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 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H 
 
 VOL. I.
 
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 HURST & BLACKETT, 13, GREAT MARLBOROUGH STREET.
 
 VIOLET VYVIAN 
 
 M. F. H 
 
 BY 
 
 MAY CROMMELIN 
 
 AUTHOR OF 'QUEENIE,' 'BROWN EYES,' ETC. 
 AND 
 
 J. MORAY BROWN 
 
 AUTHOR OF ' SHIKAR SKETCHES,' ' POWDER, SPUR, AND SPEAR,' ETC. 
 
 IN THREE VOLUMES. 
 VOL. 1. 
 
 LONDON : 
 HURST AND BLACKETT, LIMITED, 
 
 13, GREAT MARLBOROUGH STREET. 
 1889. 
 All rvjhts reserved.
 
 ^-.3, 3 
 
 V.I 
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 OF 
 
 1 
 
 o 
 
 ^ 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 >» 
 
 
 i 
 
 CHAPT 
 I. 
 
 II. 
 
 
 III. 
 
 
 IV. 
 
 
 V. 
 
 
 VI. 
 
 -5 
 
 5 
 
 VII 
 VIII. 
 
 IX. 
 
 
 X. 
 
 
 XL 
 
 (J- 
 
 71 
 
 XII. 
 XIII. 
 
 
 XIV. 
 
 
 XV. 
 
 THE FIRST VOLUME. 
 
 In the I\Lvkshwood Vale . 
 
 PACK 
 1 
 
 Gone Away ! 
 
 16 
 
 First Impressions .... 
 
 . 36 
 
 The Ghost of the Cross-roads 
 
 61 
 
 A Rough Shoot .... 
 
 . 78 
 
 A Quick Forty Minutes . 
 
 97 
 
 The old, old Story 
 
 120 
 
 Drifting 
 
 142 
 
 At the New Club .... 
 
 166 
 
 ' It's for You ' 
 
 185 
 
 ' Trying a Young 'un ' . 
 
 201 
 
 Dolly tells 1'ales .... 
 
 220 
 
 Jack's Suggestion .... 
 
 241 
 
 The Point to Point Race 
 
 255 
 
 ' Can you Answer me one Question V 
 
 273
 
 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 IN THE MARSHWOOD VALE. 
 
 It was a dull, foggy eveDiug iu January as the 
 London express pulled up with a snort at the 
 small wayside station of Forde. 
 
 The indignant hiss of the engine seemed as 
 if that most useful propeller somewhat resented 
 being called upon to stop in its wild career at 
 such a forlorn-looking spot. 
 
 ' Forde, Forde, Forde !' yelled the one sohtary 
 porter, as if he thought it was a matter of vital 
 importance for all the passengers in the train to 
 know that they had arrived at the place. 
 
 VOL. I. B
 
 2 VIOLET VYVI AN, M.F.H. 
 
 ' Here I open this confounded door,' was the 
 only response he got, as a much-be-ulstered 
 figure appeared at the door of a first-class 
 smoking-carriage, vainly struggling with the 
 handle. At last the said figure was released, 
 and stepped out, followed by bags, hat-box, 
 gun-case, etc., in fact, all the impedimenta and 
 paraphernaha with which luxurious youth is 
 wont now-a-days to travel. The guard's 
 whistle sounded, the engine gave a shriek and 
 with a pufi" threw herself into her collar again 
 (to use a coaching phrase), and soon the train 
 disappeared round a curve of the line. 
 
 'Pleaze, zur, be you fur Squire Bentley'sf 
 inquired the solitary snipe of a porter ; ' 'cos if 
 you be, squire's dog-cart be waitin' fur you, and 
 there be donkey-cart fur luggage.' 
 
 On receiving a reply in the affirmative from 
 the passenger whom we have just seen alight, 
 the intelligent porter asked him to point out 
 his luggage, and while this difficult operation 
 was being performed we will introduce our 
 hero. 
 
 Jack Kamsay, for such was his name, was a
 
 IN THE MARSHWOOD VALE. 3 
 
 gunner — a Royal Horse Artillery gunner — and, 
 as such, liis looks and general appearance did 
 no discredit to that smartest of all the smart 
 branches of Her Majesty's service. Standing 
 about six feet, his broad shoulders and lithe, 
 muscular figure were surmounted by curly 
 brown hair, regular, well-cut features, and a 
 pair of keen, dark-grey eyes. He was clean- 
 shaved, with the exception of a small, carefully- 
 tended moustache that only partially concealed 
 a firm yet pleasant-looking mouth — a mouth that 
 could at times smile almost as sweetly as a 
 woman's, and yet at others be compressed into 
 a look of dogged determination that betokened 
 its owner was not to be trifled with by man or 
 beast. 
 
 Captain Jack Ramsay was some thirty years 
 of age ; he had been left fairly well off", and the 
 cause of his visit to Forde was owing to an 
 invitation from Squire Bentley, his godfather, 
 and his dead father's old friend and college- 
 chum, to come down and spend part of his 
 leave with him, and hunt witli the Marshwood 
 Vale Hounds. 
 
 B 2
 
 4 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 Jack's horses had come down a few days 
 previously, and the ' sohtary snipe,' in reply to 
 his inteiTOgations, informed him that they had 
 arrived all safe and sound. The luggage hav- 
 ing been duly collected and stowed aw^ay in 
 the donkey-cart, Jack, after telling the boy in 
 charge to ' shove that old moke along,' stepped 
 into the dog-cart, and bowled away over the 
 six miles of good road that separated him from 
 his host's residence. 
 
 'How are you, my dear boy? God bless 
 me, you are much altered since I saw you last, 
 but how well you look ! How like your dear 
 father,' said the cheery old squire, as he wel- 
 comed Jack with outstretched hands, and turned 
 him round under the lamp in the hall, while he 
 gazed aifectionately and earnestly into his face. 
 ' What a silly old fool I am !' he added, as 
 Jack divested himself of his Avrapper ; 'here 
 I am, forgetting you have had a long journey 
 and a cold drive. Come in, and warm your- 
 self, and then we'll have dinner ;' and, saying 
 this, he pushed Jack into a snug bachelor's 
 sanctum, where a wood and coal fire shed a
 
 IN THE MARSPIWOOD VALE. 5 
 
 clieerful glow ou the thick Turkey carpet, and 
 (h'spensed a genial warmth arouud. 
 
 A few moments of conversation ensued with 
 inquiries about his liorses on Jack's part, and 
 then, lighting a candle, the old gentleman 
 showed him up to his bed-room. 
 
 Dinner discussed, the tAvo men adjourned for 
 a smoke to the squire's sanctum, and then Jack 
 inquired, 
 
 * By-the-by, squire, I am almost ashamed to 
 ask the question, but avIio has the Marshwood 
 Vale Hounds now? I know old Vyvian died 
 last year, but out in that infernal country, 
 Egypt, one hadn't much chance of being posted 
 in what was going on at home, much less as to 
 the doings of the sporting world.* 
 
 ' Oh I we've a capital master,' was the reply ; 
 and then the squire's pipe evidently wanted 
 particular attention, for he puffed and sucked 
 at it vigorously. 
 
 * But what is his name?' persisted Jack. 
 'Name, name? oh! same name.' 
 'What— Vyvian?' 
 
 'Yes, yes; of course, of course; but I'll
 
 6 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 introduce you to-morrow. By-the-by, that is a 
 very nice brown mare of yours ; where did you 
 get herf 
 
 ' Yes, she is — "Brenda" by "Baromite." She 
 Avas bred down here in your west-country,, 
 and I picked her up for a mere song.' 
 
 So the conversation drifted on to the sub- 
 ject of horses, and the old squire walked round 
 the room, candle in hand, descanting on the 
 merits of old favourite dead and gone hunters, 
 whose portraits adorned his walls. Now he 
 told how this horse carried him over twenty 
 feet of water, how another pounded the 
 whole field over ' that big double,' anon how 
 this bay horse was * as clever as a cat,' and 
 that chestnut could ' stay for a week ;' and so 
 on, with a certain prosiness and reiteration that 
 might have proved wearisome to one less keen 
 and interested in sport than his listener. 
 
 At last, however, when the night was well 
 advanced, they separated ; but not before Jack 
 had lit one last pipe and walked round to the 
 stables to see his horses. 
 
 Jack's groom was waiting for him, and in
 
 IN THE MARSHNYOOD VALE. < 
 
 reply to his query, 'Horses all right, Evans?* 
 touched his cap and rephed, * Yes, sir, as light 
 as nails.' 
 
 The stud occupied a range of three good, 
 roomy, loose-boxes, and were standing littered 
 up to their hocks in nice, clean, wheat straw ; for 
 the squire was a staunch old Tory, and like a 
 true sportsman took good care that any horse 
 as well as man who partook of his hospitahty, 
 was well treated. 
 
 The occupant of the first box was the afore- 
 said *Brenda,' a large, powerful, well-bred, 
 mare, with good sloping shoulders, clean flat 
 legs, game, lean, well-set-on head and neck, 
 and hocks and quarters that looked hke going- 
 through dirt. Her nostril was large and red, 
 whilst her clear bright eye, and satin-like coat, 
 betokened her in the best of health and con- 
 dition. As her master approached her with a 
 pla^-ful slap on the quarter, and a ' How are you, 
 old lady V she turned and rubbed her velvety 
 muzzle against him, as if in response, showing 
 that they were both on those terms, viz., the 
 very best, that should exist between man and
 
 8 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 horse, particularly when the former entrusts his 
 neck many times a day to the safe keeping of 
 the latter. Box No. 2 contained a fine, up- 
 standing, black horse, much of the same stamp, 
 but not showing quite so much quality as the 
 mare; in fact, more of a weight-carrier. His 
 name was ' Erebus.' The last box was tenanted 
 by a bright, hog-maned bay, what at a first 
 glance one would almost feel inclined to 
 designate a pony. But, though standing 
 barely fifteen hands, he was a pocket Her- 
 cules. He was a bit cobby, but when his 
 wonderful, sloping shoulders, strong back and 
 loins, great powerful hocks, thighs, and gaskins, 
 deep back ribs, and the great depth through his 
 heart was noticed, he had all the appearance 
 of a sixteen-three, weight-carrying hunter, in 
 miniature. As his master turned up his rug, 
 he made a playful snap at him, but 'Come, 
 come, old man, none of your nonsense !' seemed 
 to reassure him, for he pricked his ears and 
 turned his head as if to inquire if his services 
 would be required on the morroAv. He was his 
 master's favourite, and rejoiced in the name of
 
 IN THE MARSIIWOOD VALE. ^ 
 
 'Harlequin,' by 'The Clown' out of 'Colum- 
 bine,' and was about as well-bred as lie could 
 be. 
 
 The following morning saw Jack and his 
 host attired in all the splendour of pink coats, 
 top-boots, and snowy breeches, en route to 
 meet the Marshwood Vale Hounds at one of 
 their best fixtures, to wit, Blackbrook Bridge. 
 It was the perfection of a hunting morning. 
 A gentle rain had fallen during the night, the 
 large, spreading pastures were all damp, and 
 every branch and twig on the trees and hedges 
 had its dependent drop of moisture. Heavy 
 clouds were roUing along overhead, through 
 which every now and then the sun shone out, 
 only again to be temporarily obscured, while a 
 faint breeze just stirred the tops of the now 
 leafless trees. 
 
 ' By-the-by, squire,' began Jack, ' you never 
 told me who was the present Master of the 
 Marshwood Hounds last night. Is he any rela- 
 tion to the late one V 
 
 'Yes, a very near one,' was the reply; 'but 
 I'll introduce you; in the meantime we had
 
 10 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 better jog on ;' and, suiting the action to the 
 word, he put the powerful weight-carrier he 
 was riding into a good, round trot, and so Jack 
 was again baffled in his inquiries. 
 
 A couple or so of miles brought them to the 
 meet, an old stone bridge spanning the dark, 
 sluggish stream known as the Slack — a stream 
 well-known to members of the Marshwood Vale 
 Hunt, and of which rumour related that enough 
 whips, spurs, and stirrup-irons reposed in its mud- 
 dy bottom to stock any ordinary saddler's shop. 
 The hounds, attended by the Hunt servants, 
 were walking about in an adjoining field, in 
 which, also, were grouped several knots of 
 sportsmen, whilst a string of carriages, from the 
 pair-horse landau down to the more humble 
 polo-cart and farmer's gig, denoted that Black- 
 brook Bridge was a favourite fixture. 
 
 As the squire and Jack made their way 
 through the crowd, and turned into the field, 
 a tandem, composed of two smart-looking cobs, 
 and driven by a nice-looking girl, with another 
 lady sitting beside her, pulled up. As they did 
 so, every hat was raised ; and in less than no time
 
 IN THE MARSHWOOD VALE. 11 
 
 a fine, s^Tiimetrical, Avell-bred bay horse, eaiTying- 
 a side-saddle, was brought np to the near side 
 of the cart. The fair charioteer, throwing off 
 her nlster, sprang hghtly into tlie saddle, and 
 gathering np her reins, after having her habit 
 adjusted, moved on to make way for her com- 
 panion, who followed her example. Both 
 ladies were attired in fanltlessly-cnt habits, no 
 doubt the work of that great maestro in such 
 habiliments, 31r. Busvine, and wore scarlet 
 jackets, open at the throat and showing a 
 clean, well-starched white tie, secured by a 
 small, diamond, horse-shoe pin. The younger 
 and fairer of the two wore a black velvet hunt- 
 ing-cap, and this, with the horn at her saddle, 
 made Jack open his eyes. She was a pleasant- 
 faced girl with a good figure, wavy brown hair, 
 and large grey eyes that looked you in the 
 face with a true, straight, and honest glance ; 
 whilst her complexion was of that tint of which 
 Englishwomen are so justly proud, and denoted 
 her country-born and bred. 
 
 As she rode into the field, the pack caught 
 sight of her, and, breaking away from the
 
 12 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 Hunt servants, came tumbling and towling 
 along in their eagerness to welcome the well- 
 known figure. Some jumped at her horse's nose, 
 nearly all were pawing at her, whilst one old 
 veteran sprang so high that he nearly landed 
 in the rider's lap, and, falhng back, left great 
 muddy paw-marks all down the previously 
 unspotted habit. No rate or punishment did 
 the old hound get, however, from those fair 
 lips, only a ' Gently, Contest, gently, old man ;' 
 and then a piece of biscuit was thrown him, 
 which he caught dexterously. As the Hunt 
 servants came up and lifted their caps, they all 
 received a courteous greeting, and, after a few 
 minutes spent in conversation, old Tom Hark- 
 holler, the huntsman, got the pack round him ; 
 then with a ' Hounds, please, gen'men !' from the 
 first whip, they moved off to draw. 
 
 * Come along, my boy, and I'll introduce you 
 to the new master,' whispered the old squire, 
 with a chuckle to Jack, who was sitting on his 
 horse staring in open-mouthed astonishment at 
 this new departure in the customs of the hunt- 
 ing-field. As they ranged up alongside the
 
 IX THE MARSHWOOD VALE. 13 
 
 wearer of the hunting-cap, she extended a hand 
 to the old man, saying, 
 
 'Oh, I'm so glad youVe come out to-day, 
 squire, for I'm sure we will have a good run.' 
 
 ' Yoit ahvays bring us good hick, Miss Vyvian,' 
 was the old gentleman's gallant reply ; ' but pray 
 let me introduce my friend Captain Ramsay to 
 you — my godson and a thorough sportsman,' he 
 added sotto voce. 
 
 The introduction over, they fell back, and on 
 the way to covert the following conversation 
 ensued : 
 
 ' Well, Jack, what do you think of the new 
 master V 
 
 * Come, squire, you're chaffing me. I suppose 
 Miss Vyvian is tlie master's daughter V 
 
 * Yes, she was.' 
 
 ' Was ! what do you mean V 
 
 ' What I say,' was the calm rejoinder. 
 * "Violet Vyvian is old Vane Vyvian's daugh- 
 ter ; as he died more than a year ago, he can't 
 be master now ! But I won't mystify you any 
 longer, but tell you the Avhole story. Poor old 
 Vane, though the best fellow in the world, was a
 
 14 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 bit eccentric, as you may have beard. Ho bad 
 two great passions in bfe : bis only cbild Violet, 
 and bis bounds. He bad a great borror of im- 
 pecuniosity, and so wben bis will was read it was 
 found to contain tbese provisions : 
 
 * Firstly: Tbat Violet sbould not marry 
 anyone unless be was tbe possessor of a title 
 and good income. In tbe event of ber dis- 
 regarding tbis wisb of ber fatber's, tbe wbole of 
 tbe property was to go to ber cousin (Cyril 
 Vyvian — wbom I'll point out to you presently), 
 except five buodred pounds a year, wbicb was 
 to be Violet's under any circumstances, 
 
 ' Secondly : Tbat sbe, or wboever succeeded to 
 tbe Forde Manor estates, sbould maintain in an 
 efficient manner tbe Marsbwood Vale Hounds, 
 witbout any subscription, and provide for tbe 
 Hunt servants sbould tbey be injured or inca- 
 pacitated by accident or old age from continuing 
 to discbarge tb eir duties in tbe field. Well, Violet, 
 wbom I bave known from a cbild, is noAv ^I.F.H., 
 and well sbe fills tbe position. Sbe knows more 
 about bunting tban most men ; tbe bounds will 
 fly to a mere toucb of ber born ; sbe rides as
 
 IN THE MARSHWOOD YALE. 1 5 
 
 straight as a line, and though she is such a gentle- 
 looking little woman, I can tell you it would be 
 a l)rave man who would in our country dare 
 to prePS on, or over-ride hounds, or treat her in 
 any but a respectful manner ; for if he did. Miss 
 Vi, in a very few but very quiet words, would 
 make him " feel his position acutely," as the re- 
 porters have it. AVith all this she is not a bit 
 fast or slangy, and there isn't a man, woman, 
 or child for miles round that doesn't swear 
 by Miss Violet. There now, I've told you all 
 about our master ; only, for goodness sake, don't 
 go tumbling head-over-ears in love with her, for 
 as you are not a lord it would be useless.'
 
 16 
 
 CHAPTER 11. 
 
 GONE away! 
 
 The hounds bad now turned off the road through 
 a gate, and across a couple of grass fields till 
 they reached a large square-shaped covert of 
 some thirty acres, composed of oaks and hazel, 
 with a thick undergrowth of brambles and large 
 tussocks of grass. This was just such a place 
 as a repose-loving fox would select to take his 
 ease in. Castle Wood, for such was the name of 
 the covert, had a reputation for being a sure 
 find, and on this occasion it kept up its reputa- 
 tion, as we shall see presently. Tom had sixteen- 
 couple of dog-hounds out, and he pulled up for 
 a moment waiting for Violet's signal to throw
 
 GONE AWAY. 17 
 
 the pack into covert. lu the meanwhile, one 
 whipper-in had slipped through a Httle hunting 
 wicket, and scuttled down a drive to the far end 
 of the wood, whilst the other had cantered away 
 to the right, to take up another point of 
 observation. 
 
 The hounds were all packed together, looking 
 up in old Tom's face, with waving sterns and 
 that eagerness to be at their natural foe de- 
 picted on each canine countenance, which showed 
 them to be a pack of hounds well hunted and 
 having had plenty of blood. 
 
 The field was not a large one, some fifty all 
 told, perhaps ; and Violet, after looking round 
 and seeing that everyone was drawn up at one 
 side of the covert, gave a nod to Tom, wlio in 
 his turn raised his whip-hand, and with a ' 'Leu 
 in there, my lads !' waved the pack in. In a 
 moment not a hound was at liis horses' heels as 
 they dashed into covert almost with a cry, but 
 which was restrained to a whimper, making the 
 wattle fence which bounded the wood crash and 
 crackle from the impetus of their charge. "With 
 a * Come hup, 'oss !' Tom jumped in after them, 
 
 VOL. I. C
 
 18 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.E. 
 
 "whilst Violet cantered away to a gate and 
 through it also entered the covert, and soon she 
 and Tom were lost to sight. 
 
 AVhilst they are finding their fox, let us take 
 a look round at the country, and make the ac- 
 quaintance of the members of the Hunt. 
 
 The country was not a fashionable one, lying 
 as it did out of the beaten track of those sports- 
 men who rush about hither and thither from 
 town, hunting now with this pack, now with 
 that, and giving little or nothing towards the 
 maintenance of the particular pack they deign 
 to favour with their august presence. It is men 
 of this kind who make fox-hunting unpopular 
 with a certain class, if it is so in any country. 
 Farmers, as a rule, even if they do not hunt 
 themselves (and, alas ! in these days of Radical- 
 ism and bad prices, comparatively few can afiford 
 to do so), do not object to any slight damage 
 being done on their farms, provided it is done 
 by sportsmen residing in the country — men who 
 give them a helping hand by buying their 
 forage from them, etc., and whom they know and 
 constantly meet. Farmer Giles does not object
 
 GONE AWAY. 19 
 
 to a gate beiug sniaslied by Squire So-and-so, 
 knowing he "will probably express his regret at 
 the accident and send him a sovereign to replace 
 it ; l)ut when Mr. Perks of London does likewise, 
 and not only does not express any regi-et, l)ut 
 plentifully bespatters the aggrieved owner with 
 abuse and foul language for locking the said 
 gate — why, then the worm turns, and ' dang 
 thick fox-hunting !' is the thought uppermost in 
 the bucolic mind. If fox-hunting is to flourish, 
 — which heaven grant it may for many a year to 
 come, — consideration must be shown for the 
 agricultural element. 
 
 The Marshwood Vale country was a wild and 
 sparsely populated one. A good deal of grass, 
 comparati\'ely httle arable land, and wide 
 stretches of down and heather gave that un- 
 dulating character to the scenery so much more 
 pleasing to the eye than a dead flat. The 
 coverts were mostly big woodlands and large 
 straggling gorses on the sides of the hills. In 
 a dry season these downs, being mostly chalk, 
 carried but a poor scent, but given a good soak- 
 ing of rain, hounds could fly along at a pace
 
 20 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 that made even a thoroughbred do his level 
 best to keep on terms with them. The vale 
 part of the country was stiffly enclosed, the 
 fences being mostly big, straggling, hairy 
 doubles, with a ditch on each side big enough, 
 in many cases, to engulph horse and rider, should 
 the former make a mistake, whilst when ncAvly 
 cut and laid, the ' plushers ' were strong enough 
 to turn over almost an elephant. There Avere 
 a few flying fences, a fair quantity of timber 
 (generally of a very stiff description), whilst the 
 hills that encircled the country were the water- 
 shed of numerous streams which, when they 
 reached the lower level, presented formidable 
 obstacles, and required not only a bold but a 
 clever horse to negotiate with safety and 
 success. 
 
 The district immediately surrounding Castle 
 Wood was one that could not fail to gladden 
 a sportsman's eye. Fairly big, rush grown, 
 badly-drained pastures, with only here and there 
 an arable field, cropping out like a brown island 
 from a sea of green, gave promise of a holding 
 scent ; and the forbidding character of the fences
 
 GONE AWAY. 21 
 
 made it plain that the iiiau and horse who woidd 
 really be idtli hounds must be possessed not 
 only of nerve and determination, but that these* 
 qualities should be combined with discretion 
 and judgment. Some five miles distant a gentle 
 slope led upwards towards a gorse and rock 
 bestrewn range of downs, the sides of which 
 were seamed by dark lines denoting the course 
 of some of the streams on their way to lower 
 ground. These ' goyles,' as they were termed, 
 often proved a ' stopper ' to the field. Too wide 
 and too much protected by dwarf timber on 
 either bank to be jumped, they necessitated a 
 scramble in and out ; and a rash horse, in at- 
 tempting this, often brought himself and his 
 rider to ignominious gi'ief. 
 
 Beyond these hills again lay the sea, glimpses 
 of which could occasionally be descried where 
 an opening or gap in the range permitted. 
 Take it all round it w\as what is called a rough 
 country, but a decidedly sporting one. 
 
 Now for our field. That lady on a well-bred 
 chestnut mare, surrounded by a knot of ad- 
 mirers, is Mrs. O'Brien (wife of Rufus O'Brien),
 
 22 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 and was the lady who had driven over with 
 Violet to the meet. She was tall, Avith a fine 
 figure, Avhich her well-cnt scarlet jacket fitted 
 to perfection, and with masses gf dark, some- 
 what coarse black hair plaited and pinned in 
 large coils at the back of the head. Keen, 
 flashing black eyes that now looked bold, now 
 languishing ; a pale olive skin which, when 
 excited or heated, was suffused by a warm rich 
 tint of crimson ; the whole set off by a fault- 
 lessly-cut habit, made her a prominent figure, 
 and one at which a stranger would naturally 
 cast more than one glance. She sat her horse 
 square and straight, and in fact the whole turn- 
 out made a handsome picture. When hounds 
 ran, Mrs. O'Brien was always ' there or there- 
 abouts ;' and, though she undoubtedly did ride 
 well, many were the tales of the jealousy she 
 exhibited if ever deprived of her pride of place. 
 Talking to her in a very emjyressij and de- 
 voted manner was Cyril Vyvian, a small, neat, 
 sandy-haired man. Weak and ordinary-look- 
 ing would be the casual observer's verdict on 
 him, but weak though he undoubtedly was, he
 
 GONE AWAY. 23 
 
 bad his good points — a warm, though too impres- 
 sionable heart, moved hither and thither by the 
 caprice and feehng of the moment, always 
 wantuig to do right, but with barely strength 
 enough of character to follow the dictates of 
 his conscience. 
 
 That big, red-haired, red-bearded, blue-eyed 
 man on foot, tightening his horse's girths, is 
 Rufus O'Brien. When Violet was left an orphan, 
 she invited her old school-friend Kate O'Brien 
 and her husband to come and take up their 
 abode at Forde Manor. Rufus, it was agreed, 
 sliould look after the kennel and stable arrange- 
 ments generally, whilst Kate was to act the 
 part of chaperon. A good fellow in every 
 sense was Rufus, and liked equally by men and 
 women, for his hearty, jovial manner and keen, 
 sparkling blue eyes had a ring of honesty about 
 them that proved m-esistible to both sexes. A 
 sportsman he was, every inch, and his weather- 
 defying garments, though well-cut and well- 
 made, were devoid of any dandyism. He, like 
 most members of the Marshwood Vale Hunt 
 who sported pink — and they only numbered
 
 24 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 some dozen or so — encased his upper man in a 
 huntsman's cut coat, and, in virtue of his 
 position as Master of the Horse, etc., wore a 
 velvet hunting-cap. His horse, too, looked a 
 * wear-and-tear ' sort of animal, and, Hke his 
 master, hailed from the Emerald Isle — a big, 
 muscular chestnut, with a Roman nose and 
 great ragged hips, but with immense power 
 and those drooping quarters that so many Irish 
 horses have, yet possessing all the points for 
 galloping and staying that are necessary to a 
 hunter. 
 
 Talking to him is the hard-riding farmer of 
 the Hunt, a mere boy to look at, though some 
 forty summers have passed over his head. Ted 
 Pile his friends call him, and any horse that 
 he gets on, has to go nolens volens. A light- 
 weight, and with the best of hands, he can 
 shove a sticky horse along, or let a bold one go, 
 with the best, and it is a treat to see him hand- 
 ling a raw young four-year-old over a bit of 
 stiff timber, or screwing him over a big double 
 under the branch of an overhanging tree. He 
 possesses those two very necessary adjuncts to
 
 GONE AWAY. 25 
 
 a really good horseman, viz., iiervcfc; of irou, 
 ■unflinching determination, and a sweet, very 
 sweet temper. 
 
 A little detached from the group, puffing a 
 cigar in moody silence, sits the great gun of the 
 Hunt, Lord Guisard. He is the largest land- 
 owner in the country, and, from his self-satisfied 
 appearance, evidently considers himself a sort 
 of small deity, only existing to be worshipped 
 by his more humble fellows. He has his good 
 points, undoubtedly, if one could only find them 
 out ; but, alas ! few, if any, people have as yet 
 been honestly able to accomplish that difficult 
 feat I His appearance is certainly against him. 
 A pale, pasty complexion, surmounted by hair 
 the colour of well-bleached flax, and a scrubby 
 moustache that he Avas incessantly nibl)ling and 
 biting at when not better employed, — added to 
 small pig-like eyes that never looked one straight 
 in the face, and a somewhat corpulent figure with 
 large, flabby, coarse hands and feet, — did not 
 make him bear out the character of an Adonis, 
 for which he fain would pose. Ride he cer- 
 tainly can, in a certain way, for he has little
 
 26 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 fear, but the less said about his judgment, or 
 thought for the good horse he rides, the better. 
 In fact, he looks on a horse as merely a machine 
 to carry his lordly person. 
 
 Near him, chattering ' twenty to the dozen,' 
 are Mr. and Mrs. Blatherwick, two well-known 
 members of the Hunt. Mr. Blatherwick had 
 spent his early life in the colonies, where he is 
 supposed to have amassed a fair fortune. * Old 
 B.,' as he is generally called, is a very good 
 fellow in his way, but, as far as hunting is con- 
 cerned, an arrant humbug. On a road, or 
 through a line of gates, he is a ccqntal man ! 
 but, when a fence appears, he invariably has 
 some excuse for turning away from hounds — he 
 has either * Lost a shoe !' or ' Must look for Mrs. 
 B., confound it all !' 
 
 Mrs. B. equals her husband in leading the 
 gallop in the excuse department. ' Dear me ! 
 so disappointing, you know ; we had a capital 
 start, and saw every yard of the run, but 
 unfortunately, just before you killed, my poor 
 dear horse stubbed himself,' etc. etc., Mrs. B. 
 would say all the time, she never having given
 
 GONE AWAY. 27 
 
 the said liorse a chance of stubbing himself! 
 Then to hear her at a check on a bad scenting- 
 day was a treat. ' I Lord Guisard, did you 
 see my dear old horse jump that gate ? I 
 thought he would nary come down, he jumped 
 so high !' The said gate having been unhung^ 
 and laid flat on the ground ! However, they 
 were very harmless people, and barring hustling 
 at a gap, and occasionally heading a fox, did but 
 little harm ; being very hospitably inclined, and 
 glad to ' walk ' a couple of puppies for the 
 Hunt, they were not the worst members of it. 
 
 One or two neighbouring squires, a fcAv farm- 
 ers, a hard-riding vet. on a weedy thorough- 
 bred (all in a lather, already !) and some three 
 or four officers from the adjacent barracks at 
 Slushborough, make up the field. 
 
 But all this time hounds have been drawing 
 steadily through the thick and tangled under- 
 growth of Castle Wood. At last, however, one 
 hound throws his tongue. ' Huic to Trickster ! 
 huic !* rings out old Tom's cheer, and the next 
 moment the chorus is taken up by the pack. 
 One riug round the covert they take, awaken-
 
 28 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 ing the echoes, sending pheasants soaring away 
 over the tree-tops, and disturbing a colony of 
 jays that flit screaming about ; then a dead 
 silence for a moment, and then from round the 
 €orner of the covert came a soft ' tweet, tweet, 
 tweet !' It was Violet's horn. Hounds fly to 
 her, and Jack, settling himself in his saddle, 
 hustled his horse for a start. As he rounded 
 the corner through an open gate he saw Violet 
 cheering some four couple of hounds on the 
 line, while the rest of the pack came tumbling 
 out of covert, straining every muscle to catch up 
 their flying comrades. There was a rare scent, 
 and hounds drove along at a good pace. The 
 fence at the end of the field was a big uncom- 
 promising looking double, and as she approach- 
 ed it Violet pulled her horse into a trot, and 
 dropped her hands. The clever animal she rode 
 lit lightly on the top, paused between the newly- 
 laid plushers for an instant, and then bounded 
 off, over the ditch on the far side, and was sail- 
 ing away again in his stride in a moment. 
 Jack followed suit, and then came old Tom, 
 Rufus, Kate, and several others, all negotiating
 
 GONE AWAY. 29 
 
 the place safely except the vet., whose impetuous 
 screw went at it forty miles au hour, and came 
 to grief in consequence. In this order they 
 sailed on over some dozen fields, Violet leading, 
 for do what he would, and though horribly put 
 out at being led by a woman. Jack could not 
 diminish the distance between them, and he had 
 too much regard for his horse, and too much 
 judgment to push it unnecessarily. At last they 
 come to a piece of plough, a swede field, in 
 which some sheep were hurdled ; this brings 
 hounds' noses down, and aff"ords a welcome 
 relief to the field, the stout division of which 
 are beginning to pant and mop their brows. 
 
 Tom does not attempt to cast his hoimds, but 
 lets them try for themselves. At last, however, 
 seeing that the sheep have so foiled the line 
 that the hounds could make nothing of it, he 
 caught hold of them and galloped forward. 
 Directly they got on grass again, * Denmark,' a 
 large tan hound, lashed his stern as he feathered 
 down the side of a fence, and a moment after 
 threw his tongue decisively. Away they all 
 streamed. They had now entered a wild snipey-
 
 30 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.II. 
 
 looking bit of country, and were nearing the 
 hills which stood out clear and distinct only 
 some three miles distant. This was evidently 
 the fox's point, and between it and him not a 
 covert intervened. ' Forrard, forrard !' scream- 
 ed old Tom, though hounds were running as 
 hard as they could, too fast for much music. 
 After another mile or so, the field began to 
 tail considerably, and was confined to Violet, 
 Kate O'Brien, Rufus, Jack, and some half- 
 dozen more. Lord Guisard had been deposited 
 in a ditch, from the bottom of which he was 
 endeavouring to extricate his horse, with many 
 curses and blows showered on the luckless 
 animah Violet had now resigned the lead, 
 which w^as alternately taken by Jack and Rufus, 
 and so they went on, now topping a double, 
 now flying a smaller fence, and anon popping 
 over a bit of timber in a corner. Violet, how- 
 ever, was well to the fore, and the more he saw 
 of her the more attracted to her Jack became. 
 She rode so gracefully, there was no flurry or 
 fuss about her, and she and her horse seemed 
 only to be cantering, whilst they made light of
 
 GONE AWAY. 31 
 
 every fence ; in fact, her whole Ijcaring was so 
 quiet and unostentatious, and yet so sporting^ 
 tliat few seeing her could withhold a tribute of 
 admiration. 
 
 They had topped a gently-undulating piece 
 of ground which fell somewhat more a1)ruptly 
 on the far side, and at the bottom a tell-tale line 
 of Avillows betokened the presence of water. 
 As hounds splashed in and scrambled out, send- 
 ing the spray flying in showers, Jack, who was 
 lying third, muttered against his better judgment, 
 which told him he ought to shut off steam going 
 down hill, 
 
 ' Hang it all, I am not going to be led over 
 this. Come along, old woman !' and, shaking up 
 Brenda, he rushed past Violet and Rufus. 
 
 ' Keep to your light,' shouted out the latter as 
 Ramsay shot past him, at the same time pulling 
 away in that direction himself. But the warn- 
 ing came too late. It was a big jump, some 
 sixteen feet of clear open water with rotten 
 banks, and though the good mare was fully 
 capable of accomplishing this, as she took off, 
 the undennined rotten bank gave way beneath
 
 32 VIOLET YYYIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 her weight ; she made her spring and did her 
 best, but alas ! she and her rider went souse into 
 the muddy depths of the stream ! They did not 
 part company, however, and soon managed to 
 scramble out on the right side, as Violet, Rufus, 
 and the Hunt-servants flew the brook a little 
 lower down; though, of course, Jack lost ground 
 by the mishap. Others availed themselves of a 
 well-known ford, and all soon were re-united. 
 
 On the hounds went, and nearer and nearer 
 they approached the foot of the hills. ' Yonder 
 he goes !' screamed old Tom, as he caught sight 
 of a httle draggled brown form strugghng up 
 the hillside with a couple of magpies hovering 
 and chattering above him ; and sticking spurs to 
 his horse, with a couple of blasts of his hoi-n, he 
 lifted hounds and galloped on. He was too late, 
 however. Careless stopping had left one earth 
 open, and into this friendly shelter the now well- 
 nigh beaten fox disappeared with the hounds 
 almost at his brush. 
 
 A six-mile point, almost straight, and run 
 in thirty minutes, the time-keepers of the Hunt 
 made it, and * a capital gallop,' was the verdict
 
 GONE AWAY. 33 
 
 of eveiyoue — particularly the Blatherwicks, 
 ^vho made their appearance shortly afterwards, 
 having found a convenient line of gates and 
 lanes. 
 
 * I hope you won't be any the worse for your 
 ducking,' remarked Rufus to our hero ; ' have 
 one of my weeds, yours must be soaked,' he 
 added, as he saw Jack turning over the contents 
 of his sodden cigar-case. 
 
 ' Oh ! no, thanks,' was the cheery reply. ' I 
 don't think we shall be much the worse ; but I'll 
 gladly avail myself of your offer, for this moist 
 'baccy of mine is not much good. However, 1 
 think I'll get home and change as soon as I can. 
 How far is it to Mr. Bentley's?' he inquired, as 
 Rufus struck a fusee and offered it to him. 
 
 ' Only about eight miles. You see that clump 
 of trees yonder ; when you get there you'll find 
 a lane by a little stream — follow the course of 
 the water till you come to the village of 
 Hawkhurst, and then anyone will tell you the 
 Avay. By-the-bye, Miss Vyvian has told me to 
 ask you and the squire to come and dine at 
 Forde Manor this day week. Can you come '^ 
 
 VOL. I. D
 
 34 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 If SO, she will send you a formal invitation.' 
 
 * Thanks, I shall be delighted if Mr. Bentley 
 has no other engagement,' returned Jack ; and, 
 the weed being lit, he remounted his horse, lifted 
 his hat to Miss Vyvian, and set off to find his way 
 home. 
 
 In the meantime, it has been decided not to 
 attempt to dig the fox ; the good run he has 
 afforded and the straightness of his course 
 having, in Violet's eyes, ensured his life being 
 spared, in the hopes that he may on some future 
 day afford the Marshwood Vale Hounds another 
 good run. 
 
 So hounds move off in one direction to find 
 another fox, while Jack disappears in another, 
 and soon all is still in the vicinity of the earth, 
 save the * pee- wit, pee- wit !' of the plover as he 
 wheels and dashes about in fantastic flight call- 
 ing to his fellows, and the distant thunder of the 
 surf as it breaks on the beach far away. 
 
 Had any of the field, however, elected to 
 stay and watch the spot, they would, as the 
 shades of evening fell, have seen a pointed 
 black nose gradually protrude from the earth,
 
 GONE AWAY. 35 
 
 shortly followed by the body of the * little red 
 rascal,' who, after giviug himself a shake, and 
 having a look round to see the coast was clear, 
 set off on his homeward travels. That night he 
 slept at Compton Gorse, and the following day 
 found him back in liis uld quarters at Castle 
 Wood, from which doubtless he will afford the 
 Marshwood Vale Hounds another good run ere 
 the ' whoo-whoop ' resounds over him, and he 
 becomes ' a hundred tatters of brown.' 
 
 d2
 
 36 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 FIRST IMPRESSIONS. 
 
