^LI B RARY 
 
 OF THE 
 UNIVERSITY 
 or ILLINOIS 
 
 823 
 
 V.I
 
 -7/^ 
 
 ?^
 
 A NORTHERN LILY
 
 A NORTHERN LILY 
 
 jFiSje gears of an Sne&entful ilife 
 
 BY 
 
 JOANNA HARRISON 
 
 VOL. I. 
 
 HonUon 
 
 MACMILLAN AND CO. 
 1886 
 
 [^// rights reserved.^
 
 ,.^ 
 
 823 
 
 V. I 
 
 CM PART I, 
 
 (^ VOL. I.
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 ' On the Home farm some watch the ploughman's furrow, 
 And talk of bullocks and the price of oats. ' 
 
 'A QUARTER -PAST five,' said Elsie Ross, 
 ' and no post yet.' 
 
 The letters at Rossie were usually brought 
 in with the kettle at afternoon tea-time — the 
 only post in the day, strange as it may seem 
 to the southern reader. 
 
 'Not that I expect anything — but — 
 here it is — and — yes ! there is one for me. 
 Not from Fraulein — from — I don't know 
 whom.' 
 
 She opened the letter, which was rather 
 long, and adorned with numerous dashes, 
 flourishes, and points of exclamation ; and 
 read it thoughtfully. 
 
 ' to leave your Scottish home, and 
 
 find a resting-place under our roof, where,
 
 4 A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 I need not say, you will receive a true 
 Welcome ! ' 
 
 * To leave my Scottish home ! ' said 
 Elsie to herself. ' I won't, — and yet, per- 
 haps ' 
 
 ' Elsie, do you want to see the new bull ?' 
 said a gruff, an exceedingly gruff, voice in the 
 passage. 
 
 ' I do, papa,' said Elsie, jumping up and 
 thrusting the letter into her pocket. ' Can't 
 give my mind to it now, but he II need to be 
 consulted. I'll speak to him at dinner ; at 
 least, I will if he likes the bull' 
 
 Rossie was a small old-fashioned house on 
 the north-east coast of Scotland. Very lonely ; 
 for, except in the little fishing town of St. 
 Ethernans, the Rosses had no neighbours 
 within ten miles. There was an old castle 
 on a crag close by, and a fine rocky line of 
 shore ; a bad coast for fishermen, and many a 
 herring-boat had been lost upon those rocks 
 in the fierce north-eastern gales. 
 
 Inland the country was well farmed, and 
 looked thriving, if somewhat bleak. A blue
 
 A LILY AMONG THORNS 
 
 line of hills bounded the view on the north 
 and west. 
 
 The Rosses were an old family, though 
 the property was small. It was strictly 
 entailed on heirs-male, and for hundreds of 
 years a Ross of Rossie had not been want- 
 ing to carry on the direct line of descent, so 
 it was naturally a great disappointment to the 
 present Laird that his only child should be a 
 girl. Mrs. Ross had died when Elsie was 
 only five ; she was now seventeen, and Cap- 
 tain Robert Ross was still a widower. 
 
 Elsie had often been told that her father 
 was likely to marry again ; indeed she had 
 many times been solemnly prepared for this 
 event by her too far-seeing relatives, until, 
 as she herself said, she was tired of the sub- 
 ject, and had ceased to expect anything to 
 come of it. Yet now, at the beginning of 
 our story, something is going to come of it ; 
 and to poor Elsie it is something of a blow. 
 
 Captain Ross was not by any means at- 
 tractive, either in appearance or manners. 
 His little daughter had often looked at the
 
 6 A LILY AMONG THORNS tart i. 
 
 lovely picture of her mother which hung in 
 the drawing-room, and wondered why she 
 married him. It was a sweet sad face, and 
 the child had inherited something of its wist- 
 ful expression. 
 
 But the second wife Captain Ross had 
 chosen, if indeed he could be said to have 
 chosen her, was very different from the high- 
 bred graceful lady in the picture. 
 
 ' Preserve me, Robert ! what can you see 
 in yon woman ? ' exclaimed his Aunt Grizel, 
 when he first announced his engagement to 
 Miss Euphemia Webster. 
 
 ' I don't see anything in her,' replied 
 Robert briefly, ' but I must marry some- 
 body. Why not a healthy young woman in 
 the neighbourhood ? ' 
 
 ' It is scarcely fair to Elsie,' said the old 
 lady gravely. 
 
 But Robert walked away with a few in- 
 articulate growls, probably to the effect that 
 if Elsie chose to be a girl instead of a boy, 
 she must take the consequences. Captain 
 Ross's thoughts, however, were at present
 
 A LILY AMONG THORNS 
 
 much more occupied with his cattle than 
 with his future bride ; and the new bull's 
 arrival was an all -important event in his 
 eyes. 
 
 Elsie hastily caught up her old straw hat 
 from the table, and with her little brown 
 dachshund ' Hans,' pursued her parent, who, 
 without waiting for her, had already nearly 
 reached the farmyard. 
 
 ' Where have they put him, papa } ' said 
 Elsie. ' Must we go through the byre ? 
 Hans ! come here at once.' 
 
 The Laird eyed his daughter contemptu- 
 ously as she carefully picked up the reluctant 
 Hans. ' Put down that brute, can't you,' he 
 growled, ' the cattle won't touch him.' 
 
 ' Papa, he'd never come in, he hates the 
 cattle — they breathe at him. He would only 
 stay outside and lose me, and eat dead rats 
 and things.' 
 
 ' A useless fool ! ' said the Laird, as he 
 unwound the last twist of tarred string which 
 fastened the byre door — ' I'll have it de- 
 stroyed.'
 
 8 A LIL V AMONG THORNS part i. 
 
 Elsie, quite unmoved by this threat, fol- 
 lowed her father as he strode past the long 
 line of fat cattle to the bull's enclosure, which 
 was fenced off by a wooden rail. Here they 
 found the grieve and the cattle-man standing 
 in easy attitudes contemplating the new 
 arrival. The cattle-man moved a little to 
 one side and touched his cap in silence ; 
 Sandy, the grieve, who was a privileged 
 person, fond of long words and long har- 
 angues, merely waved his hand bull-wards, 
 and addressed his master — ' A graand baste 
 yon, Captain ! Just rin your eye ower him. 
 There's a semmetry ! He's a pairfect picter 
 — far afore the Drumsheugh bull ! ' 
 
 The Laird made no reply in words, but 
 with a stolid air he prodded the big shorthorn 
 hard with his stick, leaving a round patch of 
 red mud on its glossy skin. His countenance 
 was carefully divested of all expression what- 
 ever; a sure sign to Elsie that her father 
 was more than satisfied. This was, she 
 knew, his way of showing the most lively 
 delight ; when displeased, his face had no
 
 A LILY AMONG THORNS 
 
 lack of expression, but he never smiled, and 
 seldom laughed except in the bitterest irony. 
 The Laird was not blessed with the sweetest 
 of tempers, yet he was really, in the main, a 
 kind-hearted man. He would never do a 
 cruel thing to man or beast, though he would 
 utter the most blood-curdlinor threats on the 
 smallest provocation. 
 
 He was a middle-sized man, verging on 
 fifty ; heavily built, though not stout ; rugged 
 featured and fresh coloured. He wore an 
 excessively old brown coat and hat ; his 
 corduroy trousers were tied below the knee ; 
 his legs encased in marvellously strong 
 gaiters well splashed with mud. 
 
 Elsie stood by his side, her pretty hands 
 resting on the paling : she had deposited her 
 dog in an empty cattle-trough, out of harm's 
 way. She scarcely looked as if she could be 
 that rough man's daughter — a tall, very 
 slender figure, w^ith a soft pale face and large 
 blue-gray eyes. Her thick hair was wound 
 in heavy plaits round her little head ; fair 
 shining hair, which yet looked almost dark
 
 lo A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 against the pure paleness of her skin. Elsie's 
 dress was far from being of a fashionable or 
 expensive kind ; yet in her short blue serge 
 gown and yellow petticoat she might have 
 stepped straight out of some old picture. 
 
 * He is a beautiful bull, papa, and he does 
 not look as if he would ever become fierce.' 
 
 The bull's perfect good humour under the 
 repeated and severe prods of the Laird 
 prompted this last remark from Elsie ; and, 
 the examination being satisfactorily con- 
 cluded, the party prepared to leave the byre. 
 
 The dinner at Rossie that evening was an 
 unusually cheerful meal ; the Laird was in 
 his best mood, and Hans was permitted to 
 be of the party. Elsie never brought him 
 into the dining-room if her father was at all 
 out of humour ; he would not hurt him, she 
 knew, but she did not like to hear her dog 
 reviled, and his life threatened, by her iras- 
 cible parent. Hans, who had no proper 
 pride, and who was exceedingly sagacious 
 where food was concerned, sat close to the 
 Laird, gazing at him admiringly, and with
 
 CHAP. I. A LILY AMONG THORNS ii 
 
 glistening eyes, waiting patiently for the 
 cheese-rind which the master of the house 
 seldom failed to bestow on him. 
 
 Elsie's thoughts were intent upon the 
 letter she had received that afternoon ; and 
 she was about to introduce the subject when 
 a sudden question from her father made her 
 start. 
 
 ' Is this Lent ?' he demanded. 
 
 ' No, papa. Lent is over. This is Easter 
 week.' 
 
 * That's a good thing ! ' said the Laird. 
 
 Elsie wondered what had produced this 
 sudden interest in Church matters. 
 
 ' He never goes to church,' thought she, 
 ' and I do not see that he mortifies the flesh ; 
 I am sorry Lent is over if he wishes to 
 do so.' 
 
 ' Why, papa } ' she asked rather timidly. 
 
 'Affects the cattle-markets,' was the reply. 
 ' You mieht have known that.' 
 
 ' Papa, I have had a letter from my Aunt 
 Caroline — Mrs. Lindsay, you know, in Eng- 
 land.'
 
 12 A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 * What does she want ? ' said the Laird, 
 helping himself to fish. 
 
 ' She asks me to go and stay at Chipping- 
 ham — to pay them a long visit.' 
 
 Captain Ross laid down his fork and 
 looked at his daughter. 
 
 ' Do you want to go ? ' he asked. 
 
 ' I think,' said Elsie, lifting her eyes cour- 
 ageously to his, ' I should like to go away for 
 a while — ^just now.' 
 
 ' I don't see that you could do better,' said 
 her father, after a short pause. This reply 
 was unexpected ; and in spite of Elsie's desire 
 to go away, and thus avoid living with her 
 future stepmother, it gave her a sudden 
 pang. 
 
 ' Does he wish to get rid of me ? ' she 
 thought. But the Laird's next remark, 
 though only muttered as if to himself, re- 
 assured her. 
 
 'Wouldn't agree, of course — can't expect 
 — better out of that.' 
 
 ' Of course I would come back,' said Elsie 
 a little appealingly. Here Bella, the 'table-
 
 CHAP. I. A LILY AMONG THORNS 13 
 
 maid,' entered with a dish, and there was a 
 short silence. 
 
 ' Papa, what sort of a person is Aunt 
 Carohne ? ' asked Elsie when they were alone 
 again. 
 
 ' I don't suppose there's any harm in the 
 woman,' returned the Laird. ' Mad, you 
 know — quite mad. She's got some sort of a 
 religious craze.' 
 
 ' And my uncle ? Is he religious too ? ' 
 
 ' How should I know ? He didn't use to 
 be, but I daresay she has given it him by 
 this time.' 
 
 He spoke as though religion were a 
 mental disease of an infectious nature, but 
 Elsie knew his manner, and the supposed 
 insanity of her relations caused her no 
 anxiety. 
 
 ' When do you want to go '^ ' he asked 
 presently. 
 
 ' Aunt Caroline wishes me to come as soon 
 as may be convenient. You have never told 
 me,' she added, with an effort to speak un- 
 concernedly, 'what day you are to be married.'
 
 14 A LIL V AMONG THORNS part i. 
 
 ' End of next week,' said the Laird, rising. 
 ' You had better start on Tuesday or Wed- 
 nesday. Go and see the old lady to-morrow, 
 and make arrangements.' 
 
 * Aunt Grizel ? ' said Elsie. ' Very well, 
 papa ; ' and the conversation ended.
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 ' The day is over, 
 The feverish careful day ; 
 
 Can I recover 
 Strength that has ebbed away ? 
 Can even sleep such freshness give 
 That I again should wish to live?' 
 
 Elsie had gone to bed that night with a 
 troubled mind. Until now she had had no 
 idea of leaving her home, and although she 
 knew her father's marriage must take place, she 
 could generally manage to put the thought 
 of it away from her. Xow, however, that 
 which had seemed to be in the dim future 
 was close at hand ; she must think and act 
 for herself; and she felt as if life were one 
 great battle, and she had no strength to 
 face it. 
 
 The night was wet and stormy, and the 
 dismal sound of the wind and rain against
 
 A LILY AMONG THORNS 
 
 her window, and the dull roar of the sea, 
 served to depress her still more. She soon 
 fell asleep, however, and slept soundly ; the 
 storm passed away through the night, and 
 when she awoke, refreshed, in the cheery 
 April sunshine, half her cares had vanished. 
 
 ' I have a great deal before me,' she 
 thought ; * the house must be left all in 
 order. I shall have to see about it all. It 
 would never do to have anything untidy 
 when Euphemia comes. Then there's Aunt 
 Grizel this afternoon, and — I ought to go 
 and call on Euphemia. It is my duty, and 
 I'll do it ! ' she added heroically, brushing 
 her hair with extra vigour. 'It is due to 
 her to let her know I am going away. Poor 
 soul ! I daresay she will be thankful. ' 
 
 The sound of a bell interrupted these 
 reflections. ' Prayers ! ' exclaimed Elsie in 
 dismay ; ' I shall be late. That comes of 
 good resolutions when one is dressing ! ' 
 She finished with all speed, and hurried to 
 the dining-room, at the door of which the 
 servants were already waiting.
 
 CHAP. II. A LILY AMONG THORNS 17 
 
 Since the departure of her governess, six 
 months before, Elsie had made it a rule to 
 read prayers to the household every morning. 
 Her mother, she was told, had been accus- 
 tomed to do so ; and Elsie thought it was 
 her duty, though it caused her no little 
 anxiety and dread. She was far too shy to 
 let her father even know^ that such was her 
 custom ; so, as the Laird did not like to be 
 kept waiting for his breakfast even for a 
 moment, she would beg him not to come in 
 till after 'the second bell,' thereby artfully 
 leading him to suppose that the first bell 
 meant nothing, and w^as but an empty 
 form. 
 
 Elsie chose a short Psalm that morning, 
 then read the prayer for the day from an 
 old-fashioned book of family prayers which 
 she had hunted out of the garret. 
 
 Scarcely had she reached the second 
 paragraph when a heavy footstep was heard 
 in the passage. Elsie skilfully omitted a 
 long petition for the conversion of the Jews, 
 arrived rather abruptly at Amen, and rose, 
 VOL. I. c
 
 i8 A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 just as the sound of the approaching foot- 
 steps stopped outside the door. She looked 
 round — the servants were still on their knees ; 
 they were waiting for the concluding prayer. 
 She seized the book once more, and shut it 
 with a loud clap — in vain ! they would not 
 take a hint ; the three backs remained 
 immovable in their devout posture. Elsie 
 would not hurry over the Lord's Prayer ; it 
 would not be right, she felt, so she repeated 
 it slowly and reverently, though with a beat- 
 ing heart, and lo ! as by a miracle, the creak- 
 ing footsteps turned away from the door ; it 
 never opened, and the Laird went off in 
 another direction. Nor did he appear until 
 Elsie had in some measure recovered her- 
 self; she had even finished her plate of 
 porridge, and put aside the portion destined 
 for Hans, to be kept till his own proper 
 dinner hour. She could not help, however, 
 feeling an uneasy dread that the Laird had 
 been listening at the door (which indeed was 
 the case); she suffered all the pangs of a 
 guilty conscience ; yet, when he did come in,
 
 CHAP. ir. A LILY AMONG THORNS 19 
 
 he made no remark on the subject, and did 
 not seem any gruffer than usual. 
 
 ' When are you going to see your aunt 
 to-day?' he inquired during breakfast. 'Til 
 order the pony for you.' 
 
 Miss Griselda Ross was the Laird's aunt 
 as well as Elsie's, but he never made use of 
 the pronouns we, our, us ; it would be 
 beneath him, as it were, to speak in the first 
 person plural, and thus place himself on a 
 level with the inferior beings he addressed. 
 
 Elsie said she would go in the afternoon. 
 Her mornings were usually spent in house- 
 hold cares, and to-day she was particularly 
 anxious to get everything into proper order 
 before her stepmother's arrival. 
 
 The household at Rossie consisted of 
 three women-servants — Marjorie, the cook, 
 a sort of fixture in the family, who had been 
 there since Elsie was a baby ; Janet, who 
 attended upon her, and was also the house- 
 maid — a good-natured, rather stupid girl; 
 and Bella, the tablemaid. The last was a 
 good-looking young woman with a temper ;
 
 20 A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 she belonged to that class of persons who 
 never make a mistake, in their own estima- 
 tion at least, and cannot bear the slightest 
 word or even hint of disapproval. She was 
 a clever girl, and did her work well ; but this 
 characteristic rendered her decidedly trying, 
 and she and her mistress had occasional 
 disputes. 
 
 ' Bella,' said Elsie that morning, appearing 
 suddenly in the pantry after breakfast, ' I 
 noticed last night at dinner that there are 
 holes in the cheese napkin. You must really 
 fasten it lower down — the Captain is so apt 
 to cut it in taking off the rind for Hans.' 
 
 Bella surveyed the cheese — a tall Stilton, 
 bound round with a napkin. The holes were 
 undeniable. 
 
 ' It'll be the mice that have done it,' said 
 she. 
 
 ' The mice ?' said Elsie ; ' nonsense, Bella ! 
 it is cut with a knife. Look at it yourself.' 
 
 Bella gloomily regarded it. 
 
 ' It was just the mice,' she repeated. 
 
 ' It was not the mice,' said Elsie warmly ;
 
 CHAP. II. A LILY AMONG THORNS 21 
 
 ' would the mice eat the napkin and leave 
 the cheese ? I just ask you that, Bella !' 
 
 ' It was nothing but the mice,' said Bella 
 doggedly. 
 
 'And I say it was not the mice,' cried 
 Elsie. ' Do not let me hear you say it was 
 the mice ag^ain.' 
 
 Bella took up the cheese, examined it all 
 round, and set it down again. 
 
 'The mice,' said she. 
 
 ' Bella,' said Elsie, who felt now that her 
 dignity was at stake, ' I forbid you to say the 
 mice. I forbid you to use that word. If 
 you say mice again, I shall be obliged to 
 part with you. Mend that napkin and put 
 it on lower down.' 
 
 With these words Elsie walked majestically 
 away, not venturing to turn round again, 
 although she fancied she still heard ' mice ' 
 murmured faintly behind her. 
 
 Her next visit was to the kitchen, which 
 was one of the most cheerful rooms in the 
 house, so clean and fresh and bright was it ; 
 for Marjorie prided herself on never letting
 
 22 A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 a speck of dust remain anywhere ; and her 
 brass pans shone Hke gold, ranged along the 
 warm-coloured buff walls. The stone floor 
 was freshly strewn with sand ; and Marjorie 
 herself looked the picture of neatness in her 
 white apron and ' mutch ' and little tartan 
 shawl. 
 
 Marjorie was a calm woman — a great 
 comfort in that household. A little too apt, 
 perhaps, to look at the dark side of things ; 
 but Elsie placed great reliance on her judg- 
 ment in all household matters. Things might 
 be better than Marjorie represented them, 
 but never could be worse : with this view 
 she was wont to console herself if anything 
 went wrong. 
 
 ' I thocht upon the hen for your denner 
 the day,' said Marjorie, taking up a fat fowl 
 from the dresser. *Ye like a hen whiles, 
 and the Captain, he'll be content wi't. I'm 
 thinkin' we'll need a sheep killed gin next 
 week.' 
 
 ' Next week — yes,' said Elsie, sitting down 
 on the edge of the table. ' Marjorie — the
 
 CHAP. II. A LILY AMONG THORXS. 23 
 
 Captain's marriage is to be the end of next 
 week, and I am going away before that — 
 away to England.' 
 
 ' Keep me ! ' exclaimed Marjorie, as she 
 laid down the hen and looked at her young 
 mistress with concern. ' And will ye be lang 
 awa', Miss Elsie ?' 
 
 'I do not know ; I may be,' answered 
 Elsie rather sadly. ' I am going to stay 
 with my grand-uncle, General Lindsay. Do 
 you remember him and l\Irs. Lindsay ? were 
 they not once here ?' 
 
 ' Ay, I mind them fine. Ye were a wee 
 bairn then, Miss Elsie.' 
 
 'What were they like, Marjorie ?' 
 
 'The General was a weel-fa'ard gentle- 
 man ; the leddy, she took ill wi' the weet 
 roads — there had been an awfu' heap o' rain. 
 She had a maid — Parkins they ca'ed her — sic 
 daft-like names thae English have. Eh! the 
 fykes o' that woman ! The leddy was a wee 
 thing parteeklar hersel', but Parkins !' 
 
 Here Marjorie paused, words failing to 
 express what she had suffered from the
 
 24 A LIL V AMONG THORNS part i. 
 
 peculiar fancies of the English lady's- 
 maid. 
 
 ' Aweel,' she resumed after a few minutes' 
 silence, ' I'll be vexed when ye gang, Miss 
 Elsie ; it'll be an unco change to me. But 
 maybe ye'll be happier awa', and the Captain, 
 he'll no be needin' ye sae sair.' 
 
 ' She, too, thinks I had better go,' thought 
 Elsie. But aloud she only added, ' And you 
 know, Marjorie, I want to have everything 
 in order before — Mrs. Ross — comes; that 
 will be next week. I was speaking to Bella 
 just now — really she is provoking. She says 
 there are mice, which eat the napkins.' 
 
 ' Esie-bell ?' said Marjorie with a sort of 
 sniff (they did not get on together) ; ' I was 
 thinkin' maybe ye had discorded,' she added 
 soothingly. 'Hoot! never heed Esie-bell. 
 She's that dour — Mice? there's nae mice. 
 Make us thankful if there's nae rottens.' 
 
 * Oh, I hope not!' said Elsie anxiously. 
 ' It would be dreadful if rats got into the 
 house. Do you think they will, Marjorie ?' 
 
 ' I doubt they'll win in, through time,'
 
 CHAP. II. A LILY AMONG THORNS 25 
 
 replied Marjorie with resignation. ' The 
 new hen-house is just useless wi' them — a 
 perfect riddle o' holes, the floor o't. Would 
 ye please to look at it, Miss Elsie ?' 
 
 Elsie thought this report so serious that 
 she started at once to investigate, taking her 
 little dog with her. 
 
 It may be necessary to give the reader a 
 short sketch of Hans, who has been so often 
 mentioned, and on whom Elsie lavished so 
 much affection. She had long wished to 
 possess a dachshund, and her governess, 
 Fraulein Meyer, had good-naturedly brought 
 one straight from Germany for her, about a 
 year before. 
 
 Elsie was charmed with the little soft 
 brown puppy, and bestowed on him the 
 name of 'the discreet Hans,' after the saga- 
 cious hero of Grimm's tale. But Hans did 
 not turn out quite the pure -bred badger- 
 hound that her fancy had pictured. He did 
 not, indeed, grow big, and he had a beautiful 
 litde head, with large intelligent brown eyes ; 
 but his curiously misshapen body and enor-
 
 26 A LIL V AMONG THORNS part i. 
 
 mous tail, which, in moments of excitement, 
 swelled out like that of an enraged cat, gave 
 him a most comical appearance. Hans was 
 not a brave animal, though he was fond of 
 sport in a small way. He was afraid of men, 
 cattle, horses, dogs, cats, and poultry ; and 
 Elsie, who was a prey to constant anxiety on 
 his account, used to spend much time and 
 thought in shielding him from the dangers to 
 which he believed himself exposed ; as well 
 as in preventing him from injuring his health 
 by over-eating. He was, however, devotedly 
 attached to his little mistress, and would sit 
 gazing at her for hours, keeping his large 
 tail outstretched ready to wag at the slightest 
 glance or sign. 
 
 Let it not be supposed that Elsie took 
 him to the hen-house to kill the rats ; nothing 
 could have been further from the thoughts of 
 either of them ; but she seldom went any- 
 where without him, except when she rode or 
 drove, as then his short legs could not carry 
 him far with any speed. 
 
 Elsie and Hans had not far to go, as a
 
 A LILY AMONG THORNS 
 
 small strip of shrubbery was all that separated 
 the farmyard from the house ; but Elsie chose 
 a somewhat circuitous route to the hen-house, 
 threading her way cautiously amongst the 
 stacks, and looking out for her secret foe, the 
 gander. This valiant bird, whose two wives 
 were at present sitting on eggs, was ready to 
 fly at all comers, and nourished a particular 
 enmity against Hans, whom he conceived to 
 have malicious designs upon his family. Elsie 
 did not care to risk an open encounter with 
 him, so she would dodge him round the stacks 
 'on Hans's account,' she always told herself 
 when she did so ; though what she would 
 have done if Hans had not been there may 
 be questioned. 
 
 To-day she passed the stacks in safety, 
 and had almost reached the hen-house door, 
 when the well-known pattering sound behind 
 her made her turn round in alarm. The 
 gander had found his enemy intent upon a 
 haddock's head, and promptly bore down 
 upon him with outstretched neck and flapping 
 wings. In a moment Elsie had snatched up
 
 28 A LIL V AMONG THORNS part i. 
 
 Hans (who, with great presence of mind, 
 kept hold of the fish's head), and fled igno- 
 miniously, never stopping till she had put 
 the whole stackyard between her and her 
 pursuer. 
 
 ' Hans, do you wish to be destroyed ? ' 
 said she breathlessly, as she put him down. 
 ' For the gander will do it some day, even if 
 the master does not' 
 
 A visit to the hen-house was now out of 
 the question. ' Why should we expose our- 
 selves again to his fury?' Elsie said. 'I'll 
 wait till one o'clock, when he has his dinner. 
 Come, Hans, we will go into the garden.' 
 
 The garden lay to the back of the house, 
 at the side farthest from the sea, and was 
 surrounded by a wall of red sandstone. The 
 house itself was of this material, as were most 
 of the buildings in that district. It was small, 
 square, and very narrow for its height ; at 
 each corner was a little round turret like a 
 pigeon -house. It looked bare and gaunt 
 enough, yet not unpicturesque when viewed 
 from the sea, from which it was only separated
 
 CHAP. II. A LILY AMONG THORNS 29 
 
 by some broken ground thinly planted with 
 shrubs, shrivelled and browned by the east 
 wind. The walls of the house were very 
 thick, and within the rooms were small and 
 rather bare of furniture. The drawing-room 
 was wainscoted and painted white : it looked, 
 as did all the best rooms in the house, to the 
 north, for the sake of the really beautiful view 
 of the little bay and the hills beyond. 
 
 Over the mantelpiece hung the portrait of 
 Elsie's mother, which has been already men- 
 tioned ; the only picture in the room, except 
 a few black silhouettes of old gentlemen with 
 pigtails. The walls of the dining-room, how- 
 ever, were well covered with Ross ancestors ; 
 and over nearly every door in the house a 
 stag's head and horns was fastened. The 
 little entrance hall likewise bristled with these 
 trophies ; which w^ere used as pegs on which 
 to hang hats, caps, and greatcoats in various 
 stages of dilapidation. In one corner stood 
 the Laird's stick and spud, in another Elsie 
 kept her gardening tools. 
 
 It was here, after an hour's lingering in
 
 30 A LIL V AMONG THORNS part i. 
 
 the garden, that Elsie stopped short, struck 
 by the sight of a strange hat and umbrella, 
 and, a minute later, Bella met her in the 
 passage. ' Please, ma'am, Mr. Macrae is 
 here, and the Captain has ordered luncheon 
 at one o'clock,' said she primly. 
 
 'Tiresome man!' thought Elsie; 'but, at 
 any rate, I cannot go to the hen-house this 
 day.' She went to the drawing-room to put 
 the bunch of pale late-flowering daffodils she 
 had gathered in water, and when the luncheon- 
 bell rang, was joined by her father and Mr. 
 Macrae, the family lawyer. 
 
 Elsie had known the latter from her child- 
 hood, and looked upon him as a sort of 
 necessary evil. He had a red face, reddish 
 whiskers, a loud cheerful voice, and an excel- 
 lent opinion of himself; he was nevertheless 
 a capital man of business, and very useful to 
 the Laird, by whom he was much esteemed. 
 
 ' How do you do, Mr. Macrae ? ' Elsie 
 said, giving him her hand, not without a 
 certain little air of condescension. ' I hope 
 Mrs. Macrae is well.'
 
 CHAP. II. A LILY AMONG THORNS 31 
 
 ' She's well, I thank you, Miss Ross,' 
 returned Mr. Macrae. ' I hope I see you 
 well. I hear you are about to leave us — 
 to wing your flight, as one may say, 
 southwards. Yes ! yes ! England's a fine 
 country. ' 
 
 ' I am sure it is,' said Elsie, ignoring the 
 first part of this speech. ' And much warmer, 
 I suppose, than here, though this is not a 
 backward season.' 
 
 'The vegetation,' said Mr. Macrae, 'is 
 indeed pretty well advanced. The grass 
 parks are commencing to asshoom an appear- 
 ance of verdure. Your fields, Captain, I see, 
 are all sown, with the exception of the 
 turnips. Lord Ochil was mentioning to me, 
 last time I saw him, that his carrot crop had 
 not been such a failure last year.' 
 
 ' No one but a fool would have tried to 
 grow carrots on a clay soil,' growled the 
 Laird. ' / saw them — eaten by worms and 
 insects and all sorts of devils. I wouldn't 
 have given his carrots to one of my pigs.' 
 
 Mr. IMacrae turned again to Elsie after this
 
 32 A LIL V AMONG THORNS part i. 
 
 slight rebuff, adapting his conversation to 
 her feminine mind ; for he prided himself 
 especially upon his politeness to ladies, his 
 elegant language, and correct pronunci- 
 ation. 
 
 ' The burrds are at present very melodi- 
 ous,' he observed, as a blackbird's fluty 
 note came in through the open window. ' I 
 believe. Miss Ross, you are partial to these 
 little warblers.' 
 
 'Yes,' replied Elsie, 'and the thrushes 
 were singing beautifully this morning. They 
 are not so scarce as they used to be.' 
 
 ' I am not precisely aware,' said Mr. 
 Macrae, 'what note the thrush emits. In 
 England, I am told, the nightingales render 
 the woods vocal.' 
 
 'Will you take some cheese?' said the 
 Laird impatiently. 
 
 'I thank you. Captain — I will trouble 
 Miss Ross for a little more of her shooperior 
 pudding.' 
 
 Elsie thous^ht that luncheon would never 
 come to an end, but at length the Laird
 
 CHAP. II. A LILY AMONG THORNS 33 
 
 dismissed her to prepare for her ride, and 
 not keep the pony waiting. She was soon 
 ready, but before starting she committed 
 Hans, with much solemnity, to the care of 
 Janet, admonishing her to keep her eye 
 constantly upon him. ' Be sure he doesn't 
 eat the hens' meat, and, above all, keep him 
 from the pigs' pail !' were her parting words. 
 ' Bella has more sense than Janet,' she 
 reflected as she ran downstairs. ' He might 
 have been safer with her ; but after the mice, 
 I don't choose to ask a favour of Bella 
 to-day.' 
 
 The Laird and Mr. Macrae were standing 
 at the door, where Elsie's handsome brown 
 pony was already waiting, held by Jamie, 
 the stable-boy. 
 
 ' Allow me to assist you, Miss Ross,' said 
 Mr. Macrae, coming forward. 'Your horse 
 appears a little restive.' 
 
 The pony, indeed, was pawing the ground 
 wildly, as he had a trick of doing when first 
 brought out. Mr. Macrae kept well out of 
 the way of his heels, but Elsie was on in a 
 
 VOL. I. D
 
 34 A LIL V AMONG THORNS part i. 
 
 moment, and after a few plunges he started 
 quietly enough. 
 
 'Miss Ross is a fine equestrian, I per- 
 ceive,' were the last words she heard as she 
 rode off.
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 ' This night is my departing night, 
 
 For here nae langer must I stay ; 
 There's neither friend nor foe of mine 
 But wishes me away.' 
 
 Elsie thoroughly enjoyed her ride that 
 afternoon. She rode slowly, for it was 
 such a sweet spring day, and she wanted to 
 think and look about her. She had always 
 had a feeling for natural beauty, but never 
 till now, when she was about to leave it, had 
 the scenery around her seemed so lovely. 
 She trotted gently first over a bare stretch 
 of road, then, as it entered a small wood, 
 she pulled up to a walk. 
 
 A slight breeze was blowing off the sea ; 
 it made a soft hushed sound amongst the 
 fir-trees, which mingled pleasantly with the 
 cooing of the wood-pigeons. A month later
 
 36 A LIL V AMONG THORNS part i. 
 
 the wood would be green with tall ferns, but 
 the fronds had scarcely yet begun to uncurl 
 their brown balls, and the withered leaves 
 about their roots gave the ground a russet 
 shade. 
 
