"In three days I shall be of age, and I wish to invite you and Mr. and Mrs. Wedderburn to dinner, in order to celebrate the event. Will you come ?" Godfrey looked his answer. "Oh, yes; I shall sweep a crossing, and Grace will take in plain sewing." "It is all very well to laugh, Godfrey, but 'there's many a true word spoken in jest.' Grace Wedder “I will send a formal invitation to the Grange in burn will not have a farthing.” papa's name, which shall include you all." "It is quite unnecessary." "I think not," she replied, with a smile. "I have not lived for so many years within a mile-and-a-half of your home without knowing something of the temper of those in authority." Godfrey laughed, but his laugh was scarcely cordial, and all further discussion of the subject was prevented by a summons from Sir Ralph to tea. Captain Wedderburn's reflections, as he walked back to the Grange after taking leave of Sir Ralph and his daughter, were not all of unqualified delight. The same misgivings which troubled the mind of Grace troubled also his own, and with far greater cause. What with Miss Wedderburn amounted to little more than a suspicion, was to him a very unpleasant certainty. It was yet so early when he reached his home that none of its inmates had retired to rest, and on entering the drawing-room, he found his father and mother still engaged over the game of backgammon which formed their usual evening resource. Mr. Wedderburn had the light-brown hair and blue eyes which his son had inherited from him, only in the latter the hair had a more chestnut tinge, and the eyes were of a deeper blue. Mrs. Wedderburn was a little dark-eyed woman, who might once have been pretty, before time had sharpened the angles of her face and figure. Having something to communicate which would not bear keeping, something, moreover, which he feared would not be particularly palatable, Godfrey eschewed all beating about the bush, and dashed at once into the subject that occupied his thoughts. "Well, father! well, mother!" he cried, in a cheery voice, as he came into the room, "I've been and done it! I have proposed to Grace Wedderburn, and am now an engaged man." "More fool you," remarked his father, without looking up from the backgammon board. "There, madam, you are gammoned." This last remark was addressed to his wife. Mrs. Wedderburn closed the board with an impatient jerk, and rising from her seat approached her son, who had thrown himself into an easy-chair. "What was that you said, Godfrey?" she asked, laying her hand on his shoulder. "I did not quite understand you." Godfrey repeated the substance of his former speech. "I have proposed to Grace Wedderburn, and she has accepted me." The hand laid on his shoulder was pressed down heavily upon it, and the dark eyes glittered as Mrs. Wedderburn replied "You have indeed been guilty of a most egregious piece of folly! Are you not aware that you will both be beggars ?" "Well, and what then? If our means will be moderate, so are our wishes, and I trust I shall have enough to satisfy them." "Love in a cottage, and all that," sneered Mr. | Wedderburn. "Or worse, following the baggage | waggon from country quarters to town quarters, with the alternative of living in barracks, or on the back floor of a stifling lodging. Will that suit the young lady's taste, think you?" "I can't say," answered Godfrey, laughing. "It would not particularly suit mine. But this I am sure of, that Grace will be contented with anything that contents me; her own tastes and habits are simple enough. But Sir Ralph does not live like a poor man.' "But he is a poor man, nevertheless," said Mrs. Wedderburn. "In his youth he was frightfully extravagant, and it appears that he still retains the same propensities. I need not tell you that your father is the next heir to Rushington, and a pretty possession it is likely to prove to him!" "It has been mortgaged over and over again. With that great overgrown house, far too large for the estate in my opinion, it will be more expense than profit to us, should it ever become ours." "Well, mother, it can't be helped; the deed is done, and I certainly do not repent of it. If it must be love in a cottage, why, then, love in a cottage let it be, or the back-room of a lodging; anything, in short, so long as there's the love." "You talk like a fool, Godfrey !" said his mother, in a tone of extreme irritation. "You talk like a person who knows nothing of the world! Your own habits are not those of an anchorite, and your circumstances are such as to make it imperative upon you to marry a woman who has some fortune of her own." "I am sorry for it, mother, but it can't be done at any price. There is but one woman in the world whom I wish to marry, or mean to marry, and she happens to be without a fortune." "It is perfectly absurd your thinking of marrying Grace Wedderburn,” replied the lady, walking up and down the room; "the daughter of a ruined man, with nothing but a handsome face to recommend her——” "Ah, there Godfrey has shown his taste," remarked Mr. Wedderburn, interrupting her; "she's a monstrous fine girl! Hang it! she looks more fit