 The evening had come on which Jack Eamsay 
 was bidden to dine with the M.F.H. of the 
 Marshwood Vale Hounds. At a quarter to 
 eight the drawing-room at Forde Manor pre- 
 sented a pleasant, nay, even picturesque scene. 
 The Avails, that were wainscoted right up to the 
 ceiling in panels decorated with floral wreaths, 
 had once on a time been painted cream-white, 
 as was also the high, carved, wooden chimney- 
 piece. This barbarism of some dead Vyvian of 
 Georgian days was to be excused by the charm- 
 ing background that it made to the bright 
 dresses of the guests, thrown up still more by
 
 FIRST IMPRESSIONS. 37 
 
 the subdued neutral tints with which the room 
 was upholstered in silk of apparently a cen- 
 tiny's age, and of the dull olive-green carpet. 
 Modern taste was gratified by tall palms mounted 
 on liandsonie china stands, softly rounding the 
 angles of the large room with tlieir drooping 
 fronds, and by the most luxurious of eas}' 
 lounges and sofas mixed with the severe Chip- 
 pendale furniture of bygone days, such as high, 
 old-fashioned screens and matchless, inlaid, cor- 
 ner cupboards, behind the glass doors whereof 
 generations of Vyvian dames had jealously 
 guarded their treasures of Chelsea and Bow, 
 AVedgewood and old Dresden. 
 
 Yes, it was a pretty scene. All the members 
 of the Hunt wore pink evening coats with green 
 collars, the uniform of the Marshwood Vale, 
 while on their brass buttons an M. V. in plain 
 letters stood out distinct and legible. They 
 were wont to declare that thcij were strictly 
 eonservative, and Avould not follow the fashion 
 of having writliiug hieroglyphics for their 
 escutcheon, that no one could decipher without 
 difficulty. As the portly squires with their
 
 38 VIOLET YYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 wives in best dresses of last season's London 
 visit, and fresh-faced younger men with pretty 
 sisters came in, Violet Yyvian received them 
 each and all with the frank smile and winning 
 manner that made her such a favom'ite in the 
 county. 
 
 As guests passed on, Rufus O'Brien gave them 
 a second reception with a gi-eat hand- clasp that 
 engulfed women's fingers and drove their rings 
 into the flesh. Yet even that sourest of dow- 
 agers, old Lady Guisard, could not look angry 
 with his sunny blue eyes smiling down on her, 
 while the most hospitable loud welcomes were 
 poured forth, with the ' least taste in life ' of Irish 
 accent, straight from his honest heart. 
 
 Mrs. O'Brien stood studiously a little aloof. 
 The iu-comers had rather to seek her out ; it 
 was not her role to interfere with either the mis- 
 tress or major-domo of Forde Manor. She would 
 not ' put herself forward for the old women to 
 carp at her,' she confided with a low laugh to 
 those of the younger men who sought to know 
 the cause of this modesty. Yet to some of these, 
 her admirers, who got a swift flashing glance
 
 FIRST IMPRESSIONS. 39 
 
 out of her glorious black eyes and a soft linger- 
 ing pressure of her hand, Kate O'Brien's part in 
 their greeting was, though last, not quite least. 
 
 There was a bodyguard of three or four stout 
 old squires round Violet. They all thought it 
 tlieir duty to devote themselves to their young 
 hostess, and apparently believed she must equally 
 enjoy their society on all occasions ; besides, as 
 ' none of the young fellows could have her,' why 
 should they scruple to monopolise her ? 
 
 ' Hallo I' remarked one of these, presently, 
 ' here's some one in a black coat coming in. 
 A stranger, eh ? and a very good-looking fellow, 
 too.' 
 
 * By gad, he is,' muttered another old gentle- 
 man, in a low voice, as Ramsay — for he was the 
 new-comer — approached. 
 
 Even as he came up the long room, Violet 
 was conscious of a pleasurable thrill as she 
 watched that tall, symmetrical figure. True, 
 his coat was like that of the vicar, the Kev. 
 Jack Wood, a black blot on the otherwise 
 bright aspect of the gi'oups: but that helped to 
 make him appear the more distinguished. She
 
 40 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 liked his looks, manly, straight, and strong ; and 
 she liked, too, his erect carriage and decided 
 step. Some of the younger men, traversing 
 that long expanse of drawing-room alone, had 
 felt shy and shown it ; some affected this style, 
 others that. Her fastidious mind inwardly 
 criticised them all : the jovial sporting ones, the 
 thinner languid lady-killers, brisk, dapper, little 
 men who sang and gave themselves airs, and 
 those who, with good looks and means, pre- 
 ferred stables and smoking-rooms, clubs, and 
 their own comfort to women's sweetest witch- 
 eries. She knew them all, or thought so. But 
 here was a new type. 
 
 ' He is very handsome, and he must know it ; 
 but he does not seem to think much about it,' 
 was Violet's mental verdict, looking up at Jack 
 Ramsay's clean-cut features, tanned brown by 
 much outdoor life, and meeting full a keen, 
 clear glance out of his dark-grey eyes. 
 
 She was right enough : Jack knew that 
 women's glances, and those of some of his own 
 sex, too, often turned admiringly upon him. 
 But there was a lurking smile under his mous-
 
 FIRST IMPRESSIONS. 41 
 
 tacbe, which last was a shade h'ghter than his 
 brown, Avavy, though closc-cHppetl hair, and it 
 seemed to hint he was ready to laugh at any wo- 
 man who said his features were like the * Dying 
 Gladiator,' or a Greek god ; to laugh heartily at 
 himself, too, if he were coxcombical enough to 
 feel vain of such a matter of chance as a straight 
 nose. 
 
 The young man's own tlioughts, as Violet 
 greeted him, were : ' Frank and honest in her 
 manner ; and not above being winning, too. 
 She is no Venus, but a nice-looking girl all the 
 same. I like that waving brown hair so 
 prettily drawn up to the top of her head, and 
 she looks good style and well turned-out alto- 
 gether, as a hunting- Avoman should.' ^liss 
 Vyvian's white satin bodice and tulle skirt 
 became her figure, certainly, to perfection ; and 
 a very good figure it was. 
 
 ' You will find an old friend of yours here. 
 Captain Ramsay — indeed, a cousin, I believe,' 
 said Violet, brightly. ' ^Mrs. Beaumont is my 
 near neighbour, and she is one of my greatest 
 friends.'
 
 42 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 She looked round to where Jack saw a dear 
 and familiar face of his boyhood's days smiling 
 at him. This was that of an elder cousin, now 
 a -wddow, who lived at Littleforde, a pleasant, 
 small house just outside the park wall of Forde 
 Manor. 
 
 He made straight for her. 
 
 ' Well, Margaret, Jwic are you V 
 
 ' Well, Jack, welcome to Marshwood Vale.* 
 (They had not met for eight years.) 
 
 ' 1 am very glad to see you again, You are 
 not changed in the least since I saw you last,' 
 said the young man, warmly; looking with 
 friendly admiration into Margaret Beaumont's 
 face, that was still as delicately pretty as he 
 remembered it, though she was in her ' thirties,' 
 while her reddish-gold hair was as thick and her 
 brown eyes as bright as ever. 
 
 ' I cannot say the same of you,' she replied, 
 with a soft, flattered smile showing she owned 
 still to woman's special weakness. ' You were 
 a raw recruit then, and so shy. But I have a 
 scolding for you already ! I am quite hurt that 
 you should have come down to see the Marsh-
 
 FIRST IMPRESSIONS. 48 
 
 wood Vale lIouodFJ, and not be .staying with 
 me.' 
 
 ' Your scoldings always used to have something 
 nice wrapped up in then) : I remember that as a 
 little chap. Well— but, you see, Squire Bentley 
 asked me (h^wn here. He is my god-father, you 
 know, and has always been very kind to me.' 
 
 ' I'll forgive you, then, if you promise to come 
 to me afterwards, and to stay as long as you 
 like,' said ^Irs. Beaumont, gently. She was a very 
 affectionate woman, and always yearned after 
 her own people, few of whom were left alive. 
 * You always used to look upon me as an 
 elder sister, you know, Jack, so I hope you have 
 not changed. And, really, I have fair stables and 
 can put lip your horses and groom quite easily,' 
 she added, with a trifle of anxiety lest Jack should 
 be inwardly afraid of a widow's menage, bad 
 wine, a pampered coachman, and niysteiiously 
 vanishing oats and hay. 
 
 Jack laughed. 
 
 * I am pretty certain of that. Report has 
 already told me you have a model establishment, 
 my dear ^Margaret. Yes, I shall be delighted
 
 44 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 if I may transfer myself and my belongings to 
 Littleforde, after my fortnight with Mr. Bentley 
 is up. It is just like your old self to ask me so 
 kindly.' 
 
 He was interrupted by a general movement 
 to dinner, and found himself allotted to take 
 in Mrs. O'Brien. 
 
 Miss Vj^vian's dinner-tal^le reflected as much 
 credit on that young lady's administrative capa- 
 city, as did the management of her hounds, and 
 the whole appearance of the fine old home she 
 had inherited from generations of ancestors. 
 Ramsay's eyes examined the whole appoint- 
 ments of the table: the silver, glass, flow^ers; 
 w^andered to the full-length, be-rufFed and be- 
 wigged portraits that were let into the pannclled 
 walls ; and settled longer with calm satisfaction 
 on the menu. 
 
 * All good, very good,' he thought to himself. 
 ^ By Jove ! she must be a clever girl.' Violet's 
 situation interested him ; he was curious to see 
 if she managed her affairs, or was controlled by 
 them against her wull ; whether she was a figure- 
 head, or a pilot of her own ship. Now, she was
 
 FIRST IMPRESSIONS. 45 
 
 sittiug at tlic head of her tabk-, and hsteniiig- 
 with as highly good-humoured a smile alteruatc- 
 ly to Lord Guisard's inanities on her right hand, 
 and the hoarse whisper of a stone-deaf old 
 gentleman, the father of the Hunt, on her left, as 
 if they wvYG the wittiest and handsomest people 
 present. 
 
 But Kanisay's observations had to be made 
 very briefly and at stolen intervals, his whole 
 attention being promptly challenged by Mrs 
 O'Bnen. 
 
 * I am quite sony, Captain Ramsay, that you 
 should not have been allowed to take down 
 your cousin, Mrs. Beaumont, this first night, 
 instead of such an insignificant person as my- 
 self,' she murmured, with a soft flash of her 
 large black eyes. ' It would have been so much 
 pleasanter for you. She is so pretty, is she not ? 
 Miss Vyvian and I are so fond of her ; our dear 
 Peggy, as I call her.' 
 
 ' I can hardly imagine anything pleasanter 
 than the present arrangement,' cheerfully re- 
 turned Ramsay, as in duty bom id. But his soft 
 speeches had generally a spice of amusement
 
 46 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 in them that might tm-n to ridicale if the 
 situation became at all sentimental. ' May I ask 
 in what way Mrs. O'Brien can consider herself a 
 nobody.' 
 
 * Really, my part in this household is such a 
 small one. Miss Vyvian — she is an heiress, you 
 know, though bound, alas! by most tiresome 
 conditions of a will — she is the sweetest girl in 
 the world and so clever. Then my husband is 
 her major-domo, looks after her hounds ' 
 
 ' And chooses her wine, I should think. He 
 deserves our thanks for his excellent judgment,' 
 put in Ramsay, who had just put down his glass 
 with inward gusto. 
 
 ' Ah ! — I wish — I wisli my husband did not 
 know quite so much about wine. But, of course, 
 that is from a wife's point of view,' said Kate 
 low, while her beautiful eyes became downcast 
 a moment and the faintest of little sighs 
 escaped her. Ramsay thought he had better 
 change the subject ; so he asked, 
 
 * And what is your share in this most charm- 
 ing establishment ? Whatever it is, I am sure it
 
 FIRST IMPRESSIONS. 47 
 
 is well (lone, to jiulgc by the results eveiy- 
 wh ere around us.' 
 
 ' I — ! I am Miss Vyvian's duenna.' The 
 words left Mrs. O'Brien's lips so artlessly, yet 
 were accompanied by such a killing glance 
 straight and full out of her dark eyes, that Jack 
 fairly burst out laughing, being tickled at the 
 idea. Then, on being pettishly reproved for his 
 rudeness, he gravely apologised, explaining : 
 
 'You seem so young for such a responsible 
 post. I should say you cannot be very much 
 older than Miss Vyvian herself.' 
 
 ' Why, I am younger, I believe, some months 
 younger,' Mrs. O'Brien innocently hastened to 
 reply (though in this her memory misled her, 
 as it does many women). '"We were school- 
 fellowe, and the dearest of friends; but as to 
 age, being married, you see, makes all the 
 difference.' 
 
 ' I see ;' Jack looked with an air of fervent 
 faith into Kate's beautiful face. She was like 
 a tropical flower, he thought, with hei- dusky 
 hair, perhaps somewhat coarse and uubright-
 
 48 VIOLET YYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 ened by any gloss, but piled in masses on her 
 head. Her somewhat olive skin was tinged 
 warmly as a i-ipe peach, while the faintest soiqycon 
 of down marked a line above her scarlet lips. 
 But the chief features in her face were her great 
 lustrous eyes, that sometimes flashed upon one 
 unawares with wonderful light. They turned 
 on Ramsay slowly and full now, and seemed to 
 draw his gaze into their own depths and seek 
 to hold it fast. 
 
 Rousing himself from the spell, for Jack was 
 no schoolboy in such books as women's looks, he 
 became aware that a man was watching them 
 covertly across the table. 
 
 The man's gaze was so intent and jealous, 
 although instantly dropped on becoming aware 
 of Ramsay's notice, that the latter felt curious, 
 and gave him as scrutinizing a glance in return. 
 He was a rather small individual, with the fair 
 hair, reddish moustache, and ordinary blue eyes 
 so common with a certain type of Englishmen ; 
 one might easily see a dozen of them in a day, 
 fairly alike. But this one had a well-bred air, 
 and his face, despite that late jealous lowering
 
 FIRST IMPRESSIONS. 49 
 
 (^f the brows, was kindly and good-humoured, 
 although somewhat weak about the juouth and 
 uaiTOwing iu the forehead. Ho was sensitive, 
 too, for his skiu — of that kind which tans a 
 scorching red with sun or wind — took a deeper 
 reddish hue than its natural freshness as he felt 
 .Jack's eyes upon him, and guessed the latter's 
 (question to Mrs. O'Brien. 
 
 ' ^Vho is our opposite neighbour, can you tell 
 me ? I seem to know his face.' 
 
 * 0, that one ? — he is Mr. Cyril V}wian,' an- 
 swered Kate, carelessly, rather too much so to 
 a keen observer. ' First cousin to our hostess 
 and the heir to all she owns, I must warn you, 
 in case Violet should be rash enough to attempt 
 maiTying anyone but a real live lord.' 
 
 ' The second time you have already warned 
 me this evening, Mrs. O'Brien, and I am deeply 
 obliged. But why should you bestow such 
 valuable adWce on a stranger — a mere bird of 
 passage V 
 
 ' Don't look so proud. Captain Ramsay,' 
 laughed Mrs. O'Brien, with a manner so soft 
 and a look so seductively beseeching, no man 
 
 VOL. I. E
 
 50 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 could withstand it. ' I am too impulsive and 
 open in speech, I know ; but still I never have 
 the bad taste to cast my pearls before swine. 
 Only I am absurdly tender-hearted, and there 
 are some men whom one would not willingly 
 see wasting their thoughts where they are un- 
 happily thrown away.' 
 
 ' And you think, then, that mine are veering 
 towards the head of the table? Mrs. O'Brien, 
 what a bad compliment to yourself!' And 
 Ramsay cheerfully looked straight forward at 
 Violet Vyvian once more. 
 
 ' It is the third or fourth time your eyes have 
 wandered in that direction, at all events,' Kate 
 mischievously whispered. ' Come — honestly, 
 what do you think of my friend ? Don't you 
 admire her very much V 
 
 'No — but I think one might like her very 
 much. She looks a nice, sensible girl ; and 
 her expression is very taking. She seems to 
 put all her mind into whatever she says to any- 
 one.' 
 
 x^nd, however he might disclaim it. Jack
 
 FIRST IMPRESSIONS. 51 
 
 looked with some sturdy admiratiou, partly 
 because it was forbidden fruit, at Violet's face 
 and figure. The girl showed, certainly, any 
 amount of intelligence and sympathy in her 
 features, her frank, well-opened eyes turning 
 now with quick attention upon Lord Guisard, 
 who was fatuously imagining himself particu- 
 larly amusing; and her pink nostrils were 
 dilating* slightly, which might be either from 
 keen interest or secret impatience. Violet 
 looked especially well in evening-dress. Her 
 shoulders were marvellously white, and had a 
 perfect di'oop, while her little head was well set 
 on her neck. 
 
 * Lord Goosey ! — Yes ; she is giving him more 
 attention than / should. Do you know that he 
 is the only man in the county she could marry, 
 Ijccause of his title? Only, I hope she will not 
 r<.'ally be so heartless and worldly.' 
 
 * Is Miss Vivian worldly-minded ? If so, she 
 is only of a mind with most of the world,' said 
 Jack, lightly, yet conscious he was a little re- 
 
 ;Tetful at the thought. 
 
 E 'J 
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 UNIVERSiry OF ilunob
 
 52 VIOLET VYVIAN, xM.F.H. 
 
 (As Miss Vivian's position was unusual, so it 
 would have been in keeping to find her differ- 
 ent from so many girls in society. She looked 
 so honest, unspoiled — yet how could sl really 
 frank, nice girl smile so pleasantly at that idiot 
 just now ? Rank and riches I Yes ; plainly 
 Violet worshipped them like the rest.) 
 
 * No, no ; I will never say my greatest friend 
 is worldly/ answered Kate, in a lowered voice, 
 with eager defence. ' It would only be natural, 
 you will own, that she should thoroughly enjoy 
 her present good fortune, and — not wish to 
 forfeit it. Still, it would be an odious match, 
 would not it ? I am silly enough to care for a 
 little romance myself: life, otherwise, would 
 be all eating, and dressing, and paying the 
 bills.' 
 
 The pretty speaker played, apparently uncon^ 
 sciously, with a gold bracelet on her arm, as 
 she spoke, sending a dreamy glance from under 
 her thick black eyelashes across the table into 
 seeming space. 
 
 But Cyril Vyvian, bending forward a moment,, 
 seemed eagerly to intercept it. A sudden light
 
 FIRST LMPRESSIONS. 53 
 
 oarae into his eves, makiiiii; him quite handsome 
 for tlie moment ; then he leant back, nervously 
 pulling his moustache with assumed indiffer- 
 ence that ill-concealed a wave of satisfaction 
 which spread over his face. 
 
 * Hallo! what does that mean ?' thought .lack, 
 inquisitively, who had a wonderful knack of 
 seeing what went on around him. Aloud, he 
 said, carelessly, glancing sideways, * I like those 
 plain gold bangles. They always seem to me, 
 among other bracelets, like a wedding-ring 
 among jewelled ones.' 
 
 ' What I a keepsake, do you mean ? Rufus 
 gave me this,' replied Kate, with a nervous 
 laugh, making a quite unnecessar}^ state- 
 ment. 
 
 Then, changing her manner, she began to 
 talk, with bright, highly-seasoned raillery, of all 
 the guests around, fitting everyone with a fool's 
 cap to perfection in a way that would have 
 gained her plenty of healthy hatred, could her 
 neighboiu's have heard her. Only Violet and 
 Mrs. Beaumont were spared. 
 
 Later on, when the juen came into the draw-
 
 54 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 ing-room again, Kamsay tried to gain a few 
 minutes talk with Miss Yyvian. She was charm- 
 ing in manner, as bright in her conversation as 
 in her clear gray glances. But, just as he was 
 beginning to enjoy his success, and to feel he 
 should soon get to know her, the young hostess 
 left him, after a few sentences, with a pretty 
 apology given in her quick, decided way. She 
 had to look after her other guests. Some of 
 the younger and merrier souls had eagerly ad- 
 journed to the bilhard-room across the hall, 
 which was soon full of light laughter and cigar- 
 ette-smcke. But a few quiet, or severe, old 
 ladies were left, who, like Lady Guisard, called 
 smoking, in that free-and-easy way, ' a sign 
 of the times ;' and Violet herself remained with 
 them for most of the evening, discussing Prim- 
 rose League meetings with apparent thorough 
 interest, while a few, fat, old squires sat by 
 from a heavy sense of decorum, longing, in 
 their hearts, to be with the young folk and in 
 the fun. 
 
 ' She is worldly !' decided Jack, chagrined at 
 thus receiving his conge, and he sought out
 
 FIRST IMPPESSIONS. 55 
 
 Margaret Beaiunout for a quiet chat in a corner 
 of the big drawing-room. 
 
 'And what do you think of Mrs. O'Brien V his 
 cousin presently inquired, after discussing family 
 news. 
 
 ' Well, she is very handsome I that 
 
 is not what you meant, eh ? AVhat else do you 
 want to know ? She w^as sentimental up to a 
 certain point ' (and, remembering the bracelet 
 incident, Jack grinned) ; ' then she grew caustic, 
 and was most amusing.' 
 
 * Yes ; her tongue can be sharp enough. 
 She reminds me at times of a drop of vinegar 
 on a steel knife,' was Margaret's drily-gentle 
 retort. 
 
 ' 0, come ! say a salad, rather ; oil mixed 
 with the vinegar, and a young gi-een lettuce- 
 heart,' laughed Jack. ' Where is she, I wonder 
 — I must go and find her again.' 
 
 ' She may be in the conservatory. Shall we 
 go and see?' 
 
 Rising quickly, as if she had some private end 
 in view, Mrs. Beaumont led the way into a large 
 conservatory opening from a little passage be-
 
 56 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 yond the hall. Jack gave an admiring excla- 
 mation, for a small edition of the palm-house 
 at Kew opened before his eyes. Great palms 
 towered before them in a moist, hot, green jungle, 
 through which a few coloured lamps shed a 
 mysterious glimmer, whilst the heavy scent of 
 gardenias and other hothouse plants pervaded 
 the atmosphere, and made it seem like fairy- 
 land. It was a winter- garden much higher and 
 larger than those belonging to most country- 
 houses equalling Forde Manor. 
 
 Margaret Beaumont went down the central 
 flagged path, talking in her soft sweet voice as 
 she went. Attracted by an orchid, however, 
 Jack did not follow her, but turned aside. 
 Suddenly he came round a monster tree-fern 
 upon Cyril Vyvian and Mrs. O'Brien together, 
 and could not help overhearing a fragment of 
 their conversation. 
 
 ' And so you still wear it sometimes. If you 
 knew how happy that makes me !' 
 
 * Yes. I treasure it for your sake ' 
 
 Mrs. O'Brien broke off in haste, and started 
 a little away, as Margaret Beaumont appeared
 
 FIRST IMPRESSIONS. 57 
 
 in the opposite direction to Jack, who was 
 enabled by this diversion to approach without 
 seeming an eavesdropper. In the most natural 
 manner, Kate Avelcomed him sweetly, and, turn- 
 ing from Cyril Vyvian, went presently to the 
 bilhard-room with Ramsay at her side. 
 
 ' Ah ! my wife has been showing you the 
 conservatory,' said O'Brien, in his cheery honest 
 voice, as they came in together. ' By-the-way, 
 Ramsay, you are driving back alone to-night, 
 are you not ? Yes, I know. Old Mr. Bentley 
 has got a touch of gout, and sent an apology by 
 you, didn't he ? Well, I want to warn you to 
 look out at the cross-roads on the top of the 
 hill outside the park-wall. There is a ghost 
 there, a black shape, they say, that constantly 
 stops anyone driving by after dark, and gets up 
 if there is an empty seat.' 
 
 ' I'll give it every chance, and Avill capture it if 
 I can. Shall I bring it to you in a bottle of spirits 
 as a specimen, Miss Vyvian?' laughed Jack, 
 gaily, turning to Violet, who had allowed herself 
 to exchange duty with the dowagers for enjoy- 
 ment among her equals in age for a few minutes.
 
 58 VIOLET VYYIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 'Faith,' put in Rufus, *you remiucl mo of a 
 man near my own old home in Ireland who was 
 a terrible fellow for diink. Not that that was 
 the resemblance,' he added, apologetically, amid 
 a general burst of laughter, in which Jack hearti- 
 ly joined. ' No, it was this. His family wanted 
 to cure him, so one of them dressed up as a 
 ghost and waited for him in a lonely lane one 
 night. So he just walked up to the ghost, as 
 bold as could be, only feeling a little curious on 
 the subject. And says he, " Are ye one of the 
 gineral resurrection, or are ye only taking a 
 icee (launder (anglice, saunter) by yourself?" ' 
 
 ' Good-night, Captain Ramsay,' said Violet's 
 sweet voice, as Jack took his final leave. ' I 
 hope you will not meet with any ghost ; but I 
 sometimes think there is some one playing 
 foolish tricks, the superstition of our cross-roads 
 is so widely believed.' 
 
 Half-an-hour later, Mrs. O'Brien and Violet 
 were sitting together over the latter's bed-room 
 fire before separating for the night. 
 . * Heigho I How tired I was to-night of all
 
 FIRST IMPRESSIONS. 59 
 
 those stupid, worthy, okl people,' exelaimecl the 
 girl, Avith ail honest yawn, as she clasped her 
 hands above her head, while all her fair hair 
 fell down about her shoulders in ripphng brown 
 wavelets touched with gold here and there by 
 the firelight. 
 
 'My poor dear, I knew you must be sick of 
 them all in your heart, especially of Lord 
 Goosey,' replied Kate, sympathetically, adding 
 with a merry laugh, ' That pale moustache of 
 his grows more objectionable than ever. It 
 looks so like a white tooth-brush stuck on his 
 upper lip.' 
 
 * How did you like your gunner ? He seemed 
 very pleasant from the little talk I could have 
 with him,' went on Violet, dreamily. 
 
 '0, pretty well. His looks are his strong- 
 point, I fancy. He does well enough to flirt, 
 with,' was the evasive answer. 
 
 * You certainly always contrive to amuse 
 yourself, Kate ; while 1 am a slave to duty — 
 duty — duty from morning to night.' 
 
 * If we could only change places, I would take 
 your duties gladly for the sake of the compensa-
 
 60 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 tion. I sliould be perfectly selfish and hard- 
 hearted, and enjoy myself till I was a grey old 
 woman. And that is what I advise you to do, 
 my dear. Good-night.' 
 
 Whereupon, Mrs. O'Brien retired to her 
 slumbers.
 
 61 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 THE GHOST OF THE CROSS-ROADS. 
 
 About six o'clock on a winter night of bitter 
 wind and soaking rain, Jack Ramsay was driv- 
 ing a dog-cart under difficulties by tlie park- 
 wall of Forde ]\Ianor. It was a week after his 
 dinner there, and he was on his way to spend a 
 quiet evening at Littleforde with his cousin, Mrs. 
 Beaumont ; his old host being obliged to attend 
 a political meeting in the market-town from 
 which Ramsay had excused himself. ' vSoldiers 
 have no politics,' he said. But still he had Con- 
 servative feelings, and the squire was a Liberal, 
 though a mild one. So Jack was pleased 
 enough to get the loan of a trap, and have a
 
 62 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 comfortable chat with Margaret when he could 
 arrange about sending his horses over to her 
 house next week. 
 
 ' Ugh I what a beastly night/ he nevertheless 
 muttered to himself, after half-an-hour of it. ' I 
 almost wish I hadn't come.' 
 
 The rain was pouring off* Jack's 'deer-stalker' 
 in small waterspouts, as, with his hat crammed 
 over his eyes and his coat-collar pulled up to 
 his ears, he struggled on, feeling as cross as a 
 bear, and as wet as a water-rat. The night 
 was pitchy dark, except for the gleam of the 
 lamps on the muddy road. Coming to a pretty 
 stiff* piece of hill, Jack allowed the horse to take 
 matters more easily for a minute or two. There 
 were cross-roads on the top of the rise, and just 
 as he gained this last a voice suddenly cried out 
 of the darkness, 
 
 ' Hi ! stop ; stop.' 
 
 Jack involuntarily drew up, with the thought 
 that some one on that lonely road might be 
 wanting help. A dark shape came close to the 
 dog-cart and began getting up. Instantly the 
 thought of Rufus O'Brien's story, these ^ very
 
 THE GHOST OF THE CROSS-ROADS. 63 
 
 cross-roads, the ghost, flashed upon Jack's 
 memory. 
 
 ' Oh I that's your game, is it ? Not if I know 
 it !' lie as suddenly exclaimed, realising that to 
 struggle with an intruder who was once fairly 
 beside him, and yet to control a rather spirited 
 horse, would be no easy task. Laying a rough 
 grasp, therefore, upon a slight but very real 
 ilesh-and-blood arm, he flung the figure off, 
 sending it staggering backwards into the 
 hedge. 
 
 ' Rufus !' exclaimed the voice faintly. ' Don't 
 you know me ? Are you mad ? — I asked you to 
 look out for me.' 
 
 'Who is it, in heaven's name V asked Jack, a 
 horrible surmise stealing over him that those 
 woman's accents, coming Avith gasps through 
 the wind and rain, seemed somehow familiar. 
 
 He was out of the dog-cart in a trice, and had 
 led the horse nearer. The light of the lamj) 
 showed a woman's figure covered with a dark 
 macintosh, the hood of ^vhich was pulled over 
 her face. She was supporting herself with one 
 arm against the high bank where she had
 
 64 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 fallen, while the other hand carried a small 
 basket. 
 
 'Are yon hurt?' Ramsay eagerly asked, bend- 
 ing to look in her face ; then starting, exclaimed 
 in a shocked voice, 'Miss Vyvian ! How on 
 earth do you come here on such a night, and 
 alone, too T went on the young man ; Avondering 
 doubts of what such a strange prank could 
 signify crowding in his mind, as the girl re- 
 mained, as he fancied, proudly silent. 'Did I 
 hurt you dreadfully % I am so sorry — but I took 
 you for the ghost.' 
 
 ' Ah, the ghost ! yes. You have a very strong" 
 grip. Captain Ramsay, but my arm is better 
 now — it was rather painful at first,' said Violet, 
 in a faltering voice, and he guessed she felt 
 more shaken than she would own. ' Why I am 
 here, is, simply that I vv^ent to see a poor sick 
 Avoman in the village. Mr. O'Brien had driven 
 to the railway-station, and I asked him to pick 
 me up on his way back, as it is such a wet 
 night.' 
 
 Poor Jack was overcome Avith repentance at 
 the results of his mistake. He was so genuinely
 
 THE GHOST OF THE CROSS-ROADS. 65 
 
 soiTow-stricken over Violet's wrist, which he 
 examined quite reverently under the lamp to 
 make certain it was neither broken nor sprained, 
 and begged with such abashed humility to be 
 allowed to drive her home, now, as some re- 
 paration, that the girl frankly consented. She 
 was quite sorry for him, in her fairness, so 
 tried to make him forget what after all was a 
 mistake for which he could not be blamed. 
 
 As Ramsay carefully helped her up beside 
 himself, and then through the rain and darkness 
 as he heard her clear sweet voice telling him of 
 the sick woman she had just left — a pitiful little 
 story — his preconceived ideas on the subject 
 of the M.F.H. of the Marshwood Vale Hounds 
 were completely upset. A girl who was such 
 a thorough sportswoman, who was so bright 
 in society and a capital hostess, he had never 
 expected to fiud her doing the sister of charity 
 on such a bitter night ; a blessed messenger 
 of relief to a dying woman with a terrible 
 disease. 
 
 * Will you tell me, Miss Vyvian, do you really 
 like this sort of thing?' he asked, surprised. 
 
 VOL. I. r
 
 ^(j VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 ' To tell you the honest truth, I hate it/ re- 
 turned Violet, with a low laugh, in a tone of 
 confidence engendered by the feeling that they 
 were two solitary beings out there together in 
 the night and rain : interest in each other 
 seemed quite natural under the circumstances. 
 * If you only knew the horrid sores I am asked to 
 look at ; the burns and scalds ! — and if I don't, it 
 would be thought a want of sympathy. They 
 never guess, poor people, how sick it makes me 
 feel.' 
 
 'Then why on earth do it? There are plenty 
 of women who really like amateur doctor's 
 work ; why should you go against your natural 
 feelings in this way V 
 
 'Because it is my duty. Captain Ramsay. 
 Really, there is no one else to do it in this parish ; 
 and, after all, it is not more tiresome than half 
 my other duties, which some people say they 
 envy me,' said Violet, with a little bright laugh. 
 
 *What other duties, I w^onder?^ queried 
 Ramsay, fascinated by that cheery musical 
 sound, and bending nearer in the vain endea- 
 vour to see something of his companion's face
 
 THE GHOST OF THE CROSS-ROADS. (^7 
 
 under her peaked hood, from which the rain was 
 shooting in a small water-spoiit. * You love 
 tlie hounds, I am pretty certain ; and you play 
 the hostess so capitally, you ought to like that 
 too.' 
 
 'I can assure you that often I am sick to deatli 
 of both,' said Violet Vyvian in a so utterly chang- 
 ed, low, serious voice that Jack was roused by 
 the revelation of this girl's true inner self shown 
 to him for a moment. ' Of course I love the dear 
 old hounds, and they know me, too, everyone of 
 them ! and I delight in a good run occasionally 
 above all other excitement on earth. But still, 
 for a woman to look forward to being obliged 
 for years and years to lead this same hunting 
 life ; to go out wet or fine ; and to have bo much 
 to decide upon always besides one's own pro- 
 vince of household affairs (for good Rufus 
 O'Brien is so conscientious, he is not happy un- 
 less I see into everything myself) — can yon not 
 understand that I feel the burden lieavy some- 
 times, and wish my dear old father had allowed 
 me to lead the same life as other girls V 
 
 * I can, indeed. You need some man to do it 
 
 f2
 
 68 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 for you, and to take the burden off your 
 shoulders,' said Jack, rashly, with honest 
 feeling. 
 
 No answer came for a moment from under the 
 rain-sodden hood. Jack almost blitshed to him- 
 self. Idiot that he was ! How could he have 
 alluded to marriage in that way, to a girl whose 
 only present chance of a husband and helpmate 
 in life was Lord Goosey ? 
 
 Violet went on somewhat drily, as if overlook- 
 ing his interruption, 
 
 ' Then you are very kind to praise my manners 
 as a hostess. Captain Ramsey. But now, honestly, 
 ichat great pleasure do you think I could have 
 taken the other night in the people it was my 
 obligation to entertain V 
 
 * None at all, I must confess,* laughed Jack, 
 much relieved to find his slip of the tongue 
 passed over ; and more to discover Violet had 
 not been worldly, after all, as he fancied when 
 devoting herself to old Lady Guisard. 0, 
 hasty judgment of youth ! He was ready to 
 condemn or be loud in praise, according as 
 frown or smile on a fair face fell to his share.
 
 THE GHOST OF THE CROSS-ROADS. ij\) 
 
 ' And I should have enjoyed myself mucli 
 more, if you could have talked a little louger to 
 
 ' So should I,' laughed Violet in turn, infected 
 by his frank honesty of voice that hardly 
 seemed paying a compliment. 'But such luck 
 as doing just as one likes is seldom my lot, iTuless 
 ^vhen I get a chance of laying aside my duties 
 and being off to London. I tell Kate — Mrs. 
 O'Brien — she has far more real fun in life than I 
 have.' 
 
 It suddenly struck Jack Ramsay, with a sense 
 of pity, how he had heard it said, when he first 
 came down into this country, that Violet Vyvian 
 had never had a lover. Never, in the sense of 
 encouraging anyone who really cared for her, 
 at least. She behaved so well, the old squire 
 said, with approving nods ; she was an example 
 of propriety and perfect obedience to her dead 
 father's wishes, and not a horrid flirting creature 
 like .Mrs. O'Brien, who simply * imposed upon 
 her,' said the neighbouring matrons. 
 
 ' Poor girl — what a lonely life/ thought Jack, 
 with sincere commiseration, conjuring up a
 
 70 YIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 mental picture of the uncongenial husband or 
 lifelong solitude to which this 3'oung creature 
 seemed condemned. 
 
 It was not, too, as if she was neither sweet 
 nor lovable. By Jove ! no ; he had seldom met 
 with a more engaging companion ; there was a 
 nameless sympathy, a stealing fascination about 
 her manner when one was long in her company, 
 that Jack found irresistible. He put out, with- 
 out effort, all his own greatest powers of agree- 
 ableness, therefore ; and, when they drove up to 
 the door of Forde Manor, both felt as if daja 
 of meeting each other at dinners and covert- 
 side would not have made them such friends as 
 now they were by mute consent, drawn by the 
 bonds of youth and of sympathy between two 
 natures that suited each other. 
 
 ' By the way, there is to be some rough shoot- 
 ing here on Monday,' said Violet, as she pre- 
 pared to alight, suddenly gladly remembering 
 Rufus had made arrangements to that effect. 
 ' Would you care to come over V 
 
 Jack Ramsay very readily accepted the 
 invitation.
 
 THE GHOST OF THE CROSS-ROADS. 71 
 
 A quarter-of-an-bour afterwards, lie found 
 himself entering Littleforde House, very con- 
 siderably later than he would have been but 
 for meeting Miss Vyvian on the high-road, only 
 no longer in an ill-humour. On the contrary, 
 quite a glow of satisfaction irradiated his face 
 as he sat down in Margaret Beaumont's cosy 
 drawing-room and related his adventure by a 
 bright fire over a cup of tea. Margaret 
 (though the most famous of housekeepers, and 
 especially proud of her five-o'clock teas) ab- 
 solutely forgot to hand the hot muffins, and 
 waited with the dish-cover in her hand, as she 
 listened to the tale. 
 
 * It is so like Violet, to be off in any weather 
 like that,' she said, with gentle approval, though 
 not meditating for an instant following the 
 example. 
 
 * You would not go and do likewise, though '? 
 But I forgot — you are far too delicate,' said 
 Jack, changing his chaffing tone ; for Mrs. 
 Beaumont suffered indeed severely from her 
 heart. 
 
 ' Everyone has their gift,' returned his
 
 72 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 cousin, smiling. ' I am rather glad district- 
 visiting is out of the question for me, for what 
 between housekeeping, and my pet poultry, and 
 looking after Dolly here, my time is quite 
 full.' 
 
 She stooped to caress a chubby five-year-old 
 fairy as she spoke, who, with praiseworthy 
 zeal, was seated under the tea-table, her legs 
 stretched straight before her, picking up the 
 crumbs ofif the carpet, she declared. 
 
