engrossed 
 with your music that you will not miss me." 
 
 "My love to Mr. and Mrs. ^Yinter, granny," 
 said Reglna, as she attended Mrs. Arnold to the 
 door of the fly; "and don't forget my compliments 
 
 VOL. I. H
 
 98 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 to Mr. Richard; I quite doat on him ever 
 since " 
 
 This singular declaration was cut short bj the 
 approach of Winny herself, picking her way along 
 the path, just wetted by a summer shower, and 
 working her eyes from side to side, while her head 
 remained perfectly straight. 
 
 Mrs. Arnold shook her head at Regina from the 
 wdndow, and the fly drove off. 
 
 *^ Grandmama going to Bradford, Regina ? " 
 squeaked Winny. 
 
 " Gone, Miss Hopper," said Regina with a 
 formal bow. 
 
 " Mr. Morley has been here this morning ? " 
 ' " Yes, thank you^ Miss Hopper." Giving 
 " thank you " all the emphasis of " thanks to you." 
 
 " Seen Mrs. Ward lately ? " (her voice mounting 
 at every question, tiU it seemed impossible that 
 she could squeak more sharply.) 
 
 *' We have seen her every day since she came, 
 and we fully intend and hope to continue that 
 pleasure." 
 
 "Very handsome woman."
 
 BEYillNSTRE. 99 
 
 " So I think." 
 
 *' Who is she, Kegina?" 
 
 "]Mrs. Ward, of the parish of Dinglebj, in the 
 county of Buckinghamshire." 
 
 And, Regina's irritation having now reached its 
 height, she saluted Miss Hopper hastily, lest worse 
 should come, and ran into the house. 
 
 Miss Hopper proceeded leisurely on her way ; 
 for she was thinking whether she should first tell 
 Mr. Morley, or Mr. Brand, that she had heard 
 Regina say she doated on Mr. Richard. 
 
 In another minute the lovely notes of Schubert's 
 '^ Horch horch die Lerch " rang through the room. 
 
 Becky — plain creature though she was — loved 
 Regina's singing; and having laid the luncheon 
 ready for Marianne, and prepared the chicken and 
 the gooseberry tart for dinner, she deemed herself 
 at liberty to seat herself on the four little steps 
 which led from the landincr to the drawincj-room 
 door, and, as she phrased it, to "have a bit of 
 music." 
 
 While she was thus enjoying herself, with lier 
 arms rolled up in her apron, Marianne approached.
 
 100 
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 and in a cautious whisper informed her that there 
 was a gentleman wished to speak to Miss Regina. 
 
 *^ A gentleman ! " exclaimed Becky, looking very- 
 pugnacious ; " what gentleman ? And missis out ! 
 I dare say it is somebody come after the plate." 
 
 " No, it's not !" persisted Marianne, forcing her 
 way to the drawing-room door — " Miss ' Jina, a 
 gentleman down-stairs particularly wishes to speak 
 to you for a moment." 
 
 " Beg him to walk up," said Regina, discon- 
 tentedly leaving the piano, and running over in 
 her mind the very few gentlemen with whom she 
 was on speaking terms. 
 
 " Surely it's not Mr. Morley come back again?" 
 she thought, as she took her seat. '* No, hardly ; and 
 Mr. Brand was here last night — and the Ram says 
 are in town — and the Chillingworths don't know 
 me to speak to — and young Miller is in Africa, and 
 very foolish I think in his father to let him go — 
 the miser, perhaps " 
 
 But the tall grave young man who now stood 
 in the doorway, was of a very different class fi'om 
 the crenerality of the Ilolmwood beaux. He had
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 101 
 
 that air which later in life she learned to define 
 as belonging exclusively to persons of condition, 
 whose habits and acquirements did not disgrace 
 their birth; but she was now only sensible of 
 something reserved and calm, that threw her to a 
 distance, and made her feel almost for the first 
 time in her life thoroughly shy. 
 
 " I must apologise for disturbing you, Miss Ar- 
 nold," he said ; " but I understand it is through 
 you that I am to be made acquainted with ^Irs. 
 Ward's place of residence. As Mrs. Arnold is 
 from home, perhaps you will have the goodness to 
 direct me to her house." 
 
 " If you would not mind waiting till grandmama 
 returns," said Regina hesitating; ''she is only 
 gone into Bradford, a little way off, for shopping ; 
 she will be happy to speak to you ; Mrs. W/ird, 
 I know, does not wish to receive strangers." 
 
 '* But Mrs. Ward, I am sure, is very anxious to 
 see me," replied the stranger ; " T am her son." 
 
 Begina's transparent features expressed the most 
 perfect incredulity at this statement. She looked 
 up at the tall gentleman, who stood with such a
 
 102 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 polite and frigid air before her. Although his broad 
 forehead and accentuated features might make him 
 look older than he was — yet to suppose him Mrs. 
 Ward's son was too ridiculous. No ! this was one 
 of her enemies come in disguise to seek her out. 
 She coloured, half frightened, and pointed to a 
 chair — 
 
 ** If you would have the goodness to sit down 
 for a little while," she said ; *' I expect grandmama 
 'in every minute — at the latest j she will return by 
 one o'clock." 
 
 He took the chair with a slight inclination of 
 his head, and there was silence for a minute. 
 
 '^ I am impatient to see Mrs. Ward," he began 
 presently : " if you would give me an idea where 
 her house stands, I am sure I should be able to 
 make it out. You can imagine that I should be 
 glad to avoid making any inquiries in the neigh- 
 bourhood that might draw attention to Mrs. Ward's 
 retreat." 
 
 '^ It is very clear to me," thought Regina, '^ that 
 here is a treacherous plot, which it is my business
 
 BEYMIXSTRE. 103 
 
 *^I am so sorry to delay you," she replied, 
 growing quite nervous; ^*but grandmama would 
 like, I am sure, to see you first. Mrs. AVard's 
 health is so very delicate." 
 
 "My God!" he exclaimed, starting from his 
 chair, " is she worse than when she wrote ?" 
 
 " No ; but she is far from strong, and the ex- 
 ertion of receiving a stranger " 
 
 " Why, I believe you take me for an impostor," 
 he replied. " If you know my mother's hand- 
 writing, I may be able to convince you of my 
 identity. Here is the very letter that summoned 
 me hither." 
 
 And, drawing out an envelope, he rose and ex- 
 tended it towards her. She recognised the very 
 letter which she had herself carried into the hall 
 on the first morning of Mrs. Ward's visit. There 
 was the direction which had so astonished her, 
 "To John Dods, Post-Office, Glascow" — the very 
 formation of the D which had then struck her as 
 sinGfular. The colour rushed over her face. 
 
 o 
 
 " I am sure I beg your pardon," she cried ; " I 
 will shew you the wa}^ in a minute ; in five minutes
 
 104 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 you may reach the farm, if you go through the fields. 
 I really did not believe you were Mr. Ward." 
 
 He drew back his head a little, as if he winced 
 at the name. She took her bonnet and scarf from 
 the couch, and led the wav out of the room — takinij 
 the latch-key from behind the glass door, as she 
 stepped into the garden. 
 
 No conversation passed as they went through 
 the flower-garden into the orchard, thence into a 
 paddock, where Mrs. Arnold's two cows were 
 grazing, and then, crossing the road, entered the 
 Dingleby fields. She unlatched the gates, and 
 he paused and closed them after her in silence. 
 She glanced towards him sometimes, and saw that 
 he was very fliir and pale, carried his head proudly, 
 and had a calm chilling expression in his blue eyes — 
 not at all like his mother, certainly. 
 
 At last he said — " I am sorry to bring you 
 through the AA'et grass. Miss Arnold." 
 
 Regina longed to tell him her name was Howard ; 
 but she thought, after all, it did not signify. 
 '^ There is a pathway," she returned ; " and it has 
 rained very little."
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 105 
 
 " I suppose that, living in the country, you are 
 indifferent to weather." 
 
 " Xo ; we country-folks are quite as fond of our- 
 selves as any town's-people can be. AYe are very 
 much afraid of the wet." 
 
 He smiled for an instant, and there was another 
 silence. 
 
 They came to a stile. Regina mounted neatly 
 to the top, and then sprang lightly to the ground, 
 just touching his offered hand. 
 
 " You will hurt yourself some day if you jump 
 down from that height," he remarked coolly, after 
 directing a quick piercing ghance at her slender 
 feet. 
 
 She laughed, and shook her head; and they 
 spoke no more till they came to the five-barred 
 gate that closed the field next to Dykeham farm- 
 yard. 
 
 " That is the house ; and, if you go through the 
 stack-yard, you will come to the great door," said 
 Kegina. '^ And I hope, I'm sure, that I have male 
 no blunder in bringing you," she added to herself. 
 
 He took off his hat and thanked her ; and she
 
 106 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 sped home through the fields to meet her grands 
 mama. 
 
 " It is all very odd, my dear," said Mrs. Arnold, 
 who had just returned ; '^ but we shall be sure to 
 see Mrs. Ward to-day or to-morrow, and then no 
 doubt she will explain the mystery." 
 
 " You will take a little turn on the common, 
 won't you, granny 1 " asked Regina, after dinner ; 
 " it is such a lovely evening." 
 
 " Yes, we shall have time for a nice walk before 
 the dew falls. What a beautiful scene it is, my 
 Regina! what noble trees, what rich fern, what 
 picturesque underwood ! It is as if we possessed 
 a magnificent park, without the burden of a great 
 fortune." 
 
 " Indeed, granny, I don't think it is the same 
 at all ; if we had this fine park, suppose, how very 
 different we should find the neighbours. Mrs. 
 Chillingworth would then ask me to her archery 
 fetes.'* 
 
 " Yes, because you would ask her to yours — 
 that is all fair, my Regina." 
 
 *^ And Winny ! oh ! how sweet we should be-
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 107 
 
 come ! She would go about praising us, and saying, 
 *^ you know how I always loved dear Mrs. Arnold 
 and dear Regina !" 
 
 '^ But, my dear, you should not squeak," said 
 the old lady, turning away her head, that Regina 
 might not see her smile. 
 
 " And so I wish I had a park and a great 
 fortune," added Regina^ 
 
 " That is not a possible wish, my love, unless 
 indeed you should marry a rich man." 
 
 '' And that is not likely, is it granny ? " laughed 
 Regina; " but I am sure there is Mrs. Ward, and 
 the gentleman who says he is her son, coming 
 towards us across the common." 
 
 ^' My dear Mrs. Arnold, my son, Alban, is very 
 anxious to make your acquaintance, and to thank 
 you for all your kindness to his mother," said Mrs. 
 Ward as they met; then, turning her laughing 
 eyes upon Regina, she added, *' You have seen my 
 little boy before, I need not introduce you." 
 
 '^ I am sorry. Miss Arnold, to have caused you 
 some perplexity this morning,** he said, turning 
 from Mrs. Arnold, to whom he was expressing
 
 108 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 his sense of her goodness ; " but you know where 
 to lay the blame." 
 
 He glanced towards his mother; and continued 
 speaking to Mrs. Arnold. 
 
 " Now, I appeal to you, Reglna, whether I ever 
 said he was a little boy. Was it not quite your 
 own idea? " 
 
 Regina, colouring painfully, tried to shrink out 
 of notice. 
 
 '^ Was it not you who always insisted on his 
 being so little?" pursued Mrs. Ward, laughing 
 heartily. 
 
 '' You let me think so, Mrs. Ward ; and even 
 now I can hardly believe ray eyes," said Regina, 
 forced at last to speak. 
 
 " And yet, my dear, he is two-and-twenty, and 
 
 a lieutenant in the regiment of infantry. 
 
 John Dods, you know, his servant, receives my 
 letters for his master. They are at Glascow 
 now." 
 
 ^* You look so very young, Mrs. Ward." 
 
 " Alban," said Mrs. Ward, as the party was all 
 walking: on a level, ^' Miss Howard thinks you
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 109 
 
 will be so much amused in the stack-yard, watching 
 the men thatching the new ricks — and then the 
 pigs and the ducks ! " 
 
 Mrs. Arnold was laughing gaily at the joke ; 
 Alban just smiled for half a minute ; as to Regina, 
 she was feeling wretched. And when her grand- 
 mama begged them to stay and drink tea, as her 
 house was in their road home, she could hardly 
 forbear making her a sign not to proceed with her 
 invitation. 
 
 *^OhI about the ninepins!" exclaimed Mrs. 
 Ward, as they entered the garden — '^ Have you 
 found any more ? — There might be enough now 
 to play with — shall we ask him?" 
 
 *^ Oh! Mrs. Ward, if you would not ; you make 
 me so miserable." 
 
 "Poor little victim! But oh, Regina! I was 
 so overjoyed to see him. If you knew what he has 
 been to me in all my troubles; and yet you see I 
 cannot help laughing. But he never jests." 
 
 " I should think not," answered Regina, looking 
 at his reserved countenance. 
 
 She could not help admitting that the passing
 
 110 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 smile which lighted up his features for an instant 
 was very attractive, but she never saw any expres- 
 sion so brief; it was gone ahnost before you could 
 mark it. 
 
 " It will never do to attack him as I do Mr. 
 Brand," she thought. ^' I must mind what I am 
 about here ; and really it is difficult, I have got 
 into such a habit of speaking my thoughts." 
 
 In order that she might not say any thing 
 rude, she said nothing at all, and prepared the 
 tea in a grave silence, whieh rather diverted Mrs. 
 Ward. 
 
 " Eegina is thinking of her promise," she said. 
 
 "What promise, Mrs. Ward?" 
 
 " You promised to help me to amuse my little 
 boy; and I see, by your look, that you think it a 
 hopeless case ; you give it up, don't you?" 
 
 " I do think you teaze Miss Howard unmerci- 
 fully," said Alban, turning round. 
 
 Kegina looked grateful. 
 
 " And yet, for all that, Kegina will do something 
 for me that she would not for you — she will sing 
 me a song!" cried Mrs. Ward.
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 1 1 1 
 
 Reglna was really glad to go to the piano — she 
 hoped the music would stop Mrs. "Ward's remi- 
 niscences ; and she either played herself, or urged 
 her friend to play, until it was time for her to go 
 home.
 
 112 BEYMIKSTRE. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 Two or three days' rain gave Regina time to 
 recover from her astonishment ; but, during that 
 period, she and Mrs. Ward were equally kept 
 prisoners by the weather, and saw nothing of each 
 other. At last she w^as obliged to venture to 
 Dykeham on an errand of charity. An old sick 
 servant of Mrs. Arnold's had begged Eegina to call 
 upon her; but, though her way lay past the very 
 door of the farm, she had not intended going in, 
 had not Mrs. Ward, who was standing in the 
 porch w^atching the weather, detected her at the 
 entrance of the lane, struc'-orlino^ alonof throuo^h 
 a quick heavy shower, and sent her son to meet 
 her, and insist on her taking shelter. 
 
 " My mother complains. Miss Arnold, that you
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 113 
 
 have deserted her/' said Alban, as thev entered 
 the porch, 
 
 " It is true ; while you are here Mrs. Ward can 
 want nobody else," answered Regina, shutting up 
 her wet umbrella. 
 
 " Dear child — so it is only a storm of rain that 
 will drive you into Dykeham ! " exclaimed Mrs. 
 Ward, as she came to lead her in. 
 
 " Oh, Mrs. Ward ! you know I am only too glad 
 to come, when you are alone." 
 
 *' You are not afraid of Alban ? " 
 
 *^ But I think you will prize my society so much 
 more highly when Mr. Ward is not with you." 
 
 '* You have been away quite long enough for me 
 to wish you back again," said ^frs. Ward. 
 
 " I'm so glad!" exclaimed Eegina frankly, taking 
 Mrs. Ward's hand. 
 
 " And our duets ? " inquired Mrs. Ward. " But 
 I suppose you have not even vouchsafed a look at 
 our grand affair from Jessonda, you have been so 
 busy practising for your great concert." 
 
 "What concert?" asked Alban, who was now 
 writing a letter at the other end of the room. 
 
 VOL. I. I
 
 114 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 " Mr. Winter's concert at Bradford, at which 
 Miss Howard is to appear as prima donna," replied 
 Mrs. Ward. 
 
 " No — you are joking ! " he exclaimed, coming 
 up to the table. 
 
 " It is true — is it not, Eegina ? " repeated Mrs. 
 Ward. 
 
 " True, except that I am not to be prima donna," 
 said Regina. 
 
 " Not to sing at all, I suppose," remarked Alban. 
 " Really, Alban, you are very rude this morning," 
 cried Mrs. Ward ; " of course Miss Howard is to 
 sing, and to be very much admired." 
 
 " You don't mean it 1 " he said, turning with a 
 puzzled air to Regina. 
 
 " Yes ! but I think you don't understand. It is 
 not a public concert, where money is paid. Only a 
 kind of soiree Mr. Winter gives, at which the 
 pupils perform and their friends form the audience ; 
 all the best people in the neighbourhood do it." 
 
 " What — let their daughters play to edify all the 
 butchers and bakers who may chance to have their 
 children taught by ]SIr. Winter ! "
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 115 
 
 '* My dear Alban, you are so very far from polite 
 this morning," began Mrs. "Ward, uneasy at seeing 
 the colour deepen on Regina's beautiful cheek. 
 
 '^ I beg pardon, I thought you were only laugh- 
 ing," he said coldly, and went back to his Avriting. 
 
 ^' Miss Field's father is a butterman," said Regina, 
 as if thinking aloud. 
 
 " My dear, don't mind him ; if you knew what 
 a proud wretch he is, you would not be surprised 
 at any thing he might say. I hope you will forget 
 his impertinent remarks, and sing your very best." 
 
 ^* For the gratification of the butterman " put 
 
 in Alban, as he was folding his letter. 
 
 " I'm quite ashamed of him, my dear ; those 
 asides are not meant to be heard. Come, and let me 
 hear this new gem by Schubert — it gains upon me ; 
 but, though a delicious bit of harmony, it will 
 never put me out of conceit of our own charming 
 glee — and the song was meant for several voice?, 
 you know." 
 
 ^' But I must be going now, Mrs. Ward," said 
 Regina ; '^ yes, although it rains still. Granny will 
 be looking and wondering; and, if I remained, it
 
 116 BETMINSTRE. 
 
 would not be to sing Schubert's ^ Hark the lark !' 
 I would rather Mr. Ward did not hear my rehearsal 
 for the butchers' and bakers' concert." 
 
 "Don't let that influence you, Miss Arnold," 
 remarked Alban, rising and coming down the 
 room ; " you will not disturb me in the least." 
 
 " You know my name is not Arnold," exclaimed 
 Eegina, pausing as she was about to leave the 
 room, 
 
 *^ And you know my name is not Ward," he re- 
 torted. 
 
 " Yes, I know what it is not — but I cannot boast 
 of knowing what it 25,'' cried Regina; '^you have 
 the advantage of me there, if you chose to make 
 use of your knowledge." 
 
 " Come, Alban, you must own yourself defeated," 
 said Mrs. Ward, laughing. 
 
 He turned and bowed to Regina, rather con- 
 descendingly she thought ; almost as if he consi- 
 dered her a little girl. 
 
 " And then, my little Regina," continued INIrs. 
 Ward coaxingly, " (I do so love to hear Mrs. 
 Arnold say 'my little Regina' in her little silver
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 117 
 
 voice,) you will tell your grandmama that I long 
 go much to see her; and, as she is younger and 
 stronger than I am, I should be so o;rateful if she 
 would bring you to drink tea with me this evening; 
 1 know it will be a brilliant night after all the rain, 
 (though I feel I am asking a very unconscionable 
 thing.)" 
 
 " I think you are," said Alban ; " what on earth 
 can you offer ^Irs. Arnold, to induce her to wade 
 through these lanes at ten o'clock at night?" 
 
 " But she will come, Mrs. Ward, I know," 
 exclaimed Regina, indignantly ; " she will have 
 the fly. She can value your society, and think it is 
 worth coming to Dykeham if it was only to look at 
 your beautiful face." 
 
 And then she stopped all at once; very red, and 
 very shy. 
 
 "I like her in a passion!" said Mrs. Ward, 
 gazing fondly at her. 
 
 They were in the porch, and the rain caLue 
 through the little side window. 
 
 " You had better go in," said Alban, addressing 
 his mother; *' you are getting wet through, and
 
 118 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 will have one of your chest attacks if you do not 
 take care." 
 
 "Oh! dear IMrs. Ward, be careful!" cried 
 Eegina ; " but (observing that Alban had put on 
 his hat, and was opening her umbrella) what is 
 Mr. Ward going to do?" 
 
 " Mr. Ward is going to see Miss Arnold home," 
 replied Alban, gently closing the door upon his 
 mother, and offering Eegina his arm. 
 
 " Good gracious, you must not ! I won't hear of 
 such a thing ! coming out in the wet for nothing ! 
 Mrs. Ward, do, pray, tell your son to go back 
 into the house." 
 