to be a duchess than the wife of a captain of dragoons." "And proud as Lucifer, as I was going to observe when your father interrupted me; that quality, however, may prove of advantage to us." "In what way, may I ask ?" "I know Grace Wedderburn well enough to feel assured that she will never marry you without our approbation and consent; and as you are not likely to obtain that, your engagement with her may be broken off without any dishonour on your part." This was almost too much for Godfrey's equanimity; he rose from his seat with much disturbance of manner, as he replied "I am extremely obliged to you. You have arranged everything to your own satisfaction, at any rate, if not to mine; but as I have no intention of breaking off my engagement with Grace, your scrupulous regard for my honour is thrown away. And, under any circumstances, I should consider myself the best guardian of it," he added proudly. "Bravo, Godfrey!" laughed his father. "There, madam, you've got a rap over the knuckles; I hope you like it." "Now you are angry, Godfrey," said Mrs. Wedderburn, without heeding her husband's remark; "you are angry and unreasonable. How could you expect that we should be gratified at the prospect of your marrying Grace Wedderburn? I am ambitious for you, my dear boy; I want you to marry some one who by her wealth, or family, or influence, would bring you forward in the world, and enable you to take your proper place there." "I know to whom you allude," replied Godfrey. "You are thinking of Selina Charteris; but I have told you scores of times that I do not care for her. could not marry her!" I "Why, what are your objections ?" "Oh, none in particular, except that she is very insipid, besides the crowning one that I don't love her." "You don't love her! What a deal of jargon is talked now-a-days about love! Is she disagreeable to you ?" "Oh, no." "Do not you admire her ?" to constitute love ?" "Will you listen to me, sir?" said Godfrey. "Will you give the matter in hand your serious consideration, instead of making a joke of it-it is no joke to me, I can assure you; above all, will you return a candid answer to what I am about to say to you? Till I know this, I will not utter another syllable." "Yes, yes, out with it, man; let's hear what you've got to say." "I have arrived at an age when most men contemplate marriage, and I humbly conceive that I am the best judge of what is most likely to promote my happiness in this respect. I love my cousin Grace Wedderburn, and desire to marry her; I am sorry that my choice does not appear to meet with your or my mother's approbation; I should have wished my wife to be welcomed to my home with kindness and affection; but, as it seems that may not be, all I want to know is this:-Will you, in the event of my marriage, undertake to increase my present allowance ? I will be very moderate, and only ask for an additional hundred a year-a sum which I think you cannot in fairness refuse me." "Upon my word, Master Godfrey," replied his father, "you are a cool hand! Here are you, bent upon a marriage of the most glaring imprudence, and on that account excessively annoying both to your mother and myself, and you expect me to forward your views by increasing your allowance; and by-and-by, when 'Huz his firstborn and Buz his brother' arrive, you will be expecting me to increase it still further. No, my fine fellow, don't look to me for help; as you make your bed, so you must lie on it." "Thank you, sir; you have at least given me a plain answer to a plain question. I know now what What more is required I have to depend on; and I can only hope that time, and a juster appreciation of Grace's character, will make you view my marriage in a different light-in one more consonant with my own wishes." "That affinity of mind, that secret sympathy of soul, which draws two persons together and makes them feel that Heaven designed them for each other; the adoration that a man has for a woman, which he cannot talk about or define, but which hallows the very air she breathes, and makes every word that falls from her lips like precious pearls to him. This is what I feel for Grace Wedderburn; this is what I have never felt for any other woman." "Stuff! You make me laugh, Godfrey, with your affinities and sympathies; I own I have no sympathy with such high-flown sentiments, and do not pretend to understand them: such subtle distinctions between liking and loving are too deep for me; but this I know, that when two persons intend to marry it is desirable not only that they should have something to live upon, but something to look forward to, and not to run the chance of bringing a set of beggars 1 into the world." Mr. Wedderburn laughed one of his little sneering laughs at the conclusion of this speech. "Your mother is miserably prosaic," he said, addressing his son. "Such things as ways and means are not to be thought of-they never are thought of-by young gentlemen who fancy themselves in love." "It is not a question of character," said Mr. Wedderburn; "the girl may have all the virtues under the sun for aught I know". -or care, he was about to add, but