 The sun lit up the red stems of the Scotch 
 firs, and flickered here and there in spots 
 upon the mossy stones and patches of brown 
 heather. At the farther edge of the wood 
 there was a strip of young plantation, and 
 beyond that again a sort of open moor, 
 dotted with ' whins ' and broom-bushes. The 
 small birds were busy in the young spruce 
 firs ; Elsie could distinguish their different 
 notes — the chaffinch's loud cheery song, the 
 softer call -note of the green Mintie,' the 
 plaintive chant of the yellow-hammer. Out 
 upon the moor she heard the sound she 
 loved to listen to — the wild spring cry of the 
 curlew, beginning slowly with long notes, 
 then growing louder and quicker, and dying 
 away in widening circles of sound. 
 
 Beyond the moor the character of the soil 
 changed ; it had a colder look, and the
 
 CHAP. III. A LILY AMOXG THORNS 2>7 
 
 ploughed fields were almost gray where the 
 sun had dried the surface, quite different 
 from the ' red land ' about Rossie. The road 
 wound uphill, and at the top Elsie stood 
 still to look. Below her, in the hollow, lay 
 the little gray town of St. Ethernans, the 
 massive old church, with its square tower 
 and short steeple, rising up in the midst. 
 The sea beyond was of a deep bright blue, 
 and only a line of white surf told of the last 
 night's storm. The day was clear, and she 
 could plainly see the lighthouse on the other 
 side of the bay, and the patches of snow still 
 shining on the far-off hills. 
 
 'Why do I go away?' thought Elsie. 
 ' Yet I must, no one seems to want me here. 
 Shall I ever come back and look at those 
 hills again } I will say good-bye to them 
 now, I do not feel as if I ever should.' 
 
 The tears rushed to her eyes and blinded 
 her ; she sat still without troubling to wipe 
 them away, until the sound of wheels made 
 her start. 
 
 ' How stupid I am,' she thought ; ' it will
 
 38 A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 never do to be found crying on the public 
 road/ 
 
 The pony pricked up his ears at the sound 
 of the advancing gig ; he rather liked stand- 
 ing still, unless desired to do so for any 
 special purpose, but he could not endure 
 wheels behind him, so Elsie started off at a 
 brisk trot. She did not pursue the road to 
 St. Ethernans, but turned down the first 
 opening to the right, a cart track leading to 
 the farm of Nether Bogie, which was rented 
 by Mr. John Webster, brother to Euphemia, 
 the Laird's destined bride. 
 
 The farmsteading was rather a large one, 
 situated like an island amidst an ocean of 
 ploughed fields ; without a tree, except one 
 solitary, wind-blown ash. It boasted a tall 
 chimney, however, and there were still a 
 good many stacks. Close to the front door 
 was a row of hen-coops, each containing a 
 brood of newly -hatched turkeys ; for Miss 
 Euphemia was a noted hen -wife, and her 
 turkeys were always the earliest in the 
 country. Elsie dismounted, and looked at
 
 CHAP. III. A LILY AMONG THORNS 39 
 
 the little black and gray chicks with interest ; 
 then rang the front-door bell. It was pre- 
 sently answered by a tall, red-haired, awk- 
 ward-looking girl, who blushed and grinned 
 shyly as she recognised her visitor. 
 
 ' How are you, Agnes .^' said Elsie. 'Is 
 Euphemia in ?' 
 
 ' Yes ; just come in, please,' replied Agnes. 
 
 * The pony ?' 
 
 ' ril take him round.' 
 
 Elsie went into the dining-room, where 
 the family usually sat ; the windows were 
 closely shut, and a peculiar pungent odour, 
 as of boiled cabbage, pervaded it. The 
 furniture was black horse-hair ; in the middle 
 of the room was a large round table, covered 
 with a green cloth ; on it stood a cut-glass 
 water decanter, with a tumbler reversed over 
 it. Around this central ornament a few 
 books and a photograph album were arranged ; 
 underneath it was a woollen mat with a 
 yellow and crimson border. On the mantel- 
 piece, which was painted green to represent 
 malachite, were some large foreign shells.
 
 40 A LIL V AMONG THORNS part i. 
 
 and two or three clay pipes were scattered 
 about. In a big chair by the fire an old 
 woman was dozing, wrapped up in shawls ; 
 she did not look up or speak, and Elsie trod 
 softly for fear of disturbing her. 
 
 Agnes entered in a few minutes, followed 
 by Euphemia. The latter was older by 
 some years than her sister ; less awkward, 
 and without the red hair. She had what 
 might be called a comely face, and looked 
 the essence of good temper, but her incessant 
 simper was to Elsie almost more irritating 
 than Agnes's open-mouthed stare. 
 
 ' I hope you've not had to wait. Miss 
 Ross,' said Euphemia as she came forward. 
 ' I'm sure I take it very kind — such a long 
 ride as you've had.' 
 
 ' I wanted to come and see you, Euphemia,' 
 Elsie replied. ' I suppose it will be the last 
 time before you come to Rossie ; but I shall 
 be away when you come, for I am going to 
 England.' 
 
 * Dear me !' exclaimed Euphemia, ' such a 
 long way ! and all by yourself, Miss Ross !'
 
 CHAP. III. A LIL Y AMONG THORNS \\ 
 
 'You ought not to call me Miss Ross 
 now, Euphemia.' 
 
 Elsie felt a little shy, which had the 
 effect of making her manner very stately. 
 Euphemia simpered and looked down. 
 
 'I'm sure,' said she, 'you're very con- 
 descending.' 
 
 ' How is Mrs. Blair ?' asked Elsie, violently 
 changing the subject. 
 
 'Oh, pretty well to-day. Agnes, turn 
 Granny's chair. Granny, here's Miss Ross 
 asking for you.' 
 
 Agnes went behind the wheeled chair and 
 launched her grandmother at Elsie, who re- 
 treated, feeling sorry she had introduced the 
 subject. 
 
 'Are you keeping better, Mrs. Blair?' she 
 said, taking one of the limp old hands. But 
 the poor old woman only grunted feebly, and 
 was soon replaced in her corner by Agnes. 
 
 Elsie then proceeded to explain to the 
 sisters about her proposed departure ; she 
 could discern through all Euphemia's sighs 
 and expressions of regret that her absence
 
 42 A LIL V AMONG THORNS part i. 
 
 would be a relief to her, while Agnes gazed 
 at her in silent wonder. She rose at last to 
 go, declining all offers of refreshment on the 
 plea that she was going to have tea with 
 Aunt Grizel. 
 
 * But a bit of cake ! you'll not refuse a bit 
 of cake — and a glass of ginger wine ! ' 
 
 Agnes hurried off, and returned with the 
 cake -basket — a startling piece of plate, on 
 which were displayed alternate squares of 
 shortbread and slices of pound-cake. Elsie 
 said she never drank wine, but, not to seem 
 ungracious, she took a bit of the shortbread, 
 and was sitting down again patiently, when 
 old Mrs. Blair woke up and began to glare 
 with frightened eyes round the room. 
 
 ' Wha 's that ? ' she exclaimed, suddenly 
 fixing them on Elsie. ' The Lord preserve 
 us ! wha's that ?' 
 
 ' It's Miss Ross that has called. Granny,' 
 said Euphemia. ' Surely you know Miss 
 Ross.' 
 
 The old lady seemed pacified for the 
 moment, but the alarm in her eyes revived
 
 CHAP. III. A LILY AMONG THORNS 43 
 
 as she turned them on Agnes. 'And that ?' 
 she said, pointing to the latter with a shaking 
 hand, 'wha's that ?' 
 
 ' Dear, dear me, Grannie !' said Euphemia, 
 with meek reproach. 'You're very dazed 
 Hke to-day ! D'ye not know our Agnes ?' 
 
 ' She's like a haddock,' observed Mrs. 
 Blair, sinking back. ' She's very like a 
 haddock.' 
 
 ' Dear, dear, dear ! ' sighed Euphemia 
 again. ' I hope you'll excuse her. Miss 
 Ross. She's very stupid-like to-day.' 
 
 Elsie was making heroic efforts to be 
 grave and sympathetic. Agnes's expression 
 at the moment was, she thought, exactly that 
 of a haddock, and could not have been more 
 happily described. 
 
 ' Poor Mrs. Blair ! ' she said. ' I am sorry 
 she is not so well. Good-bye, Euphemia, 
 good-bye, Agnes.' She shook hands with 
 each of them, and went up to the old lady. 
 
 ' Ye're a bonny crater,' said Mrs. Blair 
 with unexpected intelligence. ' I wish ye 
 weel.'
 
 44 A LIL V AMONG THORNS tart i. 
 
 Elsie felt thankful when she was once 
 more on horseback, and in the fresh air. 
 She set off at a quick pace, and soon reached 
 St. Ethernans. Her aunt's house stood a 
 little apart, at the end of the long straggling 
 street ; it had a small plot of ground in front, 
 planted with thorn and laburnum bushes, and 
 a good-sized ' back-green ' behind. Elsie left 
 her pony at the inn a little farther on, and 
 walked into the house unannounced ; her aunt 
 had seen her pass and was expecting her. 
 She received Elsie affectionately, and the 
 girl found it a relief to pour out the history 
 of the last days' doings. 
 
 Miss Griselda Ross was a lady of con- 
 siderable dignity of manner ; tall and thin, 
 and wonderfully erect, in spite of her seventy- 
 eight years of age. Her features were 
 strongly marked, her blue eyes still keen 
 and bright. The fashion of her dress never 
 varied, a black gown and large silk apron, a 
 band of black velvet across her forehead, and 
 a white cap with lavender ribbons tied under 
 her chin.
 
 CHAP. III. A LIL V AMOXG THORXS 45 
 
 The little parlour was very formal and 
 plain, but clean, fresh, and airy. To Elsie 
 it was as familiar and home -like as the 
 drawing-room at Rossie ; she regularly spent 
 her Sundays there, and would come as often 
 as she could to see her Aunt Grizel on week- 
 days also. The stiff little room had looked 
 exactly the same as long as she could re- 
 member, only in summer the moreen window- 
 curtains gave place to muslin ones, which 
 were put up punctually at the ' May term,' 
 and taken down again at Martinmas. There 
 was a bookcase, in one shelf of which Elsie 
 was allowed to keep her Sunday books, and 
 a corner cupboard contained some old china, 
 and other curiosities and relics, dear to the 
 old lady's heart. 
 
 Elsie had sat down in her accustomed 
 position on the rug, and had thrown her hat, 
 gloves, and riding-whip on a- chair, a piece of 
 untidiness which for once passed unreproved. 
 
 Miss Grizel heard of her approaching de- 
 parture without surprise, indeed with evident 
 approbation.
 
 46 A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 'Well, my dear,' said she, 'it is right 
 that you should learn to know your own 
 people. I was telling Robert — your father 
 — last time he was here, that you need a 
 change, and there cannot be a better time 
 than now.' 
 
 ' Papa said that I would be better away,' 
 said Elsie, and her lip quivered a little. 
 'Aunt Grizel, do you know I have got a 
 feeling— a presentiment, that if I go to 
 England I shall never come back — I shall 
 never see Rossie again.' 
 
 She knelt on the rug as she said this, her 
 clasped hands resting on her aunt's knee ; 
 the old lady looked at her uneasily. Miss 
 Grizel was a firm believer in presentiments, 
 dreams, omens, and superstitions of all kinds, 
 but she was not a person who would en- 
 courage, a child in foolish fancies. 
 
 ' Hoots, my dear !' she said almost roughly, 
 'don't take morbid fancies into your head. 
 I never heard such nonsense in my life. 
 You're just tired — you're as white as a 
 cloot. Tuts ! what's come over Elizabeth
 
 CHAP. III. A LILY AMONG THORNS 47 
 
 with the tea V She rose stiffly and went to 
 the door. 
 
 ' Eleezabeth ! come away, Eleezabeth ! 
 haste ye with the tea ! Miss Elsie's tired.' 
 
 ' Why did I speak Hke that ? ' thought 
 Elsie remorsefully. ' I ought not — Aunt 
 Grizel is old, it does not do to put her 
 out.' And a great longing came over the 
 girl for some one she might speak to, who 
 was not old like Miss Grizel, nor gruff like 
 her father, nor doleful like Marjorie, some 
 one she might talk to without fear of being 
 reproved or misunderstood. 
 
 ' Aunt Grizel, never mind the tea,' she 
 said, rising and taking the old lady's hand. ' I 
 am just a little tired, as you say. Sit down, 
 and I will read you Aunt Caroline's letter.' 
 The letter Elsie read was as follows : — 
 
 ' It is with mingled feelings, my dear young 
 niece, that I take up my pen to wTite to you. 
 It is, indeed, impossible that you should re- 
 member 7ne, but I can never forget seeing 
 you, then a darling baby in your dear
 
 48 A LIL V AMONG THORNS part i. 
 
 mother's arms, on the occasion of my ^rs^ 
 and 07ify visit to the country of your birth ! 
 I have heard but lately that your father is 
 about to form new ties, and, as he will no 
 longer exclusively need your administering 
 love, your dear uncle and I now feel that 
 the time has come when we may induce you 
 to leave your Scottish home, and find a 
 resting-place under our roof, where, I need 
 not say, you will receive a true Welcome ! 
 Your father, to whom your dear uncle and I 
 beg to offer our kind remembrances, will not, 
 I trust, disapprove of our proposal, as he 
 formerly gave us hopes of claiming you at 
 some future time ; and we shall, dear Elspeth, 
 anticipate your arrival, as soon as he may 
 deem it convenient. 
 
 ' It is our earnest wish that your sojourn 
 with us may be both pleasant and profitable ; 
 and my hope and prayer, dear child, is, that 
 our intercourse may be fratight with blessings 
 of the highest kind. — I am, my dear niece, 
 ever your affectionate aunt and godmother, 
 ' Caroline B. Lindsay.'
 
 CHAP. III. A LILY AMOXG THORNS 49 
 
 Elsie read this letter through without 
 comment, giving the proper expression as 
 well as she could, and then looked up to 
 try and read her Aunt Grizel's face ; but the 
 old lady was busied with the tea-things, and, 
 outwardly at least, paid no attention. 
 
 ' Here, child ! bring in a chair to the table, 
 and put in the cream yourself. What sort of 
 tea-bread has she brought ? Help yourself 
 to a scone, or see ! there are cookies.' 
 
 Elsie helped herself to a scone. Aunt 
 Grizel's tea was strong and good, and under 
 its influence her spirits rose visibly, and she 
 dismissed the gloomy presentiments from her 
 mind. 
 
 ' Do tell me about Aunt Caroline,' she 
 said. ' You must know her. Aunt Grizel, she 
 must be quite unlike any one I ever saw.' 
 
 ' I haven't seen them since they came to 
 Rossie that time she speaks of; I used to 
 know your grand-uncle, the General, very 
 well long ago. He had a great work with 
 your mother — she was his favourite niece, he 
 used to say.' 
 
 VOL. I. E .
 
 50 A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 ' Tell me about him then, Aunt GrizeL* 
 
 ' There's not much to tell about him. He 
 was thought very handsome in his youth ; 
 and he was always a kind good creature. 
 He didn't marry till he was quite a middle- 
 aged man. As to your Aunt Caroline, she's 
 a lively, agreeable woman. To be sure she 
 had always her fancies and her trennies, but 
 she's a good wife to him.' 
 
 ' Papa says she has got a religious craze, 
 but he always says that of any one who is at 
 all pious.' 
 
 * Your Aunt Caroline is a good woman, 
 my dear,' said Miss Grizel shortly. 'Always 
 bear that in mind. She has a great deal of 
 manner, and she is one of your Frenchified 
 kind of women ; but I never fell out with her 
 for my part. I just let her say her say.' 
 
 ' I wonder if I should fall out with 
 Euphemia, if I lived with her,' said Elsie. 
 * Papa seemed to think I might. He said 
 he couldn't expect us to agree. Oh, Aunt 
 Grizel ! what could have made him want to 
 marry her ? '
 
 cHAi'. III. A LILY AMOXG THORXS 51 
 
 ' Your father was too long of marrying, 
 my dear,' said Aunt Grizel oracularly. ' He 
 put off and put off; and when men do that, 
 Elsie, either they end by never marrying at 
 all, or they just think that anybody will do. 
 We may be thankful it's a good girl like 
 Euphemia Webster that he's taken.' 
 
 * But she's so stupid, Aunt Grizel ! She 
 is sure to provoke him in time.' 
 
 * Euphemia is not stupid, my dear,' said 
 Aunt Grizel reprovingly. 'She's the best 
 housewife in the country; she makes excellent 
 jelly ; she always has the first chickens and 
 the best turkeys ; and look at her butter ! — 
 it's beautiful ! And then such a good sister 
 as she is to her brother and Agnes, and so 
 kind and dutiful to her poor old grandmother. 
 She's a very superior girl, Elsie ; it's only 
 very much to be lamented that she's not in a 
 higher rank of life, and that she comes of a 
 Radical family — and, worse than all, she's 
 Free Kirk. That comes of putting off! ' 
 
 ' Is it worse to be Free Kirk than not to 
 be a lady } ' asked Elsie doubtfully. 
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF ILUNOIS
 
 52 A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 * Hoots ! ' said Aunt Grlzel. ' Ring the 
 bell, Elsie, if you're done.' 
 
 The subject of Euphemia being thus dis- 
 missed, the conversation turned upon Elsie's 
 journey and the necessary arrangements. It 
 was settled that it would be best for her to 
 break her journey in Edinburgh, and to stay 
 a couple of days there with old friends of her 
 mother's, a Mrs. and Miss Ferguson. An 
 hour soon passed ; and, after promising to 
 spend Sunday with her aunt as usual, Elsie 
 set off home.
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 ' Then up bespak his brother John, 
 Says, " Ye've done us meikle wrang, O ; 
 Ye've married ane far below our degree, 
 A mock to a' our kin, O."' ' 
 
 Miss Grizel could not settle down either 
 to her stocking-knitting that evening, or to 
 her reading of good books. She got out of 
 her arm-chair, and paced up and down the 
 room ; she undid the shutter, and looked out 
 into the quiet street, then came back to her 
 chair, put on her spectacles again and tried 
 to read, but presently took them off, and laid 
 them on the table beside her with a sigh. 
 
 ' I doubt if I've altogether done my duty 
 by that child,' she said to herself. ' I should 
 maybe have stayed on at Rossie ; but who 
 would have thought Robert would be so long 
 of marrying ? And it was hard to bear,
 
 54 A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 there's no doubt of that. To go and engage 
 thon foreign woman for Elsie, and never tell 
 me! But I fear that's pride. She's grown 
 up a fine creature, but it's not through the 
 guiding of me, Grizel Ross. Lord forgive 
 me ! ' 
 
 It may be doubted whether the old lady 
 had quite just cause for all this self-reproach. 
 Her position had been rather a difficult one. 
 She had left her little house in St. Ethernans 
 to nurse Elsie's mother through her last 
 illness ; and after her death Miss Grizel 
 remained on at Rossie, keeping house for her 
 nephew, as she had done before his marriage. 
 
 Captain Ross seemed to take this as a 
 matter of course ; and as time went on, his 
 aunt felt it necessary to come to some under- 
 standing with him. 
 
 ' Robert,' said she one day, ' I have been 
 thinking that I have perhaps stopped long 
 enough with you.' 
 
 ' I thought you were living here,' replied 
 Robert. ' Better sell your house in St. 
 Ethernans.'
 
 CHAP. IV. A LILY AMONG THORNS 55 
 
 ' But, Robert, if you were ever to turn 
 your thoughts to marrying again — which 
 without doubt it is your duty to do — it would 
 not be my place to remain.' 
 
 Robert looked out of the window without 
 speaking. 'You could please yourself.' he at 
 length suggested. 
 
 'But if my house were sold,' said poor 
 Miss Grizel, relapsing into Scotch, 'I couldna 
 win in.' 
 
 Her nephew apparently thought that this 
 was a trite observation, which needed no 
 reply, for he made none, and Miss Grizel did 
 not know how to pursue the subject. 
 
 ' Then about Elsie,' she said after a short 
 pause. ' She is getting too old for a nurse — 
 she is nearly six.' 
 
 ' Can a child of six read and write ? ' in- 
 quired Robert. 
 
 ' Elsie can't read, the monkey ! She ought 
 to, but she will not learn with the nurse. It's 
 time she had a governess.' 
 
 Robert gazed at his aunt for some time 
 with an impenetrable countenance, then
 
 56 A LIL V AMONG THORNS part i. 
 
 walked out of the room. A few minutes later 
 Miss Grizel saw him from the window dig- 
 ging up thistles in the field with his spud, as 
 though he had no other object in life. 
 
 ' Mercy ! what use is it speaking to 
 Robert ?' she said to herself. ' He takes no 
 more heed to anything you say than a graven 
 eemage. There he is, away plowtering in 
 the wet, and'll come in without a dry thread 
 on him ! That'll not learn Elsie to read, nor 
 yet provide a house for me.' 
 
 Some little time after this the Laird 
 suddenly observed at breakfast, ' I've got a 
 what-do-you-call-it for Elsie.' 
 
 'A what, Robert ?' exclaimed Miss Grizel, 
 in great astonishment. 
 
 ' A German one,' continued Robert tran- 
 quilly. 
 
 'You don't mean a governess .^' said Miss 
 Grizel. ' Oh, Robert ! and never to tell me ! 
 and me been hunting one high and low for 
 the last three weeks ! Have you engaged her ? ' 
 
 'Coming to-morrow afternoon,' replied 
 Robert.
 
 CHAP. IV. A LILY AMOyO THORXS 57 
 
 'Well, I wash my hands of you!' said 
 Miss Grizel, rising in wrath. ' You'll just 
 ruin your own child, and I had better go 
 away and leave you. since I am to have no 
 say in her bringing up.' 
 
 The Laird seemed a little disconcerted. 
 ' Better think it over,' he said. 
 
 ' I just cannot abide thae foreigners,' said 
 Miss Grizel. ' I'll q:o back to St. Ether- 
 nans at the term." 
 
 ' Please yourself, then,' returned her 
 nephew. 
 
 Miss Grizel's conscience smote her a good 
 deal after this ; she was conscious of having 
 lost her temper, and she greatly dreaded 
 leaving little Elsie, who was her chief de- 
 light and pride. She would gladly have 
 remained, had the Laird given her the least 
 encouragement to do so ; but he seemed to 
 consider the matter settled, and pride pre- 
 vented her making any further overtures. 
 The following 'Whitsunday term,' therefore, 
 found her installed in her little house at St. 
 Ethernans, which she never afterwards left.
 
 58 A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 Miss Grizel did not, however, at all cease 
 to concern herself with her little niece's 
 upbringing. In spite of her aversion to 
 foreigners, she could not continue to dislike 
 Fraulein Meyer, who proved to be a sensible, 
 cheerful person, possessed of much clever- 
 ness and tact. 
 
 ' Still one never knows,' Miss Grizel would 
 say. ' These Germans may have a queer- 
 like religion ; and as to Robert with his god- 
 less ways, he II take no heed of the child. 
 He might let her go to the Free Kirk, or to 
 no kirk at all, for what I know.' 
 
 So it came to pass that Elsie's Sundays 
 were always spent with her aunt. They 
 went together to the little Episcopal Church 
 as often as there was service there, which 
 was only on alternate Sundays, as one clergy- 
 man had to do duty between it and Lord 
 Ochil's private chapel at Drumsheugh. The 
 church itself was curiously small and dark, 
 and looked outside like any ordinary dwelling- 
 house, except that it had an arched doorway 
 and latticed windows. It was a remnant of
 
 A LILY AMOXG THORNS 59 
 
 the old nonjuring days, when it was criminal 
 for a Scotch Episcopal clergyman to read the 
 service to a congregation of more than five 
 persons, and meetings were held in secret. 
 Inside, the church was appropriately fitted 
 up, and a small organ had been added, but 
 no enlargement of the building had been 
 thought necessary, as the congregation was 
 verv poor, consisting chiefly of the fisher 
 folk, many of whom in that part of Scotland 
 are Episcopalians. On the Sundays when 
 there was no service there. Elsie and her 
 governess went to the parish church, whilst 
 Miss Grizel sat at home and read the prayers 
 to herself. ' It was not for the likes of her,' 
 she would remark, 'to go to thae places.' 
 Xot that she thought it wrong to attend a 
 Presbyterian place of worship ; on the con- 
 trary, she quite approved of Elsie doing so, 
 and she had a great respect for the worthy 
 minister. Dr. Cleghorn, and his wife ; but 
 she was so thoroughly conservative in all 
 her instincts that she liked to keep up even 
 the memory of old prejudices and traditions.
 
 6o A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 After service Elsie dined with Aunt Grizel, 
 and then underwent a sort of catechising ; 
 she had to repeat the collect for the day, the 
 Church catechism, one of the Scottish para- 
 phrases, and the names of the books of the 
 Old and New Testaments in their order, 
 both backwards and forwards ; which last 
 exercise was regarded by Aunt Grizel as in- 
 dispensable to her spiritual welfare. After 
 this, she was allowed to read, or to do 
 what she pleased, until tea, or until Fraulein 
 Meyer, who had meanwhile been passing 
 the time with her friend Mrs. Cleghorn, 
 should think ht to appear and convey her 
 home. After Elsie's confirmation the re- 
 ligious exercises were discontinued, but still 
 her Sundays were spent with her aunt. No 
 wonder Miss Grizel was restless and troubled 
 that evening ; she had schooled herself to 
 believe that Elsie's departure was the best 
 thing that could happen under the circum- 
 stances, but it was like losing the light of 
 her eyes to part with the girl. One of her 
 maxims, however, was that the young should
 
 CHAP. IV. A LILY AMONG THORNS 6i 
 
 be taught to think themselves of no import- 
 ance to their elders, so she would show no 
 outward sign of regret when Elsie bade her 
 good-bye. 
 
 ' If Robert had only taken my advice and 
 married ten years ago — but he was always a 
 thrawn creature,' she said to herself. 'What 
 ailed him at Margaret Ferguson ? But what 
 is done is done, it is just a dispensation of 
 Providence, and all is ordered for the best.' 
 With this pious reflection, rather doubtfully 
 uttered, however. Aunt Grizel betook herself 
 to bed.
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 ' What I ha'e done through lack of wit 
 I never, never can reca'; 
 I trust you're a' my friends as yet, 
 Good-night, and joy be with you a'. ' 
 
 Elsie's few last days at Rossie were fast 
 slipping away, and some of her farewell visits 
 had already been paid. She had none to 
 make amongst those ^ of her own class, for 
 her only friends in the neighbourhood. Lord 
 and Lady Ochil, at Drumsheugh, were then 
 absent, to her great regret. For the last 
 year or two, indeed, she had scarcely seen 
 them, except on the Sundays when they 
 came to St. Ethernans to church, as the 
 Laird had unluckily taken offence at Lord 
 Ochil for some trifiing cause, and difficulties 
 were apt to be raised whenever Elsie wished 
 to visit them. It was a great loss to the
 
 CHAP. V. A LIL V AMONG THORNS 63 
 
 girl ; she was a favourite with Lady Ochil, 
 who was a kind motherly woman with a 
 number of children of her own. ' A set of 
 wild, ill -behaved brats,' Aunt Grizel called 
 them, but Elsie delighted in a day or two 
 spent at Drumsheugh amongst all the noise 
 and merriment, and the change from the 
 monotonous life at Rossie was very good for 
 her. 
 
 About the farmsteading and in the cot- 
 tages, however, Elsie had many friends, and 
 she was careful that not one should be 
 omitted in her round of visits. 
 
 ' I wonder if there is anything they would 
 like before I go,' she thought. So she ran- 
 sacked all her little possessions for parting 
 gifts, and where there were children she dis- 
 tributed pots of jam, despoiling the store- 
 room without remorse. 
 
 ' If Euphemia is so good at making jam, 
 she may just make an extra quantity this 
 year,' she remarked aside to Hans as she 
 filled her baskets. Then she set off with 
 her gifts, offering to every one as well her
 
 64 A LILY AMONO THORNS parti. 
 
 pretty words of regret at leaving them. 
 There was Sandy Duncan the grieve, and 
 his wife, and the farm-labourers, with their 
 wives and families, who lived in the row of 
 cottages below the steading. There was 
 Angus Cameron the shepherd, a Highlander 
 from Lochaber, whose cottage stood all by 
 itself amongst the fields of short grass near 
 the sea. He had a wife too, and innumer- 
 able red-haired children, who were continually 
 being caught trespassing in the woods by the 
 Laird, and threatened by him with the utmost 
 rigour of the law. There was Miss Petrie 
 the seamstress, who inhabited quite a smart 
 little house, and made clothes for the whole 
 country-side. There was Tibbie Law the 
 old post-woman, who brought out the letters 
 and parcels daily, and whose cart and old 
 white horse were constantly to be seen on 
 the road between Rossie and St. Ethernans. 
 She was Invariably drunk, which was the 
 chief cause of the late postal delivery ; but 
 nobody seemed to notice or regret this circum- 
 stance, and no harm, curiously enough, ever
 
 CHAP. V. A LIL V AMONG THORNS 65 
 
 befell either her or her letter-bags. And be- 
 sides the people, there were all her favourite 
 haunts to be visited ; the ' den,' with its 
 pretty little brown burn, whose banks were 
 now yellow with primroses ; the hollow ash- 
 tree, where as a child she used to 'play at 
 houses,' and which was still handsomely fur- 
 nished with broken crockery ; and the shore, 
 which she liked best of all, but to which 
 Hans was not so partial, owing to the absence 
 of rabbits' holes. 
 
 Sandy Duncan and his wife stood at the 
 door of their cottage watching Elsie as she 
 went slowly home with her empty basket. 
 
 ' Oor young leddy,' observed Sandy 
 graciously, ' is railly an ornament till her 
 sect.' 
 
 'She's a bonny crater and a gude,' an- 
 swered his wife, wiping her eyes with her 
 apron. ' And her no to get leave to bide in 
 her ain mither's hoose ! The Laird should 
 tak' shame till himsel' — as he should. Siccan 
 a mairriage !' 
 
 'Woman,' said Sandy, with his usual 
 
 VOL. I. F
 
 66 A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 oratorical wave of the hand, 'ye ha'e nae 
 skeel o' the law. The estate o' Rossie, wi' a' 
 that appertains till't, would pass ' 
 
 ' Hoot awa wi' your estates, ye haverel ! ' 
 replied Mrs. Duncan with ineffable scorn, 
 yet willing to escape an argument to which 
 she felt herself unequal. ' I'm awa' to the 
 kye.' 
 
 So saying, she took up her milk-pails and 
 departed, cutting short an oration which her 
 husband was about to deliver on the whole 
 genealogy of the Rossie family, combined 
 with a homily on the impropriety of speaking 
 evil of * deegnities.' 
 
 It was Elsie's last day at home ; she was 
 to start for Edinburgh the next morning, and 
 she was sitting in the drawing-room writing 
 labels, or ' libels ' as Bella called them, for 
 her boxes. The day was wet, and the Laird 
 had been wandering disconsolately about the 
 house, as his custom was, when the weather 
 was unfavourable. He had now come into 
 the drawing-room, and Elsie became aware 
 that his eyes were fixed upon her as she
 
 CHAP. V. A LIL V AMONG THORNS 67 
 
 wrote. She looked up, pen in hand ; the 
 Laird eyed her fiercely. 
 
 ' Did you want anything, papa ? ' she 
 asked. 
 
 ' You're a good creature, Elsie. Your 
 mother was a good creature.' 
 
 With this remark, delivered with startling 
 abruptness, the Laird bolted out of the room, 
 leaving his daughter too entirely transfixed 
 with astonishment to move or speak. He 
 came back in a minute or two with a large 
 blue envelope in his hand. 
 
 * Have you money '^ ' he demanded. 
 
 * Not enough for my journey, papa. I 
 was going to ask you for some.' 
 
 ' Count that,' said the Laird. Elsie 
 obeyed. 
 
 ' But is not this more than I shall 
 
 need ? ' 
 
 'See that you travel respectably,' said her 
 father. ' I hate your cheap excursions. I 
 suppose you'll take that idiot with you.' 
 
 'That idiot' meant Janet, as all the house- 
 hold knew.
 
 68 A LIL V AMONG THORNS tart i. 
 
 ' Janet might see me into the train, papa, 
 if you think it best ; but I shall not take any- 
 body to England with me — except Hans, of 
 course.' 
 
 ' You're surely not going to take that 
 brute to any decent house ! ' said the Laird 
 with well-feigned astonishment. 
 
 * Aunt Caroline expects him,' answered 
 Elsie promptly. ' I wrote to tell her he was 
 coming.' 
 
 Her father glanced at Hans as he lay on 
 the rug in front of the fire, his sides some- 
 what distended after a recent meal ; he moved 
 the end of his tail deprecatingly on being 
 looked at, and turned up the white of one eye. 
 ' Far better have it destroyed,' murmured 
 the Laird. But this was not said decisively 
 or with authority, and Elsie knew that no 
 further objection would be raised against 
 Hans accompanying her. 'Your uncle will 
 pay your allowance regularly. I've made 
 arrangements, and I've doubled it. If they 
 don't treat you well at that place you can 
 come back.'
 
 CHAP. V. A LIL V AMONG THORNS 69 
 
 * When shall I come back, papa ? ' 
 
 The Laird did not answer for a moment, 
 then he turned to leave the room. 
 