 * You see, my daughter inherits my love of 
 tidiness,* said Margaret, with motherly pride. 
 Unfortunately Jack, with a grin, discovered that 
 the young lady was transferring any specially 
 luscious morsel of either buttery muffin or a 
 sticky currant to her own rosy lips instead of to 
 the adjacent grate. 
 
 On the subject of Violet Vyvian, Mrs. Beau- 
 mont grew quite eloquent, though a con- 
 versational stillness and general looking after 
 her guests' comfort was more her usual vein 
 than prolonged talkativeness. Jack easily drew 
 her out; he did not say much himself, but 
 listened with a conscious pleasure to the praises
 
 THE GHOST OF THE CROSS-ROADS. 73 
 
 of his late companion. At last he observed, 
 meditatively, 
 
 * Queer, isn't it ? To think the only man 
 she can many — that is to say, hereabouts — is 
 that fellow Guisard." 
 
 'Why should he be the only one?' said Mar- 
 garet, in a quiet voice. 
 
 * Why — because, failing a husband with a 
 title, I was told all the property goes to Cyril 
 Vyvian.' 
 
 * Exactly so ! Cyril is a very good fellow, I 
 think, worth far more than many a one with a 
 coronet.' 
 
 * What ! you mean, then? — I see I you think 
 she might marry her cousin. What a match- 
 maker you are, upon my w^ord, Margaret. Only, 
 are you quite sure he is likely to be smitten in 
 that quarter V 
 
 Jack's tone was ever so slightly sarcastic. 
 Without cause he felt some chagrin at the idea. 
 
 ' I am certain Cyril would really be at- 
 tached to Violet if he were only left alone,' 
 declared Margaret, with some heat. ' They have 
 been good friends ever siucc they were little
 
 74 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 children, and he would make her an excellent 
 husband. 1 mean to work my best for it, any- 
 how.' (So that was the meaning of" Mrs. 
 Beaumont's seemingly innocent move to the 
 conservatory the other evening.) Jack briefly 
 acquiesced ; he supposed it ' Avould be a good 
 thing for Miss Vyvian.' 
 
 Meanwhile, Violet herself had peeped with 
 rosy-flushed face and rain-soaked garments into 
 the boudoir where Kate O'Brien, in a becoming 
 tea-gown, lay stretched on a sofa with a French 
 novel fallen from her listless hand. 
 
 ' So there you are at last I I would get up 
 and kiss you for being so good, only I am too 
 lazy,' was Mrs. O'Brien's welcome to her friend 
 and hostess. ' I hope that good-for-nothing 
 husband of mine picked you up in time, dear.' 
 
 ' No ! Rufus has missed me somehow. But 
 some one else found me on the road, and drove 
 me back ; — whom do you think V laughed Violet, 
 ^vith dancing eyes. * Why, your handsome 
 gunner !' 
 
 ' Not Captain Ramsay V Kate sat bolt up- 
 i-ight.
 
 ' Yes, indeed. I agree with you he is very 
 pleasant,' Avent on Violet, taking off her cloak 
 busily, and somehow fueling inclined to blush 
 just a httle with Kate's big black eyes fixed so 
 steachly upon her. ' ^lore by token, as Rufus 
 says, I've asked him to come and shoot here 
 next Monday.' 
 
 * My dear Violet, how could you do such a 
 thing V expostulated the duenna, as Mrs. Kate 
 called herself, in a grave, shocked voice. ' No ! 
 I don't mean about the shooting — tliough, as it 
 is a small party, some people may wonder at 
 your asking a perfect stranger — but to have it 
 said that you were driving alone at night with 
 this young man ; Miss Vyvian of Forde ! It will 
 set everybody talking.' 
 
 ' Then let them talk ! And, as to the sliooting, 
 I suppose I may exercise some little choice as 
 to my own guests,' declared Violet, half-vexed. 
 yet resolved to l)e clieerfuUy defiant. 'Come, 
 Kate, you know perfectly I don't fiirt; and, if I 
 did, you could not well throw stones.' 
 
 ' Precisely so, dear cliild. People know you 
 don't flirt, so they will l^e all the more sur-
 
 76 VIOLET VYVIAN, ]VI.F.H. 
 
 prised when this vagrant artillery captain 
 boasts of his evening's adventure (as he is sure 
 to do,)' said Kate, slowly rising from her couch 
 with a mildly persuasive, regretful air. ' Don't 
 hate me for warning you, my dearest. AVhat 
 right, what reason have I to do so but as your 
 best friend? Of course, I flirt myself; but as 
 Rufus does not object no one else can say a 
 word. Only, my poor Violet, you are not a 
 married woman.' 
 
 ' No ; nor ever Hkely to be,' said Violet 
 Vyvian, shortly, as she marched out with her 
 head high. ' It is all nonsense ! 1 won't mind !' 
 she stoutly declared to herself in her own room. 
 But she did mind. The bloom was gone from 
 the memory of her pleasant night drive ; and it 
 had been so pleasant. She could not justly 
 quarrel in her own mind with Kate, either, 
 whose loyalty and affection she never doubted 
 for an instant. Old Squire Vyvian had brought 
 up his motherless little girl in a rather lonely 
 way at Forde Manor. His own society ; an 
 easy-going governess ; and taking her out with 
 the hounds from the time she could sit her pony ;
 
 \ 
 
 THE GHOST OF THE CROSS-ROADS. 77 
 
 these were anmsements enough for her, he had 
 decided. It was only when Violet grew tall 
 and pale, and showed signs of melancholy about 
 sixteen, that the old family doctor declared she 
 was moped for want of congenial companionship 
 with young girls of her own age. So, for a 
 year she was sent to a very select and expen- 
 sive school, where the heretofore lonely girl 
 warmly returned the violent friendship formed 
 for her by her schoolfellow Kate. Then old 
 ]\Ir. Yyvian grew ill, and Violet went home. 
 About eighteen months ago she had found her- 
 self mistress of Forde Manor, and was delighted 
 to welcome Kate and her penniless husband 
 as friends and her caretakers in the eyes of Mrs, 
 Grundy.
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 A ROUGH SHOOT. 
 
 Ten o'clock on a bright fino morning, and the 
 hoar-frost still covered the grouod with a white 
 mantle in those spots where the rays of the 
 January sun had not yet penetrated. 
 
 Jack, as he drove up to the front-door 
 of Forde Manor, was greeted by Rufus and 
 Cyril Vyviau, Avho were smoking their pipes 
 under the portico, impatiently awaiting his 
 arrival. 
 
 ' Come in,' said Rufus, heartily, extending a 
 great brown hand. ' Come in, and have just a 
 taste of the " crayther " to warm you up after 
 your drive and keep your eye straight.'
 
 A ROUGH SHOOT. 79 
 
 ' Thanks,' returned Jack, stamping about and 
 clapping his half-numbed hands together, ' I 
 will, for I'm half-frozen.' 
 
 Entering the dining-room, he found it ten- 
 anted by Violet and Lord Guisard, the former 
 leaning against the mantel-piece talking to the 
 latter, who was gazing stolidly out of the win- 
 dow. His lordship had evidently been trjung 
 to make himself agreeable after his fashion, but, 
 from the bored expression on Violet's face, had 
 not had much success. 
 
 ' That's an awfully fetching dress of yours, 
 Miss Vyvian, and just suits a good-looking girl 
 like you,' he had begun. 
 
 ' Thank you for the comphment on my dress, 
 my lord, but pray, for the future, omit your 
 remarks on the wearer,' with a scornful little 
 toss of her head. 
 
 * Come, come, mayn't a chap tell a girl she's 
 good-looking without her kicking over the 
 traces? You'll never do for double-harness, if 
 you don't bend to your bit better.' 
 
 ' Kicking over the traces ! Double-harness I 
 What do you mean? You know I hate pretty
 
 80 VIOLET YYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 speeches and compliments, which are never 
 sincere.' 
 
 ' You won't mind them from me, though, will 
 you T returned his lordship, with a leer that w^as 
 intended to be intensely fascinating, but had 
 really the effect of making him look somewhat 
 like a sick vulture. ' If you only knew how 
 
 awfully spoony I am on ' But here his 
 
 remarks were cut short by Jack's entrance, 
 which produced a decided scowl on the lordly 
 brow ; and, with a brusque nod and a curt 
 ' mornin' ' to the latter, he stalked off to the 
 window. 
 
 ' How do you do. Miss Vyvian ? I am almost 
 ashamed to meet you, after my brutal conduct 
 to you the other night. I do hope you are none 
 the w^orse V said Jack, with perhaps just a shade 
 of tenderness in his voice. 
 
 ' 1 no, thank you,' replied that young 
 lady, somewhat coldly ; but she felt the colour 
 mounting to her cheeks, for somehow, try 
 as she might, she could not but feel attract- 
 ed towards this man. *But what will you 
 have V she added, remembering her position
 
 A ROUGH SHOOT. 81 
 
 as hostess, and turuing away towards the side- 
 table. 
 
 ' I Avould rather have a cup of hot coffee than 
 anything else, if you will give it me,' responded 
 our hero, who, though he answered lightly, was 
 secretly vexed at the altered tone of Violet's 
 demeanour. 
 
 * Slops'll do you no good,' gi'unted his 
 lordship from the window. * Better have a 
 B-and-S.' 
 
 This exhilarating beverage Jack declined, 
 and during the discussion of his coffee vainly 
 endeavoured to draw Violet into conversation. 
 All his attempts, however, proved futile, and 
 so he and Lord Guisard proceeded to join the 
 party outside, where Rufus was engaged giving 
 some last instructions to the keeper and beaters. 
 On their passage through the hall, they en- 
 countered Kate O'Brien, who gi-eeted Jack 
 effusively, and who, as she shot a glance at 
 him from her dark eyes, allowed her baud to 
 remain in his perhaps a trifle longer than was 
 necessary. 
 
 'We are to join you for lunch, you know, 
 VOL. I. G
 
 82 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 Captaia Ramsay; and then 1 shall back your 
 gun at the hot corner,' she observed, archly. 
 
 'I am afraid, Mrs. O'Brien, you will lose, if 
 you are so imprudent/ returned Jack, a shade 
 of annoyance passing over his handsome coun- 
 tenance ; for he did not like this sort of bare- 
 faced apparent admiration. 'You will gener- 
 ally find it safer to back the bird ; and, remem- 
 ber, I have given you fair warning,' he added, 
 laughingly. 
 
 It had been proposed by the keeper that they 
 should devote the morning to 'driving' part- 
 ridges and trying the hedge-rows, as well as 
 beating an out-lying spinny or two, whilst a 
 covert of some forty acres — that had only been 
 shot once during the season, and which was a 
 favourite haunt of woodcock — was reserved for 
 the afternoon's sport. 
 
 All being ready, the party made a move, and, 
 after a mile's walk, arrived at their ground, 
 some rough grass and rush-grown fields, where 
 the first drive was to commence. Here the 
 four guns were placed in line, some hundred 
 yards apart, behind a big, straggling bank, sur-
 
 A ROUGH SHOOT. 83 
 
 mounted by a thick growth of hazel, high 
 enough to make the birds rise well as they topped 
 it. To Jack and Lord Guisard were assigned 
 the places of honour in the centre, whilst Rufus 
 and Cyril guarded the flanks. 
 
 In the meantime the beaters had made a con- 
 siderable detour in order to drive some adjoin- 
 ing fields in which the expected coveys would 
 probably be found. After about a quarter-of-an- 
 hour s waiting a large flock of starlings, accom- 
 panied by a few field fares, dashed over with a cry 
 of alarm, and soon they are followed by the cry of 
 * ]\I-a-a-r-k o-over, ma-ark,' faintly borne on the 
 wintry breeze. A solitary bird comes whizzing 
 over the tall hazels straight for Rufus, who stops 
 him neatly in mid-career. Then * swish,' like 
 lightning, comes a strong covey between Jack 
 and his lordship, who salute them with four 
 barrels, the result being three down, whilst 
 another as he reaches the end of the field towers 
 suddenly up, and then slowly descends in that 
 gyrating flight which so well denotes a dead 
 bird. Following these, three single birds come 
 over; one is killed by Jack, while his lordship 
 
 g2
 
 84 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 misses the others, and consequently uses a good 
 deal of bad language. 
 
 This drive over, another was begun, and here 
 the position of the guns was slightly altered, as 
 they were placed just below the brow of a hill 
 over which the driven birds skimmed low. 
 Here they had some very pretty shooting, as 
 covey after covey came swinging along at the 
 top of their speed, aided by a favourable breeze 
 at their backs. A confiding hare or two was 
 also added to the bag. 
 
 The next two drives, however, were not quite 
 so successful, the birds breaking back and 
 declining to face the guns. Great was Lord 
 Guisard's wrath. 
 
 ' What an infernal old fool that keeper is !' he 
 said, turning to Jack. 
 
 ' I don't see that it is the keeper's fault,' was 
 the quiet reply. 
 
 * Can't you? Well, I can. If /were master 
 here, I'd pretty soon send that old idiot about 
 his business.' 
 
 ' Cad,' muttered Jack to himself ; but to his 
 lordship he merely replied coldly, 'Well, my
 
 A ROUGH SHOOT. 85 
 
 lord, as you are not master here, don't you think 
 it is somewhat questionable taste, finding fault 
 with your hostess's servants V 
 
 * Ugh !' was the rejoinder, grunted forth by 
 the boorish peer, * it is all very well for you who 
 have all the shooting, but / don't come all this 
 way to see things mismanaged ;' and he stalked 
 off. 
 
 It was now suggested that the party should 
 divide and try some hedgerows which converged 
 towards a small copse some half-a-mile distant. 
 Rufus and Jack formed one party, whilst Lord 
 Guisard and Cyril Vyvian composed the other. 
 Each division w^as accompanied by a few 
 beaters and a brace of well-broken, liver- 
 coloured spaniels. Very pretty sport they have, 
 too, as the little dogs bustle along the broad 
 tops of the double banks, now putting up a 
 rabbit, which pops out only to try and pop back 
 again before his career is cut short by a charge 
 of No. 0) shot. Then a hare sneaks forth, and, 
 laying back her long ears, stretches away at her 
 best pace. Jack is too quick for her, however, 
 for ere she has covered forty yards she is rolled
 
 86 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 over stone-dead. A few cock-pheasants afford 
 easy shots, and were added to the bag. On 
 reaching the spinny Jack and Rufus found the 
 other guns had not added greatly to the bag, 
 his lordship loudly cursing his gun, his cart- 
 ridges, the beaters and dogs, all of which, he 
 maintained, had contributed to his bad shooting. 
 Cyril held his tongue, but Avinked and glanced 
 significantly at Eufus, who good-humouredly 
 remarked, 
 
 *Ah! never mind. You'll do better after 
 lunch, perhaps.' 
 
 To this meal they presently adjourned after 
 beating the spinny, out of which a woodcock 
 flapped in an owl-like manner, right into Lord 
 Guisard's face, and was fairly missed by that 
 nobleman. 
 
 On arriving at the underkeeper's cottage the 
 sportsmen met Violet and Kate, who were busy 
 unpacking the contents of the luncheon-basket. 
 In this they were assisted by the gentlemen, 
 with the exception of Lord Guisard, who, re- 
 marking that ' it was deuced cold,' proceeded to
 
 A ROUGH SHOOT. 87 
 
 place his back to the fire, and monopolize what 
 little warmth it gave out. 
 
 Violet's conversation was mostly addressed to 
 Cyril, and she studiously avoided speaking 
 to Jack more than was necessarily dictated by 
 coui-tesy. 
 
 * Who was it missed the woodcock ? I hear 
 one was seen,' asked Kate. 
 
 ' There is the culprit,' rejoined Jack, pointing 
 to Lord Guisard, ' and I am afraid he can hardly 
 excuse himself for ' 
 
 Now Jack, as a rule, was the most courteous 
 of men, and under ordinary circumstances 
 would never have been guilty of a remark like 
 the above, which certainly flavoured of rude- 
 ness, but he was disgusted with his lordship's 
 boorish manner, and had conceived a decided 
 antipathy to him. 
 
 ' You would have done the same,' savagely 
 inten'upted Guisard, ' if your fool of a fellow 
 had sent you out with the wrong gun. Come, 
 I'm ready to Ijack myself against you for the 
 remainder of the day.'
 
 88 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 ' I never bet hardly, and should hardly care 
 to back myself against such a professor,' was 
 the somewhat sarcastic reply. 
 
 « ! afraid of losing your money, I suppose,' 
 sneered the now angry peer. 
 
 ' Well, perhaps I am ; but I tell you what I 
 don't mind doing. Let us four men have a 
 sweepstakes. Each put in a sovereign, and he 
 who kills the first woodcock wins the lot.' 
 
 ' Done,' chimed in E-ufus. ' We'll ask Miss 
 Vyvian to be stakeholder,' he added, and forth- 
 with four golden sovereigns were deposited on 
 the table-cloth and handed over to Violet's 
 keeping. 
 
 ' A charming idea,' smiled Kate ; ' and if you 
 win, Captain Ramsay, as a preux chevalier you 
 will make over your winnings to me, won't 
 you ? — for I'm going to risk my little pile on 
 you. Come, my lord,' she added, turning to 
 Lord Guisard, ' I'll back Captain Ramsay's 
 shooting against yours— shall we say for a 
 dozen pairs of gloves ? I will walk with you 
 and keep your score, whilst Violet shall keep 
 Captain Ramsay's. Is it a bet?'
 
 A ROUGH SHOOT. 89 
 
 * I very well ; but I liatc having a womau 
 talking and bothering me out shooting; they 
 are always in the way,' was the ungracious 
 rejoinder. 
 
 ' All the butter for me, if that is the eflfect 
 the society of us poor women has upon you ;* 
 and, rising up, Kate made him an ironical little 
 curtsey ; then, turning to Jack — ' Now, Captain 
 Ramsay, do your best, and, as my champion, 
 wear my colours.' So saying, she detached a 
 bunch of violets from her bosom and pinned 
 them into Jack's button-hole. 
 
 As she did so a look of pain passed over 
 Cyril's face, and he bit his lip hard. Rufus — 
 good cheery Rufus — was accustomed to these 
 little flirtations of his wife's, and took no notice 
 beyond good-humouredly remarking, ' Well, 
 Kate, if you lose, don't expect me to pay your 
 debts ; now let us be moving.' 
 
 Just then, however, a pony-carriage pulled 
 up in the narrow lane down which the beaters 
 were already trooping, and Margaret Beaumont 
 alighted. 
 
 'How do you do, dear?' and she greeted
 
 90 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 Violet v/ith an affectionate kiss. ' I was driving 
 this way, and thought I would like just to look 
 on at the shooting for a little while — that is, if 
 I am not in the way.' 
 
 * Not at all,' broke in Cjail. ' You are just in 
 time to see a most sporting wager decided 
 between Mrs. O'Brien and Lord Guisard; and 
 now you are here, Mrs. Beaumont, we will 
 enlist your services. Come,' turning to Kate, 
 ' will you have the same bet on with me, Mrs. 
 O^Brien ? 1 am quite willing to back myself 
 against Captain Ramsay. Mrs. Beaumont can 
 keep his score and Violet shall keep mine.' 
 
 A shade of annoyance flitted across Jack's 
 countenance ; but he merely answered, coolly, 
 
 ' I am sure Miss Vyvian will find more work 
 with her score-list with you than if she accom- 
 panied me, so let it be so.' 
 
 And thus it was agreed. On the way to the 
 covert Cyril and Violet maintained an appar- 
 ently animated conversation, which the former 
 in his heart of hearts hoped was as gall and 
 wormwood to Kate. 
 
 The covert was a very snug one, lying on the
 
 A ROUGH SHOOT. 91 
 
 gentle slope of a hill faoiiii^- tbr south, with a 
 little meandering stream trickling along its- 
 bottom. Tlu^ top side was composed of tall 
 oaks and birch-trees, with a dense nnder- 
 growth of hazel and brambk'S, which struggled 
 out from amid groat boulders and weather- 
 worn rocks covered with dead bracken, thick 
 enough for game to hide under, and at the same 
 time aflford them plenty of room to move about, 
 whilst the soft, boggy ground, and thick alder 
 clumps bordering the stream, spoke well for its 
 being a favourite haunt for Avoodcock. 
 
 It was divided into square patches hy well- 
 cut grass rides, which greatly faciHtated the 
 beating as Avell as the shooting. 
 
 The top side was to be beaten first, and on 
 all sides the constant tapping of the small boys 
 who had been sent on as * stops,' to keep the 
 birds from running out, resounded clear on the 
 frosty air. These urchins were delighted at the 
 part they had to play in the proceedings, and no 
 doubt at the close of the day would tell each 
 other wonderful tales of their deeds of prowess 
 in turning back a sneaking old cock-pheasant
 
 92 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 or some particularly wily hare ! At length the 
 line of beaters was arranged, and only awaited 
 the signal to begin. 
 
 E-ufiis and Jack were to take one ride, one to 
 be forward, the other in a line with the beaters 
 alternately, whilst the same arrangement was to 
 be carried out on the other side of the strip to 
 be beaten by Lord Gnisard and Cyril. 
 
 And now the beat begins. The old keeper 
 has got his forces in good order and well disci- 
 plined. No shouting, or ' hi-cock-hi-cock !' does 
 he allow. His orders to the beaters are impera- 
 tive, viz., merely to keep line, and tap the trees 
 and bushes as they advance, and an}^ beater 
 infringing these commands knows he will 
 not be employed again. Each gun is allowed 
 to shoot four hen birds, and no more. Rufus, 
 Avhen the guns are properly posted, gives a 
 whistle and then the fun begins. 
 
 k^everal hen-pheasants rose first and came 
 speeding over Jack, who dropped one, whilst 
 Rufus did likewise with another. Then sundry 
 cocks were seen running on; one popped right 
 out into the ride, and, catching sight of Jack,
 
 A ROUGH SHOOT. 93 
 
 got up ill a terrible commotion ; but hu was too 
 late, for, as he got clear up over the top of a 
 tall oak, his flight was suddenly arrested by 
 Ramsay, and with a thud he crashed through 
 the branches, leaving only a few feathers float- 
 ing in the air to mark his downward course. In 
 the meantime the other guns were likewise busy, 
 and the reports came quick and sharp in rapid 
 succession. And so the game went on, httle piles 
 of tell-tale cartridge-cases accmuulating in the 
 rides till all the topside was beaten. Then the 
 lower part was taken, and here Jack and Lord 
 Guisard were sent forward, and their shooting 
 was fairly good. 
 
 After a successful right and left Jack was 
 reloading when Margaret Beaumont said, ex- 
 citedly, 
 
 ' Look. Jack, there is a woodcock coming- 
 straight over Lord Goosey's head.' 
 
 Yes, there came the 'long bill,' Happing 
 lazily along, but apparently unseen by the 
 lordly sportsman. 
 
 *■ Woodcock to you,' sung out Jack, and as he 
 did so Lord Goosey caught sight of the coveted
 
 <)4 VIOLET VYVIA.N, M.F.H. 
 
 prize. Throwing himself back, he pitched up 
 his gun and tired ; but the bird was past him, 
 and at the report twisted rapidly in his flight, 
 and, uninjured, skimmed back towards the side 
 of the covert some fifty odd yards from Jack. 
 
 « Always fire at a woodcock, no matter how 
 far,' was Jack's creed, and he let the wily cock 
 have both barrels. A lucky pellet finds a billet 
 in the soft-fleshed body of poor Scolopax, and 
 down it comes fluttering to the ground. 
 
 ' Well done. Captain Ramsay,' called out Kate. 
 This, and the fact of having missed the bird 
 himself, in no wise improved Lord Guisard's 
 temper, and his shooting became worse and 
 worse, two more woodcock escaping on his 
 side. 
 
 At length it was all over; the game was 
 gathered, and laid out on the greensward in 
 one of the rides, and a very respectable show it 
 made : fifty-three cock-pheasants, twelve hen- 
 pheasants, twenty-three hares, sixty-eight rab- 
 bits, one woodcock, and a jay — that marauder 
 having been foohsh enough to risk his hfe by 
 crossing Rufus' path. Not a bad total for a
 
 A ROUGH SHOOT. 95 
 
 'rough shoot,' considering the addition to the 
 bag made in the morning of some fifty odd 
 head ! 
 
 Much interest was now disphiyed as to who 
 had won — Jack, Lord Guisard, or Cyril, and 
 the three fair score-keepers were soon busy add- 
 ing up their totals. At length the result was 
 announced ; Lord Guisard, twenty-four ; Cyril, 
 fifty-four ; Jack, fifty-three. 
 
 ' Never mind, Captain Ramsay, you did your 
 best ; and in consideration of having won the 
 sweepstakes and one bet for me, I'll forgive you 
 for losing the other ;' and Kate looked bewitch- 
 ingly at him with her full dark eyes. 
 
 ' I am very sorry,Mrs. O'Brien, you should have 
 had such d, faineant knight, but 1 hope the more 
 solid advantages of the sweepstakes will make 
 some small amends for my other short-comings,' 
 returned Jack, coldly ; for he was disgusted with 
 the open way Kate expressed her admiration 
 for him, and was determined to show it. 
 
 On the way home he vainly endeavoured to 
 draw Violet into conversation, but that young 
 lady wrapped herself in a mantle of reserve, and,
 
 96 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 as soon as he attempted to allude to their 
 adventure at the cross-roads, changed the con- 
 versation. This, as is natural in human nature, 
 made Jack all the keener to elicit an explana- 
 tion ; but all his efforts proved abortive, and on 
 leaving Forde Manor that evening he had to 
 confess himself beaten.
 
 97 
 
 CHAPTER YI. 
 
 A QUICK FORTY MINUTES. 
 
 About a fortuight had elapsed since the shoot- 
 ing-party, and as yet Jack had not had an oppor- 
 tunity of asking Violet the reason for her altered 
 demeanour towards himself, which, put it how 
 he would, he could not explain. 
 
 Was it that unlucky remark of his during the 
 drive ? No, tliat could not be the cause, for they 
 liad parted perfectly good friends. How then 
 had he offended ? lie had in the interim met 
 Violet one day at Margaret Beaumont's, whither 
 he had now transferred himself and his horses ; 
 but other visitors being present he had been 
 unable to talk to her on the subject ho had at 
 
 VOL. I. H
 
 98 VIOLET YYVIAN, M.F.H.* 
 
 heart. Neither had the hunting-field afforded 
 an occasion for demanding explanations, since 
 Violet, who was suffering from a cold, had been 
 obliged to appoint Rufns as deputy to her 
 position. 
 
 < All things come to him who knows how to 
 wait,' it is said, and the truth of this adage was 
 verified in our hero's case ; for one fine mild day 
 in mid-February he at last met her. It was on 
 this wise : 
 
 The Marshwood Vale Hounds had met at a 
 place called Compton Cross Roads, and Jack, who 
 arrived somewhat late, was only Justin time to see 
 them find and go away with a burning scent. 
 There were but few people out, but Ramsay, 
 as he topped his first fence on Harlequin, saw 
 Violet's scarlet jacket gleaming as usual in the 
 van. A mile or so of grass, some eight to ten 
 fences of various sorts, and a lucky turn in his 
 favour at last put him on terms with the pack. 
 Hounds had, however, shghtly flashed over the 
 fine, and required old Tom's assistance. Seeing 
 they could make nothing of the line that worthy 
 caught hold of them, and by a bold forward cast
 
 A QUICK FORTY MINUTES. 99 
 
 once more bit the line of his fox, and the pack 
 took up the scent with a drive and dash that evi- 
 dently meant business. 
 
 On, on they speed — now Tom leading, now 
 Pile on a raw four-year old who Avas being taught 
 the way he should go, and anon Violet to whom 
 at the check Jack had only time to Kft his hat 
 and utter a hasty * good-morning.' 
 
 The fox was evidently heading towards the 
 far stretching downs that loomed out grey in the 
 distance, but with such a scent he must be a 
 good one to reach their sanctuary. The country, 
 though, w^as in his favour — instead of the good 
 sound pastures, fl^dng fences, and cut and laid 
 doubles they had up to now traversed, they had 
 got on to cold bad scenting-land ; heavy clay 
 ploughs that cropped up occasionally, intersected 
 by bottomless 'goyles,' and great straggling, 
 hairy, blind fences, all tended to give the pur- 
 sued a decided advantage over the pursuers. 
 
 Hitherto they had been running up-wind for 
 some ten minutes with but the one trifling 
 check before alluded to. Suddenly hounds 
 threw up in a narrow lane close to a cottage 
 
 II 2
 
 100 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 out of which an angry cur bounded with an 
 indignant bark. 
 
 ' Cuss them cur dogs,' muttered old Tom, who 
 took in the situation at a glance, * that brute has 
 turned 'im, I'll lay a guinea. Folks have no 
 business to keep such beasts,' he added, with 
 resentment, as he turned his horse's head, and 
 held the pack down the lane, giving a sly cut at 
 the cur dog as he passed. * A-ats e'e, Parody, 
 old lady, there's the line,' he ejaculated, as an 
 old badger-pied bitch feathered under the bank, 
 and then threw her tongue as she scrambled 
 up. 
 
 The eager pack flew to her cry and took 
 up the line across the grass field beyond, and 
 somewhat in the direction they had come from. 
 All the field, most of whom knew the country, 
 clattered down the lane, but Jack, whose one 
 thought was to be with hounds, turned in at 
 a gate that a small boy was holding open. 
 Only Pile, Violet, and Kate O'Brien followed 
 him across a couple of fields. Then they were 
 confronted by an apparently impassable ravine, 
 or ' goyle.'
 
 A QUICK FORTY MINUTES. 101 
 
 ' By Jingo ! we're done, captain/ exclaimed 
 the hard-riding farmer. ' What a fool I was not 
 to remember this place,' he muttered, as, turn- 
 ing his horse round, he galloped back in the 
 direction of the lane, followed by Kate O'Brien. 
 
 Violet's first incHnation was to do likewise, 
 but at that moment Jack's quick eye caught 
 sight of a rail-mended gap in the thick fence 
 that bordered the ravine. 
 
 * Do wait a minute. Miss Vyvian, we may be 
 able to get over here,' said he, in a low voice, 
 and there was so much entreaty in his tone that 
 Violet acceded. 
 
 On arriving at the spot it proved to be just 
 practicable to a clever, steady hunter, provided 
 the rail was removed. Jack soon dismounted, 
 and, applying all his strength, smashed the 
 offending piece of timber. Still, even with this 
 dislodged, it was an awkward, decidedly awk- 
 ward spot. A horse would have to slide down 
 through «i lot of dead fern and brambles on to a 
 sort of small ledge, and from thence it was a 
 sheer drop of some seven feet over a little 
 stream.
 
 102 VIOLET YYYIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 * I think I conld manage to get over, Miss 
 Vyvian, as old Harlequin will creep anywhere^ 
 but I hardly like asking you to ride over it ; 
 will you get off and let me lead your horse 
 over V queried Jack, after an examination of 
 the spot. 
 
 At this proposal, which almost threw a doubt 
 on her horsemanship, Violet's pride rebelled, 
 and, flushing up to the roots of her hair, she 
 repHed, coldly, 
 
 ' I am not in the habit of getting off, Captain 
 Ramsay, and don't mind going first : will you 
 please move on one side.' 
 
 The covert sarcasm of offering a Mead' to 
 him, Jack, as good a rider as ever crossed a 
 horse, and one well-known between the flags on 
 many a steeplechase course, stung him to the 
 quick. 
 
 * Certainly not ; if either of us go at the place, 
 you must concede the honour of leading to me,' 
 retorted he, somewhat hotly ; and, jumping on 
 Harlequin's back, he walked him up to the 
 gap. 
 
 The sensible animal poked its nose out, and,
 
 103 
 
 7 ^ ^^^^ OTer the bonl 
 
 ■ . : m to the nar 
 
 ^ now Yi 
 
 ■^Ll 
 
 asHav-v . ;■ . and eYinced a di-r^ :::::- : .i- 
 cline. inder Violet's fi^t hand, he 
 
 ev : /.fl np to the bnnk, and, 
 
 w: ^ ■ _ r:2ibKngof theforelegjs, 
 
 siitiiered dowi- i. : :„ ^^- Amved here 
 he seemed r..: - — !i moment, it 
 
 seemed as if L:;. .^l.., : fall into the 
 
 depths below. 
 
 Jack, looking on, felt almost sick at what he 
 jnsdj considered the imminent peiil of the 
 woman whom, in his secret heart, he was begin- 
 ning to think more of than he cared to own. 
 He got hot and cold bj turns, but durst not 
 speak. 
 
 But Yiolet had not ridden and hunted £com a
 
 104 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 child for nothing ; with all her wits about her, 
 combined Avith courage and a cool head, she 
 seized the moment when her recalcitrant mount 
 had his head straight and was shivering over 
 the brink to give him a sharp cut with her hunt- 
 ing-whip. This little reminder had the desired 
 effect, for, springing out with a great soaring 
 bound, he landed on the far side — on his nose 
 truly, but with a peck and a scramble he was up 
 again in a trice, and — it was no fall ! 
 
 ' Thank God,' muttered Jack. * Now, come 
 along ; we'll soon catch hounds up again,' he 
 added, louder. 
 
 The opposite bank, though high, sloped more 
 gradually, and had to a certain extent been 
 worn away by cattle coming down to drink ; 
 and so they experienced no great difficulty in 
 surmounting it. 
 
 As they reached the summit, and set their 
 horses going, Violet, who had noticed the ex- 
 pression on Jack's face, and felt that she had 
 been unduly severe, observed, 
 
 * Thank you for the lead. Captain Ramsay. 
 What a good little beast that is of yours.'
 
 A QUICK FORTY MINUTES. 105 
 
 Now Dothing pleases a sportsman — a real 
 sportsman, mind I — more than praise bestowed 
 on the good horse he rides ; and these few words 
 of commendation bestowed on his favourite, and 
 by Violet, were a decided solace to Jack's 
 wounded feelings. With a blush of gratified 
 pride that made him appear still handsomer 
 than even his usual good-looking self, he patted 
 Harlequin's arched neck, as, standing in his 
 stirrups, he merely responded, 
 
 * Thank you for Harlequin, Miss Vyvian. Such 
 a remark, coming from your lips, is worth a 
 great deal to us both.' 
 
 But it was uo time for talking, or paying 
 compliments. Hounds were still running hard a 
 field a-head, and, save themselves, not a soul was 
 in sight. Fence after fence they took together, 
 but still no nearer could they get to those dap- 
 pled forms flitting along in front of them. Some 
 five-and-twenty minutes had elapsed since the 
 passage of the ' goyle,' and the pace began to tell. 
 Harlequin, good, honest, little animal thathe was, 
 commenced to sob a bit : his stride was laboured 
 and shorter, but with all the gameness of the
 
 106 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 Arab blood that coursed through his veins he 
 still cocked his ears on approaching each fence, 
 and never made a mistake. Violet's horse, even 
 with her light weight, was beginning to show 
 signs of distress, and to hang heavy on his mis- 
 tress's hand. His rider too was exhausted, and her 
 white face and quivering lip showed that she 
 was feeling the effects of such prolonged exer- 
 tion as much as her ste-ed. 
 
 And now hounds, instead of keeping the 
 straight-forAvard course they had hitherto main- 
 tained, swung round to the left, then turned 
 to the right ; in fact, it was evident the fox was 
 beginning to run short. Fortunatel}', a handy 
 line of gates enabled Jack and Violet to reach 
 the pack without calling on their now distressed 
 horses for much further exertion in the shape 
 of jumping. Entering a field by one of these. 
 Jack viewed the beaten fox crawling along the 
 fence at the far end ; the pack — who had also 
 caught a view — were, with hackles up, straining 
 every muscle to encompass the death of their 
 hereditary foe. 
 
 ' Tally-ho ! yonder he goes,' screamed Jack,
 
 A QUICK FuRTY MINUTES. 107 
 
 his handsome face beaming with excitement 
 and maddened Avith that delirium of the chase 
 which can only be appreciated by one who has 
 ridden through a really good run : then, clapping 
 spurs to Harlequin, he bustled down the field at 
 the best pace that poor animal could command. 
 Violet, his distressed horse, everything, was flung 
 to the winds. He had only one thought. There 
 was the fox not two hundred, yards ahead, and 
 only one fence between them ! Had he been 
 riding a camel, a donkey, or any other animal 
 innocent of the power and knowledge to negoti- 
 ate a stiff fence, it was not in Jack's nature not to 
 try to get close to hounds under such temptation. 
 Moreover, he had Violet's eyes upon him. Had 
 even the Thames, or any other navigable river, 
 been in front of him, he would have felt bound 
 to brave the obstacle and get over it — f^omchow ! 
 Formidable the fence was certainly, particu- 
 larly on a beaten horse, and of a nature that 
 would have nuide nine men out of ten think 
 twice before they rode at it — in fact, it was an 
 instance where discretion would have been the 
 better part of valour. But Jack's blood was
 
 108 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 up, and, with that wild delirium pervading 
 him of which poor Whyte Melville so aptly 
 sings : 
 
 * Oh ! it's -worth the risk to life and limb and neck, boys, , 
 To see them drive and stoop, 
 Till they finish with whoo-whoop ! 
 Forty minutes o'er the grass without a check, boys !' 
 
 he only saw a little draggled, spent form 
 struggling onward with bent back, and sixteen- 
 and-a-half couple of hounds towling and tum- 
 bling along after it frantic for blood. 
 
 The fence in question was a stiff flight of 
 new oaken post and rails, some four feet odd 
 high, morticed together, that gave no indication 
 of breaking or bending, with a wide, clean-cut 
 ditch on the take-off side. The ground fell 
 slightly towards the fence, and, though this to 
 a certain extent favoured his horse, it was a 
 nasty fence at the best of times, a still nastier 
 one on a horse that could barely raise a canter. 
 As the hounds struggled through — some slip- 
 ping between the bars, whilst others topped the 
 highest rail — Jack, with compressed lips and a 
 set, determined look on his face, neared the
 
 A QUICK FORTY MINUTES. 10^ 
 
 frowning timber. Violet, with better judgraenty 
 pulled np, and cried out warningly, 
 
 ' For Heaven's sake, Captain Ramsay, don't 
 ride at that !' 
 
 But her appeal falls on deaf ears, as, with 
 sobbing strides, game little Harlequin responds 
 to his rider's call. With a mighty effort he 
 does liis best, rises well, and clears the ditch, 
 but, alas ! the rails are beyond even his daring 
 spirit or power, and he lands right on to the 
 stout timber. There is a crash, a confused, 
 strugghng scarlet and bay mass, a flashing of 
 four bright shoes in the air, and with a groan 
 he rolls over into the next field, with Jack 
 beneath him. 
 