checked himself; "it is simply a question of L. S. D. If you think that you can live upon your present means as a married man, you are at liberty to try the experiment; I have no power to prevent you; only don't expect me to provide the needful." "I perfectly understand you, sir," replied Godfrey, "and have only one more question to ask-which is, whether you will receive my wife?" "Receive her? Oh-I don't know; yes-I suppose so." "And you, mother?" said Godfrey. Mrs. Wedderburn made no answer, but turned away and walked to the window. "Mother!" Had Mrs. Wedderburn seen the expression of her son's eyes when he turned them towards her, or noted the slight unsteadiness in his voice, it is possible that she might have relented; but she stood there hardening herself in her pride, nor once looked round, and his appeal remained unanswered. There was a dead silence in the room for some minutes, interrupted by a little sniggering laugh from Mr. Wedderburn, and a moment afterwards by the gentle closing of a door. Godfrey Wedderburn had quitted the room. We have said that it was still early when Captain Wedderburn took leave of Grace and her father on this memorable evening, so early, that after his departure the young lady made no preparations for retiring, but seated herself quietly at the table, and took up a piece of embroidery. She soon, however, laid it down again, and addressed Sir Ralph, who was blinking over a novel. "Close your book, papa, and listen to me; I have something very particular to say to you." Sir Ralph obeyed her; and Grace, leaving her seat, went over to him and began stroking and kissing his forehead. "Well, Gracey, what's in the wind now ?" "Papa," she said, blushing beautifully, though there was no one to see her, "Godfrey has asked me to be his wife." "The deuce he has!" "And I have accepted him." "With all my heart, Gracey. Who shall you ask?" "The Haringtons, of course, and the Grange, and one or two others, but it must be entirely confined to intimates; and, as the numbers will be limited, I think it had better be a dinner party: but you must let me manage it all my own way, please. Now don't say a word,” she added, as Sir Ralph was about to speak, "I will let you into all my secrets when the day comes; but just now I only want your permission to write the invitations." "I was only going to observe, my love," said Sir Ralph, "that we may as well have a few more while we are about it. Why not ask our intimates,' as you call them, to dinner, and the neighbourhood to a dance in the evening. It would be very little more trouble or expense." Grace knew that it would entail a great deal more trouble and expense; nevertheless, the idea of a dance was not altogether disagreeable to her, and she reflected, besides, that people only come of age once in their lives; so she replied to Sir Ralph "I am afraid there would scarcely be time to write the invitations, papa; and the notice is so short, that "You have? What will the old people say to we should have nothing but refusals." that, Gracey?” "Pooh! nonsense! I'll help you to write the in "I don't care what they say, at least not at this vitations; and as to refusals, country folk don't get moment; I want to hear what you say." asked to a dance every day in the year. They will "Well, then, Gracey, I think that you might only be too happy to come." have done better for yourself." "How so?" "You might have secured a richer man." "But suppose the rich man never came ?" "I wish Cissy was here!" cried Grace, impatiently. "She would help me to write the notes. What can make her so late to-night, I wonder?" "Oh, she's always late home from the Haring "He'd have come fast enough if you would have tons," replied Sir Ralph. "But there, I think I let him, Miss Puss." hear the wheels of the carriage. Yes, here she is," "But suppose I don't happen to like the rich he added, as a loud ring at the hall door announced man ?" "Ah, that's another matter." "And suppose I do happen to like the poor one? Suppose I happen to prefer him to any one else in the world?" an arrival. The next minute the door of the apartment was thrown impetuously open, and there entered a very young-looking lady with a little Maltese dog in her arms; she rushed up to Grace and kissed her affectionately, performed the same ceremony with "Why then, I suppose, Miss Wilful must have her Sir Ralph, and finally subsided into an arm-chair, own way in spite of papa." "You do not dislike Godfrey, papa?" "Oh, no, quite the contrary; I think him a very nice young fellow; dresses ill, I should say, but that may be mended. I only wish he was rather better off." "Oh, papa, we shall be quite well enough off." "Well, nothing very brilliant; I doubt your being able to keep your carriage. I own I should like my daughter to keep her carriage." "Papa," said Grace, laughing, "I promise you to keep three, if you will not expect me to use them all on the same day." Sir Ralph laughed, and kissed her,--a mark of affection which his daughter returned with interest. "I have not yet said all my say," remarked Miss Wedderburn, when this little interlude was concluded. "You know in