 " I hope, my dear," said Mrs. Ward, who had 
 gone round to the window, and was looking out 
 at them with much pleasure, " that he means to 
 make amends for his rudeness; and he is right. He 
 can protect you much better than you can your- 
 self; you will have enough to do to keep your 
 pretty pink muslin out of the wet." 
 
 " Oh I but, dear Mrs. Ward, it will never do ; 
 only think if we were to meet Miss Hopper." 
 " I hope you may, my love ; I want Alban to see
 
 IBEYMINSTRE. 119 
 
 her so much, and to hear her; it's nothing without 
 the voice. Mind you stop and speak to her, 
 Eegina!" 
 
 As Alban was standing in the rain, holding her 
 umbrella over her, with a calm and evident deter- 
 mination of going with her, Regina thought it 
 best to set off as quickly as possible. She waved 
 her hand to Mrs. Ward, and started. 
 
 " I see, thoroughly unprepared for wet, those 
 little shoes will be soaked through in a minute," 
 said Alban coolly, when they were in the lane. 
 
 " And then I shall change them," said Regina. 
 
 " When the mischief is done," he replied. 
 
 " If women wear clumsy shoes, people are dis- 
 gusted," pleaded Regina; " and if they are too thin, 
 we are accused of vanity or folly." 
 
 " Well, you have rather a hard life of it," he 
 returned. 
 
 Regina thought of his mother; perhaps he 
 was thinking of her too, for there was a long 
 silence. 
 
 At last he said gently, " Well, and what are you 
 going to sing at this concert T'
 
 120 BEYMIXSTRE. 
 
 " I don't wish to talk of the concert," answered 
 Reglna. 
 
 *' I really hope j^ou will forgive what I said 
 about it," he urged. " I have no doubt it is all 
 right; indeed it must be right, since Mrs. Arnold 
 permits you to appear." 
 
 "Mrs. Ward said that you were very proud/' 
 exclaimed Regina, who had not yet cured herself 
 of saying whatever came into her head. 
 
 " Of course I am," he returned coolly ; 
 " every one is who has any thing to be proud 
 of, and the others are vain, that is the dif- 
 ference." 
 
 " I don't think I am proud," said Regina ; ^' but 
 then I am not rich." 
 
 " Well, where is this Miss Hopper to be seen ? " 
 he asked presently. 
 
 " I'm sorry to say she is very often to be seen 
 where 1 am," laughed Regina ; *' I don't know 
 what kind of sympathy it is that always leads us 
 to go out at the same time, and to meet on the 
 liigh-road! There! do you see a person just 
 come out of that cotta";e ? "
 
 BEY^IINSTRE, l2l 
 
 " A tall woman, skipping about on a pair of 
 clogs?" 
 
 " Yes, holding an umbrella in one hand, and 
 swinging a little basket in the other ; w4th a foxy 
 cloak and a very short cotton frock." 
 
 " And that is the famous Miss Hopper I Is she 
 coming our way ? That's all right." 
 
 '' Regina could not help smiling at her com- 
 panion, who seemed to think that Miss Hopper 
 had come out for his special amusement, and cer- 
 tainly she had never appeared to more advantage ; 
 she struck out right and left among the puddles, 
 her clogs clinking at every step, and tossed her 
 little basket about with an airy gaiety, like a child 
 skipping home from school." 
 
 Winny had her likes as well as her dislikes. If 
 she disliked Eegina very much indeed, she liked 
 with equal zeal a fine tall young man. She gave 
 Eegina every facility for meeting her, and opened 
 tbe conversation by her usual shrill question, 
 " Grandmama quite well to-day, Reglna ? " 
 
 '^ Yes, thank you. Miss Hopper ; I hope ]^.Irs. 
 Hopper's lameness is better."
 
 122 beyminstre/ 
 
 " Thank you, dear mama's lameness is a little 
 fanciful — nervousness, I believe. I don't encourage 
 her to think at all about it." 
 
 Regina raised her brows ; Alban found it advi- 
 sable to use his handkerchief; Miss Hopper con- 
 tinued, ^' And Mrs. Ward, is her little boy come 
 yet?" • 
 
 The umbrella over Regina's head trembled 
 a good deal. Eegina cried out, all astonish- 
 ment — 
 
 "Dear me, Miss Hopper, who ever told you 
 any thing about Mrs. Ward's little boy?" 
 
 " Ah ! ah ! Regina," cried Winny, squeezing up 
 her eyes, which had hitherto been doing duty upon 
 Alban, " a little bird told me — 1 sha'n't say who ! 
 Good-morning ! wet day ! " 
 
 " Surely," said Regina, as they turned away, 
 " she must listen at the hall door, or under our 
 windows — how could she have heard Mrs. Ward 
 that evening?" 
 
 '' I think I'll sketch her," remarked Alban ; 
 " if you have many such originals, Holmwood 
 must be an amusing place."
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 123 
 
 Mrs. Arnold readily agreed to take the fly to 
 Dykeham farm that evening, and the weather 
 turned out as Mrs. Ward had predicted — bright 
 and warm, with that perfumed freshness that 
 always follows summer rain. Mrs. Ward's rooms 
 had acquired that home aspect which lodgings 
 seldom put on ; her piano strewn with music, her 
 stand of flowers, her small easel for water-colours, 
 gave an air of elegance to the apartment that the 
 good farmer's wife had never dreamed of. She 
 made a charming hostess ; there was no effort, no 
 attempt to amuse her guests, but there was a 
 lightness, a gaiety, a grace in her manner, which 
 kept them constantly excited and pleased. There 
 was a little bright fire on the hearth for Mrs. 
 Arnold, and a very easy-chair drawn close to it ; 
 and Regina could not but allow that Alban 
 showed to great advantage by the courtesy and 
 deference of his manner to her orrandmama. 
 
 " Oh, Mrs. Ward ! you have been sketching 
 the pool in the meadows under the ash-trees," cried 
 Regina going up to the easel ; '^ where we went 
 one hot day while you were staying with us ; and
 
 124 BEYMIXSTRE. 
 
 we drank some of the cold water out of a mug 
 that one of the haymakers had left standing 
 in the brook; when did you find time to do 
 this?" 
 
 " One idle day," said Mrs. Ward, turning it 
 carelessly over. ^' How do you like this face?" 
 
 '^ Oh, dear, Mrs. Ward ! how pretty! I did not 
 know you painted heads." 
 
 '^ Ask Mrs. Arnold what she thinks of it?" 
 
 A suspicion flashed all at once into Regina's 
 mind, it was herself ! That clear fine outline, 
 that slender throat, and long plait circling the 
 small head. She stopped short, colouring, and 
 looked into Mrs. Ward's lauo^hino; face — 
 
 "Alban, shew it to Mrs. Arnold — my only 
 attempt at portrait painting : my little friend here 
 is seized with a modest fit." 
 
 ^^ Oh, dear me ! it is very like ; it is my little 
 Eegina !" said the old lady. '' I think, Mrs. Ward, 
 I sliall beg it of you." 
 
 "My dear madam, I am flattered beyond 
 expression : just let me put a few touches to the 
 background, and the sketch is yours. So you
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 1 25 
 
 think It pretty, Eegina — you little conceited 
 creature!" 
 
 Regina was covered vrith. blushes, and she 
 knew that Alban's calm eyes were fixed upon 
 her : — if he would but have looked into the fire, 
 or out of the window, or at her grandmama. She 
 tried to shelter herself behind the urn, and asked 
 Mrs. Ward to let her make the tea. 
 
 " My dear, I shall be truly grateful ; no one 
 detests more cordially than myself that sweet 
 domestic occupation. Alban, we have not heard 
 your opinion ; can't you say something nice on the 
 occasion ? " 
 
 '^ On the picture, or the original?" 
 
 " Eegina, I hope you will punish him for that 
 by not singing. No ! that would punish me ; we 
 must sing to night. I hope you will look very 
 black at him." 
 
 " I am, ]Mrs. Ward. I am not looking at all 
 like my picture." 
 
 " Oh, she has a spirit ! Now, Eegina, old as it 
 is, and despised very likely by the gentleman who 
 is going, I observe, to play at chess with !Mrs.
 
 126 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 Arnold, I am determined that we will sing, this 
 dewy moonshiny night, ' I know a bank.' " 
 
 Whether he despised it or not, he lost his game 
 very fast to the silvery strain : Mrs. Arnold took 
 knights and pawns and bishops in the most reck- 
 less manner. 
 
 The piano stood facing one of the large case- 
 ment windows, open on account of the heat, with 
 the blind drawn down inside. They were almost 
 at the last bar, when Regina, standing behind Mrs. 
 Ward, who played the accompaniment, and looking 
 straight before her, saw the blind move forward, as 
 if impelled by a hand from without; saw, and heard 
 the sharp rustle of the brown holland as it fell 
 back into its place, and a thin shadowy face looked 
 in for such a brief instant that she could not tell 
 if fancy had supplied the vision. She caught her 
 friend by the arm. 
 
 "Oh, Mrs. Ward!— a hand!— a face!— that 
 window!" 
 
 Mrs. Ward sprang up with a shriek that rang 
 in her ears long afterwards, and rushed to her 
 son.
 
 BEYMIMSTRE. l27 
 
 "Oh! Alban, help !— it is he!— help! help I 
 there — the window ! " 
 
 Alban, holding his mother in his arms, looked 
 quietlj at the blind which hung perfectly still, and 
 then at Eegina, who had come up to Mrs. Ward's 
 side, brave but trembhng. 
 
 ^' It is my fault ; but I did see a hand plainly — 
 that is, the impression of the fingers on the other 
 side," she said. 
 
 " You have nothing to fear," he said gently to 
 his mother. " It is my belief, as I told you, that he 
 is gone abroad." 
 
 "He might have tracked me: there is still some- 
 thing left — much for a desperate man ! Are you 
 sure, Regina — what face — what sort of face ? " 
 
 " It was such a glance ; I could not trust in my 
 eyesight, only I should have said, something very 
 ghostly: not unlike," she added, collecting her 
 ideas, " not much unlike the face of the miser." 
 
 "Ah!" sighed Mrs. Ward, sitting down, "my 
 dear Mrs. Arnold, what can I say, how apologise? 
 "VVe have been two simpletons, who have let our 
 fears get the better of us. But yet, Alban, if you
 
 128 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 did not mind looking out of the window, it would 
 be a satisfaction to me to hear that there is no one 
 outside." 
 
 " Yes ! I think I can screw up my courage to 
 that point," he said, smiling. "I will even go out, 
 if it will be any pleasure to you, and search round 
 the haystacks. The garden is very pretty and 
 calm in the moonlight (look at it Miss Howard), 
 but I see no fairies." 
 
 Regina advanced cautiously, and looked from 
 ' the casement. 
 
 *^ You are sure?" he asked in a low voice. 
 
 " Quite sure, as far as the hand goes ; the face 
 might have been my fancy." 
 
 " At any rate, we may suppose," he added, 
 smiling, " that there was a face in connection with 
 the hand." 
 
 "I don't know," said Regina, thoughtfully. 
 
 " Alban, I won't have you go out!" cried Mrs. 
 Ward, who was sitting close by Mrs. Arnold. 
 
 " I am at your orders," he replied, closing the 
 window and coming up to the fireplace. 
 
 " Well, now, we have all been very much shaken,
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 129 
 
 suppose we have some elder wine," said !Mrs. Ward, 
 after a pause. 
 
 "In the middle of June ?" added her son. 
 
 "Fear makes me cold, Eegina," said ^Irs. 
 Ward. 
 
 "And me — feel my hands," cried Regina. 
 
 "I am not altogether warm," remarked Mrs. 
 Arnold. 
 
 "Ha! ha! we are all agreed!" exclaimed Mrs. 
 Ward, ringing the bell. "Mrs. King, a tray of 
 hot wine, with strips of toast ; we are playing at 
 Christmas !" 
 
 VOL. I. K
 
 130 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 Now it happened that, on the morning when 
 they met Miss Hopper, that moral lady had just 
 danced out of a cottage, where she had been trying 
 to convince a burly navigator that the church 
 objected to the very large block of bacon on which 
 he was about to make his early lunch; the day 
 being Friday. She had held up before this 
 unconscious Catholic-Protestant, or Protestant- 
 Catholic, the shining example of Mr. Morley, who 
 was, she knew, that very day going to dine with 
 his whole family off a remarkably fine turbot. 
 The navigator continued to ply his clasp-knife in 
 the most reckless manner during this statement : 
 but his wife coming forward civilly, with a child on 
 each arm, stated, that though Jim's wages was 
 uncommon high just now owing to the tunnel, yet
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 131 
 
 that fish was dearer than meat, and didn't go so 
 far, and she made bold to think that fasting was 
 not meant for poor people. 
 
 Jim, whose mind was still more perplexed on 
 this subject than his wife's, was here heard to 
 murmur, that, if the lady was so partial to fish, 
 perhaps she would stand a red herring or so for 
 tea ; and he did not care if he did eat that for a 
 relish. And then Winnj, after trying to explain 
 the nature of fasting, was induced to extract from 
 her own pocket (a rare occurrence) the sum of 
 fourpence, to be laid out in Emden grits for the 
 family meal on that day week. The poor woman 
 gladly accepted the grits, having on hand a 
 voracious pair of babies, who devoured a good deal 
 more than their natural food, including strips of 
 warm bacon from father's plate, and who would 
 be very well contented to fast on good gruel all 
 the week round. 
 
 It was no wonder, then, that she skipped forth 
 in a state of great exultation after this good deed, 
 and that her pious feelings received an unpleasant 
 check at the sight of Alban attending upon Regina.
 
 132 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 It appeared quite necessary to the upward flight 
 of Miss Hopper's feelings, that she should be clearly 
 informed of every thing connected with Mrs. 
 Ward. She knew, by hook or by crook, every 
 thing else that went on in the parish; and a 
 mystery made her angry. And when Winny was 
 angry, she had an awkward habit of contriving to 
 say or do some choice little bit of mischief against 
 the offender. So that, meeting Mr. ^lorley coming 
 through the village at a swinging trot, with his 
 umbrella tucked under his arm — for, to do him 
 justice, he cared little for wind or weather — she 
 stopped him to say what a pity she thought it that 
 Mrs. Ward, under her peculiar circumstances, 
 should permit a handsome young man to be stay- 
 ing with her ; that several of the tradespeople had 
 remarked on her conduct ; and, indeed, from what 
 she could gather, Mrs. Ward was held in very 
 light esteem by many : and therefore " it was a 
 pity — wasn't it? — that Mrs. Arnold should allow 
 Eegina, at her age (almost old enough to be con- 
 firmed), to be walking about publicly with a young 
 man, who might be so very incorrect."
 
 BETMIXSTRE. 133 
 
 And Mr. Morley, becoming fierce (as the best of 
 men will do when irritated) under the treble accu- 
 sations of Winny, said that Mrs. Arnold gave him 
 more trouble than all the rest of the parish put 
 too:ether : that she ouo^ht to recollect that she had 
 been the wife of a priest, and to be ashamed of 
 acting so irregularly — though what could you 
 expect from a Frenchwoman ? that he was driven 
 a hundred ways at once, and could hardly find the 
 day long enough, now the smallpox was so much 
 about (here Winny leaped into the gutter with 
 terror, for her fear of infection was almost a mania). 
 But he suppc^sed he must call on Mrs. Arnold and 
 remonstrate wath her, since she had been in some 
 sort a clergyman's wife, though he was but a 
 dissenting kind of a person after all. Thereupon 
 the gentle Winny, who thought nothing a trouble 
 that might cajole Mr. Morley, offered hcrsaif in 
 his stead to take the job off his hands, and bully 
 Mrs. Arnold in his name ; but this su;]C2cestion was 
 not liked, and he told her in such very plain terms 
 to mind her own business, that her tender heart 
 w^as wounded, and she cried — smiling all the way
 
 134 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 she went — with the tears dropping off hel' nose the 
 while, something in Cordelia's style — she always 
 cried so ; till she got home, and snapped at her 
 mother, in return for having been snapped at 
 herself. 
 
 Mr. Morley, therefore, took his way across the 
 common the very next morning to see the delin- 
 quent ; noway appeased by the glorious sunshine 
 which, with the caprice common to our climate, had 
 replaced the cold rain of the day before, and was 
 streaming upon the magnificent oaks that stood on 
 the verge of the table-land which formed the parish 
 of Holmwood. 
 
 Under those oaks, the boast of the whole country, 
 the very group that occupied his thoughts were 
 now assembled. The delicate old lady was seated 
 on a cloak, throAvn over the large twisted roots of 
 on^^f the trees ; and the suspected Alban, leaning 
 idly against the trunk, was conversing with her. 
 At a little distance the superb figure of Mrs. Ward 
 was seen, bending eagerly over her painting ; while 
 Regina, kneeling by her side, was watching the 
 progress of her friend's pencil.
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 135 
 
 *^ Alban I3 quite incredulous, you see !" remark- 
 ed Mrs. Ward, as she dipped her brush into a 
 colour. 
 
 " I don't care ! " replied Regina, greatly irritated. 
 
 " Holmwood is a wonderful place," said Alban 
 coolly. 
 
 " And we are all so very brave by daylight — are 
 we not, Regina ? " exclaimed Mrs. Ward. 
 
 " And it is so very wise and grand not to 
 believe," added Regina. " I don't see why it is 
 impossible that some person should have looked at 
 us through the window." 
 
 '' Nor I, Miss Howard," said Alban. '' It is, on 
 the contrary, perfectly admissible to my reason 
 that you should be looked at, whether through a 
 window or not.", 
 
 Mrs. Arnold and Mrs. Ward both laughed; 
 Regina drew up her head. 
 
 " When people become personal," she remarked 
 with dignity, " there is an end of course to the 
 conversation." 
 
 *^ As the conversation is said to be extinguished," 
 replied Alban carelessly, " it will be superfluous
 
 136 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 in me to hint, that there were no footmarks under 
 the window." 
 
 " Ghosts don't leave footmarks — do they, 
 Eegina?" cried Mrs. Ward. 
 
 " It must be a very heavy person, ghost or not, 
 who could make footmarks on a brick walk," 
 answered Kegina. 
 
 " Ah ! we forgot the brick path," laughed Mrs. 
 Ward, looking back at her son. 
 
 " You have drawn long enough, and are quite 
 fatigued; you never know when to leave off," was 
 his reply, coming up to her, and taking the pencils 
 calmly out of her hand. 
 
 Regina noticed that he never used any endear- 
 ing epithets to his mother; but his voice and 
 manner suddenly softened whenever he spoke to 
 her, and gave a tenderness to his address that no 
 affectionate terms could have equalled. She could 
 not help thinking that this manner, in so cold a 
 person, was the most agreeable in the world. 
 
 *^ What shall I do without him, Regina?" asked 
 Mrs. Ward with a sigh ; " he goes back to Scotland 
 ou Tuesday."
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 137 
 
 *^ Then I may take my humble leave of him this 
 afternoon," said Regina, mockingly. " To-morrow 
 being Sunday, I suppose we shall see nothing of 
 you, and Monday I shall pass the day at the 
 Winters', on account of the concert; for we have 
 a grand rehearsal in the morning." 
 
 '' And what do you mean to wear,little Regina ?" 
 
 ^' Only a white dress — a new one, though — of 
 spotted muslin, that granny bought for me last 
 week." 
 
 The latter part of this intelligence was conveyed 
 in rather a raised voice, owing to a provoking 
 smile that flashed for a moment over Alban's fiice. 
 
 *' If I send you a wreath of natural flowers, will 
 you wear them?" asked Mrs. Ward; *^ I'm rather 
 clever at making up that sort of thing." 
 
 Regina gratefully accepted. 
 
 " What may that person want ? " asked Mrs. 
 Ward carelessly, indicating by a movement of her 
 little sketcli-book a jT^aunt jjentleman standin^j in 
 the path a little beyond the trees, and signing with 
 his hand towards the party. 
 
 ^*It is Mr. Morley!" exclaimed Regina; ^' I
 
 138 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 think he wishes to speak to one of us." But she 
 paused, as if not finding his speeches refreshing 
 enough to go in search of them. 
 
 Mr. Morley, after beckoning to Mrs. Arnold, to 
 get up and come down to him, in vain — for she 
 respected her own grey hairs, though he did not, 
 and she waited quietly for him to come to her with 
 his errand; Mr. Morley then advanced towards 
 her, and called out, " I shall be at your house this 
 evening, Mrs. Arnold, as I desire to speak with 
 you;" and then he turned and left the group to 
 themselves. 
 
