THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE 
 
 OF 
 
 LOS 
 
 UNIVERSITY 
 CALIFORNIA 
 ANGELES
 
 KATE BYENE,
 
 LONDON : PRINTED BT 
 
 EDWAKD J. FRANCIS, TOOK'S COUB?,. 
 
 CH.VNCERY LANE, E.C.
 
 KATE BYRNE. 
 
 % Sobcl. 
 
 BY 
 
 S. HOWARD -TAYLOR. 
 
 IN TWO VOLUMES. 
 VOL. I. 
 
 Honbon : 
 SAMUEL TINSLEY, 
 
 10, SOUTHAMPTON STREET, STRAND. 
 
 1874. 
 
 [All rights reserved.]
 
 To- 13 A. 
 
 TO 
 
 3d: R s . J. :m Y L :n^ E, 
 
 N^ THIS STORY IS AFFECTIONATELY 
 
 Qrti'catrJT, 
 
 IN REMEMBRANCE OF 
 KIND ADVICE AND PLEASANT DAYS, 
 
 BY THE AUTHOR. 
 
 547486
 
 KATE BYRNE. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 BOUT lialf-a-mile from one of the 
 prettiest villages in Sellsliire, and 
 not very far from the county town, 
 is a large, old-fashioned house, 
 surrounded by a goodly number 
 of fine trees. The grounds are very taste- 
 fully laid out; a thick hedge hid them and 
 the house from the view of passers by in 
 the late scoring and summer ; but when the 
 shrubs and trees had not their full clothing 
 on, as it were, which is the case when this 
 story opens, any one on the high road 
 could have seen a young girl flitting here 
 
 VOL. I. B
 
 2 KATE BYRNE. 
 
 and ilicrc in tlio hrlglit morning sunshine 
 of early Spring. 
 
 She was dividing her attention between 
 the small fresh flowers and a large New- 
 foundland dog, whose frantic eh^phantine 
 endeavours to come in for his full share 
 of his mistress's favour were not quite as 
 enjoyable to her as he may have imagined. 
 
 '' Down, Rover; down, sir; you are too 
 bad for anything! " she exclaimed. '' I can 
 scarcely stand against such force." 
 
 She held up a small whip, which she 
 professed to carry for the express purpose 
 of keeping Rover in order, but it seldom 
 or ever fell heavily enough to make much 
 impression on the aforesaid animal. She 
 made a pretty picture as she stood there 
 in her soft morning-gown, which hung in 
 graceful folds about her neat little figure, 
 a larji^e straw hat shading her delicate 
 complexion. She is about nineteen years 
 of age, has large blue eyes, tiny hands
 
 KATE BYRNE. 3 
 
 and feet, and a good deal of light, fine 
 hair. She is the only daughter of the 
 owner of the house, a widow lady, Mrs. 
 Leigh, and the best child in all the world, 
 her mother often said. Her father had 
 made a considerable fortune as a cotton- 
 merchant, and retired from business sooner 
 than most men are able to do now-a-days. 
 He purchased their present home, away 
 from all the bustle and toil of the city, 
 where he had lived all his life ; but an 
 unfortunate speculation, in which he had 
 risked and lost some thousands, happened 
 soon after they had settled in their new 
 home, and this so preyed upon Iiim, that 
 he got into a low, morbid state of health 
 and mind, and died of fever, leaving his 
 wife and daughter to mourn his loss. They 
 were, however, still in very good circum- 
 stances : there had been no real need for 
 poor Mr. Leigh to fall into despair and fear 
 ruin.
 
 KATE BYRNE. 
 
 Mrs. Lcig-li was of a very good family, — 
 '' gentle people," or what is more commonly 
 known as " county" people, who prided 
 themselves, to a great extent, upon their 
 good Llood and breeding ; so that when 
 their daughter resolved to marry a poor 
 man (as he was in those days, who began 
 life as an errand-boy, and was not ashamed 
 to mention it), their indignation certainly 
 knew no bounds. They could not, nor 
 would not, find the slightest excuse for her 
 so far forgetting what was due to the ''blue 
 blood of the Harleys," for insulting them 
 and degrading herself, for exchanging their 
 refined poverty for the coarser companion- 
 shi}) of a man who they protested would 
 make her rue the step she was taking in a 
 single month. So she left her home under 
 the most trying circumstances, with no good 
 wishes or blessings attending her from those 
 she left behind. But dame Fortune, or Fate, 
 or sonie other dame equally variable and
 
 IiATI<: BYRNE. O 
 
 capricious, decreed that IMrs. Leigh should 
 not be so unutterably miserable and dejected 
 as her friends had prophesied; on the con- 
 trary, all went well with her from the first. 
 Her husband prospered in almost all his 
 undertakings for many years, and was soon 
 enabled, as we have seen, to carry out his 
 one pet scheme of placing his stately, 
 elegant wife, of whom he had always been 
 so justly proud, in a position equal, at all 
 events, in the more substantial senses and 
 enjoyments, to the one from which he had 
 taken her. 
 
 The Harleys allowed themselves, in due 
 time, to be soothed and pacified, and unbent, 
 so far as to allow themselves to visit '' poor 
 Mary" and ''that man," as they always so 
 sweetly called Mr. Leigh. They managed 
 to make great use of his generous hospi- 
 tality, were not too proud or too dignified 
 to ride in his carriages and share his well- 
 supplied table; but they no doubt looked
 
 6 KATE 13YIJNE. 
 
 upon liiin as tlic one Ijcncfitcd 1jy tlic 
 intimacy, and comforted themselves with the 
 assurance that they were doing much more 
 for him Ly visiting them than he ever 
 could have expected. After his death they 
 felt they had nothing to reproach themselves 
 with. Mrs. Leigh was, of course, very glad 
 to have them sometimes with her, she had 
 so few relations, and only one child left. 
 Of course she had felt their unkind treat- 
 ment of her husband, but it was quite 
 useless to show any resentment after ho 
 was gone, especially as they had, at least, 
 a2:»peared friendly for some time, and she 
 well knew that ho had never thought ill of 
 them. Helen was placed at a good school in 
 London till she had turned seventeen ; she 
 then went home to share her mother's quiet 
 country life, and entered into all the duties 
 which fell to her Avith great good-will and 
 readiness. The village was large, and there 
 •was plenty of w^ork for willing hands to do,
 
 KATE BYRNE. 7 
 
 as their vicar, Mr. Clayton, said to Helen ; 
 and he gladly accepted her young, active 
 head and hands to help him in the parish 
 and schools. 
 
 Her life at a fashionable London school 
 had not made- her too fine a lady, or given 
 her any of those absm^d, foolish ideas that 
 so many yomig people have as to this or 
 that not being fit for a lady to do. " The 
 more we can help others the better, for 
 surely time usefully employed can never 
 be tin-own away," Mrs. Leigh had said to 
 her when a child. "And if there is no one 
 in your own sphere to require your atten- 
 tion, there are plenty of your less fortunate 
 fellow-creatures who will be truly glad of 
 your help and consideration, which will cost 
 you so little, my child, and be of great help 
 to them." How much more real, lasting 
 good might be done, especially around our 
 country houses, where so many of the 
 daughters of the wealthy pass most of their
 
 8 li^VTE BYRNE. 
 
 young clays, if motlicrs -would take care to 
 imiDrcss upon tlieni the advantage of fnidiug 
 out, b}^ their own exertions, those among 
 the poor who are really deserving ; then 
 those who are kindly disposed and anxious 
 to do good would be less often imposed 
 upon, and the needy and suffering greatly 
 benefited. 
 
 The day before we introduced Mrs. Leigh 
 and her daughter to the reader's notice, the 
 former had had a long consultation with her 
 lawyer, who had come from the North to 
 see her on business matters. Some property 
 she was anxious to dispose of had been 
 all but purchased by another client of his, 
 and as he had just then a little spare time, 
 he had come to talk over final arrange- 
 ments with her. 
 
 " Helen, luy dear, Mr. Benson will dine 
 with us to-day, and the Clennings are coming 
 to meet him ; but he will be back some time 
 before dinner, as we have not quite finished
 
 KATE BYRNE. 9 
 
 with money matters. You need not go away 
 though unless you like, love," said Mrs. 
 Leigh. 
 
 " Oh, thank you, mamma. I hope 
 you will excuse me till dinner. I dislike 
 money mattei's so much, — and lawyers 
 too, for that matter," she added, smiling, — 
 "that until I am really obliged, I would 
 rather have nothing to do with tliem." 
 
 "I don't know," replied her mother, "v/hat 
 Mr. Benson would say to that speech, Helen, 
 for he thinks every one- who has a fraction 
 of money ought to be able to make the best 
 use of it." 
 
 " That is what I dislike him for, mamma; 
 not as a man, of course, but as a lawyer. I 
 suppose they are all alike though — a dry, 
 clever, questioning, puzzling set, who seem 
 to make what they persist in calling the 
 simplest things so difficult to understand; 
 and they frighten one into believing that 
 things are a great deal worse than they
 
 10 KATE BYRNE. 
 
 really arc, just to make tliemsclves appear 
 more clever, I suppose." 
 
 '' I shall certainly have to repeat this long 
 speech of }'ours, Helen," said her mother, 
 '^and leave Mr. Benson to re^jly for himself 
 and friends. I have no doubt he will be 
 glad of an opj^ortunity to teaze and mystify 
 you, to make up for the long rest he has 
 had : he does, I know, enjoy a little quiet 
 fun at your expense. 
 
 " Now, mamma, love, don't, I beseech 
 you," replied Helen, carnestl}'. '' You know 
 how he frightens me; and I shall never learn 
 to like him better if ho continues to catch 
 at every little thing I say, and make it 
 ap2:)ear foolish. Every one cannot possibly 
 be as clever as he is, or as you are, mannua ; 
 and laughing at my failings will never help 
 me to overcome them, I am sure." 
 
 '' Why, my dear Helen, I was only joking; 
 you surcl}- know that ; and, after all, it is 
 oidy manner with Mr. Benson : he is most
 
 KATE BYENE. 11 
 
 Mndly dis230scd towards you : of course lie 
 would be for your father's sake, if for nothiug^ 
 else," replied lier mother, 
 
 " I dare say you are right, mamma ; but 
 you will allow he has rather a singular way 
 of showing it. I will try to overcome my 
 dislike to talking Avith him, only do promise 
 not to say one word to him about me." 
 
 ^' Well, Helen, I will not, as you wish 
 it, though I confess the temptation is great, 
 as you appear so alarmed ; but be upon 
 your best behaviour when you meet him 
 at dinner to-day, which is half-an-hour 
 earlier than usual ; and I hope the Clennings 
 will be punctual." 
 
 The subject of the above conversation 
 was a shrewd, clever man, who had an 
 excellent connexion and practice. He had 
 applied himself with unflagging energy and 
 patience for many years to all the nicer 
 and finer j^oints in his profession, and seldom 
 failed to carry through witli success the-
 
 12 KATE BYRNE. 
 
 many weiglity and diiHicult matters put into 
 his lumds by liis trusting' clients. He cer- 
 tainly had not a pleasant manner, especially 
 to young- people ; he was very satirical, and 
 turned into ridicule any harmless, innocent 
 cx2:)ression they made before him — more to 
 annoy and vex them, because they allowed 
 him to see that he could do so, than 
 perhaps from any real ill nature. He was 
 also brusque and dictatorial, two of the 
 weaknesses of human nature which do not 
 add to any one's amiability ; in fact, it was 
 generally allowed, that in spite of all his 
 extreme cleverness, he was decidedly bearish 
 to his fellow mortals. Perhaps very clever 
 men cannot help, as a rule, making others 
 feel how ignorant and stui)id they are. The 
 fault may not be all theirs, however. It 
 may be tliat our very ignorance and 
 stupidity prevent us from understanding or 
 appreciating their more gifted conversation 
 and manners, and cause us to prefer the
 
 KATE BYRNE. 13 
 
 society of our less clever friends. This was 
 Helen's feeling towards Mr. Benson. She 
 knew how kind a friend he had been to 
 both her mother and father, and yet she 
 would always have gladly avoided seeing 
 him or saying a word to him. 
 
 During her father's illness, and when 
 he was in difficulties about his loss of 
 money, Mr. Benson had first come to see 
 them. He had then undertaken, at Mr. 
 Leigh's earnest request, to become a sort 
 of guardian to his child ; and perhaps it 
 was this which had given him the idea 
 that he had a right to give her, whenever 
 he saw her, the full benefit of his sharp, 
 sarcastic remarks, which had filled her 
 girlish fancy with a wholesome dread of 
 him ; and as she grew older it scarcely 
 diminished in the least. Mr. Benson had 
 a great respect for her mother. No one 
 had admired her husband's strict integrity 
 and painstaking industry more than he
 
 14 KATE BYRNE. 
 
 liad ; and he always spoke with evident 
 satisfaction of tlieir close friendship. But 
 his visits never lasted over a day or two, 
 vso Helen was soon relieved from his dis- 
 agreeable presence. lie left them the 
 following morning after an early breakfast. 
 "Good-bye, Helen; I trust you will take 
 advantage of Miss Clenning's offer of Gyp, 
 and mount her every day : a woman 
 that 's afraid of a bit of blood isn't worth 
 a straAv," was his parting speech. 
 
 " Helen, love," said Mrs. Leigh, a few 
 days after Mr. Benson's departure, "I have 
 been thinking that it is time wc were 
 hearinn^ somethino; more from Kate. I 
 can't find her last letter, but I fancy she 
 said she would come to us about this time, 
 and I should like to know what day she is 
 certain to arrive." 
 
 " Oil, yes, mamma, so should I. She 
 might have written to me before this, 'tis 
 true, though no one ever knows much
 
 Iv-iTE EYPtNE. 15 
 
 about her movements beforehand ; she 
 always does everything differently to other 
 people ; and because she is so positive 
 herself, and decides so quickly, she takes it 
 for granted that every one knows as well as 
 herself what she intends to do," said Helen. 
 
 " That may be all very well sometimes," 
 replied her mother ; ' ' but it is not always 
 convenient for any one to come unex- 
 pectedly to us." 
 
 " I should not wonder at her coming in 
 any moment without saying another word 
 about it, mamma." 
 
 " Oh, nonsense, Helen ; she surely will 
 telegraph when she crosses, at least ; some- 
 body must meet her. I do wish Kate 
 would try to be more particular in these 
 little every-day matters. I am afraid she 
 is dreadfully spoiled," said Mrs. Leigh. 
 
 " Oh, mamma, clear, nothing of the 
 kind. Kate could not be spoiled under 
 any circumstances; she is too stately and
 
 16 KATE BYRNE. 
 
 grand for such a thing to happen to lier. 
 I quite envy her that liappy, easy way 
 she lias of managing others, witliout the 
 slightest apparent effort on her part,'* 
 replied Helen. 
 
 " Kate is certainly not nervous, Helen, 
 I allow ; but that very manner you seem 
 to admire so much ought, I think, to make 
 her more attentive to the ordinary duties 
 of life, and not so careless and difficult to 
 imderstand," said Mrs. Leigh. 
 
 " Oh, but, mamma, dear, it is only 
 because you do not know Kate as well as 
 I do that you do not understand her. 
 You will alter your opinion before she goes 
 away again, I feel certain," said Helen. 
 
 '' Well, I hope so too, Helen, for I like 
 her very much in spite of her failings, and 
 am very glad she will come in for the 
 festivities at the Clennings," replied Mrs. 
 Leigh. 
 
 '' So am I too, mamma. She will
 
 KATE BYRNE. 17 
 
 delight Mrs. Clenning, I am sure, and 
 win all their hearts at first sight. She is 
 so fond of gaiety, that I fear, with all 
 her admiration for you, mother mine, and 
 her love for me, she would tire very soon 
 of our quiet, steady-going life, and long- 
 to leave us to the uninterruj)ted enjoyment 
 of it," said Helen, gaily, "unless we amuse 
 her very well indeed." 
 
 All this bright anticipation of her friend's 
 visit may have been enjoyable enough to 
 Helen ; but to her practical, methodical 
 motlier it was certainly rather perplexing 
 not to know positively whether or not 
 this delightful young creature intended to 
 honour them with her presence. Having a 
 great desire to make everything in readi- 
 ness for her guests, and as Kate was not 
 the only one she was exjoecting, it would 
 have been pleasanter to have known when 
 she was coming, and how long she intended 
 to stay. 
 
 VOL. I, c
 
 18 KATE BYRNE. 
 
 ITclcn resolved, if no letter came that 
 diU', to ^v^ito in tlie (>\'eniiig; but, fortu- ^ 
 nately, tlie afternoon bag brought news 
 for them. Tlie young lady excused her 
 ajiparent neglect by saying that her father 
 had l^een so far from avcU that she had not 
 liked to decide to leave home, but that 
 he was n(jw going on quite nicely, and, 
 time and tide j^crmitting, she hoped to 
 have the great pleasure of being with them 
 some day the following Aveck, — most likely 
 on the Tuesday. 
 
 As she is to be nuich talked of in this 
 story, a few words will be necessary about 
 her previous history and relations ; so 
 before she comes to her English friends, 
 we will try to be better acquainted with 
 her, and she shall form the subject of our 
 next chapter.
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 ATE BYRNE was the name of the 
 friend Ellen Leigh and her mother 
 were expecting to visit them. She 
 was the only child of an Irish 
 gentleman, and had been mother- 
 less from early infancy, as Mrs. Byrne had 
 died soon after her birth. The sorrowing 
 father centered all his great love and care 
 upon the little one who had cost him so 
 dear, Avatching her with almost more than 
 womanly interest and tenderness during the 
 anxious years of childhood. He had the 
 satisfaction of seeing her grow up a strong, 
 healthy, beautiful girl, devoted to him and 
 her aunt, Miss Castcldi, avIio had come to live
 
 20 KATE BYRNE. 
 
 with them af^cr her sister's death, and who 
 had been as near like a mother to her niece 
 as it Avas possible for any one to be. Of 
 com'se Aunt l^eta was the dearest aunt that 
 had ever lived, in Kate's opinion, and no one 
 had ever had such a good, kind, indulgent 
 father. 
 
 It will easily be believed that Kate was, 
 between them, sadly sj)oiled. The slightest 
 wish or whim of hers had always been readily 
 given way to imder any circumstances, and 
 it certainly would not have been a matter of 
 great surprise if she had grown up thoroughly 
 discontented and unlovable. At eighteen,, 
 when she returned from scliool, she was tall, 
 and a decided Irish beauty, with lovely, dark- 
 blue eyes, and an abundance of black hair, 
 which she wore in close coils around her well- 
 shaped head. Iler complexion was clear and 
 fresh, her manners quiet and dignified, and 
 there was a certain nameless something about 
 her, which made people turn, and look again,
 
 KATE BYRNE. 21 
 
 •and wonder wlio and what she was. She 
 had, perhaps, just a touch too much jDride to 
 be always pleasant to those around her, 
 especially if they did not know her well. 
 
 Only at times did she show that she had 
 inherited from her mother all the passionate 
 warmth of her Southern nature. It was not 
 little things which j)ut her out of temper. 
 She either laughed at them, or thought 
 them not worth even that ; but several times 
 during her girlhood she had given way to 
 bursts of temj)er and angry feelings which 
 had made both her father and aunt extremely 
 anxious about her future, and had caused 
 them to send her away from home for two 
 or three years to a school in England, from 
 which she came back improved in every 
 way, and delighted with her school life. 
 
 Everything had been easy and pleasant to 
 her. None of the drudgery that so many 
 girls complain of had been felt by her ; in 
 fact, she was one of those fortunate people
 
 22 ICATE BYRNE. 
 
 "wlio seem to have no difficulty in learning' 
 and doing easily all the various things, the 
 knowledge of which does so much, in most 
 instances, to refine and cultivate the mind 
 and manners, and make agreeable friends 
 and companions in society. Her loving 
 father was esjoecially pleased with the im- 
 provement in her voice — wliich was full, 
 and rich, and clear; and as he was a very 
 good musician, he looked forward to having 
 great enjoyment with her. Some slight 
 kindness shown by lier to Helen Leigh, 
 soon after the latter had gone to the same 
 school, had at first brought the two together 
 on a friendly footing, and this had ripened 
 into a strong girlish attachment, which 
 they both hoped would be kept u^i all their 
 lives. 
 
 Helen had visited Kate in Ireland durin": 
 some of the holidays, and the latter had 
 returned her visit, as Mrs. Leigh was 
 naturally anxious to see the young friend
 
 IvATE BYENE. 23 
 
 whom her daughter thought so much 
 (tf. 
 
 Mr. Byrne was particularly pleased with 
 Helen. She had such gentle, winning 
 manners, that he hoped she might have 
 some influence over the impetuous daring 
 nature of his beloved Kate, and lie readily 
 and gladly encouraged the interchange of 
 visits between them. Mrs. Leigh was fully 
 alive to all Kate's failings, but, in spite of 
 them, she could not help being interested 
 in the motherless girl, who was, with all 
 her faults, very kind-hearted and generous. 
 Kate thouo^ht Mrs. Leio-h the nicest and 
 best of mothers, and had often told Helen 
 that she oug^it to be so proud of her, for, she 
 added, " She is just what I would choose 
 my own to be if I could have one." 
 
 Mr. Byrne's house is brilliantly lighted 
 up one evening, about the same time as 
 this story commences, and a peep into the 
 inside would tell one that company is
 
 24 KATE BYRNE. 
 
 expected. Presently carriages begin to 
 arrive, one after the other, in rapid succes- 
 sion, setting down the fair and fashionable 
 occupants, who were received by the hos- 
 pitable host, his sister, and daughter. 
 
 Kate does, indeed, look lovely, and licr 
 father may well feel proud of her as she 
 stands by his side, radiant and happy, 
 dressed in a .'■•oft-coloured ricli silk, with a 
 good deal of cloudy lace and tulle about 
 her neck and arms. Black velvet bands 
 were on her throat and wrists, and a tiny 
 circlet of plain gold in her dark hair. It 
 was her first grown-up birtliday party, as 
 well as a kind of good-bye before she left 
 for her long visit to England. Since her 
 return from school they liad had several 
 musical evenings, and Kate's voice was 
 much admired and a good deal talked 
 about. Tlie rooms on this evening filled 
 very quickl}- ; the buzz of many voices 
 became louder and louder, till it was almost
 
 KATE BYRNE. 25 
 
 impossible to make oneself heard ; then Kate 
 
 made a move to the room beyond, and sang 
 
 again and again, at the oft-repeated requests 
 
 of her visitors. 
 
 Among those who came late was a yomig 
 
 Mr. Blake — Bartle Blake lie was generally 
 
 called by every one. The vv^arm welcome 
 
 he received from Mr. Byrne showed he was 
 
 a favourite with him at least, which, in fact, 
 he was, and also a constant visitor at the 
 
 house. He had not been there quite as often 
 of late, as he had been a good deal occupied 
 with arrangements about an appointment he 
 had received in Russia. Some friends had 
 interested themselves very much indeed for 
 him, as they knew he was clever and pains- 
 taking, — just the steady kind of man wanted 
 for the position; and one who would, in all 
 probability, with such a start in life, do 
 very well indeed, both for himself and his 
 employers. Congratulations met him on 
 every side, and no end of good Avishes for
 
 2G KATE BYRNE. 
 
 liis future success ; and certainly, for a youn^ 
 engineer to liave secured sucli an opening 
 for liimself was something worth receivings 
 compliments for. 
 
 '' How is Miss Byrne? I do not see her 
 anywhere. I hope she is quite well ?"' 
 Bartle asked of her father. 
 
 " Oh, yes, thank you. Kate never ails 
 anything, Bartle. She was singing just 
 before you came in, and must be there 
 somewhere. She will be very glad to see 
 you, I know, as she has been quite anxious 
 to know if you were the successful one," 
 replied Mr. ]3yrnc. 
 
 No man could possibly have been thrown 
 so much as Bartle had been with Kate 
 ]>yrnc without feeling very much more 
 than admiration for her ; and as he was no- 
 "greater jmragon of marble virtues" than 
 most of his brethren, tlie consequence was 
 that he became desperately in love with her. 
 He had gone on blindly allowing himself
 
 IvATE BYKNE. 27 
 
 to indulge in every 02:)portunity he liaci of 
 being with and near lier, sometimes hoping 
 that she knew all he felt, and was not averse- 
 to it ; and then his bright hopes would be 
 suddenly dashed to the ground by her cold,, 
 haughty manner, if he j^resumed to be the 
 least tender or lover-like. 
 
 He was quite as proud as he was poor,, 
 and knew he had nothing to offer her but 
 his unalterable love ; but he was young and 
 strong, and a few years could not possibly 
 make any difference to her in her youth 
 and beauty ; and how much more easily he 
 could work if he only could have the assur- 
 ance of her bidding him hoj^e, he thought. 
 
 At one time he would determine most 
 positively to himself not to run the risk of 
 breaking the charm of their intimacy by 
 look or word, hard as it was to be near her 
 and not do so. Then again he would resolve, 
 come what might, he would tell her that she 
 was all the world to him. But through all
 
 28 KATE BYRNE. 
 
 these conflictiiifT tliou^'hts one other Avas 
 alwavs before him, and however much he 
 tried to fliiicy it was absurd, or shake it 
 away from his memory, it remained in spite 
 of him ; and that one thought was, that Kate 
 Byrne would never marry liim, — no, not even 
 if he was dying for love of lier. Of course 
 everybody said they were engaged. What 
 other conclusion could people come to after 
 seeing them for nearly two years so con- 
 stantly togetlicr ■? But the old proverb could 
 have been quoted in this case, and more truly 
 aj^plied with a little '' not " before the last 
 word. If all the events in this life turned 
 out as our friends sometimes arrange for 
 us in their own special way, how full of 
 gratitude we should need to be for all the 
 labour and thought they give to us and 
 our affairs, without even the slightest in- 
 timation on our part that we need them. 
 
 As Mr. Blake makes his way to the end 
 room, exchanging greetings with the people
 
 KATE BYENE. 29 
 
 he knows, he sees Kate's tall figure in the 
 conservatoiy beyond, and he finds her in 
 close animated conversation with a certain 
 Captain, of whom he has always been in- 
 tensely jealous. He makes his excuses for 
 being late, retaining the loved hand as long- 
 as he dare, saying that he had been kej^t 
 waiting some hours for an interview with a 
 man he was obliged to see; that he had 
 hastened the moment he got away; and 
 came there at once. 
 
 '' I am so glad to see you, Mr. Blake ; it 
 seems quite an age since you were here last. 
 My father misses you very much, and so 
 does auntie. I won't say that I do, for fear 
 of making you conceited," she added, 
 smiling, as she placed her hand on his 
 arm, and left the Captain to find another 
 companion. 
 