 Suppressing a cry, and faint with exhaustion, 
 excitement, and terror, Violet felt her head 
 swim, and clutched the pommel of her saddle ; 
 but the uv.xt moment, to her intense relief, she 
 saw Jack extricate himself from his fallen steed, 
 and bareheaded run towards the spot, only some 
 hundred yards on, where hounds had just run 
 into their fox, while his shrill ' Whoo-whoop !' 
 rang out in accents that betokened that he at
 
 110 VIOLET YYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 all events was not much the worse for his 
 crushing fall. 
 
 He soon cleared a circle with his whip, and, 
 putting his foot on the body of the fox, whipped 
 off the brush as old Tom, who seemed to have 
 dropped from the clouds in some unaccount- 
 able manner, accompanied by the first whip, 
 trotted in through a gate at the far end of the 
 field. 
 
 Leaving the obsequies to be performed by 
 the flunt-servants. Jack turned back with the 
 brush in his hands, and to his great rehef saw 
 Harlequin rise and shake himself, and begin 
 cropping the short sweet herbage. Climbing 
 over the fence, he went up to where Violet sat 
 on her horse as white as a sheet, and with tears 
 of exhaustion trickling down her cheek. Strive 
 as she might, she could not control her emo- 
 tion, nor combat the rival feelings engen- 
 dered by Ramsay's safe escape and her own 
 weakness. 
 
 ' There, Miss Vyvian, though your hounds 
 have hunted and killed as good a fox as I ever
 
 A QUICK FORTY MINUTES. Ill 
 
 saw, will you let me have the privilege and 
 honour of handing you the brush V said Jack, 
 going up to her side. ' But what is the matter T 
 he added, in tones of alarm, noticing her blanched 
 cheek. ' Are you ill or faint ? Let me help you 
 off your horse.' 
 
 Bending forward as if endeavouring to conceal 
 her tears, Violet swayed for a moment in her 
 saddle, and Jack was only just in time to save 
 her from falling. Lifting her down very ten- 
 derly, he rushed to the ditch, soaked his hand- 
 kerchief in water, and, returning, bathed her 
 brow and temples. This, and a few drops of 
 brandy that he induced her to swallow from his 
 flask, revived her. Violet was soon herself 
 again, and sat up, attempting a weak smile. 
 
 * Thank you — I hope you are not hurt ; and 
 is — is — Harlequin all right V she stammered. 
 
 ' 0, yes ! we are both as right as possible ; 
 a little shaken, perhaps ; but, you know, we 
 soldiers are accustomed to hard knocks.' 
 
 How handsome he looked standing there 
 bareheaded, with the faint breeze stirring the
 
 112 VIOLET VYYIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 wavy CTirls of his brown hair, with his grey 
 eyes looking so keen and brave ; and then the 
 tender sohcitiide of his voice, the courage and 
 determination he had shown all through the 
 run, and his ready thought for her, all tended 
 to make Violet feel drawn towards this man 
 as she had never been attracted by anyone 
 before. 
 
 ' I think, I will get on my horse now — will 
 you put me up?' she asked, with all her charm 
 of winning manner, and a glance that went 
 straight to Jack's heart. 
 
 Put her up, indeed I Why, he would ride 
 over that big fence again the next moment for 
 one more such look, thought Jack, as he dexter- 
 ously hoisted her into the saddle, and walked 
 by her side to a gate, going through which, after 
 a sHght detour, they regained the large pasture 
 where the hounds were breaking up their well- 
 earned fox, and a few, a very few of the field 
 who had struggled to the end were standing ia 
 a group, comparing notes of the glorious run. 
 Only some dozen horsemen were there, but 
 Pile, whose four-year old was cast in a ditch.
 
 A QUICK FORTY MINUTES. 113 
 
 and Kate O'Brien were not amongst them, 
 though Rufus was one of the hicky number. 
 Many were the congratulations both Jack and 
 Violet received. 
 
 * Ah, captain, you did us all, and you ouglit 
 never to part with that little boss,' observed old 
 Tom, touching his cap, and pointing to Harle- 
 quin, who was standing by with dilated nostrils 
 and heaving flanks. 
 
 ' No, Tom ; that I never will,' repHed Jack, 
 remounting, at the same time slipping a sove- 
 reign into the old huntsman's hand with a 
 playful apology for ' having had to do Jiis 
 Avork !' 
 
 Hounds and horses have had enough for one 
 day, and, with the prospect of a long jog home, 
 it was decided not to draw again. So, by 
 degrees, the few remaining followers dropped off 
 at the various cross-roads and lanes that led to 
 their respective homes. Rufus, riding by the 
 huntsman's side, was busily engaged discuss- 
 ing the run, and by degrees Violet and Jack 
 found themselves some distance in the rear. 
 
 ' Miss V}^ian, you will not be angry with me, 
 
 VOL. I. I
 
 114 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 or think me a conceited idiot, will you ? if I ask 
 yon a question V began Jack, after a somewhat 
 prolonged conversation on the different points 
 of the run. 
 
 ' That depends on what it is.' 
 
 ' Well, I must take my chance of your being 
 offended with me, as perhaps you would have 
 a right to be with such a comparative stranger 
 as myself,' explained Jack ; at which Violet 
 began to feel just a trifle nervous, not knowing 
 what was coming next ; ' but I do want to know 
 how I have offended you?' 
 
 ' Offended — me ! Good gracious, Captain 
 Ramsay, why should 1 be offended with 
 your 
 
 ' Ah ! that's just what I want to know ; but 
 somehow, ever since that unlucky adventure at 
 the cross-roads, your manner has been so differ- 
 ent to what it was formerly that I cannot help 
 feeling that, with the usual stupidity of my sex, 
 I must have blundered somehow, and either 
 done or said something to annoy you. You 
 know you hardly spoke to me at all out shoot-
 
 A QUICK FORTY MINUTES. 115 
 
 ing the other day. Now, do tell me my fault ; 
 and then I will apologise most humbly, and 
 endeavour not to offend again.' 
 
 Violet's conscience pricked her, for she re- 
 membered her conversation with Kate, and now, 
 
 ! what would that friend say when she heard 
 of her having nearly fainted, etc., etc., in Cap- 
 tain Ramsay's company. She, of course, could 
 not tell Jack that their names were being 
 ccmpled together ; — what was she to say '{ She 
 was fairly driven into a corner. At last, forciog 
 a little laugh, she answered, 
 
 *Come, Captain Ramsay, you should not let 
 your imagination run away with you so. Can- 
 not 3"ou make allowances for a poor girl, with 
 ever so much worry on her shoulders, being 
 silent so"netimes and disinchned to talk ? Even 
 as hostess, you know, one cannot be always 
 chattering.' 
 
 ' No, I agree with you there ; but I must say 
 
 1 never heard you chatter,' observed Jack, with 
 a merry twinkle, looking full into Violet's eyes. 
 
 At this she turned aAvay t(^ avoid meeting his 
 
 i2
 
 116 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 gaze, as if to arrange her habit, and repHed, in 
 a tone of apparent carelessness, 
 
 * Don't you know what somebody says — 
 Helps, I think — about friendship ? How, if two 
 people when alone together talk incessantly, 
 their friendship is only in the bud, whereas if 
 they only speak when they have really some- 
 thing to say, you may be sure they are real 
 friends.' 
 
 ' That is true, but they must get through the 
 budding-stage first, before reaching the reality I 
 I don't think though. Miss Vyvian, you have 
 quite answered my question yet, unless with 
 you the bud of friendship has expanded, and 
 you are doing me the honour, which I scarcely 
 merit, of counting me amongst your o^eal 
 friends V 
 
 ' But you ivould be my friend, would you 
 not f This with a slight tremor in her voice. 
 
 ' I hoped you knew that ; but there are people 
 who think that friendship, pure and simple, 
 cannot exist between man and woman.' 
 
 ' Mrs. Grundy, you mean, I suppose ? She is 
 a lady on whose opinion /set very little vahie.'
 
 A QUICK FORTY MINUTES. 117 
 
 * Neither do I, as far as 1 myself am cou- 
 cerued; but I should be sorry to think that 
 anyone I lov — Hked,' added Jack, correcting 
 himself, ' suffered from her unsparing* tongue.' 
 
 'But Avhat is false cannot hurt one even- 
 tually. Remember what used to be written 
 over the castle gates of old by the Keiths, Earls 
 Marischal : 
 
 * " They haf sayd, 
 What sayd they ? 
 Let them say." ' 
 
 ' AVith your theory I agree entirely, but, like a 
 good many other theories, it doesn't answer in 
 practice.' 
 
 'Then you would refuse to do a woman a 
 friendly turn, for fear public opinion might attri- 
 bute false motives to you ? I really had a better 
 opinion of you,' exclaimed Violet, with quick 
 warmth, almost contempt of tone, carried away 
 by impulsive feeling. 
 
 ' You misunderstand me ; indeed, 1 had hoped 
 that our friendship had become too well-estab- 
 lished for you to think so meanly of me. One
 
 118 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 of my best and truest friends is a woman, as you 
 know.' 
 
 'Mrs. Beaumont? Yes, she is one of the few 
 people one trusts instinctively from the begin- 
 ning.' 
 
 ' You have only known her, I suppose, since 
 she came as a widow to live at Littleforde V 
 interrogated Jack. 
 
 'Yes, not a long time, you may say; but 
 events, more than time, prove what sort of stuff 
 people are made of.' 
 
 ' Well ; will you. Miss Vyvian, always be a 
 friend to me such as she has been — at least, until 
 I forfeit the right to such friendship V 
 
 ' Yes, willingly ; and there's my hand on't,' 
 responded Violet, laughingly, with a frank 
 smile, tendering him her hand, which lingered 
 in his perhaps a trijfle longer than was necessary ; 
 and, as he pressed it warmly, she added, ' Now 
 we've had our chat, and I am getting cold, so I 
 think I shall trot home. Adieu, Captain Ram- 
 say. Good friends always, mind.' 
 
 A turn in the road soon hid the girl's sHght 
 figure from view, and then Jack, lighting a
 
 A QUICK FORTY MINUTES. 119 
 
 cigar, and geting off, walked the rest of the way 
 home by Harlequin's side, cogitating on the 
 events of the day. He cordd not help asking 
 himself the question, 'Am 1 getting too fond 
 of this girl?' and wondering what would be the 
 end of it all.
 
 12C 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 THE OLD, OLD STORY. 
 
 A FROST ! The very night after Jack Ramsay 
 and Violet so happily rode homewards together 
 after their last run from Compton Cross Roads, 
 which might have led to such serious conse- 
 quences. 
 
 The wind, fickle as a woman, had shifted to 
 the north. Two days later the hunting world 
 awoke to find the roads ringing like iron, with 
 crackles of ice round thinly-frozen puddles by 
 the wayside. 
 
 Rufus kept standing at a window, staring 
 moodily across the park, and stroking ever- 
 lastingly his great red beard. Then — needing
 
 THE OLD, OLD STORY. 121 
 
 mail's compauionship — what more natural than 
 that the good fellow should seek out another of 
 his kind, and betake himself through the woods 
 to a door made expressly by Miss Vyviaii last 
 summer in the park-wall, and that led into the 
 lane just opposite Littleforde House. (Rufus and 
 his wife had gone away that summer to Ire- 
 land, so Violet had turned much more to her 
 elder friend for companionship, and learned to 
 trust in and to look up to Margaret Beaumont 
 with a clingnig affection quite as great, in a 
 diflferent way, as her attachment to Mrs. O'Brien. 
 The latter shared all Violet's merry moods, they 
 hunted and laughed together, and planned 
 their amusements. But if in any trouble, or 
 only feeling depressed, Violet always silently 
 put on her hat and Avent to Littleforde. After 
 that remedy, even though she might not have 
 thought it necessary to tell Margaret of her 
 special trouble, she generally came home feel- 
 ing comforted.) 
 
 'Going to look up Captain Kamsay, llufus?' 
 Violet inquired, carelessly, meeting liim half- 
 way on lii.s (juest, apparently by accident.
 
 122 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 ' Well, I want to see Margaret about some- 
 thing, too ; so I may as well go with you.' 
 
 She would not have had the courage to go 
 by herself. It was absurd : but she could not 
 understand her own secret shyness. 
 
 Rufus and Jack Ramsay always smoked to- 
 gether in Mrs. Beaumont's stables, and daily 
 inspected the latter's small stud with mechan- 
 ical dihgence ; later on they somehow ahvays 
 lounged into Margaret's pretty morning-room, 
 ' Just to pass the time of day,' as Mr. O'Brien 
 cheerily said. Then naturally he talked to Mrs. 
 Beaumont, whom he much admired as ' a pretty 
 woman, and so pleasant and nice to talk to ; she 
 understands everything one tells her about 
 hunting, though she never rode herself, more's 
 the pity !' Like Madame Recamier, Margaret 
 was a good listener. Meantime, Jack and 
 Violet Vyvian improved their friendship, un- 
 heeded, with wonderful rapidity. 
 
 After three such mornings, Mrs. O'Brien sud- 
 denly found her eyes opened, as she mentally 
 expressed it. 
 
 ' You two mean creatures ! You might have
 
 THE OLD, OLD STORY. 12^ 
 
 told iiie you were both at Littleforck' eiijoyiag 
 yourselves, no doubt, while I thought you were 
 busy at tlie farm, or over horrid, stupid accounts,' 
 exclaimed tlie handsome brunette, with an 
 aggiieved pout, drawing closer her somewhat 
 thick eyebrows, which naturally almost met. 
 ' And I have only been reading novels over the 
 fire all the time.' 
 
 'Come along then to-morrow, Avitli all the 
 pleasure in life,' cried Rufus, heartily. ' We 
 never thought you wanted to come, did we, 
 Violet ^ but, upon my soul, I believe it's that 
 handsome gunner she's after." 
 
 ' 0, yes ; do come,' repeated Violet, care- 
 lessly. ' I have to consult Margaret Beau- 
 mont about my new prize cochin hens that are 
 drooping again. 1 tliought that sort of thing 
 would have bored you.' 
 
 Mrs. O'Brien accordingly accompanied them 
 next day ; but, true to her word, Violet only 
 talked poultry to Mrs. Beaumont all the time. 
 Jack certainly lounged in with llufus ; but, see- 
 ing he had no chance tliis day, he responded 
 but dully to the play of Kate's raillery, and pre-
 
 124 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 sently excused himself on the plea of having 
 letters to write. 
 
 ' Is that all you have been doing these last 
 mornings down at the little house, Rufus? Now 
 tell me the whole trutli, sir,' asked Kate, with a 
 pretty disappointed pout, when later on she 
 found herself alone with her lord and master. 
 
 ' Of course it was. What else would we do V 
 he replied, in his hearty big voice, his blue eyes 
 as wide-open as those of a child. ^Did you 
 think, now, I've been flirting with the widow ? 
 Upon my Hfe, I think I'll take to it now that 
 you've given me the notion.' 
 
 (Honest Rufus fully beheved he was telHng 
 the simple truth.) 
 
 ' Rufus !' observed his wife, dispassionately, 
 as she gazed at him : ' You are a goose ; but 
 I believe you this time. You never deceived 
 me wilfully at any rate.' 
 
 Did some thought strike herself, as the 
 words left her lips? for Kate turned quickly, 
 escaping an attempted caress, of a playfully 
 big-doggish kind, from her husband, and a 
 warmer red came into her cheeks.
 
 THE OLD, OLD ST-RY. 125 
 
 Then, in a few days, the ice began to bear 
 on the gi'eat pond in the park : neighbours 
 drove up to Forde Manor from far and near w-ith 
 skates, and prepared to stay till the red sun 
 should have dropped low Ijehind the giant 
 Scotch firs in the park. Violet was once 
 more busy as misti*ess of the hospitaKties, for 
 lunch was spread for eveiy one at the .boat- 
 house, and later on a blight fire at a sheltered 
 spot shc'wed where five-o'clock tea was ready to 
 refresh all the guests. But still she could enjoy 
 herself pretty thoroughly while skating ; for 
 Margaret Beaumont took the care of the elders 
 off the girl's young shouldei-s, and Jack Kamsay 
 was always, oddly enough, close at her side when 
 wanted to fasten on her skates, and ghde with 
 her for a louo; breathlt-ss stretch down the 
 winding pond, and in and out among its dotted 
 islets covered with rhododendrons. 
 
 Skating is even better than dancing for 
 making two young people acquainted. There is 
 more tiTist and abandonment to the guichng skill 
 of one's companion ; more freedom in the wide 
 exoause of ice over which the skate-strokes are
 
 126 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 ringing, and in the fresh crisp air around ; more 
 opportunities to be alone together for the 
 venturesome ones who strike out boldly from 
 the shores ; with many a pause, unseen, behind 
 wooded corners and eyots where, while taking 
 breath, much may be said with eyes as well as 
 voice. 
 
 Jack Ramsay was not slow to avail himself 
 of all these advantages when with Violet 
 Vyvian. 
 
 ' Why not V he almost angrily communed 
 with himself over his cigar once or twice 
 o'nights, when a chill whisper of wisdom dis- 
 turbed his easy mind. ' I know nothing more 
 can come of it ; she knows the same ! But why 
 can't we be friends V So, while the ice on which 
 these two young people were skating grew 
 thicker for two or three days more, it grew 
 thiimer and thinner in another sense. 
 
 Mrs. O'Brien came to the rescue, unknown to 
 both. 
 
 ' They will go souse in over head and ears, 
 unless I can keep them out of danger,' she said 
 to herself, gazing darkly with knitted brows, on
 
 THE OLD, OLD STORY. 127 
 
 the very first day, over at the two most grace- 
 ful figures on the pond. Then turning to 
 Cyril Vyvian, wlio was always her faithful 
 squire, she would hint, with a sweet unfathom- 
 able glance out of her black eyes, that perhaps 
 he had been too long by her side ; people's 
 tongues were so idle. Would it not be better if 
 Cyril were to take his cousin Violet for a turn, 
 just to avoid talk t 
 
 A few minutes later, Kate, w^ho, though so 
 tine a horsewoman, was too tall and not firmly 
 knit enough for skating very well, would pause, 
 and looking — I so softly — up in Jack's hand- 
 some face, let drop just the least word of laugh- 
 ing warning. 
 
 ' Take care of your wings — remember the 
 moth.' 
 
 ' Don't you know the saying about the rose ? 
 If one cannot have it, one may as well be with 
 her Avho is ne-arest it,' said Jack, with menda- 
 cious audacity, gazing straight in Mrs. O'Briun's 
 beautiful, almost swarthy face, lit up by her 
 brilliant eyes and glowing tints of cheek and 
 
 lip.
 
 128 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 She shook her head in laughing disbeh'ef of 
 his impHed compHment that she herself was the 
 first object of his admiration. As, however, the 
 same little theme, with variations, was played 
 between them every day (and that more than 
 once a day), it began to have a curious con- 
 trary effect on both. Jack, warned not to fall 
 in love, man-like, felt all the more ready to 
 close his eyes and rush into the forbidden dan- 
 ger ; the more he became conscious of an ever- 
 growing longing to be with Violet all the time, 
 he saw through Kate O'Brien's little ruses, and 
 resented them. 
 
 ' She is an arrant flirt,' he said to himself, 
 when, after catching sight, now that he was on 
 the alert, of an occasional meaning glance of 
 piivate understanding thrown to Cecil, he found 
 himself the recipient of still more tender and 
 stolen ones a few minutes later. * She is in- 
 capable of any true feeling ; but two can play 
 at her game.' 
 
 And Ramsay accordingly did thus play, suc- 
 ceeding so well, although not given to flirting 
 by nature, that he puzzled Kate. Sometimes
 
 THE OLD, OLD STORY. 129 
 
 she believed him ; at others she suspected him 
 of laughing iu his heart as he looked straight iu 
 her eyes, and, Avithout moving a muscle of his 
 somewhat adamantine though handsome young 
 face, paid her some extravagant compliment, as 
 if it was a toll she exacted from all passers-by. 
 
 'Can he be deceiving me ?' thought Kate to 
 herself, striving to watch his manner towards 
 Violet, which was more diffident and distant. 
 
 Sometimes she fancied (and truly) that his 
 featm'es softened, and his voice took a more 
 tender sound, when addressing the heiress of 
 Forde Manor. Then the demon of jealousy 
 woke strong in the woman's heart. Violet and 
 she had never clashed before in their likings, for 
 the poor girl had hitherto been so hedged-in 
 by her father s will that she had never had the 
 temptation to indulge her own preferences. 
 Never l)efore had any ' ineligible ' been thrown 
 daily in Miss Vyviau's company as was Jack 
 Kamsay. 
 
 ' I will not be made a fool of by this man. 
 He shall like me best — I swear it I To be out- 
 done by Violet! And he never can be anything 
 
 VOL. I. K
 
 130 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 to her either !' thought Mrs. O'Brien passion- 
 ately when alone, clenching her hands, while 
 her dark brows met in a stormy line. Then 
 her face softened ; a little smile crept about her 
 full crimson hps as she recalled some attention 
 of Jack's towards herself, and, secure of victory, 
 she murmured — ' And he is so handsome ! Yes, 
 I must succeed.' 
 
 ' I trust you are not falling into the fair 
 Egyptian's toils, Jack,' Margaret Beaumont 
 said, with a little motherly tone, half quizzical, 
 one of those days. She always declared Kate 
 had something of the features, though not the 
 sleepy expression, of a worshipper of Osiris. 
 
 Jack gave her one of the honest glances she 
 had known so well in his boyish days ; they were 
 rarer now. 
 
 * To speak in the vulgar tongue, my dear 
 Margaret, no fear! I like Mrs. O'Brien about 
 as much as you do, not more. But she is the 
 close companion and friend of Miss Vyvian, 
 whom 1 do like sincerely, so one must be civil.' 
 
 ' Quite so. And I am really glad you are 
 diverting Mrs. Kate's flirtations from poor, good
 
 THE OLD, OLD STORY. 131 
 
 Cyril. He is much more attentiv^e to Violet 
 these days ; don't you think so ?' 
 
 .lack wished in his heart his cousin Margaret 
 would not make himself her confidant about her 
 grand matrimonial scheme, but he dared not 
 say 80. Warnings on one side, confidences on 
 the other, all to prevent him being ' too great 
 friends' with "Violet. He grew grumpy, inclined 
 to be irritable all round. At times he betrayed 
 this, and found Violet's sweet eyes fixed on him 
 wonden'ngly. Then, when next he was alone 
 w^ith the girl, he would hold her hands all the 
 tighter as they skimmed over the ice, while his 
 face and voice showed her in a hundred little 
 ways that he never could be vexed so long as she 
 was thus beside him ; and, feeling then perfectly 
 happy, he made her happy too. And so they 
 two, secretly, w^cre passing step by step together 
 into a fool's paradise. 
 
 One night came a thaw. The ice still held 
 its own, but some spots seemed w^eak ; and 
 good Kufus, who could not have skated a 
 stroke without making a spread-eagle of his 
 prostrate body, stood on the banks and watclied 
 
 k2
 
 132 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 anxiously over the public safety. There was 
 one place off which he specially warned them 
 all, where was a little dam and sluice. The ice 
 had been kept broken here for some time to let 
 the water run, and its coating was accordingly 
 thin. In a wayward mood, Kate came skating 
 towards this spot; she was alone, and perhaps, 
 without going too far, wished her admirers to 
 notice she was nearing peril. 
 
 ' Kate, go back ! don't come this way, it is 
 dangerous,' roared Eufus, from the bank, getting 
 excited. 
 
 Kate looked up saucily ; she rather liked teas- 
 ing her big husband. Cyril Vyvian was beside 
 him on the bank, too, and Captain Ramsay. She 
 herself had lingered before joining them all for 
 tea, and now was the time for a sensation. 
 
 'What danger? Why should I not come?' 
 she sweetly asked, taking two short strokes 
 nearer and pausing (the ice did not crack yet !) 
 O'Brien was always easily roused. He lost all 
 his self-control at once, and his really terrified 
 anxiety for his wife's safety took the form of 
 anger.
 
 THE OLD, OLD STORY. 133 
 
 * Go back this instant ; do you hear ? Do as 
 I order you, inadain, or, by heaven ! I'll not 
 answer for the consequences,' he shouted, his 
 face growing as brilliant red as his flaming 
 beard, while the veins swelled on his forehead. 
 Another fair man beside him reddened, too, Avith 
 inward fury. Cyril Vyvian glared an instant at 
 O'Brien, on hearing the rough words, as if he 
 could have gladly struck the gia.nt down ; then 
 looked eagerly, imploringly at Kate. 
 
 Kate calmly watched her husband and those 
 on the bank while one might have counted ten, 
 then turned ; slowly and gracefully she skated 
 away. Cr-a-ack I went the ice behind her, near 
 where she had stood. 
 
 ' Thank God !' muttered Rufus, almost inaudi- 
 bly; then he mopped his forehead, on which 
 some cold drops of fear had broken out. Jack 
 watched him with a smile of fiiendly pity, 
 thinking how easily gulled some men may be. 
 Another man deserved Ramsay's pity still more, 
 but he did not know it. 
 
 Next evening Kate O'Brien stood alone in 
 her own room, re-reading a letter in her hand.
 
 134 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 It was one that agitated her a good deal ; for, 
 though the door was locked, she looked up 
 nervously at every sound as of a passing foot- 
 step, and a sombre fire burned in her big eyes 
 and glowed dully in her cheeks. One sentence 
 of the letter ran thus : 
 
 ''It made my Mood hoil yesterday to hear the 
 coarse indignity with ichich you were treated — you, 
 of all luomen. You are mated ivith a cloivn, hut if 
 I may only live for you, as 1 woidd gladly die for 
 you ' 
 
 Kate stopped here in her re-perusal, for the 
 third or fourth time, of her strange letter. 
 
 ' Mated with a clown ! Perhaps I am,' she 
 said to herself, ' but, still, the clown has good 
 qualities, my friend Cyril. Should 1 be any 
 happier, with a tormentingly- jealous, kindly 
 but weak, nagging sort of man like yourself? 
 I doubt it.' 
 
 Then, in her mind's eye, she saw poor Cyril's 
 home : neglected-looking grounds ; an old house, 
 that could no longer bear its weight of centu- 
 ries, crumbling to decay.
 
 THE OLD, OLD STORY. 135 
 
 ' If Rufus is penniless, or pretty nearly so, you 
 are not much better ofif,' she soliloquised, ad- 
 dressing an imaginary interlocutor with a curl 
 of her hp. ' I am no prude. I am, perhaps, not 
 a very good woman ; but if ever I do run away 
 ^vith another man and break my husband's 
 heart, it would have to be for more than you 
 can offer me.' Then, flinging the letter impa- 
 tiently down, and stamping her foot : * What a 
 fool the man is I If I had ever thought he 
 would have swallowed the bait so greedily, I 
 should have almost let him alone. But no ! he 
 was certainly beginning to fancy Violet when 
 we first came here, and making up his mind in 
 his shy, simple way to propose. ]\Iargaret Beau- 
 mont would have urged it as a natural and 
 proper marriage. Violet would most likely have 
 said yes, after a year or two of freedom, for she 
 always liked him in a sisterly way. And then 
 where should I and poor Rufus have been ! — 
 obliged to pack up and be off. No more hunt- 
 ers for me, no more dresses ; only a dog-kennel 
 of a house somewhere, and two maids.* 
 
 Kate O'Brien stood and sighed. It was
 
 136 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 hateful to be poor, she mused. But for that 
 carking care she would never have jumped at 
 Rufus O'Brien, when she caught the simple 
 fellow by her first attempts at witchery after 
 leaving school. 
 
 * Well,' she finally concluded, ' in any case I 
 shall not be so mad as to answer Cyril by letter 
 as he begs. Who knows what might happen to 
 it ? Two lines, saying I will let him know to- 
 morrow — that will not compromise me.' Kate 
 looked at the fireplace, and, taking up Cyril 
 Vyvian's letter once more, seemed inclined to 
 burn it. Then she changed her mind swiftly, 
 and, crossing the room, carefully put it in the 
 secret drawer of a little cabinet, the key of 
 which never left her. ' It may prove useful 
 some day, who knows V was her last reflection, 
 with a dark, prophetic smile. 
 
 The following afternoon, as the sunlight began 
 to slant low and red, Violet Vyvian left the 
 other skaters and said to Mrs. Beaumont, with a 
 touch of affectionate concern, 
 
 ' I am uneasy about poor Kate. She had a 
 bad headache and could not join us to-day.
 
 THE OLD, OLD STORY. 137 
 
 Would you mind just looking* in on her present- 
 ly, to see that she does not feel too lonely V 
 
 * Of course. 1 will go now,' ^Margaret readily 
 answered. 
 
 She did not much like Kate in her heart of 
 hearts, but still received her with kindly wel- 
 come into the outer court of her reg-ard ; and 
 she was always pitiful in cases of illness. 
 
 (' It must be something senous to make Iter 
 stay away from all the fun on the ice,' reflected 
 Mrs. Beaumont.) 
 
 Being an intimate of the house, ^Margaret 
 troubled none of the servants, but went straight 
 to the boudoir that was allotted to Kate as her 
 own retreat. Softly opening the door, with 
 consideration for the sufferer's headache, Mrs. 
 Beaumont found herself still partially hidden 
 by a tall screen from the observation of two 
 persons, who seemed so deeply excited by their 
 conversation that neither noticed her, their 
 backs being turned towards lier. Margaret 
 stood riveted l)y what slie saw and heard. She 
 had no great presence of mind ; and only felt 
 that next moment they juust see her, and she
 
 138 YIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 would be under the disagreeable necessity of 
 explaining her presence. 
 
 Cyril Vyvian was sitting, with his head sup- 
 ported on his hands, seeming bowed down with 
 the weight of some strong feeling. 
 
 ' Kate ! my dearest — you can't mean it. You 
 can't refuse me after all that has passed. All 
 yesterday and to-day I have waited in absolute 
 torture for your answer. I could not eat or 
 sleep,' said the young man in a broken voice, 
 quivering through and through with misery. 
 
 As no answer came from the woman's figure 
 half-lyiog on the sofa, he went on, in a tone of 
 wildly bitter reproach : 
 
 'Have you befooled me, then? For weeks, 
 yes, months past have you not given me to 
 understand you were miserable with your hus- 
 band ? that you only cared for me ? And now 
 — now ! that I implore you to come to me ; to 
 leave off living this lie ' 
 
 * I tell you that you have gone too far, Mr. 
 Vyvian,' said Kate, in a stifled voice, but scorn- 
 fully ; what of her face was visible among the 
 sofa-cushions, in which it was half-buried, being
 
 THE OLD, OLD STORY. 13^ 
 
 dark-reel with an anger perhaps tlie greater that 
 she felt it was liardly justified. 
 
 ^Mr. Vi/vian /' iniinniircd the man, in a whis- 
 per of hnniihation and agony of mind so painful 
 the listener was seized with pity. Then, with 
 a spark more of spirit : ' If I have said too much, 
 wdiose doing is it ? Kato ! remember how you 
 never rested till you had drawn the very heart 
 and soul out of me ; how you liave maddened 
 me by assurances you loved me in return just 
 as passionately. But you can't mean it ! . . . 
 You will let me make you a home, and you will 
 be its hght and queen. We will leave England 
 for a while ' 
 
 ' No I no ! no. My poor Cpil, you have de- 
 ceived yourself. Of course I care for you, but 
 not to that extent. Be reasonable — perhaps, 
 indeed, it would be better that you should go 
 away for a little while yourself. But you must 
 never speak to me on this subject again.' 
 
 A sudden, sharp in-di-awing of breath, a sound 
 like a startled groan came in answer to Kate's 
 words of cool, kindly admonition, that were 
 given in tlie sort of tone one uses in expostu-
 
 140 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 lating with a spoilt child. Almost at the 
 same moment, had the speakers been less ab- 
 sorbed, they might have heard the door gently 
 close. 
 
 'So that is over; and a good thing, too,' 
 thought Mrs. Beaumont, as she went sedately 
 down the passage ; and her brown eyes were 
 alight with this secret intelligence of her neigh- 
 bour's affairs, but her still sweetly pretty mouth 
 somewhat pursed. Though herself a good wo- 
 man, Avho quietly succeeded in abstaining even 
 from all appearance of evil, Margaret was not 
 easily surprised. She knew human nature, and 
 judged nobody. Perhaps she felt a thrill of 
 almost pleasurable excitement; of pitying, of 
 course, yet half-amtised elation at proving what 
 she knew now. ' It's very wrong, but I can't 
 help it,' she told her conscience. Frail human 
 nature again ! 
 
 Presently, watching from the drawing-room 
 window, she saw Cyril cross the terrace with 
 white and haggard features. 
 
 'Ah, well! in time he will be cured, and come 
 back to Violet. But she would never care for
 
 THE OLD, OLD STORY. 141 
 
 him, if she knew this,' thought Margaret. * Soy 
 for both Cyril's sake and hers, I will not breathe 
 a syllable about it.' 
 
 And she kept her word.
 
 142 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 DRIFTING. 
 
 The week of meny skating at Forde Manor 
 was abruptly ended. A thaw came in the 
 night, and cheered the hopes of the Marshwood 
 Vale men, only to turn, tantalisingly, into a 
 slight fall of snow ; then back went the ther- 
 mometer to freezing-point. The ice was spoilt, 
 and hunting was as impossible as ever. What 
 was to be done in such aggravating weather ? 
 
 Violet Vyvian settled the point Avith herself 
 by going out for a brisk walk through her own 
 woods, accompanied only by Crab, her pet terrier. 
 The sun was shining cheerily through the bare 
 branches, on which the snow of yesterday had
 
 DRIFTING. 143 
 
 left a lightly frozen coating ; the sky was blue 
 as on a summer's day. There was a crisp fresh- 
 ness in the air that brought a rosy glow into her 
 cheeks which was eminently becoming. Or, was 
 it the cold outside ? Were not tlie warm tlioughts 
 in her heart as answerable for that sweet flush, 
 while a new dreamy light was in her L'ves, .-ts 
 she wandered on alone, and felt glad to be 
 away from all observation of even friendly eyes, 
 free to commune with her own heart. 
 
 All the events of the past weeks seemed to 
 flit before Violet's mind. Once more she rode 
 that last run — with Iiini. Once more she felt 
 the horribly sickening fears for Jack's life, as 
 the scene at the last fence rose before her mind 
 like a picture ; she remembered her faintness ; 
 and then the blissful consciousness of coming 
 back to life with his arm round hur, his face 
 looking into hers. Jack Ramsay had unhappily 
 become so much the one man on earth for poor 
 Violet that she never thought of him, now, by 
 name ; a bad sign for her peace of mind. Then 
 she tried to turn to other thoughts, dimly aware 
 of danger; but the happy hom-s on the ice,
 
 144 VIOLET YYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 words, looks, a liunclred little memories in 
 which he and she were the two only, or prin- 
 cipal actors, came next before her. By day 
 and night, at all hours and places, Violet was 
 fast becoming engrossed by one thought; 
 struggle as she might (and she did so !) it 
 was ever there and supreme, however in the 
 background. And that thought was of Jack 
 Ramsay. What was he doing ? When might 
 she see him again ? Already, Violet secretly 
 marked time's flight by each occasion on which 
 they two met. She dared not go this morning 
 to Margaret Beaumont's house ; a sudden shyness 
 seized her nowadays even before that best friend. 
 But there was a hill in the grounds, rising above 
 the park-wall and the lane behind it, from which 
 she could look down on Littleforde, and this 
 was a pleasure she would not deny the urgings 
 of her heart. 
 
 * Why not? He will soon be going away, no 
 doubt. And it only hurts myself,' argued the 
 girl, aware of her own weakness in thus stealing 
 to look from a little distance at the house which 
 sheltered the man she loved. (At the same
 
 DRIFTING. 145 
 
 time he might be in the stable, Violet re- 
 membered, with a laugh against herself; or 
 perhaps, as she had found him once before, 
 leaning over the pig-stye wall, smoking a 
 cigar.) 
 
 Violet strained her eyes downwards in vaiu. 
 No living speck of humanity could she descry 
 below in Littleforde, except two figures forking 
 manure. Turning away she betook herself to 
 a keeper's cottage near, endeavouring to impress 
 on her own mind that this was the real object 
 of her morning stroll. 
 
 ' Well, Haggett, and how is your rheuma- 
 tism V she asked, as the keeper, a valued 
 dependent of old Squire Vyvian, appeared at 
 the door of his tidy lodge and begged her to 
 walk in. 
 
 ' Main bad, miss ; main bad,' said the other- 
 wise hale and hearty-looking man, with a 
 ruefully comic smile. ' But it sarves me right, 
 it do. You see, I went out t'other marnin' and 
 forgot to put my tattie in my pocket, as Cap- 
 tin Ramsay advised me. '' 'Taint wuth turnin' 
 back for," thinks I, when slap I by midday I 
 
 VOL. I. L
 
 146 YIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 "was took so terrible bad wi' the pains I could 
 hardly hobble home.' 
 
 ' I don't understand,' said Violet, bewildered. 
 * What has Captain Ramsay, or a potato, to do 
 with it V 
 
 The keeper, with a half-ashamed look, ex- 
 plained that .Jack, having one day seen him in 
 pain, had come several times afterwards to visit 
 him, and had suggested a simple remedy used 
 in his own country against rheumatism, that of 
 always carrying a potato in one's pocket till it 
 grew black inside with absorption of ' the bad 
 humour that makes the rheumatics,' said the 
 w^orthy man. 
 
 * And 'tis wonderful what a cure it made in 
 me the second day. He be a kind gen'man, he 
 be^^for sartin. He has zat there, in thick very 
 chair you be zattin' in, miss, talking 'bout the 
 dogs, and the pheasants, and so on for an hour to 
 a time. He be so kindly like, he reminds me 
 more of your good father, more nor any gen'man 
 I have ever seen since at Forde Manor, if you'll 
 'scuse my sayin' so, miss. He be so pleasant, 
 and ain't got no high and mighty notions as
 
 DRIFTING. 147 
 
 some young men has now-a-days ; he be such 
 a rare good sportsman, too, and Mr. Harkholler 
 do tell me he be a rare good man on a ^oss.' 
 
 And so the old man rambled on, enthusiastic 
 in Jack's praise, whilst Violet sat by, dehghted, 
 in the very chair her hero had occupied. She 
 little guessed that Jack, when he sat there, had 
 just as keenly listened to the description of all 
 her own virtues, after skilfully enticing good 
 Haggett to a subject on which he was alwa^^s 
 garrulous, namely, the rare good qualities of his 
 young mistress. 
 