 Now it is often the case, in this world, that when 
 we are promised some little agreeable treat, and 
 are quite looking forward to it, some trifling cir- 
 cumstance deprives us of the expected pleasure ; 
 but this perverse interruption rarely takes place 
 when any thing disagreeable is hanging over our 
 heads. So that Mr. Morley w^as ushered into Mrs. 
 Arnold's dining-room about seven o'clock; and 
 the charming old lady went down to receive him, 
 while Regina, in the drawing-room above, was 
 giving Mrs. Ward and her son, who had been per-
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 139 
 
 suaded to stay and pass the evening, a very lively 
 account of her rector's and Miss Hoppers be- 
 haviour to her grandmama. 
 
 " All the harm I wish them both is, that they 
 may marry each other, and then repent of it," 
 cried Regina ; " I say nothing against Mr. Morley, 
 but both his wives have died — that's all I " 
 
 " And you think that Miss Hopper would fare 
 no better," said Mrs. Ward, smiling. 
 
 ^' It would take a good deal to kill her, I should 
 think," remarked Alban. 
 
 *^ It is entirely owing to Winny that Mr. !Morley 
 behaves with such disrespect to grandmama. As 
 for me, I believe he looks upon me as an outcast, 
 because I am not one of Miss Hopper's followers, 
 like most of the young ladies in the neighbour- 
 hood." 
 
 ''And what are their tenets, little Eegina?" 
 asked Mrs. Ward, lauo-hins:. 
 
 '^ They make a profusion of little worsted socks 
 for babies, under Winny 's orders, and they cultivate 
 an unbounded love for the clergy. Miss Hopper 
 loves all babies, dirty or clean, and squeaks at
 
 140 BEYMINSTRB. 
 
 them till the poor little animals are almost in 
 fits." 
 
 '^ Here comes Mrs. Arnold, to tell us of her 
 visitor," said Mrs. Ward. 
 
 " Now, granny, we are all impatience to hear 
 what our sweet shepherd has been saying." 
 
 Alban laughed suddenly at the epithet. The 
 old lady shook her head at Eegina, and told her to 
 make the tea. 
 
 " Oh ! it's too bad to go in a corner, and whisper 
 it to Mrs. Ward," cried Eegina, as she busied herself 
 at the tea-table. '' I am dying with curiosity." 
 
 ^* Mrs. Arnold cannot trust you," said Alban. - 
 
 "" Do you mean to say I cannot keep a secret?" 
 she asked hastily. 
 
 " Oh ! not at all ; you might j^erhaps keep a 
 secret." 
 
 " What did you mean, then, Mr. Ward?" 
 
 " I need not tell you, Miss Arnold, because you 
 know already." 
 
 " You meant to provoke me, for one thing." 
 
 '^And I have succeeded. But it is very be- 
 comine:."
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 141 
 
 " Will you tell me — yes or no?" asked Regina, 
 colouring still more deeply. 
 
 '^I could not help thinking that Mrs. Arnold 
 had some view to Mr. Morley's personal safety in 
 her silence. She thought your feelings would be 
 too much for you when next you saw him." 
 
 Regina was about to make a quick retort, when 
 she was interrupted by a burst of laughter from 
 Mrs. Ward. 
 
 "No — dearest Mrs. Arnold!" she exclaimed; "I 
 cannot keep this to myself; it is far too good. It 
 is you, Alban, who cause that worthy man so much 
 uneasiness, as Joseph Surface says. He insists 
 upon it, that you are not my son ! Who would have 
 thought, Regina, that my silly joke to you could 
 have spread so far?" 
 
 And she looked so very lovely, so fresh, and 
 young, with her rosy laugh and glancing teeth, 
 that Mr. Morley might almost have been forgiven 
 for his doubts. 
 
 " It puzzles me to know what Mr. Morley has 
 to do with it," said Alban haughtily ; " whether 
 I am your son or your grandfather."
 
 142 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 " I believe, Mr. Ward," replied Mrs. Arnold 
 gently, '^ that I am the object of his present 
 anxiety. He arrogates to himself the right of 
 selecting my friends." 
 
 " And do you not see, Alban," exclaimed Mrs. 
 Ward, still laughing, '^ that if I am so flighty a 
 creature as to entertain young men who are 
 not related to me, that 1 might in time lead 
 Mrso Arnold into the same bad ways, to say no- 
 thing of my little Regina?" 
 
 He gazed at his mother with the grave per- 
 plexed expression Kegina had often observed w^hen 
 Mrs. Ward was in high spirits, as if he wondered 
 at her gaiety : then, catching her meaning, coloured 
 suddenly with anger. 
 
 " I always ventured to disapprove your change 
 of name," he said coldly, after a pause, " and you 
 see noAV one of your difficulties ; it is out of your 
 power to prove any thing under a feigned name." 
 
 *^ But, my dearest Alban, I was afraid: it is a 
 w^ord you don't understand — but you do, Mrs. 
 Arnold." 
 
 ^^ Perfectly, my dear," replied the old lady,
 
 BEY3IINSTRE. 143 
 
 taking her hand ; " and, as far as / am concerned, 
 I pay my own penetration the compliment of need- 
 ing no proofs to assure me that you are worthy 
 of esteem." 
 
 "You are all goodness, madam," said Alban, 
 coming up to her — and, as she kindly extended 
 her other hand to him, he kissed it with as much 
 respect as he woidd have shewn to a queen. 
 
 •" Well ! but we must consult," said Mrs. 
 Arnold. 
 
 " How are we to announce, dear Mrs. Ward, 
 that this young gentleman has every right to visit 
 you?" 
 
 '^I advise my mother to resume her name at 
 once," remarked Alban ; " and then the gossips, far 
 and near, will have no difficulty in finding for them- 
 selves every particular connected with her — our 
 family is not unknown." 
 
 " Yes ! but fancy persuading good Mrs. King,, 
 and Nelly my maid, that my real name is Wil- 
 lingham," cried Mrs. Ward, laughing. ^' I should 
 like it very much, but they would never believe 
 me."
 
 144 BEYMINSTKE. 
 
 " These English are so hard to convince," said 
 Mrs. Arnold, with a little vexed look, " or else I 
 should advise your speaking confidentially to Mr. 
 Carter, your clergyman (a very good man), and 
 offering to procure proofs, if he desires it, of all 
 you assert." 
 
 '^ It would be so very embarrassing if he were 
 to be incredulous," remarked IVIrs. Ward. " I 
 know I am in a difficulty ; but I think Alban 
 shall send me the certificate of his baptism, to be 
 kept in reserve." 
 
 '^ And if any body tells me that WInny Hopper 
 is not at the bottom of all this trouble, I won't 
 believe them!" exclaimed Reglna. 
 
 '* Throw your glove down, Miss Howard," added 
 Alban. 
 
 *^ He can't take it up if you do, Regina," 
 laughed Mrs. Ward ; " for he w^ould hardlj^ enter 
 the lists as Miss Hopper's champion." 
 
 ^* What is to be done, Mrs. Arnold ? " asked 
 Alban. 
 
 " Nothing, I think, Mr. Ward," she replied : 
 " we must wait. I am afraid that, if Miss Hopper
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 145 
 
 could throw any light upon Mrs. Ward's retreat, 
 she would be glad to do so — and her true name 
 would be a great help, you know." 
 
 " I see no objection to that," replied Alban; " it 
 is my belief that Colonel Willingham, my father, 
 is gone to South America, I feel sure that my 
 mother could live here in perfect security." 
 
 "But he might return — I dare not I" said Mrs. 
 Ward. " No ! things must go on as they are." 
 
 " And now, granny," said Kegina, " what can 
 you say for Winny?" 
 
 " She is restless, my dear, and longs to dis- 
 cover what she fancies a secret ; and, I believe, she 
 talks herself into the belief that she is doing right, 
 when we feel her to be very much in the wrong." 
 
 " And she wants to be first with Mr. Morley, 
 and she envies Mrs. Ward her beauty, and she 
 hates all those whom we love," cried Regina, all in 
 a breath. 
 
 " And, my little Eegina, the tea is ready to 
 pour out," added Mrs. Arnold. 
 
 VOL. I.
 
 146 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 The important day is come at last. All 
 Bradford partakes of the excitement. '^ You 
 might hear the pianos going all down Prior- 
 street ; " as Mr. Richard tells his mother when 
 he comes in to his early dinner. The Sunday 
 scholars of Miss Charlotte — whom she teaches 
 to sing with exemplary skill and patience — have 
 been busied from an early lioiu* in decorating the 
 music-room with festoons of evergreens and 
 summer roses, for which they are severally 
 rewarded by Mrs. Winter, as they go out, with a 
 large glass of cowslip-wine, and an immense piece 
 of plum-cake. The instruments are tuned and 
 arranged on the platform. Regina has withdrawn 
 from the tea-table, which the hospitable old lady 
 has converted into a banquet of every delicacy
 
 BEYMIXSTRE. 147 
 
 she could recollect, to make her toilet under the 
 superintendence of Miss Winter. Miss Charlotte 
 floats into the room devoted to the performers, to 
 give the final touches to the sideboard of fruit and 
 refreshments prepared for their gratification, and 
 arrano;es her blue satin boddice and black rino-lets 
 before the glass. Mr. Bradford Winter saunters 
 in soon after, not much better-looking than his 
 brother Richard, but very smart and scented, with 
 white gloves and curled hair ; Miss Field and Miss 
 Clark, with the two Misses Rogers, arrive next, 
 with a roll of music apiece, and very stiff silk 
 gowns. They sit drinking coffee, with flushed 
 faces and trembling hands, and Mr. Bradford 
 hands them cakes and pays them compliments. 
 They think him very charming indeed. Then 
 come the Misses Ramsay, with a great many 
 bracelets on, as gay as peacocks ; and they stand 
 by the side-table eating rout-cakes, and ignoring 
 the presence of the young ladies who live in the 
 town. And then come the Misses Chiling worth, 
 who give themselves still more airs, and decline 
 lemonade, and freeze Mr- Bradford with mono-
 
 148 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 syllables when he makes some remarks to them 
 about the new opera. 
 
 Mr. Winter now glides in among his pupils, 
 dressed with his usual delicate precision, and says 
 something gentle and kind to each — quite as kind 
 to Miss Field, the butterman's daughter, as to 
 Miss Chillingworth, in her worked gauze and 
 geranium bouquet; and, while he. is going his 
 round, !Mr. Richard tumbles into the room, 
 uncouth as ever, having, it is believed, made some 
 vague attempt to arrange his hair, and calls out — 
 " I say, father, have you seen Miss Howard ? 
 She is just stopping on the stairs to speak to 
 mother. Just look out, that's all — ^ angels ever 
 bright and fair!'" And with this quotation he 
 falls into a chair by Miss Rogers, and stares 
 audaciously at Miss Chillingworth's indignant 
 countenance. 
 
 And when Regina, all unconscious of the 
 announcement that has preceded her entrance, 
 walks quietly into the room, they all feel the 
 influence of a superior presence, though her 
 worked muslin dress has no flounces, as INIiss
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 149 
 
 Chlllingworth observes ; and the Misses Ramsay 
 are sure you could buy all she has on for a couple 
 of guineas. But Mr. Winter thinks that Raphael 
 never depicted a more spiritual vision than that 
 graceful head, with its dark satin tresses crowned 
 with a spotless wreath of the double paper narcis- 
 sus, replacing the scroll of hair which now droops 
 in rich plaits upon the slender neck ; while Mr. 
 Bradford finds no compliment good enough for the 
 occasion, and Mr. Richard leans back and looks 
 round with a self-satisfied air, as if he coolly 
 challenged the society to produce any thing to 
 beat that ! 
 
 Meanwhile the Ramsays flatter the Chilling- 
 worths with deep-drawn vulgar breaths of admira- 
 tion ; and then the quartett pass away the time 
 with a little pleasant gossip, which Regina hears, 
 though she is not invited to take any share in it. 
 
 " Do you know, Louisa," whispers Miss Ramsay, 
 ^^ Mrs. Arnold arrived just as we did, and she had 
 with her such a handsome young man ! " 
 
 ^' No ! Mrs. Arnold ? fancy her with a young 
 man ! Who could he be ? "
 
 150 BEY'MINSTRE. 
 
 "Kegina must know — shall we ask her?** 
 sus^o^ests Julia. 
 
 Miss Chillingwortk looks haughty, and decides 
 not to ask Regina. " After all, he could be 
 nobody if he was with Mrs. Arnold/^ she declares. 
 
 " He is very like Lord Oswestry," remarks 
 Eliza Ramsay. 
 
 ^'Impossible, child!" retorts Miss Chillingworth. 
 
 But Julia corroborates the likeness, and insists 
 that the stranger is much better looking — that he 
 has Lord Oswestry's air and complexion, without 
 being so awfully pale. 
 
 " And Lord Oswestry is marked with the 
 smallpox," adds Eliza. 
 
 "And stares insolently," says Julia. 
 
 " This young man had a pretty good stare of his 
 own," says Eliza, laughing. 
 
 Miss Chillingworth loses her temper in defend- 
 ing Lord Oswestry, and she becomes so personal 
 touching tbie incapacity of ordinary people to form 
 any judgment on the qualities of men of rank, 
 that' the Ramsays withdraw their remarks, and 
 declare his lordship to be perfection; while
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 151 
 
 Regina, who has recognised Alban by ^liss 
 Kamsay's description, is all astonishment to find 
 that he has accompanied her grandmama to the 
 concert. 
 
 " Eight o'clock, father ! " cries Mr. Richard, 
 and he runs up the steps to the platform, makes a 
 rough kind of bow to the audience, and seizes his 
 violoncello. Mr. Winter follows, courteously 
 leading Regina to her place at the piano. 
 
 The office of opening the concert had been 
 assigned to her, because it was generally under- 
 stood that the more indifferent players were to 
 begin the entertainment. She pulled off her 
 gloves with a desperate effort, and then, catching 
 sight of the whole long wide room, crowded with 
 faces, she turned suddenly to Mr. Winter, and 
 said — 
 
 " I'm afraid." 
 
 " Dear lady ! " said ^Ir. Winter, with the gentle 
 manner that took all the scorn out of his words, 
 " they are only people. You are not afraid of 
 Mrs. Ramsay? don't be afraid of a great -many 
 Iklrs. Ramsays."
 
 152 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 He had touched the right spring. Eegina sat 
 down as firmly as if she were playing alone with 
 him and Mr. Kichard. The old man took up his 
 violin, Mr. Kichard drew the stormy soul out of his 
 violoncello — the lovers of music had a real treat. 
 
 But, after all her beautiful clear playing, she 
 was handed down by Mr. Winter with very little 
 applause; for Mrs. Arnold's fortune was very 
 moderate, and there were not ten people in the 
 room who knew whether she played ill or well, 
 whereas there were two hundred who knew that 
 Mrs. Chillingworth was a great lady, and Mrs. 
 Ramsay as rich as a Jew : and it was well for 
 Regina that she was contented with Mr. Winter's 
 praise, as he thanked her for doing so much credit 
 to his tuition ; while Mr. Richard made her smile 
 by exclaiming, as he brought her a glass of 
 lemonade, '^ That he would like to see any one of 
 the lot beat that — not even excepting his sister 
 Charlotte on the harp." 
 
 But when Miss Chillingworth mounted the 
 platform, there was such a clapping of hands that 
 Mr. Winter told her to acknowledge her receptioa
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 153 
 
 by courtesying three times over; and when she 
 broke down in that famous piece by Chaulien, the 
 applause became louder still; and when, after 
 several attempts to get on, she assaulted the piano, 
 in a frenzy, with a shower of horrible chords in all 
 manner of keys, the people seemed to be wild 
 with delight, and continued to clap and cry bravo 
 until she disappeared down the steps. 
 
 Mr. Richard's extraordinary faces during this 
 strange performance — shuddering, gasping, and 
 depicting a grotesque agony in every feature — 
 made Kegina laugh ; and when Miss Chilling- 
 worth entered the waiting-room, looking very 
 conscious and grand, and saw her rival so merry, 
 she "rave her credit for concealinor her mortification 
 by a clever piece of acting. She was succeeded 
 by Miss Ramsay, whose performance was more 
 feeble, but less distinguished by original embellish- 
 ment. Sophia Chillingworth and the other 
 Ramsays succeeded each other ; but, as they had 
 chosen to play single-handed, their performances, 
 though tolerably correct, fell very flat when 
 compared with the others. Miss Field and ^Liss
 
 154 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 Clark, with the Misses Rogers, played a beautiful 
 arrangement from Rossini's Stahat Mater, for four 
 performers, on two pianos, accompanied by a ^Ir. 
 Clark and a Mr. Rogers (two young gentlemen in 
 training for the law) upon two cornets. This 
 piece was in itself so beautiful, and so well 
 executed, that it was loudly encored, which 
 delighted Regina, who had drank in every note ; 
 while Miss Chillingworth remarked contemptu- 
 ously, that "the noise was enough to stun any 
 body," Miss Charlotte's fantasia on the harp, 
 accompanied by her father and her two brothers, 
 was equally well received ; but that. Miss Chilling- 
 worth could more easily forgive, because, as she 
 eaid, " those people got their living by it." 
 
 Regina had to open the second part with Schu- 
 bert's little air. Her beautiful voice, trained with 
 the utmost care, was of course worth hearing ; yet, 
 had it not been for some of the less select auditors 
 at the lower end of the hall, she would have been 
 quite abashed for Avant of the applause that was 
 lavished on all the other performers. But the 
 butterman was loud in her praises, and remarked
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 155 
 
 to those around him, that " she looked like a anofel 
 crowned with the lilies of the field, ahovering over 
 the pianner ; " — which was very near the truth, so 
 slight and spiritual she seemed, with her earnest 
 grev eyes, and a voice that soared above the in- 
 struments as sweet as the flute stop of an organ. 
 
 A trifling incident now gave a momentary 
 check to the proceedings: ^liss Clark declared 
 herself hoarse — and she was to sing the alto part 
 of the Et Incarnatus; she said it was fright, but 
 Miss Field affirmed it was toffy, to which luxury 
 Miss Clark was known to be much addicted. 
 However, as Regina could clearly sing only the 
 soprano, and as no one else knew how to read the 
 alto clef, or indeed to sing at sight if they had 
 known, the piece must have been given up, if ^iv. 
 Brand, who was loitering in the doorway, had not 
 offered to find them a substitute among the 
 audience. 
 
 He returned, leading a very pretty little girl, 
 about two years younger than Regina, with briglit 
 golden hair, and large wondering blue eyes, whom 
 he introduced as Miss Carleton.
 
 156 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 " Do you know the alto part ? " asked Regina 
 kindly, offering her the book. 
 
 " Yes, I have practised it lately," she answered, 
 blushing shyly. " Mr Brand spoke of the piece 
 some time ago, and said how beautifully you sang 
 it." 
 
 " Then you live near ? " said Eegina, wondering 
 how so pretty a face could have escaped her obser- 
 vation. 
 
 ^' No — I live at Kensington with my uncle and 
 aunt; but I am staying for a few weeks with 
 Mr. Morley." 
 
 *^Miss Carleton's mother was Mr. ^Morley'^^s 
 second wife," said Mr. Brand aside to Kegina; 
 " his five younger children are therefore her half- 
 sisters. Her mother left all her fortune to Mr. 
 IMorley, and this child is being educated by her 
 uncle and aunt, with a view to her going out as a 
 governess." 
 
 '' I suppose you think that all right ! " exclaimed 
 Begin a warmly. 
 
 " I am sure I shall think the Et Incarnatus all 
 right/' returned Mr. Brand, evading the question ;
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 157 
 
 '' you will find Miss Carleton's voice very chaiTQ- 
 
 ing." 
 
 Regina was all kindness to the little girl, and 
 whispered her not to be afraid when they went on 
 the platform ; and Miss Carleton clung to her 
 arm, and read out of her book. She had a rich, 
 full alto voice, and sang very correctly; and 
 Regina took quite a fancy to her pretty little timid 
 companion. The national anthem closed the con- 
 cert, in which Miss Carleton still took IMiss 
 Clark's part ; and then, as soon as the last notes of 
 the organ had died away, the performers came 
 do'v^Ti and mixed with the audience. The Misses 
 Chillingworth were received with a perfect ova- 
 tion ; the Ramsay s were generally complimented ; 
 Regina glided unnoticed behind them. Miss Carle- 
 ton wished her good-night with a warm shake of 
 the hand, and then Regina succeeded in making her 
 way to her grandmama's side, Mrs. Arnold gave 
 her a smile of approbation — and Alban looked 
 steadily at her, and said calmly, *^ Thank you! " 
 
 "The butterman is here I" cried Regina all in a 
 breath ; "' and he said I was a angel, for Mr. Rich-
 
 158 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 ard told me so ! And I sang my very best on his 
 account." 
 
 " Well, Eegina," said Mrs. Chillingworth, turn- 
 ing round with a glare, " I think you are getting 
 on : yes, you play better, certainly, than when I 
 heard you last." 
 