 '' Do you know that I am going away 
 to-morrow for two or three months?" Kate 
 said, as they Avalked round the flowers^
 
 t30 KATE BYRNE. 
 
 ''Aunt Ncta, and Xorali and I, cross by 
 the afternoon boat." 
 
 "Oh, surely not to-morrow?" replied Bartle. 
 " I am sorry. I thought you were not going 
 till the end of the month. Can't you wait a 
 little longer, and then I can, perhaps, be of 
 use to your aunt and you ?" 
 
 "Indeed, I am quite able to take care of 
 mj^self, and auntie too, for that matter ; and 
 I have already put Helen off some time on 
 papa's account, so I could not possibly alter 
 the present arrangement to please any one 
 but myself," replied Kate. 
 
 " Oh, but I can't bear the idea of your 
 going alone. I will try and hurry my affairs, 
 if you could wait without real inconveni- 
 ence; I would then see you all safely across. 
 I have so nnicli to say, that — " 
 
 " Pray do not trouble yourself, Mr. Blake," 
 said Kate, interrupting him quickly; "we 
 do not require any one's assistance; so do 
 not hurry, at least on our account, I beg
 
 KATE BYRNE. 31 
 
 of you; there is not tlic slightest possible 
 necessity for your doing so, I assure you. 
 But there is papa. I must go to him," she 
 added, as she passed before him, and made 
 her way to the piano again. 
 
 Bartle followed, and stood close behind 
 her, sad at heart, for there was something in 
 the tone she had said those last few words 
 that brought back all his doubts and fears. 
 If she really cared two straws about him, 
 would she, could she, treat him in such a 
 €old, off-hand manner, especially knowing 
 that there would be so few chances of their 
 seeing each other again for some years ? 
 One short stay at a friend's house near 
 where she was going to visit, and then he 
 would have to say farewell for no one knew 
 how long ; and yet she positively refused to 
 allow him the pleasure of crossing in the 
 same boat with her. He tried to imder- 
 stand all this as he listened to her sweet 
 voice, and noticed the admiring glances of
 
 32 KATE BYRNE. 
 
 the other guests who were near ; and so 
 deep was his wondering', that he ahnost 
 started back when Kate, liaving finished 
 her song, and howed lier beautiful head to 
 the many thanks and remarks of her hearers, 
 turned round to him, and said, — 
 
 '' Now, Mr. Blake, please, before it is too 
 late, do you sing something. One of the 
 old songs, for a change. Shall I play for 
 you, or will you accompany yourself?" 
 
 Bartle thanked her, and seated himself at 
 the piano. He had a good deal of musical 
 talent, and had also had, alas ! for his future 
 2)eacc of mind, too many o2iportunities of 
 practising and improving his naturally fine 
 voice. He sang that beautiful air from the 
 *Trovatorc,' "Non ti scordar di me!" Never 
 did Mario charm the ear of maiden fair 
 more, when singing that air, than did Bartle 
 Blake, on that last evening in her own home 
 witli him, Kate Byrne's. The guests were 
 all gone, she was in her own room alone,
 
 KATE BYKNE. 33 
 
 having dismissed the faithful Norah, she 
 stood leaning her elbow on the mantel-peice, 
 •with her head resting on the fair, jewelled 
 hand. How full of thought she seemed, 
 how different the expression on her young 
 fresh face, that had so lately been all smiles 
 and animation ! Perhaps if Bartle could 
 have seen her thus, and known what her 
 thoughts were, he would have made sure 
 of his future haj^piness. 
 
 '' Non ti scordar di me " ke23t ringing 
 in her ears, and she exclaimed, as she 
 moved away from the place where she 
 had stood so long, — ''No, never! Come 
 what may, in . all my life I shall never 
 forget this evening, that song, or the 
 
 singer." 
 
 Somehow sleejD did not come as quickly 
 as usual to Kate. She lay awake and thought 
 of Bartle for a long time. 
 
 "How I wish he was rich and great! 
 I could love him then; I do even as it is 
 
 D
 
 34 KATE 15YRNE. 
 
 a little. I tliiiik lie is so nice, so good 
 to i)apa, and I am certain lie loves mc 
 very dearly, tliongli he has never said 
 so in i)lain words, and I ho})C he never 
 Avill, for I am sm-e I should refuse him; 
 for how could I marry a man who has 
 neither position nor money, and, perhaps, 
 never will have till he is quite old and not 
 able to enjoy it. I almost wish I was not 
 going to see him in England ; it will be very 
 hard to say no, I dare sa}^, but I must 
 have wealth and position if ever I do marry: 
 life with a poor man would be unendurable 
 after a few days or Aveeks, perhaps, so I will 
 never endanger my peace of mind by making 
 such a mistake." 
 
 Thus thought Kate. She did not, how- 
 ever, dream of putting the question to 
 herself as to whether she had all this 
 time been giving encouragement to him ; 
 seriously she never thought of her own 
 actions, and she fell asleep wondering how
 
 KATE BYRNE. 35 
 
 it would end, and believiug tlia.t whatever 
 happened it woidd be no fault of hers. How 
 easy it is for us all to cast away from us any 
 belief in what we do not wish to own even 
 to ourselves. It is not always difficult foL» 
 us to answer the "still small voice" which 
 will whisper to us at times, and force us to 
 frame some excuse for our shortcomings.
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 4:ir^ 
 
 HE next day was fine and clear, 
 with not very miicli wind, the 
 sea just rough enough to let one 
 know that one was on it ; and 
 among the passengers by the fine 
 steamer '' Connauglit" were Miss Casteldi, 
 Kate, and Norah. The preparations for 
 departure were being hurried on, and Mr. 
 Byrne and Bartle w^erc waiting to take leave 
 of the three travellers. Kate was as full of 
 spirits as ever; there was not a shadow of a 
 sign of last night's cogitations to be seen on 
 her bright face. She was enjoying a little 
 quiet bantering, telling them she hated a 
 smooth passage, when they pity her for the 
 tossing she will get the next four hours.
 
 KATE BYRNE. 37 
 
 '' If I could have my way," slie said, '' I 
 would always have it very rough. I don't, 
 of course, msh to go to the bottom, papa, 
 love, but I do like to feel that the sea is 
 grand and powerful, — quite beyond the puny 
 efforts of man to stay or curb its fury. I 
 love to watch it, too. If I had been born a 
 boy, I should have run away if you had not 
 let me have gone to sea, papa, I feel certain." 
 
 " My darling, I dare say I should not 
 have said no to even that," replied her 
 father ; "but where is your aunt ?" 
 
 " Oh, gone, and snugly ensconced by this 
 iime in her berth, I have no doubt, papa, 
 and going through agonies in anticipation," 
 replied Kate. 
 
 " I will just step down to her for a moment, 
 if you will stay here, Bartle, till I come up," 
 said Mr. Byrne. 
 
 '' I do so wish I was going, too; I feel 
 almost tempted to run over to-day and return 
 to-morrow," said Bartle.
 
 38 KATE BYRNE. 
 
 " Oh, nonsense," rci)Hecl Kate ; '^ don't 
 ■waste the last few j^rccious moments in use- 
 less sug-o-estions, but go, if you please, and 
 see where Norah is, that is, if you really 
 wish to oblige me." 
 
 Of course he wished to do the slij^htest 
 thing' slic asked of him, and went to see after 
 Norah, Avishing-, at the same time, that that 
 worthy young- person and all her belong- 
 ings were at some far-away place it would 
 be scarcely polite to mention. He soon 
 returned, followed by Norah, bearing tri- 
 umphantly a small box which an energetic 
 porter had tried to claim as the property of 
 another passenger. 
 
 The good-byes were at last obliged to be 
 said. Mr. l^j-rne took an affectionate leave 
 of his daughter, who, as she shook hands 
 with Pjartlc, hoped to have the pleasure of 
 soon seeing him again in S — shire, and then 
 the handsome vessel steamed proudly out of 
 harbour with her precious freight, who were
 
 KATE BYRJs^E. 39 
 
 ■waving their adieus to tlieir friends on 
 shore. 
 
 Kate went down to see that her aunt 
 was comfortably settled, and if she could 
 do anything for her. But, no ; Miss Casteldi 
 only wished to be left alone and quiet, and 
 tried to induce Kate to stay downstairs. 
 
 "My dear aunt, I should be ill imme- 
 diately if I did," Kate replied ; " it is the 
 very worst thing one can do, I assure you. 
 To stay on deck, however rough it may 
 be, is by far the wisest thing; the fresh 
 breeze is invaluable for keej^ing one right. 
 Don't mind me, I have a book, and shall 
 take no harm, while you and poor Norah 
 submit to your less fortunate circumstances." 
 
 She arranged her aunt's pilloAV and went 
 on deck, Avhere she tried to read, but found 
 the wind and spray too strong for such 
 enjoyment; so she wrapped her cloak closely 
 round her, drew down her gauze veil, and 
 ■walked about, busy fancy giving her quite
 
 40 KATE 15YRNE. 
 
 enougli to occupy her time. She wondered 
 if liiirtle would go back with her father, 
 and make himself as much at home as he 
 usually did when .she was there ; if they 
 would talk of her, and miss her very much. 
 Her father would, she knew ; he always 
 called her hifj sunbeam, and never was half 
 so happy when she was away ; and she felt 
 almost as certain that her father's young 
 friend w^ould feel her absence even more 
 than her father did. She was deeply 
 grateful to him for his kind attentions to 
 them all. How much her father would miss 
 him when he went to Ivussia! So would 
 she when she returned home again. It would 
 be so strange not to have him coming and 
 going constantly, with his bright, cheerful 
 manner and ready help ; no one could do 
 so w^ell all the little attentions that they 
 had been accustomed for so long to receive 
 from him. What a pity he was so poor! 
 What nonsense to say that " Money is the
 
 KATE BYRNE. 41 
 
 root of all evil," when there is scarcely a 
 good tiling that can be done Avithout it in 
 this world ! Love in a cottage was all very 
 well in theory, and did for school girls and 
 boys. To her life would be simply un- 
 endm-able if she could not have all the 
 luxuries and amusements she had always 
 been accustomed to. Life was too short 
 to waste on the desert air, and surely 
 there could be no harm in wishing for 
 those indulgencies, the possession of which 
 •she was born to enjoy and appreciate so 
 thoroughly. Then her thoughts roamed 
 away into the far future, which she could 
 but hope Avould be as bright as the past had 
 been, and as the present is, for her. " AVhat 
 is to be, is," was one of Kate's pet mottoes; 
 and as she could never give herself very 
 long to reflection, she quoted it to herself, 
 and turned her thoughts to more every-day 
 matters, as she watched the fine, full waves 
 of the beautiful sea they were gliding over.
 
 42 KATE IJYRNE. 
 
 Pcrliajjs tlie reader may think that, for 
 a girl of nineteen, Kate is very worldly 
 and selfi.sh ; tliat her ideas are extremely 
 unmaidenly and wanting- in refinement. 
 This niay appear so, but is not really the 
 case. She is not, ccrtainl}', what some 
 would call a model woman ; on the contrary, 
 she is full of faults and failings, which arc 
 doubtless more the result of tlie S|)oiling 
 manner in which she was brought up Hjhan 
 of any natural wickedness of disposition ; 
 and it must be allowed that it is not 
 an uncommon circumstance for women to 
 prefer Ijotli power and money to the mucli- 
 talked-of and rarely-to-be-found true love. 
 When such is tlie case, it is scarcely fair 
 to blame them for accepting what to them 
 would be their greatest ha])2^incss, and infi- 
 nitely more preferable than all the adoration 
 which could be lavished upon them. If love 
 could be combined witli the former, then, of 
 course, it might add greatly to the enjoy-
 
 KATE BYRXE. 43- 
 
 ment of all parties concerned ; but if 
 nbt, let them choose whatever they think 
 will conduce most to their future peace 
 of mind, and do not let us blame or judge- 
 them from any set standard of our own 
 that we may chance to think the correct 
 one. 
 
 ''Mamma," said Helen Leigh, "I've a 
 short note from Kate, who is leaving Chester 
 this morning, and hopes to be with us this 
 afternoon. Her train gets in at four, or a 
 few minutes after, she says. Can we go 
 and meet her ? " 
 
 " Oh, certainly, Helen. We will both go ; 
 and James can take the dog-cart for her 
 luggage, if you think that Avill liold it all," 
 replied Mrs. Leigh. 
 
 " No, mamma, love, I do not. Kate 
 always takes quantities of things about 
 with her. We can see about it, and send 
 for it afterwards," said Helen. 
 
 " What a lovely day for her I I will order
 
 44 J-LVTE liYKNE. 
 
 dinner a little earlier. She will be glad of 
 it, I dare say, as soon as she comes ; it is a 
 long journey. I will see at once about it 
 and the carriage. Does she say how her 
 father is?" 
 
 '' No, mamma, not a word. But lie is, of 
 
 course, quite well again, or Kate would not 
 have left home. I\Iiss Casteldi is going to 
 Broughton for the present, and will join us 
 in a week or two — that is all," answered 
 Helen. 
 
 " But not to take Kate away for some 
 weeks I hope, Helen ? I know her aunt is 
 so restless away from home." 
 
 '^ I hope not, indeed, mamma. We must 
 liave our own way this time," replied 
 Helen ; '^ and I quite forgot to mention to 
 you that Julia Clenning told me yesterday 
 her papa met ]\Ir. Blake in London, and 
 made him promise to come and pay a 
 short visit to them before he goes away 
 altogether."
 
 KATE BYRNE. 45 
 
 ^' I am indeed glad to liear it, Helen. 
 He was a mere child when I saw liim 
 last. He came to visit us in Manchester 
 with his mother just before you were born, 
 Helen." Mrs. Leigh did not notice the 
 bright blush that spread over her daughter's 
 face, but went on telling stories of this 
 boy's sayings and doings on this particular 
 occasion, which Helen listened to and 
 laughed about with as much good nature 
 as if she had not heard them again and 
 again. 
 
 How is it that most elderly people 
 (especially gentlemen) seem to have such 
 pleasure in the constant repetition of their 
 pet jokes and stories ? How wonderfully 
 good-natured their listeners need to be to 
 show any sort or kind of interest, or listen 
 with patience to what is so very old and 
 often very stupid! How is it that it 
 never by any chance seems to occur to 
 them that thev have told the same thing
 
 46 ^ KATE BYKNE. 
 
 often before to the very same people, with 
 just as mil eh earnestness and relish as at 
 the first recital? However, it is one of 
 the })rivileges of old age to be forgetful 
 and garrulous, so we may hope that those 
 who are young now and polite listeners 
 Avill, when old age comes, find, in their 
 turn, those who Avill do unto them as 
 they have done unto others. 
 
 Helen busied herself with arranging 
 flowers in Kate's room, having managed 
 rather cleverly to coax more than usual 
 out of their old gardener, who, every time 
 there was a demand for some from the 
 conservatory, gave them Avith an injured 
 air, and in niggardly quantities, generally 
 saying '' it was a shame to cut 'em," 
 
 She then went to the Vicarage, to talk 
 over school matters with Mr. and Mrs. 
 Clayton, with whom she had become a 
 great favourite ; and thence she went 
 on to Clcnning Hall, wlicre Mr. and
 
 KATE BYRNE. 47 
 
 Mrs. Cleniiing, and their three daughters 
 and Only son, lived, and with whom Helen 
 and her mother were on very intimate 
 terms. It was only an easy walk from 
 Mrs. Leigh's house, — The Eidgway, as it 
 was called, — and the young people fre- 
 quently walked over in fine weather to see 
 each other. On this occasion, Helen had 
 been asked to come to give her advice 
 and any suggestions she might have about 
 the arrangements for some festiA'ities that 
 were to go on in consequence of the 
 coming of age of the only son and heir, 
 which was to be celebrated in the most 
 hospitable fashion, and no expense or 
 trouble was to be spared. There was a 
 large park and grounds, and every facility 
 for the tenantry and guests to enjoy them- 
 selves. The difficulty was not how things 
 were to be done, but ivhat should be 
 decided on as sufficiently worthy of so 
 auspicious an occasion.
 
 48 KATE BYRNE. 
 
 Mr. Clenning was an easy, good-natiu-ed 
 man, very miicli attaclied to his wife and 
 children, a good landlord, and a pleasant 
 neighbour and friend. He gave way in 
 almost everything to his wife, just because 
 he did not care to be worried about thinjrs 
 he could not understand. He disliked 
 being made a prisoner of by her, and asked 
 innumerable questions, and what he would 
 do in such and such a case, because he 
 said, — ''My dear, you never act upon 
 the advice I give you ; you always do as 
 you please whatever I say, so why waste 
 my time and breath for nothing?" He 
 was a keen sj^ortsman, and very fond of 
 his horses and stables, where he spent a 
 good deal of his time. The consequence 
 of this was, that Mrs. Clenning and her 
 daughters were often left to their own 
 devices ; and Helen found them all in 
 the library with their steward settling the 
 weighty subject under consideration.
 
 KATE BYRNE. 49 
 
 Mrs. Clennins" was one of those martyrs 
 we all sometimes meet with, who fancj 
 — ^ or, perhaps, it is better to say believe 
 — that she had more to do, and really did 
 more, than any other creature in this wide 
 world could do under similar circumstances. 
 This was, alas ! a sad mistake of hers. 
 To perplex and mystify those about her by 
 the vagueness of her plans and her in- 
 decision was what she did continually. 
 What she resolved to do or have done one 
 moment she would alter the next, then 
 groan and get angry because nothing 
 seemed to get done. In such an estab- 
 lishment as hers, with her numerous de- 
 23endents ready to do her bidding, every- 
 thing ought to have gone on smoothly and 
 quickly. But, no ! from the top attic to 
 the pantry she altered this and re-arranged 
 that over and over again, and yet got no 
 real satisfaction or rest after all her efforts, 
 but looked upon herself as a solitary 
 
 VOL. I. E
 
 50 ICA.TE BYRNE. 
 
 instance of a weak, burdened woman, witli 
 the affairs of all belonging to her to 
 manage, and no husband to help her in 
 the least. She did not think that the 
 remedy lay in her own hands. If she 
 would only have allowed people to help 
 her, there were plenty ready and willing 
 to do so. 
 
 As to her husband, no wonder, poor 
 man! that he had refused of late years to 
 subject himself to such silly nothings. He 
 had borne it, no doubt, as long as he was 
 able, and showed his good sense by giving 
 up any attempt to coerce or guide her. 
 Not being able to worry Mr. Clenning, of 
 course her. daughters and Mr. Smith had 
 come in for a very fair sliare of it on 
 this occasion; but this morning everything 
 must be decidedly settled, as it was late 
 enough to put the preparations in hand. 
 
 " Ah, my dear Helen," exclaimed Mrs. 
 Clenning, as the former entered, '' I am
 
 KATE BYENE. 51 
 
 SO delighted to see you. Sit down near 
 me, love ; I want to talk to you. Such 
 terrible worry for my poor head, which 
 you know is not strong." 
 
 Helen sat down and expressed her sorrow 
 for the poor, weak head. 
 
 '' Well, Helen, love, you are always 
 kind; tell me what you think of this plan. 
 The tenants' ball as well as the dinner on 
 Will's birthday; then our own dance the 
 following night ; then the volunteers' 
 dinner and games in the park ; and we 
 thought of a concert and picnic at the end 
 of the week, with a bonfire and illumi- 
 nations, as well as on the first day, of 
 course. Now, do you, my dear Helen, 
 think that w^ill be enough ? Tell me truly, 
 dear ? " 
 
 '' Oh yes, quite enough, and very well 
 arranged," replied Helen. " So much better 
 than crowding in so many things, which 
 there would be scarcely time for. Mamma
 
 52 KATE BYRNE. 
 
 was saying slie hoped you would not try too 
 many different amusements." 
 
 ''Tliat is an immense relief, my dear," 
 replied Mrs. Clcnning; ''and I think we 
 will let you off now, Mr. Smith," she added, 
 turning to her steward, who quickly made 
 his bow to the young ladies, and withdrew, 
 no douht fearing a re-call if he did not get 
 out of the way immediately. 
 
 " My dear Helen, I value your dear 
 mamma's opinion so much, I assure you, 
 that, if she agrees with mc, I always tliink 
 I have done quite the right thing. I do, 
 indeed, my dear." 
 
 Mrs. Clenning was ahvays overpowering 
 with her ''dears" and "loves." Most 
 women of her character are^ perhaps, more 
 or less so ; and, although she did A^alue 
 Mrs. Leigh's opinion very highly, there is 
 no douht she had, at the same time, a still 
 higher appreciation of her own. 
 
 ""What a mercy it is, to be sure, that one
 
 KATE BYRNE. 53 
 
 has not a son coming of age every clay I" 
 Mrs. Clenning went on to say. ''I am 
 quite wearied with anxiety about every- 
 thing. I dare say the weather will be 
 wretchedly dull and wet though as soon as 
 we. are ready, so that the out-door amuse- 
 ments will have to be put aside altogether ; 
 and, of course, the fireworks won't go off 
 if they are at all damp, you know, Helen, 
 love." 
 
 " Oh, mamma, please don't anticipate such 
 disasters. You will quite alarm Helen," 
 said the eldest girl, Julia ; '^ the weather is 
 lovely just now, and will remain at ' set 
 fair,' I feel persuaded, if only to oblige us, 
 and everything will go on quite properly 
 if you don't worry yourself about them." 
 
 " Ah, it is all very well for you, Julia, to 
 talk and think in that careless fashion, and 
 to be so positive and happy ; but some one 
 must do the planning and altering ; and as 
 your papa refuses to have a voice in these
 
 54 KATi: BYUNE. 
 
 matters, why the onus of tlie responsibility 
 falls on nie, as a matter of course." 
 
 '' But, mamma," said Annie, her youngest 
 and favourite daughter, " everything is 
 settled now, — no alterations can take place, 
 — so you will have some days of perfect rest, 
 I hope, before any of our guests arrive." 
 
 '' I shall certainly try to take all the rest 
 I can, Annie, love, and prepare myself for all 
 the bustle and confusion that is to come. 
 And Helen, dear, about your friend, Miss 
 Byrne; when do you expect her?" said Mrs. 
 Clenning. 
 
 " This very day," replied Helen. '' We 
 are going to fetch her about four. I so long 
 to see her again. It is just a year since I 
 was over there." 
 
 '' Ah, how time flies, to be sure. But I 
 must leave you girls now, and go and lie 
 down ; my head is splitting at this very 
 moment. Good-bye, Helen, dear; remendjer 
 me to your good mamma and Miss Byrne,
 
 I^ATE BYRNE. 55 
 
 and bring her here as often as you can. I 
 shall be so glad to see her at any time." 
 
 " Do you think, Helen, that Kate Byrne 
 will help us in our tahleaux vivants — we 
 were just saying that we should want a tall 
 dark beauty for some of them?" asked Julia. 
 
 " Yes, I am sure that anything of the 
 kind will just delight Kate. She used to be 
 first and foremost in those things at school, 
 and did them so well," answered Helen. 
 
 '' How delightful !" replied Mary. '' We 
 will all ride over to-morrow morning, Helen, 
 and offer her Gryp for her use while she is 
 with you." 
 
 " Do," replied Helen ; " but I must away. 
 Mrs. Clayton has offered to drive me home. 
 So good-bye for the present. Don't be late 
 to-morrow, and we will stay in till you 
 come." 
 
 ''Mamma, isn't it kind of the Clennings, 
 they are going to lend Gyp to Kate ? Julia 
 says she will be so glad to have her use her.
 
 5G KATE liYENE. 
 
 and take some of lier spirits out of lier," said 
 Helen to her mother, at Imicheon. '' I am 
 so g'had, as Fairy is by far too sober for 
 Kate's taste." 
 
 " They are all very good-natured, indeed, 
 Helen, and especially attentive and kind to 
 their poor mother," replied Mrs. Leigh. 
 
 '^Well, mamma, I cannot see Avhy Mrs. 
 Clenning requires so much forljearance and 
 patience. She does really make such trouble 
 of the merest every-day trifles, and orders 
 those girls about as if they were little brain- 
 less childi'en, that I almost lose my temper 
 with her ; and how they bear it always I 
 cannot imagine." 
 
 " You nmst remember, Helen, she is very 
 delicate, although she always keeps about, 
 and surely her children ouglit to bear with 
 her peculiarities," replied Mrs. Leigh. 
 
 " Of course, mannna, you are quite right, 
 I know ; but then there is no real need of 
 all this commotion about everything, — it only
 
 KATE BYRNE. 57 
 
 wears herself out, and other people too. She 
 spends all her strength, and most of her time, 
 in useless repinings," replied Helen. 
 
 " I dare say, Helen, Mrs. Clenning has trials 
 that we know nothing of She is not san- 
 guine, I must admit ; but we have all our 
 weaknesses in some shape or form, and we 
 cannot at all times prevent ourselves from 
 letting others see them." 
 
 ''I hope I have not been hard upon Mrs. 
 Clenning, mamma. She is always so kind 
 to me, that I should be sorry to say severe 
 things of her. I was just thinking of what 
 I heard there this morning, and pitying her 
 girls, and felt thankful for having such an 
 unselfish, thoughtful darling as you are for 
 my mother," said Helen, kissing her. 
 
 "I will drive over to-morrow morning, 
 Helen, while the girls arc here, and see 
 Mrs. Clenning, it is much longer than usual 
 since my last visit there ; and then I can 
 .thank her for Julia's kind offer to Kate."
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 ^RS. LEIGH and Helen were on 
 
 
 ^ the platform, waiting the arrival 
 of the ''iron horse" whicli was 
 ^|f^- to bring- their expected guest. 
 The huge machinery had scarcely 
 come to a stand-still hcforc Kate was in 
 Helen's arms. 
 
 ''Oh, you nice thing I" she exclaimed. 
 "How delighted I am to see you again, 
 dear J^Irs. Leigh. How well you look; and 
 Helen, too, fresh and fail' as ever, I declare." 
 "Why, Kate, you can scarcely have ex- 
 pected to find me very much older in a 
 year," replied Helen. 
 
 " Oh, no, of course not, my blue-eyed 
 Helen," said her friend; "but every one is'
 
 KATE BYKNE. 59" 
 
 telling me how altered I am, though I con- 
 fess I cannot see it myself." 
 
 •"Nor I either," replied Mrs. Leigh, "ex- 
 cept, perhaps, you are taller, and a shade 
 thinner, I fancy." 
 