 A quick knock came at the cottage door 
 presently ; and, as the keeper went to see his 
 visitor, Jack's tall figure appeared on the 
 threshold, welcomed by Crab, who recognized 
 a friend, with extravagant delight. Seeing 
 Violet within, he stopped, embarrassed, and his 
 colour heightened. Curiously, despite all his 
 natural advantages. Jack was very modest, 
 even shy, with the women he most admired 
 and cared to please. So now, though his quick, 
 glad smile showed a pleasant gleam of white 
 under his moustache, his eyes sought Violet's 
 
 l2
 
 148 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 face with quite as humble and deprecating a 
 look as that with which the terrier was beg- 
 ging him to kindly greet itself. Violet had 
 given a guilty start ; her own cheeks took on a 
 lovely if fleeting carnation tinge. 
 
 « I — ^I hope I am not disturbing yon, Miss 
 Vyvian,' stammered Jack. ' I only looked in to 
 know how Haggett was, and to bring him some 
 tobacco. I am just going.' 
 
 ' I was just going, too ; please don't mind me,* 
 returned Violet, rising confused. 
 
 Somehow they both found themselves out- 
 side the keeper's cottage in another minute or 
 so, and were walking together slowly back to 
 the hill-brow overlooking Littleforde. Neither 
 knew how it happened. In the glade behind 
 them, Haggett stood at his cottage door, and 
 forgetting to gloat over the excellent bird's-eye, 
 for which he had just uttered his most respectful 
 thanks, looked after them perplexed. 
 
 ''Tis a thousand pities about the squire's 
 will,' was the slow conclusion he arrived at ; 
 then slowly shook his head and went indoors to 
 smoke a bit.
 
 DRIFTING. 149 
 
 Meanwhile, Jack and Violet paused on the 
 hill where two paths diverged. Both were 
 gi'owing strangely shy of each other. Then Jack 
 said, hesitatingly, 
 
 * I must not intrude on your morning ramble, 
 I suppose. Miss Vyvian. I thought that per- 
 haps I should meet O'Brien somewhere about.' 
 
 ' He is busy, — that is, Kate is out of sorts to- 
 day ; she has caught a chill, I fancy, and good 
 Rufus is quite distressed, and is staying in all 
 the morning to try to amuse her by clipping 
 her poodle,' Violet rephed, trying to collect 
 herself. 
 
 'He is one of the best-hearted fellows I 
 know ; and a caj)ital husband, I should think,' 
 was Jack's warm encomium. ' But I thought 1 
 heard Mrs. O'Brien asldng Vyvian, your cousin, 
 to play the barber under pain of her sovereign 
 displeasure.' 
 
 ' Cyril has suddenly deserted us all ; he sent 
 me a letter this morning saying he was sick of 
 the frost, and was off to Paris. It is a queer 
 freak of his, for he always used to hate going 
 away from here. Is Margaret very busy this
 
 150 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 morning? I was thinking of looking in for a 
 few minntes.' 
 
 ' Very busy/ grinned Jack. * There was a 
 scare this morning that Dolly was lost. She 
 was discovered later comfortably ensconced in 
 a wardrobe containing her mother's best gowns, 
 as a nice soft retreat, in company with a pot of 
 apricot jam. It seems to have proved too 
 much for her, for she is rather upset, like the 
 various persons she succeeded in alarming. 
 Margaret says penitence has something to say 
 to it, but I fancy Dolly's conscience must be in 
 her digestive organs. Finding I was not wanted 
 by anybody, T came out, feeling solitary.' 
 
 ' Precisely my case,' laughed Violet. In her 
 heart she had felt impatient that morning at 
 seeing Kate exacting slavish obedience from 
 her good-natured husband. And it was his 
 special day for business, too. Yet poor Rufus was 
 quite happy at this rare desire of his wife's for 
 his companionship ; and one could not quarrel 
 with her for that. They neither of them needed 
 Violet: she was an outsider. Margaret Beau- 
 mont had her little child, too, to be all in all to
 
 DRIFTING. 151 
 
 her ; Violet was the third person there again. 
 The girl felt a longing to be first with some- 
 body. It was so lonely to be always only 
 second best. Her face changed, and it fell 
 nnconscionsly as she went on : ' Nobody w^ants 
 me either.' 
 
 ' You are wrong there ; I do,' said Jack, 
 softly ; adding, wdth an earnest look, * Sm-ely 
 friends may need each other's society ; and we 
 are friends, you and IV Then, as Violet 
 mutely assented by a grave little sign of 
 her head, the young man w^ent on eagerly •* 
 ' You wull let me go wdth you for a little 
 way?' 
 
 So they two disappeared into the depths 
 of the wintry wood. And their minds went 
 further yet, and deeper into a sweet summer 
 fool's paradise. It embowered their spirits ; a 
 wood of fancies and thoughts through which 
 they two only wandered. There they were 
 lost together, alone as in an Eden ; and low 
 spoken words, mutual glances, soul to soul, and 
 now and then the touch of a hand were as the 
 flowers of that blissful imaginary domain.
 
 152 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 As they stood on the hill-top, both had been 
 so absorbed in their meeting, neither noticed a 
 pony-carriage in the lane below. Yet Mrs. 
 Blatherwick was seated therein, waving her 
 handkerchief vigorously in greeting, while her 
 husband flourished his whip. 
 
 After an hour or more of a delightful walk — 
 one that both would long afterwards look back 
 to as having brought them nearer than ever into 
 sympathy and mutual understanding — they came 
 to a clearing in the woods. There was a slope 
 before them, on which the snow was frozen harder 
 than elsewhere. 
 
 * You might slip here. Better take my hand 
 till we get down,' said Jack, with a tone of 
 friendly authority, as caretaker ; though there 
 was little danger. 
 
 ' 0, I should run down it, if I were by myself,' 
 said Violet, carelessly ; yet she gave him her 
 hand, and was conscious of a little flutter as 
 she did so. 
 
 * Shall we run down together, then V 
 
 Jack grasped his fair companion's hand tighter 
 as he spoke and set off. Like a couple of children
 
 DRIFTING. 153 
 
 tliey raced down the slope, inspired by a spirit 
 of fun, while the terrier rushed ahead and round 
 them, in frantic delight, getting in the way in a 
 most inconvenient manner. At the foot of the 
 slope they paused to laugh and look at each 
 other. 
 
 Jack thought that he had never before seen 
 Violet looking so lovely. In truth, she was not 
 lovely ; her features being too irregular, even 
 faulty, to deserve any such high praise. But 
 then it was her especial charm that, after being- 
 some time in her society (and how often he had 
 been so !), one grew to believe her quite 
 beautiful, simply from her fascination of manner. 
 And besides her brown hair waved upwards so 
 prettily under her hat; the little curls that 
 showed above her boa seeming golden-tipped. 
 Her eyes shone with such brightness, sendiug 
 their beams straight, it seemed, into Jack's very 
 heart ; and the flush of exercise on her checks 
 was so bewitching that he felt quite foolish, 
 and 
 
 * Shall we walk on V murmured Violet, draw- 
 ing away her hand. Only then Jack became
 
 154 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 conscious he had been'standing still and holding 
 it, as he gazed at the girl. 
 
 With slow, almost lingering steps, they Avent 
 on side by side, till an opening in the trees 
 showed Forde Manor-house, standing square 
 and solid, with its brick walls and stone facings, 
 showing a ruddy, weather-toned, red and white 
 visage, between its neighbouring sombre cedars. 
 
 ' What a dear old place it is !' escaped almost 
 unawares from Ramsay's hps. 'I can well 
 imagine that you would not easily give up its 
 possession for everything else you might be 
 offered.' 
 
 'Not easily,' answered the girl, low. 'And 
 perhaps not for any thing. But I think that one's 
 happiness depends more upon people than places 
 after all.' 
 
 She spoke slowly, almost hesitatingly, yet the 
 slight emphasis on the word any tiling was un- 
 mistakable, and made Jack start with a sudden 
 tremor. Could it be ? — Did she mean, that, for 
 the sake of any one, she would renounce all this 
 fair heritage, and content herself with the little
 
 DRIFTING. 155 
 
 income left her by the late squire in such an 
 event ? Jack could hardly believe his ears ; his 
 brain seemed to be partly stunned at the new 
 overpowering idea. 
 
 They had come, meanwhile, to a lovely bit of 
 park scenery. A hig-h steep slope, covered with 
 snow, rose to the edge of a hanging wood, that 
 was fringed with a winter glory of mahonia 
 turned to every shade betwixt yellow and 
 russet, and shining-leaved hollies, bearing proud- 
 ly aloft their bunches of crimson berries. The 
 trees above formed a haze of brown, dehcate 
 twig-tracery, while some dead leaves, still hang- 
 ing to the branches in this sheltered spot, gave 
 a warm dull-red tone to the wood, contrasting 
 beautifully with the pure white mantle of snow 
 that lay on the expanse of park beneath, dotted 
 here and there with clumps of rhododendrons, 
 the massive tops of Avhich were likewise thickly 
 frosted over. 
 
 The drive wound at a little distance through 
 the park, emerging from another and lower 
 wood under the hill.
 
 156 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 * What beautiful winter foliage ! I must try 
 to get some of tliose leaves to put in my great 
 china bowl in the hall,' exclaimed Violet. 
 
 ' Wait here, and let me go up for you. What 
 is the use of having a slave, and not making him 
 do your bidding ? Besides, you might slip.' 
 
 ' Why should I ? That is so like a man, to 
 imagine a woman cannot even keep her footing 
 without the help of your superior sex,' laughed 
 Violet, rather coquettishly, and she bravely pro- 
 ceeded to scale the bank. But it was steeper 
 than she reckoned, and at a specially slippery 
 spot half-way up she was soon obliged to avail 
 herself, first of Jack's proffered stick, and then of 
 his hand. 
 
 Jack gave a little exulting laugh, and looked 
 down at her with a glance of protecting fondness 
 that sent a warmer flush leaping into Violet's 
 cheeks. It was so sweet to be taken care of 
 like that; and she knew, by Jack's look, it was 
 as sweet to him to take care of her. Hand-in- 
 hand, they mounted to the top, and steadied 
 themselves on the very steepest place under the 
 hollies.
 
 DRIFTING. 157 
 
 * I must gather them myself,' Violet declared, 
 with femiuine wilfulness. 
 
 " Then you must take hold of my arm. I 
 insist upou it. This is really as bad as Alpine 
 climbing. I ought to have brought out an ice- 
 axe and cut steps for you up here, if I had 
 guessed you would be so foolhardy,' Jack replied 
 gravely, looking very determined. 
 
 Violet meekly obeyed. It was a new feeling, 
 and she rather marvelled at it. 
 
 A few sprigs of holly were broken off care- 
 fully, then Violet essayed a branch much higher 
 than the others. 
 
 'Do you think I could get this one?' she 
 questioned, with one arm stretched as high as 
 she could possibly reach, and her fingers pausing 
 on the twig while she looked at Jack, awaiting 
 his answer. 
 
 She was so pretty with her sweet grey eyes 
 turned so confidingly up towards his face ; she 
 was so dangerously near. Jack's pulses beat 
 fast. He pressed her arm closer to his side with 
 a stifled utterance. He answered her look with 
 another shining one that seemed to dart down to
 
 158 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 the very depths of her clear soul, with such a 
 sudden happy light, as it were, that Violet 
 started a little in maiden shyness. Cr-ack! . . . 
 She broke off the high branch Avith a great 
 effort, in sudden haste to break at the same time 
 the awkwardness of the situation. 
 
 But, unhappily — even as the branch snapped 
 — poor Violet lost her balance. She made a 
 desperate effort to steady herself by clutching 
 at Jack's friendly support, from which she had 
 involuntaril}^ loosed her grasp. His feet, alas ! 
 slipped also at that instant, just as he tried to 
 get a better hold in the frozen snow, that was 
 like a boy's slide in its treacherous slipperiness. 
 Next instant, both found themselves ignomin- 
 iously descending the bank much quicker than 
 they had come up, and catching wildly, but in 
 vain, at any jDrojecting portions of earth or 
 brambles to stay their progress. At the foot of 
 the slope both picked themselves up rather 
 breathless, and looked with immense discomfiture 
 at each other, then burst into a fit of laughter ; 
 while Crab barked vociferously, as much as to 
 say he quite understood the joke.
 
 DRIFTING. 159 
 
 Jack's coat had caught on a tough, broken 
 root, midway, which had held him fast a second, 
 but then set him free after inflicting a rent right 
 up to his shoulders. 
 
 Violet had escaped with lesser but similar 
 marks of defeat, and she had slightly bruised 
 her foot. 
 
 As they stood thus, still shaking with mirth 
 at their sorry plight, both became aware 
 of the sound of wheels in the drive ; and soon 
 Mrs. Blather wick's voice was heard, calling 
 out, 
 
 ' Miss Yy-vian ! Captain Ramsay ! Goodness 
 gracious, are you hurt ? How did you liappen 
 to fall down there ? AVe saw you both when 
 you were rolling half-way down. My ! — what a 
 fright I got.' 
 
 * Thank goodness ! then she did not see us 
 before P thought Violet, as she limped forward, 
 and blessed in her heart the intervening trees 
 which had screened them from the visitor's 
 gaze. 
 
 ' But you must let me drive you back, and 
 Billy will walk. You are a little lame — my
 
 160 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 dear Miss Vyvian, you must allow me to recom- 
 mend you a cold bandage at once, and not to 
 stand about on that foot ' 
 
 ' Come,' interrupted Billy, lier spouse, with a 
 good-humoured growl ; ' you are keeping Miss 
 Yyvian yourself with all this chatter ;' and he 
 insisted on Violet taking his place. 
 
 ' Such an hour for me to call !' went on Mrs. 
 Blatherwick, with rather obsequious apology. 
 ' But indeed — though it seems quite providen- 
 tial in a way — we did not mean to go in ; that 
 is so familiar, I always think, in the morning. 
 But I brought over a little offering — only some 
 real guava jelly that Billy had sent to him by a 
 West-Indian friend. I hoped you would not 
 mind the liberty — it is so hard to get it good in 
 England.' 
 
 Then, delighted that Violet pleasantly ex- 
 pressed her thanks, Mrs. Blatherwick felt em- 
 boldened to continue, with a little confidential 
 laugh, 
 
 ' We saw you both ever so long ago, my dear, 
 standing on the hill above Littleforde. Quite a 
 romantic little picture you made, as I said to
 
 DRIFTING. 161 
 
 Billy. But I hope Mrs. O'Brien, your chaperon, 
 Tvon't scold you V 
 
 * Why should she ? She is with me as my 
 friend, not my keeper. I do not hold that I 
 am responsible for my actions to anyone but 
 myself,' returned Violet, sweetly, but with a 
 gentle haughtiness not lost upon the visitor. 
 
 * There ! I've nearly put my foot into it,' 
 thought the latter. 'How Billy would scold 
 me if he knew ; just when I have such a lovely 
 chance of making friends with the girl, too ! 
 Catch me chaff her again about Captain Bam- 
 say ! It's a case, I'm sure — and she can't take 
 him, of course.' 
 
 Mrs. Blatherwick was very anxious to be on 
 more intimate terms with Violet, who was, as 
 the lady expressed it, a ' cut above her,' and 
 belonging to the best set of the old county 
 families, some of whom rather cold-shouldered 
 the colonial lady. 
 
 Trj'ing her utmost to repair her fault, the 
 really good-natured little woman succeeded so 
 well in making herself agreeable that Violet 
 asked them both to stay on for lunch, to see the 
 
 VOL. I. M
 
 162 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 palm-house, and afterwards have a game of bil- 
 Kards. Jack stayed too ; Rufus having gleefully- 
 fitted him with a coat that was decidedly loose 
 and undeniably shabby, its worthy owner being 
 far from as particular in his dress as its present 
 wearer. 
 
 * Doesn't he look a fine man in it, now, ladies? 
 Faith, Ramsay, I'm only afraid you'll be want- 
 ing to borrow a portmanteau from me as well,' 
 cried O'Brien, with a significant wink, as he 
 surveyed the appearance of his friend. 
 
 'I am afraid Violet has been a little hoy- 
 denish this morning. You know, that is her 
 chief temptation in her situation ; so I do trust 
 you will not encourage her in any more escap- 
 ades,' murmured Kate O'Brien, presently, in 
 Jack's ear, as she swept round the billiard-table 
 with a queenly air. 
 
 'What? In falling from slippery places? 
 Certainly not — I mean to avoid them myself in 
 future, Mrs. O'Brien, if I can,' promptly re- 
 turned Jack, feeling secretly annoyed, but 
 successfully disguising it. ' Your ball is spot, 
 I believe ; on the opposite side, there.'
 
 DRIFTING. 163 
 
 'Ah, I thought it was the white one,' said 
 Kate, carelessly, aloud. Then, in a quick, re- 
 proachful whisper : * You have hardly spoken a 
 word to me. What is the reason ? Are you 
 angry with nie V 
 
 * No reason at all ; only one must try to be 
 generally agreeable to a hostess and her guests, 
 I suppose. By-the-way, where is your friend, 
 Cyril Vyvian, gone?' 
 
 'I neither know nor care. Why do you 
 always vex me about him ? Yon^ at least, have 
 no right to be jealous of 1dm, poor fellow. And, 
 as to your duty to your hostess, it seems to 
 me you had sufficient opportunity to pay it 
 this morning. It is not kind to remind me 
 that I am only a nonentity in this house.' 
 
 Jack inwardly sighed, even while his com- 
 panion's gi-eat, lustrous eyes burned upon him. 
 He tried to soothe Mrs. O'Brien's offended feel- 
 ings by some vague compliments. He was too 
 angry with her to do more, and was bitterly 
 aware he dared not approach Violet much while 
 that jealous gaze was upon him. At last lie 
 found his chance, when they gathered, towards 
 
 m2
 
 164 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 five o'clock, in the wainscoted hall, where the 
 leaping flames of a great pile of ash-billets in 
 the wide, old-fashioned fire-place were reflected 
 in the beautiful Queen Anne silver of the tea- 
 table equipage. 
 
 Violet, in a dark-green velvet dress, that 
 became her wonderfully, setting off" her pretty 
 brown hair and fair complexion, had just fin- 
 ished pouring out tea, when Jack at last was able 
 to draw near her. 
 
 'Ah ! Captain Ramsay, now you deserve a 
 cup for yourself. Can you tell me, has everyone 
 else had V 
 
 ' Yes; everyone else has had tea, and buttered 
 toast, and hot cake, and all the rest of it,' in- 
 terrupted Jack. ' You are the only person to 
 whose wants you are not attending at all ; you 
 always come last, I believe.' 
 
 ' Of course. Is it not my duty to look after 
 all my friends and guests first V 
 
 « 0, duty !' murmured Jack, in a dis- 
 gusted tone ; then, persuasively, ' Are you not 
 tired, now, of your constant duties ? You once 
 told me you were sometimes. 1 am ! No one
 
 DRIFTING. 1 65 
 
 can ever get a word with you, with all these 
 people about, except by chance. Could we not 
 all run up to town for a few days, and have a 
 good time ? Come ; say you will.' 
 
 'It would be delightful,' answered Violet, 
 nervously playing with the tea-cups; and, 
 though she spoke hesitatingly, her eyes were 
 sparkling. 
 
 ' What are you two plotting together V asked 
 Kate, approaching with her empty tea-cup, and 
 passing one arm round Violet's waist. 
 
 * Something I was just wanting you to back 
 me up in,' replied Jack, with mendacious effront- 
 ery. ' I was telling Miss Vyvian that, as the 
 horses are idle in the stables ; and the hounds in 
 the kennel ; and the weather abominable ; why 
 should we not all go up to town for a dance, or 
 to some theatres ? You will be on my side, Mrs. 
 O'Brien, I am sure.' 
 
 ' It would be delightful,' replied Kate, decid- 
 edly ; and her eyes sparkled, too.
 
 166 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 AT THE NEW CLUB. 
 
 Curiously enough, though Violet had been 
 slow to accede to the London plan, no sooner 
 had Mrs. O'Brien declared for it, than the girl 
 became the more eager of the two. Meanwhile, 
 her handsome duenna, in a few hours, began 
 decidedly to cool. 
 
 Violet — who had sent an urgent message that 
 Margaret Beaumont 7nust join them, which Jack 
 undertook to convey, promising to ensure its 
 success — was quite distressed that night on 
 finding Kate seated moodily alone in her boudoir. 
 Hardly deigning to look up, the latter said, 
 with an evident thunder-cloud hanging over 
 her dark brows,
 
 AT THE NEW CLUB. 167 
 
 'As you have Mrs. Beaumont to go with you 
 to town, Violet, she will be quite a sufficient 
 chaperon without me. I have been talking to 
 Rufus, and think, on the whole, I had better 
 stay behind.' 
 
 'But, Kate, why not? It will not be the 
 same thing, at all, if you don't come,' cried 
 Violet, affectionately, in dismay. ' What is the 
 matter ? Why, you seemed so keen about it, 
 at first.' 
 
 ' The matter is, only — that I have no clothes. 
 You don't wish me to disgrace your party, I 
 suppose ? but of course I cannot vie with an 
 heiress, or a lucky widow, like you and Mrs. 
 Beaumont, in the matter of dress.' 
 
 ' My dear Kate, you must be joking. Why, 
 there is your black dress you wore with poin- 
 settias, and that you looked so splendid in the 
 other night, as Cyril said. And your white 
 satin, and ' expostulated Violet, laughing. 
 
 ' Thank you !' interrupted Mrs. O'Brien, vehe- 
 mently, almost angrily. ' You are as bad as 
 Rufus, who, whenever I complain, only says, 
 '' Well, my dear, if you haven't a rag to put on
 
 168 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 your back, as you say, still in my opinion you are 
 the best-dressed woman I see in any room." It 
 is so stingy of him. He doesn't care ; but I vow 
 I will not go in those shabby old gowns ! They 
 are utterly dowdy.' Kate wiped her eyes; then 
 added, more gently, ' There, dear ; don't mind 
 my little worries. Go and enjoy yourselves in 
 town. I am only a poor earthen pot, who has 
 no right to try to sail down-stream along with 
 the iron ones.' 
 
 ' Nonsense, dear Kate ; don't talk like that. Of 
 course we could never enjoy ourselves without 
 you. 0, you must come. And, as for the dresses, 
 let me help in that httle difficult3^ We will pay a 
 visit to Madame Blanche the first thing,' was 
 Violet's gay rejoinder, who was really touched 
 by Kate's affliction, and believed her friend was 
 firmly resolved to keep her word. 
 
 Kate held back from accepting this generous 
 offer, but Violet insisted. At last, with warm- 
 est assurances of gratitude, Mrs. O'Brien allowed 
 herself to be persuaded, and her young hostess 
 left triumphant. 
 
 * Poor Kate !' was Violet's reflection as she
 
 AT THE NEW CLUB. 169 
 
 went somewhat slowly to her own room. ' lu 
 her place, 1 think I should try to be more eco- 
 nomical for poor Rufus' sake. Her dresses are 
 really quite good — ^but there ! she can't help her 
 nature, and she is miserable unless she is better 
 dressed than any of us. Heigho ! we all have 
 our faults.' 
 
 Then Violet turned to happier thoughts, and 
 remembering Jack's whisper, ' One never can 
 get a word with you, except by chance/ began 
 dreaming of what it would be like in town with 
 Mm. 0, pleasures of hope ! how they rival 
 pleasures of memory. 
 
 ' After all,' said Kate, confidentially, next day 
 to Miss Vyvian, as all the party stood collected 
 at the little Forde station, awaiting the up-train, 
 ' after all, dear, I am very glad I agreed to come 
 with you. People might have gossiped down 
 here, you know, if you had gone up with Mrs. 
 Beaumont alone, and her cousin.' 
 
 ' I should pay no attention to that sort of non- 
 sense,' was Violet's answer, given carelessly; but 
 she felt secretly vexed. 
 
 They all made the most of their time. Kate
 
 170 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 got her dresses, and then Violet felt half obliged, 
 half urged thereto by Madame Blanche, to treat 
 herself likewise ; ' not to look less smart than 
 her friend,' said the dressmaker; 'to please 
 Jack's eyes,' thought Violet herself. 
 
 They went to Kempton ; to the winter ex- 
 hibitions ; and each night, after dining together, 
 to the theatre. Jack had made up the party 
 to six, by introducing a friend. This was Major 
 Ball, an ex-hussar and a jovial, horsey little 
 man, who instantly succumbed toKate's charms 
 and left Ramsay more free to be with the fair 
 girl he most cared for. And yet, after all, Jack 
 had not such good luck as he had expected. At 
 dinner general fun and talk across their little 
 table naturally took place, with only their party 
 of half-a-dozen. At theatres he had more 
 chance. Yet, even there, Kate always con- 
 trived he should sit between herself and Violet ; 
 and how could a man hazard any very tender 
 remark or compliment to one girl with the 
 great ostrich fan of her jealous friend always 
 waving close to his ear, and Kate's laugh of high 
 animal spirits, and her rich, rather loud voice,
 
 AT THE NEW CLUB. 171 
 
 claiming his attention every other minute, while 
 her dark eyes flashed every now and then round 
 searchingly upon him. 
 
 One night ' Rip van Winkle ' was revived, 
 and they went to see it. 
 
 * You are very quiet this evening,' Jack pre- 
 sently contrived to say to Violet unheard. ' You 
 look even sad.' 
 
 *Do I? See how honest I am. This play 
 does make me a little sad, I confess. One can't 
 help thinking how many Rip van AVinkles there 
 are in life who come back and dont find tilings 
 as they were.' 
 
 *Yes. It has a peculiar significance for a 
 soldier,' answered Jack, low. ' If I were to go 
 to India (which is pretty much the same thing as 
 being lost in sleep, or otherwise, to all those I care 
 for), I wonder tt'/irt^ changes 1 should find among 
 my friends?' 
 
 ' None in me. I should remain the same,' 
 Violet answered, very low. Then, after a 
 moment or two of silence, during which she 
 seemed to divine that her words had sunk deep 
 into Jack's mind, she added louder, rousing
 
 172 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 herself to mirthfulness again, ' Only, most likely, 
 I should be a trifle stouter, and heavier in the 
 saddle. Will it look well, I wonder, to see 
 Violet Vyvian, M.F.H. of the Marshwood Vale 
 Hounds, still, when she is a grey-haired, old 
 maid V 
 
 * It is not necessary to assume you will be 
 that. You may marry.' 
 
 ' It is more than unlikely, unless No ! 
 
 If you go away, you will find me Violet Vyvian 
 still when you return.' 
 
 They were interrupted at that moment by 
 Major Ball, who eagerly announced, 
 
 * Do listen to the piece now. Miss Vyvian. 
 There is such an awfully touching part coming.' 
 
 Violet never heard the answer that was trem- 
 bling on Jack's lips, which would have touched 
 her infinitely more than any words of the play. 
 He had no opportunity of finding out what she 
 
 meant by that word, ' unless ,' she had so 
 
 quickly broken ofi*. Did it mean unless a better 
 man than Lord Guisard appeared ? Or could it 
 be that she meant, unless she decided to give up 
 home and fortune, all but a mere fi.ve hundred
 
 AT THE NEW CLUB. 173 
 
 a-year, for the sake of some man she should love 
 better than house or lands ? The word haunted 
 him. 
 
 On the Wednesday night, after they had been 
 almost a week in town, news came that the 
 frost was nearly gone. But Jack urged them 
 all so strongly to stay for a dance at the New 
 Club, of which he was a member, that they con- 
 sented, not unwillingly. 
 
 A good many guests had already arrived, as 
 Ramsay escorted his party through the hall and 
 downstau's into the ball-room. 
 
 * How pretty I' exclaimed Violet, looking at 
 the polished parquet that replaced what must 
 have been a veiy different scene in the days 
 of Evans', and at the Oriental-looking galleries 
 overhead. ' x\nd what a delicious floor ! I am 
 longing for a dance.' 
 
 'Come now, then ; and let me have this fii'st 
 Avaltz,' said Jack ; as the orchestra on the stage, 
 with its pretty drop-scene of Indian juugle, 
 began the strains of Strauss's last, best waltz. 
 
 Several pairs of eyes followed them admir- 
 ingly, as they glided over the floor that was
 
 174 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 smooth as glass. Violet was looking her very 
 best ill an exquisite dress of clouds of pale 
 terra-cotta tulle, caught here and there with 
 bunches of shaded azaleas, her chief ornament 
 being a heavy diamond snake round her 
 neck. She had a very graceful neck, which, 
 with the pretty droop of her wonderfully white 
 shoulders, was one of her chief charms. 
 
 Mrs. O'Brien watched them with a strange, 
 fixed, almost glassy look in her dark eyes ; a 
 little line came between her brows, and a 
 faintly redder tinge to her cheeks. Then she 
 turned to Major Ball, who was waiting for her, 
 looking very like an expectant terrier watching 
 for a playmate to throw a stone, or begin a 
 game of romps, and away they started, too. 
 Kufus and Margaret Beaumont, who were 
 ' taking it easy ' on a sofa under a side-gallery, 
 laughed as they watched the little major bound- 
 ing in energetically in the dance, his coat-tails 
 flying, his short moustache seeming to bristle, 
 and his snub-nose to rise and expand with ex- 
 hilaration. Kate was looking superb in a white 
 dress with heavy embroideries, and three large
 
 AT THE NEW CLUB. 175 
 
 diamond stars in her dark hair. These were 
 Vyvian jewels, lent her by Violet, who did not 
 like her fiiend to be less fine than herself. 
 
 'You are looking grand to-night. Upon my 
 Avord you are — just like a queen among them 
 all. Xot one can hold a candle to you,' uttered 
 the little major, Avith jerky enthusiasm, as they 
 paused. 
 
 Kate smiled, I so sweetly upon him; none 
 could have guessed how bitterly she was think- 
 in 2: in her heart if Jack's voice had said those 
 
 o 
 
 words to her, hovr greedily her ears would have 
 drunk in the compliment. She deceived Jack 
 himself and Violet, who were by chance looking 
 her w^ay at that instant. 
 
 ' Those two seem very happy together, you see ; 
 so you may just as well give me the next dance. 
 What does it matter if we dance a good deal 
 together to-night ? As you said before, you can 
 do as you please in London — the only question 
 is, do you please V 
 
 ' To dance with you ? Of course I do,' softly, 
 yet half-hesitatingly answered Violet, who 
 thought it simply paradisaical, and would have
 
 176 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 most likely clone so even had not Ramsay 
 danced almost as well as he rode. In her heart 
 she was frightened — it was such a pleasure to 
 be with him ! Where would this lead her ? 
 She could not pause to think. She must enjoy 
 herself, be perfectly happy with him this one 
 night. 
 
 Tra-lir-a ! tra-lira-la ! went the music ; on 
 went the dancers. Once, twice, Jack had 
 forced himself to a sense of duty and danced 
 with Kate O'Brien. He had also more gladly 
 taken his cousin Margaret out of her corner, 
 who, he knew, had come to that peacefully 
 discriminating period of life when a woman 
 prefers qualit}^ to quantity in her partners, and 
 gently observes she does care for a little danc- 
 ing, but that it must be good. Kate's simmering 
 jealousy could not be altogether restrained 
 when at last she had J ack to herself. 
 
 ' So you are coming back to hunt with the 
 Marshwood Vale again ? I thought we might 
 perhaps have to say good-bye to you to-mor- 
 row. Captain Ramsay.' 
 
 Jack faced round and met Kate's dark, mean-
 
 AT THE NEW CLUB. 177 
 
 ing glance with his blood immediately wanning 
 lip. 
 
 ' I am coming down again, most certainly. 
 Have you any objection, Mrs. O'Brien ? Don't 
 you know 1 always meant to come V 
 
 'How could / have any objection?' mur- 
 mured Kate, wdth a soft, slow glance from 
 which Jack turned away his own, and a low 
 sigh he feigned not to hear. * I thought we 
 were too great friends for you to ask me that. 
 No . . . only I feared something might have 
 prevented you — and, believe me, I should be so 
 son-y in that case ; very, very sony.' 
 
 ' It is too kind of you to express so much 
 regret at a mythical case,' returned Jack, with 
 a not very pleasant ring of voice. He knew 
 well enough w^iat she meant : that he might 
 propose, and would be refused this night by 
 Violet ; then good-bye to Marshwood Vale. 
 ' Shall we take another turn V 
 
 ' He is further gone than I feared,' thought 
 
 Kate, in her heart ; and, though she generally 
 
 danced well, her feet seemed to lag under lier 
 
 as if weighted with lead. Then again, as she 
 
 VOL. I. N
 
 178 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 felt Jack's arm round her waist and his breath 
 at times on her cheek — ' He has not spoken to 
 her yet. I must be cautious, but I icill stop 
 him. He shall not put me aside for her.' No 
 thought of poor Violet's generosity, the costly 
 gown on Kate's back, the diamonds in her 
 hair, softened the latter's wrathful resolve. Even 
 at the same moment. Jack was as hotly declar- 
 ing within himself, 
 
 * She wants to put me off. By heavens ! I 
 won't delay any longer. I will speak to Violet 
 this very evening.' 
 
 Strange that two people should be so near, 
 and yet no intimation of the opposing thoughts 
 in the minds of either be perceived by the 
 other. Perhaps in a better sphere thought may 
 be divined without its medium (too often its 
 mask) of speech. What true and good thoughts 
 they would needs be, not to bo disowned or 
 repented of! 
 
 It was some little time before Jack Ramsay 
 was able to get another dance from Violet, to 
 whom Major Ball had introduced several men 
 with impulsive kind-heartedness, jerkily assur-
 
 AT THE NEW CLUB. 179 
 
 ing her, almost before they had got out of 
 earshot, that they were 'tremendously goue.' 
 Jack felt incHned to swear inwardly at his 
 officious friend ; as it was, he grumbled between 
 his teeth, ' What did you do that for?' 
 
 * Why, my dear felloAV, girls like, I tell you, 
 to know all the best men in a room. Mrs. 
 O'Brien asked me if I didn't know young 
 Ermine and some others. Sbe confided in me 
 they both could not dance all night with you 
 and me — don't see why not, myself; and so I 
 told her.' 
 
 ' All right,' curtly nodded Jack. As Ermine 
 was a prospective peer, though only a big, 
 gmooth-faced youth as yet, his feelings were 
 hardly mollified towards Kate. Nevertheless, 
 he asked her to dance again, ' to get it over,' he 
 mentally settled ; then Violet should be his part- 
 ner for the rest of the precious remaining time. 
 j\Irs. O'Brien beamed upon him. Her words were 
 as honey, her smiles ought to have melted any 
 man's anger. They did seem to affect Jack's 
 brain : he grew confused, and weaker in his 
 distrust. 
 
 N 2
 
 180 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 ' You are not vexed with me, for any little 
 hint I dropped just now,' Kate ventured at last 
 to murmur, feeling more sure of him. ' Believe 
 me, that with all my heart and soul I would do, 
 and even suffer, anything that would help your 
 happiness. Trust me ! — tell me, can I help 
 
 itr 
 
 She had dared too much. Jack started, for 
 that passionate declaration might be taken two 
 ways. He was on his guard again, and replied, 
 laughing with forced carelessness, 
 
 ' I don't need your help at present, but many 
 thanks for kind intentions, all the same. AVhen I 
 do want it, Mrs. O'Brien, you may be sure I shall 
 come for it.' (' And that day will be far off!' he 
 added, in his heart.) 
 
 At last — at last Jack's patience was rewarded. 
 Violet was once more his partner. After a turn 
 or two, Ramsay stopped abruptly. 
 
 <Have you danced enough? Shall we go 
 upstairs and sit this out V 
 
 Violet assented, with a sudden consciousness 
 that something was coming, and her heart 
 suddenly fluttered like a little startled bird with-
 
 AT THE NEW CLUB. 181 
 
 in her. They had paused near one of the cun- 
 ning, small, winding stairs, leading from either 
 end of the ball-room to the galleries above. 
 Mutely both young people went up it, after each 
 other, feeling as solemn as never before in their 
 lives. The awful thought was pressing on 
 Jack's mind, how terribly much he was going 
 to ask this pure young girl to give up for his 
 sake. Violet, on her part, was inspired with that 
 enthusiasm of self-sacrifice which will make a 
 woman dehght in proving the greatness of her 
 attachment to the man she loves. Yet she 
 knew at the same time it ivas much, very much, 
 she must renounce for his sake — and she was, 
 let it be owned, a little sorry. 
 
 They sat down in two, low, wicker chairs by 
 a little table, but their eyes were fixed on the 
 floor, not on the dancers in the hall below. 
 
 For a few minutes Jack could not utter a 
 word. Violet sat silent likewise, and played 
 nervously with her fan. She knew, now, the 
 decisive moment was coming. The silence was 
 intensely trying to them both. 
 
 At last Jack pulled himself together, and
 
 182 
 
 lookecl straight with his true, dark-grej eyes, at 
 the girl he loved. 
 
 ' Miss Vyvian, you said something this evening 
 about your not marrying, unless * 
 
 * Yes. I remember,' was the almost voiceless 
 answer. 
 
 ' Will you tell me what you meant V Jack 
 
 had bent forward in his intense earnestness, his 
 glance striving to read Violet's soul. Up 
 popped a dark head, crowned with three dia- 
 mond stars, close beside them. 
 
 ' Dear me, this is as bad as what do you call 
 it — a ship's companion,' exclaimed Mrs. O'Brien's 
 voice, with much gaiety. ' And, I declare, here 
 are two other companions ! You both look as 
 solemn as a pair of owls. Are you hungry for 
 supper. Captain Ramsay ; for 1 am, I must 
 honestly confess.' 
 
 ' If you can exist till the end of this dance,' 
 repHed Jack, grimly, to the beautiful vision that 
 stood over him, ' I shall be happy to do my duties 
 as host.' 
 
 ' Very well I Major Ball, we must be patient. 
 Here are two nice chairs close by. Have a
 
 AT THE NEW CLUB. 183 
 
 cigarette if you like. I love to do at Rome aR 
 the Romans do. Would it be correct for me to 
 smoke myself in this dehghtfully free-aud-easy 
 place, I wonder.' 
 
 Thereupon the littl'j major cheerfully lit up, 
 and added some more delicate fumes to the 
 occasional odour of cigars around. 
 
 ' Might we not as well go down to supper, 
 Captain Ramsay V "whispered Violet, presently, 
 feeling that any change would now be prefer- 
 able to this proximity of their too-kind fneuds. 
 
 Jack agreed glumly enough ; he saw there 
 was no more chance for him that night. 
 
 * Quite a dainty little feed for old thingamy- 
 jig, wdiat-d'ye-call-him ? — Lucullus,' observed 
 Major Ball gaily, as the Heidseick sparkled in 
 their glasses. * And ain't we a lively little party t' 
 * ! we are,' uttered Rufus warmly, with a comic 
 glance at his neighbour's minute proportions. 
 Yes ! they were all very gay. And, beyond the 
 rest. Jack and Violet strove to show quite 
 especial exhilaration. Unfortunately, the effort 
 did not prevent Mrs. Beaumont from saying, 
 with swert deuseuess.
 