 'Come back when you please, of course,' 
 said he as he went away. 
 
 Elsie's journey was rather a complicated 
 one. She drove to St. Ethernans and thence 
 took the ferry-boat, which crossed to Drum- 
 sheugh and back ' every lawful day.' From 
 Drumsheugh the coach conveyed her to Cross- 
 briggs Junction, where she had to wait half 
 an hour for the train going south to Edin- 
 burgh. She dismissed Janet, as the coach 
 returned immediately, and walked wearily up 
 and down the long gusty platform, leading 
 Hans by a little chain. A chill east wind 
 was blowing, sweeping disconsolately through 
 the draughty station, reddening the noses of 
 the passengers and blowing dust into their 
 eyes. Elsie could not help thinking how 
 unlovely her fellow -creatures looked under 
 these circumstances ; the men standing about 
 in groups discussing the price of barley or 
 some knotty point in politics, and clearing their
 
 ^o A LILY AMONG THORNS part i. 
 
 throats from time to time with unnecessary 
 vehemence. The women mostly looked cold 
 and careworn, standing huddled together in 
 knots of two or three, or sitting on the benches, 
 each grasping several baskets, bundles, or 
 babies, as the case might be ; while one or two 
 damsels, arrayed in what they were pleased 
 to call ' Pairis faashions,' walked up and down 
 arm in arm with a jaunty air. 
 
 The half- hour had lengthened out into 
 three-quarters; at last the porter rang a 
 huge bell just behind Elsie's ear, and the 
 train came thundering up. She took Hans 
 in her arms, and was, in her anxiety, about to 
 struggle into a smoking compartment, when 
 ' Allow me, Miss Ross,' said a voice close to 
 her, and Elsie recognised the well-known 
 accents of Mr. Macrae. ' Permit me to 
 assist you — you will find the next carriage 
 more commodious.' 
 
 * Oh, thank you, Mr. Macrae,' said Elsie, 
 glad to see him for the first time in her life, 
 as he put her and her possessions into the 
 carriage.
 
 CHAP. V. A LILY AMONG THORNS yi 
 
 ' And there is your canine favour- 
 ite. Poor little fellow!' said Mr. Macrae, 
 attempting to pat Hans, who was ungrate- 
 ful enough to reply with a growl. 'Vigilant 
 as ever, I see ! ' he continued magnani- 
 mously. ' A capital guardian, Miss Ross, 
 first-class !' 
 
 'It is very bad of him to growl at his 
 friends,' said Elsie, who felt quite warmed and 
 cheered by the friendly voice and manner. 
 'Thank you so much — good-bye!' and the 
 train moved slowly off, leaving Mr. Macrae 
 standing on the platform flourishing his hat 
 with much grace. 
 
 Once more Elsie caught sight of the bay 
 and the hills before the railway line took a 
 turn to the west. She looked out for them 
 anxiously. It had been cloudy when she 
 crossed the ferry, so that the higher hills were 
 hidden, and to the fanciful girl there came a 
 thought that she would look upon this view 
 for the last time, and that its aspect, whether 
 dark or bright, would be a portent of her 
 future life. She had expected the scene to
 
 72 A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 be gloomy and threatening ; but when it 
 came into sight she could scarcely repress a 
 cry of wonder. 
 
 Before her lay a milk-white sea ; the heavy 
 cloud-masses had rolled back and now hung 
 over the hills, which shaded in colour from 
 blue-black to violet. As she looked, the 
 clouds overhead parted a little, and a ray of 
 light struck down upon the white water, 
 changing it to pale gold. It was a strange 
 and beautiful sight, and one which Elsie 
 never forgot ; but a moment later the train 
 dashed into a tunnel, and she saw the sea no 
 more.
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 ' Oh ! Leezie, lass, ye maun ken little 
 If sae be ye dinna ken me, 
 For I am Lord Ronald Macdonald, 
 A chieftain of high degree. ' 
 
 In the drawing-room of No. — Regent 
 Place, Edinburgh, two ladies were sitting, 
 a mother and daughter. The room was 
 evidently prepared for company ; the chairs 
 and sofas had been stripped of their chintz 
 covers, and appeared in all the glory of 
 crimson plush and brass nails. They looked 
 almost as if they missed their covering, and 
 were uneasily conscious of their bare legs and 
 arms. Most of the furniture had been pushed 
 back against the wall, leaving a large empty 
 space in the middle of the floor, which might 
 be very necessary when the room was 
 crowded with guests, but, in the meantime.
 
 74 A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 presented a somewhat waste and desert 
 appearance. In the inner drawing-room, 
 beyond the large folding door, a table was 
 laid for tea. Sugar and cream were there, 
 and cakes of different sorts, also vast numbers 
 of teacups and saucers, but nothing hot had 
 as yet made its appearance. The polished 
 hearth had been newly swept, and the fire 
 made as small as it is possible for a fire 
 to be. 
 
 ' Now they can come as soon as they like, 
 Margaret,* said Mrs. Ferguson, opening the 
 window as she spoke, to let in a little more of 
 the keen east wind. * I think the room is 
 well aired.' 
 
 * Dear me, yes, mother,' said Margaret 
 rather crossly, 'it's very cold.' 
 
 * It'll be hot enough before we're done,' 
 said Mrs. Ferguson with a sigh. 
 
 ' I do think, mother,' Margaret said, 
 walking to the window and shutting it with a 
 snap, * you could not have chosen a more 
 awkward day for your tea-party. Elsie Ross 
 will be here long before they're all gone.'
 
 CHAP. VI. A LILY AMONG THORNS 75 
 
 * Well, what does it matter ? ' answered 
 her mother. ' She'll just come in for a nice 
 chat with a few friends.' 
 
 'She'll come in for cold tea, that's cer- 
 tain,' said Margaret. ' But, hark ! there's 
 the door-bell' 
 
 Mrs. Ferguson smoothed out her silk 
 dress, and looked around her with compla- 
 cency ; Margaret also summoned up a hos- 
 pitable smile. Both ladies were fond of 
 society and a little gossip, but their rather 
 limited means prevented them from giving 
 any very costly entertainments to their 
 friends, and their style of living was, per- 
 haps, a little old-fashioned. One or two la^^ge 
 afternoon teas, as on the present occasion, 
 and a great number of smaller ones, were 
 usually the extent of their home gaieties 
 during the season. 
 
 Margaret Ferguson could scarcely be 
 called 2. young lady, though her manner and 
 dress were youthful for her time of life, which 
 might be thirty -five or thereabouts. She 
 was still handsome and well-preserved; a
 
 76 A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 fine figure of a woman, her friends used to 
 say of her. Her dark brown hair was still 
 abundant, and she made the most of it ; her 
 eyes were also fine, and she could use them 
 in a manner which was considered highly 
 effective. She was fond too of a little 
 showiness in dress, and wore that afternoon 
 a gown of some brown material, relieved by 
 trimmings of bright yellow silk ; amber beads 
 were round her neck, and at her throat were 
 two or three of the star-shaped yellow daffo- 
 dils then in flower. Mrs. Ferguson had 
 been a beauty in her day, though few traces 
 of it now remained. She was a stout, com- 
 fortable-looking lady, easy-going and good- 
 humoured. She, like her daughter, was fond 
 of ornament, but, in consideration of her 
 widowed state, her dress was of black silk, 
 adorned only with numerous jet beads and 
 bugles. 
 
 The peals at the door-bell soon became 
 incessant, and the room began to fill rapidly. 
 Margaret's tea-table was surrounded by a 
 circle of young men, with whom her good
 
 CHAP. VI. A LILY AMONG THORNS 77 
 
 looks and lively manner rendered her very 
 popular. She made them useful in handing 
 round cakes and cups of tea, and kept up a 
 continual flow of talk and laughter in the 
 inner room, towards which all the young 
 people of the party were gradually attracted ; 
 some of the girls talking to the young men of 
 their acquaintance, others grouped together, 
 confidentially discussing their partners at the 
 last ball, or descanting upon the ugliness of 
 their friends' clothes. 
 
 In the larger drawing-room, where Mrs. 
 Ferguson presided, more serious subjects 
 were under discussion. The younger married 
 ladies drew together, and compared their 
 children's ages and constitutions, or condoled 
 with one another on the shortcomings of their 
 servants ; while the elder matrons and spin- 
 sters were long since embarked on floods of 
 church gossip, according to their different 
 denominations ; varied by a little mild scandal, 
 and some dissertations upon diseases. 
 
 Next to Mrs. Ferguson, in the chair of 
 state, sat a large and ponderous lady in a
 
 78 A LIL Y AMONG THORNS part i. 
 
 velvet mantle. There was, somehow, an 
 appearance of wealth about her, which com- 
 manded every one's respect, and her opinion 
 was listened to with deference. This lady- 
 belonged, in fact, to no less a family than the 
 Stewarts of Knockbrichachan, and, having 
 married Mr. Macdonald- Smith, a wealthy 
 wine-merchant, there was no end to her im- 
 portance, or to the respect which she in- 
 spired. 
 
 ' I think,' said Mrs. Ferguson to this 
 personage, ' I saw your carriage at the door 
 of St. Barnabas' Church on Sunday after- 
 noon.' 
 
 ' I went to hear your new curate,' replied 
 Mrs. Macdonald -Smith. ' He looks very 
 emaciated, poor young man. Have you made 
 his acquaintance ? ' 
 
 ' He's scarcely to be seen out of the pulpit,' 
 said Mrs. Ferguson, shaking her head. ' I 
 asked him to his dinner a while ago, but no ! 
 he wasn't going out. I forget the reason — 
 it was one of their church days, I think, when 
 they stay in.'
 
 CHAP. VI. A LIL V AMONG THORNS 79 
 
 ' Ah, well ! very proper, I daresay,' said 
 Mrs. Macdonald-Smith. ' Duties are differ- 
 ent in different stations. Did you and your 
 daughter go to the New Club ball, Mrs. 
 Ferguson ? ' 
 
 * Oh yes ! we did, and very good it was. 
 Margaret was dancing away — she never tires. 
 A terrible want of gentlemen, though ! I 
 was quite sorry for the poor girls that got 
 no dancing. There they were, poor things, 
 standing round the wall thick ! each with 
 their programme in their hands, and never a 
 partner to their name ! ' And kind Mrs. 
 Ferguson sighed deeply at the recollection of 
 this moving spectacle. 
 
 ' By the bye, Mrs. Macdonald-Smith,' she 
 continued presently, ' we are expecting a 
 young friend this afternoon, who will make a 
 sensation, I'm thinking, when she comes out. 
 I'm not sure but what she's a connection of 
 yours — Elsie Ross of Rossie. She's Helen 
 Lindsay's daughter — do you recollect ker f ' 
 
 ' Helen Lindsay } I remember her well, 
 and a beautiful creature she was,' said Mrs.
 
 8o A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 Macdonald-Smith, with more animation than 
 she had hitherto displayed. ' You are quite 
 right, Mrs. Ferguson, she was related to the 
 Stewarts. Does her daughter inherit her 
 good looks ? ' 
 
 * Well — she's a graceful creature,' said Mrs. 
 Ferguson, considering. ' A mere slip of a 
 thing, you know — wants filling out — but 
 pretty, and a nice frank girl too. No awk- 
 ward schoolgirl ways about her. Margaret 
 thinks she'll be a beauty — I've not seen 
 her for two years. It's almost time she was 
 here,' she added, glancing at the clock on the 
 chimney-piece. 
 
 ' I hope you won't hurry away, Mrs. Mac- 
 donald-Smith,' — as that lady showed signs of 
 moving, — ' it will be a real pleasure to intro- 
 duce her to you.' 
 
 By this time some of the guests had de- 
 parted, and the rooms were becoming empty. 
 Margaret still appeared engrossed in conver- 
 sation, but all the time she kept a bright look- 
 out, and she was the first to hear the door- 
 bell which announced Elsie's arrival. In a
 
 CHAP. VI. A LILY AMONG THORNS 8i 
 
 minute she was on the stair, and stood still to 
 make sure that it was the expected guest, 
 reflecting with some vexation that, after 
 a long journey, Elsie's appearance would 
 scarcely be calculated to make the impression 
 she desired. ' And dressed in black, too, I 
 declare, like a little nun/ she said half impa- 
 tiently, as a slender dark figure emerged from 
 the cab, leading a little brown dog by a chain. 
 
 ' Well ! Elsie dear,' — flying downstairs to 
 meet her and kissing her warmly, — ' how are 
 you ? Very tired after your journey ? So 
 you've brought your little dog — that's right ! 
 Trouble ? not a bit ! bring a whole kennel if 
 you like. My dear child, we've got a tea- 
 party. Come into this room a minute.' 
 
 She hastily drew the girl into a large bed- 
 room on the ground-floor, filled with ladies' 
 cloaks and wraps. ' You won't mind coming 
 upstairs to see them for a little ? They'll 
 soon be gone.' 
 
 ' If my clothes are good enough,' said 
 Elsie doubtfully, rather anxious for an ex- 
 cuse not to appear. 
 
 VOL. I. G
 
 82 A LIL V AMONG THORNS part i. 
 
 ' You look very nice, dear. Take off your 
 heavy jacket, and let me arrange your hand- 
 kerchief. So! If only I had a flower to 
 pin here ! Ah ! you've got one yourself, 
 clever child ! ' as Elsie offered her a bunch 
 of dark velvety auriculas, which she had 
 brought from home. 
 
 ' There ! they look lovely against the 
 cream-coloured handkerchief. Keep on your 
 hat — it's very becoming — now ! Oh, the 
 dog! Jo-an!' she called — Elsie's eyebrows 
 went up in a little surprise — ' Jo-an !' and one 
 of the maids who had been carrying in the 
 trunks appeared. 
 
 * Here, Jo-an, is Miss Ross's dog — give it 
 some food, and keep it till the company's 
 gone. And — stop, Jo-an, don't let it worry 
 the cat. Come along, Elsie darling.' 
 
 Elsie submitted to be led to the drawing- 
 room, feeling rather confused at the buzz of 
 strange voices which greeted her ears. Mar- 
 garet placed her in a chair by the tea-table, 
 and glanced round her for a moment. * Well, 
 Captain Foulis, you look very tired,' she said,
 
 CHAP. VI. A LILY AMONG THORNS Z^ 
 
 addressing a young man who was leaning 
 languidly against the door. ' Are you too 
 exhausted to fetch me the tea-pot and kettle 
 from the next room ? They're by the fire.' 
 
 The young man seemed a trifle unwilling, 
 but went obediently. 
 
 ' He gives himself ridiculous airs,' whis- 
 pered Margaret — 'he's very well connected, 
 though — and dances beautifully. Many 
 thanks,' said she aloud, taking the things 
 from him. ' You really deserve a reward. 
 Let me introduce you to Miss Ross, Captain 
 Foulis.' 
 
 Elsie looked round in vain for Mrs. 
 Ferguson ; but that lady, all unconscious of 
 her arrival, was serenely prattling on to her 
 friends in the larger room, whither Elsie had 
 not yet been conducted. There was no help 
 for it — she must drink her tea and make 
 conversation for Captain Foulis ; who, after 
 pulling his moustache and gazing at the ceil- 
 ing as if in thought, at length drew a chair 
 close to her, and proceeded to make himself 
 as agreeable as he knew how.
 
 84 A LILY AMONG THORNS part i. 
 
 She overheard Margaret meanwhile giving 
 warm invitations to several young people for 
 a dance the following evening. ' Just a few 
 couples, you know — nothing grand,' she said. 
 * Captain Foulis, I hope you will come if 
 you've nothing better to do. Can you ? at 
 eight o'clock — just a small early affair.' 
 
 The well-connected one, after again con- 
 sulting the ceiling, replied that he would 
 leave it open, if she didn't mind. He did 
 not exactly remember what his engagements 
 were, but would ' put in an appearance ' if he 
 could. He then took leave, and Elsie said 
 hastily, ' Margaret, where is Mrs. Ferguson ?' 
 
 Margaret laughed, and led her into the 
 next room. She was going to have teased 
 her mother jestingly about her inattention to 
 her guest, but the presence of Mrs. Mac- 
 donald- Smith awed her into decorum, and 
 made even Mrs. Ferguson's kindly greeting 
 a little stiffer than it would naturally have 
 been. Elsie was presented to the great lady 
 in due form ; and the latter, after surveying 
 her through her gold -rimmed eyeglass, was
 
 CHAP. VI. A LILY AMONG THORNS 85 
 
 condescending enough to discover that she 
 possessed the form of eyebrow peculiar to 
 the Stewarts of Knockbrichachan. ' Mine 
 are exactly the same shape, my dear, you 
 will observe,' said she. She then proceeded 
 to examine Elsie as to her precise degree of 
 relationship to that illustrious house, on which 
 point she found her lamentably ignorant. 
 
 'And then they intermarried, my dear, 
 with the Lindsays of Corinzean. That re- 
 minds me, Mrs. Ferguson, I have a letter 
 from my good old friend, Mrs. Macdonald 
 of Ardvoira. They are expecting the young 
 heir to be down this summer ; he is home 
 from India on leave. A very fine youth, I 
 am told.' 
 
 * Indeed ?' said Mrs. Ferguson. ' He'll be 
 Lord Corinzean too some day, will he not ? 
 Now attend, Elsie ! this is your cousin, you 
 know, only once removed. His father and 
 your mother were first cousins.' 
 
 ' His mother. Lady Eleanor, is married 
 again,' said Mrs. Macdonald-Smith quickly, 
 'to a Mr. Fitzgerald — Irish extraction, I
 
 A LILY AMONG THORNS 
 
 fancy — and she has a younger son ; not a 
 Fitzgerald though — a Lindsay. There are 
 several between young David Lindsay and 
 the peerage, but he'll come to it through 
 time. That is, humanly speaking, of course.' 
 — A sigh. * Those Corinzeans have no right 
 to be long-lived.' 
 
 Elsie was tired, and felt no interest in 
 the subject. She was familiar with the 
 names, Ardvoira, Knockbrichachan, Corin- 
 zean (pronounced Coringan), as she had 
 heard them from Aunt Grizel, who was also 
 fond of genealogical research, and they had 
 invariably wearied her very much. * It is 
 very hard,' thought she, * that I should be 
 annoyed with them here as well ;' and great 
 was her relief when Mrs. Macdonald-Smith 
 departed, followed presently by the other 
 guests. 
 
 The energetic Margaret now came bust- 
 ling up. 
 
 'Well !' said she, ' I don't think it went off 
 badly at all. Dear me ! how tired you both 
 look!'
 
 CHAP. VI. A LILY AMONG THORNS 87 
 
 Mrs. Ferguson had sunk back in her arm- 
 chair, and, casting her company manners to 
 the winds, was mopping her face and fanning 
 herself with her pocket handkerchief. 
 
 ' Oh, my dears !' said she, ' what a day this 
 has been ! Oh me, but it's warm ! Margaret, 
 open a bit o' the window.' 
 
 ^Well, mother, go and He down on your 
 bed if you're tired, and don't get rheumatism. 
 I'll send Jo-an to set the room to rights. 
 Elsie, come upstairs, dear child.' 
 
 She took Elsie to the room prepared for 
 her ; and, with real kindness, as she noticed 
 the girl's weary looks, attended to her wants, 
 and made her promise to take ' a good rest.' 
 
 Finally, she fetched Hans, whose delight 
 at being restored to his mistress expressed 
 itself in curious little squeaks, and in scamper- 
 ing round the room with his tail arched until 
 he was quite exhausted, and had to lie down, 
 panting.
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 * Enter Thames with two attendants. 
 
 Thames. Here I am, sir. 
 
 Puff. Very well, indeed ! See, gentlemen, there's a river for 
 you ! 
 
 Sneer. But pray, who are those gentlemen in green with him ? 
 Puff. Those ? — those are his banks. 
 Sneer. His banks ? 
 
 Puff. Yes, one crowned with alders and the other with a villa — 
 you take the allusions ?' 
 
 This was not by any means Elsie's first visit 
 to the Fergusons. She had spent a Httle 
 time with them In Edinburgh nearly every 
 year, and on former occasions had gener- 
 ally enjoyed herself very much. Margaret 
 amused her and was kind ; the streets and 
 shops were full of fascination to the country 
 girl ; and the exceeding beauty of the town 
 was in itself a happiness to her. But some- 
 how, this time, the Fergusons and their
 
 CHAP. VII. A LIL V AMONG THORNS 89 
 
 surroundings weaned her inexpressibly. She 
 felt sad and depressed at leaving home, 
 where at least she was free, and not utterly 
 dependent upon others ; she longed to escape 
 from Margaret's restless activity and Mrs. 
 Ferguson's perpetual small gossip ; their 
 thoughts and ways were not, and never could 
 be, hers ; and a feeling of dismay crept over 
 her, as she thought what her life would be if 
 her new relations did not prove more con- 
 genial to her. 
 
 She was not left long, however, to indulge 
 in these or any other speculations ; Margaret 
 soon came in to stir her up, and for the rest 
 of her visit she was never left alone again. 
 The next day was spent in shopping, paying 
 calls, and in a revision of Elsie's wardrobe, 
 at which Mrs. Ferguson assisted, though 
 her opinion was treated with contempt by 
 her daughter, who was only disposed to agree 
 with her when she remarked that Elsie's 
 dresses were much too ' sombre ' for a girl of 
 her age. Margaret was feverishly anxious 
 that her dance should be a success, and that
 
 90 A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 Elsie should make a good appearance at it, 
 so part of the afternoon was devoted to an 
 impromptu dancing lesson ; Mrs. Ferguson 
 being set to play dance music, in which both 
 she and Margaret excelled. This Elsie quite 
 enjoyed, as she did the dance itself, although 
 she dreaded it beforehand, and had gone 
 through a good deal of worry over her 
 dressing. However, even Margaret found 
 her white India muslin frock pretty and 
 suitable, and rejected with scorn the scarlet 
 geraniums with which Mrs. Ferguson pro- 
 posed to 'lighten it up.' Everything went 
 off admirably, as Margaret's entertainments 
 usually did ; and she felt amply repaid for 
 the trouble she had taken, as she watched 
 Elsie's lovely face, and the childish grace of 
 her movements, and saw how much she was 
 sought after. 
 
 'You are quite a success, my child!' she 
 exclaimed enthusiastically, as she lit Elsie's 
 bedroom candle. ' I should like to have you 
 here longer ! All the young men would be 
 at your feet. You might be a little more
 
 CHAP. VII. A LILY AMONG THORNS 91 
 
 free and easy with them though — they Hke it 
 better.' 
 
 ' Margaret,' said Elsie solemnly, sitting 
 down on the edge of her bed, ' I am perfectly 
 sick of young men. Do you know how many 
 I have had introduced to me since I came 
 here V 
 
 Margaret stared at her. 
 
 'Good gracious, child!' she said, * how 
 many then ?' 
 
 * No less than sixteen!' replied Elsie, 
 keeping her large eyes fixed upon Margaret 
 with a tragic expression. 'And they all 
 made exactly the same remarks.' 
 
 * Well, what would you have ? ' said 
 Margaret. ' They don't set up to be geniuses. 
 And as to their number, let me tell you, 
 Elsie, that it is not everybody here, in Edin- 
 burgh, who could have collected sixteen 
 agreeable, well-bred young men in two 
 days.' 
 
 Elsie blushed at this reproof, the severity 
 of which was unlike Margaret's usual gay 
 good-nature.
 
 92 A LIL V AMONG THORNS part i. 
 
 'Oh no, Margaret dear!' said she, fearing 
 she had been rude, ' I know that — and I 
 think it very clever of you to collect them, 
 and very kind — but — I can't talk to them as 
 you do. I do not think I feel to care about 
 young men much.' 
 
 'You're a perfect baby, that's what you 
 are,' said Margaret good-humouredly. ' It's 
 time you were in bed, so I'll go.' 
 
 ' Good-night, Margaret,* said Elsie, kissing 
 her affectionately. ' I liked the dance very, 
 very much.' 
 
 As the Fergusons will not appear again 
 in these pages, which are merely a chronicle 
 of Elsie Ross's experiences, it may be well 
 to mention here that Margaret was married 
 a year or two later to Dr. Ainslie, a physician 
 of considerable celebrity, who inhabited a 
 handsome house at the west end of the town. 
 Here Margaret was able to go more into 
 society, and to give entertainments during 
 the Edinburgh season of a most brilliant and 
 fashionable kind. As Mrs. Ferguson con- 
 tinued to live with her daughter, she was no
 
 CHAP. VII. A LILY AMONG THORNS 93 
 
 less benefited by the change in her circum- 
 stances. 
 
 Elsie and Hans quitted Edinburgh the 
 following morning, and in due time arrived 
 at King's Cross. As she stepped upon the 
 platform and looked around her bewildered, 
 a footman in blue and yellow livery came up, 
 and touched his hat rather doubtfully. 
 
 ' Are you from General Lindsay ?' she 
 asked, a little surprised. ' How kind of 
 them,' she added mentally, ' to send a foot- 
 man to meet me ! and such an enormous one 
 too!' and she surveyed William's six feet of 
 stature with some admiration. 
 
 ' Yes, miss,' said the footman. ' I will 
 attend to your luggage, miss, and your — 
 ahem — dawg. Parkins is here, miss, if you 
 please.' 
 
 ' These are both my boxes. Please show 
 me which is Parkins. I will keep the dog.' 
 
 Mindful of Marjorie's story, Elsie had 
 expected to find in Parkins a smart, youthful- 
 looking lady's-maid, and could hardly believe 
 her eyes when a little wizened elderly woman.
 
 94 A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 soberly dressed, and carrying a large reticule, 
 accosted her. She felt the sharp little black 
 eyes scrutinising her critically, but Parkins 
 addressed her in honeyed tones : 'Miss 
 Ross ! This will be a happy day for my 
 dear master and mistress. You must be 
 very much fatigued, miss ?' 
 
 * Thank you for coming to meet me, 
 Parkins,' said Elsie with a smile. ' I did not 
 expect it. Are we to sleep in London ?' 
 
 * I have engaged rooms, miss, at a nice 
 quiet 'otel. Mistress thought, if you were 
 not too tired, we might travel 'ome to-morrow 
 afternoon.' 
 
 Elsie made no objection, but got into the 
 cab, while Parkins produced a telegraph form 
 from her reticule, and wrote as follows : — 
 ' From Priscilla Parkins, King's Cross 
 Station, to Mrs. Lindsay, The Elms, Chip- 
 pingham. Our dear young lady just arrived. 
 Met at station by self and William. We 
 trust not over- fatigued. Train punctual.' 
 
 * Pray read it, miss,' said Parkins, present- 
 ing the document to Elsie with some pride.
 
 CHAP. VII. A LIL Y AMONG THORNS 95 
 
 * I think that will relieve dear mistress's 
 mind.' 
 
 Elsie warmly congratulated Parkins upon 
 her skill in writing telegrams, and particularly 
 upon the fact that there were exactly twenty 
 words in this message. The thoughtful 
 Parkins had, indeed, been engaged in its 
 composition for a considerable time before 
 Elsie's arrival, but she only answered 
 modestly, ' I 'ave 'ad the blessing of a good 
 education, miss, and I 'ope I 'ave profited by 
 it in some measure.' 
 
 William was now entrusted with the 
 missive, and charged to send it off at once, 
 after which the party proceeded to a small 
 hotel near Paddington Station, where they 
 passed the night. 
 
 The following forenoon was rather tedious 
 to Elsie ; it was spent in going to various 
 shops in a four-wheeled cab, accompanied by 
 the faithful Parkins, who refused to let her 
 charge out of her sight for an instant, and 
 who did not consider ' an 'ansom ' a respect- 
 able conveyance for a young lady.
 
 96 A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 The views of London to be obtained out 
 of a cab window are necessarily limited, and 
 Elsie's first impressions of the metropolis 
 were far from enthusiastic. In the afternoon 
 she and her attendants started on their 
 homeward journey, which was not a very 
 long one. 
 
 As they neared Chippingham Elsie looked 
 about her anxiously. She saw low flat 
 meadows, now beginning to be yellow with 
 buttercups ; wide ditches bordered with rows 
 of pollarded willows ; glimpses now and 
 again of a slow and stately river, full to the 
 brim, soaking through beds of rushes ; here 
 and there a snug little village, with neat 
 cottages and gardens, and orchard trees 
 covered with white and pink blossom. Then 
 rows of mean-looking brick houses, some 
 only half- built, a public -house, and a few 
 shops ; they were approaching a larger town. 
 
 ' Here we are, miss,' said Parkins, collect- 
 ing her parcels as the train entered the 
 station. 
 
 A brougham with a pair of sleek bay
 
 CHAP. VII. A LIL V AMONG THORNS 97 
 
 horses was awaiting them. They left the 
 town and drove leisurely along a suburban 
 road, with high brick walls on each side, 
 which shut in the villa gardens, until they 
 came to a large iron gate painted white, and 
 thrown hospitably open. Elsie's heart beat 
 fast as the wheels crunched upon the gravel 
 drive, and the carriage drew up at the door 
 of a good-sized red brick house of rather 
 uninteresting appearance. Elsie had neither 
 time nor inclination at that moment, however, 
 to criticise its exterior. She was greeted on 
 the threshold by a deafening chorus of 
 barking, as two pug dogs precipitated them- 
 selves upon Hans to his great terror, while 
 his mistress found herself tightly clasped in 
 the embrace of her Aunt Caroline. 
 
 A little woman, possessed of considerable 
 muscular strength of arm, — such was Elsie s 
 first impression ; she had to stoop low to kiss 
 her. 
 
 'My darling child!' said Mrs. Lindsay in 
 an agitated voice, at length releasing her. 
 She passed on to speak a word to Parkins, 
 
 VOL. I. H
 
 98 A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 and Elsie had time to observe her. A plump, 
 yet active little figure, in a prune-coloured 
 silk dress, an Indian shawl round her 
 shoulders, and on her head a mob-cap with 
 velvet bows. 
 
 * Shall I like her or dislike her ?' thought 
 Elsie, trying furtively to catch a view of her 
 aunt's face. But she could not make up her 
 mind. It was a bright, rather pleasant face, 
 and there was an air of decision and energy 
 about her which, upon the whole, attracted 
 Elsie. There was not a silver thread in the 
 black hair, but the cap with its lace frills 
 which Mrs. Lindsay wore gave a softness to 
 the face which perhaps it had lacked in 
 youth ; the black eyes were piercing and a 
 trifle hard. 
 
 The first greetings over, Elsie was led 
 into the drawing-room, a large airy room on 
 the ground-floor. The furniture was modern, 
 but there was no ' high art ' or aesthetic 
 colouring about it, everything was bright 
 even to gaudiness. The walls were white 
 and gold, so were the doors ; the chairs and
 
 CHAP. VII. A LILY AMONG THORNS 99 
 
 sofas were covered, some with a bright 
 chintz, others with bead and worsted work in 
 various patterns. Beside Mrs. Lindsay's 
 easy-chair stood a work-table Httered over 
 with scraps of caHco of many colours. The 
 French windows opened upon the garden ; 
 outside there was a verandah, where a great 
 wisteria grew, twisting and climbing round 
 the pillars. When this was in flower it 
 formed a perfect bower of bloom, but now 
 the brown shoots were just coming out, 
 and it was merely conspicuous by its rough 
 knotted stem. 
 
 A thin, middle-aged lady rose from a 
 wicker arm-chair as they entered, and came 
 to meet them with a sort of nervous haste. 
 The crotchet shawl she had been working 
 dropped from her hands, and instantly 
 became a prey to the larger of the two 
 pugs, whose indiscreet behaviour showed that 
 he had scarcely yet emerged from puppy- 
 hood. The lady was introduced as ' my dear 
 cousin and friend. Miss Maynard.' She 
 advanced hurriedly towards Elsie and made
 
 loo A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 one or two movements in the direction of her 
 face, as if uncertain whether to kiss her or 
 not. Elsie bent to receive the salute, 
 but finding that Miss Maynard only made 
 one or two ineffectual little dabs in the 
 air, she at length decided to give up the 
 attempt. 
 
 * But where is my dearest Henry?' cried 
 Mrs. Lindsay. 
 
 * He was here but a moment ago,' answered 
 Miss Maynard, eagerly looking round her on 
 the floor, as if she hoped to pick up General 
 Lindsay off the carpet. But his wife darted 
 into the passage, and presently returned 
 clinging to the arm of an old gentleman, who, 
 it turned out, had been vainly searching for 
 his niece amongst the luggage. 
 
 'Here is our dear niece, my Henry ! ' said 
 Mrs. Lindsay, with deep feeling in her tone. 
 
 * Eh, what ? ' said the General, folding 
 Elsie in another embrace. ' I am glad to see 
 you ; I forget your name, my dear — Helen, 
 eh?' 
 
 'No, Uncle Henry, Elsie — Elsie Ross.
 
 CHAP. VII. A LIL V AMONG THORNS loi 
 
 Helen was my mother's name,' she added 
 softly. 
 
 Elsie had not expected to find her great- 
 uncle so old and feeble-looking a man. He 
 must have been at least twenty years older 
 than his wife, who looked upwards of fifty. 
 His features were finely chiselled, and his 
 complexion had the ivory whiteness of one 
 which had been fair in youth. A black velvet 
 skull-cap covered his bald head, and a long 
 silvery white beard added to his venerable 
 appearance. 
 