 -'"Please don't tell me that, if you love 
 me, Mrs. Leigh ; I have such a dread of 
 being thin and scraggy. I always fancy 
 people who are so are dreadfully disagree- 
 able and crotchetty," said Kate, laughing. 
 
 During the drive to The Ridgway, she 
 kept up the conversation merrily with glow- 
 ing accounts of all she had done since she 
 last saw Helen. She was very much in- 
 terested to hear of all the gaiety that she 
 was coming in for during her stay, and 
 offered to do anything in her power to 
 help the Misses Clenning. 
 
 ■ 
 
 "You have heard, I dare say, Mrs. Leigh, 
 of Bartle Blake's good fortune," said Kate, 
 in the evening, as she left the piano. "We 
 w^ere all so pleased about it, though of course
 
 60 KATE IJYRNE. 
 
 his going away will be a great loss to our 
 cii'cle." 
 
 "Yes, I dare say lie will he very much 
 missed by every one/' replied Mrs. Leigh ; 
 "still it is a fortunate thing for a young 
 man like him to get such an appointment. 
 When is he coming to Mr. and Mrs. Clen- 
 uing ? Do you know ?" 
 
 " Not exactl}'," replied Kate. " Some day 
 next week, I think ; but I shall know when 
 papa writes to me, I dare say. He is sure 
 to mention it, I think." 
 
 " Oh, it does not matter, Kate, thank you; 
 I only asked as it seemed uncertain whether 
 he would come or not, and some one sug- 
 gested that perhaps he would cross with you 
 and your aunt," said Mrs. Leigh. 
 
 "He did offer to do so, if we waited a 
 day or two ; but of course we did not care 
 to do that, as we are so well able to take 
 care of ourselves, and pride ourselves upon 
 being thoroughly independent," replied Kate.
 
 ia.TE BYRNE. 61 
 
 While this conversation was going on at 
 The Ridgwaj, the subject of it was sitting 
 over the wine at Mr. Byrne's table. He had 
 been asked by the latter to take j^ity on his 
 lonol}' board, and to come and dine with him. 
 It was quite natural that after dinner, when 
 the younger man had fully discussed his 
 own future plans, the conversation should 
 turn to the absent ones. 
 
 '' Is there anything I can take over for 
 Miss Casteldi or your daughter?" asked 
 Bartle, fidgeting with his wine-glass. " I 
 shall be ^lad of any commissions." 
 
 " Well, no thank you, Bartle," replied his 
 host, ' ' I think not ; as far as I know, they 
 have left nothing behind them. Kate is 
 careless, but her aunt is very methodical,, 
 and has a good head for remembering every- 
 thing." 
 
 *' But you can't quite expect Miss Byrne, 
 sir, to be as thoughtful at her age as her 
 aunt is," said Bartle.
 
 <)2 KATi: I5YKXE. ' 
 
 ^' Cortaiiilv not, certainly not. ^\v darlinp^ 
 girl is all a father's heart could wish. I 
 miss her sadly, I assure you, l^artle, and am 
 always anxious ahout her when she is aAvay 
 from home, although I would not be so 
 selfish as to wish to keep her from seeing 
 her friends and enjoying herself." 
 
 " I can quite understand the feeling you 
 have," replied Bartle. "Any home with 
 your daughter to grace it must, indeed, be 
 enviable." 
 
 "Ah, she is a good girl, — a little hasty, 
 perhaps, sometimes. I think we have rather 
 spoiled her, and ni}' only grief is that I may 
 be soon taken from her, poor girl ! She is 
 young to be left alone in the world. If I 
 may say so," said i\Ir. Byrne. 
 
 " But, my dear sir, this is a very gloomy 
 view to take of yourself; you are not feeling 
 ill again, T trust," said Bartle. 
 
 " Oh, no, not at all, thank you," replied 
 Mr. Byrne. " But you don't know, Bartle,
 
 I 
 
 KATE BYRNE. 63 
 
 what is wrong with me. I have been very 
 careful not to mention it even to Miss Cas- 
 teldi, as I dread the effect upon Kate if she were 
 to liear of it. I am not right here, Bartle," 
 he added, placing his hand on his heart. 
 
 " Oh, but my dear Mr. Byrne," replied 
 his young friend, " people live to a good old 
 age with that complaint, especially if they 
 take care, so I trust you may be spared to 
 us many years yet." 
 
 '' Of course, I hope the same for my child's 
 sake, if for nothing else," replied Mr. Byrne. 
 '' Elliotson has warned me for some time to 
 be very careful, as any excitement may be 
 fatal to me : this is why I go about so little 
 with my daughter, and why I am always 
 anxious about her when she is from home." 
 
 " You are just a little low-sj^irited to- 
 night at their being away," replied Bartle, 
 cheeringly ; " and no wonder that you 
 miss them ; Miss Byrne's absence would 
 be felt anywhere, I am certain. I feel it
 
 64 KATi: IJYRXE. 
 
 myself, and long for the time to see her 
 
 again." 
 
 As his friend made no reply to liis last 
 remark, Bartlo went on to say, — '' To gain 
 your daughter's affection ha^ been my one 
 great wish for a long time, sir, and, if you 
 do not object to me, I shall tell her how 
 dear she is to me before I go away." 
 
 ^' Why, my dear Bartle,'' said Mr. Byrne, 
 rising from liis seat and laying his hand on 
 the young man's shoulder, '' T had not an 
 idea of this; you have taken me quite by 
 surprise. Surely I might have kno^^ni — so 
 often together — quite like brother and sister 
 for so long. My dear boy, I have looked 
 upon you as a son, but I never thought of 
 this." 
 
 Mr. Byrne seated himself again, and was 
 silent for some moments ; he then said, — 
 
 '' Does Kate know of this?" 
 
 ^' I have not yet spoken to JMiss Byrne, 
 although I have felt certahi that she is aware
 
 KATE BYRNE. 65 
 
 of my attaclimentj" replied Bartle. ''If you 
 will give her to me, sir, my one great aim 
 sball be to make lier life as ha^^py as she 
 deserves." 
 
 " I believe you truly, Bartle," said Mr. 
 Byrne. "I do not know any one to wliom 
 I could entrust my child's future with more 
 confidence; but in this one great event of 
 life Kate must be entirely free to choose. I 
 cannot, even by a wish, attempt to influence 
 her. She is one of those independent crea- 
 tures who are best left to their own decision ; 
 but if you have any reason to believe that 
 she returns your afi'ection, why ask her, 
 man; you have my most earnest wishes to 
 attend you." 
 
 This conversation gave rise to a good deal 
 of wondering and thinking in Mr. Byrne's 
 mind. Had Bartle any real right to fancy 
 Kate loved him ? How strange it was that 
 he had been so blind ! His imagination was 
 full of things which had happened in the 
 
 VOL. I. F
 
 GG IvATE BYRNE. 
 
 last two years, and to wliicli he had paid 
 little or no attention; they were now so many 
 proofs of l^irtle's growing affection for Kate 
 to her anxious father. For some months 
 past, in spite of his eifoiis to shake it off, a 
 gloomy kind of presentiment had hmig over 
 him ; first and foremost about his own health, 
 and then concernin"- Kate's future. He feared 
 that, if he were called away, she would have 
 so much more to contend with, and no one to 
 understand and appreciate her. He could not, 
 even to himself, account for all this ; he only 
 knew it was always present with him night 
 and day. Sometimes the op2)ression was so 
 great that it almost alarmed him. Then, 
 again, he would manage to reason himself 
 into a more hopeful state of mind, and think 
 that these fears were, perhaps, only the 
 natural consequences of his ill health. Then 
 he would begin to hope he had been wrong, 
 and foolish in allowing himself to brood over 
 the imaginary ills of the unknown future ;
 
 KATE BYENE. 67 
 
 but lie never entirely lost his anxious feel- 
 ings even for a short time. Wlio can say 
 that we do not all sometimes have shadowy 
 glimpses of coming trouble ? If such a thing 
 has never hapjDened to us, we all surely know 
 of: -instances where these forebodings have 
 been most singularly and j^ainfully realized. 
 Mr. Byrne felt that if Kate cared for Mr. 
 Blake he should be very much more satisfied 
 about her. He knew him to be so thoroughly 
 honourable and kind, that her happiness 
 would be quite safe in his keeping. And, 
 of course, if she did love him, nothing need 
 interfere with their plans, as they were both 
 young enough to wait a few years, if there 
 was any necessity for it. The idea that his 
 lovely child might, perhaps, allow ambi- 
 tious, sordid views to influence her for one 
 moment in the choice of a husband, never 
 entered his head. She was too proud, too 
 refined, to barter the holier and purer feel- 
 ings of her nature for wealth or position.
 
 68 KATE BYRNE. 
 
 This would liavc been Mr. B}Tne'.s rcj^ly if 
 any one had ever suggested to him that she 
 might possibly do so. What he "hoped '^ 
 she Avas, he easily made himself believe a 
 real j^ositive fact ; and nothing could have 
 pained him more than the knowledge of 
 there existing a single individual in their 
 whole cii'cle of friends who would not have 
 agreed with him in everything he thought 
 about her good qualities. 
 
 When Mr. Blake arrived at Clenning Hall 
 the following week, he saw Helen and Kate, 
 just saying '' Good-bye" in the porch to the 
 Misses Clenning, so that there was only time 
 for a hurried "How do you do?" as Mrs. 
 Leigh was expecting them back to dinner, 
 and they were already very late. 
 
 " You will come and see mamma, Mr. 
 Blake, wont you ?" said Helen. " Her recol- 
 lection of you goes back to a very remote 
 period, I assure you ; she will be so glad to 
 see you again."
 
 ICATE BYRNE. 69 
 
 '^ Oh, certainly; it will be a great pleasure 
 for me. May I come after climier if I can 
 get away?" said Bartle, as he assisted them 
 into the pretty pony-carriage which was 
 waiting at the door, and arranged the slight 
 dilst-rug around Kate, Avho, whip in hand, was 
 ready to dash off in her usual stylish manner; 
 but as she wanted to ask a question or two 
 about her father and friends, she allowed 
 him to walk by her side down the drive, 
 where they again said, " Good-bye" for the 
 present, and she was borne rapidly out of 
 sight by the impatient ponies. 
 
 " What a queenly creature Miss Byrne 
 is," said young Clenning, as they turned to 
 go to the house; "and how splendidly she 
 rides and drives, doesn't she?" 
 
 '' Yes, indeed, there is no doubt she does," 
 replied Bartle, scarcely knowing what he 
 «aid, and looking absently at the boyish 
 figure by his side. He made many apolo- 
 gies to his host and hostess for leaving them
 
 70 KATE liYRNE. 
 
 his first evcniii<^-, the temptation of seeing- 
 Kate again Avas too strong to permit liini to 
 lose any chance that came in his way ; so he 
 and young Clenning walked over quickly in 
 the fine May evening. Mrs. Leigh received 
 him very warmly, saying, as she held his 
 hand and looked at his tall figure, — ''Dear 
 me ! Is it possible that you are tlie tiny boy 
 who came to ni}' house more tlian twenty 
 years ago with your mother?" 
 
 '' I believe I am the very same, dear 
 Mrs. Leigh," Bartle re2)licd, laugliing, and 
 seating himself as near to Kate as he pos- 
 sibly could; ''only I have been obliged to 
 obey the laws of nature, and increase con- 
 siderably in stature since then, I allow." 
 
 " Oh I Mr. Blake," said Helen, smiling 
 arcldy, " mamma tells several stories of 
 your youtliful delinquencies which are very 
 amusing. You really alarmed her one day, 
 when your own mother was out, and — " 
 
 "Oh, hush, hush, Helen, love!" interrupted
 
 KATE BYRNE. 71 
 
 lier mother ; ''it is not fair of you to repeat 
 those things. But do not notice what she 
 says, Mr. Blake, I beg of you." 
 
 '' I certainly feel ashamed, dear Mrs. 
 Leigh, that at any time of my life I was 
 ever such an ill-behaved little mortal. I 
 have not, however, the remotest recollection 
 of the circumstance ; but if my ill deeds have 
 grown with my growth and strengthened 
 with my strength, I must by this time be 
 a near approach to a monster of iniquity," 
 said Bartle, good-humouredly ; and, turning 
 round to Kate, he asked her if she did not 
 agree with him. She scarcely looked up 
 from the delicate lace-work which she held 
 in her fingers, and replied, — " Well, I really 
 do not knoAv Avliat to say about it, Mr. Blake. 
 I might be severe, and agree with you, as I 
 make a point never to flatter any of my 
 gentlemen acquaintance." 
 
 ''But," replied Bartle, pointedly, "truth 
 seldom flatters, I think, Miss Byrne ; and
 
 72 KATE BYRNE. 
 
 .surely no one has a riglit to be offended if 
 they hear it, cs^iccially from a friend." 
 
 '' There, I do not agree with you," replied 
 Kate, quickly. " It is often very unpleasant 
 and annoying, I 'm sure, and simply unen- 
 durable from a ' friend,' as you say. One 
 could loear it ever so much better from a 
 stranger, I think." 
 
 '' I see you have misunderstood my mean- 
 ing entirely. Miss Byrne," replied Bartle; 
 "but we won't say anything more about it 
 if it annoys you." 
 
 Kate turned an indignant quick glance at 
 him as she moved to fetch something from a 
 small table near her, as much as to say, — 
 '^ Annoy me, indeed ! you arc quite mis- 
 taken." 
 
 Helen and ]\Irs. Leigh wondered what had 
 vexed their young friend, as slie had been 
 in such high spirits before the young men 
 had come in ; Init they took no notice what- 
 ever, and went on asking and answering
 
 ia.TE BYRNE. 73 
 
 questions, till Helen proposed some music, 
 and the evening- passed quickly and plea- 
 santly, although every one felt that Kate 
 was not in very good humour. Before 
 they went away, Will Clenning arranged 
 to' come over early the next morning, and 
 take the ladies to see the games in the 
 park ; and, as a matter of course, Bartle 
 offered to come with him. As soon as 
 their visitors left, Kate pleaded headache, 
 and went immediately to her room, assuring 
 Mrs. Leigh, in reply to her anxious inquiry 
 as to whether she was ill, that it was 
 scarcely worth mentioning, and a good 
 night's rest would make her quite free from 
 it. But Kate dismissed Norah in a sharp 
 tone ; and, instead of retiring to take the 
 needed rest, she read and thought for a 
 long time, and then resolved to punish 
 Bartle Blake for his impertinence before 
 he went away. The truth was, that he 
 had been so taken up with Mrs. Leigh and
 
 74 KATE BYRNE. 
 
 Helen wlicn lie first came in (wliiclij con- 
 sidering tlie time tliat had elajised since 
 lie had seen tlie former, was hardly to be 
 wondered at), and liaving seen Kate at 
 the Hall only an hour or two before, he 
 had scarcely noticed her, beyond bowing" 
 to her as he entered. Now this apparent 
 neglect had piqued and annoyed her more 
 than one Avould imagine, and the above 
 unamiable resolution was the consequence. 
 
 The next day was fine and warm, and the 
 amusements were quite a success. They 
 were all entered into with great goodwill 
 by both guests and tenants, and Mrs. Clen- 
 ning had the grim satisfaction of knowing 
 that, in spite of all her predictions to the 
 contrary, everything went well, even the 
 unfortunate fireworks, Avliich had so dis- 
 tressed her since their arrival. Dancing 
 was kept up till a late hour that night 
 in the large tent, which was beautifully 
 lighted with Chinese lamps, whose number
 
 ia.TE BYRNE. 75- 
 
 was legion. William Clenniiig had always- 
 been a great favourite at home ; and though 
 he was not quite as brilliant as he might 
 have been intellectually, he was, perhaps^ 
 the more amiable for that. At all events, 
 the cheering and good feeling that his pre- 
 sence seemed to call forth on that especial 
 bii'thday were very hearty and genuine. His 
 appearance in the dance was the signal 
 for a tremendous '' Hurrah!" and ''God 
 bless him " ; and it made the pretty village 
 girl with whom he danced more than once 
 feel, perhaps, a little too important, if one^ 
 might judge from her rosy cheeks, bright 
 eyes, and coquettish manners. 
 
 The young folks mustered numerously 
 about noon the next day at The Ridgway 
 — the three young ladies from the Hall, 
 with their brother and guest, Bartle Blake, 
 Helen, Kate, and another visitor. Every 
 one was in good spirits, and had some- 
 thing funny to say about yesterday's doings.
 
 7G KATE 15YKNE. 
 
 Kate and Helen liad Ijotli been writing, 
 and, as the latter got uj) to put lier letter- 
 case away, a tiny silver-edged envelo^^e fell 
 from it. 
 
 ''Oil!" exclaimed Helen; ''see, gii'ls, 
 these are Janet Parker's wedding-cards. 
 You have seen her here once, I think; she 
 was one of our schoolfellows, — a pretty, fair 
 girl, and as good really as she was or is 
 pretty." 
 
 "Yes," replied Kate, passing the cards 
 to Mary Clenning, "so 'good' that she 
 has married a poor curate, who I sup})Ose 
 has nothing hut his extreme ' goodness ' 
 to recommend him. Curates are always 
 wretchedly poor, and she has no fortune 
 of her own to speak of, I know ; so I see 
 nothing for them both but real liard work, 
 which slie, at least, is not fit for. I have 
 no patience with girls Ijcing so impru- 
 dent." 
 
 " ^Vliy, Miss ]3yrne, you might be, I
 
 ICATE BYENE. 77" 
 
 declare, fifty years old, and speaking from 
 bitter experience," said Annie Clenning, 
 laughing. '' When two people love each 
 other, they don't think of these small 
 matters, I suppose." 
 .: •'' Small matters, indeed I At all events, 
 these very small matters are what ought 
 to be considered and acted upon, for I 
 am sure, if /married a poor man, I should 
 hate him in a few months," said Kate,. 
 decidedly. 
 
 ''Oh, no, you would not, I feel certain. 
 Miss Byrne," said Julia ; " that is, if you 
 loved him with all your heart ; and of 
 course no one in their senses would marry 
 if they did not, I should think." 
 
 ''Heart!" exclaimed Kate; "as if that 
 had anything to do with the matter. For 
 my part, I don't believe in such things.. 
 One loses all that school-girl nonsense as^ 
 one gets older, I trust, and looks upon 
 that part of the human frame in the same
 
 78 KATE liYKNE. 
 
 llglit as tlic Scripture does, wliicli, if I 
 remember riglitly, says, ' The heart is de- 
 ceitful above all tilings, and desperately 
 wicked.' Isn't that it, Helen ? " 
 
 '^ ]My dear Kate, you are not serious, I 
 can see. I cannot believe that you have 
 such views in reality ; and — " 
 
 '' A great mistake, Nellie," interrupted 
 Kate. " I do truly believe what I have 
 just said ; and moreover, I maintain that 
 the less we talk about the possession of 
 such a doubtful belonging the better ; so 
 pray don't look so very incredulous and 
 uidiappy, or I may say a great deal more 
 to surprise you." 
 
 ''Well, Kate," replied Helen, ''I could 
 sooner have believed any one else I know 
 would say such things than you. I always 
 fancied you above mean ideas." 
 
 "Did you really, you sweet thing? Call 
 them mean, if you please, — I can bear it 
 from you ; but I must add, that your
 
 KATE BYRNE. 79 
 
 thinking thus of me is only a proof that 
 what I say is true, for without trying to 
 deceive you, I evidently have, as far as 
 the state of my morals is concerned," said 
 Kate. 
 
 :'' Well, Kate, I shall still hope you 
 only fancy all this, and shall be able some 
 day to prove to you that it is just chit- 
 chat, nothing more. I know you of old," 
 replied Helen. 
 
 " As you please, Nellie ; I promise 
 to humbly own myself in the wrong. 
 But suppose we say no more before 
 Mr. Blake and Mr. Clenning. The former 
 will not be at all edified with our non- 
 sense, I am sure; and will Janet, who 
 gave rise to it, require my pity, if she 
 is to be so dreadfully lia^^py?" asked 
 Kate. 
 
 "I do not suppose for one moment she 
 will either require or thank you for it, 
 Kate," said Helen, severely.
 
 80 KATE r.YRNE. 
 
 A servant coiiiiii*:;- in, put un end to the 
 talking-, niul tlioy nil separated soon after, 
 arran<;Ing to ride in the afternoon, and 
 tlien meet again in tlio evening, Avdien tlie 
 large bull was to take place. 
 
 As the party returned to the Hall, Mr. 
 Blake and IMary Clcnning were companions, 
 lie a})pearcd to listen to her scraps of news 
 and her remarks about their friends, but he 
 really paid little attention to anything she 
 said, for he was turning over in his mind 
 every word that Kate had said in the library. 
 If she really felt as she tried to make them 
 believe she did, he had indeed little to 
 hope for.
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 MONG the numerous guests wlio 
 were staying at the Hall was 
 a certain Lord Denton, a large 
 landed proprietor and distant 
 neighbour of the Clennings. He 
 looked about forty or forty-five years old, 
 was stout, not very tall, and altogether in 
 appearance more jolly than gentlemanly. 
 He was not often to be seen at Denton 
 Court. During the shooting season he 
 would come, 2:)erhaps, with a few gentle- 
 men friends, and stay for a few weeks ; 
 then he would be off again for months, or 
 till the same season came round again. 
 
 The Court was a large, roomy place, 
 
 VOL. I. G
 
 82 KATE r.YRNE. 
 
 and had been com fort ably and liandsomely 
 furnislied ; hut since the present master 
 liad come into possession, one-half of it, 
 at least, had scarcely seen daylight. Very 
 little was really kno^\^l of Lord Denton's 
 past life. Of course, hus}^ Eumour had no 
 end of tales to tell of him and his doings, 
 not one of which was more reliable than 
 the other. He had been desperately in 
 love, when a young man, so the story ran, 
 with a young, beautiful girl, very much 
 below him in station. He had told his 
 father that he intended to marry her if 
 she Avould have him ; and his father had 
 insisted upon his breaking oif all inter- 
 course with her, threatening, if he dared to 
 go a step further, or see her again, that he 
 would disinherit him. Soon afterwards the 
 cirl married some one else, — and it was 
 added that she had received a handsome 
 sum of money to do so from the father 
 of her lover, who had persuaded her to
 
 KATE BYENE. 8'3 
 
 go to America, and that she had never 
 been seen or heard of since. 
 
 Another story was to the effect that 
 Lord Denton liad been jilted by a young- 
 London beauty in a most heartless manner, 
 after the settlements had been made, and 
 that, in consequence of this last cruel 
 blow, he liad sworn never to believe or 
 trust in mortal woman again henceforth 
 and for ever. 
 
 He was so often away that no one 
 seemed to know much about him, — what he 
 did, or where he went. The management 
 •of his estate was entirely left to an in- 
 telligent bailiff, who, to do him justice, 
 looked after the tenants and their wants a 
 good deal better, perhaps, than his Lordship 
 would have done if he had lived more at 
 home. He was not very j^opular, as may 
 be supposed ; but, upon the whole, he was 
 generally allowed to be generous and open 
 to reason by his tenantry, and a jolly
 
 84 KATE BYRNE. 
 
 kind of fellow, only too fond of roving-,, 
 by his friends. 
 
 Managing motliers had wasted a good 
 deal of precious time in trying to catch 
 opportunities for their daughters to storm 
 the stronghold, and thaw his Lord- 
 ship) out of the icy regions of celibacy, 
 but all to no purj^ose. Denton Court 
 remained half shut up and without a mis- 
 tress. The aforesaid motliers ceased to look 
 upon the event as ever likely to take 
 place, and A\'isely spared themselves any 
 further unnecessar}' trouble or anxiety 
 about him, and consoled themselves by 
 rci)eating to any fresh acquaintance any 
 trifling bit of news, old or new, which 
 did not reflect great credit upon his Lord- 
 ship's past life. 
 
 He was a capital rider, and always kept 
 a few horses at Denton. It was a kind 
 of nursery for the invalids ; and it was 
 his coming to. bring and sec after a recent
 
 KATE BYRNE. 85 
 
 valuable purchase that had enabled the 
 Cleunings to invite and persuade him to 
 accept their offer of a few days' visit 
 during the coming-of-age festivities. 
 
 Of course the Clenning young ladies 
 were very pleased to have such an un- 
 expected addition to their guests. No one 
 had even dreamed of his being there, so 
 rarely was he to be seen among them ; 
 and they all agreed that " something" 
 would happen in consequence. 
 
 Mrs. Clenning declared most emphatically 
 that she was certain he would only send 
 a message to say he was called away upon 
 business, or something of the kind, as every 
 one knew he made a point of never going 
 anywhere when he was asked. But she 
 found herself on this occasion very much 
 deceived, and, we must hope, pleasantly 
 surprised, by the appearance of this most 
 un-come-at-able person. For the short time 
 lie stayed with the ladies after dinner the
 
 SG KATE BYRNE. 
 
 first evening lie made liimself so agreeable, 
 and was so nnicli at liis ease, that no one 
 Avuukl liave supposed lie went little into 
 society. He appeared to know everybody 
 and everything-, told many amusing short 
 anecdotes of his foreign travels and experi- 
 ences, which, to quiet country girls such 
 as the Misses Cleiniing, were A^er^^ interest- 
 ing, and they all voted him charming. 
 Mary told a young friend confidentially 
 *' that now the ice was broken she dared 
 venture to say they would see a good deal 
 more of him than they had ever done 
 before ; and as there is only a sickly life," 
 she added, "between liim and a dukedom, 
 I believe, if he would only marry and 
 come into it, it would be A'cry much better 
 and nicer for us and the rest of lii.>^ 
 neighbours." 
 
 "He plays billiards s])lendidly," said 
 young Clenning. "It was cpiite a treat to 
 see him handle a cue, and we all stayed
 
 KATE BYRNE. 87 
 
 till tlic small liours became rather large." 
 This remark, by the way, was offered as 
 kn excuse for putting in a late appearance 
 at the breakfast-table the following morning. 
 
 When the dancing commenced in the 
 Evening, Mrs. Clenning hoped she would 
 have the pleasure of introducing Lord 
 Denton to some agreeable partners, and 
 every moment was Avatching the door 
 thinking each fresh-comer was Mrs. Leigh 
 and her young peojole, who she had 
 hoped would come early. However, he 
 assured that painstaking lady that she need 
 not trouble about him at all, as he never 
 danced noAV-a-days. If Miss Clenning Avould 
 excuse his blundering, and alloAV him the 
 pleasure of the ^ quadrille just forming, he 
 would be A^ery pleased ; and then he would 
 so much rather stay quietly and Avatcli 
 the rest." 
 