 184 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 * Violet, you are tired, dear. You look quite 
 pale. Do let us go home, now, after supper.' 
 And, as Mrs. O'Brien agreed very decidedly, 
 the party broke up in spite of Violet's faint 
 protestations. 
 
 Next morning early, they all went down 
 together to the Forde station again.
 
 185 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 *it's for you.' 
 
 After the iuterruption of the frost, and the 
 diversion of going to London, 'business,' as 
 Rufus O'Brien termed it, began again at Forde. 
 Which is to say that hunting was resumed, and 
 pursued steadily three days a week with un- 
 flagging zeal, not only by their fair M.F.H., 
 but by almost all the members of tlie Marsh- 
 wood Vale Hunt ; certainly by those who 
 stabled their horses at the great house of Forde 
 ^lanor, or the smaller whitewashed one of 
 Littlefordc nestling under the shelter of its big 
 neighbour. 
 
 Jack Ramsay had more than ever, on return-
 
 186 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 iDg, dropped into an accustomed place among 
 them all. He was of a very domestic nature ; 
 and having had no real home of his own for 
 some years, no mother now to rejoice in her 
 boy's return, no sister to alternately pet and 
 scold him, and likewise be loftily ' looked after ' 
 by his superior self — for his only and dearly- 
 loved one was wooed and married, and off to a 
 far distant land — he attached himself all the 
 more warmly to Margaret, his cousin, and little 
 Dolly. They suppHed the home affection ; and 
 up yonder, beyond the park woods, was the 
 object of his deepest man's love. What more 
 could he want ? 
 
 Violet was busy writing to her agent one 
 afternoon, full of the pious feeling that * virtue 
 is its own reward.' She hated writing at that 
 particular time. Jack Ramsay had just come 
 up for a game of tennis on the as^Dhalte court, 
 and she could hear his voice and Kate O'Brien's 
 higher tones ringing through the open window 
 as they were having a grand rally. 
 
 Violet would have given a good deal to be 
 out with them ; but ' duty is dutT/,' as she said to
 
 ' it's FOR YOU.' 187 
 
 herself, with a disgusted wrinkle of her nose, 
 wishing that she could truthfully feel ' duty is 
 pleasure.' Her letter was about a sudden 
 matter of some importance, on which she was 
 obliged to consult her man of business, and the 
 post was soon going out. 
 
 'Lord Guisard,' a servant announced, throw^ 
 ing open the door. 
 
 Violet was obliged to rise and play the 
 hostess, with an apologetic explanation. 
 
 * Will you not join the tennis-party outside i 
 you will find Mrs. O'Brien there, and I am cer- 
 tain she will be charmed to have you as a 
 partner,' said the girl, sweetly. * Unfortunately, 
 for a few minutes longer, I must make use of 
 my pen, instead of brandishing a tennis-bat.' 
 
 * I'd rather wait for you. I don't want Mrs. 
 O'Brien for a partner. I'll sit here,' said his 
 lordship, gi'uffly ; he had one of those voices 
 that never attempt the least pleasant change of 
 intonation, but always emit just the same 
 monotonous note-. 
 
 ' I never knew a man put so many I's into 
 his sentences,' thought Violet, resuming her
 
 188 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 writing. But her train of elaborate instructions 
 was disturbed. There was a certain air of 
 solemnity about the visitor, and an emphasis in his 
 words that gave Miss Vyvian an uncomfortable 
 presentiment ; and presently, after some hesitat- 
 ing thought, she glanced cautiously round at her 
 noble guest. He was lolling in a deep arm- 
 chair, and having taken out a costly ' Thornhill ' 
 pocket-knife was engaged in whittling a wart 
 on his left hand. 
 
 Violet returned to her letter, and slowly 
 finished a paragraph. Lord Guisard, with a 
 great yawn, had turned on his other side, and 
 was jingling all the loose coin in his pocket, 
 looking particularly fat and ungraceful as he 
 did so. 
 
 *He is a perfect Tom Tiddler's ground- 
 wants to make me remember how rich he is,' 
 thought our heiress, with fine scorn. 
 
 A Httle more business-letter. The guest was 
 now admiring a row of thick gold rings on his 
 fat fingers. They were so many that the famed 
 Lady of Banbury Cross could hardly have 
 roused envy in his bosom; indeed, they so
 
 189 
 
 covered the joints of bis podgy digits that these 
 stuck somewhat stiffly out. Next an eighty- 
 guinea watch was taken forth, opened, ex- 
 amined, snapped, turned over and over. 
 
 ' I bother the man. If be were to sit for 
 half-an-hour a day for a week in my sitting- 
 room, I should go perfectly crazy before 
 Sunday,' thought Miss Vyvian. And if ever 
 any faintest suggestions, months ago, as to the 
 possibility of fulfilling her dear, whimsical, old 
 father's wishes by marrying Lord Guisard had 
 crossed her mind, the present experience of such 
 a companion would most rapidly have dispelled 
 them. 
 
 There! Thank goodness the signature wa& 
 dashed off, the envelope fastened. One last 
 peep out of the * tail ' of Violet's eyes. The 
 elaborate pocket-knife was once more in re- 
 quest, and his lordship's wart receiving fresh 
 attention. 
 
 Violet rose with an air of l^risk determina- 
 tion, and rang the bell, giving her letter to a 
 servant. 
 
 * And now, Lord Guisard, sliall we come out
 
 190 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 and join the rest ? You would like a game of 
 tennis, I knoAv.' 
 
 ' Then you know all wrong. I don't care for 
 either Captain Ramsay or Mrs. O'Brien,' re- 
 turned his lordship, with that engaging candour 
 for which he was famous, especially towards 
 ladies. In men's society he was of a silent 
 turn, some said sullen. Suddenly he remem- 
 bered that after lunch his mother, when send- 
 ing him out to victory, had warned him to lose 
 no time in cutting out that young soldier in 
 Violet's favour, but ' not to show any jealousy.' 
 And, whatever his other faults, Guisard had a 
 profound respect for that terrible old lady ; 
 and considerable belief in her sagacity. So he 
 graciously added, 
 
 ' I don't mind that gunner. He's not a bad 
 fellow, I think ; but I did not come here to visit 
 Mrs. O'Brien. My mother says she is a person 
 she does not like, at all.' 
 
 ' Indeed V ejaculated Violet ; so taken 
 
 aback at this sudden attack on her friend and 
 chaperon, she found nothing else to say.
 
 'it's FOR YOU.' 101 
 
 'No. My mother uever approved of her 
 manners from the first. Now she is very fond 
 of you, and told me to give you her love to- 
 day.' 
 
 ' Really I' (Miss Vyvian was longing to say, 
 * You do me proud!' The corners of her mouth 
 were twitcliing sarcastically, but she refrained. 
 At the same time, Violet did not despise the 
 compliment as coming from the old viscountess. 
 Indeed, she had rather a liking for the bitter- 
 tongued, shrewd, old woman, who was so honest 
 that the girl believed no amount of wealth in 
 a prospective daughter-in-law would have in- 
 duced her to sham the least amount of liking 
 that she did not really feel.) 
 
 ' I am sorry Lady Guisard does not care for 
 my fiiend,' Violet thought it better to add in a 
 light tone, but with a serious expression, * How- 
 ever, as Mrs. O'Brien is my friend, and likely to 
 live with me still a long rime, don't you think 
 we had better drop the subject V 
 
 ' But she can't live with you when you're 
 married. By Jove ! no man would stand that,'
 
 192 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 expostulated his lordship. ' She has such a 
 doosid disagreeable raanner — thiuks herself so 
 awfully clever. ! come — I — I — 1 ' 
 
 ' There is no need to discuss such an event, 
 Lord Guisard/ freezingly. 
 
 ' I don't know that ; I — I don't, upon my 
 word,' responded his lordship, jocularly, fixing 
 his eyeglass, and then staring favourably upon 
 the happy maiden whom he had privately 
 marked as his own. ' Time you had somebody 
 to look after you better than this Irish fellow 
 O'Brien. Fine old name ; no one to come after 
 you ; everybody thinks it's an awful pity.' 
 
 Violet controlled her annoyance and attempted 
 a smile, though it was not a brilliant success. 
 
 * I am afraid it would not quite do. The 
 truth is, Lord Guisard, I am very fond of my 
 own way, so that I prefer being certain of 
 getting it.' 
 
 ' I see. Quite right — I don't blame you. 
 Just what my mother said ; that you've been 
 your own mistress long enough, now, to make 
 you take the bit between your teeth if anyone 
 tried to drive you. I like it — fine spirit.' Then,
 
 •it's for Yor/ 193 
 
 after paimng to take fresh courage, he tried 
 
 another plunge. 
 
 ' Come ; look here, Miss Vv\ian, I"il tell yon 
 what it is, if you won't hang away from the 
 pole too much and will go up t j vonr collar, I 
 think 1 and you would run verT weU in double 
 harness together. I'd hunt the honnds, and we'd 
 send that old driveller Tom HarkhoUer about 
 his business. Lots of fellows like me sell 
 their titles only for tin, but I've lots of that, and 
 a nice girl of good family, as my mother says — ' 
 But the remainder of his sentence was cut 
 short as Violet rose flushing with anger and 
 pride. 
 
 'Lord Guisard,' she said, controUing her 
 feehngs with difficulty, ' what do you mean by 
 speaking to me in this manner? You are 2'oi::^' 
 
 too far ; and presuming in a way -...:-. : 
 
 strange. You forget yourself, my 1 ori." 
 
 * You are angry about your favourite old Tom ; 
 1 might have known it. Well, there, there ; we 
 won t say any more about it. Can't you talk 
 sensibly to a man without flyiog out in that way 
 and kicking over the traces V 
 
 VOL. I. O
 
 194 
 
 His lordship looked so rueful, and there was 
 such a comical element iu the whole incident, 
 that Violet saw only the ludicrous side of the 
 proposal. And, believing that her suitor had 
 accepted his refusal with as good a grace as 
 could be expected of him, she sought at once to 
 soften the blow to his vanity, with her usual 
 good-hearted desire to spare the feelings of all 
 who were brought into contact with herself in 
 daily life. 
 
 So she sat down again with more confidence, 
 saying kindly, 
 
 * Well, Lord Guisard, I will forgive you this 
 time ; but please don't talk any more nonsense to 
 me. I don't suppose you came here merely to 
 pay me empty compliments. Come, tell me 
 all your news, and how is Lady Guisard's 
 rheumatism V 
 
 ' Ah, girl of sense ! Recovered your temper, 
 I'm glad to see. 0, my mother's all right — no, 
 I mean all wrong — but she's quite used to the 
 pain, so I never think about it.' 
 
 Gossey, as he answered, gazed with an ap- 
 proving, bland smile overspreading his fat
 
 ' it's for you.' 195 
 
 features upou his secretly-chosen partner for life. 
 He did not think himself refused, not a bit of it. 
 That unlucky allusion to Tom Harkholler had 
 nearly spoilt the whole affair, but he had cleverly 
 extricated himself, so he considered. Little 
 di'eaming of the honours still condescending- 
 ly held out to her grasp, Violet proceeded 
 absently, 
 
 ' And so you don't care for lawn-tennis ? I am 
 sorry, for I am very fond of it, and was going to 
 propose that we should join the others for a 
 game.' 
 
 Her eyes were overlooking his lint- white poll, 
 gazing to where out yonder, at the end of the 
 tennis-court, she could just see a straight, tall 
 form in white flannels. What a contrast was 
 there ! She roused, with a start, to the con- 
 sciousness that Lord Guisard was progressing 
 along the sofa on which he was sitting and thus 
 approaching the end nearest her (^wn chair ; 
 'galumphing' onwards, as ' AHce in Wonderland' 
 has it, by sidelong movements. 
 
 * I've something to show you — do you like it, 
 eh t' and fumbling with obese struggles in one 
 
 o 2
 
 196 VIOLET YYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 pocket he produced a little leather jewel-case, 
 and opening it displayed a diamond ring. 
 
 ' I am no judge of stones. Your lordship is 
 such a connoisseur in rings, I daresay it is a 
 fine one,' said Violet, coldly ; feeling really ner- 
 vous in her heart, and wishing she was out of the 
 situation. Next moment, to her horror, she 
 found her left hand caught fast, whilst Lord 
 Guisard attempted to put the ring on her fourth 
 finger with heavy gallantry. 
 
 ' It's for you. Engaged finger, you know.' 
 
 Up sprang Violet and tried to free herself in 
 dismay. Lord Guisard, mistaking the action 
 for maiden coyness, still insisted. Then, with an 
 angry sweep of her hand, Violet tore oft' the 
 ring that fell and thence bounded away. 
 
 ' I say, confound it, you've gone and lost it ! 
 It's one of London and Ryder's too, that I got 
 down on approbation,' uttered Guisard, after a 
 moment or two of infuriated silence, growing as 
 red as a turkey-cock. 
 
 'I'm dreadfully sorry. Shall I help you to 
 find it?' apologised Violet, so thankful to see 
 that her suitor must now understand his defeat,
 
 'it's FOR YOU.' 197 
 
 that she would not quarrel with his manner of 
 taking his rejection. 
 
 'It's all you can do, now,' growled the dis- 
 comfited swain. 
 
 Forthwith, Violet went down on her knees, to 
 search in the furthest corner of the room, while 
 Goosey grovelled on hands and knees under a 
 round table, mutteiing, 
 
 ' Cost a hundred and forty-five. Daresay 
 there will be a stone out.' 
 
 The door opened at that moment to admit 
 three radiant people, to wit, Kate O'Brien, Jack, 
 and Rufus. 
 
 'I have won three pairs of gloves, Violet,' 
 cried the first. 
 
 ' Is that letter not finished yet, Miss Vyvian ? 
 
 We've come to insist ' and Jack broke off 
 
 short. 
 
 * Mother of Closes !' muttered Rufus, with a 
 vnde grin, as all three stood gazing at the 
 scene. 
 
 *Lord Guisard has just dropped one of his 
 rings — hero it is ! I've found it,' explained 
 Violet, rising, flushed but triumphant.
 
 198 VIOLET YYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 Kate darted foi-ward to inspect the object of 
 search. 
 
 ' What a sweet ring, but so small ! What 
 little hands you must have, Lord Guisard. I 
 should have thought this only fit for a lady's 
 finger. See ! — it fits mine ;' and she held it up 
 with a provoking air of playful malice. 
 
 * Give it back to me,' growled Goosey, scram- 
 bling up from his plantigrade attitude, and 
 advancing, with extreme alacrity, upon his fair 
 tormentor. 
 
 If scowls could kill, Mrs. O'Brien, as she after- 
 wards declared, would have been slain there 
 and then. As, however, to tease him still further, 
 she persistently gazed with admiring scrutiny 
 at her prize, he promptly snatched the ring 
 himself from her finger. 
 
 Kate gave a little cry of partly mock 
 pain. 
 
 ' Oh — you quite hurt me ! How can you be 
 so violent, Lord Guisard ? Did you imagine I 
 wished to steal your ring V I declare, I would 
 not be your wife for worlds. Indeed, I should 
 think you will find it pretty difficult to get any
 
 'it's FOR YOU.' 199 
 
 girl to many yon, if you maltreat us poor women 
 in this manner.' 
 
 Jack and Rufus, by this time, could hardly 
 keep their countenances ; merely to look at the 
 evidently rejected lover's face was enough to 
 make them almost explode with laughter. 
 
 ' We were just going out to have a game of 
 lawn-tennis with you all ; were we not ? Shall 
 we come now?' put in Violet, coming to the 
 rescue, and looking appealingly at Kate, to 
 stop her sport of live-lord baiting. But Goosey 
 would not be appeased. 
 
 'No, thank you, Miss Vyvian. I believe 1 
 have stayed in this house long enough.' 
 
 And, presenting a limp hand to his hostess, 
 to be touched if she chose to so please herself, 
 while bestowing only a nod and wrathful glance 
 upon the other occupants of the room, on whose 
 faces he detected gleams of their secret mirth, 
 his lordship slouched out of the door. 
 
 Kate fairly clapped her hands. 
 
 * Well, that is the gi'catest treat I have had 
 for ages. I don't know when I have enjoyed 
 anything so much. My dearest Violet, I would
 
 200 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 have given worlds to have seen you give him 
 his conge; it must have been a delicious scene !' 
 
 'I think Miss Vyvian has already wasted 
 more of her afternoon on our friend Guisard 
 than he deserves. Come out now — I have just 
 played three sets with Mrs. O'Brien — won't you 
 play with me, in your turn f interrupted Jack 
 Kamsay, his eyes shining down on Violet with 
 a look in which gladness, approval, fun, but a 
 wish to shield her from all further petty annoy- 
 ance at present were blended. 
 
 ' One suitor off the list,' checked Kate, thought- 
 fully, upon her fingers, as she remained behind.
 
 201 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 TRYING A YOUNG UN. 
 
 The shortest month in the year had nearly sped, 
 and every day the so-called platonic friendship 
 that Jack and Violet had mutually agreed upon 
 was fast merging on either side into a warmer 
 and stronger feeling. 
 
 Seldom a day passed without their meeting. 
 Jack had usually some good excuse for going 
 up to Forde Manor. One day it was to go over 
 the kennels, or see a puppy that had unexpect- 
 edly come in from walk ; another to take Violet 
 a note from Margaret Beaumont ; or, if no other 
 excuse ofifered itself, he wanted to have a smoke 
 and a chat with Rufus.
 
 202 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 Violet, on her part too, was a constant visitor 
 at Littleforde ; village charities, and many other 
 matters in which she and Mrs. Beaumont were 
 equally interested, furnished her with a pretext 
 for visiting that lady ; and so these two drifted 
 on and on — getting to see more and care more 
 for each other than either would have dared to 
 acknowledge — and gradually learning to watch 
 for each other's advent with an eagerness that 
 could hardly be attributed to mere friendship. 
 Yes, it was the old, old story of two beings of 
 opposite sex, with tastes much in common, 
 being more and more attracted towards each 
 other, drifting along the quiet stream of friend- 
 ship out into the deep sea of love, and begin- 
 ning to think life but dreary work when they 
 were separated. 
 
 Almost imperceptibly, during the last fort- 
 night, Violet had got into the way of asking 
 Jack for advice on many points, not only con- 
 nected with the management of her business 
 aifairs, but of her stable. She did not for a 
 moment doubt or mistrust good, honest Rufus. 
 Still, somehow, she always fancied she ' should
 
 TRYING A YOUNG 'UN. 203- 
 
 just like to have Captain Ramsay's opinion,' as 
 she argued with herself. And so Jack had been 
 consulted on more points than one ; and had, on 
 one occasion, been able, through a city friend, 
 to put not only Violet, but Rufus and Mrs. 
 Beaumont, up to an uncommonly good invest- 
 ment, an incident that made Rufus also entertain 
 feelings of gi-atitude towards him and respect 
 his judgment. This, coupled with the senti- 
 ments that Violet as well as Kate felt for Jack, 
 combined to make him a universal favourite at 
 Forde Manor, and, thenceforth, he came to be 
 regarded as one of the community. 
 
 One day Jack had walked up to Forde Manor 
 with a setting of eggs from prize poultry that 
 Violet was particularly anxious to possess, and 
 having handed them over to that young lady, 
 and assisted her in placing them under a hen 
 (not a very congenial occupation for a dashing 
 horse-artilleryman ! — but what will not men do 
 when stricken by the dart of that mischief- 
 loving god, Eros ?) had been asked to stay to 
 lunch ; of which invitation he gladly availed 
 himself.
 
 204 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 Towards the close of that pleasant meal, a 
 footman came in with a message that a farmer 
 had brought over a horse for Violet to see. 
 
 ' Rather late in the season isn't it, Miss Vyvian, 
 to add to your stud V questioned Jack. 
 
 ' Yes, perhaps it is ; but you know I lamed 
 poor old Trumpeter the other day, and I must 
 have something to take his place and finish the 
 season on. Besides, I have seen this horse go- 
 ing very well ; and as Wilford is a tenant of 
 mine, and times are bad, I should be glad to do 
 him a good turn and buy the horse if he suited 
 me,' replied Violet. 
 
 ^ Ah ! you are a model landlord !' laughed 
 Jack, 'and, I presume, hold the opinion that 
 those who want horses ought to buy straight 
 from the breeder, and put into his pocket the 
 dealer's commission ! and a very laudable opinion 
 it is, too.' 
 
 ' Yes,' interrupted Rufus, ' Violet is always 
 right, and I should be glad if Wilford could sell 
 this animal, for he is a real good one and a 
 rare fencer.' 
 
 ' Come along then,' said Violet, rising from
 
 TRYING A YOUNG 'UN. 205 
 
 the table. ' If you all will go and look the 
 horse over, I will just run upstairs, slip on my 
 habit, and meet you in the stable-yard.' 
 
 In a few minutes she joined the rest of the 
 party, who were engaged in critically examin- 
 ing the animal in question — a dark, well-bred 
 four-year-old iron-grey, well up to thirteen 
 stone. He was a fairly-shaped horse, and would, 
 no doubt, in time develop into a good hunter, 
 but, rough and ragged as he was, did not look 
 very attractive. Violet had, however, seen the 
 horse going well in a fast run ; and, moreover, 
 noticed that he was clever as well as temperate 
 at his fences. 
 
 ' Good afternoon, Mr. Wilford,' she remarked, 
 on joining the group. * So you have brought 
 the grey up for me to see? I suppose you 
 won't mind my getting on him and trying him 
 over a few fences V 
 
 ' Lor bless 'ee, no, miss,' returned the jolly 
 farmer. ' Yew can keep 'un and tiy 'un for a 
 week, if yew be so minded — though I du think 
 flv(2 minnuts '11 be enough for yew, miss ; but 
 do 'ee get on 'un, and if yew can put 'un down,
 
 206 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 dang it all ! I'll give 'un to ye,' he added, with 
 emphasis, slapping his thigh. 
 
 Jack and Riifus, who had been examining 
 the horse carefully, having expressed their 
 approval of him, Violet ordered a groom to 
 fetch her saddle. Whilst it was being brought, 
 Jack said, in a low tone, 
 
 * I wish you would let me get on the horge 
 first, ^liss Vyvian, and just see what sort of 
 mouth he has, before you try him ; even if he 
 doesn't quite suit you, he may do for me.' 
 
 ' ! certainly. Mr. Wilford,' turning to that 
 worthy, 'you will not mind Captain Ramsay 
 trying the horse first, will you ? If he does not 
 suit me, perhaps the captain may deal with 
 you.' 
 
 No objection being made, Jack was soon on 
 the grey's back, and made for a paddock at the 
 back of the stables, which formed part of the 
 home-farm of Forde Manor. The animal moved 
 freely and well, and, once on the turf, trotted 
 away with wiry and corky action. Round the 
 paddock Jack took him, the horse bending and 
 giving to his hand in a manner he hardly ex-
 
 TRYING A YOUNG 'UN. 207 
 
 pected, for raw young horses straight from a 
 farmer's stable are not generally the most per- 
 fectly bitted animals in the world. Violet looked 
 on with admiration as she noticed the horse's 
 true level action, and she felt a keen desire to 
 be on his back. In the hands of such a finished 
 horseman as Ramsay, the horse certainly looked 
 his best; and Violet had been too constantly 
 amongst horses, and ridden too much herself, 
 to be influenced in her judgment by the gi*ey's 
 somewhat rough exterior. Jack now Avalked 
 the horse back to the end of the paddock, which 
 was somewhat long and narrow, preparatory 
 to extending him, and testing his jumping- 
 powers. 
 
 There was a sort of little steeplechase course 
 of natm-al fences laid out round the farm about 
 a mile in length, and consisting of eight or nine 
 fences, including a small brook. This was used 
 for schooling young horses, and often proved 
 useful in trying a fresh animal over. Round 
 this course Jack now proposed to take the grey. 
 On reaching the end of the paddock lie turned 
 the horse round, and cantered down to the first
 
 208 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 fence, a small flying one with a ditch on the 
 landing-side. This the grey swung over in his 
 stride, and then Jack, with a slight pressure of 
 the knees, increased his pace. The next fence 
 was a single bank, and to this succeeded a 
 couple more easy fences^ all of which the horse 
 jumped in good form. The fifth obstacle was a 
 really good stiff double — broad on the top, 
 certainly, but pleached with stout unbending 
 binders, and a wide ditch on each side. A big 
 jump, in fact ; but, if taken quietly and temper- 
 ately, not an unfair one. 
 
 As the grey approached it he cocked his ears, 
 and, just for an instant quickening his stride, 
 landed lightly on the top, dwelt for a moment, 
 then launched safely out over the ditch on the 
 far side, and went sailing on in his stride. 
 
 ' Well done, young 'un,' said Jack, leaning 
 forward and patting the horse's arched neck. 
 ' Now,' added he, ' we have only to see how 
 you like timber and water, and, if you do those 
 as well as you have the other fences, I think 
 you'll do: 
 
 Across a deep holding fallow they now went.
 
 TRYING A YOUNG 'tJN. 201^ 
 
 and the way the horse moved through dirt 
 increased his value in Jack's eyes. He got his 
 haunches well under him, and seemed to put 
 his heart into it, in a manner betokening that he 
 was possessed of staying as well as galloping 
 powers. The fence out of the plough was small 
 but trappy ; and necessitated a horse being 
 pulled into a walk, creeping under the over- 
 hanging branches of a tree, and then jumping 
 over a blind ditch on to the top of a narrow 
 bramble- covered bank nearly level with the 
 field on the landing side. In fact, just such a 
 place as would bring to considerable grief a 
 good many horses with high pretensions to be 
 called liunters. 
 
 Here again the grey acquitted himself to 
 perfection, and negotiated the place in a man- 
 ner quite beyond his years. The next field 
 was a large pasture divided by a flight of stifF- 
 ish post and rails, nearly four feet high, and of 
 a toughness that betokened a horse could take 
 no liberties with them. At one end of these 
 there was an opening left, for they were not 
 usually jumped during the ordinary schooling 
 
 VOL. I. r
 
 210 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 process of the Forcle Manor stud. Jack, how- 
 ever, was a glutton at timber, and such an 
 opportunity was not to be neglected ; so he 
 bore away somewhat out of the beaten track. 
 As he neared the rails, he pulled his horse into 
 a trot, and with a deer-like bound the grey 
 sprang cleanly and lightly over them, shaking 
 his head and giving a snort on landing, as much 
 as to say, ' Surel}^ you didn't think that was 
 going to stop me !' 
 
 Jack was decidedly pleased. Now only the 
 brook remained at the end of the next field, a 
 large sound pasture. Catching the horse tight 
 by the head, Ramsay sent him along at his best 
 pace, mindful of the fact that water should 
 always be gone at fast. The grey, however, 
 was perhaps not much accustomed to water- 
 jumping ; moreover, the afternoon sun, glinting 
 on its placid surface, might have had a some- 
 what disturbing effect on his mind ; for as he 
 approached the brook his stride became shorter 
 and shorter, and almost on the brink he swerved 
 sharply to the left in a manner that would have 
 unseated a less practised and experienced rider.
 
 TRYING A YOUNG 'UN. 211 
 
 Jack, however, did not lose his temper, but 
 walked the horse np to the edge of the stream 
 and let him look at it well, while he spoke to 
 him in soothing tones, and patted his neck. 
 The grey stood snorting and trembling on the 
 rush-grown bank, sniffing at the water which 
 had for him such apparently unknown terrors ; 
 but, reassured by the kindly tones and treat- 
 ment of his rider, his fears seemed to fade away, 
 and he evinced almost a wish to tiy to jump 
 it standing. This Jack by no means intended 
 him to do. He must swing over it in his stride, 
 or not at all, the rider argued ; so, walking back 
 to the end of the field, Ramsay again set him 
 at the brook. Confidence, however, was not 
 yet entirely restored, and two more refusals 
 were the result. A fourth time the pair now 
 essayed the task. The * suaviter in modo ' 
 having thrice failed, Jack thouglit it time to 
 adopt tlie 'fortitcr in re,' and, catching the 
 liorse in a vice-like grasp, he gave him a couple 
 of shai-p digs with the spurs, muttering at the 
 same time, ' Tn or over we go this time, ni}' 
 young friend.' Decision and determination won 
 
 r2
 
 212 VIOLET VYYIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 the day, and, finding further resistance useless, 
 the grej gave up the contest, and did his best, 
 which resulted in a great soaring bound that 
 landed them safely on the far side. 
 
 As Jack walked the horse back to where 
 Rufus and the O'Briens were standing grouped 
 on a little rising knoll that commanded a good 
 view of the course, he said, 
 
 * Well, Miss Vyvian, I think he'll do ; he is a 
 good little horse, and would suit you well after 
 a little more schooHng at water, which he doesn't 
 seem quite to understand. If you are going to 
 try him to-day, I beg you won't try him at 
 that; 
 
 ' Do you think I'm afraid V responded Violet, 
 somewhat hotly, flushing up. 
 
 ' No, 1 don't doubt your courage for one mo- 
 ment ; but twelve feet of open water is what I 
 would not like to see any sister of mine, or lady 
 friend either, ride a raw young horse at. Please 
 don't try it. Promise me, will you V he added, 
 in low and entreating tones. 
 
 * Let me try the horse first — I don't mind the 
 chance of a ducking,' broke in Kate, with an
 
 TRYING A YOUNG 'UN. 213 
 
 irritating laugh and meaning glance at Jack, 
 in tones that implied she was Avilling to incur 
 risk for the sake of exhibiting her courage. 
 
 Jack merely shrugged his shoulders ; but the 
 taunt was too much for Violet, and her decision 
 was made on the spot. Jack, in one of his 
 conversations with her, had said there was no 
 qualit}^ he despised so much in man or woman 
 as cowardice. He, at any rate, should never 
 accuse her of this ; so she made no reply, but 
 merely ordered the groom to take the horse 
 back to the stable and put on her saddle, whilst 
 she went indoors to write a note. 
 
 In about twenty minutes she reappeared, and 
 Jack, as he hoisted her into the saddle, whis- 
 pered, 
 
 * Please don't try the water.' 
 
 A low laugh, and saucy glance with the 
 words, ' You know you despise cowards of 
 cither sex,' was all the reply vouchsafed to 
 him, as she gathered up her reins, and moved 
 on. 
 
 Jack was depressed, horribly depressed. He 
 felt sure Violet would try the horse over the
 
 214 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 brook, and he had an inward conviction that 
 some accident would be the result. He knew 
 Violet's courage and determination, and that, 
 moreover, she was a good horsewoman ; but still, 
 riding a made hunter well and straight to 
 hounds was a different thing from riding a 
 young horse at water in cold blood without the 
 excitement that every horse feels in the accom- 
 panying music of the pack. For this reason he 
 determined to take a short cut to the brook, in 
 order to be at hand should any contretemps 
 occur. 
 
 ' Where are you going, Captain Ramsay V in- 
 quired Kate, as he turned away from where she 
 and Rufus had taken up their position on the 
 top of the mound. 
 
 ' 0, merely down to the brook, just to see 
 how the grey acquits himself under the lighter 
 hand of a lady,' replied Jack, carelessly. 
 
 Under cover of a high, hazel-topped bank 
 which screened him from observation, he ran 
 fast at a pace that soon brought him to the 
 spot, and here he awaited Violet's approach. 
 In the meantime that young lady had been
 
 TRYING A YOUNG 'UN. 215 
 
 walking and trotting the grey about, much to 
 her satisfaction, which was greatly increased by 
 the Nvay he galloped and jumped all the fences 
 she asked him to try. Jack, from his post of 
 observation, saAv her land into the field across 
 which stretched the post and rails. He, more- 
 over, observed the grey negotiate the stiff tim- 
 ber in faultless style, and then he noticed Yiolet 
 quicken her pace and race her horse at the 
 water. Down they came, the horse sweeping 
 along with true, level action, with ears pricked, 
 and with the lesson Jack had given him evi- 
 dently implanted firmly in his mind. Water was 
 not such a hard thing to jump after all, and could 
 not hurt or prick one ! was evidently the way 
 the matter was argued in the equine mind ; and 
 so, straight and true, he set his head for tlie 
 brook, Violet sitting square and well back in 
 her saddle with her hands down. Nearer and 
 nearer they came ; there were no signs of re- 
 fusing this time, and Jack, who had been in an 
 agony of suspense, almost began to breathe 
 freely again — when, at the very moment the 
 horse was preparing to take off, up jumped a
 
 216 VIOLET VYVIAX, M.F.H. 
 
 moorhen from under the flag and rush-grown 
 bank and went skittering along the water with 
 a croak of alarm. This was too much for the 
 grey's nerves; all his previous courage and de- 
 termination vanished in an instant at the sound 
 and sight of this unwonted noise and apparition. 
 He checked himself suddenly, tried to swerve ; 
 then, seeing it was too late, made a frantic, 
 floundering side-jump, and then — there was a 
 splash as horse and rider disappeared under 
 water ! 
 
 Jack's feelings may be more easily imagined 
 than described as he saw the imminent danger 
 of the woman he cared for above all else. A 
 thousand thoughts shot through his brain ; and, 
 as he hastily threw off his coat and rushed to 
 the spot, varied emotions caused his heart to 
 throb, and the veins to swell out on his fore- 
 head till they seemed as if they must burst. 
 His one great fear was that Violet might be 
 under her horse, and by getting entangled, and 
 dragged down by the weight of her habit, be 
 exposed to the risk of drowning independently 
 of such injuries as the struggling steed might
 
 TRYING A YOUNG 'UN. 217 
 
 inflict ou liLT with his hoofs. But with all this 
 ho acted coolly and calmly. And there was 
 no plunging in, indiscriminately, in a futile 
 and aimless manner. As the grey's head ap- 
 peared above water, Ramsay shot one swift 
 glance down stream, and then, catching sight 
 of a bit of Violet's habit as it bulged slowly up 
 to the surface, he slid quietly down the bank 
 into the water. In two or three powerful 
 strokes he grasped the girl's skirt, and half 
 wading, half-swimming, gaiiied the opposite 
 shore. Once upon terra-firma, he lifted Violet's 
 soaked and inanimate form in his arms, and 
 carried her up the bank as well as he could ; 
 a task of no slight difficulty considering the 
 weight of her saturated garments. 
 
 ' 0, God I can she be dead V he thought, 
 as she lay with her head hanging back — the 
 masses of her golden-brown hair all uncoiled, 
 dank, and dripping with moisture. ' Miss Vyvian, 
 Bpeak to me I Arc you hurt ? Oh ! Violet,' he 
 added, in agonised tones, * can't you say one 
 word ?' but no response came from her blue 
 lips.
 
 218 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 Still Jack did not despair or lose his wits, but, 
 holding her in the manner prescribed for restor- 
 ing animation in the apparently drowned, after 
 a moment or two had the satisfaction of seeing 
 her breathe. In the meantime, Rufus and Kate, 
 with several of the stable-men, who had been 
 spectators of the scene at a distance, hurried 
 down, whilst other servants soon followed with 
 blankets and restoratives. A gate was promptly 
 unhung, and Violet's unconscious form laid on 
 it, and borne towards the house. 
 
 ' Get her into a warm bath, and then to bed as 
 quickly as you can. I'll catch the grey and go 
 for a doctor,' said Jack to the assembled groups 
 who were standing horror-struck. ' Only be 
 sharp,' he added, in tones of command. 
 
 In the meantime the horse, who had scram- 
 bled out on the same side of the brook, was 
 easily caught, and jumping on his back Jack 
 shoved him along straight across country 
 towards the village, where the doctor resided, 
 in a manner that astonished the quadruped. 
 Mingled were his feelings in that quick and 
 excited ride, and he breathed a prayer from his
 
 TRYING A YOUNG 'CJN. 219- 
 
 heart to that Throne of Grace — before ^vhich no 
 petition is presented in vain, even though it 
 may not be answered in the way we wish, nor 
 as rapidly as we desire, — that the hfe of this 
 woman, Avho had become so very, very dear to 
 him, might be spared.
 
 220 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 DOLLY TELLS TALES. 
 
 * Captain Ramsay has been paying me a little 
 visit, Violet ; and was asking how you feel this 
 morning. And Dolly is with him, and is worry- 
 ing our lives out to know may she see you ; but 
 I don't suppose you care to be bothered with 
 her.' 
 
 So announced Mrs. O'Brien, the third day 
 after Violet's accident, coming into the pretty 
 little room that was Miss Vyvian's most especial 
 sanctum. Violet had been suffering rather 
 severely from a chill brought on by her im- 
 mersion ; but she was now better, and was lying
 
 DOLLY TELLS TALES. 221 
 
 on a sofa, looking pale but very sweet, dressed 
 in a pretty morning wrapper. 
 
 ' Yes, but I do want to see little Dolly ; she is 
 always welcome,' answered Violet, quickly, 
 liJ^lf-raising herself. * And — if Captain Ramsay 
 cares to come up for a few minutes, too, 1 
 don't mind seeing him either. It will help to 
 pass the time.' 
 
 ' Very well ; I can tell him so. Of course 
 you know best ; but I should have thought you 
 were hardly strong enough to have so many in 
 the room,'^ came in a rather constrained voice 
 from Kate, as she stood still, looking down at 
 the recumbent figure, as if waiting for this 
 request for Ramsay's presence to be rescinded. 
 But Violet had a spice of quiet obstinacy in her 
 nature, not often drawn upon, but that now she 
 meant to use ; and, Avith a little malice in her 
 still feeble smile, she returned, in an innocent 
 tone, 
 
 * There will only be two visitors, after all. Not 
 more than you and Rufus, or you and Margaret 
 Beaumont, whom I've seen every day twice.' 
 
 * 0, very well ! But don't you want me to
 
 ^22 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 play propriety for you, dear V said Kate, in a 
 nonchalant tone, moving towards the door. 
 
 ' It is not necessary when Dolly is there. She 
 is chaperon enough for a dozen people. And there 
 will be hardly time to finish those letters for me 
 before post — if you don't mind writing them,' 
 still persevered Violet, gently. 
 
 Mrs. O'Brien thought it wisest to retreat from 
 the untenable position. She was discomfited, 
 but observed to herself, 
 
 * xA.fter all, nothing can be said before Dolly, 
 if he wants to come to the point. She is such 
 a little pitcher, and repeats everything she 
 hears.' 
 
 (' Come to see you ! Ah ! I know better, poor 
 Kate. You may have all the attentions of the 
 other men, but I have his love, and I want to 
 keep it,' thought Violet to herself, leaning back 
 on her cushions, with a glad little smile, yet 
 pitying her friend's illusion.) 
 
 Every dog has his day, says the old saw; 
 and much more every girl loves to have her 
 one happy time (as she tells herself) when 
 she knows that she is dearest of all others
 
 DOLLY TELLS TALES. 223 
 
 to the man her licart ha.s secretly learnt to 
 worship. 
 