 He took up a position on the hearthrug 
 and surveyed his niece with evident com- 
 placency, rubbing his hands and chuckling to 
 himself. 
 
 'And how did you leave them all at 
 Rossie ? ' said he. ' Father got married, I 
 hear. Grand wedding, eh ? ' 
 
 Mrs. Lindsay shook her head and frowned 
 at her husband, but Elsie made answer 
 calmly, 'The wedding took place to-day, I 
 believe, Uncle Henry; it was to be very 
 quiet.'
 
 I02 A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 * Quiet, was it ? ' said the General. ' I 
 thought you would have been a bridesmaid.' 
 
 * Henry ! ' said Mrs. Lindsay. 
 
 *They should have made you a brides- 
 maid, my dear,' pursued the General, rubbing 
 his hands again. * Stepmother good-looking, 
 eh?' 
 
 'Hennery !' said Mrs. Lindsay — and a 
 dead silence fell upon the company. 
 
 At this juncture the General providentially 
 caught sight of Hans, which diverted his 
 attention. * Eh ! ' said he, * what's that '^. a 
 seal, eh ? ' 
 
 Everybody laughed at this, and Mrs. 
 Lindsay shook her husband playfully by the 
 shoulder. 
 
 * You foolish, dear man ! Put on your 
 spectacles,' said she. 
 
 Elsie hastened to apologise for bringing 
 Hans into a household which appeared to 
 be already so well provided with dogs, but 
 General Lindsay was fond of animals, and 
 Hans was soon at home upon his knee. 
 
 *And now, my love,' said Aunt Caroline
 
 CHAP. VII. A LILY AMONG THORNS 103 
 
 briskly, ' you would like to see your own 
 little nest, /daresay. Come, you and I will 
 go upstairs together.' 
 
 Mrs. Lindsay ushered Elsie upstairs ac- 
 cordingly, stopping several times during the 
 ascent to pant, not because she was in the 
 least out of breath, but in order to impress 
 upon her niece's mind the fact that an unusual 
 honour was being done her, and that it was 
 not every young visitor who was personally 
 conducted to her apartment. It is to be 
 feared that this mark of condescension was 
 lost upon Elsie, but her evident pleasure in 
 the room to which she was taken quite 
 satisfied her aunt. It was very bright and 
 fresh with its pink and white draperies. The 
 walls were hung with illuminated texts, and 
 the view from the window was the same as 
 that from the drawing-room, but more exten- 
 sive, for beyond the garden and the paddock 
 the river could be seen, with the boats and 
 barges passing up and down upon it. 
 
 ' What a beautiful river ! ' exclaimed Elsie 
 with delight.
 
 I04 A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 Mrs. Lindsay nodded patronisingly. *Your 
 uncle and I are very fond of our dear river,' 
 an answer which conveyed to her hearer's 
 mind the impression that it was their own 
 especial property ; but on learning afterwards 
 that it was the Thames, Elsie dismissed this 
 idea. 
 
 *As you have brought no attendant, my 
 love,' said Mrs. Lindsay, ' I have selected a 
 well-principled young housemaid specially to 
 wait upon you. Her name is Lucy Higgins, 
 and she is a member of Miss Maynard's 
 bible-class.' 
 
 She rang the bell as she spoke, and a 
 pretty neat-looking girl appeared, curtsying 
 and smiling. Then with another affectionate 
 embrace and benediction, Mrs. Lindsay left 
 the room.
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 ' The blackbird amid leafy trees, 
 The lark above the hill, 
 Let loose their carols when they please, 
 Are quiet when they will. . . . 
 
 ' But we are press'd by heavy laws ; 
 And often, glad no more, 
 We wear a face of joy, because 
 We have been glad of yore. ' 
 
 ' The Elms, Chippingham, April 30. 
 
 * My dear Aunt Grizel — I put off writing 
 my long letter till to-day, so that I might 
 have more to tell you. The journey to 
 London did not seem long, and they sent 
 two servants to meet me from here — Parkins 
 and a footman. My uncle and aunt are so 
 very kind, but I would rather not have had 
 P. London was very dark, and smelt of 
 cooking, but it may not be so in all parts of 
 the town ; I had not time to see it really well. 
 I came here yesterday, and I do think the
 
 io6 A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 country in England is beautiful, so green and 
 flowery. Think of the apple blossom being 
 all out, and the lilacs very nearly ! This 
 house is not exactly in the country ; it is a 
 villa, with a large garden, however, and the 
 river Thames is quite near, which I am very 
 glad of. Now I must tell you about my 
 uncle and aunt. Aunt Caroline is very 
 affectionate ; I have never been so much 
 kissed before. I do not quite like it, as I 
 have done nothing at all to deserve so much 
 kindness, and she may not like me when she 
 comes to know me. But I hope she will. 
 Uncle Henry is also full of affection. He is 
 old and rather deaf, and wears a skull-cap, 
 but he is very handsome still ; Aunt Caroline 
 is little and not pretty. There is another 
 lady here called Miss Maynard ; I do not 
 know what to say about her, except that she 
 is not strong, and seems rather afraid of Aunt 
 Caroline. If it were not ridiculous, I would 
 almost think she was afraid of me — I am sure 
 she is of Hans. You will see by this that 
 she is very nervous.
 
 CHAP. VIII. A LIL V AMONG THORNS 107 
 
 ' I have such a pretty room, with a view 
 over the river, and I am to have a maid all 
 to myself. There is a great number of ser- 
 vants in this house ; I tried to count them 
 when they came in to prayers, but I had not 
 time to finish. At dinner there are three 
 men-servants to wait — a butler, a footman, 
 and a page-boy. 
 
 ' They keep a few hens here, and two cows 
 to supply the house. The cows are Alderney, 
 and very pretty — I think very little of the 
 poultry. Aunt Caroline has two dogs, pugs, 
 whose names are Pompon and Bijou. The 
 latter is the son of the former ; he is twice as 
 big as his mother, and has not much sense. 
 
 * I hope you are well, dearest Aunt Grizel, 
 and have caught no cold — the wedding will 
 be over now. I never wrote such a long 
 letter before in my life, and must now stop. 
 I remain, your affectionate niece, 
 
 ' Elspeth Ross.' 
 
 Elsie's next letter was to her father ; it 
 ran as follows : —
 
 io8 A LILY AMONG THORNS part i. 
 
 * My dear Papa — I arrived here safely 
 yesterday afternoon. Uncle Henry and 
 Aunt Caroline are both very kind, and seem 
 pleased to see me. There is another lady 
 who lives here, Miss Maynard, Aunt Caro- 
 line's cousin. I am to study with her, as she 
 is very accomplished. The country here is 
 mostly in grass, which is well on, and all the 
 cows are out. They keep two Alderneys 
 here, so I do not suppose they get much for 
 the calves. Considering the fine pasture 
 hereabouts, I wonder the cattle are not better 
 looking. How are all your beasts ? I hope 
 Euphemia is also well, and that she received 
 the little parcel safely which I sent her from 
 London. Please excuse mistakes. — I am, 
 your affectionate daughter, Elsie.' 
 
 The whole morning after Elsie's arrival 
 was spent by her in composing and writing 
 the above epistles. Except for a brief note 
 to her father when she had been absent on 
 a few days' visit, either at Drumsheugh or in 
 Edinburgh, she had never had any practice
 
 CHAP. VIII. A LILY AMONG THORNS 109 
 
 in English composition, her letters to her 
 governess being in German. It may there- 
 fore be deemed high time that she should 
 pursue her studies under the superintendence 
 of the accomplished Miss Maynard. A 
 course of instruction was accordingly set on 
 foot, which occupied two hours of each morn- 
 ing, whilst Mrs. Lindsay read the newspapers 
 to her husband in his study, as it was 
 called. 
 
 Elsie found herself rather disappointed as 
 to the extent of Miss Maynard's attainments; 
 for she was really anxious to learn, and loved 
 knowledge for its own sake. Miss Maynard 
 possessed, as Aunt Caroline was wont to say, 
 ' a truly elegant mind.' She knew a little 
 French and Italian, a very little music, and 
 was fond of poetry in a feeble way. She 
 had also a faint glimmering of history, but 
 was very hazy as to facts. Of science she 
 was profoundly ignorant, partly on principle, 
 as she thought it tended to scepticism. She 
 was, moreover, so easily shocked, and so 
 fearful of anything which looked like immo-
 
 no A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 rality, that the readings in poetry were apt 
 to come to an abrupt termination. 
 
 Hans was, of course, always present dur- 
 ing those hours of study, and he and his 
 mistress were both so gentle that Miss May- 
 nard soon got over her nervous agitation, 
 and grew warmly attached to them. As she 
 became more at home, Elsie would put forth 
 her own arguments and views, at first to the 
 great surprise and alarm of her instructress. 
 
 * Miss Maynard,' she began one day, ' I 
 am shamefully ignorant' 
 
 * Indeed, my dear/ replied Miss Maynard, 
 ' I do not think you so very backward ; and 
 if you continue to persevere and to pay 
 attention, you will soon know as much as a 
 young lady of your age and station requires. 
 I so often deplore that fashion of the present 
 day, young women striving to be on a par 
 with those of the opposite sex.' 
 
 ' Oh, I don't mean that,' said Elsie, feeling 
 rather impatient of this sentiment, which she 
 was aware was borrowed from her Aunt 
 Caroline. * For Miss Maynard,' thought
 
 CHAP. VIII. A LILY AMONG THORNS iii 
 
 she, 'would never dare to deplore anything 
 by herself.' 
 
 ' I don't mean that, but there is so very 
 much in the world to learn about. Of course 
 no one can hope to know it all, but one might 
 at least try to learn something.' 
 
 Miss Maynard cleared her throat and 
 looked doubtful. 
 
 ' A little general information,' said she. 
 
 ' Yes,' replied Elsie, ' but the information 
 in this book' — glancing at the volume before 
 her, which was entitled The Keyhole of 
 Knowledge, A Manual of Useful Instruction 
 — 'is so very general. It deals with each 
 subject as if it were afraid of it.' 
 
 * Science,' said Miss Maynard, ' is far from 
 being a safe study. But if you really wish 
 to pursue it, my dear, here is a book which 
 has been recommended to me, called Peeps at 
 Physical Science, which, I am told, will afford 
 cultivation of the intellect without endanger- 
 ing our faith.' 
 
 ' Is our faith so easily endangered then ?' 
 asked Elsie. ' Dear Miss Maynard, I can-
 
 112 A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 not think it is really so shaky ; if it were, 
 it is scarcely worth having.' She took the 
 book from Miss Maynard's hand, and glanced 
 through it. ' I do not think,' she said, 'that 
 it would cultivate my intellect only to " peep " 
 at a thing. My mind is like a garden with 
 nothing in it — very well, this book is like a 
 hen scratching on the top, while what it 
 wants is to be dug with a spade. Now, 
 supposing we took up one branch of science 
 — I'll tell you what. Miss Maynard ; I'll take 
 up any one you like.' 
 
 Miss Maynard did not receive this hand- 
 some offer with enthusiasm. She sighed and 
 hesitated a good deal, and at last ventured to 
 hint that 'a little botany was a pleasing 
 study.' 
 
 Accordingly the study of botany was be- 
 gun, with some degree of zeal, and after a 
 little while it became quite a new interest to 
 Miss Maynard, although Elsie was still un- 
 satisfied. 
 
 These studies w^ere regarded by Aunt 
 Caroline with toleration, if not with sym-
 
 CHAP. VIII. A LILY AMONG THORNS 113 
 
 pathy. She herself found Httle pleasure in 
 books of any sort, and even disliked any one 
 to read in her presence. She occupied her- 
 self, as she expressed it, with the 'study of 
 character.' The good lady began with an 
 excellent opinion of her own worth and 
 talents, and did not expect any one else to 
 be equally gifted. At first her very strong 
 and emphatic expression of opinion upon 
 every subject, whether she knew anything 
 about it or not, filled Elsie with unfeigned 
 surprise ; but when she became better ac- 
 quainted with her aunt, she found that it was 
 one of that lady's articles of faith that what- 
 soever she herself thought, said, or did, must 
 be, not only right, but perfect. She was 
 very conscientious, and held strong and well- 
 defined religious opinions ; her own particular 
 creed being, of course, infallible. There was 
 no haziness in Mrs. Lindsay's mind, no soften- 
 ing shade. In her study of character, the 
 righteous and the wicked stood out before 
 her as two distinct classes, and she had no 
 difficulty in pronouncing who among her 
 
 VOL. I. I
 
 114 A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 acquaintance belonged to each. Elsie early 
 discovered that her father was a prominent 
 member of the latter class ; Aunt Caroline 
 disapproved of his very existence (on religious 
 grounds), any casual mention of him by his 
 daughter being received with a shake of the 
 head, an upturning of the eyes, and the sub- 
 ject would be dismissed as one too dark and 
 painful to be dwelt upon. But Elsie herself 
 was an object of her aunt's enthusiastic affec- 
 tion, and she was treated in every respect as 
 a daughter of the house. It had been a deep 
 disappointment to Mrs. Lindsay to have no 
 children of her own — she who was so admir- 
 ably fitted to bring them up ! Had it not 
 been for her well-known piety, and great 
 importance to mankind, she would almost 
 have regarded it as an oversight on the part 
 of Providence, to remedy which she had often 
 wished to adopt a child, but the unexpected 
 obstinacy of the General upon this point 
 prevented the project being carried into exe- 
 cution. He would have no one, he said, 
 except a relation of his own, asserting with
 
 CHAP. VIII. A LILY AMONG THORNS 115 
 
 some shrewdness, that his wife would soon 
 tire of her orphan ; who, without any claim 
 upon him, would still have to be supported. 
 On the death of his nephew, Colonel Lindsay, 
 however, the General proposed to adopt his 
 eldest son David, then a boy at school, but 
 his mother. Lady Eleanor, absolutely refused 
 to give him up, and when she married again 
 a few years later, she still adhered to that 
 resolution, although she encouraged the boy 
 to make frequent visits to his grand-uncle by 
 whom he was greatly beloved. 
 
 Elsie was very happy during the first few 
 weeks of her stay at Chippingham. She en- 
 joyed the fresh beauty of the spring weather, 
 which was almost a revelation to her; for 
 having spent her life on the east coast of 
 Scotland, she had hitherto entertained quite 
 an opposite opinion from the poets who speak 
 of the ' merry month of May.' The rigorous 
 punctuality and order of the household, and 
 all Aunt Caroline's curious little ways, at first 
 caused her nothing but amusement. The 
 only person who dared to contradict Mrs.
 
 il6 A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 Lindsay was Howell, the butler, or How'll, 
 as he was called by the General, who had 
 never lost his strong Scotch accent. Howell 
 was a most respectable personage, who could 
 do everything, at least such was the popular 
 idea. His subordinates were William, who 
 has already been mentioned, and an unfor- 
 tunate youth named Herbert, the page-boy, 
 who had been raised to that post on account 
 of his proficiency as a Sunday scholar. Her- 
 bert's talents, however, were not conspicuous 
 in any other direction ; he was constantly 
 getting Into scrapes, and was usually to be 
 seen in tears. In consequence of some rebuke 
 from one of his numerous superiors. He 
 had, amongst other vices, a curious knack of 
 losing the buttons from off his suit. Elsie 
 noticed with some interest that he never ap- 
 peared with his full complement of buttons, 
 and wondered why he always lost them off 
 the parts which showed most. One day at 
 dinner, Elsie, from her seat next her uncle, 
 observed a shining object In the spoonful of 
 soup he was about to convey to his mouth.
 
 CHAP. VIII. A LILY AMONG THORNS 117 
 
 With a sudden impulse she seized his arm, 
 the words she intended to utter resolving 
 themselves into an unearthly shriek. * A — ow! 
 don't eat that ! ' she said. 
 
 General Lindsay dropped his spoon, 
 imagining that his niece had suddenly 
 gone mad. Elsie was laughing too much to 
 explain; but the discreet Howell, with a severe 
 countenance, removed the plate, fished out 
 the substance, wiped it, and presented it 
 to his master on a salver. 
 
 'Eh V said the General — 'what's this, eh?' 
 
 * One of 'Erbert's buttons, sir,' replied 
 Howell sternly. 
 
 The guilty Herbert burst into tears, and 
 stood sobbing loudly, while an awe-stricken 
 silence fell upon the company. 
 
 * Take him away ! ' said Mrs. Lindsay, 
 waving her hand, as if he were a dish, and 
 the offender was accordingly removed by 
 William. 
 
 'You have saved your uncle, dear,' she 
 continued, turning to Elsie, * but — might it 
 not have been done in a more ladylike
 
 A LILY AMONG THORNS 
 
 manner ? Never forget who you are, what 
 you say, nor how you say it.' 
 
 No one had much appetite for the rest of 
 that meal, and for the most part there was 
 silence, only broken by Mrs. Lindsay saying 
 very severely to Miss Maynard, who was 
 overcome with emotion, 'Cecilia! unless those 
 are tears of joy they are uncalled for.' 
 
 The good-natured General began to utter 
 some deprecating grunts, but these were 
 quelled by his wife, who shook her forefinger 
 at him gravely ; while Elsie wondered why 
 any one should shed tears of joy because the 
 General had nearly swallowed a button in his 
 soup. 
 
 After dinner, Mrs. Lindsay, still preserving 
 the tragic sternness of her mood, retired to 
 the study with her husband, whence they did 
 not emerge till it was time for prayers. Mrs. 
 Lindsay always conducted family worship 
 herself, and that evening it was made par- 
 ticularly impressive, and abounded in awful 
 warnings to the idle and careless. 
 
 The results of this episode were, that
 
 CHAP. VIII. A LILY AMONG THORNS 119 
 
 Herbert's voice was thick with sobs for some 
 days afterwards ; and that ' an attack,' from 
 which the General suffered in the course of 
 the next fortnight, was attributed, by his 
 wife, to the shock his nervous system had 
 sustained on this occasion. 
 
 These attacks, which occurred from time 
 to time, were sufficiently alarming, to judge 
 from the perturbation into which the whole 
 household was thrown. What was their exact 
 nature remained a mystery, except, it may be 
 presumed, to the patient himself, his wife, the 
 doctor, and (it was believed) Parkins, who 
 was remarkable for her medical skill. 
 
 According to Mrs. Lindsay, her husband's 
 attacks proceeded from peculiar, and often, 
 as it would seem, remote causes. The un- 
 godliness of an acquaintance ; the misconduct 
 of a domestic ; any vexation or disappoint- 
 ment which befell Mrs. Lindsay herself ; or 
 the slightest worry or anxiety, were sufficient, 
 as she averred, to produce upon the General's 
 sensitive frame the most disastrous conse- 
 quences.
 
 I20 A LILY AMONG THORNS part 
 
 The first time after Elsie's arrival that 
 one of these attacks occurred, she was 
 greatly alarmed by the solemn bustle which 
 prevailed ; the long faces of her aunt and 
 Parkins, Miss Maynard's agitation, the ar- 
 rival of the doctor, and the whispered con- 
 sultations behind doors. 
 
 ' Is he very ill. Miss Maynard ? Is he 
 worse than usual ?' she asked anxiously. 
 
 * I don't know,' said Miss Maynard sob- 
 bing, ' I am so nervous, your aunt never tells 
 me.' 
 
 *Well, don't cry,' said Elsie kindly, ' I 
 will try and find out. Very likely he'll be 
 better to-morrow.' 
 
 She sallied forth accordingly in quest of 
 information, and went cautiously into the 
 passage which led to her uncle's room. As 
 she did so, a door opened, and Parkins 
 issued forth, carrying a plate with a mustard 
 plaster on it. Elsie hastened up to her, 
 'How is the Gen ' 
 
 * Don't get in my way, please, miss ' — and 
 Parkins vanished through the green baize door.
 
 CHAP. viir. A LILY AMONG THORNS 121 
 
 ' He must be very ill,' thought Elsie, too 
 anxious about her uncle to be as angry at 
 Parkins' rudeness as she would otherwise 
 have been. She walked away absently, and 
 next found herself in the dining-room, where 
 Howell was laying the cloth. 
 
 * Do you know, miss, whether Mrs. Lind- 
 say will dine this evening T he inquired. 
 
 ' I do not know, Howell ; I am afraid 
 General Lindsay is worse. Is this a very 
 bad attack, do you know ? ' 
 
 Howell looked with half contemptuous 
 pity at Elsie's white face and dilated eyes. 
 
 'There is no call to be alarmed, miss,' said 
 he in a cheerful tone, arranging the glasses 
 rapidly on the table. * The General often 'as 
 them, miss. He's something of an 'ippocon- 
 druck, he is.' 
 
 ' Thank you, Howell,' said Elsie, and she 
 went away, somewhat reassured, to console 
 Miss Maynard as best she might. 
 
 General Lindsay appeared again in public 
 the next day, looker a little whiter and more 
 fragile, but otherwise much as usual, and
 
 122 A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 Elsie was never quite so frightened again, 
 though she now became consumed with 
 curiosity as to the nature of her uncle's ail- 
 ment. She applied first to Miss Maynard, 
 although from her she did not expect to 
 receive much information. 
 
 ' What is the matter with him, Miss May- 
 nard ?' she asked. * Is it his heart, or his 
 liver, or what ?' 
 
 * I never inquired, dear,* returned Miss 
 Maynard, shrinking. * I am so nervous in 
 cases of illness, and your dear aunt is so ' 
 
 * Easily made angry,' suggested Elsie. 
 
 * No — no, dear, reticent,' said Miss May- 
 nard, 'reticent is the word.' 
 
 * You think her reticent,' said Elsie slowly. 
 * Now I should have thought her not reticent 
 enough. However I'll ask her.' 
 
 Miss Maynard endeavoured to dissuade 
 her pupil from this rash course, so Elsie 
 decided to question Parkins first. 
 
 * By the bye. Parkins,' said she one day, 
 affecting a lofty and careless air — *what is 
 the nature of the General's attacks ?'
 
 CHAP. VIII. A LILY AMONG THORNS 123 
 
 ' They are of a very severe nature, miss,' 
 replied Parkins, primming up her mouth. 
 
 ' Does he suffer much ?' asked Elsie. 
 
 'Yes, miss, he suffers very much, and I 
 do not like young ladies as inquires into 
 things outside of their province,' was the 
 snappish retort. 
 
 ' It is not of the least consequence,' said 
 Elsie, walking away with her head in the 
 air, 'whether you like them or don't like 
 them.' 
 
 It was not without great caution that 
 Elsie addressed her aunt upon the subject ; 
 but she was not prepared for the outburst of 
 feeling which her innocent-sounding question 
 occasioned. 
 
 ' My dear,' said Aunt Caroline, ' how can 
 you ask ? Your uncle has the Lindsay con- 
 stitution.' 
 
 Elsie stood before her in silent consterna- 
 tion, whilst her aunt drew out a little pocket- 
 handkerchief, and applied it rapidly to. each 
 eye in succession, at the same time shaking 
 her other hand to and fro in the air.
 
 124 A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 * Don't take any notice,' she gasped ; ' I 
 shall be better soon.' 
 
 Presently she put the handkerchief into 
 her pocket again, and looked sternly at Elsie 
 with her little black eyes. 'You have dis- 
 tressed me, dear — distressed me ex — ces- 
 sively,' she said. 
 
 Elsie apologised for her indiscretion, and 
 was forgiven ; but, after this conversation, 
 she ceased to prosecute any further inquiries 
 respecting her uncle's mysteriously constituted 
 system. 
 
 The Sundays at the Elms were the days 
 on which Elsie really felt homesick ; a sort 
 of solemn excitement then prevailed, which 
 she particularly disliked, and Aunt Caroline 
 assumed a peculiarly exalted and chastened 
 demeanour. The church they attended was 
 at some distance ; for although there was one 
 close at hand, the views of the incumbent 
 were not in accordance with those of Mrs. 
 Lindsay, who, therefore, drove in state, in a 
 closed carriage, to the village of Gravehurst, 
 which was rather more than a mile distant,
 
 CHAP. VIII. A LILY AMONG THORNS 125 
 
 accompanied by as many of her household as 
 could contrive to find room in the carriage. 
 
 The vicar of Gravehurst was the Reverend 
 Ernest Maynard, a nephew of Miss Cecilia 
 Maynard, and a connection of Mrs. Lindsay. 
 He had not been long in this parish, and 
 had formerly had a curacy in the east end 
 of London. He had devoted himself to the 
 work there with great earnestness and zeal, 
 and it was with reluctance that he relinquished 
 it for the country living which had been 
 offered to him ; but his health having given 
 way, he yielded at last to the persuasions of 
 his friends, and had now been settled at 
 Gravehurst for nearly two years. He was 
 a great favourite with Mrs. Lindsay, who 
 considered him a most earnest and self- 
 devoted young man ; but she found that 
 even his views required a little alteration, 
 which she never lost an opportunity of re- 
 commending to him. She was apt to com- 
 plain that he was very stubborn in argument, 
 as he was too conscientious to disguise his 
 convictions in the smallest degree for the
 
 126 A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 sake of making himself agreeable to any 
 lady, however influential. Mrs. Lindsay had 
 studied character to some purpose, however, 
 and she could recognise and respect genuine 
 merit, when it was not opposed to her 
 strongest prejudices. 
 
 She was a thorough matchmaker, and, 
 almost from the moment that Elsie came 
 under her roof, she had decided that she 
 had at last found the wife for Ernest 
 Maynard. The pretty vicarage, with its 
 snug rooms, its sunny garden, and its flower- 
 ing shrubs and creepers, would be a fitting 
 home for her fair young niece. United to 
 Ernest, her character would develop into all 
 that could be desired ; while, under Aunt 
 Caroline's direct supervision, they would 
 jointly become, as time went on, an orna- 
 ment to the Church, a pattern to the neigh- 
 bourhood, and a blessing to the nation at large. 
 Animated by these hopes, Mrs. Lindsay lost 
 no opportunity of bringing the young people 
 together. Besides Mr. Maynard's occasional 
 week-day visits, at which she always contrived
 
 CHAP. VIII. A LILY AMONG THORNS 127 
 
 that Elsie should be present, she used, after 
 service on Sunday mornings, to linger at the 
 vicarage until it was time to return home 
 to dinner. Early dinner was one of the Sun- 
 day observances at the Elms, and helped to 
 render the General's life a burden to him on 
 that day. 
 
 On fine days this half-hour at Gravehurst 
 was usually spent in the garden, when Mrs. 
 Lindsay would so arrange it that the vicar 
 and Elsie should walk on in front, while she, 
 hanging on the General's arm, viewed from 
 a distance the objects of her benevolent 
 designs. 
 
 Even as regarded mere outward appear- 
 ance (thought she), how perfectly they suited 
 one another ! Ernest Maynard, with his dark, 
 thoughtful-looking countenance and severely 
 clerical deportment ; and Elsie, fair and 
 graceful, with her soft eyes and sweet serious 
 face, listening with such attentive gravity to 
 the instructive observations of her pastor ! 
 
 Mrs. Lindsay fully enjoyed the dramatic 
 effect of the situation. Though in principle
 
 128 A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 Strongly opposed to the theatre, she was, 
 unconsciously, an actress by nature, many of 
 her words and gestures being, as it were, 
 thrown in for effect. Yet she was very quick 
 to see and to despise affectation in others, 
 and perhaps it was Elsie's very straight- 
 forwardness and simplicity which so won 
 upon her. 
 
 During these promenades in the vicarage 
 garden, Miss Maynard was usually sentenced 
 to remain in the house, on account of her 
 well-known imprudence, and liability to catch 
 cold. This poor lady was really delicate, and 
 subject to attacks of bronchitis, especially 
 during the trying spring months. The weather 
 being unusually fine this year, she suffered 
 less, but about the middle of June she caught 
 cold, no one knew how, and was laid up for 
 nearly a fortnight. Elsie was for some time 
 forbidden to enter the patient's room ; but 
 having one day ascertained from Parkins 
 that she was sitting up, she went to pay her 
 kind friend a visit. 
 
 Miss Maynard was seated in an arm-chair,
 
 CHAP. VIII. A LILY AMONG THORNS 129 
 
 wrapped up in shawls and blankets, and look- 
 ing very disconsolate ; she seemed much 
 cheered by seeing Elsie, and after this the 
 girl went to visit her daily, bringing her 
 flowers and strawberries, and entertaining her 
 with descriptions of all that went on down- 
 stairs. When this state of things had lasted 
 for about a week. Miss Maynard seemed so 
 well that Elsie suggested her return to the 
 drawing-room. 
 
 ' I am sure the change would do you good,' 
 she said. 
 
 ' I think it would, dear, but as long as my 
 cough lasts, I fear I must remain a prisoner. 
 It tries your dear aunt so to hear any one 
 coughing.' 
 
 ' Tries her !' said Elsie indignantly ; ' what 
 nonsense! If I were you I should just come 
 straight downstairs and cough as much as 
 ever I liked.' 
 
 'Oh no, dear!' said Miss Maynard, 
 appalled by the audacity of this proposal. 
 ' I saw how much it disturbed her when she 
 came into my room this morning. And then 
 
 VOL. I. K
 
 I30 A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 my unfortunate nervousness ! I always cough 
 more when she is present. She has been 
 so tried, too, to-day, by the conduct of that 
 headstrong young kitchenmaid.' 
 
 ' Has she ? What did the kitchenmaid 
 do ? ' inquired Elsie with interest. 
 
 ' She was overheard by Parkins conversing 
 with the gardener's boy,' replied Miss May- 
 nard in a lowered tone. ' But hush, my love ! 
 your aunt would not wish it spoken about. 
 She has really felt it sadly. Let us talk of 
 other things — you are too young to know 
 life's cares and trials.' 
 
 Elsie sat down and gave her mind to the 
 subject. After awhile she said, *We have 
 so many trials, here in England, and ^^feel 
 them so much. At home I never dreamt of 
 feeling everything in that way — I do not 
 think my father would have liked it. Of 
 course if I broke my leg — or lost a near 
 relation — or put all my money into a bank 
 which failed — I would say I had a trial, but 
 here everything is so different. Why, if 
 Herbert has put too many coals on the fire,
 
 CHAP. VIII. A LILY AMONG THORNS 131 
 
 that is a trial, or if anybody spills their 
 tea ' 
 
 Miss Maynard sighed. ' You have the 
 buoyancy and the light-heartedness of youth, 
 dear child.' 
 
 ' Have I ?' said Elsie — ' I do not know. 
 I have not felt light-hearted, but then I had 
 always so much to think of at home.' 
 
 Elsie went slowly away to her own room, 
 and sat down by the open window. ' Yes ! I 
 had a great deal to think of at home, but 
 there was some sense in it there,' she said 
 to herself ' Here I seem so useless and 
 unnecessary — but so I should be if I went 
 back ; in fact, more so. What should I be 
 doing now if I were at home ? This time 
 
 last year ' and Elsie's thoughts wandered 
 
 back to Rossie ; to the sea, the fir -woods, 
 and the moor. Ah ! how sweet it was in the 
 early summer time, when the cold winds of 
 spring were past, and she lived out of doors 
 the whole long day. How pleasant the fir- 
 trees smelt in the dry sunshine, and how 
 bright were the little summer flowers ; milk-
 
 132 A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 wort and white bedstraw and tormentil, and 
 bell-heather, pale pink and rich purple. And 
 down by the burn the meadow-sweet and the 
 bracken would be growing tall and thick. 
 And in the evenings she would linger out 
 until her father came and scolded her ; it 
 seemed such a waste of time to go to bed, 
 while a streak of light stayed all night in the 
 northern sky. 
 
 ' I wish I had known then,' she thought, 
 ' that I should be here now ; I should have 
 enjoyed it even more — I would not have 
 wasted a moment. And if anything good 
 ever comes to me, I will remember, and 
 enjoy it ; it would be such a pity if it were 
 lost. And in the meantime, I am happy — 
 really quite happy ; I might easily be worse 
 off than I am now.'
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 ' I will have hopes which cannot fade 
 
 For flowers the valley yields, 
 I will have humble thoughts, instead 
 
 Of silent, dewy fields ; 
 My spirit, and my God, shall be 
 My seaward hill, my boundless sea.' 
 
 By Elsie's arrangement Miss Maynard did 
 come downstairs that very afternoon, and her 
 recovery was soon complete. 
 
 Elsie had far more influence with her 
 Aunt Caroline than she herself knew. She 
 had never been accustomed to be contradicted 
 or thwarted in small things, and this gave 
 her manner a fearlessness and freedom before 
 which Aunt Caroline gave way. Within 
 certain limits, she came and went as she 
 would, and she enjoyed an immunity from 
 censure and supervision which surprised those 
 who knew Mrs. Lindsay better. To the
 
 134 A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 petty restrictions which were imposed upon 
 her, Elsie submitted with gentle patience, 
 however unreasonable they appeared to her. 
 It was only common gratitude, she thought, 
 to yield in small matters to one who treated 
 her with so much affection. She had sub- 
 mitted to her father in his angry moods, less 
 from timidity, or even filial reverence, than 
 from her naturally gentle, peace-loving dis- 
 position, joined to a compassionate toleration 
 for his infirmities of temper. Curiously 
 enough, she associated Aunt Caroline with 
 him in her mind, and considered that elderly 
 people were often a little unreasonable, and 
 must be humoured and made allowances for. 
 For her Aunt Grizel she had a more genuine 
 respect ; she placed a good deal of reliance 
 on her judgment and good sense, qualities 
 which she did not credit her Aunt Caroline 
 with possessing. Even to Aunt Grizel, how- 
 ever, she had never given her full confidence ; 
 she thought her too old to be startled by any 
 new or unfamiliar ideas. 
 