 '' Mark my Avords, Annie," said Mary, 
 ^' if Lord Denton does not rush off preseiitly
 
 88 KA'Ii: HVKNE. 
 
 to those abominable billiards ; he keeps too 
 near the door to be quite safe." 
 
 They were, however, mistaken in their 
 surmises abcjut him. He really had no wish 
 to run away ; on the contrary, he was very 
 nuich taken up with watching Kate Byrne's 
 elegant figure gliding round tlic room with 
 their young host. She had on a soft, rich 
 amber silk, with black velvet and gauze trim- 
 mings, and looked exceedingly handsome 
 and animated as she passed him, chatting 
 gaily Avith her partner between the turns 
 in the waltz. 
 
 "Who is that tall, dark girl in amber- 
 coloured silk, Mrs. Clcnning ? She was 
 dancing with your son just now. There 
 she is, sitting beside one of your daughters," 
 said Lord Denton. 
 
 '' Oh, that is Miss Byrne, — a friend of a 
 near neighbour, I\Irs. Leigh ; you know her, 
 I think. Miss Byrne is quite a beauty, as 
 you see, and very popular everywhere, I
 
 KATE BYRNE. 89 
 
 assure you. She comes from Ireland, and 
 we have all taken a great fancy to her here," 
 said Mrs. Clenning, in reply. 
 
 '^Perhaps you will introduce me to her 
 whenever there is an opportunity. She is 
 vely distinguished-looking, certainly. Byrne, 
 Byrne,' — I seem to know the name quite 
 well,'' replied his LordshijD. 
 
 " Her family is a very good and a very 
 old one, I know, and her mother was a 
 beautiful Italian of noble birth," said Mrs. 
 Clenning, as she moved away to where 
 Kate was sitting, followed by Lord Denton. 
 ^' Miss Byrne, let me introduce you, love, to 
 a neighbour of ours, Lord Denton." 
 
 Kate bowed her head slightly, and, in 
 reply to his request for a dance, gave him 
 her dance list ; but he found few vacant 
 spaces, and those ver}^ far down. He made 
 himself as agreeable as he possibly could 
 to her and her friends, and managed to 
 .get on much better with Mrs. Leigh than
 
 00 KATE 15YRNE. 
 
 Avitli Kat('; l)nt hvv quiet, indifferent replies, 
 instead of making liini fancy her proud and 
 liaiiglity, as so many others did when they 
 first met lier, enlianced lier whole appearance 
 so much, tliat before ver}" long he thought 
 lier the most Ijcautiful creature he had ever- 
 seen, and far superior to any woman he- 
 knew or had known all his life. Her glo- 
 rious blue eyes quite fascinated him, and he 
 found himself lonnin"; for his turn to become^ 
 her partner. 
 
 Kate had been hearing somethino; of hi.^ 
 history from one of the Misses Clenning, 
 and had resolved to show the utmost indif- 
 ference to any attention he might jiay her 
 when Mrs. Clenning' brouoht him to her. 
 But she found that he really had a way of 
 ingratiating himself in her favour, and she 
 really talked to him a good deal at the end 
 of the evening. There was but one opinion 
 among the company, and that was that at 
 last Lord Denton was fairly smitten with
 
 KATE BYRNE. 9]^ 
 
 the cliarins of the bright, blue-eyed Irish- 
 girl. 
 
 What Bartle Blake's feelings were on the- 
 subject may be more easily imagined than 
 described; he, of course, with Love's jealous^ 
 eyes, saw all that went on, and after the 
 conversation in the library at The Ridgway, 
 he could but look upon Lord Denton as a 
 dangerous rival. He was rich, and able to 
 offer all the luxuries this world can give ; 
 and there was no doubt about the impression- 
 Kate had made upon him. Of course Bartle 
 could not enter into the enjoyments of the 
 evening very thoroughly; but, though his 
 mind was in a state of great disquiet, lie- 
 affected to appear at ease, and made him- 
 self so agreeable and attentive to his fair 
 partners, that no one could have guessed 
 his secret annoyance. 
 
 After the company had all departed, the 
 three daughters of the house went to tlieir- 
 rooms for a few hours' rest ; but, as usual
 
 92 KATE r.YRNE. 
 
 in such cases, tlicy were oljli<^ccl to talk 
 over tlic i)lcasiircs of tlio evening before 
 they retired to hetl. 
 
 " Wliat a success tliis dance has been," 
 said Julia, as she put some finishing touches 
 to her hair before the glass. "Every one 
 has seemed to enjoy it so much, and we 
 had plenty of good dancing-partners, which 
 was a comfort for us all, and not half 
 as much trouble for manuna and me ; and 
 if Lord Denton is not desperately smitten 
 with Kate Byrne, my name is not Julia 
 Clenninor, 
 
 J5 
 
 " I hope so," replied Annie, " and that we 
 shall have a wedding soon, and all of us be 
 invited to it, with lovely lockets to console 
 us for being left still in the blissful state 
 of spinstcrhood. lie is just the most de- 
 lightful man I know, and shows his good 
 taste in admiring ]\Iiss Byrne. I don't be- 
 lieve a word they say about his hating 
 women, and all that nonsense — do you?"
 
 KATE BYRNE. 93 
 
 ''I can't say," replied Julia; ''people of 
 course always exaggerate those kind of re- 
 ports. There may be very little truth in any 
 of them ; but 1 think it is rather singular 
 that he should make his first visit to us 
 just when she is staying in the neighbour- 
 hood." 
 
 '''Well, having "met him here, if anything 
 does come of it, the least she can do is to 
 ask us to be bridesmaids. I shall never 
 forgive her if she does not," replied Annie. 
 
 " How absurdly you go on, Annie. We 
 may be quite mistaken ; but, Avhether or nOy 
 she is a most charming acquaintance, though 
 I confess I think she is rather vain," said 
 Julia. 
 
 " I can quite forgive her that, seeing how 
 much excuse she has for being so. I always 
 look upon vanity as the least objectionable 
 weakness that flesh is heir to, and were I 
 Kate Byrne I should be simply unbearable 
 with conceit," replied Annie.
 
 Q4: KATE LYKNK. 
 
 As Annie finlslicd her sentence, Mary, the 
 younger sister, wlio luicl not taken part in 
 their conversation, said, in a very sleepy 
 tone of voice, — " You arc both mistaken, 
 .girls, clever as you think yourselves. I 
 don't wish to deny that Denton may have 
 fallen a victim, Ijut, take my word for it, 
 Kate Byrne loves Bartle Blake, and if they 
 are not engaged, they soon will be. You 
 may get 3'our locket, Annie, but not from 
 a future Lady Denton. So good night, or 
 good morning, I should rather say, as it will 
 soon be daylight. No beaut}^ sleep have we 
 had for the last week, I declare. Have 
 some thought of to-morrow, and don't sit up 
 any longer,"— and, giving them each a kiss, 
 she left them, with her new idea to think 
 over. 
 
 The next day Avas the one for their pic- 
 nic at St. A11)ans. A large riding and driving 
 party started from the Hall, calling on their 
 way for Mrs. and Miss Leigh and Miss
 
 KATE BYRNE. 95 
 
 Byrne, the former having seats in the 
 Avaggonette, and the latter riding Gyp. Helen 
 always avoided riding whenever she could, as 
 she was very nervous and easily frightened, 
 •especially with Kate, "for she generally 
 makes her horse tricky," said Helen, '' and 
 then I immediately fancy mine is going to 
 be so too, and suffer dreadfull}', only to be 
 laughed at afterwards by her." 
 
 Mr. Blake helped Kate to mount, and rode 
 by her side for some distance ; but that 
 pleasure had to be resigned to another, and 
 he fell back to the other young people, 
 and joined in their gaiety, although he was 
 really very miserable. Kate had been so 
 totally different to him the last few days, 
 that he again and again regretted having 
 come at all. He could have gone away with 
 at least pleasant recollections of their life in 
 Ireland, which would have been far better ; 
 for Kate had done nothing but snub him, 
 and he had scarcely done or said a single
 
 90 KATE IJYRNE. 
 
 tiling- to please lier ; and now tliat Denton 
 was taking- up all her attention, it was almost 
 inii)o.ssible to get one word from lier. The 
 day was sunii}'^ and warm ; all nature was 
 bright and happy; the birds and flowers 
 were enjoying- and adding- to its beauty, — 
 and yet he, one of God's noblest creatures, 
 was so miserably discontented, that he Avas 
 wishing- heartily he were dead. However, 
 Fortune favoured him soon after hmcheon, 
 for Will Clenning- declared that none of 
 the g'ood walkers must return till they had 
 climbed to the top of a hill in the distance, 
 from which a splendid view of the sea and 
 the surrounding- country could be had, which 
 it would be a thousand pities to miss, as the 
 day was so clear. Lord Denton declined 
 climbing- the hill, so he stayed beliind to 
 take care of the ladies who were not going, 
 he said. Either by chance or design on the 
 part of the young ladies, Clenning, Miss 
 Eyrne, and Bartlc Avere left some way
 
 IvATE BYRNE. ' 97 
 
 Ibehind. The road was rather rougii and 
 fatiguing ; Kate stumbled against a stone, 
 ajid exclaimed as if her foot was hurt, stand- 
 ing quite still for a moment; but in reply 
 to Bartle's anxious, tender inquiry, she said 
 it: was nothing, and went on, refusing his 
 offered arm. 
 
 " Thank you, I have quite as much as I 
 can manage with my habit ; I didn't think 
 of that when I offered to come, or I would 
 have stayed behind with the rest." 
 
 '' I am very glad you did not, though," 
 replied Bartle. '' I have seen so little of you 
 lately. You don't know how I have longed 
 for the chance of a quiet cliat with you. 
 Lord Denton has come in for a very full 
 share of your company." 
 
 "Has he really?" replied Kate, with 
 her face as white as a sheet. " Indeed, 
 I was not aware of it ; but he is certainly 
 extremely agreeable and nice, — quite dif- 
 ferent to what one has heard lie is; but 
 
 VOL. I. H
 
 08 KATE ])YKNE. 
 
 then one .sliould not listen to idle tittle- 
 tattle." 
 
 ' ' I agree with you entirely. Still I know 
 there is a good deal of mystery about his 
 doings for the last few years, and he is 
 scarcely a man I should have fancied you 
 would take to," replied Bartle. 
 
 " How can you possibly have an idea of 
 whom I should ' take to,' as you call it ? As 
 to Lord Denton, he liap2)ens to be rather 
 more agreeable than most men, and that is 
 all I really care a straw about ; therefore, 
 you need not try to say ill-natured things of 
 him, especially as he cannot hear 3^ou, and 
 defend himself. After all, I dare say he is 
 no worse than his neighljours," said Kate, 
 carelessly. 
 
 " I have no doubt," replied Bartle, " that 
 he would be delighted to know he has so 
 lovely a cluxmpion, but I don't want to waste 
 words or time on him. After all that has 
 passed between us, you must know how
 
 KATE BYKNE. 99 
 
 much I love you, Kate, and how I have 
 longed for months to tell you so. Just one 
 word, darling, Avill make me the happiest 
 man in creation — if it is only ' Yes.' " 
 
 Kate changed colour, and did not reply at 
 on-ce. Her heart beat so fast, that had her 
 life depended upon her uttering only one 
 single sentence, she could scarcely have done 
 it at that moment. 
 
 Bartle gained confidence by her silence, 
 and went on passionately, hurriedly telling 
 the '' old, old story " over again. 
 
 ^' After all that has passed between us, 
 you say, Mr. Blake," she said, making a 
 great effort to speak calmly. '' / know of 
 nothing that has passed between us, — except 
 that, from the welcome my father always 
 gave you to his house, and the kindness he 
 has shown you, I had an idea I might freely 
 give you my friendshij), never supposing for 
 one moment that you Avould misconstrue it, 
 as you evidently have done, and put an end,
 
 100 KATi: liYRNE. 
 
 as it must iKnv do, to tlio sisterly feeling- I 
 have always had for you." 
 
 '' Then I have, indeed, made a terrible' 
 mistake, — as far, at least, as I am concerned,'* 
 replied Bartle. '' Stay one moment, Kate,'^ 
 he added, laying his hand on her arm, as 
 she hastened on at a nmch quicker pace, and' 
 turned an angry glance upon him. '' Your 
 father knows of this, and has told me I have 
 his full consent. I spoke to him the evening 
 of the day }'ou left home, when I dined with 
 im. 
 
 He hoped that the mention of her father's 
 name, whom lie knew she loved very dearly, 
 would soften her ; but instead of having that 
 effect, it made her more angry, and she 
 replied, haughtily, — 
 
 '' Did you indeed, sir ? Thank you. In 
 future I would advise you to be rather more 
 sm-e of the lady's consent before you ask her 
 father's." 
 
 This appeared so thoroughly rude and
 
 KATE BYRNE. lOl 
 
 Heartless to Bartle, that lie immediately 
 resolved not to attempt to say another word. 
 He merely bowed to his angry companion, 
 and walked the rest of the way in perfect 
 .silence. 
 
 Thev found all the others seated on the 
 top of the hill, enjoying the scenery and 
 resting. Will Clenning sprang up as soon 
 as he saw them, and, throwing his cap high 
 in the air, shouted, " ' Excelsior! ' Here you 
 are at last, you two, — such laggards. Isn't 
 it a pull up here, though ? What a lovely 
 sea to-day. Wouldn't it have been a pity to 
 miss this ? I 'm quite tired ; arn't you ? " 
 
 These and such like expressions greeted 
 Bartle and Kate. The former made laconic 
 replies, but Kate was out of temper, and 
 took no pains to hide it. She fancied that 
 they had purposely hurried on and left them, 
 and saw, she thought, telegraphic signs and 
 looks between them all as soon as they made 
 their . appearance.
 
 102 
 
 KATK BVKNK. 
 
 She Avoiild not sit down io rest, l)iit 
 advisod tlicir all returning- as soon as pos- 
 bible, as it looked as if it Avas g'oing to 
 eloud over and rain. Tlie truth was, she 
 longed for the solitude of her own room, 
 where, awa}' from every one, she could think 
 in jicare and quiet. 
 
 ''Oh, Miss ]>yrnc," said Julia, "it isn't 
 going to rain, I feel certain ; with such a sky 
 it is simply impossible ; but, as you say, wo 
 ought to be getting down again, as it is 
 later than I thought. Time goes so quickly 
 when one is pleasantly engaged, doesn't it?" 
 she asked of Kate, who made no re])ly. 
 
 "How dreadfully pale you are. Miss 
 ]3yrne! Whatever is the matter? You 
 arc limping, too. Miss Leigh, do como 
 here." Helen turned Ijack, and saw at 
 once that something had hai)pened to her 
 friend. 
 
 " Kate, love, what is it ? " she asked. 
 
 " Oh, nothing to make a fuss of Nellie,
 
 IvATE BYENE. 103 
 
 If I am so 2)alo I really cannot liclj) it. 
 I have hurt my foot, and I don't know 
 how to lift it from the ground, that is the 
 real fact. But there 's no help for it. I 
 must get to the foot of the hill, where I 
 will wait for the carriage, if you will send 
 it on for me." 
 
 ^' Can't we carry you, Miss Byrne? — • 
 Blake and I?" said a young man of the 
 party. " If you would let us, we could, 
 I'm sure." 
 
 " Oh, no, pray don't say a word to the 
 rest. See ! they are looking round at us 
 now. Do go on, and I will manage some- 
 how." 
 
 The ." somehow " was painfully difficult, 
 and when she had reached the bottom she 
 was really quite exhausted and faint. Mr. 
 Blake, and Helen, and one of the Clenning 
 girls, waited there with her till the waggon- 
 ette came with Mrs. Leigh and Mrs. Clen- 
 ning, who brought some wine with them.
 
 101 KATK nvnxE. 
 
 '' It "was stupid of nio, I dare say, to go 
 on walking after I twisted my foot, Ijut I 
 lioped the pain would go off. It was not so 
 Lad at first, and I liate to make a fuss. I 
 shall be all right when we get home." 
 
 There was some difliculty in getting into 
 the carriage, and the drive home was long 
 and tedious to Kate. The whole i)arty 
 were not quite in such liigh spirits as tlicy 
 had been when they came along the road 
 in the morning. 
 
 t
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 'AKE care, Norali, I beseecli vou. 
 
 7 7 ^ 
 
 I cannot bear tliat. You had 
 better cut off my boot, I tliink ; 
 don't you, Mrs. Leigh ? " 
 
 Mrs. Leigh saw directly that 
 Kate's foot was terribly swollen, so she 
 immediately sent for Dr. Andrews, and . 
 gave orders for a room to be got ready at 
 once for Miss Byrne downstairs. Kate, in 
 the mean time, lay on the sofa in the 
 breakfast-room, quite pale, and suffering 
 .great pain. 
 
 '' I can manage very well, dear Mrs. 
 Leigh, with Norah's help, to get upstairs, 
 if I go at once, I think. I Avould really 
 rather try to do so, and then I shall be
 
 10() KATE I5YKN1:. 
 
 more out of tlio way, if T am to be a 
 prisoner for a few days, wliicli, I suppose, 
 Avill be tlic case," said Kate. 
 
 '' iMay I for once, my dear Kate, decide- 
 wliat is best for you to do ? You will be 
 better down here for many reasons; and 
 I can do the same for you as I slioidd for 
 Helen under the same circumstances with 
 nmch less fatigue," replied Mrs. Leigh, 
 decidedl}'. 
 
 Kate felt inclined to rebel, and wished 
 herself in her own dear home, Avliere one- 
 word from her was always sufficient for 
 instant attention to her wishes and orders ^ 
 but somehow it was impossible for her to. 
 dispute with Mrs. Leigh, or to resist her 
 tender, motherly affection, so she allowed 
 herself to be treated, as she said, "like a. 
 baby," and submitted to being installed in 
 the room in rpiestion. 
 
 Dr. Andrews arrived in an hour or so,, 
 and pronounced the sprain a very bad one ;.
 
 KATE BYRNE. lOT 
 
 indeed, lie said tliat it would require a 
 good deal of time and patience to enable- 
 Kate to use her foot again, or even to put 
 it to the ground. 
 
 "Oh, nonsense. Dr. Andrews; I shall be 
 abloj surelj, in a few days to get about 
 again ? I dislike so much to be all day long 
 in the same room." 
 
 "Well, my dear young lady, you may be 
 carried for change of air and variety into 
 the drawing-room, if you like ; but I must, 
 indeed, positively forbid any attempt at 
 w^alking or moving for at least a week or- 
 two," replied the doctor; "that is, if you 
 wish to give yoiu' foot a fair chance of 
 recovering." 
 
 "Well, then, dear Mrs. Leigh, since 
 Dr. Andrews is so cruel and so determined 
 to punish me, you must send me home as- 
 soon as he will permit me to move ever 
 so little, for I shall become quite unen- 
 durable, and tax even your patience
 
 108 KATE 13YRNK. 
 
 beyond bearing, with so long an imprison- 
 ment.'' 
 
 '' Wo sliall see, Kate ; time works 
 wonders," replied Mrs. Leigh. " Of course, 
 if you behave very ill, wo shall be obliged 
 to spare you ; but I would rather keep you 
 till you are quite strong again." 
 
 As Helen went past Kate's room that 
 night, she fancied slie heard her call out 
 to her ; but having said good night before, 
 she thought she nmst be mistaken, and 
 went on upstairs. But Norali followed 
 her, and said that her mistress wanted to 
 see her ; so Helen returned, and Kate said, 
 — ''Oh, Nellie, dear, do sit down and talk 
 to mc a little, please. I feel certain I 
 sliall not get to sleep at all, my foot pains 
 me so much. I could cry out with sheer 
 agony, if it was not for the shame of doing 
 so. This has 1)ecn such an unpleasant 
 day. I wish I had not come near the 
 place at all."
 
 KATE BYRXE. 109 
 
 ^'Oli! Kitty, love, don't say so," replied 
 Helen, seating herself, and taking her' 
 friend's hot hand ; " don't say so, pray. 
 You have been the one bright star amidst 
 US all; and to-day, too, we all thought 
 you had thoroughly enjoyed yourself, in 
 spite of this misfortune. Before you hurt 
 yourself, and independent of it, the day 
 was not unpleasant, was it, dear ? " 
 
 '' Yes, it was," replied Kate, snappishly. 
 '' I hate picnics ; they are always a bore to 
 me under any circumstances ; and I shall 
 never forget this wretched one all my life 
 
 long, I am certain." 
 
 " Oh, yes you will, Kitt}^, when you are 
 better. You are hot and feverish now, and 
 yom- head aches, I am sure, very much in- 
 deed. Do try to go to sleep ; that will do 
 you so much good. I will go now and send 
 Norah to you directly, so good night again, 
 love." 
 
 '^ Don't go yet, Nellie. Why are you in
 
 ■110 KATE JJYRNK. 
 
 sucli almny? It is (|uito early yet, and I 
 have so luiicli to say to you. I want to tell 
 you what happened to vex me to-day," said 
 Kate, lowerin^^ her voice, and keeping hold 
 •of Helen's hand tightly, while she poured 
 into licr listener's ear all that had passed 
 between Mi\ Blake and herself. 
 
 '' But, Kate, darling, is it a question of 
 poverty or love? Do you or do you not 
 love him ? That is the proper light to look 
 ■at it in, I should say," said Helen, slowly 
 and earnestly, the fitful crimson coming and 
 going on her cheek and brow. '' What has 
 his poverty to do with it ? — he is quite worthy, 
 I am sure, even of such love as yours." 
 
 ''Oh, if you are going to be moral and 
 lecture me, Nellie, I beg to be excused any 
 more," replied Kate, leaving hold of her 
 friend's hand and turning her head away; 
 " at least just now I can't do with it. I am 
 sorry I troubled you. I always thought it a 
 bad plan for girls to tell these things to any
 
 KATE BYENE. Ill 
 
 one, however intimate they may be ; noiv, I 
 am convinced it is a great mistake." 
 
 Helen saw that Kate was in no mood to 
 be reasoned with, and that it was useless to 
 prolong the conversation even by trying to 
 soothe her ruffled feelings, so she kissed her, 
 and left licr to Norah's care for the night. 
 Wlien Mrs. Leigh paid her an early visit the 
 next morning, she found her looking almost 
 better than she could have expected, as she 
 had had little, if any, sleep ; but upon the 
 whole, she said,*" she had not had a very bad 
 night, and that if she kept her foot perfectly 
 still, the pain was not too great to be borne." 
 
 Helen came to sit with her after breakfast, 
 and, kissing her, said, — " How is the head, 
 Kitty, now?" 
 
 " Quite well, thank you, Helen. I wish I 
 could say the same of the heart, as people call 
 it — I should say temper though, as a better 
 way of expressing myself, if you will allow 
 me. I am still a wee bit cross and spiteful, 
 
 *
 
 112 KATE r.YPNE. 
 
 aiul liow to get into ii hotter frame of mind I 
 know not. I am, however, sorry for being 
 hasty to you last niglit," 
 
 '^ Don't mention it, Kittv. I liaven't 
 thought twice of it, I assure you. You have 
 only to make the same admission to the much 
 more unfortunate recipient of your anger 
 yesterday, and your peace of mind will be 
 restored at once, I vouch." 
 
 '' I don't agree with you, Nellie," replied 
 Kate, holding her forehead in her fair, white 
 liand, and speaking thoughtfully. '' I may 
 confess my shortcomings to you willingly, 
 because I love you very dearly, and am sorry 
 to vex or annoy you ; but there are very few, 
 indeed, besides you to wdiom I could make 
 the slightest advance after any misunder- 
 standing, and I certainly never should dream 
 of — . But there, I am saying more than I 
 intended. AVe will never mention last night's 
 subject of conversation again, if you please, 
 Nellie ; I want to forget it ever happened ;
 
 KATE BYRNE. 113 
 
 and I can only clo so by not dwelling upon 
 it. It is alwaj^s l^etter not to think of the 
 unpleasant things that happen to one," she. 
 added, seeing by Helen's face that she was 
 expecting more confidential disclosures and 
 discussions. 
 
 The fact was, Kate felt really more ill at 
 ease than she had thought she should. As 
 she lay awake in the night she had gone over 
 and over again the scene of the previous 
 day, and, in spite of all her reasoning and 
 assuring herself that she had done no wrong, 
 a "still, small voice" would whisper, ''You 
 know you love him ; tell him so before it is 
 too late." 
 
 It is just possible that if Bartle had called 
 at The Eidgway that day, as Kate felt sure 
 he would, the whole of their future lives 
 would have been happier, — at least Kate's 
 might have been ; but he did not come near 
 them. Every ring at the hall-bell, every 
 footstep, made her listen for the well-known 
 
 TOL. I. I
 
 114 KATi: IJYRNK. 
 
 voice, only to Lc disappointed, and wonder 
 why he did not, and when he would come. 
 
 " Manmia," said Helen, "do you know 
 that Mr. Blake has left the Clennings, asking 
 them to say good-hy and make excuses to 
 you for his not coming ? Some pressing mes- 
 sage came from London late last night, and 
 he went too early this morning for making 
 any calls, although he must have passed 
 here, of course. I met Julia and Willie out 
 riding as I came from the school, and they 
 gave me the message for you.'' 
 
 '^ I am sorry not to have said farewell," 
 replied her mother; " but I dare say he will 
 write to explain what took him away so 
 suddenly." 
 
 " Has Kate told you, mamma, what hap- 
 pened at St. Albans?" asked Helen. 
 
 " No, child. What do you mean, Helen, 
 love?" 
 
 Helen then told her mother what Kate 
 had said about her refusing Bartle ; but she
 
 KATE BYRNE. 115 
 
 begged her not to mention it to Kate if she 
 made no allusion to it lierself. 
 
 '^ I thought, mamma, it would explain 
 Bartle's apparent neglect : of course he did 
 not wish to come here again. He is no doubt 
 very much pained at Kate's refusing him, 
 a,nd I dare say a good deal surprised, for they 
 have seen so much of each other, and were 
 such good friends." 
 
 ^' It is most unfortunate if he really is 
 attached to her. I am rather afraid that 
 Kate is exacting and selfish, wdiicli is no 
 wonder, considering how every one spoils 
 her — ourselves among the number. I do not 
 see any cause for her refusing him unless her 
 affections are engaged with some one else ; 
 he is quite a gentleman, of very good famil}' 
 on both parents' sides. He is poor, certainly ; 
 but I think he is almost sure to make his way 
 in the world." 
 
 ''Oh, but mamma, I'm sure, Kate will 
 never marry unless she gets the offer of a
 
 116 KATi: BYRNE. 
 
 title and wealth besides. She is so bril- 
 liant and luiul of society, that she could 
 not live witliout every indulgence, I am 
 afraid." 
 