 As Mrs. Chillingworth had not heard her for 
 three years, Regina hoped she did. 
 
 And then Mrs. Hamsay, who had been extolling 
 the Misses Chillingworth in her loudest tone, 
 stretched out her hand to Eegina, and with her 
 large head all on one side, said — " You here, Re- 
 gina ! You have not been playing, have you ?" 
 
 ^^ Oh, no! Mrs. Ramsay!" answered Regina 
 eagerly. 
 
 " My little Regina," remonstrated Mrs. Arnold. 
 
 " I could not call my little attempt, j^/a?/i?2^/" 
 she rejoined with mock humility. 
 
 Alban smiled, and looked at her as if he was 
 about to speak ; but thought better of it, and 
 directed his gaze calmly among the audience. 
 
 "Never mind!" said Mrs. Ramsay, good na- 
 turedly, ^^you will do better another time; you
 
 BEY3IIXSTRE. 1,59 
 
 know you are younger than Julia, and she has 
 such talent — such great talent I We had a gen- 
 tleman dining with us the other day, and he was 
 talking of my daughters, and saying how grateful 
 I ought to feel that they were so gifted. He 
 remarked at the time that Julia resembled Lady 
 Oswestry in her style of beauty." 
 
 As Lady Oswestry was a proverb in the coun- 
 try for her beauty, Regina thought this pretty 
 well, even for Mrs. Ramsay. But she had not 
 half done boasting ; and Mrs. Arnold was obliged 
 to say in her little voice, which stood but a poor 
 chance of making head against Mrs. Ramsay's 
 great one — " My dear Mrs. Ramsay, I must say 
 good-night, for my little fly is announced, and is 
 taking up the place of better vehicles." 
 
 Very scornful did Mrs. Ramsay look at the 
 mention of the little fly, and very comfortably did 
 she reflect on the laro;e carriaore, with its lar^^e 
 grey horses, which was to have the honour of 
 drawing her to her large house, about a mile from 
 the town. 
 
 The moon was pouring a flood of light and deep
 
 160 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 black shadow over the quaint old town. There 
 stood the curious timber house, with its black 
 beams on a white ground; and the tall church 
 with its bell-tower hard by ; and the shallow steps 
 leading up to the market-place, touched with sil- 
 ver light; and the silence, always solemn and 
 expressive, of a town by night — so many buildings 
 closed, so many restless lives hushed, and the 
 summer air so ineffably sweet and fresh — Kegina 
 felt an intense longing to walk, instead of being 
 shut up in the fly, and she said so to [Mrs. 
 Arnold. 
 
 ^' Just only across the common, granny ; how 
 lovely it would look 1" 
 
 " My little Eegina, I should have liked it of all 
 things fifty years ago," said Mrs Arnold ; " but 
 now Tm afraid of the dew." 
 
 " If you will allow me to escort Miss Howard 
 across the common," Alban suggested, " I think 
 we shall walk as fast as you will drive." 
 
 Mrs. Arnold, who seldom found it in her heart 
 to deny Regina any thing, consented, and desired 
 the driver to go at a foot-pace, while Alban
 
 BEYMIXSTRE. IGl 
 
 OiFered his arm to his companion, and they set 
 forward. 
 
 " That was very good-natured, and I'm much 
 obliged to you," began Kegina with her whimsical 
 frankness. 
 
 '^ And I'm obliged to you^'^ he said with equal 
 frankness. " I think I shall never forget your 
 singing to-night." 
 
 " I'm glad I sang well," answered Eegina ; '^ I 
 wished to do so for many reasons." 
 
 '^ ^lay I ask what reasons ? " 
 
 " I wished of course to please grandmama ; 
 and then 1 was very anxious to do credit to Mr.. 
 Winter's teachinj]: — for he takes a o-reat deal of 
 pains with me, much more than I can repay." 
 
 " I am sorry for that." 
 
 ^' Sorry?" 
 
 *^ Yes — I think those people should be paid, and 
 have done with it." 
 
 '' But there are so many things that you cannot 
 pay. Why, a servant who has nursed you kmdly 
 and faithfully, you cannot pay with money. 
 Grandmama often says she can never pny ^Irs. 
 
 VOL. I. M
 
 162 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 Nutt, who waited on my grandfather in his last 
 illness. But I suppose," she added hesitatingly, 
 '^ that you don't like to feel grateful." 
 
 ^^ Yes, I do — to my equals ; I like to feel grate- 
 ful to Mrs. Arnold and you for your kindness to 
 my mother." 
 
 ^^It's well," said Regina, half jesting, "that you 
 will allow any body to be your equals." 
 
 ^' Have you come to the end of your reasons?" 
 he asked. 
 
 " No — I had one more ; and I'm almost afraid 
 it was the strongest — but you would not under- 
 stand it." 
 
 '^And why not?" 
 
 '^ Because you are a man ; and it is only women 
 who feel or understand slights. There were many 
 of the neighbours present who I knew would de- 
 spise my playing and singing — not because it was 
 bad, but because I was poor — and so I resolved to 
 do my very best. You need not laugh." 
 
 " It was very natural. And you did your very 
 best ; you sang divinely." 
 
 Regina coloured, and trembled with pleasure;
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 163 
 
 and they walked on for some time, saying very 
 little. 
 
 Then Alban stopped and remarked on the great 
 oaks drinking in the moonshine in large masses — 
 not a leaf stirring ; the wide pale sky behind un- 
 broken by a single clouds As they stood, the light 
 shone down on Kegina's graceful head, with its 
 spotless crown, and illuminated her fine pale features 
 with such an ethereal radiance as no pencil could 
 imitate or pen describe. As Alban gazed at her, 
 he was reminded of a saint he had once seen pic- 
 tured on a church window, with the halo of the 
 settino; sun shinino; all round and throuojh her 
 form, till it seemed as if the air was made glorious 
 with the radiant presence of a blessed spirit. In 
 that semblance Regina was present to his thoughts 
 during years of absence ; and he could no more 
 efface that moment from his memory, than we can 
 any of us banish one of the grave recollections 
 of life from that mysterious garner of our 
 thoughts. 
 
 " My dear," said IMrs. Arnold, leaning from the 
 window of the carriage, " do not let Mr. Alban
 
 164 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 pass the Dykeham turning. You can then get in, 
 for we are almost at home." 
 
 Regina longed to say that she would rather walk 
 that little way; but a new feeling of shyness 
 stopped her. It would be asking Alban to come 
 a little out of his road, and seem as if — as if, she 
 hardly knew what. 
 
 But before she had done thinking, Alban said, 
 *' I must see you to your own door, Mrs. Arnold — 
 I can cross the fields to Dykeham. You will walk 
 those few steps farther, will you not ? " 
 
 E-egina hesitated. Now, that he addressed her 
 for the first time in that tone he so often used to 
 his mother, she could hardly reply to the very thing 
 she wished before. 
 
 "Do give me those few minutes more," he 
 urged. 
 
 " Yes — I prefer walking," she said hurriedly, with 
 a strange feeling of constraint, a nervous dread of 
 getting home, and having to say good-by ; a 
 wonder how he would take leave of them. 
 
 But they were soon at the gate. Alban handed 
 out Mrs. Arnold, and thanked her and bade her
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 165 
 
 farewell, and shook hands with Regina and was 
 gone, all in a minute. 
 
 '^ How hateful it is to say good-by to people, 
 granny, even when they are almost strangers!" 
 said Regina, as they sat drinking coffee, before they 
 went to bed. 
 
 " So it is, my little Regina," said Mrs. Arnold ; 
 " and I can't help thinking of poor Mrs. Ward — 
 how sad she feels to night. I wish she was with 
 us." 
 
 " I will go to her to-morrow, granny, and bring 
 her here to spend the day; she will feel so 
 lonely." 
 
 " Do, my little Regina. I was very much 
 pleased with your performances, and you looked 
 tolerably," said the old lady with a fond smile. 
 
 "Ah, granny!" cried Regina, "if I were but 
 rich, some of the people would have thought so 
 too — but I never shall be." 
 
 " I hope not, my little one," replied Mrs. 
 Arnold, seriously. 
 
 "Ah, granny! I know what you mean about 
 snares and so forth ; but I should like to be a o^reat
 
 166 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 lady, and intimate with great people, if it wei-e 
 
 only to shew Mrs. Chillingworth '* 
 
 " Every attention," rejoined Mrs. Arnold with 
 herjin sourire*
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 1G7 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 The paces of time have been recorded by a 
 great hand, whose lightest work will never die ; 
 and nothing more remains to be said in illustration 
 of the subject. Time stole over Regina's head 
 with very easy footsteps for the next year. She 
 spent a great deal of her time with Mrs. Ward; 
 going over to Dykeham, and frequently persuad- 
 ing her friend to return and spend the day mth 
 her grandmama. During the winter, indeed, these 
 late visits were interrupted, because the cold air 
 alFected Mrs. Ward, and brouorht on her couirh and 
 spasms, so as often to alarm her friends, and induce 
 them to uro;e her to consult their doctor. 
 
 But Mrs. Ward laughed away their fears, and 
 said that Mrs. Arnold was her doctor, and kind- 
 ness her best prescription; and that she never
 
 1G8 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 failed to bring with her benign face. And by this 
 time she had got to call Mrs. Arnold '^granny," 
 as Reglna did; and Indeed there subsisted be- 
 tween them almost the affection of mother and 
 daughter. 
 
 Very little Intercourse took place between Mrs. 
 Arnold and her rector. Mr. Morley never for- 
 gave her friendship for Mrs. Ward, and her posi- 
 tive disbelief in all Miss Hopper's charitable 
 suspicions. She made some kindly attempts to 
 show attention to his daughters ; but her advances 
 received so decided a check on his side, that she 
 was obliged to give them up; and Regina was 
 therefore denied the privilege of associating -with 
 the seven blisses Morley. 
 
 For a few weeks after the concert, Kegina 
 caught a glimpse now and then of the pretty Miss 
 Carleton in her walks, and then a bright smile and 
 a glance of recognition passed between them ; but, 
 as she was always in company with some of her 
 half-sisters, no farther advances could be made 
 towards intimacy. 
 
 But Mr. Brand, who was suspected of not think-
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 169 
 
 iDg exactly like his rector on n:iany points, was 
 guilty of keeping up a sociable acquaintance whh. 
 Mrs. Arnold. More than tliat, for few days passed 
 tliat he did not find his way to the brick house ; 
 and people began to accuse him of having an eye 
 to Miss Howard, who was growing now quite tall 
 and womanly. Only Mr. Brand liad exactly one 
 hundred a year besides his curacy, and Eegina, 
 while her grandmother lived, had nothing at all. 
 He had too much sense to think of making her an 
 offer; only, like many other men, he had not sense 
 enough to let her alone, but kept constantly call- 
 ing, and hearing her sing, and dropping in to tea, 
 and talking over books — for he was an accomplished 
 man, and Regina had inlierited her grandn^other's 
 taste for literature — and looking; over her drawing's, 
 and directing her little charities ; and, though he 
 had not much pretension to good looks, yet he 
 was a gentleman in manners and feelings, and well 
 it was for Kegina that she had seen somebody she 
 liked better. For the way in which just such a 
 man, quite as good as Mr. Brand, will tamper with 
 a girl's feelings as a cat plays with a mouse, and
 
 170 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 leave her to die of the harass, if it amuses her to 
 do so, is a fact well known to all people who 
 choose to keep their eyes open, however limited 
 may be their circle of acquaintance. It is your 
 good men only who do this; bad men have a 
 different mode of proceeding, which fails altogether 
 with women of delicate minds, and therefore per- 
 haps as common acquaintance they are rather to 
 be preferred. 
 
 But it is amazing how much interest Winny 
 took in Mr. Brand's behaviour ; how she ad- 
 monished him upon the sin of flirting ; and how 
 she would pursue him across the common, all the 
 way from the village school to Mrs. Arnold's house; 
 and catching him in the very fact, with his foot on 
 the scraper, would find out that she also wanted to 
 call on Mrs. Arnold, and so would go in with him ; 
 which he rather liked, for then he could leave 
 Winny to talk to Mrs. Arnold, while he en- 
 grossed Regina. 
 
 I wish I could say that Winny improved as she 
 grew older ; but the fact is, she did not. People 
 whispered that she looked down upon her home
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 171 
 
 duties, while slie ran about courting the clergymen 
 and dictating to the poor, so that her lame sickly 
 mother was totally neglected; and, as Winny dined 
 out most days with somebody or other, it was 
 hinted what very little shabby scraps of dinners 
 were reserved for poor Mrs. Hopper at home. But 
 Winny throve and prospered, and was greatly ad- 
 mired far and near. And, though ^frs. Arnold 
 discouraged village gossip in her house, yet Becky 
 did contrive to tell Regina that the poor (generally 
 acute judges of their superiors' conduct) wondered 
 at Miss Hopper looking after a young man like 
 Mr. Brand, as much as they w^ondered at her horrid 
 way of w^alking, or her singular soprano voice. It 
 did now and then strike Kegina what a remarkably 
 elastic age Miss Hopper's was. Sometimes it was 
 almost venerable, and she would go to see Mr. 
 Brand in his lodgings when he had a cold, or walk 
 home from Bradford tete-a-tete with Mr. Morley, 
 quite late, you know, in the evening ; and then it 
 would shut up suddenly like a telescope, and she 
 w^ould frisk and skip the youngest little kitten in 
 the parish — making herself quite a contemporary
 
 172 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 of Agatha Morley, who wore trousers, and was not 
 yet out of short division. 
 
 One fine hot July morning, Mr. Brand was 
 sitting with Mrs. Arnold and Regina, having called 
 apparently to speak about some grey dufHe cloaks 
 for certain old women in the parish, which really 
 would not be wanted for the next six months. 
 Regina was copying an engraving of Lord Falk- 
 land from a book that was going the round of the 
 society, Mr. Brand was cutting her pencils, and 
 Mrs. Arnold was taking down the old women's 
 names at the other table, when Miss Hopper was 
 announced. 
 
 " Of all the people in the world !" as Mr. Brand 
 said half audibly, while he pointed the pencil he 
 had taken up. Mrs. Arnold left her writing, and 
 politely inquired after Mrs. Hopper. 
 
 ^^ Quite well, thank you. Oh, her lameness is 
 nothing ; she has always been a little lame ! Draw- 
 ing, Regina? Mr. Brand giving you a lesson ?" 
 
 *^ Taking a lesson, Miss Hopper," replied Mr. 
 Brand, turning over the sketches in the portfolio 
 beside Regina, with the privileged air of a frequent
 
 BEYMIXSTRE. 173 
 
 guest. She laid her hand on the sheet he was 
 just about to take up. 
 
 *^ Xo, pray, Mr. Brand — not that one." 
 
 " I wanted to look again at your sketch of Prince 
 Eupert." 
 
 " There he is young, and there old," said Eegina, 
 selecting the two studies, and laying them before 
 him. " I hope you moralize duly on the difference, 
 Mr. Brand. To this complexion must we come 
 at last — or something very near it." 
 
 ^' Nothing near it, in some cases, Miss Howard !" 
 
 His eye directed hers to the soft bloom that 
 still lingered on her grandmother's cheek. Regina 
 smiled and looked gratified, almost (Winny 
 thought) affectionate. 
 
 ^' I think, Eegina," she cried, *^ we may trust 
 ^[r. Brand to draw a profitable moral from every 
 tiling ; I think we all remember his sermon la<t 
 Sunday upon Jacob's ladder." 
 
 " I think we do know the sweet Eoman hand !" 
 quoted Regina, looking at Mr. Brand with so 
 exactly the tone and air of Malvolio when lie ad- 
 dresses Olivia, that he fairly burst out into an
 
 174 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 uncontrolled peal of laughter ; while Mrs. Arnold 
 shook her head, in the vain notion that she was 
 concealing her smiles. 
 
 Winny looked indignant. She thought they 
 were laughing at her, and, with a tear in her treble 
 voice, begged to be allowed to know what the joke 
 was. 
 
 " I must lay the blame on Miss Howard," said 
 Mr. Brand, struggling to regain liis composure. 
 
 Regina watched him until he had just attained 
 this desirable object, and then suddenly placed 
 before him, taking care to screen it with the leaf 
 of her portfolio, an exact likeness of Winny herself, 
 on her very highest pair of clogs, which sent hiai 
 off again into a peal of laughter that threatened 
 to be inextinguishable. 
 
 " They are both very silly^ Miss Hopper," re- 
 marked Mrs. Arnold in her little peacemaking 
 tone. 
 
 "Malvolio, you know, Miss Hopper?" said 
 Regina — Miss Hopper didn't know. 
 
 '^Oh! you should read Twelfth Night, Miss 
 Hopper," pursued Regina; " or rather, if you wish
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 175 
 
 to enjoy it thoroughly, you should coax Mr. Brand 
 to read it to you the next time he has a cold — you 
 know." 
 
 This rather meaning allusion to Miss Hoppers 
 visits, made her feel very ill-natured. She tried 
 to find an arrow to fling at Regina in return. 
 
 " Haven't you taken Mr. Brand's portrait yet, 
 Retina?" she asked. 
 
 " No, but I mean to attempt him the very first 
 time I can catch a sight of him in his Geneva 
 gown. I'm such a Protestant, Miss Hopper! and 
 you know, Mr. Brand, I think your white robe 
 so extremely demi-toilette." 
 
 " I know. Miss Howard, you are incorrigible I" 
 he answered, with a smile. AYinny could not 
 think what made him look so pleased. All her 
 yawning did not seem to charm him so much as 
 Regina's impertinence. 
 
 " Besides, the naughty Papists preach in the 
 alb," continued Regina. " I would ' wear my rue 
 with a difference,' if I were a clergyman I Although 
 I hope you don't flatter yourself that your white 
 gown is any thing like a lovely laced alb."
 
 176 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 " You are worse than usual to-day. Miss 
 Howard ; I appeal to Mrs. Arnold." 
 
 " I think she is, Mr. Brand. I was just doubt- 
 ing whether I should be able to induce you to 
 take your luncheon with us to-day, after all this 
 pertness." 
 
 " Mr. Brand must, if it is only to shew that he 
 bears no malice," laughed Regina. 
 
 Mr. Brand seemed perfectly contented to give 
 .this proof of his placable disposition. 
 
 Mrs. Arnold then felt obliged, in common polite- 
 ness, to beg Winny to do the same ; which she 
 agreed to with the selfish eagerness and want of 
 tact that characterised all her proceedings. 
 
 "And, as luncheon is not quite ready," exclaimed 
 Regina, "I know Mr. Brand will read me the 
 Grave scene in Hamlet, while I finish my sketch." 
 
 He took the volume, laughing good-humour- 
 edly; Mrs. Arnold declared it was a pleasure 
 Regina had not deserved. 
 
 " It's in a play — isn't it?" asked Winny, fidget- 
 ing uneasily on her chair. 
 
 " Yes, rather a famous play in its time," said
 
 BEYMIXSTRE. 177 
 
 Regina carelessly; "but you forget, Miss Hopper; 
 you have no objection to plays noic; all that was 
 in my grandfather's day." 
 
 " The sooner I begin the better, I think/' said 
 Mr. Brand smiling. Regina nodded, and went on 
 drawing, with the pleased consciousness that he 
 would come upon some strong expressions from 
 Laertes, which could not be omitted with any 
 regard to the sense of the dialogue; and which 
 would make the innocent Winny, she hoped, run 
 out of the house in dismay. But Winny had no 
 mind to run out of the house, while there was a 
 nice young man in it ; she sat, smiling patiently, 
 while Mr. Brand, who possessed the rare talent of 
 dramatic reading, gave the exquisite dialogue 
 between Hamlet and the gravedigger; and, 
 though she certainly was startled by Laertes' fierce 
 attack upon the priest, slie bore it w^ith such 
 fortitude, that Regina feared the still more violent 
 outburst against Hamlet would equally fail to 
 dislodge her. 
 
 But her equanimity was destined to be spared 
 this trial. Ax that very moment Mrs. V/ard was 
 
 VOL. I. N
 
 178 BEYMINSTEE. 
 
 announced, and she came in, looking so hurried 
 and flushed — so excited either by joy or grief, 
 Winny could not tell which, she set herself dili- 
 gently to listen. 
 
 Regina looked anxiously at her friend while 
 Mrs. Arnold was speaking her sweet placid wel- 
 come. 
 
 " Don't you wonder at me, granny, walking to 
 see you through all this heat ? " asked Mrs. Ward, 
 laughing nervously. 
 
 " I am inclined to scold you, my dear ; but I will 
 give you some luncheon instead." 
 
 " Thank you, granny, I can't eat; but I am very 
 thirsty." 
 