three days I shall be of age, and I want you to let me have a party to celebrate the event." exclaiming "We've had such a delightful evening! Haven't we, Flo ?" "And there is another delightful evening in prospect for you, Cissy, if you will be a good creature and help me to write a few notes." "As many as you please, Grace; what are they to be about?" "Papa is going to give a dance on the 30th, and I want to write as many of the invitations as I can to-night, in order to send them off the first thing to-morrow morning." "Oh, capital!" exclaimed Cissy, clapping her hands. "Give me a pen, and I'll undertake to scribble away for the next two hours." "One hour will accomplish it if we both set to ¦ work, for the time is so short that we could not attempt anything beyond quite a small party. There is to be a dinner-party first, and a dance afterwards. I will write the invitations to dinner." 'Oh, very. Goody was in high force. And, Grace, Aldates." she has actually got a new dress!" "You surprise me! What is it like?" 66 'May not I hear it?" "Mr. Harington begged me not to repeat it, but I "A kind of slaty silk. You know she always am sure he would not mind my telling it to you; he dresses in dandy-grey russet." merely meant that he would rather not have it openly talked about just at present; he knows that you and I have no secrets from each other." "It seems to require a great deal of preface," remarked Grace. "I hope it will be worth hearing." "The Rector of Warndon, old Dr. Marsh, is seriously ill, not expected to live; his death, whenever it happens, vacates one of the best livings in the gift of M—— College, of which college, as you are aware, Edward Harington is a Fellow." "But will Edward be benefited by this circum "Yes; and he pores over those musty old law stance? I am afraid he has not a chance of getpapers till he looks as white as a sheet." "Accounts for what, Grace?" "For your having spent such an agreeable evening. I was wondering what had been the peculiar charm." A long silence; during which both girls scribbled away vigorously, and made material additions to the little piles of notes which already half covered the writing-table. "I suppose I am to send an invitation to Sir Charles Warren?" said Miss Musgrave at length, Looking up from her employment. "Y-e-s; I suppose we must ask him." Cecilia regarded her with astonishment. "He is not a particular favourite of mine," said Miss Wedderburn, answering her friend's look. "I thought you rather encouraged him, Gracey." "I did not mean to do so," replied Grace, colouring. "Besides, having encouraged another to some purpose, I do not care to have two strings to my bow." "What do you mean, Grace ?" said Cecilia, laying down her pen and looking full into her companion's face. "Godfrey and I have agreed to try the great experiment, and take each other for better for worse; that is all, Cissy." "Dear, darling Grace!" cried Miss Musgrave, kissing her rapturously, "how glad I am! I always liked Godfrey, and now I shall love him. And are you very happy, Grace ?" she added, after a short silence. "Yes, very happy, dear Cissy." VIII-30 ting a living for many years to come." "You are mistaken, Grace; Mr. Harington happens to stand first for a living. He is not the Senior Fellow, it is true, but of the two who were above him, one has given up his fellowship and married, and the other says that he has no intention of entering the Church." "I hope he will continue in that mind, Cissy." "So do I. Edward wishes so much to have a living; and he is so well fitted for one, he would make such an excellent parish priest." "I think he would," returned Miss Wedderburn. "He has the 'suaviter in modo' as well as the 'fortiter in re;' and both are wanted to manage a parish; in these days, especially." 'Well, a few weeks will probably decide it; but it is rather shocking to speculate upon the death of any one, even though he may be a total stranger to you. Edward thinks it so shocking, that he told me ever since he had heard of Dr. Marsh's critical state his great endeavour had been to dismiss the subject from his mind." Grace Wedderburn smiled. The fact of his communicating the intelligence to Miss Musgrave on the very first opportunity did not speak much for the success of his efforts. The notes were by this time completed, and left, duly sorted, on the table, some to be taken by special messenger the following morning, and some for the early post. The next three days were more or less devoted to preparations for the projected entertainment, which both the girls determined should be as brilliant as under the circumstances it would be possible to make it. Miss Wedderburn, indeed, seemed to have come out in a new character, and quite astonished her friend by the zeal with which she threw herself into all the details of the party, especially the dinner. With reference to this important meal she was closeted with Sir Ralph for above half an hour; after which Mr. Jones the butler was summoned to assist at their deliberations; and when Cecilia entered the library where they were consulting together, to ask some trifling question, she