 " Then I am, indeed, sorry for her, Nellie. 
 I know of no worse fate than marriages of 
 that kind, unless, indeed, she combines love 
 ^vith position, which, perhaps, Avitli her beauty 
 and talents she may do. There are few men 
 who could see her and not be very much 
 charmed with her. I should think one does 
 not often see a girl so singularly gifted and 
 beautiful to look at." 
 
 Helen, of course, agreed with her mother's 
 last remark ; but she felt surprised to sec how 
 little impression Mr. Blake's sudden departure 
 made upon her. As to her own feelings in 
 the matter, she would have given a good 
 deal to have seen him, under any cii'cum- 
 stances, only once again. But even this had 
 been denied her. She could not so much as 
 tell her mother how truly sorry she was
 
 KATE BYENE. 117 
 
 for him, and liow slie longed to be able to 
 comfort liim in his disapjjointment. No, 
 she felt almost ashamed of being unmaidenly 
 enoiisrh to have allowed her fancv to over- 
 step the bounds of girlish dignity, and make 
 her feel more than a common interest in 
 one who never, by word or look, showed 
 that he regarded her otherwise than as a 
 friend. There was nothing left for her to 
 do but lock the secret safely in her own 
 heart, and try to appear as if she had it not. 
 
 The neighbours and friends who lived 
 at all near to The Ridgway, called often to 
 inquire after Kate; and she very gladly 
 welcomed those who were inclined to stay 
 and chat with her. One morning the three 
 sisters from the Hall walked over, and 
 offered to stay some time, and Kate asked 
 them if they would like to hear a singular 
 dream she had had the night before. 
 
 '' Oh, by all means tell us, dear Miss 
 Byrne," said Annie. ''Julia is so clever
 
 118 KATi: I!YRm:. 
 
 at interpretations : she has great faitli in 
 dreams, too, and obliges us very often, I 
 assure you, with a ' lucaning.'" 
 
 '' Annie, you are too absurd," replied 
 Julia. " Don't notice her giddy nonsensey 
 ]\Iiss Byrne, if you please." 
 
 '' Well, then, young ladies," said Kate^ 
 '' to begin at the beginning, as the story- 
 books say: I was, in my dream, seated at 
 the foot of a green sloping hill. Every- 
 thing around me was beautiful, bright, and 
 ga}' ; birds sang, flowers of every hue were 
 blooming in ])rofusion and splendour; foun- 
 tains threw out ten thousands of jets of 
 sj>arkling water ; lovely hills and dells, as 
 far as I could, see, rose before me. No 
 other living being but myself Avas there. I 
 seemed to have no wish to move, but half- 
 sat, half-reclined, enchanted, as it were, at 
 the scene before me. Then presently I 
 heard soft, distant, trilling music. It 
 gradually came nearer and nearer, till I
 
 KATE BYRNE. 119 
 
 thoiiglit I slioiild soon see the players. But 
 no, whichever way I turned to look there 
 was no sign of any one. Then all at once 
 I saw two bands of women and girls coming 
 towards me ; the music went on in exquisite 
 melody : those who came first and quickest 
 had in their hands lovely caskets and gems, 
 which they laid at my feet as they passed 
 me, saying, ' Come with us and be happy'; 
 they were all beautiful, and their drapery" 
 hung round them in thick, soft folds. The 
 others came on slowly, and had nothing in 
 their hands but flowers; but there was so 
 much difference in their appearance, that I 
 distinctly remember feeling they were all 
 better and purer women than the others. 
 They all held out their hands to me, and 
 gave me their flowers as they went by, and I 
 was so much more taken up with the brighter 
 and richer offerings, that I scarcely heeded 
 them, except as they gave them to me. 
 
 '' I made no effort to rise till they were
 
 120 KATE BYRNE. 
 
 all a long distance off, then I followed after 
 the first, who stood beckoning- me from afar. 
 I went on, on, on, till I came to a beautiful 
 place, with men and women and children 
 all enjoying themselves in different ways; 
 but somehow I felt as if they were not 
 real ; I had a kind of shrinking from them, 
 and yet I joined them in their amusements, 
 ^len bowed low before me, and studied my 
 every look ; then all at once I was enveloped 
 in a thick mist or cloudy darkness, which 
 frightened me, and made me cry out for 
 help. No one answered, but I heard mock- 
 ing laughter and derisive cries (piite near. 
 I threw out my arms and moved slowly on, 
 till I felt grass on rising ground. I caught 
 hold of it, and tried to go up the hill, but 
 I could not see tlirough the dimness, and 
 as I clutched one piece the other gave way, 
 and I seemed to go back after every step 
 I took. I had a kind of feeling that if I 
 got up that hill I should be safe ; so I toiled
 
 KATE BYRNE. 121 
 
 on, praying for just one gleam of light ; but 
 no sound, no light came to me. The utter 
 sense of loneliness I felt I cannot possibly 
 describe : the hot tears of despaii' rolled 
 down my cheeks and fell on my hands, and 
 I, thought of the bright scene I had just 
 before been in. I managed to reach the top 
 of the hill at last, where I saw a lis^ht doA^^i 
 on the other side — a dim, shadowy, melan- 
 choly one; and as I strained my eyes to 
 see, there vv ere gaunt, hideous figures making 
 signs and grmiaces at me. I felt there was 
 full, bright day behind me; but though I tried 
 to turn and go to it, I could not. I felt I 
 must go to these dreadful creatures : I could 
 not resist the impulse which seemed to send 
 me down. I screamed with horror and 
 misery, and awoke both myself and Xorali, 
 who declared I had frio'htened her di-ead- 
 fully. I was in a perfect state of fear and 
 trembling, and could not realize for some 
 time that I was really and truly in bed,
 
 122 KATE BYRNi:. 
 
 and that my distn>ss was only a dreaiii. I 
 found by my watcli I liad only been asleep 
 a short half-hour, so that it all must have 
 come and gone rapidl}', although it seemed 
 to be ages in the dream." 
 
 " Why, my dear Kitty," said Helen, 
 "how singular, to be sure; but then you 
 don't slcej") soundly now, and 1 dare say 
 the pain from your foot causes you to have 
 troubled slumbers.'' 
 
 " Oh, my dear 3Iiss B}'rne, what a 
 remarkably unpleasant time you had of it 
 altogether, quite like a visit to a world not 
 as pleasant as our own," said Mary. 
 
 " Well, what do you say about it all, 
 Miss Clcnning ?" asked Kate. '' Has your 
 usual lively imagination helped 3'ou in this 
 instance to predict 'good' or 'ill' for my 
 future ? Not being a direct descendant 
 from Pharaoh, I don't pretend to possess 
 any powers in that hidden art myself," she 
 added, smiling.
 
 KATE BYKNE. 123^' 
 
 Julia reddened, and lauglied too ; looked 
 very severely at her sisters for having put 
 the idea into Kate's head ; but she positively 
 refused to say anything more than that it 
 was very singular and disagreeable. They 
 soon after went away, and, naturally enough, 
 they talked a good deal on their way home 
 of Kate and her dream. 
 
 '' How beautifully she described it. I 
 can almost see it all myself, and hear 
 the music too," said Mary. " She looked 
 so lovely, lying there with closed eyes, as 
 if she was going over it all again in her 
 mind's eye, while repeating it to us." 
 
 ''Well," replied Julia, ''there's a stormy 
 future in store for her, or I am greatly mis- 
 taken. I could not tell her so, of course,, 
 but we shall see." 
 
 " Oh, nonsense, Julia ; there you go, with 
 your doleful dumps, as usual ; so like you. 
 I am glad you had sense enough not to say 
 anything of the kind to her though. I
 
 1*24 KATE BYRNE. 
 
 never, till ^liss B^Tnc mentioned them, 
 thought of the Egyptians ; but really 1 shall 
 begin to fancy that there is a possibility of 
 our having sprung from that race, if you 
 put on that cli'eadfullv puzzled and some- 
 what tierce expression very often." 
 
 "■ Thank you, Annie; it is just possible that 
 the}' would not deign to acknowledge the con- 
 nexion, if you tried to prove it — as far, at 
 least, as vou are concerned, miss. So don't 
 trouble yom* frivolous little head with what 
 does not concern you," replied Julia, severely. 
 
 '' AMio is this coming ? Not papa or 
 Willie, surely? No, Lord Denton. Going, 
 of com'se, to The Ridgway," said ]Mary. 
 
 They stoi)ped to shake hands Avith his 
 Lordship, who said he was sorry to have 
 missed them, and that he was on his way 
 to call to inrpiire after Miss Byrne. 
 
 '' We have just left her," said Julia ; " she 
 is in excellent spirits, but of course frets at 
 being unable to get about."
 
 KATE BYKNE. 125 
 
 '' I wonder," said Annie, as lie rode 
 away, " what makes him look so spry and 
 fresh, and why he is staying at Denton ? 
 I know he told mamma he should be off" 
 directly again ; it is nearly a fortnight ago, 
 and he seems in no hurry even now." 
 
 ^^ I can't understand how it is that Mr. 
 Blake and Miss Byrne arc not engaged," 
 said Mary. '' I know he is passionately 
 attached to her, for Will told me so ; and 
 men never say these things of each other 
 unless they are true." 
 
 *' Oh, don't they indeed!" replied Julia. 
 '' Mary, child, you know nothing about 
 what they do. Men are just as apt to get 
 hold of scraps of news, either true or false, 
 and make as much of them, as we do, 
 whenever they can get a little innocent 
 like youi'self to listen and appear to believe 
 them. As you grow older you will grow 
 wiser, and see the truth of what I say." 
 
 Lord Denton was pleased to find himself"
 
 126 KATE BYRNE. 
 
 Adiuittcd into Kate's presence, for tliougli 
 lie had called each day, lie had not seen 
 her. He sat down near her, and compli- 
 mented her upon her appearance. '' I am 
 afraid no one would think anything was 
 wrong with you, Miss Byrne, if they 
 judged by your face." 
 
 '' I am sure they would not," replied 
 Kate, smiling. '' It does seem absurd to 
 lie here and feel so well too. But, I 
 -assure you, I am not to be blamed. For 
 once in my life I have no will of my 
 own: I am simply obedient to those around 
 me. Am I not, Mrs. Leigh ? " 
 
 '' Yes, you really are wonderfully patient, 
 Kate — -for you^ I mean," said Mrs. Leigh, 
 shaking her head, and laughing. 
 
 " That is very sweet of you to say so, 
 because it must be true since you allow 
 it, dear Mrs. Leigh. As far as my own 
 feelings are concerned, I am sure I could 
 hobble about somehow ; but Dr. Andrews
 
 ia.TE BYRNE. 
 
 127 
 
 wont allow it, so I try liard to sliow liim 
 and Mrs. Leigli that I really liave a small 
 quantum of obedience in my nature. Vij 
 only fear is that I am using the little I 
 have so lavishly that it will be quite 
 exhausted, and no one else will ever have 
 the benefit of any from me again." 
 
 ''However, out of every ill comes a good, 
 they say," replied his Lordship. "Perhaps 
 if this had not happened we should not 
 have had the pleasm^e of keeping you here 
 so long. Miss Byrne." 
 
 "Oh, yes," replied Mrs. Leigh; "Kate 
 came foi; a long stay, and we are expect- 
 ing Miss Casteldi to join her here for a 
 few weeks at least; then, I suppose, we 
 shall have to let both of them go away 
 to Ireland again." 
 
 Lord Denton stayed about twenty minutes, 
 dming which time the conversation was 
 shared with Mrs. Leigh and her daughter 
 about every-day events. When he took
 
 128 
 
 KATE BYRNE. 
 
 leave, he held. Kate's hand firmly in his 
 own, assuring lier that this short visit had 
 given him very great pleasure, and l3egged 
 to be allowed to come again the next day. 
 As she looked up to reply, their eyes met, 
 a bright blush spread instantly over Kate's 
 face, and that one look made Lord Denton 
 go on his way rejoicing.
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 !;HEN Aunt Neta came to The 
 Riclgway, she found Kate able 
 to move about with comparative 
 ease, and she had the pleasure 
 of being driven about by her 
 niece in Helen's little pony-carriage to see 
 the beauties of the surrounding neighbour- 
 hood. The latter little lady was only too 
 glad to have more time to devote to her 
 beloved schools and "old people," as Kate 
 called them. 
 
 "How you can possibly fritter away so 
 much of your time and thoughts on such 
 creatiu-es I cannot imagine, Nellie," said 
 Kate one day, when Helen came in quite 
 
 VOL. I. K
 
 130 KATi: BYRNi:. 
 
 tired out with teaching and visithig. "You 
 look lialf dead at tliis present moment, 
 and if I Iiad anv voice in the matter I 
 would certainly 2)ut a stop to it at once." 
 
 '■'■ Oil, Kate, lioY/ can you accuse me of 
 frittering- away my time ? If I do no good, 
 it is not because I do not try to work 
 liard ; and you ouglit to be the last to 
 say sucli tilings, Avlien you know how 
 much pleasure it gives me, and how anxious 
 I am to do all I can for my less fortunate 
 fellow -creatures," replied Helen, reju'ov- 
 ingly. 
 
 "That is just what I mean, Nellie; you 
 do a great deal too much — are too much 
 taken up with those poor people ; you do 
 not consider what is due to your own posi- 
 tion. Let those who ought to work exert 
 themselves a little more. It is quite the 
 proper thing for the Avives and daughters 
 of clergymen, I allow, but not for you," 
 said Kate.
 
 KATE BYRNE. 131 
 
 " ]3ut you know, Kate, I do what I can 
 to help Mrs. Clayton. She is old, and not 
 .strong, and has no daughters of her own." 
 
 " Yes, I know you do ; but why should 
 you? You are not strong either; and you 
 do not give yourself the leisure and pleasure 
 that every girl ought to have, — that is what 
 I complain of so much. I really wonder at 
 your mamma allowing you to go so often 
 into such dirty pokey places, where at any 
 time you may catch fever and all sorts of 
 horrid things," said Kate, — and her short 
 upper lip curled disdainfully at the bare idea 
 •of the risks her friend ran daily. 
 
 "You are very much mistaken," replied 
 Helen; "almost all the cottages are nice 
 and clean ; there is seldom or ever any, 
 serious sickness about, — such, of course, as to 
 alarm one, I mean. If you only knew how 
 much they appreciate any visits they get, 
 you would think differently. It is because 
 you never do anything of the kind that you
 
 133 KATE IJVRNE. 
 
 fancy it must Ijc distasteful and useless for 
 any one else to attempt it." 
 
 "Oil, no, Nellie, I don't agreo with you. 
 I am alwa}'s ready to help any case of dis- 
 tress which is brought inider my notice, as 
 far as my purse permits. And }'0u may 
 depend upon this, dear, that nine times out 
 of ten money is more acceptable than any 
 number of visits; and 1 maintain that it is a 
 thousand times better to do what is easiest 
 to oneself without considering so deeply 
 what the results may be." 
 
 " It is just the way to do the most harm. 
 I know, Kate, if the poor do not like you tO' 
 see them in their own homes, there is some- 
 thing wrong somewhere; either they sec 
 you are not at all interested in them and 
 their belongings, or that you only go to 
 lind fault and point out defects." 
 
 "AVell, well, Nellie, you won't be per- 
 suaded, I see," interrupted Kate ; '' and as I 
 cannot argue upon disagreeable subjects
 
 KATE BYENE. 133 
 
 without losing my temper, we won't say 
 another word. I give in sweetly to oblige 
 3^0ur little ladyship. Oh ! there 's the km- 
 cheon-bell ; let us go and get something to 
 eat, for you, at least, are looking much in 
 need of a little Avine to put a touch of colour 
 into your cheeks." 
 
 ' ' If I thought you really meant all you 
 said, I would not be good friends till I 
 proved to you how wrong you were," said 
 Helen, as she took Kate's arm to leave the 
 room. 
 
 " Oh, you unchristian young person. But 
 I won't quarrel with you. Wait till you 
 come to Blackrock again, and then we will 
 see who is to be mistress. You shall lose 
 your pale face there, at any rate." 
 
 Mr. Byrne began to get impatient for his 
 daughter's return, and as she had quite 
 regained the use of her foot, there was no real 
 necessity for her staying away any longer. 
 He had become tired and weary without
 
 ]34 K.\.TE BYRNE. 
 
 liis sunbeam, lie Avrote, and was longing to 
 sec licr again; so Miss Casteldi decided to 
 go at the end of that week, or early the 
 following one. 
 
 Lord Denton also gave out again that he 
 was leaving the Court, and had requested an 
 interview with Miss Byrne before he did so. 
 There is no necessity to repeat what took 
 place during that interview. He had, from 
 the fnvst moment he saw her, felt that she 
 was necessary to his existence, and knowing 
 that she was returning home, he feared to 
 risk his chance of being made happy with 
 a favourable reply !>}' dcla}ing till he saw 
 her again. 
 
 The readers will not be surprised to know 
 that Kate accepted Lord Denton's offer. 
 There was no show of affection on her side ; 
 she allowed him to take the kiss he claimed 
 when she said ''Yes," but drew herself away 
 from him when, in the excess of his happi- 
 ness at being accepted, he would have taken
 
 IvATE BYRNE. 135 
 
 lier to liis heart, and assured her again and 
 again liow much he loved her. He had 
 also sometliing to tell her of his past life, 
 which he had decided, before he made up his 
 mind to propose to her, should and must be 
 told then. But these things never turn out 
 as we plan they should, and before he had 
 time to begin, she had begged him to let 
 her go and send her aunt to him. She was 
 so very pale, that he feared she was ill, 
 and tenderly asked her if he should call 
 some one to come to her. 
 
 ''Oh, dear no, thank you; there is not 
 the slightest necessity for anything of the 
 kind; the heat always takes my colour 
 away : there must be thunder in the air, I 
 think," she said, as she left the room. 
 When she reached her own, she locked the 
 door, and paced slowly backwards and 
 forwards till she heard her lover's footstep 
 on the gravel-walk ; then she stopped, and 
 thought again of another footstep that she
 
 loG KATi: r.YRNE. 
 
 had Avaitcd, and listened, and longed for, — 
 of another scene, similar to the one tliat had 
 just taken place ; and she felt that if "he" 
 had only come to her that day, and asked 
 her atrftin to be friends and love him, she 
 certainly would not have been there at that 
 moment, and Lord Denton her accepted 
 lover. 
 
 Miss Casteldi was very mucli surprised 
 to learn from his Lordship that her niece- 
 had accejitcd him. She could not realize 
 the idea of such a thing, she said; and, 
 seeing his look of surprise, went on to 
 tell him, by way of excuse, that " Kate 
 is the sunshine of her father's heart and 
 home, and we .never can look forward to 
 losing her with any feeling but regret. It 
 will be a great trial, especial 1}' to my 
 brother ; though, of course, we nmst not 
 allow om' selfish love to interfere with 
 Kate's future hapjoiness." 
 
 " But I trust we shall always l^e able
 
 KATE BYENE. 137 
 
 to see you both very ofteUj" replied his 
 Lordship. " I promise you not to be a 
 tyrant and keep Kate away from her 
 Mends," he added, smihng. 
 
 Of course, Mrs. Leigh and Helen con- 
 gratulated her, and wished her much happi- 
 ness; and all their friends and acquaintances 
 appeared not to l^e the least surprised at 
 the turn affairs had taken. Each of the 
 Misses Clenning had her own oj)inion. 
 Julia was incHned to be severe upon even 
 the beautiful Miss Byrne, whom she really 
 admired very much, for captivating the 
 only eligible parti in their neighbourhood. 
 ^' Though, to be sure, perhaps if she had not 
 no one else would," she added, as she took 
 a side glance at her own rather handsome 
 face in a glass beside her. Annie was in 
 ecstasies. She was charmed at the thought 
 of having Kate Byrne for Lady Denton. 
 She knew there would be delightful parties 
 and balls at the Court, and a chance of
 
 138 KATE r.YRXK. 
 
 seeing a few frcsli faces — Lotli men and 
 Tvonien — slic lioped. '' And then, Julia, 
 wlio knows Avliat may happen ; besides, you 
 knoT\', we are sure to go to tlie wedding, 
 and ' one ' makes niany, they say, don't 
 they ? " she added, saucily. Mary was in- 
 clined to be hard upon Kate too; for 
 hadn't she made up her mind to hear that 
 what her brother had said was riglit, and 
 that she was to become Mrs. Blake at 
 some future tinie ? If she had been Miss 
 Byrne, she would sooner have married Mr. 
 Blake witliout a penny piece than Lord 
 Denton with all his wealtli. However, they 
 all allowed that it would be a great addi- 
 tion to the place having some life and 
 gaiety at the Court, which had been shut 
 up continually ever since they could re- 
 member; and they were all very anxious 
 to know as soon as possible when the 
 marriage would take place. 
 
 No one could suppose, from Kate's appear-
 
 KATE BYRNE. 1 St- 
 
 ance and manner, that she had decided 
 otherwise than happily. She was so gay 
 and so full of spirits, that it would have 
 been simj^ly absurd to raise any doubts 
 wdiatever. She was anxious to get home, 
 naturally enough; and it Avas decided that 
 Lord Denton should cross with them on 
 the following Saturday. There could be 
 no doubt about Lord Denton's affection 
 either. He showed only too plainly that 
 he was the willing slave of Kate's capricious 
 fancy, and assured her again and again 
 that she was the first woman he had ever 
 loved. He would certainly have preferred, 
 a little more demonstration on her part, 
 but he liojDcd, as she learned to know him 
 better, she Avould love him more, and then, 
 of course, she would show it, he ho^^ed. 
 
 The night before they were to leave- 
 The Ridgway Lord Denton had gone away 
 early, and they had all retired to rest before 
 the usual time. Kate had not returned to-
 
 140 KAI'K JJVliNi:. 
 
 licr room upstairs, for It was tliouglit best 
 for her to ^^-o up and down ns little as 
 i^osslble, so that she was still sleeping on 
 the ground floor, with Xorah in a tiny 
 room beside her. For some reason or other, 
 Kate could not get to sleep, although she 
 was very tired Indeed, and had made up 
 her mind to have a good long night. After 
 some time she did drop Into a kind of doze, 
 out of which she Avas awakened by hearing, 
 she thought, something hea\y fall either 
 just outside or near her room. She sat up 
 In bed and listened, but everything was so 
 still that she began to fancy she was mis- 
 taken, and lay down again, more wide 
 awake than ever. Then she caught the 
 sound of subdued voices and a low cratinir 
 noise, as if under her window. She waited 
 and waited In breathless silence and expec- 
 tation, listening eagerly, assured she was 
 not deceiving herself, and that there was 
 .somebody trying to get Into the house.
 
 KATE BYRNE. 141 
 
 She felt disposed to call Norali, but 
 second thought told her Norali was ner- 
 vous, and would cry out and alarm them. 
 She crept out of bed, and put her feet into 
 her soft slippers, and wondered what was 
 best to do. Then she remembered to have 
 heard the other day of a robbery at a house 
 no great distance from The Ridgway, and 
 that the thieves had got safely away with 
 their booty. AVliat could Bates be doing ? 
 Was it possible that he could be assisting 
 them in any way ? If she only dared show 
 herself in white, that might frighten them, 
 perhaps ; thieves Avere always coAvards, she 
 knew. But then she did not want to 
 frighten them, but to have them secured, if 
 possible. She crept to the door of her room,, 
 and gently di-ew it open. The extreme 
 stilhiess of the house made her feel almost 
 nervous, and her heart beat quickly and 
 loudly. She looked, and saw a faint streak 
 of light from under the door almost opposite.
 
 142 KATE BYRNE. 
 
 She made one or two steps forward into tlio 
 hall, when, to her intense surprise, she saw dis- 
 tinctly a dark figure coming towards her — a 
 man — a thief — a robber. Oh, heavens ! She 
 could not move or speak. The man carried 
 something in his arms, and he also came to 
 a stand-still, and did not speak. A deep sigh, 
 which Kate made in her effort to articu- 
 late, caused the man to start and drop what 
 he held out of his arms — it was the silver 
 commonly in use from the pantry. The crash 
 gave Kate courage, and, without moving a 
 stc]), and putting out her hand, she said, in 
 a deep low voice, "What are you doing 
 Tiere ?" The man gave one bound i)ast her, 
 towards the dining-room door ; l)ut (|uick 
 as lightning she darted forward, held him 
 by his coat and hair, and screamed loudly, 
 "Fire! murder I nnirder ! " In much less 
 time than it takes to write this, Norah and 
 Bates had come to Kate's assistance. Bates 
 had heard the fall of the silver, and struck a
 
 KATE BYRNE. 143 
 
 light; immediately hearing Kate's screams, 
 he had come, just as he was, to the rescue. 
 Then Mrs. and Miss Leigh, and Miss 
 Oasteldi, with the other servants, came 
 down, half awake and terribly frightened ; 
 and when the former fully realized the 
 danger Kate had been in, they were quite 
 overcome, and could scarcely believe she 
 was not at all hurt. The coachman was 
 sent for from the Lodge, and, with Bates, 
 guarded the prisoner till he was willingly 
 resigned to the tender care and protection 
 of the village constable. That worthy 
 person seemed to regret deeply that he had 
 not had the pleasure of catching the afore- 
 said individual. 
 
 It turned out in the evidence that Bates 
 had been in to the county town on busi- 
 ness for his mistress that evening, and at 
 the public-house where he refreshed himself 
 and horse, he had got into conversation with 
 two respectable men, and drank with them.
 
 144 KATE BYRNE. 
 
 *' Tlicy must liavc drugged the beer," lio 
 said ; for he assured Mr. Clenning, who was 
 a magistrate, and came over to The Ridgway 
 the next day, " that his head was fit to 
 burst, and he felt quite ill, altliough he 
 had taken very little." 
 
 The thief made a clean breast of it, and 
 did not attempt to hide who his accomplices 
 were, so that there was no difficulty in 
 bringing them all into the hands of justice, 
 to receive the reward of their labours ; and 
 the man who struggled with Kate, openly 
 expressedhisadmiration of Kate's "pluck," as 
 he called it, and his sorrow for his misdeeds. 
 The most absurd stories got about as to 
 the injuries Kate had received. Some 
 said her eyes were black and her wrists 
 broken ; otliers had even more exaggerated 
 accounts to tell ; and no one would believe 
 that no harm had happened to her. Of 
 course they had to delay their departiu-e for 
 a few days, and her time was thoroughly
 
 KATE BYRNE. 145 
 
 taken up with seeing people wlio came 
 from far and near, and telling just how it 
 happened . 
 