 As time went on the life at the Elms grew
 
 CHAP. IX. A LILY AMONG THORNS 135 
 
 very wearisome to Elsie, and she needed all 
 her patience and self-control. Her occupa- 
 tions were all so different from what she had 
 been used to ; she took little interest in them, 
 and found them petty and trivial. After her 
 two hours of study, she was expected to 
 remain in the drawing-room with some sort of 
 needlework till luncheon time. Elsie rather 
 disliked needlework of any sort, and entirely 
 detested the kind which she had to do, 
 which consisted chiefly of patchwork quilts 
 for hospitals. It was not till the afternoon 
 that she was able to breathe the fresh air 
 which at Rossie she had almost lived in, 
 never allowing any sort of weather to keep 
 her in the house. After luncheon, the elder 
 members of the party went for a drive; 
 Elsie usually declined to accompany them, 
 and was left free till their return, but there 
 were scarcely any walks she could indulge in. 
 Mrs. Lindsay did not like her to go to the 
 river ; she might not walk on the road for 
 fear of tramps, nor on the streets, which 
 were ' not respectable ; ' there was nothing
 
 136 A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 left but the gravel drive, the garden, and the 
 paddock, and with these Elsie was fain to 
 content herself. 
 
 On Tuesday afternoons she went with 
 Miss Maynard to a missionary working party, 
 where they met most of their female acquaint- 
 ances in the neighbourhood. These were 
 not much to Elsie's taste, nor, indeed, to that 
 of Aunt Caroline. The families at Chipping- 
 ham were, as a rule, rather below Mrs. 
 Lindsay in social standing ; and though she 
 enjoyed reigning like a queen in the midst of 
 her little circle, she admitted no one to very 
 great terms of intimacy. Occasionally, Elsie 
 was taken to a garden party, or a picnic, but 
 it was not an event of frequent occurrence. 
 She had never had any girl friends, and at 
 first she was interested, and curious to meet 
 girls of her own age ; but she found that she 
 had almost no tastes in common with her new 
 acquaintances, who, on their parts, thought 
 her reserved and proud. On her return from 
 these sociai gatherings, she would seek the 
 society of Hans, her first and only friend ;
 
 CHAP. IX. A LILY AMONG THORNS 137 
 
 and, retiring with him to a corner of the 
 sofa, would caress and talk to him, and tell 
 him how beautiful he was, and how brave, 
 and how elegant, with any other adjectives 
 which occurred to her as appropriate. 
 
 Elsie was very sensitive to kindness, and, 
 unused as she had been to meet with any 
 demonstrations of affection, she was touched 
 by those which her new friends lavished 
 upon her, even though they began at times 
 to be a little oppressive. The way in which 
 all her time was arranged for her, and an 
 account required of whatever she had been 
 doing, became very irksome ; yet sometimes 
 she found an extra half-hour in which she 
 could slip down to the river, which had a 
 peculiar charm for her. She had discovered 
 a little nook amongst the willows, unseen 
 from the house, where she could sit and 
 watch the water, but the existence of this 
 retreat she kept a secret. She had also one 
 other resort. Nearly opposite the entrance 
 gate, and a little way up the slope, a side 
 road led to a large, new, red brick church.
 
 138 A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 The ground about it had evidently been 
 newly laid out, and was planted with minute 
 shrubs of Portugal laurel, rhododendron, and 
 holly. Elsie went up this road at first partly 
 out of curiosity, partly because it seemed 
 quiet, and finding that one of the church 
 doors was always kept open, she went in. 
 The quiet and the soft subdued light attracted 
 her, and after the first time she often went 
 again. She would gladly have attended the 
 daily five o'clock service, but as her aunt dis- 
 approved of the church, on account of the 
 incumbent's views being, as she said, Ritual- 
 istic, Elsie did not like to distress her by 
 doing so frequently. She went, however, 
 whenever she could do so without attracting 
 much attention, not from a preference for any 
 forms in particular, but because the service 
 and the beautiful music soothed her, and 
 lifted her above all the petty worries and 
 annoyances at home. 
 
 This week-day church-going was a part of 
 Elsie's conduct which was totally incompre- 
 hensible to her aunt, although Mrs. Lindsay
 
 CHAP. IX. A LILY AMONG THORNS 139 
 
 did not like absolutely to forbid it. If Elsie 
 liked going to All Saints Church on ordinary 
 days, and even sometimes when there was 
 no service going on, how much more, one 
 would think, ought she to be delighted and 
 edified by the ministrations of Mr. Maynard, 
 both in church and at home ! Yet these 
 privileges never seemed to afford this strange 
 girl the smallest gratification. 
 
 Ernest too, on his part, did not betray by 
 his manner that peculiarly ardent affection 
 for this young member of his fiock, which 
 Mrs. Lindsay was certain he must inwardly 
 feel. The apparent insensibility of both was, 
 to say the least of it, very disheartening ; but 
 Mrs. Lindsay kept all misgivings to herself; 
 confiding to the General her hopes, but not 
 her fears. 
 
 ' Poor dear young man ! ' she said, hasten- 
 ing to her husband's room one day, after Mr. 
 Maynard had left the house, — 'there can be 
 no doubt where his affections are placed ! ' 
 
 ' Eh ? ' said the General — ' where's that ? ' 
 
 * Dearest Henry ! you know whom I
 
 I40 A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 mean. I only hope our darling will appreciate 
 his full worth.' 
 
 * Oh — ah ! yes. Maynard, to be sure. 
 You were going to marry him to one of the 
 Dales, weren't you ? * 
 
 * I allude, of course, to your own niece,' 
 said Mrs. Lindsay sharply. 
 
 The General fidgeted and looked uncom- 
 fortable. 
 
 * Little Elsie ? ' he said deprecatingly. 
 ' Pretty girl, Elsie. Too pretty for a 
 parson, eh ? ' 
 
 The General's marked preference for 
 pretty girls, and indifference at least, if not 
 aversion, to the clergy, were a source of great 
 distress to his wife. She was sorry she had 
 mentioned the matter to him at all, the more 
 so, as he lost no time in remonstrating with 
 his niece on the subject. 
 
 'Well, Miss Elsie!' he began, * what's 
 this I hear ? Caught the parson, eh ? ' 
 
 * I ? ' said Elsie, colouring indignantly. 
 ' What do you mean. Uncle Henry ? ' 
 
 The General was about to explain himself
 
 CHAP. IX. A LILY AMONG THORNS 141 
 
 at length, but Mrs. Lindsay looked up sternly 
 from her writing, and sharply tapped the 
 table with a pencil. ' Henry ! ' said she — 
 ' silence ! Silence, Henry ! ' and the General 
 was quenched. 
 
 This little conversation had more effect in 
 furthering Mrs. Lindsay's wishes than all her 
 previous efforts. The next time Mr. Maynard 
 called, Elsie absented herself, and during the 
 following Sunday's walk her manner was 
 cold and distant. This naturally caused Mr. 
 Maynard to wonder what was the matter 
 with her, and after a course of self-examina- 
 tion, he discovered that it was her presence 
 which made the Elms so attractive to him, 
 and that his Sunday walk in the garden 
 would lose all its charm if she were not by 
 his side. 
 
 This discovery startled and disturbed him 
 not a little. He had had some thoughts, 
 now that his health was re-established, of 
 returning to his London work amongst the 
 poor and outcast, and he was shocked to find 
 himself becoming comparatively indifferent
 
 142 A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 to their miseries, and turning his thoughts 
 towards a Hfe of worldly ease and happiness. 
 
 After a week or two Elsie, having forgotten 
 her uncle's speech or attaching little import- 
 ance to it, returned to her former manner, with 
 perhaps a touch of additional kindliness, as 
 she saw Mr. Maynard so evidently depressed 
 and harassed ; and Mrs. Lindsay observed 
 this state of things with growing satisfaction. 
 At length Ernest, tempted as it were on all 
 sides, determined to try what absence and a 
 visit to the scene of his former labours would 
 do towards effacing this new image from his 
 mind. 
 
 One hot day in the beginning of July he 
 walked to the Elms to inform the ladies there 
 of his intended absence, and to bid them 
 good-bye for a time. He found Mrs. Lindsay 
 alone, Miss Maynard and Elsie being in the 
 garden engaged in their botanical studies. 
 
 Mrs. Lindsay heard of Ernest's intended 
 departure with much surprise, not unmixed 
 with indignation, and expressed her disap- 
 proval in her usual emphatic manner.
 
 CHAP. IX. A LIL V AMONG THORNS 143 
 
 ' Going to London for a month ! My dear 
 Ernest, what — in — the — world can have 
 prompted such a step ? ' 
 
 ' You know, my kind friend, that I have 
 always intended returning there ultimately, 
 and I have lately been led to fear lest a life 
 of ease should lead to mere self-pleasing, and 
 should weaken this purpose in my mind.' 
 
 ' Now, now, Ernest,' said Mrs. Lindsay, 
 nodding her head, ' don't you be self-opinion- 
 ated. You know very well what I have 
 always thought of this foolish, and self-con- 
 ceited, and inconsiderate scheme of yours. 
 I do not approve of it in any shape or in any 
 way. It may be all very well for those 
 whose systems are so constructed as to 
 withstand the anxieties, and the fatigues, 
 and the ' 
 
 ' Forgive me for interrupting you, but I 
 have considered the matter well. I have 
 already provided myself with a substitute for 
 a month only, and you know I have settled 
 nothing finally.' 
 
 'You cannot deceive me, Ernest. There
 
 144 A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 is something which you are concealing from 
 me/ 
 
 As she said this with extreme sternness, 
 Mrs. Lindsay pointed her forefinger in the 
 direction of Mr. Maynard's waistcoat, as if to 
 indicate that she knew the exact spot where 
 the object alluded to was secreted. Ernest 
 felt his colour rising beneath her scrutiny — 
 he stammered and hesitated. ' I will tell you 
 all, Mrs. Lindsay, when I return — in the 
 
 meantime ' He rose and looked about 
 
 for his hat. 
 
 * If you wish to acquaint your Aunt Cecilia 
 with your resolution,* said Mrs. Lindsay, 
 coldly but impressively, * you will find her — 
 with my niece — in the garden. And tell your 
 aunt, if you please, that I should wish to 
 speak to her. Now go — and beware, Ernest, 
 how you trifle with your own heart.' 
 
 Mr. Maynard, though a brave man, was 
 only too thankful to escape. Mrs. Lindsay s 
 last words had raised a tumult of feelings 
 within him, and before joining the two ladies 
 he paused a few moments to collect his
 
 CHAP. IX. A LILY AMONG THORNS 145 
 
 thoughts. At the bottom of the garden was 
 a small pond with a seat in front of it. There 
 he caught sight of Elsie's pale blue cotton 
 gown, and, on approaching, found her and 
 Miss Maynard intently examining some duck- 
 weed through a magnifying glass. 
 
 * I have been commissioned by Mrs. 
 Lindsay to find you, my dear aunt,' he 
 began. 
 
 Miss Maynard jumped up in a nervous 
 flutter at the message and her nephew's un- 
 expected appearance. 
 
 * Does she wish to see me ? ' 
 
 ' She wishes to speak to you presently, but 
 
 I was about to tell you ' He was unable 
 
 to finish his sentence, for Miss Maynard was 
 already on her way to the house. She had 
 been frequently warned by Mrs. Lindsay 
 never to make a third in any possible seri- 
 ous conversation between Mr. Maynard and 
 Elsie ; and she forgot everything else in her 
 anxiety to carry out these instructions to the 
 letter. 
 
 Elsie laid aside her duck-weed rather re- 
 
 VOL. I. L
 
 146 A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 luctantly, and made some trivial remark which 
 Mr. Maynard scarcely seemed to hear; he 
 looked anxious and disturbed. 
 
 ' Miss Ross,' said he abruptly, * I came to 
 say good-bye to you and to my aunt, as I 
 am leaving Gravehurst.' 
 
 'Are you, Mr. Maynard?' said Elsie, 
 much surprised ; ' not for altogether ?' 
 
 ' By no means. I hope to return in a 
 month. Circumstances have made it desir- 
 able that I should leave home for a short 
 time for change, and I intend revisiting my 
 old parish in the east end of London.' 
 
 * You have not been well ? But I should 
 not have thought London a good place to go 
 to for change. Won't you be very hot ? 
 Not that I do not think a change a good 
 thing — an excellent thing,' said Elsie em- 
 phatically, by no means wishing to hinder 
 Mr. Maynard's departure, which would be a 
 certain relief to her, yet disinterestedly anxious 
 for his welfare. 
 
 * I am not ill,' he replied, ' and my personal 
 feelings are of little consequence. I have with
 
 CHAP. IX. A LILY AMONG THORNS 147 
 
 difficulty prevailed upon my friend, Mr. Tal- 
 mud Brooks, to exchange with me. He will 
 doubtless be greatly invigorated by country 
 air, while I ' He paused. 
 
 'That,' said Elsie approvingly, * is a good 
 action. I hope you will not suffer from it in 
 any way, and I am sure it will do your friend 
 good. It is very hot, even here,' she added, 
 rather languidly. 
 
 ' Miss Ross,' said Ernest presently, ' you 
 told me the other day when I asked you that 
 you found your life here somewhat empty 
 and hollow. Have you still that feeling ? ' 
 
 * I did not mean to complain of my life 
 here,' said Elsie hastily. ' I am very — very 
 — comfortable, you know, and every one 
 is as kind to me as possible. It is very 
 different from home, of course, but I should 
 be most ungrateful if I complained.' 
 
 ' Then you no longer find your life 
 hollow ? ' 
 
 Elsie had tilted her hat back and was 
 gazing meditatively at the sky ; she now set 
 it straight, and looked at Mr. Maynard.
 
 148 A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 ' Indeed I do,' she said with decision. 
 * I find it getting hollower and hollower.' 
 
 Mr. Maynard appeared deeply pained. 
 
 ' There must be a fault somewhere,' he 
 said. ' Have you ever attempted any parish 
 work — such as district visiting ? ' 
 
 ' I have thought of that,' said Elsie ; ' for 
 so many of the ladies here do a great deal, 
 and I would have gone to see some of the 
 poor people, but then you see we are not in 
 your parish, and Aunt Caroline does not 
 approve of Mr. Broadway's poor, or Mr. 
 Mounteagle's either, and my uncle thinks 
 I might catch diseases and bring them home. 
 You know it does not do to annoy my uncle 
 and aunt ; it makes them ill ; so it really 
 does not seem as if work amongst the poor 
 were the duty appointed for me.' 
 
 Elsie's face was so young and childish as 
 she gravely looked up at him for advice, that 
 Mr. Maynard felt that to speak his wishes 
 then would be premature as well as weak ; 
 but he scarcely felt in a mood to give her 
 pastoral counsel as to her duties.
 
 CHAP. IX. A LILY AMONG THORNS 149 
 
 * I will send you a little book of mine,' he 
 said, ' if you will accept it. It is entitled 
 Reassuring Remarks, spoken at Random. 
 I must leave you now.' 
 
 ' Won't you come in ? ' said Elsie. ' Miss 
 Maynard will be vexed not to see you again 
 before you go.' 
 
 But Ernest, not daring to risk another 
 encounter with Mrs. Lindsay, made a hasty 
 excuse and departed. 
 
 Elsie watched him as with long hurried 
 strides he reached the little garden door and, 
 passing through it, disappeared. 
 
 ' He is a good man, I do think,' she said 
 to herself. ' I would really like him quite 
 well if Aunt Caroline did not worry me so 
 about him. But, oh dear ! he is dull — or is 
 it I who am dull ? He always answers me 
 as if he did not understand, or thought me a 
 fool ; but then so do all the people hereabouts. 
 I am of a different sort somehow ;' and Elsie 
 sighed. 
 
 ' I am not going to begin and think about 
 my trials, though ; I am here, and I must
 
 I50 A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 just Stay here, and there is no use in making 
 a fuss. If I were at home I should have a 
 large trial in the shape of Euphemia, prob- 
 ably worse than any here. Come along, little 
 Hans ! I know you miss the rabbits too, but 
 we must be resigned, and not wish for what 
 we cannot get. Perhaps if we behave very 
 well, we may have some parish work given 
 us, and is not that more ennobling than 
 hunting rabbits ? ' 
 
 So saying, Elsie went slowly towards the 
 .house, and presently caught sight of Mrs. 
 Lindsay tapping the window and beckoning 
 from within. 
 
 * What are you about, child ? ' said she 
 irritably as Elsie entered, ' remaining out so 
 long in the heat and glare ? ' 
 
 ' Oh, I like the heat. Aunt Caroline,' said 
 Elsie cheerfully, ' as long as I don't have to 
 work. Mr. Maynard is going to London — 
 he told you so, did he not ? He was sorry 
 he had not time to come in again.' 
 
 ' Oh, I know where he is going,' said Mrs. 
 Lindsay — with a peculiar intonation, as who
 
 CHAP. IX. A LILY AMONG THORNS 151 
 
 should say : ' I knew all about that, and a 
 good deal more, long before yotL came into 
 the world ; ' — ' and he knows what I think of 
 the scheme ! Ah, self, self ! how it blinds 
 our eyes ! ' 
 
 ' I thought it nice of Mr. Maynard to go,' 
 said Elsie, much puzzled. ' Why do you 
 think it selfish, Aunt Caroline ? He merely 
 wishes to cool his friend. Surely no one 
 would go to the east end of London out of 
 selfishness.' 
 
 ' What did he say to you, child ? ' asked 
 Mrs. Lindsay, rather mollified by this warm 
 defence of Mr. Maynard, and looking curi- 
 ously at her niece. Elsie seated herself, 
 took her hat off, and considered. 
 
 ' He said — that circumstances had made 
 him wish to go to London for a month, and 
 that his friend was coming to Gravehurst, as 
 he needed change of air. And he asked me 
 if I ever did parish work, and when I said I 
 did not, he promised to send me a book 
 called Obscure Observations, or some name 
 like that, and — that was about all, I think,
 
 152 A LIL V AMONG THORNS part i. 
 
 except that he hoped you would excuse his 
 coming in.' 
 
 Mrs. Lindsay was dissatisfied, but it was 
 impossible to doubt that Elsie had faithfully 
 reported the substance of the conversation. 
 
 ' Obscure Observations, child ! ' — this with 
 increased irritation — ' when will you learn to 
 arrange, and properly to express, your ideas? 
 How can that be the title of a book ? ' 
 
 ' No more it is, Aunt Caroline,' said Elsie, 
 laughing a little ; ' I forget the name, but 
 really it was something very nearly as 
 funny.' 
 
 The hot weather was succeeded by several 
 days of constant thunderstorms, which pro- 
 duced, indoors as well as out, what Elsie 
 mentally termed 'an atmosphere.' Mrs. 
 Lindsay was irritable and ' tried ;' Miss May- 
 nard depressed and tearful ; while the Gene- 
 ral, who was always in the greatest force 
 when other people were ill or out of spirits, 
 often unconsciously stirred up strife by his 
 cheerful but inapposite remarks. The rain 
 confined everybody to the house, and even
 
 CHAP. IX. A LILY AMONG THORNS 15; 
 
 the dogs shared in the general discomfort, 
 which Bijou, in particular, greatly added to, 
 as want of exercise always disagreed with 
 him. 
 
 Elsie was therefore agreeably surprised 
 one morning at finding Aunt Caroline radiant, 
 and full of mildness and benignity. A letter 
 from the General's grand-nephew, David 
 Lindsay, offering an immediate visit, had 
 been the cause of this happy change. The 
 moment breakfast was over Mrs. Lindsay 
 bustled away to make preparations, which 
 were to be on a scale of splendour propor- 
 tioned to such an event as the arrival of their 
 ' Indian hero,' for so Aunt Caroline termed 
 him. Elsie begged for a history of his ex- 
 ploits, but being unable to ascertain from her 
 uncle that the young warrior had ever seen 
 actual service, or distinguished himself in any 
 way, she was disposed to be somewhat con- 
 temptuous of all the commotion made in his 
 honour. The excitement of the mistress was 
 fully shared in by the domestics, to judge by 
 the bustle which prevailed on the stairs, —
 
 154 A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 housemaids running hither and thither, and 
 Parkins reigning as viceroy in the guest- 
 chamber, arranging and dictating. 
 
 After luncheon Mrs. Lindsay issued her 
 final orders for the ensuing day, when the 
 guest was expected to arrive. 
 
 ' This, my love,' said she to Elsie, * is the 
 key of the china closet. Will you assist 
 Parkins in bringing out the best dinner- 
 service for to-morrow's use, as Howell, with 
 William and Herbert, are already fully 
 occupied in polishing the plate ? I need not 
 tell you, dear, that the flowers in the drawing- 
 room must be freshly arranged — that you 
 always do very nicely.' 
 
 Elsie readily undertook these duties, glad 
 of anything which pleased and amused her 
 aunt ; whilst the latter busied her brain in 
 picturing to herself how the arrival might be 
 rendered most effective. The whole house- 
 hold, arrayed in their best, should line the 
 entrance -hall, while a brass band playing 
 martial airs outside might be a pleasing addi- 
 tion ; but this last suggestion was overruled
 
 CHAP. IX. A LILY AMONG THORNS 155 
 
 by Trotter, the coachman, lest the horses 
 should be startled. 
 
 A sad end, however, was put to all these 
 preparations. The next day, just as the 
 decoration of the drawing-room was com- 
 pleted, a telegram was brought in and handed 
 to Mrs. Lindsay. She took up the yellow 
 envelope, and dropped it as if it were a 
 burning coal. ' Those dreadful telegrams ! ' 
 she gasped. ' I cannot open it.' 
 
 Elsie picked it up. ' Open it, Aunt Caro- 
 line,' she said cheerily, ' it may be nothing.' 
 
 Thus encouraged, Mrs. Lindsay at length 
 tore open the missive, which proved to be 
 from David Lindsay, from London. ' De- 
 tained here by business — very sorry — hope 
 to come to-morrow — will let you know.' 
 
 Mrs. Lindsay sank back in her chair 
 panting. 
 
 'Oh dear, dear!' wailed Miss Maynard. 
 ' After all our anticipations ! ' 
 
 ' Tiresome creature ! ' said Elsie indig- 
 nantly. ' I have no patience with him ! ' 
 
 'Hush!' said Mrs. Lindsay, raising her-
 
 156 A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 self. 'Control yourself, Cecilia! — Do not 
 give way to temper, dear' — to Elsie. She 
 sat upright, and looked around her with an 
 air of lofty composure. * Take away that 
 bowl of roses,' she said presently ; * the per- 
 fume is overpowering. Cecilia, be kind 
 enough to ring the bell' 
 
 There was silence till Herbert appeared. 
 
 'Tell Howell,' said Mrs. Lindsay, 'that 
 we shall not require the best china this even- 
 ing. We shall not require it.' 
 
 When Herbert withdrew she rose majesti- 
 cally. * I must go to my husband,' said she. 
 * Employ yourselves, my dears.' 
 
 Throughout the day Mrs. Lindsay main- 
 tained the heroic fortitude which had distin- 
 guished her conduct in the morning ; the very 
 unexpectedness of the shock brought with it 
 an excitement which upheld her. During 
 dinner, and while the General was in the 
 room, she conversed upon every-day topics 
 with studied cheerfulness ; at other times she 
 was impressively silent, only speaking when 
 she saw occasion to enforce some moral lesson
 
 CHAP. IX. A LILY AMONG THORNS 157 
 
 upon her hearers. The next day passed in 
 much the same manner, all mention of a 
 possible visitor being avoided. Elsie asked, 
 indeed, when she came downstairs in the 
 morning whether Mr. Lindsay were coming, 
 but her aunt merely waved her away with a 
 shake of the head and a sweet smile of resig- 
 nation, and after luncheon the party, with the 
 exception of Elsie, set out for their usual 
 afternoon drive.
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 ' . . . Wot's a beauty ? — the flower as blaws. 
 But proputty, proputty sticks, an' proputty, proputty graws.' 
 
 In one of the midland counties, amidst fine 
 pasture land and timber, stands a large and 
 handsome house called Alkerton Priory. 
 This property had been for some time in the 
 market, and had only been taken possession 
 of since Ladyday by its new owner, Mr. 
 Fitzgerald. It was an old house, built of 
 the rich-coloured yellow stone peculiar to the 
 district ; its stately front looked down upon 
 green meadows, with groups of elm and oak 
 trees, stretching away as far as the eye could 
 reach, until they melted into the sky, and the 
 wooded distance faded into a soft blue mist. 
 
 In front a sluggish river crept winding 
 through the meadows, its course almost 
 hidden by the thick grass. Only one dark
 
 CHAP. X. A LILY AMONG THORNS 159 
 
 spot was to be seen upon the landscape, 
 where a group of yew-trees cast their shadow, 
 near a pond where white water-HHes grew, 
 and on which a pair of swans were saiHng. 
 The garden was laid out in terraces, and 
 there a number of peacocks were walking up 
 and down, displaying their splendid plumage. 
 The hot July sun poured down upon the 
 mellow - tinted walls of the house, against 
 which pink roses bloomed in rich clusters. 
 But within all was cool, with the fragrant 
 coolness of an old country house in summer 
 time. The hour was about ten o'clock, and 
 three people were at breakfast in the oak 
 panelled dining-room. Places had been laid 
 for four, but one was empty, and a well-filled 
 tray had just been carried out by the butler, 
 the delicacies with which it was heaped 
 showing that, whatever might be the nature 
 of the invalid's complaint, loss of appetite was 
 not one of its symptoms. 
 
 Lady Eleanor Fitzgerald, who presided at 
 the head of the table, had finished her break- 
 fast, and was reading some letters with a dis-
 
 i6o A LILY AMONG THORNS part i. 
 
 contented air. David Lindsay, her eldest 
 son, was standing at the window, trying to 
 tempt the peacocks with bits of bread, while 
 Lionel, the younger, having helped himself 
 to a slice of melon at the side table, pro- 
 ceeded, after a pause of thoughtful considera- 
 tion, to empty the contents of the cream-jug 
 over it, and to eat it, slowly and critically, 
 yet not without some appearance of appro- 
 bation. 
 
 ' Well, mother, any news ? ' asked David, 
 throwing his last piece of bread at a sparrow, 
 as the peacocks remained insensible to his 
 blandishments. 
 
 ' A letter from Caroline Lindsay,' replied 
 his mother. ' No news. I wish you would 
 offer a visit there, David. They want you to 
 come, but they don't know when you are 
 disengaged. Lionel, dear boy, you will make 
 yourself so ill. Who ever heard of eating 
 cream with melon ? ' 
 
 ' 111 !' returned Lionel with scorn. * I wish 
 there was anything to get ill upon. Cream, 
 indeed ! I don't even call it milk. In
 
 CHAP. X. A LILY AMONG THORNS i6i 
 
 Devonshire we had at least cream if we had 
 nothing else.' 
 
 * It is poor here,' said Lady Eleanor, look- 
 ing sadly at the empty cream-jug. ' I detest 
 the midland counties myself, but as it is dear 
 Frederick's fancy I give way to it. I have 
 sacrificed myself to my family all my life.' 
 
 Her sons exchanged glances expressive 
 of some surprise at this statement, and Lady 
 Eleanor resumed the perusal of her letter. 
 
 'Yes, David,' she said when she had 
 finished, ' I think you should certainly go. 
 The old General seems to be failing a good 
 deal. Listen to what she says. ** We are 
 much interested in the mission for Ping- 
 Yang" — that's not it — let me see — "a truly 
 sweet and attractive young person," — it must 
 be on the other sheet. Oh ! here it is. *' My 
 darling husband has recently been prostrated 
 by two of his distressing attacks, one follow- 
 ing the other, which have greatly reduced his 
 strength." ' 
 
 ' What's that about an attractive young 
 person V asked David, who appeared to 
 
 VOL. I. M
 
 i62 A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 have been more interested in the former 
 paragraph. 
 
 * Oh, nothing at all. Some girl she has 
 living with her,' said Lady Eleanor im- 
 patiently. ' But really, David, you ought to 
 go and see the poor old man who has always 
 been so fond of you. It would be a real 
 kindness.' 
 
 'And who knows,' said Lionel, rising from 
 the table as he spoke, ' that the old boy might 
 not come down handsome in his will ?* 
 
 ' Peace with thy scurrilous jests,' said 
 David. ' Well, mother, I don't mind if I do 
 proffer myself as a guest at the Elms for a 
 short time, particularly as there is a young 
 lady there possessed of so many charms. I 
 should like to hear about her.' 
 
 ' Nonsense, David ! I do wish you would 
 not make yourself ridiculous. This is a girl 
 she seems to have adopted, and of course she 
 will rave about her. Elsie Ross is her name ; 
 she comes from Scotland. There is nothing 
 particular about her.' 
 
 David assumed a meditative air. ' If you
 
 CHAP. X. A LILY AMONG THORNS 163 
 
 seriously think, mother, that she is nol attrac- 
 tive,' said he slowly, ' it might be best, all 
 things considered, not to go there at present.' 
 
 ' Then, David, it is very selfish and 
 wrong of you, quite wrong I call it, to neglect 
 a clear duty. Supposing the old man were 
 to die — he might go off at any time in one 
 of these attacks — you would reproach your- 
 self all your life long.' 
 
 ' He would indeed,' put in Lionel solemnly. 
 
 ' And this girl has no claim upon him 
 whatever. I don't suppose she will have a 
 penny. She may be pretty ; I daresay she 
 is. Her mother was a sweet creature, and 
 so distinguished looking ; she was a cousin of 
 your poor father's. But she chose to go and 
 bury herself at some little Scotch farm ' 
 
 * And she's dead — is she V asked David. 
 
 ' Oh yes ! years and years ago. And this 
 girl, brought up amongst boors and ' 
 
 * Bullocks ?' suggested Lionel. 
 
 'What sort of manners can you expect 
 her to have ! But all Caroline Lindsay's 
 geese are swans.'
 
 1 64 A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 With these words, intended to arm David 
 against the snares of beauty unaccompanied 
 by merit (or wealth, which is the same thing), 
 Lady Eleanor sailed away, followed presently 
 by her two sons. 
 
 The brothers were a marked contrast to 
 each other. Both were handsome ; David, 
 the elder by nearly five years, was tall, 
 bronzed, and active-looking, with bright blue 
 eyes and a pleasant smile. He had not long 
 since returned from India on leave from his 
 regiment, and having been absent from home 
 for three years, everything was new to him, 
 and he was disposed to be amused and 
 pleased by all that went on around him. 
 He was naturally of a cheerful, buoyant dis- 
 position, and owing to this, perhaps, and his 
 good health, he had got through life so far 
 easily and pleasantly, and had never given 
 his mother the least uneasiness ; whereas 
 Lionel, with his delicate health and wayward 
 temper, had been a perpetual source of 
 anxiety and disappointment. Yet it was on 
 Lionel that by far the most of her motherly
 
 CHAP. X. A LILY AMONG THORNS 165 
 
 affection was expended. He resembled her 
 very closely in features ; he had been a 
 beautiful child, and was now a handsome lad 
 of eighteen, with large liquid brown eyes, 
 straight features, and masses of rich dark 
 curly hair, which he wore too long to suit 
 David's soldierly ideas. But the chief un- 
 likeness to his brother consisted in the list- 
 lessness and languor of his whole manner. 
 Every turn and movement betokened that 
 indolence which was the chief characteristic 
 of the spoilt boy. As he had been thought 
 too delicate to go to a public school, he had 
 been sent to one private tutor after another, 
 learning as little as he chose from each, and 
 leaving as soon as he got tired of his sur- 
 roundings. And now he was reading to 
 enter Oxford, spending two hours of each 
 day with Mr. Blandford, a neighbouring 
 clergyman, who had undertaken to coach 
 him. 
 
 The only study, however, which seemed 
 to rouse him to a real interest, was that of 
 music, for which he had an uncommon taste
 
 i66 A LIL V AMONG THORNS part i. 
 
 and talent. He had now almost outgrown 
 his boyish delicacy, and David's prospects 
 were at present the objects of his mothers 
 chief concern. 
 
 For Lady Eleanor had long since planned 
 both her sons' future lives for them, which 
 she felt herself perfectly competent to do, 
 having all her life succeeded in getting her 
 own way somehow. David, who was the 
 heir to Ardvoira, a small West Highland 
 property, and had distant expectations of a 
 Scotch peerage, would not be at all well off, 
 and ' must marry money,' while Lionel, who, 
 she was resolved, should be his stepfather's 
 heir, could afford to marry whom he pleased, 
 subject of course to her approval. 
 
 The two brothers strolled out together, 
 and the family did not meet again till 
 luncheon, at which meal Mr. Fitzgerald 
 assisted. 
 
 Lady Eleanor's second husband was Irish 
 by birth, though he had never visited his 
 native country since his childhood. His 
 father had been a merchant in Liverpool,
 
 CHAP. X. A LILY AMONG THORNS 167 
 
 and from him Mr. Fitzgerald had inherited 
 a large fortune. 
 