 They assembled round the table in the cheerful 
 dining parlour, the room was cool and dark, and 
 the simple meal was laid out with taste. There 
 was a fresh, delicate fish salad, bread and butter, 
 and a plate of excellent cakes ; a perforated china 
 dish, made to imitate an osier basket, was heaped 
 w^ith fragrant strawberries ; and a large glass jug 
 of iced lemonade, all dewy with the cold, completed 
 the repast.
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 179 
 
 " This is delicious, Regina," said Mrs. Ward ; 
 " jour iceing powders are perfection." 
 
 '^ Every thing is perfection here," remarked Mr. 
 Brand. 
 
 ^Irs. Ward's eye lit on Regina for a moment 
 with a comic look, and then went back to its rest- 
 less expression. Regina grew more anxious every 
 moment. Could any thing have happened to 
 Alban ? No ! Mrs. Ward would have been wholly 
 unnerved if that were the case. She did not 
 know how to interpret her friend's countenance. 
 She only wished, with all her mi^^ht, that the 
 others would go. But there sat Winny, spearing 
 her strawberries one by one with angular precision, 
 and Mr. Brand, slowly sipping his lemonade and 
 talking to Mrs. Arnold about Krummacher, as 
 calmly as if thoy were not exhausting her pa- 
 tience. 
 
 At last Mr. Brand rose to go, and then you may 
 be sure Winny jumped up, and remarked that 
 they were going the same way. 
 
 As soon as they were out of the house, Mrs. 
 Ward drew her chair close to Mrs. Arnold, and
 
 180 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 said gently, " Granny, I learned this morning that 
 I am a widow." 
 
 *^My dear," replied Mrs. Arnold, "you are 
 assured of my sympathy, whether you need 
 it much or little. Some you must require 
 when the most solemn act of your life is thus 
 annulled." 
 
 ^' Yes ! your sympathy is very dear to me," said 
 Mrs. Ward hurriedly, "and yours, Regina; but, 
 to be free, you must have been abased to a slavery 
 as bitter as mine to feel the word. How often have 
 I looked forward to death to end my struggles, but 
 not his!" 
 
 ^^And where was he?" asked Mrs. Arnold. 
 
 " In South America ; Albau received the news, 
 and sent it on to me. He will be here in a few 
 days ; but there is very little business to transact, 
 I imagine. Colonel Willingham has spared me 
 that trouble; the only trouble he ever spared 
 me," she added with a smile. " And now Alban 
 advises me to resume my name. It will be enough 
 to say that I assume it in consequence of the death 
 of a relation."
 
 BEYMINSTKE. 181 
 
 '' You will not think of going home to-day, my 
 dear," said Mrs. Arnold; " you shall pass it quietly 
 with us, and Field shall call at Dykeham to let 
 them know." 
 
 *' Oh, thank you ! that is just what I shall most 
 like; it is such a comfort to have friends to 
 speak to when your mind is full." 
 
 " Only this afternoon," said Itegina, as she es- 
 tablished her friend on the soflx by the open 
 drawing-room window ; '^you shall sleep instead of 
 talking." 
 
 '•No! little Regina," returned Mrs. Willingham; 
 " come and sit by me in that lowest chair, and I v^ ill 
 tell you my history : — 
 
 '' I was a very rich heiress — I hardly know how 
 rich, for I had property in various ways ; as it is 
 all gone, that little matters. One of my guardians — 
 for I was an orphan, Regina — tried to marry me to 
 his son ; but, failing tliat, he encouraged the suit of 
 Sir Herbert Willingham, whose noble estate of 
 Beyrainstre gave him a fitting claim upon my 
 wealth. I wish he had loved me less; but he 
 threw into his attachment all the force and
 
 182 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 tenacity of a nature, proud, energetic, and 
 sensitive, almost to disease. 
 
 " Without being able to share his feelings, I was 
 touched and gratified by his devotion; and his 
 wealth and character alike enabled me to feel se- 
 cure that I was chosen for myself, not for my 
 fortune. And I fancied, because I could not 
 return or even understand his idolatry, that my 
 nature was incapable of an ardent attachment, and 
 that I must content myself with the tranquil 
 regard which he inspired." 
 
 Mrs. Willingham paused. '^I hate to look 
 back to that period," she said. " I was to blame ; 
 but what an expiation has my life been ever since ! 
 Shortly before our marriage, his younger brother 
 returned from abroad. It was the year after 
 "Waterloo, and you cannot imagine the absurd 
 enthusiasm with which every one was received 
 who had been in the war. Those who fought for 
 pay, or for amusement, or because they couldn't 
 help it, were welcomed with as much solemn 
 admiration as if they had offered up their lives to 
 the restoration of the Holy Sepulchre. It sickens
 
 BEYMIXSTRE. 183 
 
 me now to think of it. I was more extravagant, 
 more wildly besotted, than any of them. Colonel 
 Willinorham was brave of course ; his fame had 
 preceded him, and I fell in love with him at first 
 sight. I was but seventeen; he was a practised 
 man of the world. He wanted money, and he 
 followed up the impression he saw he had made. 
 Sir Herbert was obliged to be absent for a short 
 time before our marriage, and Colonel Willinghain 
 persuaded me to take advantage of my few 
 remaining days of liberty, and elope with him be- 
 fore his brother's return. This little I will say for 
 myself, that I urged more open measures. I 
 wished to tell Sir Herbert plainly that my heart 
 had been won, and require him to give me back 
 my promise. But I was overruled; I was in love, 
 and therefore persuaded to any thing ; and we set 
 off for Scotland the day before Sir Herbert's 
 return. 
 
 ^' One incident I recollect : Herbert's own 
 servant had discovered our secret just as we were 
 starting, and followed me to the door of the chaise 
 with the most earnest entreaties ; he even hung on
 
 184 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 to the heads of the leaders in the vain 
 attempt to stop our flight. Colonel Willingham 
 drove over him, and he was for a long time 
 incapacitated from giving the alarm. 
 
 " Many years afterwards I learned that Sir 
 Herbert had munificently rewarded this poor 
 man's interference, and established him in a house 
 of his own. His name was Baker." 
 
 '^ The miser!" cried Regina. "Poor Sir 
 Herbert !'' 
 
 " Yes ! his whole life was changed ; he made 
 no parade of his feelings, but he became so 
 eccentric that Colonel Willingham tried to prove 
 him insane, in order to get the property into his 
 own hands. Tlie attempt failed; but, if Sir 
 Herbert could hate him more, such a step 
 would of course have deepened the feeling. Well, 
 a few months convinced me of my mistake; and 
 I struggled not to believe as long as I could — 
 struircrled as wretches mio^ht have striven in the 
 hands of the executioner in the old days of torture, 
 not so much for life as for a cessation from pain. 
 I saw all my fortune scattering to the winds, and
 
 EEYMINSTRE. 185 
 
 I did not care at all. I could not force myself 
 to mind it, until I thought of my child. He 
 would be, literally, a beggar. Sir Herbert would 
 marry one day out of pique, and his heirs would 
 possess Beyminstre ; and Alban would have no- 
 thing, not even the means of earning his own 
 bread. 
 
 " And the time at last came when we were 
 beggars, and I knew want ; and lived, selling one 
 by one such articles of value as Colonel AVilling- 
 ham had not taken from me to adorn his favour- 
 ites : when a relation died, leaving me twenty 
 thousand pounds, tied up with all the formalities 
 of the law, to save it from falling into my hus- 
 band's hands. You may suppose that no inter- 
 course whatever had passed between Sir Herbert 
 and ourselves since my marriage ; but I had some 
 reason to hope sometimes, that towards me and 
 my son he was not so bitter as I deserved. 
 When I was very ill, at the time of my greatest 
 destitution, a physician attended me constantly, 
 and said that he was liberally paid by an unknown 
 hand. As soon as I received my legacy, I
 
 186 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 intended purchasing a commission for Alban ; but, 
 when I set on foot the proper inquiries, I 
 found it had just been done, the money paid, I 
 suppose, by the same unknown benefactor. It 
 struck me that, as Sir Herbert had not married, 
 he naturally looked upon Alban as his successor, 
 and desired that he should be placed in a position 
 suited to his future prospects." 
 
 "And how old is Sir Herbert?" asked Ke* 
 gina. 
 
 '* Twenty years older than I am," replied Mrs. 
 Willingham. 
 
 " But my troubles were not over. Colonel 
 Wiilinofhani heard of mv leo;acv, and wanted it. 
 It gaA^e rise to such terrible scenes, to such abuse, 
 such violence, that, if it had not been for Alban, I 
 believe I should have yielded, and signed it away. 
 Twice I gave myself up for lost. I thought he 
 would have killed me ; but once Alban saved me, 
 and the other time I believe my husband reflected, 
 that if I died the money would go straight to my 
 son. In all these degrading scenes, Alban never 
 lost his temper or his self-possession, and never
 
 BEYMINSTRK. ' 187 
 
 behaved to his parent otherwise than he woultl 
 have behaved to a father more worthy of such a 
 son." 
 
 " And then, Mrs. WiUingham " 
 
 " Thenv, Alban b^ing in Scotland, I took friglit 
 at being alone in London, exposed to the chance 
 of my husband's visits ; I consulted my lawyer, 
 changed my name, and came here, my little 
 Regina. And, if you did but know how Alban has 
 detested that unlucky name of Ward — how he 
 hated being called by it, or hearing me addressed 
 as Mrs. Ward ! Do you know, Eegina, often, when 
 I am most miserable, I cannot help laughing if a 
 thought strikes me ? and to see him draw back his 
 head when you have said Mr. Ward, has often set 
 me off, knowing him as I do." 
 
 '' My dear ! " said Mrs. Arnold, coming up to 
 the sofa, " I will not let you speak another word 
 till dinner-time." 
 
 '^ Then kiss me, granny, and I will He quite 
 still." 
 
 " Regina, how is it that you never have asked 
 me for the sketch I made of you ? "
 
 188 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 " Because I thought you had not had thue to 
 finish it, Mrs. Willingham." 
 
 " Well! Alban carried it off, unfinished as it 
 was ; he thought it so precious as a specimen of 
 my skill in portraiture — nothing but that ! "
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 1S9 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 IvEGiNA often wished that ^Irs. Willinorham 
 had not made that unlucky remark about her 
 picture. She felt quite sure that Alban had 
 never thought of her in that way. He was far too 
 great a person, with Beyminstre in the distance, 
 to contemplate for a moment so disproportioned a 
 match. 
 
 Mrs. Willingham was always making her blush 
 by such allusions whenever she received a letter 
 from her son. She would mention that Alban 
 desired his kindest regards to the young prima 
 donna, and hoped that she practised her singing 
 diligently. Or she would say, " You have no 
 Scotch relations, have you, Regina? — because 
 Alban remarks that he has not happened to see 
 any one in Scotland who resembles j^ou ; now that
 
 190 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 is not very wonderful, as you have no connections 
 there." 
 
 Regina did not know why she should feel so 
 conscious; but she quite dreaded Mrs. Willingham's 
 penetrating look whenever she mentioned her son. 
 She was wretched at the idea of his returning, 
 and took care never to go to Dykeham as the time 
 of his arrival drew near. 
 
 The neighbours took Mrs. Willingham's change 
 of name more kindly than could have been 
 expected, In her anxiety to escape all remark or 
 discussion, she did not go into weeds ; but her deep 
 mourning enabled people to believe that she had 
 lost a relation, and therefore might be entitled to 
 property that required such a measure. Miss 
 Hopper felt it right to ask Regina, whether Mrs. 
 Willingham had received a large addition to her 
 means ; but it may be supposed that Regina 
 expressed the most total ignorance on the subject. 
 
 One day she received at breakfast-time a little 
 note from Dykeham, with these few words : — 
 
 " My Dear Regina — Alban did not come last 
 night as I half expected, and I have not seen you
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 191 
 
 for four days. I don't like to be disappointed both 
 of my son and my daughter ; so put on your pretty 
 little straw bonnet trimmed with violets, and walk- 
 through the fields to Dykeham, before the sun 
 grows hot. — Your affectionate 
 
 " Regixa Willingham." 
 
 Whatever Mrs. Willingham asked her, Eegina 
 was pretty sure to do ; she tied on her bonnet and 
 little black silk cloak, took a scroll of drawing- 
 paper in her hand, which her friend, had com- 
 missioned her to get in Bradford, and set off 
 directly. 
 
 She walked on slowly, her eyes bent to the 
 ground, occupied with her own thoughts ; hoping, 
 if the tnith must be told, that Mrs. Willingham 
 would not be in one of her rallvino: moods. 
 When she reached the gate leading to the Dyke- 
 ham fields, a gentleman threw it open for her, 
 taking off his hat as he did so. She looked up ; 
 it was Alban. 
 
 ^' I was coming for you," he said quietly ; and she 
 felt his grave eyes scanning her from head to foot. 
 
 " When (lid you arrive, Mr. Willingham ? " she
 
 102 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 asked. " I had a note from Dykeliam not half an 
 liour ago, complaining that you had not come." 
 
 He smiled briefly, and said, " I believe I was at 
 Dykeham when the note was written. The mail 
 set me down there at five o'clock this morning." 
 
 " Oh ! " said Regina. 
 
 "My mother wished to see you, notwithstand- 
 ing," he added ; " and, you know, she will have 
 her way." 
 
 " Yes," replied his companion. 
 
 *• Now let me carry your music," he said. 
 
 *^It is Mrs. Willingham's property," she re- 
 turned. 
 
 " Then I may venture to look at it," he re- 
 marked. 
 
 She suffered him quietly to undo the scroll. 
 
 '^ So ! " he said, with his peculiar smile, as he 
 unrolled the blank sheet of paper. 
 
 '' Don't crumple it," said Regina. 
 
 "Why did you let me open it? you knew it 
 was not music," he observed. 
 
 " I thought it a pity you should not have your 
 way in such a trifle," she returned.
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 193 
 
 *^ And how does your music go on?" 
 
 *^ Oh ! I have left off learning now ; grandmama 
 did not quite like ray walking to Bradford so often 
 with only Becky." 
 
 "Your grandmama was quite right," he said; 
 and his eye scanned her graceful figure again with 
 a look of approbation. 
 
 "Now, look, Mr. Willingham!" said Eegina 
 suddenly ; " there is the miser — the old man wlio 
 peeped in at the window that evening; do you 
 remember?" 
 
 "That withered old man at the stile? Is he 
 mad?" 
 
 " I never heard he was." 
 
 The old man moved, to give place to Eegina, 
 and gazed at her attentively as Alban handed her 
 over. 
 
 " I am glad you do not spring down in the 
 reckless manner you used to do," he remarked. 
 
 " Consider my age, Mr. Willingham ! " exclaimed 
 Regina; " I am obliged to be discreet, often against 
 my will." 
 
 It was odd she did not feel embarrassed when 
 
 VOL. I. o
 
 194 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 alone with him. His composure secured her own. 
 It was quite different when Mrs. Willingham met 
 them laughing in the porch. 
 
 '^ So ! Alban has succeeded in bringing you," 
 she said ; " I thought w^e were never to meet again ; 
 thank you, though, very much for my paper." 
 '' Is it right, Mrs. Willingham ? " 
 "Exact; just the proper roughness for water 
 colour — is she not grown, Alban ? " 
 " Very much, I think," he replied. 
 " Grown what ? " she asked, looking up archly 
 into his face. 
 
 '' Tall," he said, calmly. 
 
 " It is a matter-of-fact age, Regina ! " exclaimed 
 !Mrs. Willingham, drawing her into the sitting- 
 room : ^^ we must take it as we find it ; we cannot 
 change things." 
 
 " We cannot change others, but I think we can 
 help being matter-of-fact ourselves; I dread no- 
 thing more than becoming like other people," 
 answered Regina. 
 
 " I suppose, by that grave inclination of his head, 
 he means something profound, like Lord Burghley,"
 
 EEYMIXSTRE. 195 
 
 exclaimed Mrs. Willingham. " I will interpret for 
 him. He means that you cannot, if you try, 
 become like other people ; in your case, nature and 
 education alike forbid it." 
 
 " Give me your paper, and I will fold it for you," 
 he said ; " it will fall a sacrifice to your eloquence 
 in another minute." 
 
 '*Let us go out into the meadow and sit by the 
 brook," said ^Irs. Willingham, ^^ when this gentle- 
 man has finished liis occupation : and perhaps he 
 will read to us ; though he cannot rival Mr. Brand 
 in that accomplishment. Eh ! Regina ? " 
 
 *'Mr. Brand reads beautifully," Regina ad- 
 mitted. 
 
 "I am ready when you are," returned Alban, 
 who was quietly folding the paper, without looking 
 up. 
 
 " Go on !" exclaimed Mrs. Willingham. " I have 
 to get my things together first; you will help me, 
 I know, little Regina — by the way, what a becom- 
 ing bonnet that is of yours ; don't you think so, 
 Alban?" 
 
 He looked at Regina for a moment, and then
 
 195 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 said, '' Miss Howard had rather I did not answer 
 that question." 
 
 Which was the truth. 
 
 They were very happy sitting under the tall 
 ash-trees that morning, at least Regina was. 
 They worked idly, and chatted; Alban was 
 curious about Miss Hopper, and Regina could not 
 help giving one or two dramatic scenes, in which 
 that lady was represented persecuting Mr. Brand, 
 or crying at one of Mr. Morley's unceremonious 
 lectures. She did the crying so well, minus the 
 tears, that Mrs. Willingham shed real tears (of 
 laughter), and even Alban's grave smile deepened 
 into mirth. Then Mrs. Willini^ham insisted on 
 her reading to them some of Lamartine's delightful 
 little story Le Tailleur de Pierre de Saint Point; 
 and she could not help knowing that she read 
 French perfectly, and Alban admired the reading, 
 but condemned the book ; and Mrs. Willingham 
 joined Regina in defending it, and assailing his 
 stubborn English prejudices. And then the society, 
 the very presence of Mrs. Willingham, was to her 
 as fresh a delight as ever. It was a pleasure to
 
 BEYMIXSTRE. 1 97 
 
 Sit near her, to watch her resting, with the superb 
 grace of a Circassian, after her walk ; to gaze on 
 her pearly hand blazing with jewels ; to see an 
 idea steal into her dark blue eyes, and unclose 
 her beautiful lips even before her languid voice 
 was heard. And there was a vein of humour and of 
 quaint illustration in what she said, that was 
 still more piquant from being spoken in so indolent 
 a manner. 
 
 If Regina had a wish, it was that Mrs. Willing- 
 ham would not throw so much meaning into her 
 jests when speaking to her son. She felt that, 
 setting all else aside, the very devotion that Alban 
 had for his mother, placed him at a greater distance 
 from her than even the future possession of Bey- 
 minstre. She had never seen a woman who could 
 compete with Mrs. Willingham, either in beauty 
 or acquirement ; and the high standard which his 
 mother's qualities raised in his mind, would make 
 him more than commonly fastidious in his ideas of 
 women. All her little vanities and pleasant self- 
 conceits dwindled away, as they always do, before 
 the first dawn of a true attachment, like stars
 
 198 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 before the sun. She had no beauty, scarcely any 
 merit; only alittle school-girl acquirementj and some 
 truth and earnestness, which she could not expect 
 a chance acquaintance to find out. What a trifling 
 unformed girl she seemed to herself; she wondered 
 how she could talk and laugh with him as she 
 had done ; and the next moment some odd thing 
 he said made her laugh and jest as easily as be- 
 fore. 
 
 However, though Mrs. Willingham scolded, 
 Regina could not spend the whole day away from 
 her grandmama, and she was obliged to take leave ; 
 and then Mr. Willino-ham ivould escort her throuo-h 
 the fields, he was so very well-bred — that was the 
 only reason ; and when he opened the last gate 
 for her (and she could not help thinking that 
 people in a certain class even opened gates better 
 than others), and she crossed the lane to her grand- 
 mama's field, she happened to turn round, and her 
 heart gave a sudden throb to see him standing 
 just where they parted^ looking after her as ifc 
 seemed. But he raised his hat calmly when he 
 met her eye, and walked back with such composure
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 199 
 
 that she was ashamed of herself for the thouoht : 
 and tormented herself all day, without being able 
 to make out whether he would or would not con- 
 sider that her unlucky movement had been with- 
 out design. The next day, Mrs. Willingham and 
 her son walked over to Holmw^ood, and found !Mr. 
 Brand, as they might often have done, sitting with 
 Mrs. Arnold and Regina at the drawing-room table, 
 and tearing a note into alumets by way of pretend- 
 ing to be employed. 
 
 Res^ina was searchino^ in her nettino^-box for 
 some silver. 
 
 "There, Mr. Brand," she said, scattering some 
 six or seven shillings before him, " that's all my 
 worldly wealth at present, all my disposable pro- 
 perty in the way of charity till next month : that 
 will furnish Goody Leech with the flannel — well, 
 tunic, grandmama — of which she stands in need ; 
 but it will not enable me to subscribe (tell Miss 
 Hopper, with my love) to the ' Ladies' Babies' 
 anti Godfrey's-Cordial-Association,' unless she 
 would like to accept of the three-halfpence change 
 which I foresee will remain from the tunic."
 