 •'My darling," said Lord Denton, ''how 
 I long to horsewhip the wretch. Are you 
 perfectly certain he did not strike you ? " 
 
 ''Oh, quite positive," replied Kate, smiling. 
 ^' I do not need your pity one-half so much 
 as the poor man does ; for, oh ! how I 
 clutched at his hair, to be sure ! I must 
 have pulled handfiils out, I think." 
 
 "I doubt that," replied her lover, taking 
 hold of her hand, and putting his own 
 beside it, smiling at the contrast in size 
 and colour. "Now if this had clutched, as 
 you say, Kate," — holding up his own hand, 
 — "he might have just been able to feel 
 the difference." 
 
 Poor Mrs. Clenning was more put out 
 than any one else. She was quite over- 
 come with the idea of such dreadful practices 
 going on so near them. She positively 
 
 VOL. I. L
 
 14 G KATE 15YRNE. 
 
 declared slie Avould never have another 
 moment's peace of mind till '' sometliing" 
 was done to prevent the possibility of any- 
 thing of the kind happening at the Hall, 
 as it -would surely be the death of her 
 if she even heard a robber in the house. 
 AVhat that "something" was, Mrs. Clenning 
 never clearly understood herself, nor ex- 
 plained to any of her family ; but after 
 awhile the whole affaii' was forgotten, or at 
 least less talked about, and Mrs. Clenning 
 regained her small share of confidence and 
 feeling of security, and ceased to anticipate 
 the being put to death by violent hands 
 in her own house, or dvino- from fear of 
 such'a sad calamity. 
 
 t5=J!«
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 AMMA," said Helen Leigh, 
 " what an eventful time we have 
 ^ had of it since Kate has been 
 with us ! I can scarcely believe 
 that she has gone, and that we 
 are to fall back again into the old quiet 
 groove." 
 
 ' ' You are right, Helen, we have. I certainly 
 feel as if all the commotion had been too 
 much for me. I am half inclined to go 
 away for a few weeks' entire rest and 
 change. We should both be the better for 
 it, I think, for you have not looked at all 
 like yourself for some time past," said Mrs. 
 Leigh. 
 
 '' Oh, mamma, love, I am really quite
 
 148 KATK BYRNE. 
 
 well ; but a cliaii^c is just the tiling. I 
 should like it so much, and shall be able 
 to do all the more work when I come back, 
 and you are always the better for going 
 away." 
 
 '' Then, Helen, we will decide to go very 
 soon ; and I tell you another thing that 
 occm-red to me this morning — we might, 
 perhaps, persuade Mrs. Clayton to come with 
 us as our guest for at least part of the time, 
 and the vicar could join us now and then, 
 if we do not go too far away." 
 
 " Well, mother, this is kind of you, in- 
 deed. You are always doing others good 
 just when they want it most. I hope they 
 may have no scruples about accepting your 
 hospitality away from home. I know they 
 are very self-denying, but I don't think 
 they can easily refuse to go in that way 
 with us." 
 
 '' I will call to-day, Helen, as I go into 
 town, and do my best to ask them in a way
 
 KATE BYRNE. 149 
 
 which will show them it will be a favour to 
 us if they consent to join us." 
 
 ,Mr. and Mrs. Clayton had one son, who 
 had been a constant source of anxiety and 
 trouble to them. Though their grief was 
 tod' great to talk of, Mrs. Leigh knew that 
 through his misdeeds they had so many calls 
 upon their limited, narrow purse, that it 
 was almost impossible for them to afford a 
 jaunt of any kind for pleasure, and for some 
 time both husband and wife had been falling 
 off sadly in health ; and it was thinking of 
 all this that had put the suggestion to her 
 really kind and thoughtful heart of the little 
 plan she had mentioned to her daughter. 
 
 She got to the Vicarage too late for any- 
 thing but a hurried visit, as she left it till 
 she returned from town ; but she carried 
 back to Helen the good news that Mr. and 
 Mrs. Clayton were both very pleased to accept 
 her offer. So they all went off the follow- 
 ing week to C ; and as the weather
 
 IdO KATE 15YRNE. 
 
 was fine and warm, tlicy were out of doors 
 on the sea-slioro almost all day. Mr. Clayton 
 returned for liis Sunday duties, but joined 
 thcni again on the Monday or Tuesday, 
 Helen had always been a great favourite 
 with the vicar. He frequently said she was 
 as much help as a curate would have been, 
 and that ho would have to give up working 
 if she went away. 
 
 '' I am so glad you think me reall}' useful 
 to you, Mr. Clayton," Helen said one day 
 Avhen he had returned, bringing all sorts of 
 messages for her from home. ''It is so 
 pleasant to feel that one can do something 
 for others, even though that may be very 
 little." 
 
 '' You are quite right, Helen," replied her 
 friend ; " and you nmst also bear in mind 
 always that some of us ' must be content 
 to fill a little space.' It is not always in 
 the widest s])]iere of work that the greatest 
 good is done. It is not the amount of work
 
 KATE BYRNE. 151 
 
 we do, but the motives wliicli 2:)rompt us 
 to 'do it J and tlie way we do it in, wliicli 
 should guide us constantly. Don't get dis- 
 contented, Helen, because you work un- 
 seen." 
 
 > •" Ob, no, surely not, Mr. Clayton ; why 
 should I ? If I have made you think I am 
 discontented at any time, I can assure you 
 now truly that I am not. On the contrary, 
 I am thankful for all my blessings, I hope 
 and trust ; but you know one hears so 
 much of what women are doing now-a- 
 days, working so hard and doing so much, 
 that perhaps I fancy sometimes I might 
 strike out, as it were, and do a good deal 
 more to help others than I have yet done." 
 
 ''Ah, well, Helen, it is generally allowed 
 that all women can ' talk ' well ; whether they 
 ' work' well, is a totally different thing," said 
 Mr. Clayton. '' But it strikes me very 
 forcibly that there is too much talking- 
 going on now, and that women are gradu-
 
 152 IvATE BYRNE. 
 
 ally losing- tlieir love of, and their claim to, 
 the gentler and holier duties of life. Of 
 course I am old-fashioned, and out of the 
 world ; I know so little of what is going on, 
 except from hearsay, and perhaps ought not 
 to give my opinion so freely ; but as far 
 as you are concerned, Helen, you may be 
 pretty sure you are filling the place Pro- 
 vidence has portioned out for you. ' Inas- 
 much as ye have done it unto these my 
 brethren, ye have done it unto me.' " 
 
 Helen often managed to have a little con- 
 fidential chat with Mr. Clayton. He was so 
 much like a father to her, and so interested 
 in all she did, that she was very much 
 at ease with him, and took him into her 
 confidence quite freely. 
 
 ''" Mamma," exclaimed Annie Clenning, 
 '^ here is a letter from Miss Byrne She asks 
 if Julia and Mary and I will be her brides- 
 maids. The wedding is to take place early 
 in the new year, she sa3's ; and we are to
 
 KATE BYRNE. 153 
 
 go over a few days before, to see about any 
 alterations in the dresses. Isn't it delightful 
 fqr us all, mamma ? " 
 
 "Why, Annie, there is plenty of time 
 between this and then for her to change 
 her mind twenty times. She is just the 
 kind of girl to do so, I fancy ; so don't 
 make up your mind too positively," said 
 Mrs. Clenning. 
 
 " Oh, no, mamma ; please don't say so," 
 replied Annie. " Miss Byrne is not change- 
 able. Whatever other failings she may 
 have, I don't think that can be laid to her 
 charge ; on the contrary, she always carries 
 out anything she takes into her head, Helen 
 says." 
 
 '' Then of course Helen knows her better 
 than I do ; but at any rate there is plenty 
 of time to think about it, though indeed 
 you must let her know you accept the offer 
 as soon as possible. But weddings are not 
 always pleasant, Annie ; indeed, I may say
 
 154 KATE I5YRNE. 
 
 scarcely ever. I can assure you, tlie day I 
 was married to your jiapa, my poor mamma 
 and I cried as if our liearts would break^ 
 and so did my bridesmaids too, mitil I 
 went away in the afternoon ; so my memory 
 brings back to me no delightful remem- 
 brances." 
 
 ''Well, I promise you, mamma, that if 
 ever I am married, I will try not to shed a 
 single tear, and will bind all my friends 
 over to follow my example, just for a treat 
 and change to you," said Annie, gaily. 
 
 Mrs. Clcnning forced a smile, — a very 
 melancholy one, it is true, — and dictated 
 a reply to Miss Byrne, thanking her for 
 thinking of her daughters, and for her kind 
 inquiries after them all. Her own health, 
 she assured Kate, was as Avretchedly bad as 
 ever ; but she hoped, if she was spared, 
 that she Avould soon have the pleasure of 
 welcoming Kate to Denton Court. 
 
 ^r. and Mrs. Clayton, Helen and her
 
 icATE byr:xe. 155» 
 
 motlier, all camo back from tlieir sea-side 
 outing very much the better for it. Helen 
 looked less pale and thin, and Mrs. Clayton 
 was certainly greatly improved. Kate had 
 written long letters to Helen, telling her 
 all her plans, and asking Mrs. Leigh to be 
 kind enough to give Lord Denton the benefit 
 of any suggestion she might have about the 
 alterations that were to take place at his 
 house. '^ He will come to see you soon," 
 she added; " and perhaps you will drive 
 over with him, and take a look at the rooms, 
 and see what needs to be done. I am going" 
 to be so unusually busy, that I shall have 
 very little time for anything but my pre- 
 parations, as it flies so quickly." 
 
 Did Kate during these busy weeks ever 
 let her thoughts go back to the early part 
 of the year, when one who was far away 
 from her now had been her almost constant 
 companion ? Did she ever think of their 
 walks, rides, and chats ? Did she ever
 
 156 KATE BYRNE. 
 
 wonder if he thought of licr, and where 
 and hoAv she was ? Did the '' still, small 
 voice" within (which we all hear sometimes, 
 and must listen to) ever suggest to her what 
 might have been — what, perhaps, ought to 
 have been — if she had only been true to 
 him and herself? Did she ever wonder if 
 her future would be as happy with the man 
 she had freely chosen, as it might have been 
 with the one she had so carelessly thrown 
 aside ? If any of these thoughts did occur, 
 they did not remain to trouble lier; she 
 was little given to reflection of any kind, 
 and joartieularly disliked dwelling on the 
 past, cspeciall}^ if it was not pleasant. 
 
 Lord Denton stayed some weeks in Ire- 
 land, making acquaintance with Kate's re- 
 lations and friends. On all sides he heard 
 praises of his lady-love's beauty, talents, 
 generosity, and good-nature; and when he 
 saw how very much she was admired and 
 sought after, he could but agree with those
 
 KATE BYRNE. 157 
 
 who told him that he was one of the most 
 fortunate individuals in existence to have 
 gained the heart and hand of so lovely a 
 woman, and one so well fitted to shine in 
 society and receive homage from every one. 
 It is just possible that women of that kind 
 are not those peculiarly adapted to make 
 happy homes ; but then we cannot combine 
 beauty of soul and mind with the beauty 
 of outward form as easily as we might wish, 
 so that if we take the one we must be con- 
 tent to do without the other. 
 
 It is not to be supposed that Lord Denton 
 had any of these ideas. Men in love seldom 
 moralize : they generally give themselves up 
 to the full enjoyment of the delightful feeling 
 which throws all others into the background 
 for at least a time, and hardly ever pause to 
 consider any questions of the wisdom of the 
 course they intend to take. He was not, how- 
 ever, quite satisfied with Kate's manner to 
 him; she kept him so far from her, and seemed
 
 loS KATE BYKNE. 
 
 • 
 
 SO little Inclined to he alone with him, or 
 allow any of the tender endearments wliicli 
 he longed to show her as proofs of his love, 
 that he did sometimes wonder if she really 
 cared for him. Then, perhaps, a smile from 
 her, or a request put in her most winning- 
 fashion, would dispel all doubt, and he will- 
 ingly went on, submitting to the usual small 
 tyrannies wliicli women generally exercise 
 over men they know to be really deeply in 
 love with them ; and he felt every day more 
 anxious for the time to come whicli would 
 make her his for ever, and set aside all 
 restraint between them. He returned to 
 
 S shire full of plans for restoring and 
 
 beautifying Denton Court, and making it 
 fit for the reception of its future mistress. 
 Rooms that for years had scarcely seen the 
 light of day were to be swept and garnished ; 
 old-fashioned furniture was to be put aside, 
 or done away with altogether, to be re- 
 placed by modern elegant additions and
 
 ICATE BYRNE. 159 
 
 substitutes, and no expense was to be spared 
 which could add to its comfort or improve- 
 ment. 
 
 ' '' Why, mamma," said Helen, after a visit 
 of Lord Denton to them, " I can scarcely be- 
 lieve he is the same man, the last few months 
 have worked such changes in him. He might 
 be a youth of one or two and twenty, he 
 seems so undecided and puzzled as to Kate's 
 choice of things." 
 
 " It is certainly the first time I have known 
 or heard of his being interested in anything, 
 Helen, at alh useful, and I begin to think we 
 have all been mistaken about him," added 
 Mrs. Leigh. 
 
 " How amused Kate would be if she knew 
 the trouble he has taken before deciding 
 what the colour should be in the reception- 
 rooms. As to Kate's own boudoir, it will be 
 a lovely little snuggery. I quite long to see 
 her there," said Helen. 
 
 '' But that is Kate's own wish to have
 
 IGO KATE BYRNE. 
 
 fixwii and grcon satin there. Lord Denton 
 told nic she liad chosen her own colours for 
 her own rooms," replied Mrs. Leigh. 
 
 " T am glad of that, mamma, because she 
 is very particular about light shades, I know; 
 and tliough I admired the pattern he chose, 
 I did fancy it ought to have been sent ta 
 Kate before it was decided on." 
 
 Mrs. Leigh and her daughter were very 
 much interested in all that went on. Kate 
 was so dear to both of them, that they 
 almost felt as if they were assisting at pre- 
 parations for some one belonging to them. 
 The workmen put the old place in too great 
 a muddle for Lord Denton to remain with 
 any comfort; so he ran up to London, and 
 came down occasionally to see how matters 
 were progressing. The winter set in early 
 Avith unusual severity, and merry Clmstmas 
 was something like an old-fashioned one, with 
 its frosts and snows. Kate's maiden days 
 were rapidly drawing to an end, and every
 
 KATE BYRNE. 161 
 
 moment of her time was fully occupied with 
 the hundreds of little worrying items that 
 the preparing for a fashionable- marriage 
 of necessity entails. Helen left home on 
 New- Year' s-Eve very reluctantly without her 
 mother ; but, as some of her relations were 
 oil a visit to her, Mrs. Leigh could not very 
 well leave them, and was really glad of so good 
 an excuse for not taking a long journey in 
 such severe weather. Lord Denton followed 
 her a day or two later with the Misses 
 Clenning and their brother ; and poor Julia 
 arrived more like a ghost than a living being, 
 the short passage from Holyhead to Kings- 
 town having been exceedingly rough, and 
 nearly two hours longer than usual. They 
 were all three glad to retire to rest, but 
 Annie and Mary had been frivolous and 
 eager to look over all the beautiful presents 
 and things of the bride, as well as their own 
 lockets, which had come home that day. 
 They were handsome enough to satisfy even 
 
 VOL. I. M
 
 102 KATE I5YRNE. 
 
 Annie's fastidious taste, had the initial letters 
 of Kate and Lord Denton as a monogram in 
 pearls and emeralds, and, after trying her 
 own on the former young person, she pro- 
 nounced them '^ perfectly lovely." 
 
 The settlements were all drawn up, after 
 the delays customary in such matters ; 
 everything had been done to everybody's 
 satisfoction. Lord Denton having made a 
 handsome sum over entirely for Kate's use, 
 her own money was settled upon herself, so 
 that, under any circumstances, she would 
 always be thoroughly well supplied with 
 money. Helen had not ventured to make 
 any inquisitive questions, although she had 
 been altogether with Kate ; but she was 
 so happy and sanguine, and seemed so 
 thoroughly at ease, entering into every- 
 thing with so much zest and enjoyment, — 
 notliing seeming to give her any trouble, — 
 that it was impossible for Helen not to feel 
 that,' after all, perhaps Kate never had loved
 
 KATE BYRNE. 163 
 
 Bartle, and that slic was entering upon her 
 new life with every appearance of reciprocal 
 love and confidence. The night before the 
 wedding came at last ; there was a great 
 trying on of dresses of those bridesmaids 
 who were staying in the house, and when 
 nothing remained to be done, they all went 
 to their rooms. 
 
 " Good night, Nellie. Don't come in ; I 
 would rather be alone to-night, dear," said 
 Kate, as Helen passed her room. ''I shall 
 be so thankful Avhen to-morrow is over." 
 She was quite tired, and hurried Norah over 
 ber duties, and out of the room, much to 
 the surprise of the faithful handmaid, who 
 was generally very necessary to her young 
 mistress's evening toilette, and often indulged 
 with little pleasant conversations about 
 every-day events. But to-night, of all nights, 
 when there was so much to be talked over, 
 it was rather hard not to be allowed to say 
 a cheep, and to find the door locked upon
 
 164 KATE BYRNE. 
 
 her. Kate made no attempt to retire to- 
 rest; she sat at the fire with a book, her 
 toes on the fender, carelessly turning over 
 and glancing at the pages. Then she laid 
 the book on her lap, and, resting her head on 
 her hand, looked steadily and thoughtfully 
 into the fire. Whether the past or future 
 occupied her most, we cannot attempt to say. 
 Certain it is that some long time passed 
 without her moving, and that two or three 
 hot tears, which dropjoed on the hand 
 which held the book on her lap, made her 
 start' up quickly. It was so very rarely she 
 shed tears, that she was almost surprised at 
 herself, and brusliing them hastily away, 
 as if ashamed of her weakness, she ex- 
 claimed, — " Dear, good, loving father, no 
 one will ever understand me as well as you 
 have," — she threw herself on her knees by 
 the side of the bed, and prayed earnestly for 
 help and guidance in the unknown future. 
 It was no use for her now to try to dash her
 
 KATE BYRNE. 165 
 
 iears away or stop them, to call herself weak 
 and foolish ; they flowed freely, fiiUj and hot, 
 as- she bent her head over her bed. Whether 
 her prayer had made her give way, and 
 softened her thoughts, or whether the trying 
 and solemn ceremony which she had to go 
 through the next day may have presented 
 itself to her in a different light, and caused 
 this burst of better feeling, it is hard to say ; 
 but undoubtedly Kate Byrne was more sad 
 and subdued that night than she had ever 
 been before in all her life.
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 HE "wedding was to take place at 
 ten o'clock, so that all the house- 
 hold Avere astir very early. Kate 
 did not leave her room, nor would 
 she admit an}' of her young friends 
 who offered their assistance but Helen, who 
 came directly after breakfast to help in giving 
 the finishing touches, and found Miss Castcldi 
 already there, taking a quiet cup of coffee 
 with Kate. 
 
 " How cold your hands are, Kitty, love • 
 like bits of ice, I declare. Do warm them 
 before you fmisli your dressing." 
 
 "It is not tropical weather just now, 
 Nellie, you will allow. I would rather be 
 cold than hot : one can never do anything
 
 KATE BYENE. 167 
 
 "well if one is heated. So don't bother me, 
 
 please, auntie," she said, as she waved away 
 the offer of a chair that her aunt wanted her 
 to sit in before the fire. 
 
 '' There, Kate," exclaimed Helen, when 
 the bridal wreath was fastened, "you grand, 
 glorious creature, how splendid you look, 
 — fit bride for a king. How I wish mamma 
 could see you at this moment. Give me a 
 kiss, love, for I must away and finish my 
 own dressing" ; and, placing her arms round 
 Kate, she gave her an earnest, loving em- 
 brace, with her eyes full of happy tears. 
 
 '' Now, Helen, don't be a goose, please," 
 said Kate, quickly. " I cannot endure any- 
 thing- of the kind to-dav. You know I hate 
 scenes at any time, so remember that if you 
 can, and oblige me by not following the 
 usual bridesmaid's fashion of spoiling your 
 eyes and comj^lexion. Now all of you go, 
 please, and let pai^a fetch me when my 
 
 carriage comes."
 
 1G8 KATE BYRNE. 
 
 As Mr. Byrne led his lovely cliild do^\Ti 
 the aisle he trembled, but she walked proudly 
 by his side, white as the snowy lace and 
 satin she was dressed in ; and on all sides 
 there were exclamations of delight and satis- 
 faction at the elegant appearance of the 
 wnole party. 
 
 Lord Denton had been waiting impatiently 
 in the vestry, as nervous and flurried as 
 most men are uj)on such occasions ; and he 
 certainly presented a striking contrast, with 
 his full, flushed face, to the pale tall girl at 
 his side. As the minister read the service 
 slowly and impressively, Kate never raised 
 her eyes from the altar step ; but she made 
 her replies in a firm low voice which was 
 distinctly heard by all around her. Then 
 she knelt beside the man she had vowed to 
 love and honour all the days of her life, 
 and received the blessing of her pastor 
 and friend. They Avere all full of fun and 
 congratulatory complimenting in the vestry
 
 KATE BYRNE. 169 
 
 while the register ^Yas being signed ; then 
 they made way for the bride and bridegroom 
 to pass out through the bevy of smiling fair 
 faces. Many were the blessings breathed 
 for them both as they passed to their car- 
 riage, closely followed by the admiring 
 crowd who had gathered to see the wedding. 
 As soon as they moved away from the church, 
 Lord Denton drew down the blinds, not to 
 keep out the sunshine, for there had been 
 ]ione that morning, but to place his arms 
 around her, and say, " My precious wife, 
 my own for ever." 
 
 There was no time to be lost at the 
 breakfast, as the boat started early, which 
 gave Kate an excuse for hurrying from the 
 table. Norah had everything ready to re- 
 deck her child, as she always called Kate, 
 so that the change was soon made, and 
 the last good-bj^es said. "Come here, 
 Kitty, just a moment," said Mr. Byrne ; 
 and she went into the hall. He drew lier
 
 170 KATE BYKNE. 
 
 into Ills own room, and liekl licr in his 
 arms, kissing licr pale clicck and lips, and 
 blessing lier again and again. '' God bless 
 you, darling," was all he could say. A 
 few moments later the carriage was off, a 
 shower of satin shoes following in various- 
 directions after it ; and Mr. Byrne felt that 
 tlie gap made in Ids heart and home could 
 never be filled. A crowd of small boys 
 had lingered about the house to see them 
 go away. Tliey were not over-well clad or 
 very clean. Tlicy looked sad, hungr}^, and 
 cold, so Kate insisted upon her husband 
 throwing a good handful of silver out of 
 the carriage window to them, to the great 
 delight of them all. Tliere was a pretty 
 good struggle for each to get a share, and 
 a lingering and hunting after any stray coin 
 that might have chanced to have escaped 
 notice ; but each one got something, and 
 went away in much better spirits, to tell his- 
 good fortune to his friends. 
 
 i
 
 KATE BYRNE. 171 
 
 There was a large, crowded assembly at 
 Mr. Byrne's in the evening. The young 
 people danced and flirted, while their elders 
 amused themselves with less fatiguing plea- 
 sures. The Irishmen on this occasion did 
 full justice to their '' national characteristic." 
 Of course, they may have paid a visit to 
 the celebrated castle near Killarney, and 
 " kissed the Blarney Stone on the toj) of 
 its wall," for the express purpose of making 
 themselves irresistible to the English girls 
 on this particular evening ; but whether or 
 no, the ladies voted them one and all de- 
 lightfully pleasant and agreeable. Helen 
 and the Misses Clenning stayed a few 
 days with Mr. Byrne and Miss Casteldi, 
 Julia dreading to cross again till the sea 
 was a trifle calmer. When they returned 
 home in high spirits, they did nothing for 
 days but talk and tell of all the delightful 
 times they had had, and even made their 
 mother almost believe that a wedding is
 
 172 KATE BYRNE. 
 
 not always quite such a miserable ceremony 
 as she fancied. They also tried to persuade 
 their father to take them ibr a torn- in 
 Ireland, for they had heard so much of 
 the beauties to be seen there that they 
 quite longed to go again Avith him. How- 
 ever, an event which happened soon after 
 this gave a fresh turn to their plans and 
 wishes : for Mary's pretty little face and figure 
 had captivated the heart of a certain Captain 
 Mylett, who found that he Avas too fre- 
 quently thinking of her to be at all up to 
 his usual duties; and as young Clenning 
 had invited him to come to see them if he 
 was ever in their neighbourhood, he made 
 a point of going there by way of a change, 
 visited them, and when he went away he 
 was I\[ary's accepted lover. They were 
 married after a very short engagement, and 
 Julia and Annie often paid pleasant visits 
 to the west of Ireland, where the newly- 
 married pair took up their abode.
 
 KATE BYRNE. 173 
 
 Helen gave her mother and her friends 
 the Claytons so mmute a description of 
 everything, that they could scarcely have 
 known more if they had been eye-witnesses. 
 Mr. Byrne would fain have kept Helen with 
 him some months, for he thought he should 
 never reconcile himself to the quiet and 
 loneliness of the house without his child ; 
 but of course Helen's own mother could 
 ill spare her, for her health was change- 
 able, and her home lonely too, especially 
 as her visitors had gone away. Mr. Byrne 
 told Helen to tell her mother 'Hhat he had 
 serious thoughts of letting his house and 
 coming to England to live, to be nearer 
 his daughter. He had talked the matter 
 over with Miss Casteldi, and, as far as 
 she was concerned, she would like him 
 to do so; but, at the same time, perhaps^ 
 as far as the Dentons were to be con- 
 sidered, it would be a greater treat for 
 them to come over to Blackrock, espe-
 
 174 KATE HYKNE. 
 
 cially as Kate was so fond of tlie old 
 2)lace." 
 
 '' Wouldn't It bo a pity, nunnma, to lot 
 it, — it is siicli a nice place, and tlio house 
 so elegantly furnisLed ? Then Mr. Byrne 
 knows evcrvhodv fiir and near, and the 
 climate suits him, too. Of course, ho will 
 get more reconciled if he waits a little. It 
 is too late in life for him to begin to make 
 fresh friends in a strange place ; don't you 
 think so, mamma ? " 
 
 '' Oh, yes, certainly I do, Helen," replied 
 Mrs. Leigh. "It will require a good deal 
 of consideration before he decides to leave 
 it, I dare say. I can though quite under- 
 stand the feeling which prompts the idea, 
 for I fear, Helen, I should be very mucli 
 tempted to follow you if you went away 
 from me." 
 