 Presently ^liss Beaumont burst gleefully into 
 the room, her little person looking like a ball of 
 white cashmere and swansdown, Avith only a 
 small portion of rosy animated face visible 
 under her winter boniiet. 
 
 ' How IS 'oo?* she exclaimed, standing on tip- 
 toe to deliver a volley of kisses, whilst Jack, 
 coming in very quietly behind, stood and waited 
 his turn for a long hand-clasp, much longer 
 than usual. Miss Dolly's sharp eyes could not 
 make much of that. 
 
 ' I am so glad to see you,' went on Ramsay, 
 sitting softly down by Violet's couch, and hardly 
 taking his eyes off the sweet face so near him ; 
 still his was such an unobtrusive, albeit devoted 
 glance cf homage it could not discountenance 
 the invalid, though her nerves were yet weak. 
 He Avent on modestly, ' I came to ask after you 
 yesterday, and the day before.' 
 
 ' I know/ responded Violet ; who had heard 
 from Rufus that Jack had been haunting the 
 house, had asked not only once each day after
 
 224 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 her, but morning, noon, and night. This in- 
 formation was, however, not ehcited without 
 some artful questions. 
 
 'Ramsay has been here again,' O'Brien Avould 
 volunteer, while racking his brains during his 
 frequent visits for some news to interest the 
 patient. ' Why did he come twice, do you say ? 
 AVell, there's nothing to do at Littleforde. I sup- 
 pose he got sick of mooning about alone there, 
 so he and I went for a turn round the kennels. 
 What were we talking about ? — about the 
 hounds, of course. By-the-way, he asked how 
 you were ; he wanted to know if the doctor had 
 said anything fresh since. Old Pillbox hadn't 
 come when Ramsay was up here this morning.' 
 
 In this way Rufus, without knowing it, acted 
 as Cupid's messenger, and would have been 
 considerably astonished had he guessed his 
 ofBce. 
 
 For a while, Jack and Violet talked quietly 
 and happily together. Her hand was lying 
 listlessly on the arm of the sofa, and somehow 
 a larger, browner hand approached it, and pres- 
 ently closed over it. The spoken talk slackened
 
 DOLLY TELLS TALES. 225 
 
 then perceptibly. Violet lay very still, but 
 feeling a new sense of happiness stealing over 
 her with that protecting touch ; and a great 
 deal of silent speech no doubt passed between 
 them. 
 
 Dolly did not remark this state of affairs, or 
 else wrongly supposed two people so quiet 
 must be rather bored than otherwise. So, after 
 a tour of inspection round the pretty, old- 
 fashioned room, that was all redolent of pot- 
 pourri of roses in big china jars, and hung with 
 time-worn silk that only made its young mis- 
 tress look all the fresher — a human flower — the 
 child pushed herself into the disjointed mur- 
 murs of conversation. 
 
 ' We've dot a new game, Uncle Jack and I 
 have, Auntie Violet.' (Dolly called most peo- 
 ple ^vith whom she was intimate either aunts 
 or uncles. In this case, the implied relation- 
 ship between her two elders gave them a slight 
 but pleasant sense of embarrassment.) ' Uncle 
 Jack brought me a box of choklets from Lon- 
 don, and he gives me some at night. But first 
 I have to say who I love best. Mother first 
 
 VOL. r. Q
 
 226 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 best, and then you best, and then him best. 
 One night 1 said him best, after mother, but 
 he wouldn't give me no choklets till I said it 
 right.' 
 
 ^And, now, one little girl I know has a 
 naughty trick of waking up at night, and cry- 
 ing for Uncle Jack, just v>^hen nurse is down at 
 supper, till she gets another chocolate. That 
 is very bad, Dolly. I'm not coming any more,' 
 put in Jack, with an air of grave rebuke. 
 
 All the same, the hand that lay upon Violet's 
 smaller one pressed perceptibly tighter. 
 
 ' You's naughty, too,' retorted Dolly, defiant- 
 ly. ' He's a very bad boy. Auntie Violet ; I'll 
 tell you! Isn't it naughty to steal f sidling 
 close to Violet, and looking at Jack from under 
 her lashes with roguish mischief. 
 
 ' Very naughty, Dolly. But I am sure Cap- 
 tain Ramsay would not do such a thing. He 
 never takes sugar or jam when nobody is 
 looking.' 
 
 ' Well, he took somefing else,' uttered Dolly, 
 triumphantly, feeling strong in a new magisterial
 
 DOLLY TELLS TALES. 227 
 
 capacity. ' One day, at our house, you dropped 
 your ponky-henksy,' (auglice, handkerchief), 
 * and, when you went out of the room, I saw 
 Uncle Jack put it inside his coat. I sitted 
 under the table, and saw him.' 
 
 ' I believe I did pick up one of yours, Miss 
 Vyvian. I'm aAvfully sony ; I ought to have 
 brought it back next day, but I suppose I forgot 
 it,' stammered Jack, conscious of a red flush 
 travelling over his browned features right up to 
 his forehead; and feeling guilty of never having 
 meant to restore that scented cobweb of lace 
 and cambric to its lawful owner, but instead of 
 having jealously kept it, and bestowed there- 
 upon some secret relic-worship. 
 
 ' 0, it does not matter. AVhen you remem- 
 ber, it will 1)0 time enough,' murmured Violet, 
 reflecting his flush faintly. 
 
 Neither looked at each other, but Dolly, 
 staring at them both, observed, with familiar 
 frankness, 
 
 * Uncle Jack's got red; and now you've got 
 red, too.' 
 
 q2
 
 228 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 * I've brought a flower for you this morning,' 
 interrupted Jack, desperately ; taking a lovely 
 orchid bloom from his button-hole, and laying 
 it on Violet's lap. ' It's pretty, isn't it. I got 
 it for you out of the Littleforde stovehouse. 
 Margaret has wonderfully good flowers there, 
 for such a little place as it is. I thought you 
 might like it.' 
 
 * I do, indeed. It is kind of you to think of 
 me,' was breathed low from between Violet's 
 lips. 
 
 ' Don't you know I always do, and always 
 shall think of you ?' came in quick response ; 
 and Ramsay bent forward with a sudden light 
 in his grey eyes, that seemed to touch Violet's 
 own with soft, responsive fire. 
 
 'Here is Mrs. Beaumont come to see you, 
 Violet/ announced Mrs. O'Brien, opening the 
 door at that moment, with a bland smile, as if 
 giving the invalid quite the most welcome 
 diversion possible. ' Only, I am afraid we are 
 rather a large party for you now, are we 
 not?' 
 
 ' I will say good-bye,' said Jack, springing
 
 DOLLY TELLS TALES. 229 
 
 up. ' Good-morning, Miss Vyvian ; I am very 
 glad to have seen you.' 
 
 * Well, Dolly ; are you going away with Uncle 
 Jack, and not going to stay with mother?' called 
 Margaret, in tones of blandishment, after her 
 vanishing small daughter. 
 
 'Me's going to find Uncle Rufus. I want 
 him,' called back Dolly, clutching fast hold of 
 Jack's hand and dragging him aw^ay ; evidently 
 determined to keep one bird in hand till sure of 
 that in the bush. 
 
 ' Dolly is the greatest flirt I know,' observed 
 Mrs. O'Brien, with a touch of sarcasm. * She 
 always prefers gentlemen to the company of us 
 poor mortals. What a blessing for her, that she 
 is still able to indulge in her very natural taste 
 without unkind remarks being made.' 
 
 ' She is very devoted to your husband ; 
 but he seems especially fond of children, he 
 is so kind to Dolly. She likes those who like 
 her,' was Margaret's rather cold reply. Then, 
 turning to Violet, * And how are you to-day, 
 dear? Why, you are looking ever so much 
 better — you have quite a colour, I declare. Do
 
 230 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 you know, I've had a great disappointment this 
 morning. I have been cherishing a pet orchid- 
 blossom for the last three days for you ; such a 
 beauty I' (here she gave a Latin polysyllabic 
 name that was enough to frighten anyone but 
 a connoisseur), ' and, would you beheve it, when 
 I went to cut it just now, it was gone ! Jinks 
 either doesn't koow, or won't tell what has 
 become of it. He was in such a rage in his 
 heart yesterday, I could see, at the mere idea of 
 my cutting his precious flower, that I half-sus- 
 pect him of having made away with it.' 
 
 Violet felt a guilty tremor. Her gaze 
 travelled apprehensively down to the blossom 
 that lay on her couch. Kate noticed the look, 
 and said quietly, but with a burning upleap of 
 jealousy in her heart she had to struggle hard 
 not to show signs of, 
 
 ' Was that it, by any chance V 
 
 ' The very one,' cried Margaret, eagerly. 
 ' Have you got one, too, in your orchid-house ? 
 1 never knew that ; and we were so proud, poor 
 Jinks and I, of having beaten the grand manor- 
 garden.'
 
 DOLLY TELLS TALES. 231 
 
 'I am so Sony, but I am afraid it is your 
 flower !' explained poor Violet, blushing furious- 
 ly. ' Captain Ramsay brought it. I mean he 
 had it in his buttonhole and took it out for 
 me.' 
 
 ' Ah, well ! so long as you have it, that is all 
 I wanted,' was Margaret's kindly assurance, who 
 made haste to turn the conversation. Sweetly 
 thick-witted though she generally was, she 
 noticed Violet's distressed look, and caught sight, 
 too, of a peculiar inquiring glance shot from 
 under Mrs. O'Brien's dark lashes at the girl, who 
 was somewhat powerless on her sofa to evade 
 such scrutiny. Kindly fearful that she guessed 
 something of the state of affairs, yet, in reality, 
 with no idea that things had gone so far 
 between the young people, Mrs. Beaumont burst 
 into rapturous description of some new speckled 
 Hamburg's she had just added to her poultry- 
 yard. This, as she hoped, soon drove Kate 
 from the room. 
 
 No sooner was the latter outside, than a scowl 
 settled on her handsome face, and she clenched 
 her white hand as she went downstairs slow-
 
 232 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 Ij, feeling as if she had received an unexpected 
 blow. 
 
 ' You are trying to play fast and loose with 
 me, Master Jack. But, take care !' she thought, 
 vengefully to herself; utterly unmindful that it 
 was never Ramsay who proposed playing at the 
 perilous game of flirtation she had lured him to 
 take a hand in. She had blinded herself so 
 utterly with jealousy of poor Violet ; and the 
 wish to make a conquest of the handsome gun- 
 ner had gi'own so much stronger from his com- 
 parative coldness ; that she herself knew not till 
 now — and hardly even now — to what an extent 
 her passion had grown. 'I am not an ill- 
 tempered woman, as a rule, 1 beheve,' she went 
 on, justifying her wrath to her own conscience, 
 * but this I will not bear quietly. I will not ! — 
 I must do something.' 
 
 Sick in heart with her own bitterness, Kate 
 Avent on bhndly, as it were, to find her husband. 
 She felt she needed comfort, and he always 
 gave it ; he always took her part. Curious that 
 she should know she was treacherous to him in 
 her soul, and yet seek the kindness and protect-
 
 DOLLY TELLS TALES. 233 
 
 ing tenderness of that large-hearted man without 
 a pang ! But she did so. 
 
 Rufus was in the gun-room, handling an oily 
 rag himself with a pucker on his broad fore- 
 head, while examining the most delicate mechan- 
 ism of his gun. 
 
 ' Eh ? Is that you ? Don't speak to me for a 
 moment, there's a good girl !' he said absently, 
 as Kate came^up to him. Then, having satis- 
 fied himself the gun was all right, he looked up 
 at his beautiful young wife, who stood by with 
 a sense of the folly of others, and the injustice 
 of things in the world's ordering, swelling within 
 her. 
 
 ' Why, little woman,' he ejaculated, in pity- 
 ing accents, seeing something was amiss and 
 puting one arm round her, ' what is the 
 matter V 
 
 ' Look here, Rufus,' answered Kate, in a half- 
 choked voice, with great angry eyes upturned 
 full of tragic meaning to him. ' There is some 
 work going on l^etween Violet and this young 
 fellow, this Ramsay ; that won't do. It must be 
 stopped.'
 
 234 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 Knfus stepped back, and looked earnestly at 
 her in amazement. 
 
 ' Why, I mean this, that he is making love to 
 her, whether he cares for her or not (1 don't 
 believe he does), and that she is so taken with 
 him, it's my belief unless you look out she'll 
 marry him — there !' gasped Kate, the words 
 coming out with a rush. 
 
 Rufus O'Brien gave a long whistle. 
 
 ' You don't mean it ? Come, Kitty, isn't this 
 your own imagination ?' 
 
 ' It is not. Don't be an idiot, Rufus. You 
 are such a gi'cat blind owl you never can see 
 anything unless you are shown it. What has kept 
 him at Littleforde all this time, mooning up here 
 every day following Violet about almost like a 
 dog ? — when there was no hunting, and he might 
 have been enjoying himself in a hundred other 
 places.' 
 
 ' Then he must be gone on her ; and I don't 
 wonder at that, she's such an awfully nice girl. 
 If he didn't care for her, the game would not be 
 worth the candle, for he knows she'll lose her 
 fortune if she marries him. You must be wrong.
 
 DOLLY TELLS TALES. 235 
 
 my girl, about his not caring,' reflectively uttered 
 Rufus. 
 
 Then as Kate was silent, feeling the ground 
 cut from under her feet in part of her state- 
 ment, the good-natured giant added, with a 
 cheerful, consolatory air, 
 
 ' Well, I'm very sorry for Ramsay, but that is 
 his affair. And, as to Violet, we must hope she 
 does not mind much. She would never allow 
 herself to care for even as nice a fellow as 
 Ramsay — and he is a thundering good chap, and 
 the best-looking one I know into the bargain — 
 when she knows all along what she would 
 lose.' 
 
 'Nonsense,' scornfully returned Kate, with 
 flushing cheek. * No woman calculates when 
 she really begins to care about a man. Why, I 
 tell you, I believe she loves him, and if she 
 does she will throw everything to the wind for 
 his sake.' (In her heart the woman who spoke 
 felt madly she would do so — for Jack Ramsay's 
 sake.) 
 
 'And what Avould you have me do f slowly. 
 
 ' Do I — why, stop it ; in some way, any way.
 
 236 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 Get him to leave on any pretext possible. We 
 must prevent it,' 
 
 O'Brien slowly shook his smooth red-haired 
 head. 
 
 ' I shall be awfully sorry if Violet does it. 
 But still — one never knows — she may be the 
 best judge of her own happiness. And [in any 
 case, my dear, remember it is no business of 
 ours.' 
 
 Kate stared at him as if disbelieving her 
 senses. 
 
 ' What !' she exclaimed, * you can stand there 
 calmly and say that ? No business of ours to see 
 her throw herself away, give up this place and 
 house for the sake of this new-comer ! And think 
 of us, please. If she does, where shall we be ? 
 We should have to turn out of Forde Manor 
 pretty quickly. Where would your hunting be 
 then — and shooting? What should I do 
 without V 
 
 O'Brien drew his wife's face close to his own, 
 so that she ceased abruptly, her last words 
 lost in the wide neighbourhood of his big 
 beard.
 
 DOLLY TELLS TALES. 237 
 
 ' There ! there ! Httle woman. We have come 
 to the real root of the matter at last. What 
 should ice do ? — well, I'll tell you : we should 
 just have to do without all these good things, 
 aud make ourselves quite as happy as before we 
 ever had them ; that's what we have got to do. 
 Come, think a moment, dear ; who are we that we 
 should wish to spoil Violet's happiness — or what 
 she thinks so — for the sake of our own selfish- 
 ness ? You would not do it. I know you bettor,' 
 pressing, with one disengaged hand, her fore- 
 head affectionately to his Hps. * There, give me 
 a kiss; and tell me you will be just as happy 
 with me again, as you were when we married 
 and had none of these borrowed riches.' 
 
 Kate lifted her head very slowly, and duti- 
 fully obeyed. 
 
 '1 suppose you are right, Rufus,' she said, 
 heavily. 
 
 lie little guessed what thoughts were surging 
 under that white forehead his big hand so lov- 
 ingly caressed ; that his young wife silently 
 groTmd her teeth together and muttered in her 
 heart, * Fool— fool !'
 
 ^38 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 Then, after a few unimportant remarks, she 
 contrived to get away, to be alone and indulge 
 her feelings. At the top of the wide, black oak 
 staircase she paused, and looked down at the 
 comfortable hall full of evidences of luxury, 
 looked along the wide and sunny, pleasant cor- 
 ridors, hung with pictures and lined like any 
 drawing-room with easy sofas and cabinets of 
 china and curios. 
 
 ' To turn out of this into some dog-kennel,' 
 came her bitter thought. Suddenly, like a 
 lightning-flash, followed a suggestion surely 
 emanating from the tempting arch-fiend him- 
 self. 'Let the girl marry this man; then all 
 this will belong to Cyril Vyvian, and he loves 
 you /' 
 
 Kate grasped at the balusters and felt turning 
 giddy at the thought. Then she revolted at 
 it. 
 
 ' I could not do it !' she said, passionately, to 
 herself, when she somehow got into her own 
 room. ' I can't give him up like that ' (him 
 meant, alas ! Jack Ramsay). 'A man might do 
 such a deed for sake of mere money, and many
 
 DOLLY TELLS TALES. 239 
 
 a woman might. But 1 am not avaricious ! I 
 could not.' 
 
 And, poor soul I she took some pride in 
 the thought, and even a mournful pleasure as 
 of conscious self-sacrifice. 
 
 Meanwhile, in Violet's room, Mrs. Beaumont 
 was saying good-bye. 
 
 ' My cousin Jack leaves me, you know, in a 
 day or two,' she cheerfully remarked. ' Just as 
 Avell, perhaps, for he must not spend too long 
 trying to catch a sunbeam, eh, dear ? 1 hope 
 you won't try to encourage him in it, will you, 
 Violet? It would be such a pity for you both, 
 you know.' 
 
 'I'll not try ' was all Violet could utter, 
 
 feeling her heart turn heavy as lead. 
 
 When alone, after that friendly admonition, 
 she wondered to herself why it should be such a 
 pity for Jack. What did Margaret mean ? Is 
 it generally such a pity for a young man fairly 
 well off, and with good prospects, as she knew 
 Ramsay's were, to marry a girl sufficiently well- 
 born and nice-looking, with five hundred a-year ? 
 So she puzzled herself.
 
 240 VIOLET YYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 The truth was, Margaret had meant nothing 
 as to Jack ; the words, ' you both,' had been said 
 in pure nervousness.
 
 241 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 jack's suggestion. 
 
 It was the eve of the termination of Jack's long 
 leave, and he was one of a large party at Forde 
 Manor that had assembled to celebrate Violet's 
 recovery from the effects of her accident. 
 
 During the time that had elapsed since then, 
 he had had no opportunity of again speaking to 
 Violet anent the dearest wish of his heart ; for, 
 on the one or two occasions he had seen tlie 
 latter, Kate O'Brien had taken good care that 
 they should have no chance of indulging in a 
 Ute-a-tcte conversation. 
 
 The dinner had been a very pleasant one, but 
 the hour was now late and the ladies gone to 
 
 VOL. I. R
 
 242 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 bed. The men, however, were sitting round 
 the bilHard-room, indulging in that sort of 
 conversation which mankind is wont to enjoy 
 when unfettered by the presence of the gentler 
 sex. 
 
 Hunting, shooting, the drama, &c., had all 
 been touched on when, a jwopos of some remark 
 about Lord Guisard (who, by-the-bye, was not 
 among them, having had a well-merited re- 
 buke given to him by Rufus the day before 
 for over-riding hounds), old Squire Bentley 
 observed : 
 
 ' Well, I think the best reproof 1 ever heard 
 administered to a man in the hunting-field was 
 by a very dear friend of mine, Lord Forrardon, 
 a master of hounds who hunted his hounds him- 
 self. We had run one fox into a largish covert, 
 and Forrardon wanted to get him to break at 
 the far end over a nice bit of vale. Accordingly 
 he asked all the field to stand still, as he was 
 doing himself. Hounds kept rattling their fox 
 round and round the covert, but break he would 
 not ; so Forrardon cantered down to the bottom 
 of the wood and there found an old general, by
 
 jack's suggestion. 243 
 
 name Bouncer (celebrated for never riding a 
 yard to hounds, and heading more foxes than 
 anyone in the Hunt), sitting in the middle of a 
 ride halloaing like mad ! *' He's gone back, my 
 lord," cried the excited warrior, pointing in the 
 direction where he had viewed the fox. 
 
 '" Blank— blank — blank," came a volley of 
 oaths from Forrardon's lips, "how the ]^lank 
 can any fox break with your ugly mug staring 
 him in the face ?" and away he galloped, leav- 
 ing the pompous man of war nearly choking 
 and pui-ple with rage I Well, we eventually 
 got our fox away, and, after a bit of a gallop, 
 hounds threw up in a fallow field. Forrardon 
 sat on his horse watching them make their cast, 
 and, by Jove, it was a treat to see the way his 
 hounds swung themselves round as they spread 
 and tiied to recover the line,' added the old 
 man, enthusiastically. ' All the field were in a 
 chister behind liini wlien up l)ustk'(l the general 
 and said, " I've hunted f )r forty years, my lord, 
 and never, no, never, have I had to submit to such 
 language as you have chosen to address to me 
 to-day." Forrardon moved not a muscle, and 
 
 h2
 
 244 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 never took his eyes off the pack as he replied 
 very quietly, " Haven't you ? really ! Yon quite 
 surprise me! Huic ! to Ladybird, huic together," 
 as an old white bitch hit the line. There was 
 a roar of laughter as we all galloped off and 
 left the general utterly dumbfounded and 
 speechless with rage. 1 don't think I ever saw 
 a man so efficiently and quietly shut up in my 
 life,' chuckled the squire. 
 
 ' Yes, it was neat certainly,' replied Jack, 
 ' and more effective than the liberal dose of 
 " damson pie,' your fnend had favoured the 
 general with previously. I certainly don't 
 approve of bad language, though it is difficult 
 to prevent oneself from using it occasionally, 
 and if any man has provocation it is an M.F.H. 
 when he sees hounds overridden, and foxes 
 headed ; but talking of good stories,' he added, 
 ' have any of you heard the story of the Three 
 Liars? 1 heard it in town the other day, and 
 it is too good to keep to oneself, if any of you 
 don't know it.' 
 
 A chorus of ' No, go on — let us have it,' was 
 the reply to this question, and his audience
 
 jack's suggestion. 245 
 
 having lit fresh cigars, and replenished sundry 
 long tumblers with various potions, Jack 
 began : 
 
 ' Three men, all noted exaggerators of the 
 truth, whom we will call A., B., and C, met in a 
 railway-carriage, and began talking about the 
 sport they had enjoyed. After some desultory 
 conversation, A. said, 
 
 * " 1 think, of the many seasons' sport I 
 have enjoyed, I never had such a good 
 one as this last ; I never missed a single shot, 
 and accounted for every cartridge I fired away ! 
 nay — I did more — for somehow by practice I 
 seemed only to have to look at game and to kill 
 it ! You may hardly credit me, but, as an 
 instance that I find it impossible to miss, I will 
 tell you of an incident that occurred the other 
 day. I was staying in a country-house, and one 
 Sunday we were all walking to church across 
 the park, when a brace of partiidges rose some 
 fifty yards from me. Instinctively, I put my 
 walking-stick to my shoulder, and covered 
 them, and would you believe me they both 
 fell dead; dead as door-nails!"
 
 246 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 '"I can quite believe it," returned B., "for 
 a somewhat similar, though even more extra- 
 ordinary instance of the death-dealing power 
 that attaches itself to any implement handled 
 by a really good shot, happened to me. I, like 
 you, have not missed a single shot during the 
 last season, and killed an animal when my life 
 was in danger under very peculiar circum- 
 stances. I was staying in Ireland, and one some- 
 what showery day Avas taking a short cut to 
 the village post-office to send off a telegram. 
 I had an umbrella with me which, however, was 
 closed in the intervals between the showers. 
 On entering a field in which some Kerry cattle 
 were pastured, one vicious-looking cow, after 
 glaring at me and shaking her head in a 
 threatening manner, came straight at me I In 
 self-defence I opened my umbrella when she 
 was very near me. That saved my hfe, for, 
 with a wild snort of pain and rage, she turned 
 tail, fleio hvo Imndred yards, toicered, and fell 
 deadT' 
 
 A roar of laughter greeted this last story, and 
 Rufus, exclaimed.
 
 jack's suggestion. 247 
 
 * Bedad, tluit is a good one. 1 know ji good 
 deal of Kerry, and its cattle, but the "flew two 
 hundred yards, towered, and fell dead," cer- 
 tainly is delicious;' and he went into fits of 
 laughter. 
 
 * Well,' resumed Jack, * C. was not to be 
 beaten ; so here is his wonderful adventure. 
 
 ' " I was staying up in Suthcrlandshirc with 
 
 Lord , and one night the conversation 
 
 turned on the possibility of killing a stag, five 
 brace of grouse, and a salmon all on the same 
 day. I professed myself equal to the task, but 
 everyone ridiculed me. Being considerably 
 nettled at this imputation on my sporting- 
 prowess, I had taken sundry bets on the subject 
 amounting to a considerable sum. Day after 
 day I attempted the task, but in vain. One 
 day I would get a stag and a salmon, and some 
 three brace of grouse, but toil how I might I 
 could not /?;<d the other two brace to complete 
 the bag ; needless to say if I had only seen them 
 I was certain of wiiming, for I, like botli of you, 
 never missed a shot. Anotlur day I would get 
 the stag and tlie grouse, but could not rise a
 
 248 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 fish. Another I would get the salmon and the 
 grouse, but in vain I searched every hkely 
 corrie and hill-side for a stag. Hinds I would 
 see plenty of, but no stag. At length on the 
 last day of my stay I had given up the attempt 
 in despair, and in no very enviable frame of 
 mind had gone out for a solitary ramble along 
 with my rifle towards a loch in the hills, out of 
 which the salmon river debouched. I was 
 walking carelessly along thinking how very in- 
 convenient it would be for me to pay all my 
 bets, Avhen grazing close to the edge of the 
 loch, quite unconscious of danger, I saw a 
 magnificent stag. To one of such experience 
 as myself, stalking him was a matter of no great 
 difficulty. I got within eighty yards, aimed at 
 his shoulder, and fired my right barrel. Of 
 course he fell over dead ; but, as I fired, a 
 gleam of silver shooting up from the placid 
 waters of the loch some hundred yards out 
 caught my eye; quick as thought I turned half- 
 roimd and fired my left barrel at it, and the 
 next moment, to my intense satisfaction, saw a 
 noble salmon floating dead upon the water. I 
 confess I was so taken aback by having per-
 
 jack's suggestion. 249 
 
 formed such au unprecedented feat as killing a 
 stag and a salmon right and left, that I plumped 
 down in the heather. Would you beheve me, 
 gentlemen, as 1 did so, an old hen grouse 
 fluttered up at my feet, and, feeling I was sit- 
 ting on something warm and soft, I shifted 
 my position, and found I had sat down on and 
 killed a brood of ten fine young grouse I and so 
 won my bet. You can fancy with what 
 astonishment I was greeted at the Lodge when 
 I returned laden with the stag head, salmon, 
 and grouse, and I need hardly say I was glad 
 to lay them all down and indulge in a good 
 long drink." ' 
 
 After this Munchausen-like feat had been 
 well laughed over. Jack resumed. 
 
 ' I have a proposition to make. Here have 
 we been talking and telling stories about im- 
 probabilities and impossibihties, suppose we 
 go in for some of the possibilities and reali- 
 ties of sport ? Now, what I am going to sug- 
 gest is this : as soon as the season is over, let 
 us get up a ' point to point ' race ; one for mem- 
 bers of the Hunt, and the other for the 
 farmers. I'll enter a horse and ride myself, and
 
 250 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 give a cup to be run for by the farmers. What 
 say you all'^ 
 
 Needless to say in such a sporting community 
 the proposal was cordially assented to, and the 
 party there and then got out paper, pen, and 
 ink, and resolved themselves into a committee 
 to draw up the conditions of the races. Kufus 
 was voted to the chair. 
 
 ' Now,' said he, ' as we are to have two races, 
 one for members of the Hunt, the other for 
 farmers and members of the yeomanry residing 
 within the limits of the Hunt, I would propose 
 that for both races the distance should be four 
 miles ; the course to be unflagged ; no assistance 
 to be given to the competitors. The distance 
 from point to point to be got over as the riders 
 please, provided they do not go a hundred 
 yards along a road, or through a gate. To be 
 ridden in hunting-costume. Weights thirteen 
 stone each. Entrance five sovereigns. Post 
 entries.' 
 
 ' Yes,' replied Jack, ' I think that will do, only 
 I would suggest that the weights be divided 
 into two classes, welters and light-weights.
 
 jack's suggestion. 251 
 
 Some men — Guisarcl, for instance — could not 
 ride the weight, so suppose we say welter- 
 Aveiglits to carry fourteen stone, and light- 
 weights twelve stone seven pounds. 1 think 
 that would be fairer.' 
 
 ' A very good idea,' returned Rufus, ' and I'm 
 dashed if I don't have a cut in myself for the 
 welters, though 1 shall have to declare a few 
 pounds overweight. And I tell you what, Til 
 get J\Iiss Vyvian to give a cup to whoever is 
 first past the post in both classes. I'm sure 
 she would be delighted.' 
 
 ' But how is the course to be decided V 
 asked one of the party. 
 
 * 0, of course, everything must be regularly 
 drawn up and settled; two people — who are 
 not riding — must pick out the points, which 
 will not be known until the horses go down 
 to start. "We will meet at some place or other ; 
 see the weights are all right, and then perhaps 
 have to go a mile or two away to run the race.' 
 
 ' But how about the weights for the farmers' 
 race ?' questioned Jack. * I think it would be 
 better to have the weights for this all equal ;
 
 252 \^IOLET VYVIAN, ]\r.F.H. 
 
 for there are no very heavy men likely to 
 enter. Suppose we say twelve stone seven 
 pounds for them.' 
 
 ' Very fair,' assented Rufiis ; * and I think, now 
 we have settled the rough outline, we should 
 call a meeting of the Hunt, to appoint a com- 
 mittee and settle details. I think it will be 
 great fun, and a capital wind-up to the season. 
 We ought certainly to get eight or ten entries 
 for each race.' 
 
 'I declare, I feel quite keen about it, and 
 only Avish I was young enough to ride,' said 
 Squire Bentley, rubbing his hands with glee, 
 and his jolly old face beaming with delight, 
 at the prospect of seeing once more an old- 
 fashioned bit of sport, such as he remembered 
 in the days of his youth, before the era of 
 flagged courses and gate-money meetings set in. 
 
 And so, the main preliminaries being settled, 
 the party broke up. 
 
 As Jack Ramsay walked home, his thoughts 
 were divided between a wish that he had had 
 an opportunity of speaking to Violet and know- 
 ing his fate, and thoughts of the coming race.
 
 jack's suggestion. 253- 
 
 Which of his horses should he ride ? — Brenda or 
 Havloquiu ? The former, he knew, was the faster, 
 but then the latter was the safer fencer ; and, 
 though the mare certainly was a brilliant per- 
 former, yet in a race that depended more on 
 cleverness and being able at a pinch to negoti- 
 ate an awkward place, he thought perhaps 
 Harlequin might have the best chance. Turn- 
 ing these matters over in his mind, as he walked 
 back in the clear starhght night to Littleforde, 
 he came to the conclusion that he would do 
 his best to get both horses fit and in condition 
 by the time the race was to come off, which 
 would be in three weeks' time — not long, cer- 
 tainly, for thorough preparation, but quite long 
 enough, considering they were both in thorough 
 hunting condition ; and then, at the last mo- 
 ment, decide which he should ride. 
 
 That night his rest was troubled by dreams 
 of seeing Lord Guisard sailing in an easy win- 
 ner, and claimiijg Violet as his bride (for she 
 was to be the prize, like the Queen of Beauty 
 in tournaments of old), whilst Harlequin stuck 
 his feet into the ground, and resolutely refused
 
 254 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 to budge an inch ! The next morning, ere 
 Jack departed, he told Margaret Beaumont of 
 the proposed meeting ; and she extracted (easily 
 enough) a promise from him that he would 
 come and stay with her for the event. Yet she 
 sighed, adding to herself, as he drove off, ' I 
 wonder how all this will end. These two are 
 getting nearer and nearer the brink each day.'
 
 255 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 THE POINT TO POINT RACE. 
 
 All the conditions of the Point to Point Race 
 Avt'i-e settled satisfactorily. Violet, when the 
 question had been mooted, entered con anwre 
 into the proposal, and promised a handsome 
 silver cup to whosoever should be first in the 
 two classes combined. The other conditions of 
 the race were pretty much as had been sug- 
 gested originally, except that the entrance was 
 to be three sovereigns each. Jack had given 
 a cup, to be run for by the farmers, and to this 
 old Squire Bentleyhad added a five-pound note 
 for the second, and a silver-mounted hunting- 
 whip to the third. The event had caused con-
 
 256 VIOLET VYYIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 siderable excitement in the neighbourhood, and 
 on the day of the race a crowd of carriages, 
 horsemen, and foot-people was seen wending its 
 way to Thornmoor Cross Roads, the appointed 
 place of meeting. The race had filled well, 
 and the ' correct card ' showed the following^ 
 entries : 
 
 Welter Weights, 14:st. each. 
 
 1. Mr. O'Brien's br. mare Kate Owner 
 
 2. Mr. Blatherwick's ch. g. Solomon, Capt. Barker 
 
 3. Lord Guisard's br. g. Briggs Owner 
 
 4. Colonel Fitzroy's bay mare Flora . . . Owner 
 
 5. Mr. Brook's g. mare Gardenia ..... Owner 
 
 Light Weights, Vlst. each. 
 
 t). Miss Vyvian'sg.g. Moorcock. . . Mr.Yyvian 
 
 7. Major Tomlin's bay mare Firefly . . . Owner 
 
 8. Capt. Ramsay's bay g. Harlequin . . . Owner 
 
 9. Mr. Waldron's ch. mare Chance . . . Owner 
 
 10. Mr. Leake's bl. g. Budmash . . Capt. Forbes 
 
 11. Mr. Churchill's bay g. Paddy Owner 
 
 12. Mr.Burn's g.mare Moonshine . . Mr. Johnson
 
 THE POINT TO POINT RACE. 257 
 
 Altogether a very respectable entiy. It had 
 further been decided that, in order to distinguish 
 the two classes, the welters were to ride in black 
 coats, and the light-weights in red. 
 
 Violet had, after all, bought the grey that 
 had brought her to such grief, and which she 
 had named Moorcock ; and Jack, who had taken 
 him back with him, had got the horse into a 
 bit of condition and schooled him well. He 
 had oflfered to give up entering his own horse 
 in the race in order to steer Violet's, but to this 
 proposal she would not listen for a moment, 
 declaring she only entered the horse to fill up 
 the race, and that she should back Harlequin 
 for all the gloves she could afford to lose. 
 Besides, her cousin had previously obtained her 
 promise to give him the mount, and, with all 
 his love for Violet, Jack was too keen a sports- 
 man not to prefer riding his own horse, and 
 such an old and tried favourite as Harlequin, to 
 that of anyone else ; so both parties were satis- 
 fied, and he was all the more pleased when 
 Violet announced her intention to back liis 
 mount. He had with some difficulty obtained 
 
 VOL. I. S
 
 258 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 three days' leave, and had run down on the 
 morning of the race to Littleforde. 
 
 It was one of those treacherous days in the 
 spring of the year for which the EnghshcHmate 
 is noted, breaking fair and bright ; but towards 
 noon the glass fell, heavy clouds came rolling 
 up, and the wind had a decided touch of east 
 in it that found its insidious way through the 
 thickest of wraps and overcoats. 
 
 Three o'clock was the hour fixed for the meet 
 at Thornmoor Cross Roads, and at that time a 
 group of sheeted and hooded horses might have 
 been seen walking about in an adjacent field. 
 The line which had been previously selected by 
 old Squire Bentley had been kept a profound 
 secret, and no one had an inkling as to what the 
 course was to be. Two tents were pitched in 
 the field ; one of these was reserved as a place 
 for the competitors to dress and weigh in, 
 whilst in the other an enterprising, publican 
 was driving a roaring trade in alcoholic and hot 
 drinks. 
 
 A few moments before three Violet and Kate 
 drove up enveloped in furs, and, getting out of
 
 THE POINT TO POINT RACE. 259 
 
 their carriage, walked up to a slight eminence 
 pointed out to them by the old squire. This 
 was immediately the signal for a rush to be 
 made for the spot by the assembled multitude. 
 The day which up to this had been changeable 
 now evinced signs of a decided alteration for 
 the worst. Biting blasts of wind came sweep- 
 ing over the uplands, mingled with sheets of 
 sleet, hail, and rain, in a way that made men 
 turn up their coat-collars and horses curl up 
 their backs and tuck in their tails. At length, 
 after the inevitable deUx}^ which invariably takes 
 place on all such occasions, Mr. Bentley got his 
 forces marshalled, and with a ' Now, gentlemen, 
 follow me,' led the way. After about a mile's 
 trot, he ascended a ^slight rise in the ground, 
 and then thus addressed them : 
 
 ' You know the conditions of the race, gentle- 
 men ; so all I have to do is to point out tlio 
 coiu'se to you. I shall start you from tlie field 
 below this. You will then make your way as 
 best you can to Clockiugton church-tower out 
 there,' pointing in the direction wliere a square 
 grey tower rose out from amid a clump of big 
 
 • s2
 
 260 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 elms ; ' this you will round, leaving it on your 
 left, and then shape your course to that flag 
 yonder ; this you will also leave on your left, 
 and from thence you have a straight course to 
 the clump of fir-trees on the hill, at the base 
 of which is the winning-post. Do you all 
 imderstand quite clearly ?' 
 
 One or two of the competitors, it seemed, 
 Avere not quite clear on the subject of the 
 course ; but at last all was explained to their 
 satisfaction, and in a blinding storm of sleet 
 and rain they followed the old squire to the 
 field below, from which he dispatched them, to 
 a capital start, on their cross-country journey. 
 
 Jack had on a former occasion (a memorable 
 one to him) traversed part of the country over 
 which the line lay — viz., on the day when he 
 and Violet had had such a good run, at the 
 termination of which they had vowed eternal 
 friendship — the friendship that had now, on his 
 side at least, he knew, merged into love. And 
 he had also a very vivid recollection of a certain 
 awkward ' goyle ' that lay in the line, that had 
 proved a stopper to all save Violet and himself.
 
 THE POINT TO POINT RACE. 261 
 
 Besides beiug possessed of those two very 
 necessary adjuucts for getting across country 
 safely and well — viz., determination and a quick 
 eye, Ramsay knew, or rather guessed, that this 
 ' gojde ' would have to be encountered after 
 rounding Clockington church, and so deter- 
 mined to get a good start. 
 