 200 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 " My dear Reglna, do not be so ridiculous I " 
 urged Mrs. Arnold. 
 
 " Well, then, ^liss Howard," he remarked, 
 '' you will buy the garment for Widow Leech." 
 
 '^ No — you, Mr. Brand; you are a better judge 
 of flannel than I am ; and, if you go to market 
 judiciously, you may squeeze a pair of stockings 
 besides out of the money." 
 
 " What is this weighty question?" asked Mrs. 
 Willingham, drawing her chair in to the table. 
 
 Regina told her, while Mr. Brand piled the 
 shillings into a little heap together before her, as 
 if thinking that the best way of declining the com- 
 mission ; or perhaps imagining that it was rather 
 a waste of time to have recourse to words. He 
 then rose to take leave, glancing rather suspi- 
 ciously at Alban, who, to do him justice^ did not 
 seem in the faintest degree discomposed in his 
 turn. 
 
 *^Mr. Brand," called Eegina, following him to 
 the head of the stairs, "consult Miss Hopper 
 about it. There is matter for at least a dozen 
 visits in the breadth of that one flannel stole !"
 
 BEYMINSTUE. 201 
 
 Mr. Brand's " Too bad, Mias Howard ! " faintlj 
 ascended the stairs. 
 
 *' All, Keginal" cried Mrs. Willingham, archly, 
 as she returned to the room, " Mr. Brand is such 
 a favourite of mine that I will not let you ill-use 
 him I" 
 
 " I could not, if I washed it, dear Mrs. ^♦Villing- 
 ham," said Regina; "I don't think honest people 
 have the power to do harm." 
 
 " Granny looks quite flushed and micomfort- 
 able!" exclaimed Mrs. Willingham. " I shall have 
 a little private chat with her, while you take 
 Alban into the garden, and give him a lecture on 
 yeUow carnations." 
 
 " Will you come?" asked Regina going to the 
 window, from which a flight of steps led down 
 into the flower-garden. 
 
 " We are turned out, it seems," he replied, as 
 he followed her. 
 
 "What is it, granny?" asked :Mrs. Wil- 
 lingham, 
 
 "My dear, I am puzzled about Mr. Brand," 
 replied the old lady ; " he begins to come here
 
 202 BEYMIXSTRE. 
 
 rather too much. You see my little Reglna Was 
 always a child ; but, lately, she seems to grow up^ 
 and you know that neighbours are very ready to 
 talk. I feel sure that he is not paying her his 
 addresses, and her feelings to him are but friendly ; 
 still this will not appear to our friends, and it 
 will do her no service that their names are coupled 
 together." 
 
 '^ People will talk, granny — let them ! " said ^Irsc 
 Willingham endearingly ; " in my opinion, it serves 
 Mr. Brand quite right for acting in a way that 
 might mislead any young girl : much as I like 
 him, I have no patience with the man." 
 
 '^ I should have less," returned Mrs. Arnold 
 smiling, '^ if I did not feel quite sure of my little 
 Kegina's heart ; buti am afraid that will be touched 
 only through her imagination, and Mr. Brand's 
 good qualities are not of the order to captivate a 
 whimsical temperament — half child, half artist." 
 
 " You have described her exactly, granny ; 
 put Mr. Brand entirely out of your head. 
 Besides, I have a better match in view for my 
 favourite."
 
 BEYMIXSTP.E. 205 
 
 ^* You, my dear I" 
 
 Mrs. Willingham leaned towards the open 
 window. 
 
 ^' Yes ; look at them, granny." 
 
 They were standing on the grass-plat, close 
 to one of the flower-beds — Alban had some 
 roses in his hand, and Eegina was mockingly 
 refusing them, with that little bird-like gesture of 
 the head that made her look so capricious and 
 tantalizing. He held them steadily towards her 
 — she clasped her hands behind her; he strewed 
 them at her feet — and then she suddenly darted 
 across the lawn, and flew as if her feet had wings 
 up the steps into the drawing-room. Alban turned 
 and looked after her with his momentary smile, and 
 then slowly followed. 
 
 '^ AYhat is all this closeting and whispering ? 
 I lozll know, granny ! I won't be kept out," cried 
 Regina. 
 
 ^* We don't want you ; take your knitting, and 
 sit under the mulberry-tree!" exclaimed Mrs. Wil- 
 lingham, playfully throwing her a cambric hand- 
 kerchief, half embroidered, that lay on the table.
 
 204 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 " I'll not Stir ! you shall not bribe me into good- 
 humour with a handkerchief, like lago," cried 
 Iweglna, assuming a tragic attitude ; " I know it is 
 something about Winny Hopper." 
 
 " It is not, indeed, Regina ; I wonder, Alban, 
 that you cannot manage to keep this perverse child 
 out of my way." 
 
 " Come, then," he said, " if the conference is 
 not ended" — just as he would have spoken to a 
 child. Regina gave him a little mutinous look, and 
 stood still. 
 
 " But I think, my dear, we have quite done," 
 said Mrs. Arnold, gently. 
 
 " Done ! — oh, you naughty granny I when we 
 had not even made a beginning." 
 
 " I'm quite puzzled, my dear," said Mrs. Arnold ; 
 while Alban quietly took up the cambric and the 
 little ivory work-box beside it, and walked off to 
 the seat under the mulberry-tree. 
 
 " Go, Regina ! he will destroy your thread, and 
 scissors, and every thing, if you don't get them 
 out of his hands. Men always do," laughed Mrs. 
 AYilllngham.
 
 BETMIXSTRE. 205 
 
 Regina ran down the steps to claim her property. 
 " And now. granny, I don't know how to begin," 
 said Mrs. Willinghara ; " stay — the plainest way 
 is always the best. My Alban loves your little 
 Regina. That does not surprise you — does it ? " 
 Yes, it did surprise her so much as to deprive her 
 of words. Things perfectly obvious, that occur 
 under our very eyes, always do surprise us in this 
 manner, 
 
 " You see, my granny," she pursued, in her low 
 coaxing voice, " Alban would say nothing to her 
 till he had learned your sentiments. He is too 
 honourable ; but he has loved her — oh ! ever since 
 last year. It seems perfectly natural to me; it 
 could not well be otherwise. I think she must 
 like him just a Httle ; don't you ? He is perfect- 
 he is, indeed, granny; he is truth itself. He would 
 not do any thing he considered wrong, or even 
 unfit (if you understand me), for all the world 
 could offer. Except his pride, Avhich I own I 
 think a merit, he has not one single fault. And 
 then, though he is poor now, yet Beyminstre must 
 come to him, it is so strlctlv entailed. He will
 
 20G BEYMINSTBE. 
 
 have fourteen thousand a year and the baronetcy. 
 And, granny, you must say — -yes!" 
 
 "My dear! I am very much flattered and 
 charmed, but I cannot say yes for a long time to 
 come," replied Mrs. Arnold, collecting her ideas ; 
 " your son's prospects are so much above " 
 
 '^ Not above her merit or her beauty," cried Mrs. 
 Willingham impetuously ; " or her birth either, if 
 you come to that." 
 
 " So much above her position," continued Mrs. 
 Arnold gently, " that it must take some time for 
 your son to convince himself that he would be 
 content to select his wife from such a retired and 
 moderate condition of life." 
 
 " Alban will never change," said Mrs. Willing- 
 ham : '^ that is another quality which /admire; but 
 some people might think him almost too firm." 
 
 *'My dear! all I have heard and seen of him, 
 leads me to rejoice in the thought of intrusting 
 my child to his care. But you must let us have 
 our pride, too, dear Mrs. Willingham. Your son 
 is young. You must let us feel that we have not 
 sought to fetter him so early in his career. Every
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 207 
 
 year will add to his knowledge of the worlds and 
 his sense of what he might reasonably expect in 
 an alliance. Let him put aside this idea for the 
 present ; I am sure, Regina is quite unconscious 
 of any such thought, and you know she is but six- 
 teen, my dear ; there is no hurry." 
 
 " But you like it, and you wish it, and you will 
 let him visit here, granny ? " 
 
 *^ With the greatest pleasure, my dear." 
 "And as for the rest — oh! here she comes 
 again, and I have not said half: no matter, another 
 time will do."
 
 208 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 • CHAPTER XII 
 
 So Alban was expected at Holmwood ever}- day 
 as a matter of course : soon expected by Regina 
 quite .as much as by Mrs. Arnold. Sometimes 
 his mother came with him, but oftener he walked 
 over to arrange plans for their meeting in the 
 evening either there or at Dykeham. 
 
 He would often beg Regina to sing, but he 
 never praised her. Not all her little devices could 
 draw forth another such compliment as he had paid 
 her that moonlight night on the common. 
 
 "Do I sing worse than I did last year?" slie 
 asked, half pettishly, one day as she rose from the 
 piano; vexed at the calm "Thank you [" with 
 which he had as usual rewarded her eiForts. 
 
 "No; better, I think!" he replied calmly; she 
 dropped into a low cbrar, and took up her netting.
 
 BEYMIXSTKE. 209 
 
 "After all, If you did not like It, you would not 
 go on asking me," she said; "arid so, by makinnr 
 a rule of three sum of it, we may come to the con- 
 clusion that it is not disagreeable to you." 
 
 But he only smiled, and made no answer. 
 
 His manner perplexed her more and more every 
 day. Often, when he had taken leave, she longed to 
 speak to her grandmama, and beg that she would 
 prevent him fi'om coming again ; and then she was 
 deterred, by not knowing how to enter upon the 
 subject. 
 
 One morning she was particularly out of spirits. 
 It had rained all the day before ; and the damp 
 grass and steaming juniper bushes on the common 
 in front, had a certain depressing influence on her 
 feelin.ss. And then Alban had not come all dav, 
 and, though this was the very thing she so often 
 wished, yet she felt his absence like a weight on 
 her heart. It is true that a little note at niglit, 
 which ought to have been delivered in the morn- 
 ing, enlightened her as to the cause of his non- 
 appearance ; but this, I am sorry to say, made her 
 cross ; because, as she argued, it could not poss^ioly 
 
 VOL. I. p
 
 210 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 matter to her why he stayed at Dykeham instead 
 of loitering his morning at Holmwood. 
 
 "I am very selfish (Mrs. Willlngham wrote) to 
 keep Alban here, when I know he wishes to be at 
 Holmwood ; but I am suffering to day w^ith my 
 horrid spasms, wdiich always give me a feeling of 
 dread ; and I am more easy when I frighten him 
 as well as myself: so, forgive me till to-morrow. 
 
 "R. W1LLINGH.01." 
 
 And the next morning, which w^as a perfect 
 blaze of summer beauty, Regina sat eagerly listen- 
 ing for every footstep, and was rcAvarded about 
 noon by seeing Mrs. Ramsay's carriage drive up 
 to the door, and that large lady alight, followed 
 by the merry Miss Hopper. Mrs. Arnold was 
 visiting a poor neighbour, at which Regina re- 
 joiced ; for she knew that guests of this kind were 
 very apt to fatigue her grandmama. Mrs. Ramsay 
 was at once so condescending, and so little at her 
 ease, that it was difficult to talk to her; and a 
 feeling of constraint, like a nightmare, used to
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 211 
 
 come over Eeglna in her great presence. Though 
 it may be urged in Mrs. Ramsay's defence, 
 that there are very few persons who have any 
 idea of the first principles of conversation — of 
 adapting the tone of their discourse to the occa- 
 sion. 
 
 In vain Regina remarked on the rain, on the 
 corn, on the shew of wall-fruit, on Mr. Miller's 
 illness, and on the accident that happened last 
 week in the hay-field — she came to a stand at last; 
 the more completely, as Mrs. Eamsay contradicted 
 all she said angrily, like one convinced and indig- 
 nant that she was telling falsehoods. 
 
 Thus Mrs. Ramsay insisted that it had not 
 rained much yesterday — that is, not much for a 
 thunder shower; then she wondered how Mrs. 
 Arnold came to have so many apricots, for all she 
 knew was that she had next to none, and she 
 believed that her gardeners, all three, were tolerably 
 clever in their business. Oh dear ! no ; poor Mr. 
 Miller was not at all better — far from it ! at least 
 that was the reply given to her inquiries, and ehe 
 could not think how it was that Mrs. Arnold had
 
 212 BEYMINSTBE. 
 
 received a different answer; and the man in the 
 hay -field who had stepped on the scythe, did it on 
 Toosday (for so she pronounced the day sacred to 
 Mars), and not on Wednesday, as Regina had 
 declared. Eegina having been thus convicted of 
 perjury on every count of the indictment, thought 
 it more prudent to be silent, and at least to leave 
 the choice of topics to her guest. 
 
 "But our object to-day," pursued Mrs. Ramsay, 
 with a sidelong movement of her large head 
 towards Winny, was to congratulate you, my dear 
 — a very excellent young man ; and I'm sure I 
 hope you may be happy." 
 
 Eegina's whole face became crimson. 
 
 " Rather nervous just at first, talking it over," 
 cried Winny, screwing up her eyes. " Mr. Brand 
 puts a bolder face upon the matter." 
 
 "Mr. Brand!" echoed Regina, looking very 
 much relieved. 
 
 " You are very fortunate, my dear," quoth Mrs. 
 Ramsay, looking grandly down upon the slender 
 Regina ; " I hope you may make a valuable, hard- 
 working curate's wife. Mr. Brand, I know, has
 
 BEYillXSTHE. 213 
 
 nothing at present — quite a beggar, if one miMit 
 apply such a term to a clergyman." 
 
 "Ecclesiastic?" suggested Miss Hopper. 
 
 " But what I was about to say," pursued Mrs. 
 Kamsay, not venturing on so long a word as that 
 supplied by her friend^ ^' I hope he may get some 
 preferment sooner or later, and they are both 
 young enough to wait. Miss Hopper." 
 
 " To be sure ! and it is so delightful, after trying 
 so very much, to succeed at last," added Winny ; 
 "isn't it, Regina?" 
 
 " And now I hope she will steady into a good 
 notable housewife," cried Mrs. Ramsay; *'all the 
 little attempts at music and painting, and all that 
 sort of thing, laid aside for sewing, marketing, and 
 household arithmetic." 
 
 "Regina will soon be quite a ready reckoner," 
 squeaked Winny. 
 
 " And that good creature you have about you 
 by way of a cook, the stout woman — Becky, I think 
 you call her — can put you in the way of a good 
 many useful things, such as preserving, and making 
 hashes," added Mrs. Ramsay.
 
 214 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 " Only I am not going to many Mr. Braiid," 
 said Regina carelessly. 
 
 " You have not refused him ? " 
 
 '^ No ! but I am not going to marry so many 
 people, whom I have not refused either." 
 
 "Ah! you see we are a little premature; it is 
 not talked about yet," remarked Mrs. Ramsay 
 turning to Miss Hopper. '^But what you have 
 told me is quite enough." Then, getting up slowly, 
 she added, " I shall give you something useful, my 
 dear, towards housekeeping ; no foolish ornamen- 
 tal trifles, but a solid flour^tub and rolling-pin, that 
 !lMr. Ramsay bought at a sale not long ago ; and 
 Mrs. Chillingworth means to do just the same. 
 She even talked of a kitchen range ; but her 
 purse is longer than mine, and in these bad times 
 every one must cut his coat according to his 
 cloth." 
 
 " As I am not likely to put my friends' genero- 
 sity to the test," said Regina coldly, '' I will keep 
 my gratitude till it is needed." 
 
 "Must not be impatient, Regina," cried Winny; 
 " time will pass. And I think I would go to church
 
 EEYMIXSTRE. 2lo 
 
 early on saints' days if I were you. It would so 
 please Mr. Brand!" 
 
 "As it is not my object to please Mr. Brand, I 
 shall leave the early service to you and the pevr- 
 opener, Miss Hopper," said Regina. 
 
 "We must not keep the carriage waiting!*' ex- 
 claimed Mrs. Ramsay ; " Anthony will not bear it, 
 nor Roberts either. I always say my servants are 
 the most despotic of human beings ! Good-by, 
 my dear. Regards to Mrs. Arnold. We never 
 meet now, somehow or other." 
 
 Remna made a heroic eifort, and consif^ned her 
 slender fingers to the pressure of the broad palm 
 extended towards her. Winny blinked and 
 o:i2r<2rled, and the 2:uests took their welcome leave. 
 
 " It is well they are gone!" exclaimed Regina, 
 throwing herself back on her chair. " I could not 
 have been civil a moment lonscer : I should cer- 
 tainly have exploded, and said things they would 
 never have forgotten. Such insolence ! as if I 
 could even tlwik of Mr. Brand ! It is well they 
 never hinted at — at another person. I could not 
 have borne to be accused of attentions I have
 
 21 G BEYillXSTKE. 
 
 never received, and which he has no idea of paying. 
 And their charitable oiferings, too ! — a kitchen 
 range ! — to me ! — because I am poor. Does it not 
 ahnost make one v/ish for any lot that would bring 
 these creatures to one's feet. 1 might tread on 
 her neck if I had but twice her fortune, and slie 
 would let me, and thank me too ! As for the other, 
 she is not worth thinking about, not w^orth tread- 
 ing upon." 
 
 But for aU that she walked to the window, and 
 stood wiping the indignant tears from her eyes. 
 
 " In tears ? Why, what is the matter ? I never 
 saw you cry before!" exclaiaied Alban, entering 
 with one of his mother's twisted notes. 
 
 " And you would not have seen me now if I 
 could have got out of the way," answered Kegina; 
 " I hate to be seen crying." 
 
 "Naturally," he replied; '^but what is it?" 
 
 " Something disagreeable that Mrs. Ramsay and 
 Y^inny Hopper have been saying to me. I need 
 not say that it is all Winny*s doing." 
 
 " Winny is an old ferret ! but don't cry, Regina," 
 lie said, coming up to the table.
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 217 
 
 Mrs. Willlngham had laughed him out of saying 
 Miss Howard, but he had never used her name 
 before. 
 
 "I've done now," she replied, colouring and 
 smiling; "is that note for grandmama? I will 
 give it to her when she returns." 
 
 " It is merely to beg Mrs. Arnold to take com- 
 passion on my mother, and drink tea with her, with 
 you of course. Dont qyj, Regina!" 
 
 " I don't, Mr. Willingham," she replied ; but 
 still the tears came stealino; to the ends of her 
 long eyelashes, and were dashed av/ay impatiently 
 with the back of her hand. 
 
 " What is it that has vexed vou? I have a ri^ht 
 to know^ — I would do any thing to set your mind 
 at rest. I love nothing so well as you Hegina — not 
 even my mother !" 
 
 There was a breathless pause : she suffered her 
 hand to remain in his, and her eyes were fixed on 
 the ground, but Alban was satisfied. He knew 
 that she would not have left him in suspense the 
 tenth part of a second, if she had been iudiifcrent 
 to his suit.
 
 218 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 ^' Well, after all, what is the grievance ?" he 
 asked, as he led her to a seat. 
 
 " Something impertinent that Winny said about 
 me and Mr. Brand ; which had no foundation but 
 in her own jealousy." 
 
 '' Oh ! I understand." 
 
 " And then Mrs. Ramsay offered me a flour-tub, 
 and said a great many rude things reflecting on 
 my poverty." 
 
 " One day, Regina — you — you know what I 
 mean — you will be placed as far above these 
 Hoppers and Ramsays in w^ealth and social 
 position, as you are in every thing besides." 
 
 It was the very echo of the thought that had 
 crossed her mind when stung by their paltry 
 sneers, but now she shrank from it as from the 
 shadow of a sin. 
 
 "Oh! Alban, stop!" ^he cried; "don't let me 
 think your prospects have any thing to do with 
 my feelings ; don't suggest to me wdiat my pride is 
 too ready to w^hisper ! M}^ future is bright enough, 
 believe it, without Beyminstre!" 
 
 " Do you know, Regina," he said, " I am some-
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 219 
 
 times half afraid that you will melt away alto- 
 gether into thin air, you look so spiritual? I 
 believe you are the noblest creature that ever ex- 
 isted, and your future shall be bright, if I can 
 make it so." 
 
 " And you must not depend too much on Bey- 
 mlnstre," urged Regina ; '^ you know Sir Herbert 
 may marry." 
 
 ^* He marry ! a woman like my mother is not so 
 easily replaced ! " 
 
 "You know well I think no one can compare 
 with Mrs. Willingham; but — people marry for so 
 many reasons." 
 
 "I know Sir Herbert won't marry!" replied 
 Alban decidedly, " and every stick of Beyminstre 
 is entailed. What can he do against me, let him 
 try his utmost? He can't live for ever." 
 
 " Suppose he were to cut off the entail?" 
 