 Helen reddened, and assured her mother 
 that she had no intention of ever leaving 
 her. She was too happy at home to be
 
 KATE BYRNE. 175 
 
 sufficiently satisfied with any other kind of 
 life or duties, or to be induced to make a 
 change to please anybody. 
 
 » After spending- a few days at a country 
 place of one of his friends in the south of 
 England, Lord Denton took his bride to 
 Paris, intending to go farther on, to any 
 place that either might take a fancy to see. 
 The weather was cold and frosty, but l3right 
 and clear, and enjoyable. Whatever con- 
 fessions he may have had to make to her, 
 he had not yet found a good opportunity of 
 taking her into his confidence. In fact, if 
 the truth were told, he had begun to fancy 
 that, perhaps, as they were now really 
 married, and nothing could or ought to 
 come between them, he need not trouble her 
 with them. He was so doubtful as to how she 
 would look upon the affair, that he was 
 anxious not to make her the least angry or 
 annoyed with him. Then he thought he 
 would write in confidence to her father and
 
 17G KATE BYRNE. 
 
 explain the matter; but tlion, again, lie knew 
 he oug-ht to have at least mentioned it to 
 him when he proposed to him, or rather 
 to Kate. But he had not done so, and now 
 — as is always the case with every one if 
 they delay to do what is rig-ht — it seemed 
 almost impossible to refer to it either to his 
 wife or her father; so perhaps, after all, it 
 was best not to think any more about it, 
 but keep it, as he had always done, sacred, 
 and ten chances to one no word of it would 
 ever come to their ears. 
 
 Lord Denton, it will be seen, had very 
 little decision of character or courage. He 
 was kind-hearted and generous, and anxious 
 to do right and please others, but he had 
 no control over his actions. It was almost 
 impossible for him to say no to any one ; 
 he was as easily led as a little child, and 
 often, in spite of himself, did what he after- 
 wards regretted, merely because some one 
 had persuaded him, or made him believe
 
 KATE BYENE. 177 
 
 that it was all riglit, and would oblige 
 them. 
 
 They were staying at one of the hotels 
 in the Rue de Rivoli, and their windows 
 looked out into the Gardens of the Tuileries, 
 at -one of which Kate seated herself one 
 afternoon after coming in from her drive. 
 She did not look particularly happy; she 
 had, in fact, been disappointed about some 
 home letters which she quite expected in 
 the morning, and had wondered and fretted 
 about them, fearing her papa or aunt might 
 be ill. She was gazing out into the fast- 
 coming twilight when her husband joined 
 her and sat down by her side, and placed 
 his arm round her waist. 
 
 '' What is my peerless Kitty thinking so 
 deeply about, that she did not even turn 
 to see who it was when I came into the 
 room ? " 
 
 '' Oh, I knew it was you, therefore I had 
 no occasion to turn round to look," replied 
 
 VOL. I. N
 
 178 KATE KYRNi:. 
 
 Kate; ''and I was tliinklng- liow much dear 
 papa is missing me." 
 
 " Of course he does, darling ; but you 
 don't regret leaving liim, do you, love? Tell 
 me truly," said licr Imsband. 
 
 " Well, I scarcely know if I do or not; 
 of com'se not in one sense of the word ; but 
 you surely do not object to my thinking of 
 him sometimes ? You would not have me 
 forget him, I suppose ? " 
 
 "Forget him, Kate; how you misunder- 
 stand me, to be sure ! '' exclaimed Denton. 
 "Wliy, I wouldn't take one simple, happy 
 thought from you under any circumstances, 
 my darling. You looked a little sad, I 
 thought, and that made me ask you." 
 
 " Well, but don't begin to fidget about 
 my looks," replied Kate, smiling. ''I can't 
 help my face being an expressive one, nor 
 can I help thinking sometimes, and being a 
 trifle subdued ; but I promise to tell you, if 
 I am ever imhaiipy enough to wish for
 
 IvATE BYENE. 179 
 
 sympathy, tliougli I assure you I don't anti- 
 cipate anything of the kind." 
 
 '' I have a good deal to tell you though, 
 Kate, indeed, which I should have told you 
 some time ago ; but our days went on so 
 quickly that I never liked to waste them; 
 and besides, now you are really all my 
 own, I shall hope for forgiveness with 
 more confidence than I should have had 
 then." 
 
 "Oh, dreadful!" said Kate, holding up 
 her hands in seeming horror. "I do hope I 
 am not to hear you have committed some 
 awful crime, the secret of which you expect 
 me to burden my conscience with for ever, 
 in proof of the obedience I so lately pro- 
 mised you. I must beg to be excused, if 
 such is the case, for I hate secrets and scenes 
 particularly, and cannot keep the former ; 
 besides, the walls have ears, and we may 
 be j)oi^inced upon by some violent member 
 of the police here, and carried off to prison."
 
 180 KATE BYRNE. 
 
 "Now, Kate, do bo serious just for lialf 
 an liour, and listcni to nic. You knoAV, 
 darling-, you will soon Lc hearing my own 
 friends' ojoinions of my unworthy self, and 
 it is just possible that some one may — " 
 
 The door opened suddenly, and a servant 
 came in with a tray and letters. Kate bounded 
 up and snatched them all off. " Ah, hero- 
 is one from dear papa, George. I am glad, 
 dear darling," she exclaimed, as she kissed 
 the envelope and tore it open, devouring the 
 contents. 
 
 " Delightful ! how good of him ! He is 
 really coming to meet us in London when 
 we return, if all is well, and Aunt Neta too. 
 Isn't it nice, George ? There are plenty of 
 loving messages for both of us ; and he ends- 
 by hoping that we are as haj^py as the days 
 are long. He couldn't have remembered 
 that they haii2:)en just now to be uncommonly 
 short, could he, do you think ? Do read it 
 for yourself I am so hajij^y to have received
 
 KATE BYRNE. 181 
 
 it ; and please ring for lights, for me to see 
 what my other friends say." 
 
 The lights came, and Lord Denton felt 
 very indisposed to touch the letter held out 
 to him. She had shown so little interest in 
 lais affairs, and appeared to have entirely 
 forgotten that he had anything to say. It 
 was like adding insult to injury ; but as he 
 caught sight of his wife's animated face, he 
 could not resist it. So he took the letter 
 and read it, Kate leaning and looking over 
 his shoulder the while. Why did not some 
 good angel prompt Kate, when her husband 
 had finished reading, and they had talked 
 the contents over, to ask him to go on with 
 what he had to say ? How much doubt and 
 fear it would have spared her in after years ! 
 So far from mentioning it, she never even 
 thought of it. They were going to a recep- 
 tion in the evening, and wanted to be early; 
 so that, what with dressing for dinner, and 
 then again later, it did not enter her busy
 
 182 KATE BYRNE. 
 
 head, and Lord Denton never again made 
 the slightest allusion to it. lie was so justly 
 proud of her that night ; and, as he saw her 
 at a distance in clooC conversation with a 
 French nobleman, he comforted himself with 
 the assurance that, of all women in the 
 world, 2^crhaps Kate was the least likely 
 for any living being to presume to broach 
 unpleasant things to. A glance of her eye, 
 or a curl of that short upj^er lip, was enough, 
 or more than enough, to silence or prevent 
 any piece of impertinence, however intimate 
 she miglit become Avitli any of his old 
 acquaintances. So he must trust to time 
 and ''luck" to hide the past, and make the 
 future as agreeable as earthly mortals could 
 possibly hope for. 
 
 " Mamma, liere is a letter from Kate. 
 Tliey arc at Nice, it appears. I quite 
 tliought they intended going on to Rome, 
 but they have changed their minds, aj^pa- 
 rentl}', and are going no farther south, as
 
 KATE BYRNE. 183 
 
 far as I can make out. But I will read it 
 aloud," said Helen ; "at least all that will 
 interest you, mamma. 
 
 " ' The decree has gone forth, my dear 
 Helen, that "so far we shall go, and no 
 farther " ; and whether we shall overstep the 
 bounds we have given ourselves or no, I 
 cannot say ; don't be surprised, however, 
 to hear of us from anywhere, for somehow 
 I cannot stay long in any place just now, 
 and we may come home very soon. I had 
 a delightful time in Paris ; it was very cold, 
 and I had plenty of use for my fiu-s, which 
 were handsomer than any one else's that I 
 saw. This place is very full. AYe are 
 staying at one of the villa hotels behind 
 the town, beautifully situate among the 
 gardens and olive woods. How I wish you 
 were here, Nellie ; in fact, I have wished 
 for you continually. Perhaps it is not 
 quite the thing to say in one's honeymoon, 
 but I certainly think that if two people are
 
 IS-t KATE BYRNE. 
 
 too miicli together, tliey feel each other a 
 bore. But independent of tliat, I am .sure 
 you would enjoy heing- here so much. Not 
 liaving the pen of a ready writer, I can't 
 attempt to describe the place. I can only 
 say I like it better than most places I have 
 been to ; it is sunny and warm, and, if it 
 were not for the white dust, which covers 
 everything and everybody, it would be quite 
 perfect. There is a delightful, nice, open 
 drive, with a walk all along the beach, quite 
 two miles long, which ends towards the town 
 in a square, shady garden, with hotels all 
 round ; and this is crowded every afternoon 
 with loungers from every quarter of the 
 globe, I should fancy, dressed in the most 
 IjrilHant costumes, seated in chairs, between 
 which those who prefer walking prome- 
 nade, stare, quiz, and meet their friends 
 and acquaintances. There are a great 
 immber of slovenly, thougli richly dressed 
 Americans here now ; some Russians, and
 
 KATE BYRNE. 185 
 
 plenty of English — a great many of whom 
 ■are more or less delicate, I dare say. The 
 
 Earl of M is here, and his delicate, 
 
 ]Dretty daughter, quite a shadow, and so 
 patient. George introduced me, and she 
 begged me to call on her, which I did yester- 
 day. It was so j)leasant to talk to her. She 
 knows she is in a critical condition, and 
 is quite prepared not to get better. I think 
 her rather like you, Nellie, in face, and 
 manner too, a little ; so that is why I have 
 taken such a fancy to her, perhaps. Then 
 the Gilberts are here, all of them, and their 
 
 friends, Lord and Lady P , and children, 
 
 whom we meet every day, and with whom 
 we exchange greetings. A pretty, tiny girl 
 (American) is staying at our hotel, with her 
 father (an unusual occurrence, I find, as they 
 generally prefer the larger and handsomer 
 ones), and the contrast between them is so 
 great that I am amused with it. She is quite 
 B child in appearance, not more, I am sure,
 
 180 KATE BYRNE. 
 
 tluin four feet six or seven inches liigli, but 
 so pretty, and constantly talking and lolling^ 
 about in tlie most lackadaisical fashion, order- 
 ing her numerous admirers about here and 
 there, and asking for her "^xi,'' as she calk 
 him, constantly. I am, be it known, under 
 the ban of her displeasure ; for why I 
 cannot tell, excei)t that, perhaps, I have 
 looked at her once or twice when I have 
 heard her talking and calling out, and my 
 looks may have been too severe for her. 
 Her father is devoted to her, but certainly 
 in all my life I never met any one at 
 all like him, — tall and gaunt, excessively 
 miserable-looking, with the coarsest manner 
 I ever heard of. However, this is scandal, 
 and you won't care a jot for it, I know. 
 So I will go on to tell you that there is a 
 capital band and plenty of balls and con- 
 certs at the Casino ; also gambling in a 
 quiet sort of way, I believe, though of 
 course, as the Government professes to hold
 
 IvATE BYKNE. 18T 
 
 it illegal, there is little said about it. Then 
 a small steamer takes a fair share of the 
 visitors to Monaco, where there is a regular 
 table, and many peoj)le come to Nice for 
 no other reason than its close proximity to> 
 Monaco. Don't suppose that because I tell 
 you all this, Nellie, I am going to commence 
 gambling. My love of card-playing has not 
 diminished, I own ; but still it will not lead 
 me on yet, I hope, to any deeper play. It is 
 one of the thino;s I intend to reserve for old 
 or middle age ; so tell your mamma, with my 
 love, that she need have no fears about me. 
 Write to me by return, please Helen, and tell 
 me all about everybody and everything. I 
 so long to see you all again. Paj^a intends 
 to meet us in London, and stay with u& 
 till we come to Denton, at the end of the 
 summer. I must say good-bye now, for if 
 I wrote pages I should not say what 
 I really want ; so will make up for 
 all when I see you. Love to your dear
 
 188 KATE BYRNE. 
 
 mamma, and remembrances to all in(|uiring 
 friends.' 
 
 " There, mamma, that is all. I wish she 
 had said more about herself. She scarcely 
 mentions her husband cither, or asks a 
 question about the house," said Helen, as 
 she folded up the letter. 
 
 " You know very well, Helen love, that 
 Kate never wrote a satisfactory letter yet ; 
 but she is no doubt as well as usual, and 
 quite enjoying all the gaiety that comes 
 in her way ; though why they stay there, I 
 cannot imagine." 
 
 A day or two after Kate had Avritten to 
 Helen, she and her husljand were driving 
 slowly along the promenade, when suddenly 
 Lord Denton sprang forward, called to the 
 coachman to stoj), and said to Kate, ''By Jove! 
 there's Martin." Who ^lartin was she had 
 not the least idea, and had no time to inquire; 
 for Lord Denton got out of the carriage, and 
 was among the crowd in a moment.
 
 KATE BYRNE. ISO' 
 
 ^' Drive on," said Kate; but they had 
 scarcely gone a few yards when her husband 
 and his friend, Cajotain Martin, came to the 
 side of the carriage, and it again stojiped^ 
 and Lady Denton was introduced to him, 
 her, husband telling her that they were very 
 old friends indeed. 
 
 ^' Do get in, Martin, and drive with us, 
 and let us know what has brought you here 
 of all places in the world. Come, get in," 
 said Lord Denton. 
 
 '' No, thank you, Denton ; I can't leave 
 Clough, you knoAv ; unless he comes too, I 
 don't think I can," replied Martin. 
 
 " I will go and fetch him ; there is plenty 
 of room, and we may as well all go together," 
 said Lord Denton. 
 
 '' I should prefer driving on at once, if 
 you please," said Kate; "this waiting about 
 annoys me. There is plenty of time for you 
 to see your friend, I should think, as he says
 
 188 KATE liYliNE. 
 
 iiiamnia, and remembrances to all inquiring 
 friends.' 
 
 " There, mamma, that is all. I wisli she 
 had said more about herself. She scarcely 
 mentions her husband either, or asks a 
 question about the liousc," said Helen, as 
 she folded up the letter. 
 
 '' You know very well, Helen love, that 
 Kate never wrote a satisfactory letter yet ; 
 but she is no doubt as well as usual, and 
 quite enjoying all the gaiety that comes 
 in her way ; though why they stay there, I 
 cannot imagine." 
 
 A day or two after Kate had written to 
 Helen, she and her husband were driving 
 slowly along the promenade, when suddenly 
 Lord Denton sprang forward, called to the 
 coachman to stop, and said to Kate, " By Jove! 
 there's Martin." Who 3[artin was she had 
 not the least idea, and had no time to inquire; 
 for Lord Denton got out of the carriage, and 
 was among the crowd in a moment.
 
 KATE BYRNE. 189 
 
 "Drive on," said Kate; but they had 
 scarcely gone a few yards when her husband 
 and his friend, Captain Martin, came to the 
 side of the carriage, and it again stoj^ped, 
 ind Lady Denton was introduced to him, 
 lier husband telling her that they were very 
 3ld friends indeed. 
 
 " Do get in, Martin, and drive with us, 
 md let us know what has brought you here 
 )f all places in the world. Come, get in," 
 5aid Lord Denton. 
 
 " No, thank you, Denton ; I can't leave 
 I!lough, you know ; unless he comes too, I 
 lon't think I can," replied Martin. 
 
 " I will go and fetch him ; there is plenty 
 )f room, and we may as well all go together," 
 said Lord Denton. 
 
 "I should prefer driving on at once, if 
 >rou please," said Kate ; " this waiting about 
 mnoys me. There is plenty of time for you 
 o see your friend, I should think, as he says
 
 •100 
 
 KATK BYRNE. 
 
 ihe is staying licrc, and avc happen to bo 
 
 •doing tlie same." 
 
 a 
 
 Ah, certainly ; I beg your pardon, Kitty. 
 Well, good-bye, Martin, I will look you up 
 to-night," said Lord Denton, as he shook 
 hands and junij)cd into his seat. 
 
 Captain Martin stood aside, hat in hand, 
 and bowed low to Kate's slight bend of the 
 head. After watching them for a moment or 
 two, he returned to his young friend and 
 ■companion.
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 S that beautiful girl Denton's 
 daughter, Martm ? " asked Mr. 
 ^ Clough, as soon as his friend re- 
 turned to his chair. 
 "Daughter! no indeed; his wife, 
 I should say. Deuced pretty girl, no doubt ; 
 but Irish, I find, and fiery I '11 wager." 
 
 " Pretty ! " replied the younger man. 
 ^' Why, she is the loveliest woman I've seen 
 here, and that is saying a good deal. I saw 
 her very well while you were talking to her, 
 and quite envied you." 
 
 "Did you indeed? then you made a mis- 
 take. She didn't say half-a-dozen words to 
 me, my boy, I assure you ; cold and proud 
 as Lucifer, if I may venture an opinion."
 
 104: IwVTE I5YRNE. 
 
 her a feeling that slie could not describe to 
 herself. Of course she saw him again and 
 again, but, instead of wearing off, the feeling 
 deepened, and though she was always polite, 
 it was a frigid, distant politeness, which 
 annoyed him terribly. 
 
 ''AVhy shouldn't she be civil?" he asked 
 himself again and again. " A fellow might 
 be a toad or a serpent " — not a flattering com- 
 parison, it must be allowed. 
 
 Had Kate been asked why she disliked 
 him, she could not have answered. There 
 the feeling was ; she could scarcely bear his 
 being near her, and she could scarcely dis- 
 guise her feelings from him. She thought of 
 telling her husband, and of begging him not 
 to bring his friend ; but that seemed so stupid 
 and childish, that she did not like to mention 
 it. He was so different from the men she had 
 been used to meet — talked freely of things 
 Avhicli she certainly had never heard men- 
 tioned before her by any one, and rejoeated
 
 KATE BYRNE. 195 
 
 any scandal of the worst kind, by way of 
 conversation, with the greatest relish and 
 excuses for the offending person. Kate had 
 many faults, it must be allowed, the effect of 
 a, too indulgent bringing-up. But she was 
 quite refined and pure in all her ideas and 
 thoughts; and the free, careless, light way 
 in which she heard some of her own sex 
 spoken of by her husband's friend made her 
 shrink from him with horror. She was so sur- 
 prised, too, that her husband did not notice 
 it : he laughed, and listened, and joked, and 
 apparently forgot it the next moment. But 
 Kate is not the first girl, either married or 
 single, who has been struck with this free- 
 dom of speech in some circles of the upper 
 class: it is a painful, but true fact, and 
 cannot be too strongly objected to by those 
 who dislike it. 
 
 Lord Denton had noticed Kate's distaste 
 for his friend's society, and in reality was 
 not displeased. Of all his acquaintances,
 
 19G KATE BYRNE. 
 
 Martin would liavo been the last that ho 
 would willingly have brought Kate in contact 
 with. He knew so much more than most 
 people did of his general character and 
 goings-on, that he had fully intended, after 
 his marriage, to sec much less of him ; but 
 then ''chance" had thrown them together 
 now, and it would certainly be pleasant er 
 for all of them if Kate was not quite so frigid. 
 He was really a good-natured, jolly sort of 
 fellow with all his faults, and it would be too- 
 bad to cut him just for a fi-eak of Kate's 
 fancy. So they saw a good deal of each 
 other every day for a week, and Kate was 
 left alone, which made her make up her 
 mind to return as soon as possible to London. 
 Late one evening, when her husband returned 
 more flushed and heated than usual, she asked 
 him where he had been, and why he stayed 
 so late. 
 
 " Oh, only with ]\Iartin and Clough, darl- 
 ing," he replied, coming and trying to take
 
 KATE BYRNE. 197 
 
 liold of lier waist. '' You know I told you 
 not to exj)ect me early ; the boat was so 
 crowded and late. I hope you have not been 
 anxious?" 
 
 '^ Not the least, indeed, but I dislike being 
 left hours and hours alone here. You seem to 
 forget / have no friends ; if I had, you may 
 be certain I should not trouble myself to 
 remonstrate with you, if you chose to pass 
 every moment of the day with yours," replied 
 Kate, moving away from him. 
 
 "I am so truly sorry, Kitty; no wonder 
 you are cross, brute that I have been ; but it 
 won't happen again, love, I assure you, as I 
 don't intend to go to Monaco any more." 
 
 '' You may go exactly where you please 
 with your charming friends. I should though 
 have given you credit for a little better taste, 
 at least, than you have shown in the selec- 
 tion of those two contemptible creatures," 
 replied Kate, angrily. 
 
 " Now, Kate, you are too hard upon them.
 
 198 KATE iniiNK. 
 
 Clougli is a little foppish, 1 grant, and Martin 
 is not handsome, hut he can't help that, and 
 the nicest felloY\' I know." 
 
 '' Is he indeed?" interrupted Kate. ''Then, 
 it" you have no better s])ecimen of what a 
 gentleman is than ' Martin,' as you call him, 
 I think it is a great pity I did not see your 
 friends before I married you." 
 
 " Just let me finish, Kate. I was going to 
 add, only you catch me up so quickly, that I 
 have known him so long and so intimately, 
 that I am sorry to see him out of sorts. He 
 has a wretched cough, and is in dreadfully 
 low spirits about himself, so of course I try 
 to cheer him up a bit for old ' lang syne.' " 
 
 " I have not a word more to say about 
 the matter, but I certainly wish to go from 
 here at once. If no other place is ready, I 
 can go to papa and take Norali ; you can stay 
 and comfort your friend." 
 
 Lord Denton saw that Kate was too angry 
 to be persuaded out of her present state of
 
 KATE BYRNE. 199 
 
 mind, and knew it was no use follow^ing lier 
 from the room, so he lighted his cigar and 
 mentally exclaimed against his own stuj^idity, 
 called himself all the brutes and fools he 
 could think of for leaving her so long by her- 
 self. No wonder she was angry and wanted 
 to go home. He must try, however, to j)revent 
 her doing that ; if she only thought over it 
 a moment she would see how absurd the idea 
 was. He wished from his heart that Martin 
 had not turned up then ; it was quite im- 
 possible to resist him when they were together. 
 And to think that their first difference should 
 be through him, it was very vexing ; but Kate 
 would be all sunshine a^ain in the mornino:, 
 he trusted, and then, if she would leave Nice, 
 he should suggest their going to Rome or 
 Venice. The next morning, at breakfast, 
 Kate asked him quite quietly if he had 
 thought over what she had said the evening 
 before. 
 
 ''I do not particularly wish to rush to
 
 200 KATE BYRNE. 
 
 England, but I wish to go from here. I am 
 tired of it and dull, nor can I be happy if I 
 stay. I tire soon of places, I must confess, 
 and I fear I may add the Aveakness soon of 
 taking the same feeling as to people, which 
 would be most unpleasant sometimes, I dare 
 say." She looked at him in a very unplea- 
 sant, pointed manner, as she said the last 
 part of her sentence. 
 
 " I don't know what you mean, Kitty, in the 
 least," replied her husband ; " but I thought 
 we had arranged to stay till the end of the 
 month. It seems so foolish to run away in 
 such a hurry, darling." 
 
 " Not at all," replied Kate; '' and if it is, 
 who cares ? I certainl}^ do not ; but, as I said 
 before, there is no occasion for vou to tear 
 yourself away. / shall go, — that is, of course, 
 if you do not oblige me to remain." 
 
 She rose from the table having scarcely 
 touched anything but her coifee, and was 
 going out of the room, Avhcn her husband
 
 IvATE BYRNE. 201 
 
 caught hold of her and held the door, and 
 used his best endeavours to make her give 
 way. But Kate was firm, and declared she 
 really meant every word she said, so at last 
 he promised to take her away the day after. 
 l^Tot that he cared two straws about it beyond 
 the wishing to keep some engagements he 
 had made for the following week. He knew 
 Martin would be vexed, too, and banter him 
 well about his loss of liberty and being tied 
 to apron-strings. And how easily Kate was 
 vexed about trifles : it was babyish of her ; 
 and how could he refuse to do anything she 
 wished when he loved her so very dearly ? 
 He would have given almost anything if he 
 had not been so senseless yesterday, and 
 ■caused this bother. While Kate was giving 
 Norah directions about her packing, Lord 
 Denton made a call upon the Captain, who 
 had just come down in dressing-gown and 
 slippers, looking more like a ghost than his 
 former self.
 
 202 KATE I5YKNE. 
 
 '' Glad to see you, my boy," lie cxclalmedy 
 as he grasped Lord Denton's hand. '' I am 
 awfully shakcy this morning — no rest for this 
 confounded cough." 
 
 During tlieir conversation his Lordship 
 mentioned that they had altered their plans, 
 and were going on to Rome for a few weeks 
 on the morrow. 
 
 '' AVliat a confounded nuisance! Ah! I 
 see how it is, quite at my lady's beck and 
 call, and afraid for dear life to say your soul 
 is your own, old boy, eh ? " 
 
 ^' Come, come ! Martin, take care ! you 
 are on dangerous ground, remember. I can't 
 allow my wife to be spoken of in that manner, 
 so in future let it be understood that it is a 
 forbidden subject between us, if you j^lease." 
 
 Never before had Lord Denton spoken ta 
 the Captain in such a decided tone. He had 
 just sufficient conniion-sense or cunning to 
 see that it was wisest not to reply, so he 
 dashed off a glass of soda and brandy, apo-
 
 KATE BYRNE. 203^ 
 
 logized for wliat lie had said, and no more 
 notice was taken of their going away. 
 
 He told his grievance to his young friend 
 when he joined him, and complained in not 
 over-polite terms of Lady Denton's coldness 
 and influence over her husband. Mr. Clougli, 
 who was not quite so disconcerted at Lady 
 Denton's behaviour, ventured to hope that 
 the Captain would soon regain his temj^er and 
 see things in a different light. They both 
 called at the hotel just as the Dentons were 
 starting, to say good-bye. 
 
 ''I'm awfully sorr}^ you are going, but I 
 shall look you up at the Court by-and-by, if 
 we don't see each other in town," exclaimed 
 the Captain at the last moment. " I will let 
 you know when I leave here." 
 