 He was a quiet-looking man, with a par- 
 ticularly soft voice and mild deportment, and 
 was entirely thrown into the shade by his 
 handsome and stately wife. No one, to 
 judge by his appearance and manner, would 
 believe that he had quarrelled with all his 
 neighbours in Devonshire, and had not a 
 single relation of his own with whom he was 
 on speaking terms. He was, however, a 
 kind and affectionate husband, and was upon 
 the whole very indulgent to his stepsons, 
 though he had some peculiarities of temper, 
 and was excessively fanciful about his health. 
 
 ' Do you feel equal to a drive this after- 
 noon, Frederick ?' inquired Lady Eleanor. 
 
 ' A drive, my dear Eleanor } You forget 
 that none of the horses are fit to go out at 
 present.' 
 
 Mr. Fitzgerald kept very fine horses, 
 which he was apt to consider too delicate 
 and expensive to be used. 
 
 ' They never are fit to go out, it seems to
 
 1 68 A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 me,' said Lady Eleanor. ' I suppose you 
 keep them for the grooms to ride.' 
 
 ' You must take the pony carriage to-day 
 if you wish to drive,' said Mr. Fitzgerald. 
 
 * The roan mare could go, I daresay. And 
 do pray, Eleanor, go and call upon the 
 Freemans ; they are our nearest neighbours, 
 and you have never yet returned their 
 visit' 
 
 * Well, if you will drive me ' began his 
 
 wife. 
 
 * I fear I am quite unequal to the exertion. 
 You, David — or Lionel, can drive your 
 mother.' 
 
 * It would do you all the good in the world 
 to go out,' said Lady Eleanor, displeased. 
 *And I see no occasion to call upon the 
 Freemans.' 
 
 * Mr. Freeman is an excellent man,' said 
 Mr. Fitzgerald, who had never seen him. 
 
 * I esteem and respect him highly.' 
 
 'He is a true - born Briton,' observed 
 Lionel, ' one of that noble Saxon race whose 
 soul ever disdained a foreign yoke.'
 
 CHAP. X. A LIL V AMOXG THORXS 169 
 
 ' How do you know that, Lionel ? ' asked 
 David. 
 
 ' He said so himself, and he ought to 
 know,' replied Lionel. ' I have been reading 
 his speech at the county meetings, and so 
 apparently has papa. You ought certainly to 
 cultivate their acquaintance, mother.' 
 
 ' How am I to call upon them ? ' said 
 Lady Eleanor. ' Nobody can get in at their 
 gate.' 
 
 ' That big gate does not open,' said David. 
 ' Most of the entrance-gates hereabouts are 
 constructed on principles which prevent their 
 ever opening. You go in at a little side door.' 
 
 * They are Anglo-Saxon gates,' explained 
 Lionel, ' and were erected to resist William 
 the Conqueror.' 
 
 ' Which of you two is going to drive me ?' 
 inquired their mother, who had now no in- 
 tention of letting them off. 
 
 ' You will find David exactly adapted for 
 the ofhce, mother. He knows all about 
 Anglo-Saxon gateways, you see. You take 
 her, David, like a good fellow.'
 
 I70 A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 David made no objection. He was the 
 one of the family who generally did any little 
 duty which the others found too irksome, and 
 the pony carriage was ordered forthwith.
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 ' We have no title-deeds to house or lands ; 
 
 Owners and occupants of earlier dates 
 From graves forgotten stretch their dusty hands, 
 And hold in mortmain still their old estates.' 
 
 BuLCOTE Manor, the residence of the Free- 
 mans, was distant from the Priory about 
 three miles by the road. There was a 
 short cut to it across the meadows, which in 
 summer formed a very pleasant walk ; but as 
 there were two stiles to be got over, besides 
 having to cross the river by a plank. Lady 
 Eleanor found it easier, as well as more 
 dignified, to drive on the occasion of this her 
 first visit. 
 
 Their way led along a pretty road 
 bordered by tall trees, but as these had 
 been lopped of their lower branches, they 
 did not afford much shade from the baking
 
 172 A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 sun. The roan mare tossed her head and 
 switched her tail incessantly as they jogged 
 along, trying to free herself from the flies 
 which kept settling on her in black clusters. 
 
 ' Really this stifling heat is unendurable,' 
 said Lady Eleanor, putting up her parasol. 
 * What must it be in London ! The girls 
 will be glad to get into the country, I 
 daresay. 
 
 * What girls ? ' asked David. 
 
 *The Mortimer girls — your cousins. I 
 expect them here next week. Your aunt 
 writes that Constance is quite worn out.' 
 
 * To be sure,' said David, ' I forgot. Are 
 they all grown up now ? I remember Rosa- 
 mond and Constance, and a little one.* 
 
 * Blanche — oh yes ! she was presented this 
 year. She is a fine-looking girl, but none of 
 them are half as pretty as poor Rose.' 
 
 * Is Rose coming too ? ' 
 
 * No, she is going home. I suppose she 
 does not exactly like to leave that husband of 
 hers any longer. Poor thing ! what a mis- 
 take that marriage was.'
 
 CHAP. XI. A LILY AMONG THORNS 173 
 
 ' If she chose to marry that ruffian,' said 
 David with some severity, ' I do not see why 
 she is to be pitied if it turned out a mistake/ 
 
 ' Not to be pitied ! ' exclaimed his mother. 
 * How could she know he would go mad, and 
 have to be shut up ? ' 
 
 ' If he's shut up, why does she not want 
 to leave him ? ' 
 
 'You are dreadfully matter-of-fact, dear 
 David,' said Lady Eleanor impatiently. *He 
 is not shut up always — only when he is 
 violent. Though / think it a very great pity 
 she ever lets him out. I consider your uncle 
 and aunt very much to blame,' she continued, 
 ' first to make her marry the man, when they 
 knew what his character was, and now they 
 take no steps to have him put under proper 
 restraint.' 
 
 ' Did she not marry him of her own free 
 will then ? ' 
 
 * My dear boy, you need not look so fierce ! 
 I don't suppose she was in love with him — 
 but everybody thought it such a good match 
 — and so it w^as, if he could only have kept
 
 174 A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 sober. It was quite against my advice though, 
 I am glad to say.' 
 
 David said nothing, but his face grew so 
 dark that his mother was puzzled. 
 
 'Can he have cared for Rose?' she 
 thought. ' Impossible though — he was such 
 a mere boy.' 
 
 She would have liked to question him, but 
 scarcely dared to do so at that moment ; 
 David's unusually stern expression almost 
 frightened her, and the next turn of the 
 road brought them in sight of Bulcote 
 Manor. 
 
 It was a picturesque-looking house, with 
 irregular gables, and high, narrow latticed 
 windows ; it was built of the same yellow 
 stone as Alkerton Priory, and was probably 
 of still older date. No creepers grew upon 
 its walls, but lichens, gray and yellow and 
 white, made its tone still more subdued. 
 The red -tiled roof had become a purple- 
 brown from age, almost crimson in places, 
 and stained here and there with patches of 
 golden lichen.
 
 CHAP. X. A LILY AMONG THORNS 175 
 
 The narrow road up which they had last 
 turned led them past the front of the house, 
 where was a square grass plot, or green court, 
 as it was called, surrounded by high hedges 
 of yew and privet. Just in front frowned the 
 gate which had formed the subject of discus- 
 sion at luncheon, and from which no drive 
 led to the house, but the green turf 'grew 
 close up to the gate. There were no flowers, 
 indeed there they would have seemed almost 
 out of place ; all was cool, green, and quiet. 
 A few paces farther on, half hidden by the 
 bushes, there was an opening just wide 
 enough to admit a carriage ; it led past the 
 house to the stables and outhouses at the 
 back, while at the side a small green door in 
 the yew hedge gave admittance by a flagged 
 path, leading through the green court into 
 the house. 
 
 ' Now, David,' said Lady Eleanor in a 
 tone of triumph, as they came to the fast 
 shut gate, ' how are we going to get in ? 
 This is exactly what I told Frederick, but no 
 one attends to what / say. '
 
 176 A LILY AMONG THORNS part i. 
 
 'It is all right,' replied David, 'it is not 
 meant to be opened. See, here is where we 
 drive up.' 
 
 * I will not drive up there,' said Lady 
 Eleanor. ' Nothing shall induce me — a most 
 dangerous turn. Stop, David, I desire you. 
 I insist upon your opening that gate.' 
 
 David endeavoured to remonstrate, but in 
 vain. Lady Eleanor was rather nervous in 
 a carriage ; the roan mare began to fidget 
 and to back, and the corner was really a little 
 awkward to turn. 
 
 ' David, I shall get out.' 
 
 She was actually on the point of doing so, 
 and David pulled up. 
 
 ' Do let me drive you to the door quietly,' 
 he said, much annoyed. ' It isn't respectable 
 to stand here wrangling before the people's 
 windows.' 
 
 * I will not,' said Lady Eleanor, getting 
 out, and regaining her dignity as she reached 
 terra firma, ' I shall sit here until that gate is 
 opened.' 
 
 'Very good,' replied David, who was now
 
 CHAP, XI. A LILY AMONG THORNS 177 
 
 thoroughly out of temper, ' you will sit some 
 time then.' 
 
 So saying, he was about to drive on, when 
 he again received an unexpected check. A 
 small, freckled boy, panting and very hot, 
 burst suddenly through the hedge on the 
 right-hand side of the road, startling the mare 
 so much that she stood straight up on her 
 hind legs, and remained for some seconds in 
 that attitude. 
 
 ' Papa sent me,' gasped the boy breath- 
 lessly. ' We are all making hay in the 
 Bury Ham. If you're callers, you're to come 
 there. ' 
 
 * We are callers,' David responded meekly, 
 ' but what and where, my young friend, is the 
 Bury Ham ? ' 
 
 ' Down there,' said the boy, pointing, and 
 at the same moment a lady hurried up to 
 them exclaiming — 
 
 * Oh dear ! I was afraid there had been an 
 accident. I hope no one is hurt.' 
 
 Lady Eleanor had by this time recovered 
 from her alarm. ' Thank you, not at all,' 
 
 VOL. I. N
 
 1/8 A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 said she graciously, shaking hands with Mrs. 
 Freeman. * My son,' darting a revengeful 
 glance at David, *did not understand your 
 entrance. But you are busy, and we are 
 interrupting you — David * 
 
 *Pray do not go,' said Mrs. Freeman 
 eagerly. She was a fair, faded woman, with 
 rather a harassed expression of face, and a 
 high-pitched, plaintive voice. 
 
 ' If your son will drive round, my little boy 
 will show him the way. Oh! here is my 
 husband. John, Lady Eleanor Fitzgerald 
 is here, and ' 
 
 * Glad to see you, my lady,' said Mr. Free- 
 man. 'Glad to see you too, young sir. 
 Tommy ! take that horse round to the 
 stables.' 
 
 David and Tommy drove off together, 
 and Mr. Freeman once more addressed him- 
 self to Lady Eleanor. 
 
 * You couldn't have come at a better time,' 
 said he heartily. * You'll see us all making 
 hay ; I allow no idle hands here, I can tell 
 you. This way, my lady, come along.'
 
 CHAP. XI. A LILY AMONG THORNS 179 
 
 ' No, John,' said Mrs. Freeman, * Lady 
 Eleanor would rather come indoors/ 
 
 ' What ! and lose the sight of the hay- 
 making ?' exclaimed Mr. Freeman. ' I tell 
 you, we're all there, down to the very sucking 
 infant. Lady Eleanor never saw anything 
 like it in her life, I'll be bound.' 
 
 * I shall be charmed to see it,' said Lady 
 Eleanor coldly, ' I delight in the country, and 
 in farming ;' and the party proceeded to the 
 Bury Ham. 
 
 This was a large meadow, which lay to 
 the right of the house, sloping down to the 
 river, and presented a bright and busy scene, 
 as every one upon the farm had turned out 
 to help in tossing the hay. 
 
 All the young Freemans, too, were there, 
 eleven in number ; Edith, the eldest, holding 
 the above-mentioned infant, while the inter- 
 mediate ones were busy with forks, suited to 
 their various sizes. 
 
 ' Now, youngsters !' said the Squire, * work 
 with a will, all of you. Here's Lady Eleanor 
 Fitzgerald come to look on. She doesn't see
 
 i8o A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 a sight like this in her fine London houses/ 
 And Mr. Freeman set to work himself with 
 great vigour. 
 
 He was a burly middle-aged man, with 
 sandy hair, and a face rather like a bull-dog's, 
 at present very red with his exertions. He 
 was in his shirt-sleeves, and wore a broad 
 straw hat. 
 
 Mrs. Freeman made room for Lady 
 Eleanor on a bundle of hay by her side. 
 Miss Edith, who was just grown up, and 
 anxious that everybody should be aware of 
 this fact, resigned the baby to her mother, 
 and seated herself near them, lest perchance 
 she should be confounded with her two next 
 sisters, Bessie and Polly, who were still in 
 the schoolroom. But Miss Goodenough, the 
 governess, although a lady of a certain age, 
 having instructed Mrs. Freeman when she was 
 a girl, did not disdain to toss the hay, or rather 
 to sprinkle it about in a ladylike manner. 
 
 David, with Tommy Freeman, now 
 appeared, and were at once pressed into 
 the service.
 
 CHAP. XI. A LILY AMONG THORNS i8i 
 
 David took off his coat and set to work 
 vigorously, whereupon Miss Edith, resuming 
 her fork, recommenced her labours with an 
 industry edifying to behold. 
 
 Lady Eleanor began to wonder how long 
 this state of things would continue. Mrs. 
 Freeman, whose stock of conversation was 
 getting exhausted, at last inquired if she dis- 
 liked the strong scent of the hay. 
 
 * I think it charming,' said Lady Eleanor, 
 * quite charming ;' and she surveyed the scene 
 languidly. 
 
 * You do not find it too warm ? Shall we 
 not come into the house and have some 
 tea?' 
 
 Lady Eleanor again glanced at David, 
 but seeing that he showed not the faintest 
 sign of leaving off, she answered, ' Thank 
 you, Mrs. Freeman — if you are going in. 
 The fact is ' — rising and shaking the hay- 
 seeds from her dress — * I have been stung 
 by a gnat. I am a martyr, a perfect martyr 
 to insects/ 
 
 Mrs. Freeman handed the baby to her
 
 1 82 A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 daughter Bessie, bidding her find the nurse, 
 and then led the way into the house. 
 
 * We are paying you a regular visitation, 
 Mrs. Freeman,' said Lady Eleanor. * I do 
 not know when that boy of mine will be able 
 to tear himself away.' 
 
 ' It is particularly pleasant that you are 
 here to-day. Lady Eleanor. Our neighbours 
 at Alkerton used often to come and spend 
 the day with us at hay-making time. My 
 husband is so fond of keeping up old English 
 customs ; he never will have a machine to 
 toss the hay.' 
 
 Lady Eleanor answered that old customs 
 were exceedingly delightful, and Mrs. Free- 
 man continued — 
 
 *Yes, there was always a strong friend- 
 ship kept up between Alkerton and Bulcote, 
 although latterly we saw little of the poor 
 old Squire. Poor Mr. Popham ! he was 
 quite broken down by his son's death, but 
 in his good days he used to tell the story 
 of how, when his father went out riding, with 
 his wife on a pillion behind him, on one
 
 CHAP. XI. A LILY AMONG THORNS 183 
 
 occasion they fell into a ditch, but were taken 
 out, and dried at the hospitable mansion of 
 the Freemans.' 
 
 * Perhaps you thought something of that 
 sort had happened when we arrived,' said 
 Lady Eleanor, whose wrath against David 
 was in no way diminished by this narrative. 
 
 * Oh, this is the entrance. What a charming 
 old place !' she added with genuine admira- 
 tion as they walked up the flagged path 
 through the green court. 
 
 'Do you think so .^' said Mrs. Freeman. 
 
 * I should have liked some flowers, but ' 
 
 ' Oh no !' said Lady Eleanor, ' it is perfect 
 as it is. So picturesque — so thoroughly in 
 keeping!' 
 
 She paused to look round her before going 
 into the house. Mrs. Freeman pushed open 
 the door, and they went into the hall. This 
 was a large room, paved with stone, and 
 having a wide and deep fireplace at one 
 side ; it contained no furniture except a 
 long oaken table, a sideboard, and some 
 chairs.
 
 i84 A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 * This is where we dine,' said Mrs. Free- 
 man. * There are so many of us, you see. 
 My husband likes to have early dinner, with 
 all his children round him.' 
 
 Lady Eleanor shuddered. * You are 
 fortunate, Mrs. Freeman,' said she, ' in hav- 
 ing all your children still with you. We 
 mothers are seldom able to keep our sons 
 long. Have you a tutor for your boys ?' 
 
 * No, they attend the grammar-school at 
 Wroxbury daily. Mr. Bacon, the master, is 
 an excellent man, and it is not far off. My 
 husband likes to have all his children under 
 his own eye. To-day they have a holiday 
 for the hay-making ; my husband thinks they 
 ought to be trained to be useful. But I will 
 ring for tea.' 
 
 She opened a door which led out of the 
 hall into a little parlour, and rang the bell. 
 * This is our sitting-room,' said she. 
 
 Lady Eleanor glanced round. The fur- 
 niture was scanty and rather the worse for 
 wear ; the carpet was threadbare, particularly 
 in one part, which had been used by the
 
 CHAP. XI. A LILY AMONG THORNS 185 
 
 lesser children as a racecourse, and on the 
 doors the paint had been kicked off as high 
 up as the handles. 
 
 ' The door on the other side of the hall 
 leads into the book-room,' said Mrs. Freeman. 
 ' Should you care to see it ?' 
 
 Her visitor assented, and they crossed the 
 hall. The book-room corresponded in size 
 to the parlour, and, except that the walls were 
 lined with old books, presented much the 
 same appearance. 
 
 ' There are some valuable books here,' 
 said Mrs. Freeman. * My husband is justly 
 proud of his library, although he does not 
 care to open a book himself; and I have not 
 much time for reading.' 
 
 Here a tottering step was heard, and Mrs. 
 Freeman went hastily into the hall, where an 
 old gray-headed man-servant was seen slowly 
 making his way to the parlour door. 
 
 * Blencowe,' said Mrs. Freeman, speaking 
 very loud and distinctly, * bring tea into the 
 parlour. Tea^ Blencowe.' 
 
 The old man turned slowly round, and
 
 1 86 A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 scratched his head doubtfully. 'Tea?' said 
 he after a short pause. 
 
 'Yes,' said Mrs. Freeman. 'Tea, and 
 bread and butter, and cake.* 
 
 'CakeT repeated Blencowe, looking as if 
 this last was almost more than he could bear; 
 but seeing that his mistress was not likely to 
 be turned from her desperate resolve, he 
 departed muttering to himself. The two 
 ladies then went into the parlour, and after a 
 considerable lapse of time, Blencowe returned 
 empty handed. He went into a corner of the 
 room, and after much apparent exertion, at 
 last succeeded in bringing forward a small 
 three-legged table, which he placed before his 
 mistress' chair. He then proceeded to rap it 
 several times with the palm of his hand, in 
 order to see if it was steady. Finding that 
 it was decidedly shaky, he uttered a satisfied 
 grunt and went away again. After another 
 ten minutes the aged Blencowe returned, not, 
 as Lady Eleanor had fondly hoped, with the 
 tea-tray, but with a small chip of wood in his 
 hand, which he carefully fixed under the
 
 CHAP. XI. A LILY AMONG THORNS 187 
 
 shaky leg ; then rising, he smote the table as 
 before. 
 
 * That will do, Blencowe,' said Mrs. Free- 
 man wearily. Blencowe gave the table a 
 final rap, then went off again, and came back, 
 this time with a cloth. Having spread it, he 
 again shambled away, and after another long 
 interval, the tea-tray was borne in in triumph. 
 Setting it down cautiously on the table, the 
 old man panted out — 
 
 ' Best not go for to shake that, now.' 
 
 Finally, a plate of thick bread and butter 
 and a large home-made cake were brought, 
 and Blencowe having remained a few minutes 
 to contemplate his handiwork, and to ascertain 
 if his mistress stood in need of any further 
 advice, at length thought fit to retire, and 
 was seen no more. 
 
 'Poor old Jacob Blencowe!' said Mrs. 
 Freeman, beginning to pour out tea. * He 
 has served my husband's family faithfully for 
 fifty years, and he will not give up working, 
 though he is certainly too old. We do all 
 we can to spare him.'
 
 i88 A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 Lady Eleanor was much shocked at this 
 speech ; she earnestly represented to her 
 hostess, to whom she had taken rather a 
 fancy, the extreme undesirability of keep- 
 ing old servants ; a race of beings at whose 
 hands she declared herself to have suffered 
 *an absolute martyrdom' during her early 
 married life. 
 
 Meanwhile David, feeling that he had 
 sufficiently done his duty in the matter of 
 hay-making, informed Mr. Freeman that he 
 feared he must reluctantly abandon that de- 
 lightful pursuit. 
 
 *Ho!' said the Squire, as he wiped the 
 moisture from his brow, * had enough of it, I 
 daresay.' 
 
 * Not at all,' protested David, putting on 
 his coat. * I should be delighted to go on 
 for — for any length of time. But I have to 
 drive my mother home, you know.' 
 
 * Well, you have earned a drink,' said Mr. 
 Freeman, laying down his fork, but not re- 
 suming his coat. * Have a taste of my home- 
 brewed.'
 
 CHAP. XI. A LILY AMONG THORNS 189 
 
 They walked together to the house, the 
 troop of children, led by Miss Goodenough 
 and Edith, following them. 
 
 * You don't know much of farming, I 
 suppose,' said Mr. Freeman. 
 
 *Well, I've not been brought up to it 
 exactly,' replied David. * I've been in India 
 with my regiment ; and my people never 
 owned a property till now.' 
 
 'My family,' said the Squire, 'have lived 
 on this soil since the days of King Alfred. 
 We've been farmers for generations, and I 
 ain't ashamed of it. We're respected in the 
 neighbourhood, I can tell you.' 
 
 Here a labourer passing touched his hat. 
 
 * They all do that,' said the Squire ; * they 
 touch their hats to me — plain John Freeman 
 — as readily as to the Duke of Brazenose.' 
 
 David expressed the satisfaction which 
 this happy state of things afforded him, and 
 the Squire continued : 'It's all very fine to 
 have a handle to your name, and so forth, 
 but the Duke is not one whit more respected 
 than I am. Not but what he's a civil man
 
 I90 A LILY AMONG THORNS part i. 
 
 enough, as dukes go,' said Mr. Freeman 
 charitably. * He never passes my gate with- 
 out saying, ''How d ye do, Freeman ? Fine 
 weather for the crops " — or the like. Once 
 he asked leave to make a short cut through my 
 spinney. I gave it to him too ' — in a medi- 
 tative tone. * I'm not against doing a good 
 turn to a neighbour. But now for the home- 
 brewed.' 
 
 They had by this time reached the hall, 
 and the Squire, taking two huge tankards 
 from the sideboard, despatched Edith, who 
 was close behind, to get them filled with ale. 
 The rest of the children tumbled in a body 
 into the parlour, followed by Miss Good- 
 enough, who endeavoured to exercise some 
 slight restraint upon the younger members. 
 Edith joined them as soon as she had fetched 
 the ale. And now a general clamour began 
 in the parlour. 
 
 * Mamma, may I have some tea } ' 
 
 * May I have some too, mamma } ' 
 'And I?' 'and I?' 
 
 ' Oh, mamma ! I want some cake ! '
 
 CHAP. XI. A LILY AMONG THORNS 191 
 
 * I cannot possibly give you all tea,' said 
 Mrs. Freeman in her plaintive, oppressed 
 voice. ' You may finish the bread and butter, 
 if you like. Miss Goodenough, will you 
 take a cup of tea ? Edith dear, here is 
 yours.' 
 
 The children's attention having been 
 directed to the bread and butter, there was 
 quiet for a moment, then again the outcry 
 arose — 
 
 * Mamma, my piece had no butter on it' 
 
 * Mamma, Edwy's piece was much bigger 
 than mine.' 
 
 ' Mamma, Alfred's taken the last.' 
 
 * Mayn't I have some cake, mamma ? ' 
 Mrs. Freeman cut two large slices of cake 
 
 into fragments, and distributed them imparti- 
 ally ; and at the same moment the Squire 
 and David made their appearance. Mrs. 
 Freeman offered the latter some tea, which 
 he declined, and asked leave to fetch the 
 carriage. The children, with whom he 
 seemed to have become rather popular, 
 accompanied him in a body, slamming the
 
 192 A LIL V AMONG THORNS part i. 
 
 door violently as they went out. Lady 
 Eleanor once more shuddered visibly. 
 
 *And how do you like Alkerton, my 
 lady ? ' inquired Mr. Freeman, crossing his 
 legs ; he had thrown himself into his arm- 
 chair. 
 
 ' I have hardly been there long enough to 
 judge/ replied Lady Eleanor in her most 
 chilling tone ; ' it is extremely inconvenient 
 in many ways.' 
 
 * Oh ! I daresay you feel being so far from 
 church,' said Mrs. Freeman sympathetically. 
 
 ' Well, that is undoubtedly a great draw- 
 back,' said Lady Eleanor, to whom this dis- 
 advantage now occurred for the first time ; 
 ' and then the utter want of servants' accom- 
 modation ' 
 
 ' I don't know about that, I am sure,' 
 said the Squire. * Fine old place, though ; 
 historical, they say. I don't pretend to know 
 much of these matters, but Miss Goodenough 
 here will tell you. She has it all at her 
 fingers'-ends.' 
 
 ' Alkerton Priory,' said Miss Goodenough,
 
 CHAP. XI. A LILY AMONG THORNS 193 
 
 Opening her mouth in instruction, * was built 
 about the commencement of the fifteenth 
 century ; it has since been greatly altered 
 and added to. It was taken possession of 
 by Master Wilfred Popham, after the ejection 
 of the monks by Henry VIII.' 
 
 'A fine old Saxon family, the Pophams,' 
 put in the Squire. 
 
 'Yes,' said Miss Goodenough, 'a brave, 
 but unfortunate race. Misfortune, it was 
 formerly believed, pursued the sacrilegious 
 possessor of church lands, and this remnant 
 of Romish superstition acquired some cre- 
 dence in the minds of the ignorant peasantry 
 in this neighbourhood from the fact that from 
 first to last the family of Popham has been 
 subject to a series of the direst calamities.' 
 
 ' Really ? ' said Lady Eleanor, rather 
 startled. 
 
 ' This is not very pleasant hearing for 
 Lady Eleanor,' said Mrs. Freeman. *You 
 must not think ' 
 
 'Pshaw!' said, the Squire, 'a pack of 
 papistical rubbish. It was a happy day for 
 
 VOL. I. O
 
 194 A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 England when the rascally old monks were 
 cleared out. As to the Pophams, to be sure 
 the old Squire did lose his money, and his 
 eldest son broke his neck out hunting, but 
 what has that to do with church lands, I 
 should like to know 1 ' 
 
 ' At any rate, let us hope that the monks' 
 vengeance was satisfied upon the Pophams,' 
 said Lady Eleanor. 
 
 Half a dozen or so of the children now 
 burst into the room to announce that the 
 carriage had come, and Lady Eleanor and 
 David, having made their adieux with many 
 polite acknowledgments of the delightful 
 afternoon they had spent, at length drove off, 
 and reached home without further adventure. 
 
 The drive was accomplished almost in 
 silence, for Lady Eleanor met all her son's 
 attempts at conversation with such deter- 
 mined ill -humour that he judged it more 
 prudent to leave her to her own reflections. 
 Had David seemed disposed to be aggrieved 
 or out of temper himself, her own injuries 
 would have been forgotten, and she would
 
 CHAP. XI. A LILY AMONG THORNS 195 
 
 have found a virtuous satisfaction in lecturing 
 him on the disobliging and uncharitable spirit 
 which he displayed ; but David, although he 
 made some wry faces over the recollection of 
 the home-brewed ale, seemed to have been 
 rather exhilarated than otherwise by his 
 afternoon's work. Therefore, his having left 
 her for nearly an hour and a half with a 
 neighbour with whom she did not care to 
 become intimate was an offence which she 
 was not then disposed to condone. 
 
 At the hall door they were met by Lionel. 
 * Well ! ' said he, ' have you only just come 
 back ? The Anglo-Saxon gate did not then 
 succeed in repelling the Norman invader ?' 
 
 ' You boys are always talking about Anglo- 
 Saxons,' said Lady Eleanor indignantly, as 
 she swept into the house. ' And / consider 
 it an exceedingly poor joke.'
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 * And though I stood abasit for a lite, 
 No wonder was ; for why ? my wittis all 
 Were so o'ercome with pleasance and delight — 
 Only through letting of my eyen fall — 
 That suddenly my heart became her thrall 
 For ever of free will, for of menace 
 There was no token in her sweete face.' 
 
 Before David could carry out his intention 
 of offering a visit to his relations at Chipping- 
 ham, a letter arrived from Mr. Macdonald of 
 Ardvoira requiring his immediate presence In 
 London about some business connected with 
 the estate. Mr. Macdonald was an old 
 infirm man, and David, who was his cousin 
 and next heir, was glad to be able to relieve 
 him of any troublesome business transactions 
 to which the old man was unequal. 
 
 ' I shall have to go up to town this after- 
 noon,' he observed at breakfast one morning.
 
 CHAP. XII. A LILY AMONG THORNS 197 
 
 a day or two after the visit to the Freemans. 
 * Old Ardvoira seems very urgent that I 
 should see Turnbull at once, as he happens 
 to be in London.' 
 
 'Why, what is the matter?' asked Lady 
 Eleanor. 
 
 ' Some business about the rents,' replied 
 David, who was not inclined to be very com- 
 municative about his affairs, ' and seeing this 
 chap now will save me a journey to Glasgow. 
 I don't want to go to Scotland before the 
 Twelfth.' 
 
 * Why not start at once .^' said Mr. Fitz- 
 gerald, who, arrayed in a gorgeous Japanese 
 dressing-gown, was breakfasting with his 
 family that morning. * You young men are 
 always procrastinating. You could be ready 
 in half an hour.' 
 
 ' You could go down to Chippingham 
 on your way back, David,' said his mother, 
 who had been meditating upon her own 
 schemes. * It would not be much out of 
 your way.' 
 
 ' And there you could make love to the
 
 198 A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 fair Elsie Ross,' said Lionel. * Allow me to 
 contribute a suggestion.' 
 
 *You speak like a book, mother,* said 
 David, ignoring the proposals of the other 
 members of his family. ' I'll write to the 
 General as soon as I see my way.' 
 
 'Whilst you are away, I shall have your 
 room put to rights — scrubbed^ said Lady 
 Eleanor resolutely. 'The house has been 
 left in a disgraceful condition, so Mrs. Betts 
 tells me.' 
 
 * Good heavens ! ' exclaimed David, 
 * scrubbed ? what a violent proceeding ! I 
 am sure it is quite clean.' 
 
 'As to you, Lionel,' she continued, 'your 
 room is worse than David's. You will have 
 to turn out, and live in the west wing for a 
 few days.' 
 
 'Why?' said Lionel sulkily. 'I'm not 
 going to have my room scrubbed. It's a — a 
 beastly thing to do.' 
 
 ' Do not talk such nonsense,' said his 
 mother. ' People must be clean, I suppose.' 
 
 ' Clean ?' retorted her son. ' There is
 
 CHAP. XII. A LIL V AMONG THORNS 199 
 
 nothing mor^ filthy than soap and water. It 
 gets Into the crevices and breeds a pesti- 
 lence ' 
 
 ' Will you be quiet, Lionel?' groaned Mr. 
 Fitzgerald, holding his head. * You are 
 insupportable.' 
 
 'Why?' again demanded Lionel. 'I am 
 only telling you that soap and water ' 
 
 ' I am not sure that turpentine and bees- 
 wax ' began Lady Eleanor. 
 
 * Beeswax your grandmother ! ' shouted 
 Lionel. ' Leave it alone altogether, I say.' 
 
 A hot argument then ensued between 
 Lionel and his parents, which lasted during 
 the whole of breakfast -time. David was 
 thus left to arrange his plans as he liked 
 best ; by and by he proceeded leisurely to 
 the stables, followed by Lionel, who only 
 stopped at the door of the dining-room to 
 have the last word by intimating his unalter- 
 able conviction that nothing putrefied, or bred 
 a pestilence, so rapidly as soap and water 
 when applied to a bedroom floor, unless it 
 was beeswax and turpentine.
 
 200 A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 ' Poor old Freddy seems rather short in 
 the temper just now,' observed David, light- 
 ing a cigarette. * I fancy he is more so than 
 he used to be. Uncomfortable in his inside, 
 I suppose, poor old chap.' 
 
 * He is always rather chippy on the days 
 when he puts on that dressing-gown,' said 
 Lionel, * but he has got another which is 
 worse ; the one, you know, with Leviathan 
 taking his pastime thereon. I don't see any 
 particular signs of decay about him, however. 
 What train do you go by, David ? ' 
 
 * 2.48,' replied David. ' Why not come 
 up to town with me, and get your hair cut ? ' 
 
 * You forget, my dear fellow,' said Lionel, 
 puffing himself out in imitation of his step- 
 father, * that I am studying for my matricula- 
 tion, and every moment is precious. Have 
 I time to waste in personal decoration ?' 
 
 'It is true,' said David seriously, * you 
 never will pass, Lionel, if you go on as you 
 are doing. And if you don't get into Oxford, 
 what the dickens are you going to do ?' 
 