 "Simpleton!" said Alban, with his brief smile, 
 "he cannot do that without the consent of the 
 next heir, that is, myself. The only question is, 
 Regina, how long we are to wait, and that we 
 cannot tell."
 
 220 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 " Poor man ! I think you ought to pity him." 
 
 " So I do pity him extremely ; but I must say 
 he need not carry his resentment so far. My 
 mother preferred his brother to himself, unfortu- 
 nate every way; but, if a disappointment is to em- 
 bitter a man's whole life, I must say he is a poor 
 creature." 
 
 "Alban!" 
 
 "Don't look so indignant; Regina, I am be- 
 ginning to feel for him. I'll be sorry for any one 
 you please — for Mr. Brand, if you think it neces- 
 sary." 
 
 " Oh, no ! " she replied, laughing ; " I am happy 
 to say that Mr. Brand's woes exist only in Miss 
 Hopper's imagination." 
 
 " These silly hasty young folks have settled it 
 all to their satisfaction, it seems," remarked Mrs. 
 Willingham that evening, when they were all 
 sauntering up and down the quaint old garden 
 after tea. 
 
 " Nothing is to be even thought of at present 
 in the way of settling," said Mrs. Arnold, 
 earnestly.
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 221 
 
 " No — not until we can be Lady Willingham 
 of Eejminstre, it seems," laughed Mrs. Wil- 
 lingham, stroking Regina's polished hair as she 
 spoke. 
 
 " I imagine that no one here expects me to wait 
 for that," cried Alban. 
 
 ^' ' Patience is a good horse, but he Avill tire ! ' " 
 quoted Mrs. Willingham. 
 
 *' Still, my dear young friend," urged Mrs. 
 Arnold, '^you must be a little older, and Regina too, 
 before I shall be at all convinced that either of 
 you know your own mind." 
 
 " Regina will know her own mind when she sees 
 Beyminstre," said Mrs. Willingham. *^ Such a 
 lovely place ! so grey and gothic — with such 
 deli2:htful mullioned windows ! Oh ! how manv 
 years have passed since I was there!" 
 
 " The only fault is the conservatory which joins 
 the right wing," said Alban ; " it spoils the out- 
 line of the buildino:." 
 
 " But how pleasant!" cried Regina. 
 
 '^Yes, in a cottage; but in a house of that 
 character you should consult the outline above
 
 222 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 every thing ; people of condition cannot coil them- 
 selves up in their comforts like a roturierJ^ 
 
 '^ That is Alban ! " exclaimed Mrs. Willingham ; 
 " you see, my dear Kegina, the sort of person you 
 venture upon I " 
 
 " What is the derivation of the name ? " asked 
 Mrs. Arnold. 
 
 *' You, who are learned, dear granny, know 
 that a minster is a church served by monastic 
 clergy. The old priory of Beyminstre was close to 
 such a church — (By the Minster.) The said 
 minster has become the village church, and the 
 house is in fact the old priory, repaired and con- 
 verted into a dwelling." 
 
 The evening passed only too quickly for 
 Kegina — she was in a happy dream. Alban was 
 so different from what he had been. So many 
 little phrases seemed to have a meaning now which 
 she dared not interpret before. As he TVTapped 
 her shawl carefully about her throat before 
 escortino' her home, she exulted in hearinor him 
 say — 
 
 " You must not take cold, and spoil your beau-
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 223 
 
 tiful voice, which I never praise, because I cannot 
 praise it enough." 
 
 How keenly she appreciated his never saying 
 these thinjrs before — until he felt that he had a 
 right to say them, and she to hear them, without 
 embarrassment ! 
 
 It was a lovely mild night, a faint starlight in 
 the sky, and a heavy dew spangling the fields and 
 hedges. The bats were wheeling across their path, 
 and the chirp of the grasshoppers rose like a chorus 
 on every side. And now a break in the hazel 
 thicket disclosed a clear narrow stream, gliding 
 with scarcely a ripple past the thick drooping 
 boughs of the nut-trees fringing the bank. They 
 paused a minute to look at the dark cool water., 
 and a swan came sailing by with its young cygnet 
 on its back, seated between its high sheltering 
 wings; and, as they gazed and lingered, absorbed 
 in the quiet beauty of the scene, a grey wasted 
 figure followed in their track, watching their un- 
 conscious movements, and straining to catch every 
 word they let fall.
 
 224 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 But it is not a very common tiling (in this part 
 of the world at least) for happiness to last for 
 ever. Regina knew that there must be a cloud 
 upon her s, for she was aware that Alban would 
 soon have to return to Scotland ; but she was not 
 quite prepared for what was coming. His regi- 
 ment was ordered suddenly to India, and to the 
 AfFofhan countrv, where the first dreadful news of 
 our reverses had just reached England. If their 
 marriage had even been agreed upon, this would 
 not have been a time for it to take place. The 
 capture of so many English ladies, who had per- 
 sisted in going where it did not seem very wise 
 to those at home that they should ever have been 
 permitted to go, was a sufficient warning against 
 taking out any more for the present ; and Mrs.
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 2'JO 
 
 Arnold was decldeclly against a marriage, or even 
 an engagement between them, taking place so 
 early. She repeated what she had at first said, 
 that Alban's prospects entitled him to look higher 
 than her grandchild, and that she would not per- 
 mit him to leave the country fettered by a tie 
 which, however his sentiments might alter, he 
 could not but find it difficult to break. Alban 
 listened to this decision with calm politeness. 
 Having made up his mind to marry Regina as 
 soon as he could offer her a home, and feeling 
 quite convinced that he could not take her among 
 the Sikhs, he allowed Mrs. Arnold to make all the 
 remarks she pleased on the subject, respected her 
 scruples, and quietly thought over his future plans. 
 These all centred in Beyminstre ; he was never 
 weary of describing to Reglna the house and the 
 grounds, and picturing the time when she would 
 have an equal interest in the place. 
 
 Regina used sometimes to endeavour gently to 
 lead his thoughts from Beyminstre. 
 
 "If any thing should happen," she urged; ^- if 
 by some turn in the future, that we cannot 
 
 VOL. I. Q
 
 226 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 foresee or imagine, Beyminstre should not be 
 yours." 
 
 " Say ours, Regina," he interposed. 
 
 ** Ours, then — I dread to think of your dis- 
 appointment." 
 
 " So do I, Regina ; my heart is set upon it. 
 I won't say my ivhole heart; but, let me turn and 
 twist the future as I will, I see nothing, absolutely 
 nothing, that can prevent my having it." 
 
 ^^But, Alban, what unforeseen things happen 
 constantly. Who would ever have thought that 
 you w^ould be going to India, and so soon? " 
 
 And her eyes began filling with tears. 
 
 *^ Well then, my Regina, we will not speculate 
 on Beyminstre ; one thing I have never done, and 
 never will do, and that is — to borrow money on the 
 strength of my succession." 
 
 "Of course not!" she exclaimed confidently. 
 
 Alban smiled : he had been so very often recom- 
 mended to do so by people quite as good as the 
 average, and w^as thought so very stupid for not 
 doing so by those of his acquaintance who would 
 not have hesitated a moment themselves, that he
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 227 
 
 felt some right to be commended for his forbearance, 
 and was rather amused by her assuming that he 
 could not act otherwise. 
 
 " We must be moderate in our ideas, that is all," 
 pursued Regina. " We shall not be so very miser- 
 able ; people who are not greedy can live on so 
 little. I only wish, in case of the worst, that I 
 had a large fortune instead of a very little one." 
 
 ^^ Don't wish that, Regina ! I could not exist a 
 day — I, a poor man — on my wife's fortune, eating 
 her bread, wearing her clothes, riding her horses — 
 I declare 1 know nothing so base. People do it, 
 and look you in the face, but I wonder at their 
 assurance. I am all for the Turks, who buy their 
 wives instead of selling themselves." 
 
 " If they bought but one, Alban." 
 
 ^' I grant you that, Regina ; if they could buy 
 such a one as I have in view." 
 
 '* Still I am not to be bouglit, let me tell you ! " 
 she added more gaily. 
 
 " And yet it is very fit that you should set a 
 high price upon yourself," he rcpHed in the same 
 tone.
 
 228 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 He never for a moment adopted Mrs. Arnold's 
 view of his position with Regina — he did not choose 
 to be free. 
 
 " We understand each other," he remarked ; 
 ^^ we are affianced. I have the highest regard 
 for Mrs. Arnold's feelings ; they have all the deli- 
 cacy which you can expect to find only in a lady 
 of ancient birth ; but, with my sentiments, it is 
 absurd to talk of being unfettered. I suppose you 
 do not think that 1 am very likely to change ; and, 
 young as you are, I give you credit for as much 
 constancy on your side." 
 
 Kegina thought and felt with him, but she was 
 reserved in expressing her feelings ; so anxious 
 w^as she not even to seem eager for Beyminstre, 
 and so scrupulous a watch did she keep over that 
 corner of her heart in which she knew there was 
 a half-developed love of rank and splendour. 
 
 As for poor Mrs. Willingham, her spirits went 
 down at once and altogether. Her head drooped ; 
 her voice was changed in tone. You would have 
 thought she was coming out of a long and danger- 
 ous illness ; she spent all her time when alone, in
 
 BEYillXSTRE. 229 
 
 poring over a large folding map of India that her 
 son had brouorht her ; tracinoj over and over airain 
 the different names to which so terrible a noto- 
 riety had been recently given. Even the tender- 
 hearted Mrs. Arnold, who, when she was in 
 better circumstances, had been sought far and 
 near as a comforter— who had succeeded in con- 
 soling Mrs. Ramsay when she lost her twhis in 
 the measles, (Hegina always did say that a large 
 basket of the October peaches, for which the 
 rectory was famous, materially assisted her grand- 
 mama's soothing powers,) — -Mrs. Arnold, who was 
 the f^rood G^enius of the house of Chillino-worth 
 when the eldest son nearly killed himself out 
 shooting — and who had quite kept up Mrs- Miller's 
 spirits during the Catholic question, when that 
 lady had put on mxourning for the departed reli- 
 irion of the realm — even Mrs. Arnold broke her 
 wand in despair, and trusted to Time, as people 
 do when they have nothing else to trust to. For 
 that gentle-voiced and delicate-minded lady had 
 perceptions granted to very few, and a genius for 
 sympathy that rendered her attempts diflcrent,
 
 230 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 according to the sort of person she had occasion 
 to address. She knew that when she had told 
 Mrs. Ramsay it was the will of God her children 
 should die, and that it was our duty to bow to 
 His decrees, that good lady had accepted her 
 remarks as perfectly new, and naturally very 
 cheering additions to her limited stock of ideas. 
 But she thought it probable that ^Irs. Willlngham 
 had heard these things before — that she knew and 
 felt them; and that yet, without being quite a 
 heathen, they did not in the slightest degree alter 
 the fact, that she was about to lose her son, and 
 that her very soul was seared with the conviction 
 that she should never, never see him again. All 
 this distress was so new to Eegina, that she could 
 hardly tell what she felt. She had yet to serve 
 an apprenticeship to sorrow. She had lost her 
 parents too early to grieve over their death. She 
 had not experienced that worse absence, that 
 restless daily loss which time has no power to 
 alleviate, which those endure whose dearest 
 friends are stationed in a fatal climate. She did 
 her best to animate and console Mrs. Willlngham
 
 REYMIXSTRE. 231 
 
 — she sympathized with her fully and freely ; but 
 she did not feel as much, and that is the truth. 
 She thought sincerely that nobody ever was so 
 distressed as herself; but, after all, the love of 
 kindred (where it is love and not the opposite) is 
 the strongest of the affections. The Greek 
 woman was right who saved her brother instead 
 of her husband; she said she migJit (and how 
 very often people do) get another husband, but 
 how was she to replace her brother's loss ? 
 
 But still she was very unhappy, and very much 
 to be pitied. And Winny Hopper could scarcely 
 sleep for wondering what made her look so 
 deadly pale, now that she had secured Mr. Brand. 
 She gave Alban a long tress of her shininor 
 hair, and he gave her a ring — an opal, which he 
 pretended was a talisman — and the nearer the 
 time drew for his departure, the more she felt as 
 if she could not live throuofh the last few hours — 
 the worst, as all know who have o^one throuirh 
 such a trial. 
 
 It was settled that they should all spend the 
 last evening at Dykeham. Mrs. Arnold went
 
 232 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 early in the fly, leaving Alban and Regina to 
 walk across the common at their leism-e. The 
 weather was mild and cloudy. A ray of the 
 declining sun quivered on the lower branches of 
 the oaks, the rest were black with shadow. They 
 stood, arm-in-arm, looking at the trees before 
 them, with very little idea of the beautiful effect 
 of light and shade which they presented at that 
 moment, but rather to prolong the time that they 
 would pass together. 
 
 " I leave my mother in your care, Regina," he 
 said at last ; '' you will be more to her than I 
 could ever be." 
 
 " I will do my best, Alban," she returned ; " you 
 can hardly love her more than I do." 
 
 " When I write to her, you will understand that 
 I am speaking to you in every line." 
 
 " Yesi she has promised that I shall see all 
 your letters, and all her answers." 
 
 " You miofht write a few lines at the end of 
 her's sometimes." 
 
 " If grandmama allows it ; but you know she is 
 fastidious about our position. Still, if I do not
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 233 
 
 write I shall dictate. AVe shall hear constantly of 
 each other." 
 
 '^ I should be glad if I could form an idea when 
 I shall stand on this spot with you again, Regina ; 
 it is true there is one event that would recall me 
 at once — I mean Sir Herbert's death." 
 
 " Oh ! then, we won't look forward to it," cried 
 Regina; " I could not bear to think of profiting 
 by — Dear me I I hope that old man did not hear 
 us. He passed quite close as you were speaking." 
 
 '^ That's the old man who lives on the common, 
 is it not?" 
 
 *• Yes, and Mrs. Willingham thinks he has 
 something to do with Sir Herbert — that he was 
 once in his service." 
 
 *^ Ah ! however, he could do me no harm, even 
 if he were to repeat what I said. Sir Herbert 
 would have every disposition to injure me, but it 
 is not in his power." 
 
 " Perhaps we had better go on," said Regina ; 
 *^ Mrs. Willingham will not like to lose much of 
 your company." 
 
 " Now," he said, pausing as they came up to
 
 234 BEYMIXSTRE. 
 
 the gate of the farm-house, " have we any thhig 
 else to say ? " 
 
 " No, I thhik not," she answered faintly. 
 
 He bent forward and kissed her gravely, and 
 then led her into the house. 
 
 Regina had her share of sorrows in after life, 
 but she always recollected that evening as the 
 most especially wretched she could call to mind. 
 It was not like a death in the house. Nobody 
 was supposed to be overwhelmed — nobody felt 
 they had a right to give way to grief — nobody had 
 courage to approach the subject that was in their 
 thoughts, almost upon their lips. She said after- 
 wards, that the strain on her nerves made her feel 
 ten years older. Even Alban, whose composure 
 was wont to act upon her like a spell — even his 
 calmness was so visibly assumed, that she feared 
 every minute it would be overthrown. 
 
 Once only he touched upon his destination, and 
 then, to Regina's surprise, who gave up all for lost, 
 his mother was able to command her feelinfjs. 
 He was sitting beside Regina, who was preparing 
 the tea; and Mrs. Wihingham, on the other side
 
 BEYMIXSTRE. 23-5 
 
 of the table, was looking at him, half unconscloiislv, 
 with an expression of utter misery in her counte- 
 nance. 
 
 ^' Ah ! you are thinking of the Khyber Pass." 
 he said, wishing to rouse her from her depression ; 
 ^' but we are going to change all that, like 
 Moliere's physician." 
 
 Mrs. Willingham rose up with a gasp, but she 
 recovered herself as she came slowly across the 
 room, and she replied, while she leaned on his 
 shoulder, " No ! I was thinking that there was a 
 window open behind my little Kegina, and that it 
 was not very safe after her walk." 
 
 " Don't shut it, pray!" exclaimed Regina, glad 
 of a window to talk about ; "lam so fond of air, 
 and it is very close this evening." 
 
 " It is oppressive," sighed poor Mrs. Willing- 
 ham. There was something to do while the tea- 
 things were before her, and Regina was thankful 
 for the occupation ; she dared not raise her eyes; 
 she felt as if each long minute would exhaust her 
 courage. And very soon afterwards Mrs. Arnold's 
 fly was heard approaching.
 
 236 BEYMIXSTRE, 
 
 " Going so early, my dear, dear friend ? " cried 
 Mrs. Willingliam, clinging to the old lady as if, 
 while she remained, her son's departure was less 
 near. 
 
 " Yes, my dear ! " she replied ; ^' these last 
 hours belong to you alone; and, for my little 
 Regina, parting is as easy now as later — easier, 
 perhaps : so God bless you both, and comfort you 
 'in these dark trials!'^ 
 
 " Oh, yes ! " exclaimed Mrs. Willingliam with 
 feverish haste. '^ Dear Mrs. Arnold! you have done 
 me a great deal of good already. She was talking 
 to me, Alban, before you came in ; and she said 
 what is very true — that — that " 
 
 And here poor Mrs. Willingham burst into a 
 sudden paroxysm of hysterical weeping, and 
 Eegina, scarcely less agitated, threw herself into 
 her arms. 
 
 "Now, my dear Alban," said Mrs. Arnold, 
 taking him aside, " your mother will be better 
 when alone. Bid farewell to my child, as friends 
 who will rejoice to meet again, but who have no 
 claim, no pledge, between them."
 
 BEYMIJ^STRE. 237 
 
 They clasped each others hands, while their 
 eyes met, expressing all the faith and constancy 
 they were not allowed to put into words. 
 
 Which of them was the first to break that silent 
 vow ?
 
 238 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 CHAPTER XIY. 
 
 Even Mrs. Arnold could hardly understand her 
 friend's passionate despair when her son was gone. 
 All the agony which she had compressed within 
 lierself while he remained, now seemed to defy 
 restraint, and overwhelmed her like a sea. Her 
 health was no longer strong enough to permit her 
 to wrestle against her sorrow. 
 
 All that Reginas naturally hopeful temper 
 could urge in behalf of Alban's safety, his success, 
 his speedy return, she put aside by the single 
 remark — 
 
 " You, my love, can keep up, for you w^ill see 
 him again — I shall not ! It is not his death that I 
 see approaching: it is my own!" 
 
 In vain did Regina attempt to scare this 
 phantom from her path; it soon became too
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 239 
 
 evident to herself and her grandmama that Mrs. 
 Willingham's strength was declining. Her spasms 
 became more frequent and more alarming ; and, as 
 the autumn set in early and cold, a racking cough 
 was added to her other ailments. 
 
 Mrs. Arnold much wished that she would take 
 up her abode with them altogether at Holmwood ; 
 but this she declined. 
 
 " I am trouble enough to you, granny, as it is," 
 she said ; " and my little Regina turns as white 
 as a sheet when the spasms come on : invalids are 
 better alone the greater part of their time — though, 
 if I grow much worse — I don't know — we shall 
 see." 
 
 Mrs. Arnold had gone through it all before; 
 she had watched the symptoms of decline in her 
 own daughter. It opened a new scene to Eegina, 
 and she began to understand the heart-sickness of 
 alternate hope and fear. 
 
 It was during the winter of that year that Mrs. 
 Arnold received an unexpected bequest from a 
 distant relative in France. The Count Du 
 Quesnay, who was a Laval on his mothers side,
 
 240 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 bequeathed to Mrs. Arnold a property worth 
 about eight hundred a year. This fortune, which, 
 to the simple tastes of the old lady, appeared very 
 ample, she determined to set apart for Regina, in 
 order that there might be no pecuniary difficul- 
 ties in the way of her marriage with Alban, as 
 soon as he w^as able to return from India. 
 
 Kegina was half afraid that Alban would think 
 her too rich if she was endowed so splendidly, but 
 Mrs. Willingham laughed her out of that notion. 
 
 ^' It will make very pretty pin-money for Lady 
 WiUingham, my love, and nothing more; and I 
 advise you to have it all very closely tied up and 
 settled on yourself, for there is no know^ing how 
 people may turn out. I am serious; he is very like 
 his father about the nose !" 
 