 For the first two fields, therefore, he led, 
 closely followed by the others, over a couple of 
 easy-flying fences ; and then a really formidable 
 obstacle was encountered, for nearly five feet 
 of new, stiiT, solid timber frowned defiance at 
 them. All instinctively turned aside to seek 
 some easier outlet from the field. No, not all ! 
 Jack's mind was made up in an instant. If he 
 jumped this fence safely he would gain a 
 decided lead, and be able to husband Harle- 
 quin's strength. It was a case of neck or no- 
 thing — win or lose, and he determined to 
 chance it, knowing that timber was Harlequin's 
 strong point. 
 
 As he pulled him almost into a trot. Lord 
 Guisard, who was just behind, shouted out, 
 
 * Fifty you don't clear it.'
 
 262 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 ' Done !' called back Jack over his shonlclor, 
 adding, in mockijig tones, ' surely you are not 
 afraid to follow me, my lord I' 
 
 Measuring his distance to a yard, good 
 little Harlequin trotted up to it, then, rearing 
 nearly bolt upright, poised himself for an in- 
 stant, and bucked over clean and clear. As he 
 landed Jack turned in his saddle, and saw Lord 
 Guisard glowering at him in speechless rage. 
 
 ' Come on,' he called, tauntingly ; ' if my little 
 pony can do it, surely your three hundred 
 guineas' worth can ;' and, waiting no more, he 
 galloped on. 
 
 Lord Guisard was furious. An oath rose to 
 his lips, and he turned his horse, for he was no 
 coward, whatever other faults he might pos- 
 sess ; besides, he knew Violet must be an 
 amused spectator of the scene. Down he came 
 at the fence forty miles an hour, giving the fine 
 hunter he rode a couple of vicious digs with 
 the spur as he neared it. This threw the ani- 
 mal out of his stride, and he wisely declined. 
 Again and again was he brought at the timber, 
 but with a like result ; at last, maddened from
 
 THE POINT TO POINT RACE. 263 
 
 pain and fright, the horse reared up, and fell 
 back, deposited his lordship in a nice slushy 
 puddle, luckily, however, unhurt. Briggs was 
 up in an instant and galloped off, leaving tho 
 infuriated peer, in no very enviable frame of 
 mind, to pursue the charming occupation of 
 running after his horse in wet and sodden 
 garments. 
 
 In the meantime, Jack had been going 
 steadily on ; Harlequin doing everything 
 he was asked to perfection. When they 
 reached Clockington Tower, Ramsay had a 
 clear lead of three fields, and his red coat acted 
 as a beacon to the other competitors, of which 
 only some five had the ghost of a chance. A 
 big double had disposed of Solomon and Bud- 
 mash, whilst Gardenia, Chance, and Moonshine 
 were hopelessly outpaced. On turning for 
 home Jack took a pull at Harlequin and let the 
 othei's up — by degrees. 
 
 A brook now confronted them, not a very 
 formidable one, truly, but still one that many 
 men would turn away from. Some twelve feet 
 of open water with a bad take-off is not tho
 
 264 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 most inviting sort of fence ; and water always 
 has a deterrent effect upon human as well as 
 equine nerves, though, given a horse that is a 
 really good water-jumper, there is no more 
 charming sensation than being carried safely- 
 over, whilst with pleasure you note your 
 friends not so fortunately mounted either declin- 
 ing the venture or going plop into the stream ! 
 As they entered the field through which the 
 brook meandered, its tortuous course plainly 
 marked out by a line of pollard willows, Cyril 
 Vyvian, anxious to show off, assumed the lead ; 
 but as he did so Jack said kindly to him, 
 
 ' Let me give you a lead, Vyvian; Moorcock 
 has never cared much for water since the day 
 he and his mistress came to grief, but he'll fol- 
 low Harlequin anywhere.' 
 
 * Thanks, old man, I'll follow your advice,' was 
 the reply, as Cyril pulled back. 
 
 And now the six put on the pace, and came 
 thundering down at the brook. Jack leading by 
 some three lengths, with Cyril on his right, and 
 Kufus on his left, the others scattered on either 
 side. Harlequin swings over in his stride,
 
 THE POINT TO POINT KACE. 2[li) 
 
 ' describiug,' as the late ^Ir. ]5roniley-Davenport 
 has it, * an entrancing parabola in the air.' 
 Moorcock has gained confidence, and also 
 acquits himself well : but Eufus, poor Rufus, 
 comes spurring along, shouting to his mare, 
 * Come up, ye jade, for the honour of old Ire- 
 land, we'll show them the ' the word ' trick ' 
 
 being lost under water as the bank gives way 
 and they disappear with a splash ! Paddy gets 
 over with a peck and a scramble, whilst 
 Flora, rushing at it with her head in the 
 air, oversprings herself and rolls over, though 
 her owner is up and in the saddle in an instant. 
 Firefly's chances are here extinguished, for, 
 stopping dead short, she shoots her rider over 
 her head into the brook, to join Rufus in his 
 aquatic sports. And so the four gallop on. 
 Moorcock now leading, with Paddy lying next, 
 Harlequin third, and, some ten lengths behind, 
 Flora bringing up the rear. 
 
 This order they maintain for the next few 
 fields till they round the flag. They are now 
 getting near the ' goyle,' and Jack's quick eye 
 takes in the surrounding objects at a glance.
 
 266 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 Yes, there is the lane where they checked by 
 the cottage ; and out of which Violet, Kate 
 O'Brien, Pile, and himself had left the rest of 
 the field on that memorable day, so he pulls 
 back and lies last. Cyril evidently knows the 
 country, and seems aware of the existence of 
 the * goyle,' for he bears away to the right, fol- 
 lowed by all save Jack, who keeps straight on. 
 As Ramsay neared the spot, he wondered if the 
 rail-protected gap had been repaired. If it had 
 been, he was done for ; but luck always attends 
 the bold, for, in jumping into the field, he saw 
 the rails broken and lying much as he had left 
 them, with only a thorny bush or two stuffed 
 into their place. Galloping on, sensible old 
 Harlequin seemed to remember the spot, and, 
 pushing his way through the thorns, negotiated 
 the place to perfection. As he gained the 
 opposite bank Jack could see no signs of any of 
 his opponents, but soon they hove in sight. 
 They had now performed about three-fourths 
 of the journey, and two sticky, ploughed fields 
 had to be traversed in the last mile. These 
 Jack remembered, and pulled Harlequin into a
 
 THE POINT TO POINT RACE. 267 
 
 trot as he landed in the first, jogging along a 
 wet furrow. The fence out of this field was an 
 easy one, but that ont of the second was a truly 
 formidable double. 
 
 As he neared it, Jack hummed to himself, in 
 the words of the immortal bard of the chase, 
 poor \Vhyte-Melville : 
 
 ' They have pleached it strong, they have dug it wide, 
 . They have turned the baulk with the plough ; 
 The hoi-se that can cover the vrholo in his stride, 
 Is cheap at a thousand, I vow,' 
 
 adding, as he rose in his stirrups and patted 
 Harlequin's neck : 
 
 ' Yon are worth more than a thousand to me, 
 old man ; but I'm not going to ask you to cover 
 it in your stride, though I know you'd try if I 
 wanted you to.' 
 
 The fence was not a very high double ; still 
 it was naiTow on the top, affording but little 
 foothold, and the old thorn and hazel fence that 
 had grown on it for full twenty years, untouched 
 and untrinnned, had been cut and laid in stiff and 
 unbreakable binders. The ditches — for there were 
 two, both wide and dee[) — had been dug out and
 
 268 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 the mud piled on to the ' plush ers ;' in fact, it was 
 about as awkward and treacherous a fence as 
 could well be^ imagined. In the meantime, the 
 other three riders had been brought up by a line 
 of wire fencing that had lately been erected, 
 and so had to diverge from their line and enter 
 the ploughed field in which Jack was taking mat- 
 ters so easily. As Cyril caught sight of him he 
 put on the pace, and, galloping diagonally across 
 the plough-furrows, came fast at the fence just 
 as Harlequin cantered up to it, and, quickening 
 his pace in the last few strides, made his spring, 
 kicked back, and landed safely in the next 
 field. 
 
 'Don't come so fast,' shouted Jack -to Cyril, 
 but the warning was unheeded. 
 
 Moorcock's want of condition was beginning 
 to tell, and, though he did his best, it was ask- 
 ing too much of a distressed horse to go fast at 
 such a fence out of deep groimd ; added to 
 which, the awkward take-off considerably in- 
 creased the chance of failure. He floundered on 
 to the top, and then the narrow bank and 
 treacherous slimy mud gave way, and, with a
 
 THE rOINT TO POINT RACE. 269 
 
 gi'oan, he subsided backwards iuto tlie ditcli as 
 Paddy's rider, following Jack's tactics, landed 
 safely lower dowu, and Flora, rushing fall tilt 
 up the furrow in Jack's wake, flew the whole 
 thing. 
 
 The issue now lay between Harlequin, Flora, 
 and Paddy. The latter belonged to a young 
 fellow in the regiment quartered at Slush- 
 borough Barracks. He was a nice lad, one of 
 Jack's friends, and a favourite with the Marsh- 
 w'ood Yale Hunt. Only two fields intervened 
 before the winning-post was reached, and the 
 shouts of the spectators already rang in their 
 ears. Jack was still leading, and as he felt 
 Harlequin saihng along, going well within him- 
 self, he grew pretty confident of winning the 
 light-weight race ; but with Flora, who w^as a 
 big, powerful mare, and evidently full of run- 
 ning, Mng close up, he felt less sure of winning 
 Violet's cup — the one thing he valued more 
 than anything else. Paddy, he knew, he had 
 the legs of, and, bar accidents, he felt sure he 
 could beat him. IIo had noticed the way Flora 
 rushed her fences, and, brilliant fencer as she
 
 270 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 undoubtedly was, ho fervently hoped this fault 
 might yet bring her to grief. 
 
 Nor was Jack wrong in his surmise, for at 
 the last fence but one from home — a stiff high- 
 ish bank, with a bramble-covered ditch on the 
 landing-side — the mare again overjumped her- 
 self, and came down what is vulgarly termed a 
 * buster.' This left Jack still Avith the lead, 
 some twenty lengths ahead of Paddy, on 
 whom, good honest horse though he was, the 
 pace was beginning to tell. The last fence of 
 all was a very trappy one — a ditch on the take- 
 off side, and an up-jump on to a bramble and 
 thorn-covered bank, which was thickly under- 
 mined with rabbit-holes. Harlequin jumped 
 it to perfection, but, alas ! as he landed he put 
 his foot in a rabbit-hole and rolled over heavily, 
 his bridle coming off in the fall. Jack, however, 
 by constant practice had learnt to fall clear of 
 his horse and retain hold of his reins ; and as 
 Harlequin rose, with the one rein entangled 
 round a fore-foot, he jumped on his back, and, 
 catching up the remaining rein, set him going 
 just as Paddy landed safely. And now a most
 
 THE POINT TO POINT RACE. 271 
 
 exciting finish took place up tlie two hundred 
 yards that remained. The run-in was up-hill, 
 and the two were joretty evenly handicapped. 
 Jack's only means of guiding* Harlequin was 
 with whip and leg-pressure, the bit being 
 against his horse's chest ; whilst Paddy's rider 
 had his horse's beaten condition to contend 
 with. Gamely the two struggled on locked 
 together, till at last, within a fcAv yards of the 
 winning waggon, Jack gave Harlequin two 
 sharp digs Avith the spur, and, shouting to him 
 at the same time that Paddy swerved from 
 sheer exhaustion, landed a winner by just 
 a length. 
 
 Loud were the shouts that hailed his success, 
 and many were the cries of ' Well done, cap- 
 tin I' from some scores of west-country yeoman 
 throats as he pulled up preparatory to weighing 
 out (for Jack during his stay had by his genial 
 manner and fearless riding become a warm 
 favouiite amongst the farmers). This perform- 
 ance concluded, and his weight being pro- 
 nounced * all right!' by the temporary clerk of 
 the scales, Violet came up, her face beaming
 
 272 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 with deliglit and excitement. As she patted 
 Harlequin's neck, and said, in a low tone, * Well 
 done, both of you !' Jack felt a thrill of pleasur- 
 able pride shoot through him such as he had 
 never known before. 
 
 That evening, at a large dinner-party which 
 Violet gave in honour of the event, she pre- 
 sented her silver cup to Jack, after making him 
 a neat little speech, in which becoming allusion 
 was made to Harlequin's prowess, and Ramsay's 
 talent as a jockey. The cup being filled with 
 champagne was, at Jack's special request, 
 christened by Violet taking the first sip out of 
 it ; then it was passed round among the assem- 
 bled guests, who one and all drank the victor's 
 health with ' a three times three and one cheer 
 more,' in such a ringing chorus that made the 
 old rafters of Forde Manor shake again, and 
 startled the owls who haunted its ivy-clad 
 walls.
 
 273 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 'CAN YOU ANSWER ME ONE QUESTION?' 
 
 Jack Ramsay's brief visit was almost over. 
 The following day he must get back to Alder- 
 shot and exchange freedom and country hfe, 
 with the still greater delight of being daily in 
 Violet Vyvian's society, for barracks and the 
 monotonous routine of duty. 
 
 If ho grumbled in his heart at fate, some one 
 else was sighing in hers. How gladly Violet 
 would have been in Mrs. Beaumont's shoes, if 
 only she might see to the proper packing of 
 Ramsay's big portmanteau, and have the sorrow- 
 ful pleasure of handling some of his things and 
 helping him a little. A most silly frame of 
 VOL. I. ^'
 
 274 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 mind ! Kate O'Brien, for instance, never gave 
 herself the least chance of a headache by stoop- 
 ing over Knfus' shirts, when that happy-go- 
 lucky husband of hers was away from the 
 tender care of the Forde footmen ; and he 
 stuffed them in ' anyhow.' 
 
 Four o'clock on a mild April afternoon. Violet 
 Vyvian is stealing — no other word expresses 
 her shy step and tremulous feeling — through 
 her own woods, where stray touches of Spring's 
 passing feet might already be seen in golden 
 patches of celandine stars underfoot, and some 
 faintly-green buds among the brushwood. 
 
 What does she here ? An heiress, her own 
 mistress, with none to say her nay ; why should 
 she look timidly around ? All the same, in spite 
 of dehcious hopes, Violet was thrilled with 
 maiden misgivings and shamefacedness at the 
 consciousness that, for the first time in her life, 
 she was bound on a tryst to meet her lover. 
 The very trees seemed to cry out reproachfully, 
 ' What ! could you leave us for this stranger ? 
 You are taking a rash step ; all you see around 
 for miles is yours — yours. Will you give it all
 
 ♦ CAN YOU ANSWER ME ONE QUESTION V 275 
 
 lip for love of hiiu V At the thought, tho giiTs 
 heart throbbed high, a happy smile came on lier 
 lips and lingered, 
 
 ' All ! — I will give it all up for his sake,' she 
 repeated firmly, within herself, as she had done 
 lately many times. 
 
 Still, she knew many people would think her 
 fooKsh, even mad. And Kate O'Brien above all I 
 Yiolet had an uneasy feeling that she did 7iot 
 want to meet Kate till it was all settled, and 
 therefore had consented to this stolen interview. 
 Perhaps it w^as from an idea of friendship, 
 perhaps mere feminine jealousy, that Kate had 
 so often thwarted Ramsay's attempts to have 
 any private conversation with Yiolet lately. 
 But the fact was evident. 
 
 On the preceding evening Ramsay had found 
 an opportunity to say quite low, s(j that only 
 she could liuar, 
 
 * I am going away the day after to-morrow.' 
 
 ' I know,' Violet briefly answered. 
 
 'Let me have one last chance of meeting 
 you ; will you ?' the young man went on, for- 
 getting his old timidity and pressing his wish 
 
 t2
 
 276 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 eagerly, almost bluntly. ' Will you be down 
 at the old sundial where the three rides meet 
 — ^by the pine-wood — about five o'clock, and 
 come by yourself V 
 
 Then, seeing Violet paused a moment or so 
 before replying, he urged with a passionate 
 thrill in his voice, 
 
 ' You knoiv there is never a chance of speak- 
 ing alone with you when I come up to your 
 house. Rufus is always about — and Mrs. 
 O'Brien. The mistress of Forde Manor is 
 always being wanted by everyone — may not a 
 friend want you too ? I have never yet asked 
 many favours of you, have 1 ? You might 
 surely grant me this much for the last time.' 
 
 ' I will come,' Violet had breathed back, very 
 low. And here she was. 
 
 Five o'clock already, as she consulted her 
 tiny gold hunting-watch. She was late, and 
 there was still a fairly long stretch of grassy 
 cross-ride through the oak-trees to be traversed 
 before one came near the firs. Violet looked 
 round anxiously ; then, reflecting that Jack was 
 not hkely to come away from the meeting-
 
 ' CAX YOU ANSWER -ME ONE QUESTION V 277 
 
 place, she began to run liglitly and fast down 
 the side of the ride, startling the rabbits that 
 ■were playing on the sunlit, open sward, and 
 sending them scuttling awav into the bracken. 
 At the far end the girl stopped, slightly panting ; 
 then, assuming a leisurely air out of keeping 
 with the quickened beating of her heart, went 
 forward sedately down another ride. The pine- 
 trees began here ; at the end could be seen a 
 glimpse of the open triangular space where the 
 sundial stood. But Ramsay was not in sight as 
 yet. 
 
 Violet came very slowly indeed, with maidenly 
 reserve, into the open. No Jack was by the old 
 sundial, that leant crooked among the long grass ; 
 nor yet was he in sight down any ride. No figure 
 could she descry under the pine-trees around, 
 or where the withered bracken-stalks sparsely 
 covered an open knoll. Too soon ! Miss Vyvian 
 bit her lip and felt hurt with herself. How 
 stupid to have run ! No doubt he would come 
 in less than three minutes, but she would have 
 preferred not being first. 
 
 Stepping back under the shelter of a near
 
 278 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 pine-tree, Violet stood still to wait. She breathed 
 in with enjoyment, as always, the resinous scent 
 from the pine-branches, liked to feel the dry 
 ground carpeted with dead fir-needles under 
 her feet. Still that did not blind her to the fact 
 that five, ten minutes had passed, as she several 
 times consulted her watch. 
 
 A quarter-of-an-hour ! This was strange, 
 neglectful of Jack. Violet felt hurt with 
 him now. Twenty minutes; five-and-twenty ! 
 Something must have happened ; he had been 
 detained ; what could be wrong? Half-an-hour 
 — Violet could bear the suspense no longer. It 
 was cruel of Jack, almost an insult. At any 
 rate, she would not endure such slighting 
 conduct another instant ; she should go back 
 home. 
 
 But Violet had only turned a few yards up 
 the homeward ride with determined face, when 
 Jack emerged in hot haste from among the 
 trees on the further side of the ride, a little way 
 behind, and hastened after her. 
 
 ' Here I am — at last. Forgive me ; but where 
 are you going V
 
 ' CAN YOU ANSWER ME ONE QUESTION V 279 
 
 * I am going home, Captaiu Ramsay. I have 
 an appointment with the baiUif for six o'clock, 
 and I never like to keep anyone waiting.' 
 
 ' Don't be so gently severe. Why won't you 
 look at me ? Do you think for a moment I 
 loillingly kept you waiting V 
 
 Violet raised her glance and saw that Jack 
 looked heated; his breath was hurried, and 
 moisture stood on his brow. 
 
 ' I could not get away sooner,' went on 
 Ramsay, excusing himself with a dogged ear- 
 nestness there was no mistaking. 'I was 
 stopped, first of all, when I was leaving Little- 
 forde by Margaret, who wanted my advice 
 about something in the stables. And then, on 
 my way here, I happened to come across some- 
 body else; and so it went on. I have been 
 running like a hare through the wood, and been 
 caught by every bramble-bush in your coverts, 
 I believe.' 
 
 'And who was the somebody else?' asked 
 Violet, in a still voice. 
 
 It seemed to her — she could not have told 
 why — that Jack was not speaking in his usual
 
 280 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 open manner ; that he was keeping something 
 back. 
 
 ' 0— only Mrs. O'Brien.' 
 
 * What ! Kate ? Then of course I can quite 
 •understand you could not tear yourself away 
 only to see me, Captain Ramsay. She is not 
 only much handsomer, but a much more agree- 
 able companion than I am. We are great 
 friends, as you know ; and I am never jealous.' 
 
 Nevertheless, for the first time in her life, 
 Violet felt a surge of bitter jealousy rise up, as 
 if it would choke her. 
 
 ' / do not think her a more agreeable com- 
 panion. She cannot equal you in looks, in my 
 eyes — no woman can !' 
 
 Jack looked steadfastly in the dove-like, clear 
 eyes that met his. There was such emphasis in 
 his low tone that, if he did not mean what he 
 said, he must have been one of the greatest 
 deceivers ever created. A warm, girlish flush, 
 and a quick, feminine retort came in reply. 
 
 ' Then why did you not leave her half-an-hour 
 ago ? Kate would not detain you, I should 
 think, if you had pleaded any excuse. I know
 
 * CAN YOU ANSWER ME ONE QUESTION T 281 
 
 / should not,' with a charming toss of her small, 
 wavy, brown-haired head. 
 
 Jack bit his hp. 
 
 * It was not easy to get away .... And I 
 do not suppose you wished her to Imow that 
 we were going to meet, and where.' 
 
 Then bis brow darkened, and he suddenly 
 shut his mouth tight as a trap. There was a 
 moment's silence. Violet could not gainsay 
 him, but knew not what objections she could 
 rightly make next. So they only looked at 
 each other. 
 
 ' I am very sorry ; but I really could not help 
 it, on my honour,' murmured Jack now, quite 
 low, though there were only rabbits or a stray 
 squirrel to hear him. 
 
 His gi'ey eyes pleaded even more eloquently 
 than his words. Few women could have with- 
 stood the dangerous proximity of that hand- 
 some, kindly face ; a lover in a hundred, one to 
 be truly proud of. Violet's anger had already 
 died away. She felt an influence creeping over 
 her iiTesistibly that would have made her follow 
 this man to the world's end. Jack somehow
 
 282 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 divined his power. He was intoxicated by the 
 knowledge that his love of this woman — who 
 was dear to him above all the world — had won 
 the longed-for reward that was trembling on 
 her lips. 
 
 ' Come here, under this tree, a little — will you, 
 dear V said Jack, drawing her arm through his 
 own very gently. 
 
 And so he led her, she following his persua- 
 sive touch, attracted by the all-powerful mag- 
 net of love, under the wide-spread branches of a 
 great pine that stood on one side of the ride. 
 And then ? 
 
 Well, what happened then it would be hard 
 to say. How does fire break out first in com- 
 pressed combustible materials, by self-ignition ? 
 Just as the first spark bursts into flame after 
 smouldering, so these two — who had long guessed 
 their mutual passion — noAv uttered it. 
 
 For a few minutes there was not much said 
 that was very consecutive in speech, albeit in- 
 telligible enough, despite broken words, by the 
 two persons in this dialogue. Then, after a 
 pause of ecstasy. Jack found himself exclaiming :
 
 ' CAN YOU ANSWER ME ONE QUESTION T 283 
 
 'Do you know, Violet, I feel ashamed of 
 looking yon in the face. Think of your posi- 
 tion, my darling, and of mine. Could you really 
 care more for me than for your fortune, and old 
 
 home, and ' (with a short, happy laugh) 
 
 'for being the only lady M.F.H. 1 know of in 
 England V 
 
 ' 1 care far, far more,' came the woman's 
 quick, low answer, uttered from the depths of 
 her soul. ' Oh ! what would my house be to 
 me, if the one being whom I need to live with, 
 to see, and hear were gone away for everf 
 Do you think I would have much heart to ride 
 to hounds then? What real happiness would 
 my fortune bring me, if I never had anyone 
 to share it with?' 
 
 Her look, as she said so, was so guileless, so 
 open and trusting, that it gave Jack almost an 
 awe before this pure, young woman-soul, who 
 thus offered to give up so much of this world's 
 gear for sake of just — himself. He felt afraid I 
 
 ' Dear, I believe I ought never to have asked 
 such a sacrifice from you. It might, perhaps, 
 have been better for you if 1 had gone away
 
 28'1 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 from Forde Manor weeks ago, and never said a 
 word. I am not worthy of you ; I am far from 
 being as good as you think me/ he said, in a 
 
 rather choked voice. ' But still ' Jack 
 
 meant to say that, if Kfe-long devotion, if the 
 truest gratitude ever man owed woman would 
 replace what she lost through him, then that 
 should be hers. But he did not say so, for a 
 fiudden barking startled them both. They had 
 been standing so close together under the wide- 
 spreading tree, while the other pine-trees screen- 
 ed them on three sides, looking in each other's 
 •eyes, with Jack's arm round the girl's supple 
 waist, that neither had given any attention as 
 to who might be coming down the grassy ride. 
 But Crab, Violet's pet terrier, who had followed 
 her as usual, had been snuffling back and for- 
 ward for the last few minutes between the open 
 award and the dead bracken-stalks under the 
 trees in an agitated manner. And now, seeing 
 his young mistress was still engrossed, as a 
 faithful sentinel, he gave warning by some 
 ^ yap-yaps.' 
 
 There was the Reverend John Wood, alias
 
 ' CAN YOU ANSWER ME ONE QUESTION V 285 
 
 Jack, the Parson, Avalkiug quietly clowu the 
 ride, aud looking, with desperate interest, at 
 the trees on the further side. Had he seen 
 them. Of course he had ; neither could doubt 
 it! But still, his present air of not having* seen 
 being next best, the young couple, who felt 
 terribly foolish all at once, were hesitating, when 
 out dashed Crab recklessly, and began a noisy 
 war-dance round the intruder's legs. It was 
 impossible to pretend to overlook that. 
 
 Violet called Crab in a tone of the most 
 dignified rebuke she could summon ; Jack threw 
 in his remonstrances to the terrier with a some- 
 what more grumpy voice. And Mr. Wood, who 
 was as good a fellow as ever breathed, turned 
 reluctantly to meet both lovers, who issued from 
 under the pine-tree with as nonchalant an air 
 as they could assume ; which was not much. It 
 was too bad of fate ; too bad ! 
 
 * Ah ! Miss Vyvian, how are you ? I believe 
 you asked me to come up this afternoon to show 
 you our new plans for the school-house,' began 
 Jack Wood fluently, to give them time to recover 
 themselves, and then he rushed iutd details of
 
 286 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 his scheme. Violet was aghast. A week ago 
 she had truly made the appointment ; and yet 
 she, who prided herself on being so methodical, 
 had forgotten it entirely. She thi-ew in a ' yes ' 
 or ' no ' in secret confusion, while the young 
 vicar hurried out his explanations ; understand- 
 ing next-to-nothing of what that good-natured 
 fellow was saying, as he guessed. * Good-bye, 
 Miss Vyvian, I am heartily obliged to you for so 
 kindly taking an interest in the matter. Per- 
 haps you will allow me to come back another 
 day and tell you more about it,' said the visitor, 
 at the very first gate that gave him a chance of 
 saying his adieux and bolting homewards. 
 ' And, good-bye to you, Ramsay. You are off 
 to-morrow, are you not ? but I hope we shall 
 very soon see you back again.' Whereupon, 
 with a very friendly handshake, and a comical 
 twinkle in his eye. Jack Wood made himself 
 scarce as rapidly as possible. 
 
 The two whom he had just disturbed from 
 the happiness of their little half-hour of Eden, 
 could hardly help laughing as they looked after 
 the tiresome third. And just then Miss Yyvian's
 
 * CAN YOU ANSWER ME ONE QUESTION V 287 
 
 bailiff came round a corner of a copse, evidently 
 resolved to have his interview, for he instantly 
 stood stock-still. 
 
 ' It's six o'clock, and I shall never be able to 
 get rid of him ; he is so obstinate,' whispered 
 Violet, in desperation. 
 
 ' What it is to be an heiress I Never mind — 
 we have a life-time before us,' whispered Jack. 
 So, with a hurried promise of meeting very early 
 on the following morning for a few last words 
 before Jack left for Aldershot, and with a close 
 pressure of hands, they parted. There was no 
 more to be said with the inquisitive eyes of 
 Violet's bailiff upon them ; an old man who had 
 grown grey in her father's ser\dce, and who 
 allowed himself to admonish his young mistress 
 if she ever showed symptoms of deferring 
 business to pleasure. 
 
 That evening Miss Vyvian looked sweetly, if 
 silently radiant, dreaming mostly through dinner 
 with a smile ever-brooding on her face. But 
 sometimes she woke up to occasional flashes of 
 brilhancy in talk, far out-doing her ordinary 
 self. Once or twice she looked quietly round at
 
 288 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 the Holbeins and Knellers, all family portraits, 
 that gazed solemn-eyed at her from the wain- 
 scoted walls of the dining-room. 
 
 * Good-bye to you all/ she thought, feeling un- 
 gratefully Hght-hearted at the prospect of 
 parting from them. What were they, and the 
 massive silver plate on the table, her many 
 well-trained servants, all this dulness of wealth, 
 as she termed it in her light-hearted gladness — 
 what were these things worth in comparison of 
 the great joy of being always with Jack Ramsay 
 through life henceforth. 
 
 So, after dinner, Violet went to the piano and 
 played to Rufus all his favourite airs, which 
 Kate generally declined to strum as everlasting- 
 ly as he liked, being sick of them, she declared, 
 (and they were certainly rather of the street- 
 organ kind of music). And she had a game of 
 picquet with him afterwards, whilst Kate eyed 
 them moodily from over a French novel, the 
 pages of which she seldom if ever turned. 
 
 'What a pity we haven't Jack Ramsay and Mrs. 
 Beaumont up for this last night,' Rufus tenta- 
 tively remarked, with a knoAving smile in his
 
 ' CAN YOU ANSWER ME ONE QUESTION V 289 
 
 blue eyes, for with sucli a red forest of beard 
 he had Httle room elsewhere to smile. 
 
 ' 0— I dou't know. We will have them 
 many more times, I hope,' answered Violet, 
 evasively, and directly felt conscious. She had 
 not invited them yesterday to come up this 
 evening because — she was a coward. She was 
 not then sure of Jack, and feared he ' meant 
 nothing ;' the secret pain of meeting him for the 
 last time would be greater than the pleasure. 
 And now she was sure — quite sure ! But she 
 was selfish, and still rather rejoiced that he was 
 down at Littleforde. 
 
 ' If I cannot have him all to myself, I don't 
 much care to share his society with Rufus and 
 Kate,' said this love-greedy young woman to 
 lierself. 
 
 ' How happy Violet looks to-night ! I'll bet a 
 pony she and Ramsay have settled matters 
 Ijetween them, eh, Kate V said Rufus later, in the 
 seclusion of their connubial chamber, to his wife. 
 ' Well, I declare, I'm glad of it, though it does 
 seem an awful pity. They'll be the happiest couple 
 tliat ever was, I believe — except ourselves.' 
 
 VOL. I. U
 
 290 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 And feeling by the last words he had said the 
 right thing, redeeming that well-nigh uncon- 
 scious slip of the tongue — for if ever any mis- 
 givings assailed his mind as to his real happiness 
 whenever Kate was unusually exacting, or full 
 of the whims of a spoilt beauty, the honest 
 fellow drove them out forthwith — Rufus soon 
 slept the sleep of the just. 
 
 In the further gallery, Violet was almost too 
 happy to sleep. She seemed to herself awake, 
 yet wandering in a state of blissfulness through 
 heavenly visions, when her door softly opened. 
 She started up in alarm from dozing, as a candle 
 gleamed in her bewildered eyes, and Kate 
 O'Brien cautiously approached the bedside. Kate 
 looked like a spirit in her wliite dressing-gown 
 as, with her glorious dark hair falling down her 
 back, and her face wearing a singularly mourn- 
 ful pathetic expression that softened its warmly- 
 hued earthly beauty, she stood mutely regard- 
 ing Violet from under her down-dropped eye- 
 lashes. With a foreshadowing of some coming 
 woe, the latter half-rose and asked quietly, 
 
 * What is wrong? Is there anything the matter?*
 
 ' CAN YOU ANSWER ME ONE QUESTION?' 291 
 
 ' I fear so. Forgive nie for disturbing you 
 like this, but there is something heavy on my 
 mind that I could not speak to you about, dear, 
 before Rufus to-night — and to-morrow may be 
 too late. He is asleep, now.' 
 
 ' Go on. What is it that would be too late 
 to-morrow?' said Violet, with outward calm. 
 And yet some instinct seemed to warn her 
 what was coming. 
 
 Kate had put down her candle, and was 
 sitting on the side of her friend's bed. 
 
 * It is about Captain Ramsay,' she said, bring- 
 ing out the words with a great effort. * I hope 
 — I trust I am wrong, Violet dear, but there 
 seems to be some sort of mutual understanding 
 between you both. We have been such friends, 
 you and I, or I would not speak. But I am 
 terribly afraid.' 
 
 ' There is. He has told me he loves me, and 
 I love him in retiu-n,' declared Violet, proudly 
 raising her head. ' If you wished to warn me 
 against that, it is indeed too late. Don't spoil 
 my happiness by croaking over my lost fortune, 
 Kate ; I have chosen, you see ! I prefer liim 
 
 U2
 
 2 92 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 infinitely to any fortune — to any other man.* 
 
 * Then you are irrevocably engaged to be 
 married to him V uttered Kate, gloomily, as if 
 murder not marriage was the subject of this 
 midnight talk. 
 
 ' I — of course ! — that is understood,' faltered 
 Violet, blushing up; as for the first time it 
 occurred to her," that Jack had not after all 
 exactly asked her in so many words to be his 
 wife. But still ' 
 
 A sudden gleam came in Kate's dark eyes, 
 like a faint flicker of hope over a sea of 
 trouble. 
 
 ' But he has not distinctly proposed, has he ? 
 To say he loves you is nothing, nothing ! Why, 
 a man will say that to any number of women — 
 and certainly ' (with scathing scorn) ' Jack 
 Ramsay has done so to my knowledge — without 
 dreaming of marriage.' 
 
 ' I don't believe you ! He is true and honest,' 
 broke in Violet, with flashin g eyes. * He is in- 
 capable of actiug dishonourably towards me, or 
 anyone.' 
 
 ' He is not incapable of having befooled us
 
 ' CAN YOU ANS^VER ME ONE QUESTION?' 293 
 
 both,' came in bitter answer. ' Oli, Violet, 
 Violet I if you have made no absolute promise, 
 if he has asked for none, be warned by my 
 fate. He may desert you in time, as he has me.' 
 
 < You — Kate ! In heaven's name ! how V 
 Violet uttered, in an anguished whisper. 
 
 Kate bowed herself upon the bed and hid 
 her beautiful face in her hands, as she bitterly 
 answered, 
 
 ' Of course it was wrong, very wrong — but 1 
 could not help it. He was so handsome ; with 
 such a charm of manner ! Oh, you know it all. 
 He has made you love him, now. Well, so he 
 did me.' 
 
 * But, Kate— I never noticed anything. No- 
 thing beyond a mere little flirtation now and 
 then, that Rufus never seemed to mind.' 
 
 Poor Violet felt amazed and stupefietl ; she 
 was tryhig dully, yet desperately, to fight in 
 her lover's cause. The answer came like a 
 knell to her hopes. 
 
 ' You don't suppose we wished Rufus, or you 
 either, to notice it.' 
 
 A silence fell in the room. Both young
 
 294 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 women sat shivering on the bed, with different 
 feelings, but equal misery of mind. 
 
 Violet felt a stony despair settling down upon 
 her. Her tongue seemed tied; she could not 
 ask her friend the questions that were trem- 
 bling on her tongue. Kate was sick in soul at 
 her own baseness ; shivering guiltily lest, after 
 all, it might fail. She writhed her body with 
 horror at the thought — at what Jack Avould 
 think of her if ever he came to know. 
 
 ' I don't say, Violet, that he may not love you 
 now. Of course you are very nice-looking ; 
 and, after all, five hundred a-year is not so bad,' 
 she faintly murmured. ' It is only, dear, that 
 the change seems just — just a little sudden. He 
 ought to have been quite sure he was off with 
 the old love, before he was on with the new !' 
 (with a faint laugh). ' It was only this very 
 afternoon that he met me and said good-bye. 
 Perhaps he met you^ too.' 
 
 Violet could not speak. Her heart seemed 
 overcharged with gall, as she remembered — ah ! 
 only too well — Jack's strangeness of manner 
 when he confessed to being delayed by meeting
 
 * CAN YOU ANSWER ME ONE QUESTION?' 205 
 
 Kate. His lute kisses seeiiiod to blister her face 
 as she sat there rigid, and looked down at the 
 woman crouched before her in self-abaKenient. 
 
 Kate spoke feebly again, with a ghastly inirtli 
 against herself. 
 
 * What a fool you must think me, dear ! Yon 
 will be able to laugh with him some day at how 
 I believed all his sweet speeches. And you may 
 be very happy, I daresay — unless he changes 
 once more. It's only the way of the world, my 
 dear ; you'll get used to it.' 
 
 ' I do not know much of the ways of the 
 world in love-making, but I shall never get 
 used to that,' said poor Violet, truthfully, her 
 proud, virgin soul recoiling at the thought that 
 her lover could come straight from the woman 
 he had beguiled to meet her honest eyes, to 
 claim her fresh, first love. 
 
 After a while — it seemed somewhat a long 
 while — Violet nerved herself to utter, in solemn 
 appeal, 
 
 * Kate ! can you answer me just cue question t 
 I will ask no more. Was there anything that 
 passed between you and Captain Ramsay lately
 
 296 VIOLET VYVIAN, M.F.H. 
 
 — anything (not on your part, but on his) that 
 ought, in honour, to have prevented him from 
 trying to gain my affection too ? I must — I will 
 take your word for it.' 
 
 Kate O'Brien shuddered. The temptation 
 was so awful. Jack's honest face rose before 
 her eyes ; this girl's trustful friendship demanded 
 
 equal fair-dealing, and yet The man was 
 
 so handsome ; she loved him with all the passion 
 of a violent, selfish nature. 8he remembered 
 how, that very afternoon, Jack had almost 
 roughly repulsed her when she waylaid his 
 steps ; he had left her with abruptness, rudeness 
 — as she angrily declared to herself — in order, as 
 she now knew, to seek a farewell interview with 
 Violet. 
 
 Kate's face blanched; her very lips turned 
 -ashy as, in a stifled voice, she whispered, ' Yes.' 
 
 Then she turned and crept away, leaving 
 Violet alone. 
 
 END OP THE FIRST VOLUME. 
 
 LONUON : PRINTED BY DUNCAN MACDONALD, BLENHEIM HOUSE.