 ' I shall go to Australia. I have thought
 
 CHAP. XII. A LILY AMONG THORNS 201 
 
 of it often, and it is the only thing I am fit 
 for.' 
 
 * Oh !' said David incredulously. 
 
 ' So you see it does not matter whether I 
 pass or not. Come and look at the hunters.' 
 
 They were in the stable by this time, and 
 Lionel was examining with great interest the 
 two hunters which were destined for his use 
 in the coming winter, apparently oblivious of 
 his lately expressed intention of leaving the 
 country. 
 
 After a prolonged survey of the horses, 
 Lionel somewhat ostentatiously informed his 
 brother that he was now going to Mr. Bland- 
 ford ; and on entering the library to fetch a 
 book, he found his parents there holding a 
 conference. 
 
 Lady Eleanor's mind was for the moment 
 so full of David's prospects, that she could 
 not rest till she had poured all her doubts 
 and perplexities into her husband's ear. 
 Mr. Fitzgerald was too much occupied with 
 his own ailments to be a very sympathetic 
 listener, but for this his wife cared little ;
 
 202 A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 it never occurred to her, apparently, that 
 her own grievances were not the theme of 
 everybody's thoughts, and a Hstener of some 
 sort was a necessity to her. 
 
 * It is awkward this letter having come 
 for David just now,' she said. ' Though if 
 he does not take this opportunity of going 
 to Chippingham, he'll never do it, and I 
 should be so unhappy if he were to offend 
 old General Lindsay, who has invited him 
 twice since he came home.' 
 
 * Undoubtedly he ought to go,' said Mr. 
 Fitzgerald. ' I do not comprehend your 
 difficulty, my dear Eleanor.' 
 
 * Don't you know the Mortimers are 
 coming here next week, and we shall have 
 to make up a party ? Then I wanted to 
 ask Laura Stockton. Such a nice girl, you 
 know — really a superior girl. The society 
 of women like that is just what David 
 needs. She is not like the general run of 
 girls, thinking of nothing but amusement' 
 
 ' Exactly so,' said Mr. Fitzgerald. * It 
 is a most extraordinary thing, Eleanor, that
 
 CHAP. XII. A LILY AMONG THORNS 203 
 
 whenever I stretch out my left arm — in this 
 manner — I feel the most exquisite pain.' 
 
 ' Do not stretch it out then, dearest 
 Frederick, I implore you. And you know, 
 on the death of an aunt, she will come into 
 nearly ^3000 a year.' 
 
 'Can it proceed from the heart T inquired 
 Mr. Fitzgerald irrelevantly. 
 
 * Can what proceed '^. — oh, your arm ; non- 
 sense ! you have kept it too long in one 
 position. You see, there is no use in asking 
 any nice girls whilst David is away.' 
 
 * David is far better unmarried yet awhile, 
 I should say. Why not leave him alone ?' 
 
 ' He will be falling in love,' said Lady 
 Eleanor solemnly ; * I know it. He is just 
 
 at the age ' At this moment the door 
 
 opened ; she stopped, but seeing it was only 
 Lionel, she continued : 'He is just the kind 
 of boy to ruin himself by some imprudent 
 attachment ; and if we do not throw nice 
 girls in his way, whose fault will it be but 
 ours ? I am not sure but that I ought to 
 give Caroline Lindsay a hint. What do you
 
 204 A LIL V AMONG THORNS part i. 
 
 think ? Those young men just home from 
 India always want to marry every girl they 
 see. Now you know they do, Frederick !' 
 
 Frederick appeared doubtful, but Lionel 
 promptly replied for him : * Certainly they 
 do, mother — a most immoral frame of mind. 
 That is David's condition to a T.' 
 
 * Leave the room, sir ! ' suddenly thundered 
 Mr. Fitzgerald, rousing himself to a supreme 
 effort. * Eleanor, that boy is z;^sufferable.* 
 
 * Lionel dear, do not be so tiresome,' said 
 his mother. * Why do you not go to your 
 reading ? Well, Frederick, I see your arm 
 is paining you ; come upstairs, and I will 
 send for Pritchard.' 
 
 * I am going,' said Lionel with condescen- 
 sion. ' Do not disturb yourselves on my 
 account, I beg.' 
 
 He then very deliberately chose three 
 books out of the shelves, after which he 
 proceeded slowly to the door, stopping on 
 his way to smell the flowers, and to make a 
 careful examination of every object that he 
 passed ; then apparently changing his mind,
 
 CHAP. XII. A LILY AMONG THORNS 205 
 
 he went suddenly to the window, swung 
 himself out, and disappeared. Mr. Fitz- 
 gerald groaned. 
 
 ' You are ruining that boy, Eleanor, and 
 unless a severe course is taken with him, he 
 will be a disgrace and a scandal to all with 
 whom he is connected.' 
 
 ' You have excited yourself, Frederick,' 
 said Lady Eleanor coldly. ' I suppose you 
 forget that the doctor forbade all excitement ; 
 but there is no use in talking to you whilst 
 you are in this state.' 
 
 She left the room in displeasure, and 
 went to find her elder son, but David kept 
 himself well out of the way till luncheon 
 time, and as he started on his journey im- 
 mediately afterwards, she had no opportunity 
 of speaking to him alone. 
 
 On his arrival in London, David went at 
 once to the lodging of Mr. Turnbull, and, 
 being requested to wait a little until that 
 gentleman came in, he employed his leisure 
 moments in writing a note to Mrs. Lindsay 
 to offer a visit.
 
 2o6 A LILY AMONG THORNS part i. 
 
 It turned out afterwards that he had been 
 premature in making his plans, as the busi- 
 ness which had brought him to town detained 
 him longer than he expected ; and it was not 
 till two or three days afterwards that he 
 found himself at liberty. Whilst in the train 
 on his way to Chippingham, he suddenly 
 recollected that he had forgotten to let the 
 Lindsays know exactly when to expect him, 
 as he had promised to do in the telegram 
 which he had despatched the day before. 
 
 * It can't matter much, however,' he 
 thought, * as they seldom have any visitors ; 
 and if the house is full, I can but go away 
 again.' 
 
 'Well, Howell, how are you? All well 
 here ?' said he, as the butler's well-known 
 face appeared at the door. 
 
 ' Thank you, sir, all tolerably well, sir. 
 Glad to see you returned. The General 
 and the ladies is out driving, sir.' 
 
 * Oh ! ' said David, pausing with his foot 
 on the step. 
 
 * But Miss Ross is in the garden, I believe.
 
 CHAP. XII. A LILY AMONG THORNS 207 
 
 sir. Shall I send to the station for your 
 baggage ?' 
 
 ' No, never mind, the porter is going to 
 send it up.' 
 
 David walked into the drawing-room, and 
 from the windows took a careful survey of 
 the garden, in order to ascertain, if possible, 
 what Miss Ross was like before making her 
 acquaintance. He could see no one, how- 
 ever, so he stepped out through the window, 
 and walked leisurely round. 
 
 The plants had been somewhat battered 
 by the recent rain, and a hedge of sweet- 
 peas, which had been laid flat, was just be- 
 ginning to recover itself, but the sun now 
 shone out bright and hot, and had already 
 tinged the apricots on the south wall. The 
 pond at the bottom of the garden was not 
 visible from the drawing-room windows, and 
 as David approached it, he caught sight of a 
 girl's figure in a white dress, sitting on the 
 garden bench. Her face was turned away, 
 and she did not see him ; she seemed to be 
 watching three or four white ducks, which
 
 2o8 A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 were swimming in the pond, and which, 
 every now and then, reversed themselves, 
 after the manner of ducks, and seemed cap- 
 able of remaining head downwards in the 
 water for a surprising length of time. 
 
 There was something listless and drooping 
 in the girl's attitude ; from where David stood 
 he could see the thick plaits of fair hair under 
 her sailor hat, and note the graceful outlines 
 of her figure. Across her knee she held the 
 long stalk of a tall white lily, which had been 
 broken by the rain. It was a pretty picture, 
 the young man thought ; he wondered what 
 the face would be like, when she should turn 
 it round ; he wondered what she was thinking 
 of so intently. Beside the girl, on the gravel 
 walk, a little brown dog lay asleep in the sun- 
 shine ; it was stretched out In the attitude of 
 a dead pig, and did not, therefore, add to the 
 poetry of the scene. 
 
 David came a very little nearer ; the dead 
 pig gave signs of returning life. A fly had 
 settled on Hans s nose ; he sneezed, knitted 
 his brows, and suddenly becoming aware of
 
 CHAP. XII. A LIL V AMONG THORNS 209 
 
 an intruder, he growled fiercely, while every 
 hair on his back and tail stood erect, ' like 
 quills upon the fretful porcupine.' His mis- 
 tress turned round, and David, taking off his 
 hat, came forward hastily. 
 
 ' I have arrived unexpectedly, I fear. I 
 hope I have not startled you,' he said. 
 
 Elsie rose, apparently not in the least 
 startled or discomposed. ' Mr. Lindsay ? ' 
 she said in a half-questioning voice. 
 
 Before she was aware of his presence, 
 David had unconsciously been keeping him- 
 self from disappointment, by thinking that 
 the face which was turned from him was 
 probably plain ; but he could find no fault 
 with the small oval face, the delicate features, 
 or the clear gray eyes which met his so 
 frankly. He felt almost as embarrassed as 
 if she could have read his thoughts, and only 
 said rather awkwardly — 
 
 ' We are cousins, I think.' 
 
 ' I believe so,' said Elsie demurely. * We 
 have been expecting you, but Aunt Caroline 
 did not know when you would arrive. 
 
 VOL. I. p
 
 2IO A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 They will be back from their drive very 
 soon.' 
 
 She maintained some slight degree of 
 severity in remembrance of his offence, but, 
 mindful of the laws of hospitality, she was 
 prepared to relent the moment she saw signs 
 of contrition. 
 
 ' The fact is, I forgot to send another 
 telegram. I hope — do you know — is it in- 
 convenient in any way ?' 
 
 ' Not in the least,' said Elsie cordially. 
 ' Uncle Henry has been looking forward to 
 seeing you. Hans!' turning to admonish 
 him slightly with the stalk of her lily — ' will 
 you stop growling at your cousin!' for Hans 
 had continued to protest in a sort of musical 
 undertone, ever since the arrival of the 
 stranger. 
 
 David laughed heartily, and stooped down 
 to make friends with the little dog. 
 
 * My aunt used to have a pug,' he said. 
 
 ' Yes,' replied Elsie, ' she has two, but 
 they have gone out driving. Aunt Caroline 
 will be disappointed not to have been in when
 
 CHAP. XII. A LILY AMONG THORNS 211 
 
 you came. She had prepared a grand recep- 
 tion for you yesterday, — but perhaps ' 
 
 hesitating a Httle — ' it may be just as — com- 
 fortable for you not to have it.' 
 
 ' Reception ? ' said David ; ' you alarm 
 me. What on earth was she going to do ? ' 
 
 ' Never mind, it won't happen now — there 
 is the carriage !' 
 
 If Elsie expected that the young man 
 would at once joyfully hasten to greet his 
 relatives, she was mistaken ; for David lin- 
 gered, and expressed his opinion that it was 
 'only some one come to call.' 
 
 * No, I saw the carriage. Howell will tell 
 Aunt Caroline you are come ; had you not 
 better meet them ?' 
 
 David rose reluctantly. ' Are not you 
 coming in ?' he said. 
 
 ' I shall come by and by,' replied Elsie 
 placidly ; and he had no choice but to depart. 
 
 From her garden-seat she presently heard 
 the loud barking of the pugs, followed by a 
 chorus of exclamations, and smiled a little 
 to herself. She waited until she thought
 
 212 A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 that the first raptures had had time to sub- 
 side, and then went in to make the tea, as 
 was her daily duty. 
 
 On entering the drawing-room she found 
 Aunt Caroline seated beside David on the 
 sofa, holding his hand tenderly between both 
 hers, and gazing with fond affection into his 
 face, whilst the General and Miss Maynard 
 occupied positions in the background. 
 
 Elsie was glad to see that her aunt's dis- 
 appointment was wholly forgotten, and that 
 her uncle appeared to be in the best of spirits. 
 At dinner there was quite a lively flow of 
 talk and laughter ; no subject of conversation 
 was frowned upon or fraught with severe 
 moral lessons ; the Elms seemed like a dif- 
 ferent house, and Elsie breathed freely in the 
 more genial atmosphere.
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 ' As a lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters. ' 
 
 Elsie felt grateful to David Lindsay for the 
 new life which he had brought with him, and 
 could not help finding him a most agreeable 
 companion to herself; while he, on his part, 
 was unconsciously fulfilling his mother's pre- 
 diction, by falling in love with the first girl 
 he saw. 
 
 Elsie's beauty attracted him in the first 
 place, and then her utter ignorance of the 
 world, her unlikeness to other girls, and her 
 disposition to look up to and admire his 
 superior knowledge, combined to render her 
 perfect in his eyes. He thought her the 
 loveliest creature the sun ever shone upon, 
 and every moment seemed wasted which was 
 not spent in her society. The visit of a few
 
 214 A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 days, which he had intended to make, 
 lengthened itself out indefinitely, to the 
 great content of his uncle and aunt. As 
 Elsie had once expressed herself glad that 
 her uncle should be kept happy and amused, 
 David exerted himself to the utmost to please 
 the old man, and, indeed, he would have 
 undertaken a far more difficult task to win 
 from her the least token of approval. 
 
 Although he could not discover from 
 Elsie's manner the smallest sign that she 
 returned his feelings, she treated him with 
 great cordiality, and they were soon on in- 
 timate terms. Very early in their acquaint- 
 ance David had suggested that it was the 
 privilege of cousins to call each other by 
 their Christian names ; a piece of information 
 which Elsie received with meekness, and 
 immediately acted upon. 
 
 ' I have never had any cousins before,' 
 she said one day — 'none that I knew, at 
 least.' 
 
 She and David were supposed to be play- 
 ing lawn tennis, but, having soon become
 
 CHAP. XIII. A LILY AMONG THORNS 215 
 
 exhausted by the exercise, were now sitting 
 together on the grass. 
 
 ' How is it that you were never here 
 before ?' said David. 
 
 ' Why am I here now ? you had better 
 ask. I had not a stepmother before, and I 
 was the only one at home, you see.' 
 
 ' Odd that we should both be afflicted 
 with a step-parent. We ought to have great 
 sympathy with one another on that account,' 
 observed David sentimentally. 
 
 ' But your stepfather is very nice, is he 
 not?' 
 
 ' Poor old Freddy ! I suppose he is. He 
 is a terrible fellow for quarrelling with his 
 neighbours, but he was always very kind 
 to us.' 
 
 ' That's like papa. He quarrelled with 
 his neighbour — he has only got one — and I 
 think it was a great pity.' 
 
 ' Do you mind telling me the subject of 
 dispute ? ' 
 
 ' It was a raven,' replied Elsie. ' Lord 
 Ochil kept a tame raven, and It used to
 
 2i6 A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 bite my father's legs when he went to 
 call.' 
 
 * Oh ! ' said David, ' I don't wonder he 
 was hurt.' 
 
 ' His legs were not,' said Elsie laughing, 
 ' because he always wears very strong gaiters, 
 but — I suppose his feelings were. The raven 
 never bit any one else, and he thought Lord 
 Ochil kept it on purpose to annoy him. But 
 what did Mr. Fitzgerald quarrel about ? ' 
 
 * The occasions were so numerous,' said 
 David, ' I forget most of them. The last 
 was about a carpet-bag, if I recollect right ; 
 I rather think that was the cause of our 
 leaving Devonshire.' 
 
 ' Do you call your stepfather Freddy or 
 Frederick ? ' inquired Elsie after a long and 
 serious pause. 
 
 David laughed. ' I don't exactly call him 
 either, Elsie.' 
 
 * I have always said ''Euphemia" in speak- 
 ing to my stepmother, although it sounds 
 rather familiar; that is why I ask you. What 
 do you call him, David ? '
 
 - CHAP. XIII. A LILY AMONG THORNS 217 
 
 'Well, I — a — In fact, I call him papa,' re- 
 plied David, blushing. ' It is his own wish,' 
 he added, recovering himself, ' and one does 
 not like to annoy him by refusing. If he ex- 
 pressed a desire to be called Old Nick, I 
 should waive my scruples and consent.' 
 
 ' You are quite right,' said Elsie gravely. 
 ' Shall we have another game ? ' 
 
 David very soon made it his daily practice 
 to present himself In the drawing-room dur- 
 ing Elsie's hours of study ; and after making 
 himself agreeable to Miss Maynard for a few 
 minutes, he generally Induced her pupil to 
 leave her books and come out with him; and 
 gradually he contrived that he and Elsie 
 should be together almost the whole day 
 long. Of course this could not go on with- 
 out Mrs. Lindsay's knowledge, but the idea 
 of David as Elsie's lover did not, at first, 
 enter her mind. 
 
 When in his aunt's presence, David took 
 little notice of Elsie, appearing to be entirely 
 engrossed with Aunt Caroline, who, in the 
 excitement of her nephew's visit, forgot to
 
 2i8 A LILY AMONG THORNS 
 
 take her usual Interest in all Elsie's proceed- 
 ings. She attributed the length of David's 
 stay entirely to his attachment to herself. 
 ' Dear good fellow ! ' she observed to Elsie ; 
 * he appreciates so much the privileges of a 
 truly Christian home. Poor Eleanor is, I 
 fear, sadly given up to the world.' 
 
 Being desirous of exhibiting her Indian 
 hero to the neighbourhood, Mrs. Lindsay not 
 only took him with her to any festivities that 
 were going on, but even gave a garden party 
 at the Elms, an event which had been un- 
 heard of for years, and which was on a scale 
 of splendour calculated to strike awe into the 
 hearts of the Chippingham population. David 
 expressed himself delighted with all these 
 entertainments, as well he might ; for did not 
 Elsie grace them all with her sw^eet presence, 
 and did not she far outshine the innumerable 
 maidens who, in their freshest muslin dresses, 
 thronged the lawns and gardens ? 
 
 Still, he preferred to have her society 
 alone, and soon found that in the grounds 
 they were much too liable to interruption.
 
 CHAP. XIII. A LILY AMONG THORNS 219 
 
 ' Why should we not have a boat ? ' he 
 said one day. ' Do you ever go on the river, 
 Elsie ? ' 
 
 ' I should love it,' said Elsie ; ' but I do 
 not believe we may. Uncle Henry once had 
 an attack because I walked by the river.' 
 
 'By yourself?' said David. 'I don't 
 wonder. I should say that was calculated 
 to produce the very worst effects upon him. 
 But with me — that is a very different thing.' 
 
 ' You really think I ought not to walk 
 alone ? I thought it such nonsense. They 
 do not even like me to go on the road for 
 fear of meeting a tramp — as if tramps ever 
 did anything to anybody ! ' 
 
 ' Ladies are generally afraid of tramps,' 
 said David. ' I do not know that they are 
 usually ferocious ; but I consider it most 
 undesirable for you to walk by yourself. It's 
 enough to give anybody a fit — an attack, 
 to think of it.' 
 
 ' Ah, well ! ' said Elsie, ' perhaps you have 
 the Lindsay constitution.' 
 
 The proposal of taking Elsie on the river
 
 220 A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 did not find favour in Mrs. Lindsay's eyes ; 
 and she was now becoming rather suspicious 
 of the fraternal affection which she believed 
 to exist between her nephew and niece. In 
 one of her confidential talks with David she 
 had spoken enthusiastically of Mr. Maynard, 
 of his worth and talents, and hinted at the 
 desirability of Elsie being settled near her. 
 David had not said much in reply, but she 
 was struck by his evident dislike of the 
 notion, and he had very soon made an excuse 
 to leave her and go out. A few minutes later 
 she saw him and Elsie, apparently in earnest 
 conversation, walking leisurely through the 
 paddock in the direction of the river. From 
 that moment she determined to be on her 
 guard, and not permit the close intercourse 
 which had hitherto existed between the 
 cousins. 
 
 ' Where are you going, dear ? ' she said 
 that same afternoon, as Elsie reappeared 
 in the drawing-room after tea with her 
 hat on. 
 
 ' David and I were going to play tennis,'
 
 CHAP. XIII. A LILY AMONG THORNS 221 
 
 was the answer ; and David opened the 
 window for her to step out. 
 
 ' By diligent practice I hope to make a 
 good player of her in time, Aunt Caroline,' 
 he said as he followed her. 
 
 Mrs. Lindsay waited till the pair were 
 gone, then she turned to Miss Maynard. 
 * What are you aboztt, Cecilia ? allowing these 
 young people to be constantly together without 
 chaperonage ? ' she said in her severest tones. 
 
 Miss Maynard let the work fall from her 
 trembling hands, and looked up terrified. ' I 
 — I did not suppose ' she faltered. 
 
 ' You did not suppose it was your duty to 
 guard and to watch over your young charge ?' 
 said Mrs. Lindsay indignantly. 'Pray, Cecilia, 
 for what purpose did Providence bestow 
 reason and eyesight upon you ? Now, dry 
 your eyes' — for Cecilia had already taken 
 out her pocket-handkerchief — 'put on your 
 bonnet, and go at once to the tennis-ground. 
 Prompt and decided action may do much. 
 You cannot efface the past, but you may 
 atone for it in the future.'
 
 222 A LIL V AMONG THORNS part i. 
 
 The players had not yet begun their game 
 when Miss Maynard hurried towards them. 
 
 * Is anything wrong ? ' asked Elsie, as she 
 went up to her and gently put her bonnet 
 straight. 
 
 ' No, no, dear,' said Miss Maynard tremu- 
 lously ; ' I came to sit here a little and watch 
 your game.' 
 
 'And so you shall,' said Elsie, looking 
 round, 'but the grass is damp just here. If 
 she had a chair, David, or a rug — wait, I will 
 fetch one.' 
 
 David ran after her. * Must she sit here ?' 
 he whispered. * It is nonsense, you know ; 
 she will get rheumatism.' 
 
 * She shall sit where she likes, poor dear,' 
 said Elsie, who had observed the traces of 
 tears on Miss Maynard's countenance. 'You 
 get her a chair, David, and I will fetch the 
 rug.' 
 
 David fetched both, and a footstool as 
 well ; Miss Maynard was comfortably placed, 
 and the game proceeded, but not with great 
 spirit. When the set was finished, David
 
 CHAP. XIII. A LILY AMONG THORNS 223 
 
 again inquired with much solicitude whether 
 Miss Maynard did not find it damp. 
 
 'Not at all, thank you,' she replied; 'not 
 at all, but I am sure you have played enough ; 
 you will tire yourselves.' 
 
 Elsie laid dow^n her racquet obediently, 
 and came and sat down on a corner of the 
 rug, w^hile David stretched himself on the 
 grass, and began to play with the balls in 
 rather a gloomy manner. As he did so, one 
 of them accidentally struck Hans, who uttered 
 a loud squeak, but finding to his surprise and 
 joy that he was unhurt, he began to scamper 
 round the lawn in circles, as his custom was 
 when delivered from any imminent danger. 
 David could not help laughing. 
 
 ' Where did you get that little beast ? ' 
 said he. 
 
 ' He came straight from Germany,' replied 
 Elsie, with pride, as she lifted Hans upon her 
 knee. ' Fraulein Meyer got him from her 
 uncle, Herr Butterkase, who is a very cele- 
 brated dog-fancier.' She glanced at David 
 as she spoke, to see if he appeared impressed
 
 224 A LIL V AMONG THORNS part i. 
 
 by this information, but Herr Butterkase's 
 fame had evidently not reached his ears 
 before. 
 
 * I am afraid, after all, he is not a pure- 
 bred dachshund,' she said, 'but I do not love 
 him any the less on that account,' and she 
 laid her soft cheek against his little brown 
 head. 
 
 David drew nearer, in order to caress him 
 also, saying insinuatingly, * I think he would 
 be the better of a walk ; don't you ? ' 
 
 Miss Maynard hastily interposed. ' I 
 think, dear, your aunt would wish you to 
 come in ; you have done quite enough.' 
 
 After that day David had very few oppor- 
 tunities of having any private conversations 
 with Elsie, which annoyed him the more, as 
 the 1 2th of August was approaching, and his 
 visit must soon come to an end. He was 
 bound to be in Scotland at that date, as old 
 Mr. Macdonald had invited a shooting-party, 
 and David was expected to entertain the 
 guests ; besides, he had arranged to travel 
 with his friend Ponsonby, who was to meet
 
 CHAP. XIII. A LILY AMONG THORNS 225 
 
 him in London, so that he could upon no 
 pretext delay his departure. He felt that he 
 could not leave Elsie without ascertaining 
 her feelings towards him. True, he was not 
 at present in a position to marry, and had, 
 therefore, been inclined to hesitate before 
 deliberately seeking to win her affections. 
 But the hint about Mr. Maynard, which Mrs. 
 Lindsay had thrown out, decided him to try 
 his fate without delay. He knew that his 
 aunt would never rest until she got her young 
 charge married, or at least engaged. 
 
 ' And why not to me ? ' thought David. 
 * I shall be able to marry in a year or two at 
 latest.' But the opportunity to speak seemed 
 denied him. He came into the drawing- 
 room one morning during Elsie's study hour, 
 asked in a very downcast manner for a sheet 
 of writing paper, and sat down to write a 
 note, with an expression of the deepest 
 melancholy upon his countenance. Elsie 
 glanced at him furtively from time to time, 
 as she was reading, wondering what had 
 happened. Had he received bad news ? had 
 
 VOL. I. Q
 
 226 A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 anything disagreed with him ? Presently 
 Herbert came in with a message that a young 
 person wished to see Miss Maynard in 
 Parkins's room. 
 
 ' One of my Friendly girls, dear,' said 
 Miss Maynard, rising. * How very inoppor- 
 tune ! She has come to consult with me 
 about a situation. Continue your reading, 
 my love ; I shall be back presently.' 
 
 As soon as she had gone David looked 
 up ; Elsie appeared to be reading diligently. 
 
 * Elsie ! ' said he softly. 
 
 ' Is anything the matter, David ? bad 
 news or anything ? ' 
 
 * Not news, but — Elsie, I shall have to 
 start for Scotland on Tuesday.' 
 
 * I see nothing bad about that,' said Elsie. 
 She kept her face turned away, and spoke 
 very quietly, but David noticed or fancied 
 that there was the least possible tremor in 
 her voice. Here was his opportunity, and he 
 was not slow to avail himself of it. Miss 
 Maynard's absence did not last long, but 
 before the ' Friendly girl ' had time to come
 
 CHAP. XIII. A LILY AMONG THORNS 227 
 
 to a decision as to whether or not she could 
 bring herself to wash the front -door steps 
 (which was not her work at all, but Sarah's), 
 these two young people had fully arrived at a 
 mutual understanding. The sudden shutting 
 of a door by and by recalled Elsie to herself ; 
 she looked round startled. 
 
 ' Come out with me,' said David entreat- 
 ingly. ' I have so much to say to you, and 
 we do not know when we may have another 
 chance ; ' and Elsie yielded. 
 
 * What will Aunt Caroline say?' was her 
 first question. 
 
 ' Never mind Aunt Caroline, /will talk to 
 her. The thing may require a little explana- 
 tion, but she will be quite pleased in the end. 
 What your father will say is what I am more 
 anxious about at present.' 
 
 ' I do not see why my father should object,' 
 said Elsie slowly, and with the air of one who 
 impartially weighed the subject. ' I do not 
 see that he need care, one way or the other. 
 Why should he not give me to you as readily 
 as to Aunt Caroline ?'
 
 228 A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 * My darling,' replied David, ' there is no 
 reason why he shouldn't, but every reason, 
 on the contrary, why he should. And that is 
 just what I hope to convince him of. But 
 he might possibly think, just at first, you 
 know, that we had not enough to live upon/ 
 
 ' Do you mean to go and see him, then ? 
 to go to Rossie?' cried Elsie. 'Oh, David, 
 do ! it would please him, I think. It would 
 be better than writing.' 
 
 ' To be sure I mean to go. I shall go to 
 St. Ethernans — that is your town, isn't it ? 
 and walk out to Rossie and call some fine 
 day.' 
 
 Elsie's eyes shone. 'You must go and 
 see Aunt Grizel too,' she said. ' But where 
 will you go for the night, David ? She 
 would take you in, I know, for my sake, and 
 because you are a relation. She will be 
 delighted to see you.' 
 
 * I think I had better go to the inn, how- 
 ever. I suppose there is one ?' 
 
 Elsie pondered. ' There is the. Star — but 
 I don't like your going to an inn, David ; it
 
 CHAP. XIII. A LILY AMONG THORNS 229 
 
 is dreadful, when you are a relation. And 
 I doubt if it is very respectable. Much 
 better go to Aunt Grizel ; only be careful 
 with your portmanteau, and do not scratch 
 the paint off her front -door — she hates 
 that; 
 
 It was a great delight to Elsie that David 
 thus intended to make acquaintance with her 
 own people ; she no longer felt so cut off 
 from them, and they would be quite sure, 
 she thought, to like him ; how could they 
 help it ? She did not attach much importance 
 to David's confession of poverty, except that 
 it made her a little anxious that he should 
 avoid unnecessary expense. She therefore 
 once more warned him against the extortions 
 of the St. Ethernans innkeepers, but on being 
 assured by her lover that he could afford this 
 outlay, she was satisfied, and the conversation 
 wandered off to more interesting subjects. 
 
 They had forgotten to take any count of 
 time, and it was nearly the hour for luncheon 
 when an interruption came in the shape of 
 William, the footman, who informed them
 
 230 A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 that the General wished to see Mr. Lindsay, 
 as there was a telegram awaiting him. 
 
 Elsie, suddenly recalled to a sense of her 
 neglect of duty, and the rudeness towards 
 Miss Maynard of which she had been guilty, 
 fled into the house and up to her own room 
 with all speed, and joined the party at 
 luncheon in some trepidation. Her absence, 
 however, had passed unnoticed, except by 
 Miss Maynard, who, though a good deal 
 alarmed by it, had not dared to confess to 
 Mrs. Lindsay that she had for the moment 
 taken her eye off her pupil, whose disappear- 
 ance would thus be traced to her guardian's 
 negligence. 
 
 The arrival of a telegram for their nephew, 
 although no very uncommon occurrence, had 
 thrown both the General and Mrs. Lindsay 
 into a state of the greatest perturbation, and 
 messengers were despatched in all directions 
 to find and bring him in. He met his uncle 
 at the door, waving the envelope in great ex- 
 citement, and demanding to know its con- 
 tents. David read the message, crushed the
 
 CHAP. XIII. A LILY AMONG THORNS 231 
 
 paper in his hand, and thrust it into his 
 pocket with a look of annoyance. 
 
 * Eh, what ? what ? ' said the General ; 
 ' bad news, eh ? ' 
 
 ' No, no, General,' said David, ' it's all 
 right. It is from my mother. There is 
 nothing in it to signify.' 
 
 * David !' said Mrs. Lindsay, who, wrapped 
 in a shawl, had come out to support her hus- 
 band, *why do you not tell your dear uncle 
 the message ? Do you not see how you are 
 agitating him ? ' 
 
 ' My mother's messages are apt to be a 
 little confused,' said David. 'She says my 
 stepfather is going to London to see his 
 doctor ; he has not been very well lately, you 
 know. She wants me to meet him at Pad- 
 dington this afternoon.' 
 
 'Eh? to-day?' said the General, * that's 
 quick work. And are you going ?' 
 
 * My dearest David, you cannot, surely, 
 hesitate one moment ! ' cried Aunt Caroline, 
 who, having wound herself up to believe that 
 this message was one of life or death, had no
 
 232 A LIL V AMONG THORNS part i. 
 
 notion of bringing down her mind to common- 
 places. * You must fly at once to your step- 
 father's side ; you must lose not an instant !' 
 
 ' I don't believe there is anything the 
 matter with him,' said David doggedly. 
 * But there is no doubt I shall have to go/ he 
 added, making an effort to throw off his 
 irritation. * I think his train arrives at 4.30. 
 I am only sorry that my pleasant visit here 
 has come to an end so unexpectedly.' 
 
 ' Dear affectionate fellow ! ' murmured 
 Aunt Caroline, pressing his hand to her 
 heart. 
 
 The elders of the party were far too much 
 excited to notice Elsie's pale and troubled 
 looks, which were unobserved by all but 
 David. Mrs. Lindsay, with the General and 
 Miss Maynard, proposed to accompany her 
 nephew to the station, as an object for their 
 afternoon drive. Elsie was left at home, it 
 was * more judicious,' Mrs. Lindsay thought ; 
 yet it gave the lovers time to exchange a 
 parting word, whilst the ladies were putting 
 on their bonnets.
 
 CHAP. XIII. A LIL V AMONG THORNS 233 
 
 As he bade her farewell, David cautioned 
 Elsie to say nothing to Aunt Caroline of their 
 engagement. 
 
 ' I have no time to explain it to her,' he 
 said hurriedly, ' and if she were annoyed at 
 first it would all fall on you. I shall come 
 straight here when I leave Scotland, and 
 then ' 
 
 ' It would be more convenient if she knew,' 
 said Elsie, looking troubled, 'but I will do 
 what you think best, David.' 
 
 'The carriage is at the door, sir,' said 
 Howell. 
 