evidently interrupted a conversation which they did not choose to continue in her presence, and she withdrew mystified. Captain Wedderburn in the meanwhile had confided to Grace the unsatisfactory result of his interview with his father and mother; which was much what she had anticipated. She was not, however, in a mood to feel desponding about anything; and while lamenting the ungracious manner in which they had received the announcement of her engagement to their son, she trusted to time and circumstances to soften their feelings, and endeavoured to inspire her lover with some of her own hopefulness on the subject. "They will relent, dear Godfrey," she said, "they will relent, when they see that your happiness is really concerned; and in the meanwhile let us be patient." "Yes, and wait; and wait, till I am ready to exclaim, 'Patience is stale, and I am weary of it!' But I will try to follow your advice, nevertheless." "I hope you will; it is so much better than the other way." "But it is so difficult to be patient," rejoined Godfrey-"at least to me. I am afraid mine is not & patient nature." "Then I know what I have to expect," laughed Grace. "But courage! I don't think we shall have to wait very long. I don't indeed,-for the consent of your father and mother, I mean." "May you be a true prophetess, dearest! But I wish they hadn't set their hearts so upon my marrying an heiress." "It is unfortunate, certainly," said Grace, smiling archly; "but we won't torment ourselves about it just at present; I want you to help Cissy and me to adorn the ball-room. Will you come?" "With pleasure," answered Godfrey; "though I shall make but a clumsy artificer, I fear." And he followed his cousin into the large drawing room. CHAPTER II.-"PRETTY DOINGS FOR A HALF-RUINED MAN." MR. AND MRS. WEDDERBURN sent a formal acceptance of the invitation to dine at Rushington on the 30th of July. Grace Wedderburn's note, couched equally in formal terms, had been read with some sneering comments at the Grange, Godfrey having informed his father and mother of the event they were invited to celebrate. "So the young lady is of age, eh, Godfrey? heiress to large estates in the moon. Rather unprofitable acres, if the astronomers guess aright." "The wretched importance of giving a feast to mark such an occasion!" observed Mrs. Wedderburn. "But I suppose we must go." And she tossed the note contemptuously on the table. Godfrey wisely refrained from making any answer to these remarks; possibly he had his own ideas upon the subject, but they did not transpire. In the meanwhile, of those who had been asked to dine at Rushington nearly all had accepted the invitation; yet, when the company were assembled, they made but a party of fifteen, one or two failing them at the very last. It mattered little; the guests were all friends, some even dear friends:-of the latter were Arnold and Edward Harington, and their aunt Mrs. Fletcher. Arnold Harington was a man whom few could have overlooked. His appearance was striking, not more from the regularity of his features than from his tall and well-proportioned figure. The character of his face was of that kind which may most truly be described as attractive; the eyes were kind and thoughtful, the expression of the mouth extremely pleasing, especially when it relaxed into a smile of rare but singular sweetness. His brother Edward was a well-looking young man of eight-and-twenty, two years Arnold's junior. His character may be summed up in one word: he was good-upright, affectionate, and amiable. Few people were more missed from a house when he left it, few more gladly welcomed; and this, not from the possession of any brilliant qualities, but from the atmosphere of unselfish cheerfulness which he diffused around him. The two brothers were warmly attached to each other; from boyhood Edward had looked up to Arnold with a trustfulness which spoke volumes for his worth, and for the kindness with which his privileges as elder were exercised. Mrs. Fletcher was a widowed sister of the late Mr. Harington; on the death of her husband she had come to reside with her brother, at that time a widower and in want of some one to keep house for him--a part which his sister was well qualified to perform. She was a little fair woman, with palt blue eyes, sandy hair beginning to whiten, and an active erect figure. Her nature was one of great kindliness, and of almost transparent simplicity. Homely in her speech and manners, no one could have accused Mrs. Fletcher of vulgarity, though some might possibly have deemed her wanting in refinement. Such as she was, most people liked her; those who knew her best, loved her. The rest of the party consisted of Mr. and Mrs. Wedderburn and their son, and two other families with whom Grace and Cecilia were on terms of intimacy: Mr. Chester, his son and daughter; and Sir Thomas, Lady, and Miss Charteris. Though Sir Ralph had been spoken of by Mrs. Wedderburn as a ruined man, certainly as a man of broken fortunes, he still prided himself upon the appointments of his table; and on the present occasion both these and the entertainment itself were of || |