 Kate was really very grateful to her hus- 
 band for yielding to her wishes, and showed 
 by the pleasure she took in everything they 
 saw at Rome that she was so. From there 
 they next stopped at Paris for a few days'
 
 204 ICVTE BYRNE. 
 
 rest, as they had had a fatiguing journey, and 
 Kate did not wish to get to London till her 
 father and aunt were there to receive them. 
 One evening, before dinner, Lord Denton 
 came in, bringing a case of jewels in his hand, 
 Avliich he gave to Kate, asking her to see if 
 she liked them. 
 
 '' Ah, what darlings ! they are beautiful ; 
 and how good of you to buy them for me ! I 
 could almost j^romise to love you for ever, 
 they are so pretty," she said, as she tm-ned 
 round, liolding out her arm for him to fasten 
 the bracelet ; then putting in her earrings 
 and brooch, she went to tlie glass to admire 
 them airain. 
 
 Lord Denton kissed her, and replied, 
 gravely,— 
 
 " Not surely for themy Kate ; I trust you 
 will love me always in spite of decorations. 
 I will do anything you wish, my darling, to 
 prove my love for you, and you can mould 
 nie to almost perfection, I trust, if you lilce."
 
 IvATE BYRNE. 205- 
 
 " That is far more than I would attempt^. 
 George, for any one. A perfect man or 
 jvoman would be almost worse than a very 
 wicked one to me, I think ; however, I dare 
 say we shall both be upon our best behaviour, 
 and manage to make a respectable appear- 
 ance to oiu' friends," replied Kate, smilingly, 
 as she placed the jewels carefully in their 
 places, and closed the case. These were the 
 kind of replies that her husband had to be 
 content with, in the moments when he longed 
 for some affectionate look or word ; and they 
 made him reflect and wonder if Kate did care 
 at all for him, and if not, why had she married 
 him ? She must have had, in fact he knew 
 she had, plenty of handsome younger men,, 
 who had paid her marked attention, and would 
 have thought themselves fortunate to claim 
 her as a wife; so that after all she must have 
 cared for him more than any of these at 
 least. Then some women, he knew, never 
 made any demonstration of their feelings ;
 
 ^OG KATE BYRNE. 
 
 and ^ocrliaps Kate was oiicof tliosc, he thought, 
 wlio did not, so he must conquer these mean 
 jealous feelings, and love her just as she was, 
 ^nd be content to make the best of things. 
 
 They were welcomed at Charing Cross by 
 Mr. Byrne and Miss Casteldi. Kate saw her 
 father instantly, and rushed into his arms, " so 
 •glad to see his dear face again," she said. 
 
 ''Why, my precious Kitty, welcome back 
 •again. How well you look, love ! Conti- 
 nental life and dissipation have suited you 
 wonderfully. Ah, Denton," he exclaimed, 
 -as he came up to him, " glad to get you 
 here again. I was telling Kate how hearty 
 she looks, and what good care you must 
 Jiave taken of her." 
 
 " Then, papa, you are quite mistaken, 
 for we have had no dissij^ation of any kind ; 
 at least, I have not. AYe were only saying 
 xis we came along this afternoon how quiet 
 we have been," said Kate. " But I intend 
 to make up for it now, j^apa, as you are here
 
 KATE BYRNE. 207 
 
 and dear Aunt Neta. George has so much 
 to do, he saySj so he can do it without 
 thinking of us." 
 
 ^' You ungrateful girl to say such things," 
 •said her father, laughing. " Why, Denton 
 hks spoiled you already, I see." 
 
 They drove to Farrance's, where they 
 dined, and intended to stay a day or so, 
 as Lord Denton wanted to see the house 
 they had empowered his agent to take for 
 them before they went into it. It proved 
 quite satisfactory and comfortable, was 
 handsomely furnished, and nicely situated, 
 overlooking Hyde Park and Kensington 
 Gardens. They had taken it onl}' for the 
 season, thinking they would not take one 
 of their own, as, of course, if anything 
 happened to the sickly heir, they would 
 have a very large one, with the title and 
 estate. 
 
 Kate entered into all the gaieties of the 
 London season with great enjoyment, every-
 
 208 KATi: in'RNE. 
 
 tliiii*^ was so new and fresh to her. The 
 garden parties, opera, concerts, and halls, 
 which came so rapidly, were most of them 
 liononred with her fair presence. She was 
 muloubtedly the most lovely woman of any 
 assembly. Her charming voice Avas an 
 additional cause of her being admired and 
 courted, and made her a great favourite 
 with almost all her new circle of friends. 
 8he was presented by the Countess of 
 D , an old acquaintance of her hus- 
 band's family; and surely our Most Gracious 
 Majesty never received homage from a more 
 beautiful subject. The waiting in the Park 
 had made Kate quite Im])atlent, and she 
 wondered how any one could attend a 
 drawing-room without great fatigue and 
 losing their tenq:)er. " Do pull that blind 
 down, please," she said to the Countess. 
 '' Look at that horrid man staring at us ; 
 how can you bear it ? " 
 
 " My dear Lady Denton, you must get
 
 KATE BYRNE. 209 
 
 used to this. We are here to be looked at, 
 my dear; and if I had pulled the blind 
 down in that man's face, he would, I dare 
 say, have shouted at us, and caused ii fracas 
 with the police. Poor things! they come 
 quite close sometimes, just to have a good 
 peep at our jewels. They don't see such 
 as yours every day, you know." 
 
 ' ' I am sure this waiting might be avoided ] 
 at least, one would think so. There is 
 exactly half-an-hour till we begin to set 
 down, you say ? " asked Kate. 
 
 '' Yes, dear ; but it is a lovely day, 
 
 which is not so unpleasant as a raw, cold 
 
 one would be. The last drawing-room day 
 
 was quite like winter. I pitied my poor 
 
 coachman and footmen more than myself. 
 
 But take my advice, and bring a book or 
 
 some crochet whenever you are alone ; it 
 
 lielj^s the time over. I know several women 
 
 who do so : you don't notice the outsiders 
 
 quite so much." 
 
 VOL. I. . p
 
 210 KATE BYRNE. 
 
 Kate found that tlic waiting was not the 
 only annoyance she met witli that day 
 Slie liad to force lier way through a crowd 
 of satin, lace, and tulle trains and flounces 
 to the Throne-room, where she arrived with 
 heightened colour, which enhanced the 
 beauty of her youthful face, and called forth 
 many remarks and suggestions as to the 
 genuineness of her complexion. 
 
 Before the season was more than half over, 
 the weather set in very hot, and Mr. Byrne 
 began to tire of the continuous bustle of a 
 London life. Kate never seemed to care to 
 go anywhere without him ; and, of course, 
 so long as he felt equal to it, it was a great 
 pleasure to him. But he found that the 
 irregularity caused sleeplessness and loss of 
 appetite, so he spoke of returning to Ireland 
 with Aunt Neta. But Kate was so averse 
 to their leaving, and pleaded so hard for 
 them to stay a little longer, that he found 
 it almost impossible not to give way to her.
 
 KATE BYRNE. 
 
 211 
 
 '' Don't go, please, papa ; I shall be so 
 lonely Avitliout you ; I shall, indeed. There 's 
 i;io real necessity to go yet. Aunt, you try 
 to persuade him, do," Kate said, turning 
 to Miss Casteldi, and looking eagerly at 
 her. 
 
 *' Lonely ? Nonsense, Kitty ; you have 
 your husband and more friends than I can 
 count. That's a great mistake of yours, 
 my dear," replied her father. 
 
 "And," said Aunt Neta, "your papa is 
 not resting well just now, Kate, love, and 
 •wants more quiet ; besides, the heat is very 
 trying to old people." 
 
 " Yes, Kate," replied her fiither, " all this 
 racketing about does knock me up terribly. 
 I am not so young as I used to be, you 
 
 see." 
 
 " Well, but, papa, you can rest here as 
 much as you like. I won't ask you to go 
 to a single place with me if you do not 
 €are for it, — I will not, indeed ; and as to
 
 212 KATE BYRNE. 
 
 the heat, why, it ^y\\\ he (iuitc as hud at 
 home as it is here," said Kate. 
 
 ^' Oil, yes, I know tliat, my dear; but 
 when one is not just the thing, there is no 
 place like home. So I think you must make 
 up your mind to spare us, Kate, in a day 
 or two, as I have some pressing business 
 matters to attend to, and I cannot very well 
 see to them here." 
 
 "I am really and truly sorry, papa, but 
 of course, if you want to go for your health's 
 sake, I ought not to try to dissuade you. Nor 
 can I ask Aunt Neta to stay if you go, 
 because you can't do without her, I know ; 
 but I shall miss you both so nmch. I hate 
 partings above n\\ things," said Kate. 
 
 While the conversation had been going 
 on. Lord Denton sat sipping his wine^ 
 and taking no part in it. lie thought it 
 very hard to have to sit at his table and 
 hear his wife beg for company to stay with 
 her, when for the last two months or more
 
 KATE BYRNE. 213 
 
 lie had scarcely seen her alone, except at 
 rare mtervals, for a few minutes. As far as 
 he was concerned, he would be very glad 
 to have his house free for a little. The 
 constant coming and going had not been 
 altogether to his taste, nor added to his 
 comfort, in many senses of the word. So 
 when Kate did ask him if he thought papa 
 need .go away, he said that ''he thought 
 Mr. Byrne had looked bored for a long 
 time, and that it was the very best thing he 
 could do."
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 ^ OTHING lasts for ever," some one 
 says, wliicli is vciy true. Kate 
 ^^ liad to say good-bye to her father 
 and aunt, and the London season 
 came to a close. Every day the 
 fair and fashioiuxhlc residents were fewer 
 and fewer, till at last most of the large grand 
 houses were closed and tenantless, and the 
 parks and squares had that dry, dusty, faded 
 ajDpcarance which comes in with the dog- 
 days. Still the Dentons lingered, not that 
 they, either of them, particularly cared 
 to do so, but because they were waiting ta 
 know when Helen Leigh would be able to 
 join them for a jaunt to the Highlands.
 
 KATE BYRNE. 215 
 
 Kate had tried to persuade Mrs. Leigh to 
 allow Helen to pay her a visit in London, 
 but for some reasons, known only to them- 
 selves, they declined all the kind offers for a 
 little fashionable life. When Kate consented 
 to go to the North, she instantly thought of 
 Helen, and wrote at once to ask her to join 
 them, and begged for a quick reply. As 
 one did not come by return of post, she 
 became impatient, and begged Lord Denton 
 to write too. This rather sm-prised him, for 
 he had been anticipating their making this 
 outing together ; not that he had any objec- 
 tion to Miss Leigh, — on the contrary, he 
 thought her a very nice girl, and had 
 received so much kindness from her mother, 
 that he could not possibly raise any objec- 
 tions to his wife's plans. 
 
 ^' I want to give Helen the treat, George," 
 she said. ''We used to say we should like 
 to see Scotland together. You like her very 
 much, I know ; don't you, now ? And con-
 
 216 KATE BYRNE. 
 
 sidcr liow mail}' nioiitli.s it is since I saw the 
 dear thing. I wotiUI almost rather not go 
 if slie does not come, hut go straight to 
 Denton from here." 
 
 Tlic result of this was tliat his Lordship 
 wrote, and begged Mrs. Leigh to give them 
 both the joleasure of her daughter's com- 
 pany, and promised to take every care of 
 her if she would spare lier. Helen followed 
 her mother's acceptance very soon, and they 
 at once started for Edinburgh. The two 
 friends found plenty to talk about. Kate 
 was full of j)ast pleasures and future plans, 
 and showed wonderful interest in all news 
 Helen had to tell of her quiet life. 
 
 " I intend to do great things this winter, 
 Nellie, I assure you. I won't promise faith- 
 fully to teach and preach as you do, but 
 I mean to be somewhat interested in my 
 husband's tenants, and become the Lady 
 Bountiful, as, I suppose, I shall be expected 
 to be."
 
 KATE BYRNE. 217 
 
 '' A move in the right direction, dear 
 Kate. This is a most cheering surprise, 
 indeed. You, who a year ago despised the 
 idea of being interested in poor people, and 
 scolded me for being so into the bargain." 
 ^'^:''Now that is what I call very spiteful 
 for you, Nellie. When one wishes to 
 reform, she should not have her past 
 misdeeds thrown out to her. AVhat is 
 done and gone can't be remedied anyhow, 
 but an improvement may take place in the 
 future. I say ' '}nai/ ' advisedly, for all my 
 castles may tumble down to mere nothings ; 
 but I suppose to be perfectly proper I must 
 appear interested, even if I really am not." 
 
 "My dear Kate, I was quite in fun, I 
 assure you, and of course you will do 
 everything that you have thought of Cir- 
 cumstances alter cases. You did not think 
 «of becoming Lady Denton when we last 
 talked about these things." 
 
 Helen wrote long accounts home of their
 
 218 KATE BYRNE. 
 
 journeyiiin^s, giving to her motlicr minute 
 details of all the beauties of tlic western 
 coast. Slic was most enthusiastic in her 
 admiration of all the places tliey had visited, 
 especially the queen of lakes, Glencoe, and 
 Staff a. 
 
 ''While we were at Tarbet, mamma," she , 
 wrote, '' we went across the lake in a tiny 
 boat to Rowerdennen. We could have gonc- 
 by the steamer, but Kate wished for a row, 
 and the lake was as smooth as glass, so, 
 though I was dreadfully frightened at the 
 bare idea, I })ut a good face on the matter, 
 and got in, really enjoying the row across, 
 it was so Aery calm. But we had scarcely 
 started back again, when it became furious, 
 and we were tossed about terribly. Such 
 waves, mamma ; you can scarcely imagine 
 how angry they were. I was quite ill with 
 fear and trembling, and gave vent to my 
 misery with sundry groans, nmch to the 
 amusement of Kate, who actually sat and
 
 KATE BYRNE. 219' 
 
 enjoyed the wetting. Lord Denton assured 
 me there was no danger, although he looked 
 anxious ; but I could take no comfort from 
 anything he said, and appealed every now 
 and then to the Highland lads who were 
 rowing us. Thankful was I, dear mother, 
 to 2^1ace my feet once again on the land, and 
 there is no doubt that we had a narrow 
 escape ; and I have assured Kate that nothing 
 shall ever induce me to put a foot into a 
 nutshell of a boat again to risk my precious 
 life in that way. There were some pretty 
 little children on lona, selling small green 
 stones in saucers. One of them, a little girl,, 
 took my fancy immensely. I spoke to her, 
 and kissed her tiny brown hand, which 
 surjorised her and her companions a good 
 deal. Everywhere we go, both in towns 
 and villages, we find the children bare- 
 footed. They fly along, escaping wonder- 
 fully the bits of stone and things, which one 
 expects would hurt them very much indeed.
 
 220 KATi: JJYliNE. 
 
 I longed to be able to shoe them all, but I 
 found that if I could have done so, I should 
 get no thanks for my pains, nor would boots 
 be acceptable to many of them. The hotels 
 and steamers are full of Americans, who 
 seem to be rushing through tliis beautiful 
 land with great speed. 
 
 ''It is so enjoyable, travelling as we do, 
 mamma, — not a thought or care. Lord 
 Denton manages everything easily. Sends 
 here and there for rooms, which are always 
 ready for us. Kate has her own way in 
 everything, as you may suppose, and he 
 evidently takes great pleasure in obeying 
 her every wish and fancy, and she has no 
 fewer tlian before her marriage, mamma, I 
 assure you. We talk a good deal of 3''0u, 
 love, and Kate hopes to see us very often 
 when tl ley return, and settle for the winter 
 at the Court, whicli will now be very soon, 
 as they are coming with me as soon as a 
 large bull is over which we are all going to,
 
 KATE BYRNE. 221 
 
 and it is to be on a grand scale. Inverness 
 is very full, and there is plenty of gaiety 
 going on everywhere, as it happens to be 
 the festive season." 
 
 There were great preparations for the re- 
 turn of Lord Denton and his bride. The 
 house was quite finished, and only waited for 
 its master and mistress coming home. The 
 volunteers met them with their band at the 
 station, and they drove to the Court through 
 many arches of evergreens, flags, and flowers, 
 with any number of "Welcomes" all along-^ 
 the route. A good many people were "wait- 
 ing in the roads to catch sight of Lady 
 Denton, who put on her sunniest smiles and 
 most gracious bow^s on all sides, winning the 
 hearts of those she bestowed them on. 
 
 " Ah, things will be different now," they 
 said. " My Lady will be sure to stay at the 
 Coui't, and make a little life about the old 
 place." 
 
 Of course the men had to be feasted, and
 
 222 KATi: IJYKNK. 
 
 Lord Dcntuii iiuidc a little speech, wlilcli must 
 have given great satisfaction, if one could 
 judge from the hearty cheer which followed. 
 
 '' Well, Kitty, arc you pleased with your 
 reception to your new home?" stiid Denton, 
 as he entered the drawing-room, where he 
 found Kate reading letters. 
 
 ^' Oh, yes ; quite delighted," replied Kate, 
 getting uj), and going to the window. '' And 
 what handsome rooms these are I I have 
 looked in everywhere, and seen everything 
 already. My rooms are simply perfection, 
 and this look-out I like so much too. I am 
 glad my own room looks this way. You 
 have really been very thoughtful and kind, 
 iind I thank 3'ou ever so much." 
 
 '' May you live long to enjoy all these 
 comforts, Kitty, and always be as happy as 
 you are at this moment," replied her husband, 
 as he came to her side. 
 
 " Now, don't be sentimental, George, 
 there 's a dear, please. I Avill try my piano
 
 KATE BYRNE. 223 
 
 after dinner; so come in early, and, if you 
 promise not to fall fast asleep in five minutes, 
 I will sing to you for a treat." 
 
 It was one of their jokes, that he always 
 was ''soothed over," as he called it, by 
 Kate's voice. She was very annoyed when 
 she noticed that this was usually the result 
 of her singing to him when they were alone, 
 and scolded him for his want of appreciation 
 and rudeness ; but he assured her it was a 
 great compliment to her really, for no other 
 Toice had ever so charmed him. The truth, 
 perhaps, was that when she did sing to 
 him it was when they had no company, and 
 after dinner, generally soon after ; and Lord 
 Denton, like most of his brethren who make 
 a hearty meal of dinner, could not very well 
 resist the inclination for a doze of a few 
 minutes, after which he brightened up con- 
 siderably. 
 
 The first thing Kate did, the next day, 
 was to go and see her friend, ]\Irs. Leigh.
 
 224 KATE 15YRNE. 
 
 81 10 drove her liu.sLiind over in great 
 spirits. 
 
 '' Dear ^frs. Lcigli, I am delighted to see 
 you again. I have so often thought and 
 talked about you, and lojiged for you some- 
 times in my quiet moments. Wliat an age 
 it seems since I left this house last, and yet 
 it is very little more than a year ago when 
 I made that never-to-]:)c-forgotten visit," said 
 Kate. 
 
 '' I am equally glad to see you, dear child,'^ 
 replied Mrs. Leigh, kissing her again, '' and 
 nmst thank you both at once for your kind 
 attention to Nellie. She has enjoyed her 
 visit to Scotland so much, and looks so well, 
 that I cannot thank you enough for thinking 
 of her." 
 
 " I was so delighted to have her with us," 
 replied Kate. " Considering all things, we 
 have been singularly fortunate as to weather; 
 for we had very few days when we could not 
 go out at all."
 
 KATE BYENE. 225 
 
 *' Yes, so Helen says," replied IMrs. Leigh. 
 ^' I hope you have come home, Kate, with a 
 ^urn for quiet life, and intend \o give your- 
 selves a thorough rest. I am sure you are 
 sadly in want of it." 
 
 ,^;"Well, I confess I am not sorry to get 
 home," said Lord Denton. ''But, as to 
 Kate, nothing tires her. She seems able to 
 bear any amount of fatigue without feeling 
 or showing it in the least. Is it not so, 
 Kate?" 
 
 " I really don't know. I am rather younger 
 than some people, I know," replied Kate, 
 laughing; ''that may make the difference 
 perhajis : I don't pretend to say. I have 
 told Helen all I mean to do, and she will 
 tell you, Mrs. Leigh, I dare say. Still I don't 
 intend to shut myself out of the world alto- 
 gether, I must honestly confess ; my hand- 
 some house will want guests, and I hope to 
 fill it often." 
 
 " There are many reasons, Kate, for you 
 
 VOL. I. Q
 
 226 1C.VTE BYRNE. 
 
 to take care of yourself now," replied 
 Mrs. Leigh; ''but I shall come and have 
 a long chat with you in a day or two, 
 and talk secrets, as Helen calls my little 
 sermons." 
 
 " Tliank you so much. I promise to listen 
 attentively, and to become a j^erfect pattern 
 of goodness. But here comes Nellie, and 
 who is it with her ? \Vliy Mr. Clayton, I 
 declare ; that is fortunate, as I want to sec 
 him too." ' 
 
 When they had been about a fortnight at 
 home, Kate began to make up her list of 
 visitors she intended to ask to come to 
 them. 
 
 " I should like to see your list, Kate. I 
 may have some additions to suggest to you," 
 her husband said. 
 
 Kate handed him the paper, and watched 
 him as he read it down. 
 
 " I think you might add the Laceys and 
 Captain Martin, and Mr. and Mrs. Ponsouby.
 
 KATE BYENE. 227 
 
 'They are all old friends of mine. I should 
 like them to come, if they can, very much.'' 
 
 ' "Oh, certainly; the Lace3^s and Pon- 
 :Sonbys by all means, if you wish, but not 
 Captain Martin, George," replied Kate. 
 
 "^ •" But why, Kitty ? He has always come 
 •here; he will think it so odd if he isn't asked. 
 "You need scarcely see him ; he will be out 
 valmost all day. Why do you so object to 
 him, Kate ? You can surely tell me ^^our 
 reasons." 
 
 " No, I cannot. I don't know why myself. 
 I only know that I cannot bear the look of 
 liis face ; and, unless you wish me to be in- 
 tensely disagreeable to him and to you too, 
 he will not ever be asked here again, at least 
 when I am here." 
 
 " But I am going to write to him just now, 
 Kate; and how absurd and uncivil it will 
 seem not to tell him to come, especially as 
 he knows almost all of those who are coming. 
 It is quite babyish of you, I must say."
 
 228 KATE BYRNi:. 
 
 *' It may seem so to you. I don't, of com'sc^ 
 expect you to understand my feelings ; but 
 surely you can make this sacrifice for me, if 
 his not coming amounts to that. You will 
 see plenty of him in town next year, I dare 
 say. Do not bring him here, 1 beg of you. 
 But," she added, haughtily, "you can, of 
 course, do as you please in yom- own house- 
 without my leave." 
 
 '' Thank you, Madam," replied her hus- 
 band, rising, and looking very angry. ' ' Wlien 
 I wish for any friends again I shall not trouble 
 you or your crotchets." 
 
 He left the room as he sj^oke, and perhaps 
 it was as well that he did; for his tone of 
 voice and maimer were so different from any- 
 thing she had ever seen or heard from hiniy 
 slie could scarcely believe it was her lord 
 and master, who usually was so good-tem- 
 l)ered and kind. But, instead of angering 
 lier, it made her feel an irresistible desire to 
 laugh. His attempt to mimic her haughti-
 
 KATE BYENE. 229' 
 
 ness became liim so ill, that it amused her 
 immensely, and she indulged her merriment 
 tit his expense. 
 
 In consequence of the above conversation, 
 Lord Denton -wrote to Captain Martin, asking 
 liim to let him know where he was, and what 
 he was going to do with himself, and if he 
 had made any plans. His Lordship thought 
 this the wisest thing to do, as it was just 
 possible Martin might have accepted some 
 other invitation ; he had plenty of friends 
 who were always glad to get him to join any 
 bachelor parties, he was such capital com- 
 23any. He determined not to say a word to 
 Kate about what he said to his friend. He 
 had regained his temper almost as soon as 
 he left her, and when they met again they 
 both appeared as if nothing had happened to 
 disturb or annoy them. No reply came for 
 some days to this ; every post Lord Denton 
 expected and hoped for one, only to be dis- 
 appointed. He thought he would run up to-
 
 230 KATE BYRNE. 
 
 town, to make inquiries ; tlien he altered his 
 mind, and waited, and Avas rewarded, ''after 
 many days," by getting a foreign letter in 
 the well-known hand\mting, dated from Nice, 
 where Captain ^lartin liad to take up his 
 residence for another winter. 
 
 ''I am quite an invalid," he A\i-ote; "my 
 cough worse than ever ; and I suppose I am 
 doing the best tiling I can by staying here 
 till spring, ijy wliicli time I hope to have 
 picked up some fragments of my old self, 
 so as to be able to come to my old haunts 
 
 again." 
 
 Was ever anything more fortunate for the 
 Dentons than this ? It did away with any 
 .attempt at excuses, and the chance of the 
 Captain feeling himself neglected or ill-treated 
 by his old friend. It was a matter of great 
 surjmse to all the Captain's associates that he 
 managed to keep away from London for so 
 long. He had so often emphatically declared 
 to them, that if he was ohliged to stay out of
 
 1 
 
 KATE BYRNE. 231 
 
 town for a few weeks (however charming the 
 place he had to be in was), he should hang 
 himself right off; ''for," he always added, 
 "it is the only place I know in the world 
 that is fit to live in." 
 
 ■^ It is fortmiate both for London and its 
 
 nhabitants that all the people of this world 
 
 have not the same notions, for it would l)e 
 
 impossible to imagine what dreadful results 
 
 would necessarily follow. However, though 
 
 he may have contemplated putting his threat 
 
 into execution, he never got beyond that, 
 
 and managed to live on at Nice in spite of 
 
 the dullness he complained so much of. It 
 
 may as well be here mentioned, that Captain 
 
 Martin did get strong and well again, and 
 
 Avas seen one sunny morning, in early spring 
 
 of the following year, "kicking his heels 
 
 about town," to use his own expression. 
 
 It came to be known afterwards that it was 
 
 not only his health that had kept him so 
 
 long away. Some person said that the exist-
 
 2-V2 KATK 15YRNE. 
 
 oiico C)f II covtaiii littlo place not far from* 
 Nice, wliicli lias beoii mentioned before in a 
 ])revioiis eliaj^ter, had been the loadstone, 
 and that the Captain Avas nnu.sually flush of 
 that very necessary article, "money," when 
 he returned to England after his long absence. 
 
 END OF VOL. I. 
 
 rKINTED l-.y E. J. FKAACI8, TOOK'S COUBT, CHAXIEKY LA>K, E.C.
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY 
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