 Alban wrote long letters at every possible 
 opportunity; he knew that his mother would be 
 interested by details, and he gave her minute 
 accounts of every thing that passed in wdiich he 
 took a share. Yery few people in England pos- 
 sessed the knowledge of Indian affairs that Mrs. 
 Willingham attained in the course of that winter
 
 LEYMINSTRE. 241 
 
 It was her dally solace to look over all her son's 
 letters, even when they had swelled into a formid- 
 able collectionj and to trace his progress on the' 
 map. She bought a quantity of sketches of India, 
 and when she could sit up, employed herself in 
 colouring them — like Adrienne de Cardoville, she 
 bought every book of travels or personal narra- 
 tives that bore on the title-page any reference to our 
 empire in the east; and Regina read them out to her 
 while she painted her lithographs, or copied the en- 
 gravings from such of the works as were illustrated. 
 One cold morning Regina was walking across 
 the common to pay her daily visit at Dykeham, for 
 the fields were wet, and she was obliged to keep 
 to the high-road, when a large carriage rolled past 
 her, in which to her surprise she beheld Mrs. 
 Chillingworth and Miss Hopper, seated in close 
 converse. Time had been when Winny thought 
 it a great move to be taken out ridino, as she 
 called it, by Mrs. Ramsay ; and her grandmother 
 had had some difficulty in obtaining Mrs. Chilling- 
 worth's permission to introduce the grateful Winny 
 to her at a Bible meeting held at Bradford. 
 
 VOL. I. R
 
 242 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 Then she had been asked to tea, when they 
 were obliged to have a few people whom they 
 looked down upon ; and then she taught the 
 children a new way of playing at dominoes ; and 
 then they had her to dine when the Ramsays 
 were asked, that she might be the recipient of all 
 Mrs. Ramsay's tiresome boastings ; and at last she 
 had wriggled herself into a confidential intimacy 
 with Mrs. Chillingworth, and of course looked into 
 the hedge when they drew past Regina, that she 
 might not be compelled to acknowledge her 
 inferiors with a bow. 
 
 Regina had only just time to feel gratified that 
 she svas not obliged to speak to Miss Hopper when 
 the carriage was suddenly checked, and Mrs. 
 Chillingworth leaning out, said — 
 
 "Ah! how are you, Regina? you are just the 
 person I wanted to see ; you can tell us where 
 Mr. Brand is going." 
 
 " Mr. Brand ! I did not know he was going any 
 where," said Regina, looking surprised. 
 
 " Yes ! " cried Winny, chinking up her eyes. 
 " He has much to learn, poor young man ! He
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 243 
 
 cannot be brou^i^ht to see with Mr. Morley on 
 several great subjects, and he has got another 
 curacy — but where is it ? " 
 
 " I am sure I don't know," answered Regina. 
 
 " Then you may depend on it he does not 
 know himself," remarked Mrs. Chillingworth ; 
 **' for of course you would be the first to hear." 
 
 *' Unless they have quarrelled," hinted Winny, 
 looking very wise. 
 
 *' You gave him to me, Miss Hopper," said 
 Regina ; '^ you are quite at liberty to take him 
 away again when you please." 
 
 Mrs. Chillingworth, finding that Regina knew 
 nothing about it, gave orders to drive on, and 
 Regina pursued her way, not a little vexed at 
 hearing that the only clergyman with whom they 
 were on cordial terms was about to leave the parish. 
 A little farther on she met Mr. Brand coming out 
 of a cottage, and so very certain did she feel of 
 her feelings towards him, and of his to her, that 
 she had no hesitation at expressing her regret in 
 the prospect of losing him. 
 
 " I'm sure I don't wonder at your going !" she
 
 244 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 exclaimed ; " I should like to know who would 
 stay with Mr. Morley (daughters included) if 
 they could get away ; only it is a little hard for 
 grandmama to have no one to speak to about her 
 charities, or any thing ; and you know it is made 
 a crime at headquarters to give away a loaf of 
 bread with your right hand, if he fancies you 
 should give it with your left." 
 
 '^ Oh, Miss Howard ! " said Mr. Brand, looking 
 very much pleased, however ; " but (I do not 
 know who was your informant) I have no present 
 intention of leaving Holmwood." 
 
 ** Oh, that's well ! — it was Winny, of course ; 
 but never mind ! " exclaimed Eegina. 
 
 Mr. Brand laughed, and went on — ^' It is pos- 
 sible that Miss Hopper may have heard whispers 
 of a change in the church at Holmwood ; but (I 
 know I can trust you, Miss Howard) it is not I 
 who am likely to leave — it is ]\Ir. Morley. Three 
 of his intimate friends have become converts — I 
 will not use the abusive term perverts — to the 
 Roman Catholic faith, and they have so worked 
 upon him, that I believe in a very short time he
 
 BEYMIN3TRE. 245 
 
 will also make his professIoD. As I learn that 
 my services are still required by his successor, I see 
 no immediate prospect of my leaving this place." 
 
 " For which I am very glad, and for all the 
 rest," cried Regina. " Will he be a monk? will he 
 take orders ? what will he do with his daughters ? 
 I think I should like him best as a Benedictine, 
 or a Carmelite — which is the strictest profession, 
 Mr. Brand?" 
 
 " I am afraid, },Iis3 Howard, that you will not 
 have the gratification of hearing that he has taken 
 the tonsure ; it is said that a young lady of large 
 fortune, whose views have gradually progressed 
 with his own, until she has ended, as he has done, 
 at Rome " 
 
 " From Oxford to Rome, Mr. Brand ! " said 
 Regina, archly ; ^' and the young lady's name is 
 Miss Cutler, Mr. Brand — and she has fifty thou- 
 sand pounds ; and Miss Hopper will be disconsolate^ 
 Mr. Brand, but not inconsolable — I trust I need 
 say no more." 
 
 " Now really. Miss Howard, you are too bad ! " 
 he replied, laughing, as he took his leave.
 
 246 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 Mrs. Arnold was so very much relieved by 
 Mr. Morley's departure, which took place w^ithin 
 a week after this conversation, that Regina told 
 Mrs. Willingham privately, she could not bring 
 herself to regret the cause of this effect — or rather 
 say, '* the cause of this de-fect ; " which quotation 
 Mrs. Willingham thought so witty, that, being 
 then enojao^ed in writino^ to Alban, she introduced 
 it for his especial benefit. 
 
 And Mr. Brand, though he respected the 
 sincerity of Mr. Morley's conduct, began to think 
 you might have too much of a good thing ; and the 
 candles disappeared from the altar, and the beadle 
 was no longer directed to put water slily into the 
 aspersorium at the church door; nay, he even 
 discontinued the early service at a hint from his 
 present rector, who thought it hardly worth while 
 to open the church for the sake of two angry old 
 women and the parish idiot, who had hitherto 
 formed the sole congregation, led thither by the 
 threats of Mr. Morley. The new rector went 
 even farther, and preached in his black gown, 
 partly because such had been the practice within
 
 BEYMINSTEE. 24:7 
 
 the memory of man in this country, and partly 
 because other changes of costume being recom- 
 mended, and not followed even by the most 
 zealous Puseyites (such as the adoption of the 
 cope), he did not see why he should wrong himself 
 and others by doing things by halves. 
 
 And Regina performed her promise the very 
 first Sunday Mr. Brand followed this example, 
 and executed a sketch of him the next morninor in 
 his black robe going up the pulpit stairs ; but, 
 being taken from behind, it was not so valuable 
 to his friends as it might have been^ since it only 
 illustrated the back of his head, and the scroll of 
 paper in his hand. 
 
 But Mrs. Willingham was delighted with it, 
 and reproached her young friend for not having 
 made such another clever sketch of Alban when 
 he was so much there — " So many opportunities 
 as you had, naughty Regina ! and, with your knack 
 of seizing the expression of the figure, it was too 
 bad." 
 
 And then Regina felt shy, and did not tell Mrs. 
 AVillinf^ham that she had made a sketch of Alban^
 
 248 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 the very best she had ever done ; and that slie 
 looked at it the last thing at night, and the first 
 thing every morning, and that she never had 
 courage to show it even to her grandmama. 
 
 x\s the spring advanced, and it became only too 
 clear that jMrs. Willingham was rapidly declining, 
 a singular change took place in her own feelings. 
 She became every day more sanguine of her re- 
 covery. Each symptom that spoke so plainly of 
 decay to her experienced friend, she treated as 
 accidental. Now, it was the east wind that had 
 aggravated her cough — another time, an imprudent 
 diet had brought on a severer fit of spasms. The 
 doctor seriously advised that some one should 
 write to her son, and she took this duty on her- 
 self, and wrote a laughing account of the fears her 
 kind friends entertained for lier health. Retina 
 was sitting by her at the time, and she felt that 
 Alban could come but to one conclusion on 
 receiving that letter — that his mother was parti- 
 cularly well, and that Mrs. Arnold was a very 
 nervous old woman. So, after thinking over the 
 subject a great deal, Reglua took the law into her
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 249 
 
 own hands, and the first time she was alone slie 
 sent Alban the following lines, remarkable onlj 
 as being the first and last letter she ever addressed 
 to a lover: — 
 
 " It is very painful to me to write to you on a 
 subject that will give you much sorrow; but I am 
 sure, if you knew hovf very weak my dear Mrs. 
 WilUngham has become lately, you would, if pos- 
 sible, return to England without delay. Her 
 spirits are so good, owing, I think, to your cheering 
 letters, that she will not beheve her strength is 
 decreasing, and that we have reason for our deep 
 anxietv. I am writing: without the leave or 
 knowledge of any one, just because I could not 
 keep silent, and therefore you must not send me 
 an answer ; but, if you come, you will find me tlie 
 same exactly as when you left. Ah ! wliat would 
 I give, that you could find all who are dear to you 
 as little changed ! 
 
 *^ Eegixa Howard." 
 
 And now they were come to ^lay — cruel, biting.
 
 250 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 noxious May — whose chilling rains and piercing 
 winds bring many a lingering illness to its close. 
 Mrs. Willingham never left the house now; she 
 rose late, and went to bed at twilight. A regular 
 nurse sat with her through the night, and she was 
 obliged to take opiates to secure her any sleep. 
 
 Mrs. Arnold and Kegina divided the day be- 
 tween them at Dykeham — the old lady sitting with 
 the invalid through the morning, and Regina pass- 
 ing the evening with her from her early tea till 
 she was settled for the nio;ht. The afternoon she 
 always insisted on passing by herself. 
 
 How much Reo-ina had to tell her grandmother 
 after their few hours' separation — how much 
 variety of pain to comment upon, and learn how 
 to alleviate; for Mrs. Arnold was suggestive in 
 a sick room, and without that quality people are 
 better away. But no amount of kind sympathy 
 or ready invention could long avail their patient ; 
 it was evident that she was sinking fast. Now 
 came long hours of faintness and depression, when 
 the old belief, that she should never see her son 
 again, was strong upon her; and at other times
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 251 
 
 she was all hope and anticipation, and racked Re- 
 gina's heart by dwelling on all the happiness that 
 awaited her as soon as the war was over, and 
 Alban could return to England. She gladly 
 welcomed the visits of Mr. Carter, the rector of 
 Dykeham, and received the sacrament at his 
 hands; remarking that, until she could go to 
 church again, it was a great comfort to her to have 
 the services performed at home ; but it did not 
 strike her, as it did Mrs. Arnold and Regina, who 
 were with her, that the time would never come 
 that she would enter a church ascain. 
 
 At last, towards the end of May, one morning 
 that Regina was expecting Mrs. Arnold back to 
 dinner, there came a slip of paper from that lady 
 to say, that her dear friend was so much worse as 
 to induce her to remain, at least during the day, 
 and promising to let Regina know every few liours 
 how the invalid was going on. But the idea of 
 waitinjj at Holmwood — waitin<T^ from hour to hour 
 with a sinking heart — was intolerable to Regina ; 
 in a few minutes she was standing, breathless and 
 tearful, in the porch of Dykeham farm.
 
 252 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 Mrs. King came out, with the corner of her 
 apron up, ready for a cry. 
 
 ^' Oh, miss ! she be very bad, poor dear lady ! — 
 Dr. Athwood, he says he hardly thinks she will 
 last through the night — the spasms has been 
 awful!" 
 
 Eegina leant against the porch, sick with fear ; 
 even love will not cast out that ghastly dread — 
 the first interview with the destroying angel — the 
 horror of a great darkness that weighs on the 
 spirit in the presence of death. 
 
 " Ha ! miss, you run so fast you're out of 
 breath," said the good woman, wiping the cold 
 dew from Regina's forehead ; "but don't take on 
 — there's a dear ; it's what w^e must all come to." 
 
 Ile2:ina felt she had not come there to " take 
 on:" she raised her head from good ?>lrs. King's 
 shoulder, pressed her hand, and passed at once into 
 Mrs. WiUingham's room. 
 
 She was in bed — still beautiful, though very 
 thin — propped up high with pillows. Since she 
 had become worse, she had had her bed moved 
 into her sitting-room, that she might have about
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 253 
 
 her all her favourite pursuits. Until very lately 
 she had still painted, and there was a brilliant 
 tropical sketch on her easel — even so late as yes- 
 terday •^she had enjoyed hearing Regina sing, and 
 the piano was not closed. 
 
 It was all clear to her now — there is no self- 
 deception when death really approaches. 
 
 " My little Kegina," she said, holding out her 
 hand w^th an altered look and voice, " I was long- 
 ing to see you. You w^ill tell my Alban that I 
 was very happy : and your love wdll console him 
 for my loss." 
 
 " I am come to sit with you and grandmama," 
 said Regina, trying to be composed; " and 1 will 
 say all you wish, and do all I can for Alban." 
 
 " He will feel it very much when he comes 
 back," she went on ; " but he Avill not shew it — he 
 shews nothing almost of his heart ; but I think he 
 feels the more. It is bad to bleed inwardly." 
 
 " I will try to understand him as you have done,'* 
 said Regina. 
 
 Mrs. Arnold, who was reading ^at intervals, at 
 her friend's request, from the Bible, now began in
 
 254 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 her silver voice to repeat the twenty-third Pdalm; 
 while the invalid lay tranquilly listening, and 
 Regina leaned against the pillow, and tried to still 
 her sobs, and her beating pulses, and the trembling 
 in ber limbs. 
 
 Later in the day the doctor came, and said that 
 he was glad to find his patient so much more com- 
 fortable; and, having nothing else to say — for he 
 knew pretty well what that sudden ease portended 
 — took his leave, and returned to Bradford. And 
 the two friends w^atched sadly but hopefully at the 
 bedside, where she lay very calm, without suffering, 
 and half asleep, until evening. Then she grew 
 more wakeful, and insisted that Mrs. Arnold should 
 not sit up any longer. 
 
 "• I will have granny go to bed," she said. " I 
 can send for her if I grow worse : but my little 
 Regina I should like to keep, for she seems to me 
 like a part of Alban." 
 
 At Mrs. Arnold's age it is a serious thing to lose 
 a night's rest ; and, seeing her friend so refreshed 
 and calm, seeing her stronger too — for she had just 
 been raised up to take a little tea — she bade her
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 255 
 
 affectionately good-night, and went to the room 
 that was prepared for her. 
 
 The nurse was come, and was slumbering by the 
 small fire that was kindled for the night, though 
 the evening was warm, and the casement window 
 set half open. Mrs. Willingham had been sorting 
 and arranging a bundle of her son's letters, and 
 had fallen into a doze during the occupation. 
 Eegina tied the papers together, and laid them 
 beside her friend. While she was so occupied her 
 thoughts wandered back to that evening, two years 
 affo. when she had stood singinoj with Mrs. Wil- 
 lingham at the piano, and Alban played at chess 
 with Mrs. Arnold at the table near. She remem- 
 bered their panic as the blind was stirred by the 
 mysterious hand outside — and this memory, with 
 the mournful voice of the hoot owl in the Dingle- 
 by woods made her shiver with a sudden fear. 
 
 "Regina!" 
 
 Some one uttered her name in a tone of sucli 
 mortal anguish that her heart stood still. She 
 turned quickly to the bed ; ^Mrs. Willingham was 
 sleeping calmly — a sharp rut-tle made her look to-
 
 2oG BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 wards the window — the blind was thrust aside, and 
 a haggard face leaned in, while again the word 
 *' Regina!" came trembling like a pang from his lips. 
 
 Fear made Regina bold ; she walked swiftly to 
 the window, and said in a firm low tone, " There is 
 a sick lady here — she is sleeping just now — and I 
 am sure you would not wish to disturb what may 
 be her last hours!" 
 
 " Oh God ! do not abandon me ! Leave me 
 this one love, this one hatred of my life !" he cried, 
 stretching his wasted hands into the room. " Let 
 me in, for pity's sake ; let me kneel by her side, 
 once more — once more !" 
 
 " I do not know what to do ! " cried Kegina, 
 much agitated; "indeed, I believe Mrs. Willing- 
 ham is dying." 
 
 " I knov/ it — I know every passage in her life ! 
 Open to me, for the love of Heaven ! I am he 
 vrhose life she has drained by inches — I am Her- 
 bert Willingham !" 
 
 " Oh ! then, pray do not come In — do not agitate 
 her last moments with regrets that now can avail 
 nothing!" pleaded Ivcglna.
 
 BEYMIXSTRE. 257 
 
 *^ Regrets ! Has Dot her whole life been one 
 fierce atonement?" he cried. "I come to par- 
 don ! Let me in ! " 
 
 *^ Kegina, my love I" said Mrs. Willingham's 
 feeble voice. 
 
 She was awake, and struggling to sit up. 
 
 " I was speaking to a friend who came to in- 
 quire after you," whispered Regina, leaning over 
 her. 
 
 "Yes — I know — let him come in, and bid me 
 farewell," she said distinctly. 
 
 Re2:Ina went in the chill and darkness alonor the 
 passage, and unbarred the large hall door. The 
 moment it swung back, he rushed in like a mad- 
 man — indeed she feared he was mad — and hurried 
 with her to the bedside of his early love. 
 
 " Oh ! live — live ! " he groaned, suddenly falling 
 on his knees, as if the springs of life had given 
 way at once. 
 
 She turned her eyes upon him, and smiled a 
 little. Regina, standing by her pillow, wrapped 
 in her long white shawl, was shivering with ex- 
 citement and cold. 
 
 VOL. I. s
 
 258 BEYMINSTRE. 
 
 '^We are at peace, Kegina!" be exclaimed, 
 stretching his clasped hands towards her — " at 
 peace after all these stormy years ; there is forgive- 
 ness between us at last." 
 
 Mrs. Willingham's eyes were half closed, her 
 breathing slower. 
 
 "Perfect remission and forgivenessj through 
 Jesus Christ our Lord," she whispered after a 
 pause, her mind reverting to the last prayer she 
 had used before she slept. 
 
 *'Is there — is there nothing you can ask me 
 now ? " he asked, in a tone of agony. 
 
 Her hand strayed to the packet of letters, her 
 lips seemed to frame the words, " My son ! " 
 
 '^ His son ! no matter — I will do him ris^ht ! I 
 had done him a great wrong. I had thought of this 
 before — I can with your help — shall it be so?" 
 he asked, turning round and grasping Regina's 
 dress. 
 
 *^ Oh 1 yes, yes ! " she faltered through her tears, 
 not knowing what he meant, but wishing only to 
 make him calmer, for the sake of her dying friend. 
 
 " Regina, do you know me ? do you know who
 
 BEYMINSTRE. 259 
 
 kneels beside you?" he cried, appealing to the 
 placid face before him. ** Did you ever, ever shed a 
 tear for me among your sorrows ? Did you ever 
 wish that fatal act undone — or think I should 
 have loved you better than that wretch ? I have 
 yearned to ask this of you many hopeless years ; 
 and now — and now I come and ask it of your 
 corpse ! " 
 
 There was a pause — a stillness. The half-closed 
 lids were fixed — the parted lips were breathless 
 evermore. 
 
 " Yes ! of her corpse ! " the wretched man fell 
 prostrate on the ground, and wept, not like a 
 child — like a vexed spirit, like a stormy sea, like 
 the rending of winds among the winter trees. 
 
 " Nurse ! " cried Regina in a sharp voice, that 
 startled her own ears. 
 
 The old woman hurried up to the bed. 
 
 " Sure enough, dear heart ! she went off like a 
 lamb," said the nurse, and leaned over to close her 
 eyes, while Regina and Sir Herbert knelt side by 
 side in prayer. 
 
 When Mrs. Arnold came in at daybreak, Sir
 
 260 BEYMIXSTRE. 
 
 Herbert was gone, and she would have been 
 almost inclined to ascribe the story of his appear- 
 ance to the overstrained nerves of her child, but 
 for the repeated assurances of the nurse, that a 
 stranoje gentleman had come and £:one "like a 
 flash of lightning," and had seemed much more 
 distressed even than Miss Regina. 
 
 And some days afterwards, when, at the simple 
 funeral of Mrs. Willingham^ Regina assumed the 
 post of her absent son, and followed her to the 
 grave, she was met at the churchyard gate by the 
 same hagorard fissure, ao;ed even since their last 
 meeting ; and they once more stood side by side, 
 while they gazed on the quieter and narrower bed 
 in which their friend was now laid to rest. 
 
 END OF VOL. I. 
 
 M'COHQUODALK AND CO., PBINTEBS, LONDON— WOBKS, NEWTOX,