 Mrs. Lindsay was a little surprised that 
 Elsie did not appear at the door to say good- 
 bye to her cousin ; she would have sent for 
 her, but the bustle of getting into the carriage 
 occupied some little time ; and the General, 
 one of whose constitutional infirmities was a 
 nervous dread of being late for trains, would 
 hear of no delay, and hustled them off with 
 such rapidity that his own walking-stick. 
 Miss Maynard's parasol, and the pug Bijou 
 were left behind in the confusion.
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 ' You may train the eagle 
 To stoop to your fist, 
 Or you may inveigle 
 
 The phoenix of the East. 
 
 ' The lioness, ye may move her 
 To give o'er her prey. 
 But you'll ne'er stop a lover. 
 He'll find out his w^ay.' 
 
 When Elsie came down to prayers the next 
 morning she found two letters awaiting her. 
 One was addressed in Aunt Grizel's well- 
 known handwriting, the other, to her surprise, 
 was from David. In the interval between 
 prayers and breakfast she slipped upstairs to 
 read it, not observing the awful sternness of 
 the gaze which Aunt Caroline fixed upon her 
 as she left the room. 
 
 David's letter had been written as soon as 
 he reached London ; it contained many loving
 
 CHAP. XIV. A LILY AMONG THORNS 235 
 
 words, and expressions of deep regret at 
 having been unable, through lack of time, 
 to say all he wished, as well as to inform his 
 aunt of their engagement. He concluded by- 
 recommending Elsie, on the whole, to keep 
 the secret until his return ; but, if she would 
 rather not do so, he would, on receipt of a 
 letter from her, at once write to his aunt 
 himself. 
 
 The breakfast -gong had sounded for at 
 least two minutes before Elsie had finished 
 the perusal of this, her first love-letter. She 
 descended hastily, and tried to talk as usual, 
 but all her remarks were received with chilling 
 silence. She could not eat, and was fain to 
 occupy herself with Aunt Grizel's letter, in 
 order to screen herself from observation. As 
 they left the table, Mrs. Lindsay, raising her 
 voice, said, ' Elspeth ! In half an hour's time 
 I shall wish to see you in my boudoir.' 
 
 Elsie felt for the moment as though the 
 ground were crumbling away under her feet ; 
 but the half-hour's space, which possibly Mrs. 
 Lindsay had intended to add to the appalling
 
 236 A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 nature of the interview, and to increase the 
 terror of the culprit, gave her time to collect 
 herself, and to brace her resolution. 
 
 ' Of course it is about David,' she thought. 
 ' Aunt Caroline knows, somehow ; but, after 
 all, I have done nothing wrong, and I need 
 not be afraid that David will give me up for 
 Aunt Caroline, or for twenty Aunt Carolines ; 
 so it would be perfect nonsense to give in 
 to her. I wish she was not angry, all the 
 same.' 
 
 Mrs. Lindsay was writing when Elsie 
 entered the boudoir, and at first tried to 
 appear as if she did not see her ; but as the 
 girl stood waiting, she suddenly laid down 
 her pen and said : ' From whom was your 
 letter this morning ?' 
 
 ' From David Lindsay,' said Elsie, turning 
 scarlet, but unhesitating. 
 
 Mrs. Lindsay took up her pen again, and 
 fixed Elsie with her eye. 
 
 'As long as you remain under my roof, 
 Elspeth, I permit no clandestine correspond- 
 ence with young men.'
 
 CHAP. XIV. A LILY AMONG THORNS 237 
 
 'Very well, Aunt Caroline, I shall carry- 
 on none.' 
 
 ' And I wish to know what passed be- 
 tween you and David Lindsay in the garden 
 yesterday ? ' 
 
 ' David asked me to marry him, and I 
 said I would.' 
 
 Mrs. Lindsay started off her seat, her 
 eyes positively glowing like live coals ; but 
 as Elsie did not stir, she sat down again, 
 laid her hand upon her heart, and fetched 
 several deep breaths. When next she spoke, 
 it was in a sepulchral tone. 
 
 ' David had no right to make such a pro- 
 position, nor had you to reply to it thus. A 
 union between you is impossible, and even 
 had it been otherwise, your conduct in this 
 affair would have put it out of the question. 
 To receive addresses in that manner, and in 
 the garden I I can imagine nothing more 
 forward and improper.' 
 
 ' It was in the drawing-room,' murmured 
 Elsie. 
 
 Mrs. Lindsay waved her hand, as if to
 
 238 A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 put her niece's words away from her. ' I am 
 deeply disappointed in you. Henceforth, 
 Elspeth, all communication between you and 
 David is at an end.' 
 
 ' May I not just answer his letter, Aunt 
 Caroline, and tell him that I mayn't ' 
 
 ' Answer his letter ? Most assuredly not. 
 Had you showed the confidence in me which 
 I have a right to expect, you would at once 
 have laid that letter before me.' 
 
 As Mrs. Lindsay said this, she gave her 
 niece a searching look ; but Elsie, adopting 
 her father's frequent line of conduct, turned 
 on her an utterly expressionless gaze, and 
 made no reply. 
 
 * I myself,' said Aunt Caroline, ' will write 
 to David Alexander Lindsay.' 
 
 Elsie was pleased to hear this, knowing 
 that David would understand her position, 
 but maintained her immobility by an effort. 
 
 ' I am totally at a loss to understand you,' 
 said her aunt, after a pause. ' What do you 
 propose to yourself ? To attempt to contract 
 an engagement without a reference to those
 
 CHAP. XIV. A LIL V AMONG THORNS 239 
 
 who are placed by Providence in the position 
 of parents and guardians to you ? Have you 
 no sense of fiHal duty ? of the most sacred 
 ties ' 
 
 ' I have had so little time,' pleaded Elsie. 
 ' I meant to tell you ' 
 
 ' To tell me ! ' exclaimed Aunt Caroline. 
 * You ought to have consulted me beforehand. 
 Now put out of your head all idea of any 
 engagement between you and my nephew, 
 and make the only reparation in your power, 
 by writing a full confession to your father. 
 Sit down at that table — you will find writing 
 materials.' 
 
 But a demon of obstinacy seemed to have 
 entered into Elsie. 
 
 * I would rather not write to my father 
 to-day, please. I wrote lately, and I have 
 nothing to say to him.' 
 
 ' Nothing to say to him ! !' screamed Aunt 
 Caroline. ' Do you call this whole tissue of 
 deceit and disobedience 7iotIiingT 
 
 'He would call it nothing,' replied Elsie 
 in an unmoved tone. * If I were to write
 
 240 A LIL V AMONG THORNS part i. 
 
 and say that I was engaged to David Lind- 
 say, that would be a piece of news — papa 
 likes news — but now there is no need to 
 write that I am not engaged to David Lind- 
 say ; he would only say he never supposed I 
 was.' 
 
 Mrs. Lindsay was baffled, and did not 
 know what to make of the girl. She had 
 never yet had an encounter with any young 
 woman whom she had not speedily reduced 
 to tears and submission ; yet here was Elsie, 
 whom she had always thought particularly 
 soft and gentle, meeting her reproofs with 
 cool impertinence, and without moving a 
 muscle of her face. She signed to her to leave 
 the room, merely remarking that she had not 
 expected to find her affection repaid with 
 heartless ingratitude. But this accusation, 
 which to Mrs. Lindsay meant little, touched 
 the girl at once, and brought her back, 
 repentant, to her side. 
 
 *Ah no. Aunt Caroline! not ingratitude. 
 You have been very good to me, and indeed 
 I am not ungrateful.' She took her aunt's
 
 CHAP. XIV. A LILY AMONG THORNS 241 
 
 hand and kissed it. ' But I promised David, 
 and I cannot take it back.' 
 
 She left the room quickly, and Mrs. 
 Lindsay sat still, astonished at feeling herself 
 not nearly so angry as she had wished and 
 intended to be. She remained a while pon- 
 dering over Elsie's extraordinary character, 
 and considering how she could exert her 
 authority over that self-willed young person, 
 without driving her to leave the Elms. At 
 length, gathering herself up, she went with 
 the whole story to her husband, but could 
 get very little satisfaction from him, beyond 
 the admission that a marriage between the 
 young people was not to be thought of at 
 present. When she came to the point of 
 David's proposal to Elsie, and her answer, 
 the General began to chuckle, which he con- 
 tinued to do during the rest of the narrative 
 in so exasperating a manner, that his wife 
 at last left him to enjoy his mirth in solitude. 
 Finally, she proceeded to perform what she 
 esteemed to be her sacred duty under the 
 circumstances — that of writing to the relatives 
 
 VOL. I. R
 
 242 A LILY AMONG THORNS part i. 
 
 of both the parties concerned, as well as to 
 her nephew himself. 
 
 These letters produced, in due course, the 
 following replies : — 
 
 Lady Eleanor wrote that ' she was much 
 obliged for her dear Caroline's warning, but 
 begged her not to distress herself by needless 
 anxiety. Young men would be young men, but 
 David's heart, she felt sure, was in the right 
 place. However, she would certainly make 
 a point of speaking to him most seriously.' 
 
 To David, his mother wrote that she was 
 'exceedingly shocked and distressed by the 
 account of his conduct which she had received 
 from Mrs. Lindsay. Of all things in the 
 world, what she most disliked was a male 
 flirt, and it gave her great pain to think that 
 a son of hers was apparently becoming one. 
 Some day he would find that he had gone 
 too far, and she wished, in short, that he 
 would come home at once, and explain what 
 he meant by causing all his friends, and 
 especially his anxious and affectionate mother, 
 so much uneasiness.'
 
 CHAP. XIV. A LIL V AMONG THORNS 243 
 
 Elsie, in like manner, received a letter 
 from her father, in which she was desired to 
 * put all that nonsense out of her head. She 
 was too young to think of marrying for 
 another ten years. As for this young man, 
 he (the Laird) knew nothing about him, and 
 anything he had heard was very little to his 
 credit. If Elsie could not behave herself 
 where she was she had better come home, 
 but she was to do nothing without consulting 
 her aunt, who seemed to be a very well- 
 intentioned kind of woman.' 
 
 To Mrs. Lindsay, Captain Ross merely 
 wrote a short, but courteously worded note, 
 expressive of his great obligation to her for 
 her care of his daughter, and offering to 
 relieve her of the charge should she find it 
 burdensome. 
 
 David's letter to Mrs. Lindsay was as 
 follows : — 
 
 * My dear Aunt Caroline — Your letter 
 caused me the most sincere distress, and I 
 trust you will believe that nothing but the
 
 244 ^ LIL V AMONG THORNS part i. 
 
 necessity for my instant departure prevented 
 me from confiding to you my hopes and 
 wishes. As it was, I judged it best to wait 
 until I had a personal interview ; which I still 
 venture to hope you will not refuse me when 
 I return to Chipplngham in September ; and 
 when I have no doubt of being able to ex- 
 plain to your perfect satisfaction the motives 
 by which I was actuated. One thing I must 
 at once, however, strongly urge upon you ; 
 that, if blame attaches to any one, your cen- 
 sure must, in justice, fall entirely upon me. 
 Of my feelings towards my cousin (which 
 are deeply rooted and unalterable), she was 
 totally ignorant until the moment before I 
 left ; and feeling that it was from me that 
 you would naturally expect first to hear the 
 avowal of my attachment, I requested her to 
 postpone informing you of our engagement 
 until my return. If I have caused distress 
 by undue precipitation, which the ardour of 
 my affection could alone excuse, I can only 
 entreat her forgiveness and yours. As I 
 have had the misfortune to incur your dis-
 
 CHAP. XIV. A LIL V AMONG THORNS 245 
 
 pleasure, I cannot, of course, expect you to 
 receive me at the Elms ; I shall, therefore, 
 put up at the King's Head at Chippingham, 
 about the second week of September, which 
 is the most speedy return I can hope to make, 
 and shall then entreat you to grant me the 
 interview which is so vitally necessary for 
 the elucidation of my past conduct. — With 
 kindest regards to all, believe me, my dear 
 aunt, yours affectionately, 
 
 ' David A. Lindsay.' 
 
 The receipt of Mrs. Lindsay's letter, fol- 
 lowed in a few days by his mother's, really 
 caused David serious vexation. He blamed 
 himself for his impatience, which had been 
 the means of drawing down his aunt's dis- 
 pleasure upon Elsie, and he could not bear to 
 think of her perhaps suffering from its effects, 
 in the absence of her rightful protector. Yet 
 he could neither return at once nor write to 
 Elsie ; the latter course would only bring 
 fresh trouble upon her. He made his letter 
 to his aunt as conciliatory as he could, be-
 
 246 A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 Stowing much thought upon its composition, 
 and carefully looking out all the long words 
 in the dictionary, in case of possible mistakes 
 in spelling ; and he determined that his next 
 step before leaving Scotland should be to 
 endeavour to obtain the consent of Elsie's 
 father to their engagement. His mother, he 
 knew, would be averse to it ; he would there- 
 fore send her a few lines to pacify her in the 
 meantime, and trust to his powers of eloquence 
 to persuade her when they met. Nothing 
 doubting of his ability to do so, he wrote off 
 rapidly : — 
 
 * My dear Mother — I am sorry any part 
 of my conduct should have caused you annoy- 
 ance. I do not, certainly, deserve to be 
 called a "flirt," and if Mrs. Lindsay told you 
 so, all I can say is she must have been misin- 
 formed. I have formed no attachment which 
 the most anxious parent could fail to approve ; 
 but more of this when I see you. I cannot 
 fix an exact date for my return home, as 
 Ardvoira insists on my staying here another
 
 CHAP. XIV. A LILY AMONG THORNS 247 
 
 fortnight at least, after which my movements 
 are uncertain; but I hope to despatch another 
 box of grouse shortly. We are having fair 
 sport, but the hot weather is rather against 
 us. Love to all. — Your affectionate son, 
 
 ' D. A. Lindsay.'
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 * Sie haben mich gequalet, 
 Geargert blau und blass ; 
 Die eine mit ihrer Liebe, 
 Die andere mit ihrem Hass.' 
 
 After the scene in her aunt's boudoir Elsie 
 was in disgrace for many weary days. 
 
 Mrs. Lindsay scarcely spoke to her, and 
 when she did, addressed her with elaborate 
 politeness, and never asked her to perform 
 any of the little services which she had been 
 accustomed to render. Her entrance was 
 the signal for cold looks and gloomy silence ; 
 and even Miss Maynard, whose friend and 
 champion Elsie had so often proved herself, 
 was scarcely less chilling in her manner than 
 Mrs. Lindsay. Elsie justly set this down to 
 cowardice, but it hurt her nevertheless. She 
 did not remonstrate ; pride forbade her even
 
 CHAP. XV. A LIL V AMONG THORNS 249 
 
 to appear aware of It, she only carried her 
 head a Httle higher, and was silent. Parkins, 
 too, was maliciously triumphant ; she, in fact, 
 had been the original cause of the whole dis- 
 turbance, having enjoyed a full view of the 
 lovers in the garden from her window, and 
 at once hastened to inform her mistress of 
 their guilt. 
 
 The Laird's letter did not tend to raise 
 his daughter's spirits, yet she had expected 
 from him some communication of the kind, 
 and she thought he might be brought to re- 
 lent. Her faith in David was unbounded ; 
 what he would do she did not know, nor even 
 try much to conjecture, but he was a wonder- 
 ful being, like the Prince in a fairy tale, who 
 would be sure to come by and by to her 
 deliverance. But in the meantime her heart 
 w^as heavy ; her aunt's displeasure weighed 
 upon her ; and she began to torment herself 
 with doubts as to whether she really had not 
 been forward and improper, and if so, what 
 David must think of her, now that he had 
 time calmly to review the circumstances of
 
 250 A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 the case. She had some thoughts of going 
 home, but she could not make up her mind 
 to leave her aunt in anger, so she tried, by 
 patient attention to her wishes, to win back 
 her favour. 
 
 The General was always kind ; he would 
 kiss his niece stealthily when he met her in 
 the passage, and frame pretexts for keeping 
 her talking to him in the study. He took 
 great pleasure in a love affair, and would 
 have been delighted to promote his nephew's 
 interests, had he dared. 
 
 One day towards the end of August, Mrs. 
 Lindsay received a visit from Mr. Maynard, 
 who had just returned to Gravehurst, and 
 who requested to see her alone. He told 
 her that his health had suffered a good deal 
 in London, and that he had given up all idea 
 of returning to his old work. He had now 
 become convinced that it was right for him 
 to remain in his parish, and devote himself 
 to the duties which lay before him there. 
 He stopped, and looked at Mrs. Lindsay, 
 who heard him with profound attention, but
 
 CHAP. XV. A LILY AMONG THORNS 251 
 
 as she gave him no word or sign of en- 
 couragement, he became a Httle confused. 
 He went on to say, in a sHghtly aggrieved 
 tone, that he now hoped — he might be 
 allowed to express a hope — that Mrs. 
 Lindsay would sanction his addresses to her 
 niece, as he was now in a position to marry. 
 
 Mrs. Lindsay waited till he had quite 
 finished his speech before she answered : 
 
 ' What you desire, Ernest, is entirely out 
 of my power to grant you.' 
 
 Mr, Maynard was extremely taken aback 
 by this reply. ' Forgive me — I cannot surely 
 have misunderstood you — your words when 
 we parted gave me hope that ' 
 
 ' I gave you a warning,' said Mrs. Lindsay, 
 ' a warning which you disregarded. And 
 now ' — she spread out her hands — ' what is 
 the result ? My niece's affections are plighted 
 to another!' 
 
 'Impossible!' cried Ernest, starting, and 
 turning pale with anger. ' Excuse me, but 
 surely you cannot mean ' 
 
 ' My meaning,' said Mrs. Lindsay, ' is, I
 
 252 A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 trust, perfectly comprehensible. Elsie's heart 
 is given to another, and that other, my hus- 
 band's very dear grand-nephew ! ' 
 
 ' In that case,' said Ernest, rising, ' I 
 have nothing more to say. Do I under- 
 stand that Miss Ross is engaged to your — 
 grand-nephew ?' 
 
 ' No,' said Mrs. Lindsay, ' you do not. 
 Sit down again, and endeavour to command 
 your temper. An engagement between them 
 is strictly forbidden, being contrary to the 
 wishes of their parents. It is possible, there- 
 fore, — Ernest, remember I only say possible, 
 — that after a lapse of time you may succeed in 
 winning her affections, although at first your 
 addresses will probably be distasteful to her.' 
 
 'If Miss Ross prefers another man,' said 
 Ernest, still in a white heat of indignation, 
 ' I have no wish to force her inclinations. I 
 withdraw my claim, and will now, if you 
 please, take my leave for the present.' 
 
 He bowed stiffly, and cutting short the 
 moral lesson which was trembling on Mrs. 
 Lindsay's lips, left the room.
 
 CHAP. XV. A LILY AMONG THORNS 253 
 
 'A shocking temper,' said she to herself, 
 ' and what want of respect to me ! A young 
 man with so Httle control over his passions is 
 totally unfitted to be a clergyman, and so I 
 shall certainly tell him when next we meet. 
 At present, I sadly fear, he is in no state to 
 be reasoned with.' 
 
 She unlocked a drawer, took out David's 
 letter which she had received about a week 
 before, and which had occasioned her unusual 
 indecision of mind. She had been softened 
 by it, and would have liked to accord him 
 the interview he desired, forgive him with 
 pomp, and readmit him to her favour ; but 
 this could not well be done without also 
 giving her consent to his marriage. She 
 had put off showing the letter to the General, 
 preferring to nurse her indignation against 
 David a little longer. But now, locking the 
 drawer again, and saying with firmness, * I 
 must have no secrets from my husband,' Mrs. 
 Lindsay marched with an air of martyr-like 
 resolution to the study and laid the document 
 before the General, with the remark that
 
 254 A LIL V AMONG THORNS part i. 
 
 David, dear fellow, seemed to regret his 
 want of confidence, and had it not been that 
 poor Eleanor would disapprove, he might, 
 perhaps, have been permitted to come to the 
 Elms. 
 
 * Come ?' said the General, when he had, 
 with some difficulty, mastered the contents of 
 his nephew's epistle — *to be sure he must 
 come. Can't let him go to the inn, eh V 
 
 This was exactly the point to which Mrs. 
 Lindsay wished to bring her husband, having 
 felt extremely dull ever since David left, and 
 since she had quarrelled with Elsie. 
 
 ' My own Henry,' said she, 'consider the 
 danger to which we should expose our young 
 charge !' 
 
 ' No help for it,' said the General — 'must 
 have him, must have him ! Going to bring 
 his friend too, you know — eh — h'm !' 
 
 ' I am surprised at his selecting the King's 
 Head,' said Mrs. Lindsay. ' You know, dear, 
 by what class of persons it is frequented.' 
 
 ' Can't let them go to the inn, you know. 
 Never do — never do — most inhospitable.'
 
 CHAP. XV. A LILY AMONG THORNS 255 
 
 ' If you feel it so, dear,' said Mrs. Lindsay, 
 with resignation, ' of course your wishes are 
 paramount.' 
 
 The good lady now knew no rest or peace 
 of mind till she could have a reconciliation 
 with Elsie ; but this, she felt sure, would not 
 be difficult to accomplish. She watched the 
 girl one whole morning as she sat sewing in 
 silence without raising her eyes, or moved 
 about in a weary, subdued way, but could 
 not, just then, find any pretext for speaking 
 to her. While she was watching her niece, 
 Mrs. Lindsay happened to drop the needle 
 with which she herself was working ; she 
 uttered an exclamation of annoyance, for she 
 had a peculiar dislike to losing anything, 
 however insignificant. 
 
 ' Dear, dear ! ' she said, ' how very vexa- 
 tious ! I cannot find my needle, and I set a 
 particular value upon that needle!' 
 
 Miss Maynard was at once upon her 
 knees to search for the missing article, and 
 Elsie too crossed the room to see if she could 
 be of any help.
 
 256 A LILY AMONG THORNS chap. xv. 
 
 ' Go to your seat, Cecilia ! ' said Mrs. 
 Lindsay, irritably. 'You, with your short 
 sight, need not attempt to find anything.' 
 
 ' Here it is, Aunt Caroline ! ' cried Elsie. 
 
 Mrs. Lindsay took the small pale face 
 between both her hands and kissed it on 
 each cheek. 
 
 ' Bless you, my love ! ' said she emphati- 
 cally. 
 
 Elsie felt that by this act she was restored 
 to favour, and rejoiced ; but to her, who had 
 borne hostility with such proud composure, 
 the change was almost too sudden. She 
 presently made an excuse to retire to her 
 room, and it was not until some time had 
 elapsed, and after many applications of warm 
 water to her eyes, that she ventured to 
 descend, and cautiously to seat herself, with 
 her back to the light, and armed with a large 
 book, to screen herself from observation. 
 Mrs. Lindsay had, however, the tact to take 
 no notice ; neither did she allude at all to 
 David, nor to Elsie's own misdemeanours. 
 For several days all was peace and serenity ;
 
 CHAP. XV. A LIL V AMONG THORNS 257 
 
 Elsie and her aunt usually sat hand in hand, 
 while Miss Maynard was thrust out, to occupy 
 a distant seat. 
 
 Elsie felt the less sorry for the latter, as 
 she observed how, like many weak persons, 
 she was really pleasanter in adversity, and 
 throve none the worse for being trampled 
 upon. 
 
 Elsie was now to have some new acquaint- 
 ances. ■ Mrs. Lindsay informed her one 
 morning that she had invited her two dear 
 nieces, Emma and Sophy Dale, to pay her a 
 visit. * You require companionship, female 
 companions of your own age, my love,' said 
 she. ' These two dear girls usually visit me 
 once a year, and I should wish you to become 
 friends' 
 
 In reply to her questions, Elsie elicited 
 the facts, that these two girls were members 
 of a numerous family ; that their father, the 
 Reverend Charles Dale, was Aunt Caroline's 
 younger brother ; that he was a curate in a 
 suburb of London ; and that they were very 
 poor, which was entirely owing to Mr. Dale's 
 VOL. I. s
 
 258 A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 having disregarded the advice of his sister 
 and best friend, particularly with reference 
 to his marriage. Some of his elder sons and 
 daughters were now married, and Emma, 
 who was twenty, was the eldest at home, 
 Sophy being two years younger. 
 
 As usual, Elsie begged for a personal 
 description of the two she was to meet. 
 
 * Emma,' replied Aunt Caroline, 'is not, I 
 confess, a young person who is very attractive 
 to me. Still, dear girl, she fulfils her home 
 duties as well as she is able. But I think, 
 Elsie, you will love my dear Sophy. She is 
 a winning young creature,' continued Aunt 
 Caroline fondly, ' frolicsome as a kitten, and 
 with such a loving heart ! A little heedless 
 perhaps — you, my Elsie, must strive to use 
 your influence for good, whilst they, I trust, 
 are equally benefiting you. For each of us 
 has our influence, remember that, my love — 
 the unconscious influence of example.' 
 
 When the two girls arrived, and Elsie 
 watched the frolicsome Sophy get out of the 
 carriage, she could not help thinking that she
 
 CHAP. XV. A LILY AMONG THORNS 259 
 
 herself would be more apt to compare her 
 gambols to those of a young cow than to the 
 kitten to which Aunt Caroline had likened 
 her. Sophy did, Indeed, skip gleefully through 
 the hall, and fell with effusion upon the necks 
 of her uncle and aunt, followed by her more 
 sedate sister. 
 
 Emma Dale was of middle height, and 
 unremarkable looking. She had sleek dark 
 hair, thin lips, and a sallow complexion. 
 
 Sophy was bigger and fairer, with light 
 brown hair, a bright colour, large round green- 
 ish-hazel eyes, and rather large hands and 
 feet. Partly from contradiction and partly 
 from a desire to befriend the oppressed, Elsie 
 had been more Inclined towards the despised 
 Emma ; she watched her with Interest, and 
 tried to draw her out. Both girls evidently 
 stood In great awe of their aunt. When in 
 her presence Emma would venture upon no 
 conversation, and only * Yes, aunt ' — ' No, 
 aunt' — ' Thank you, aunt,' dropped nervously 
 from her lips from time to time. This was 
 not the road to Mrs. Lindsay's favour ; and
 
 26o A LIL V AMONG THORNS part i. 
 
 Sophy, who, though probably not less fright- 
 ened, was utterly unable to keep from chatter- 
 ing under any circumstances, had a decided 
 advantage over her more cautious sister. 
 
 Mrs. Lindsay was in reality very kind to 
 both her nieces, as well as to all her brother s 
 family, whom she had helped in many ways ; 
 but she chose to mark the lowered position 
 into which she considered her brother, by his 
 own fault, to have sunk, and therefore made 
 a great show of keeping the girls in their 
 proper place, imposing upon them many curi- 
 ous little rules and restrictions. They were 
 not allowed to sit on arm - chairs or sofas ; 
 they might not help themselves to jam or 
 marmalade at breakfast unless it was specially 
 offered to them by their uncle or aunt ; and, 
 to train them for home usefulness, they not 
 only sewed for an hour daily in Parkins' room, 
 but Howell was instructed to initiate them 
 into the mysteries of glass and silver cleaning, 
 folding of table-cloths, etc. (William and 
 Herbert, being unmarried, were strictly ex- 
 cluded during these lessons.)
 
 CHAP. XV. A LILY AMONG THORNS 261 
 
 Elsie's position in the house, her fearless 
 manner towards her aunt, and the indulgence 
 with which she was treated, was a matter of 
 great surprise to both the girls. Emma did 
 her best to conceal her astonishment, but met 
 Elsie's advances with a dryness and asperity 
 which drove the latter to take refuge with 
 the more genial Sophy, who had conceived a 
 violent affection for her from the moment she 
 entered the house. 
 
 ' Do be my friend, Elsie,' she said. ' I 
 should so like to have you for my own par- 
 ticular friend. Emma has plenty of friends, 
 besides you will never get on with her. She 
 said last night that she could not make you 
 out at all, and she thought you gave yourself 
 great airs.' 
 
 ' You should not repeat things that people 
 say,' said Elsie, rather astonished at this 
 burst of confidence. 
 
 ' Oh, what does it matter ? she would 
 repeat things that / said in a minute. There 
 she is — come this way ; let us look as if we 
 were talking about something secret.'
 
 262 A LIL V AMONG THORNS part i. 
 
 * Why secret ? ' inquired Elsie. 
 
 Sophy, in reply, gave her to understand 
 that Emma's friends were very particular 
 friends indeed, and that her conferences with 
 them were supposed to be of a dark and mys- 
 terious nature ; moreover that she, Sophy, 
 saw no reason why she and Elsie should be 
 outdone in this respect. 
 
 * If I had you' she added, * I would not 
 care. Darling Elsie ! you are far prettier 
 than any of them — although Emma does say 
 that your hair ' 
 
 'Do be quiet!' interrupted Elsie. 'I 
 don't want to hear Emma's remarks about 
 me. Tell me about her friends. Are they 
 not pretty ?' 
 
 'They 2lX^ good' said Sophy, nodding her 
 head, 'very good. One of them is an in- 
 valid. She never gets off her sofa, except 
 to get into a bath-chair.' 
 
 ' Poor thing — but is not that very sad ? ' 
 asked Elsie, rather puzzled at the triumphant 
 tone of Sophy's voice. 
 
 ' Not at all sad ! she would be nothing if
 
 CHAP. XV. A LILY AMONG THORNS 263 
 
 she were not an invalid. She is the Heart of 
 the House, Hke you read of in books. Every- 
 body brings their joys and sorrows and diffi- 
 culties and things to her. Her name is 
 Grace Eaglefield. Then there is Edith Free- 
 man, whose home is in shire, — uncle's 
 
 relations live quite near it. She is a darling !' 
 
 'What is she like ?' asked Elsie, suddenly 
 roused to interest. 
 
 ' Oh, she is very good too, but younger. 
 She is a companion to her father, and a com- 
 fort to her mother, and a second mother to 
 all her little brothers and sisters. And they 
 live in such a nice, dear old English way, 
 and have such good pork-pies, and she has 
 the most lovely golden hair. It was about 
 hers that Emma said you ' 
 
 'Hush!' said Elsie, and just then Emma 
 came up. 
 
 ' Emma !' cried Sophy, 'just come here and 
 look at Elsie's hair. If it is not as yellow as 
 Edith Freeman's it is twice as thick. Just 
 compare it with your own miserable little 
 knot — and yet you wear a '
 
 264 A LIL V AMONG THORNS part i. 
 
 * My hair is very fine,' said Emma, 
 reddening, 'extremely fine. Naturally it 
 goes into very small space. Now I should 
 think that Elsie's ' 
 
 ' Elsie's is every bit as fine as yours,' in- 
 terrupted Sophy hotly — *it is like silk.' 
 
 ' Oh, do leave our hairs alone ! ' said 
 Elsie. ' Come and let us do the flowers. 
 Hand me that bowl, Sophy,' and Elsie 
 shook the carnations she had just gathered 
 out of her basket. 
 
 * Are you allowed to use that bowl ?' asked 
 Sophy in an awestruck tone, opening her eyes 
 wide. * We never were allowed to touch it.' 
 
 * Elsie is a prime favourite, that is evi- 
 dent,' said Emma disagreeably. 
 
 This was not the first time that Elsie had 
 heard the Freemans mentioned by Emma 
 and Sophy, and knowing that they lived 
 near Alkerton she secretly took an interest 
 in them, and it must be confessed that the 
 description of Edith's golden hair and do- 
 mestic virtues began to rankle somewhat 
 unpleasantly in her mind. What right had
 
 CHAP. XV. A LILY AMONG THORNS 265 
 
 David to have a pretty and charming neigh- 
 bour, and yet never even to have mentioned 
 her name to her ? 
 
 'Yellower, but not so thick,' Elsie said to 
 herself meditatively, as she studied the back 
 of her head with a hand-mirror. ' I wonder, 
 is she really so very pretty ? most deceitful of 
 David if she is — but to be sure Sophy talks a 
 heap of nonsense. However, I shall certainly 
 have it out w4th him when he comes.' 
 
 The sisters, in spite of frequent bicker- 
 ings, were upon the whole affectionate ; but 
 Elsie found it difficult to be a friend of the 
 one without being the enemy of the other. 
 However, by being reserved and polite to 
 Emma, she got on with her pretty well ; 
 while she treated Sophy, whose devotion to 
 her continued with unabated ardour, with 
 more affection than ceremony. The girls 
 were both eager for excitements of all kinds, 
 yet led perforce a somewhat monotonous 
 life ; for their aunt was exceedingly strict 
 with them as regarded visits and parties of 
 pleasure.
 
 266 A LILY AMONG THORNS parti. 
 
 * Young people between whom matrimony- 
 is impossible had better not associate,' she 
 used to say. They were therefore debarred 
 from many social gatherings in which their 
 souls would have delighted, and, in the 
 absence of any excitement from without, 
 Sophy's romantic affection for Elsie went 
 through alternate phases of suspicion, jeal- 
 ousy, hope, despair, and a variety of other 
 passions. Elsie unconsciously gave her cause 
 for some of these emotions by her absent 
 manner at times. She was becoming anxious 
 about David ; it was now the middle of 
 September, and nothing had been heard of 
 him for some weeks ; and as day after day 
 passed and still the post brought no tidings 
 of her lover, she began to have misgivings 
 in spite of herself 
 
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