LI E) RARY OF THL UN IVERSITY or ILLINOIS 823 W84I2 v./ The person charging this material is re- sponsible for its return to the library from which it was withdrawn on or before the Latest Date stamped below. Theft, mutilation, and underlining of books are reasons for disciplinary action and may result in dismissal from the University. To renew call Telephone Center, 333-8400 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS LIBRARY AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN L161— O-1096 Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2010 with funding from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign http://www.archive.org/details/womanstemptation01dutt /^ ^ WOMAN'S TEIPTATIOK A NOVEL. EDITED BY THE HON. MRS RALPH BUTTON. Such is my name, and such my tale. Confessor— To thy secret ear I breathe the sorrows I bewail. And thank thee for the generous tear. IN THREE VOLUMES. VOL. L LONDON : HURST AND BLACKETT, PUBLISHERS, SUCCESSORS TO HENRY COLBURN, ' 13, GREAT MARLBOROUGH STREET. 1860. The riyhl of Translation is resetted. JOHN CIIILDS A^D SOX, PllTlfTERS. 8^^ V. 1 CONSEQUENCES. Shall I fail ? The Grreeks said grandly, in their tragic phrase, " Let no one be called happy till his death," To which I add — Let no one till his death Be called unhappy. Measure not the work Until the day 's out, and the labour done ; Then bring your gauges. If the day's work 's scant, "Why call it scant ? affect no compromise ; And in that we have nobly striven, at least Deal with us nobly, women though we be, And honour us with truth, if not with praise. E. Bareett Browning. PREFACE. The following pages were scarcely in tlie hands of the PubKshers, when the ^\Titer of them was taken from among us by a death most sudden and unexpected. This is not the place to dwell upon our loss, though what that loss is, none can appreciate but those few who were intimately acquainted with her pure spirit and bright intelligence ; and they indeed feel that her place among us can never be filled up. Had her life been prolonged, we cannot doubt but that the present work would have been but the earnest of others; but the active brain and VI PREFACK. the ready hand are now still beneath the snow- covered grave ; she is cut off, even before she had put the finishing stroke to her first work ; — and as the writer's life had been one of almost constant retirement and self- culture, we hope that these pages will be found to be as interesting as they are well-intentioned, and that the remarkable knowledge and insight into character shown throughout, may be looked upon as indications of mental powers of no common order. F. D. Feb. 14, 1860. WOMAN'S TEMPTATION. CHAPTER L Bright is her hue, and Geraldine she hight. SUREET. ^ * # # * * Enjoy thy youth, it will not stay ; Enjoy the fragrance of thy prime, Eor oh ! it is not always May ! Enjoy the spring of love and youth. To some good angel leave the rest ; Eor time will teach thee soon the truth, There are no birds in last year's nest. LoifaFELLOW. " Geraldine, why are you wasting your time in this way ? Take that new duet, and YOL. J. 1 woman's temptation. practise it. Remember Signor A. comes to- morrow." So spoke Lady Bournemouth, as slie en- tered her daughter's school-room. Lady Ger- aldine raised her eyes languidly. " Oh, mamma, I have such a headache. I shall have plenty of time before he comes." " Nonsense ! you know Mrs H. comes in the morning. If your head aches, why don't you take some sal volatile ? " replied her mo- ther, leaving the room. Lady Geraldine pressed her hand to her forehead, pushed her hair behind her ears> seated herself at the piano, and began prac- tising. Geraldine Vivian was the only daughter^of the Earl and Countess of Bournemouth. Her mother, a complete woman of the world, was as fond of her as she could be of anything, and constantly repeated to herself that her dearest object was Geraldine's well-being ; meaning thereby that her daughter should be turned out from the school-room a beauti- ful and accomplished girl, and, after blazing for a short time in London society, a star of woman's temptation. 8 the first magnitude, should find a rich and noble husband. For this desirable end, Lady Bournemouth toiled and planned day and night. Already at the top of the ladder, as regarded fashion and position, there was nothing further to be accomplished on that score, and therefore it was to Geraldine herself that her cares were chiefly directed. One of a large and needy, though well-born family, her own education had been very slight, and like m.ost un- educated people, she was nervously anxious that her child should never know the neglect which she herself had felt to be so serious a disadvantage. Therefore, governesses, mas- ters, books, all the means and appliances of a first-rate education, as it is called, were lavished on her daughter. If ever a girl ought to have been a walking epitome of all the arts and sciences, that girl was Geraldine Vivian. No hour, no moment of the day was left unoccupied. Masters and mistresses followed one another with a rapidity which might have wearied the most eager scholar; and any spare moment which might chance to be 4 WOMAN S TEMPTATION. unemployed was filled up with history, geogra- phy, chronology, arithmetic, all the thousand and one half-taught et ceteras of an English girl's education. It was perhaps fortunate that the object of all this care showed none of that zeal in the pursuit of knowledge that her mo- ther did in supplying the means of acquir- ing it. Nothing would have induced Geral- dine to practise one minute later, or draw one stroke more, than the set time and quantity. As to the Sciences, they fared worse than the Arts, and " Useful Knowledge " was more entirely at a discount than either. Her go- verness was driven to despair by her unconquer- able idleness ; and her masters were divided between vexation at her childish frivolity, and admiration of the real talent she displayed when the humour took her. Her memory was excellent, and her aptitude for learning great ; had she so pleased, she might easily have excelled in anything she undertook. Her eye for drawing was correct ; but while she scarcely paid any attention to her master's instructions, she spent the time that should have been otherwise employed in drawing caricatures woman's temptation. 5 which would have made " Punch's " artists bum their tools and their sketches in dis- gust. Her ear for music was keen, her touch good, and her voice of remarkable compass and sweetness ; but neither vo- cally nor instrumentally did she accom- plish the results to be expected from such unusual powers. It was the same with every- thing else ; except the dancing mistress, no one had reason to be satisfied with Geraldine's progress. There, indeed, she surpassed even her mother's expectations ; such wonderful and enchanting grace and joyousness dwelt in her every movement and gestm-e. And with this, and with the disheartening consciousness that her daughter might do much better if she chose. Lady Bournemouth was fain to be satisfied. Well for Geraldine that her mother did not take a peep into the school-room at some moment when Miss Wood was absent, and when the young lady might pretty often have been found romping over the chairs and sofas with her little King Charles, rattling off polkas and waltzes in- stead of scales, singing the popular airs of 6 woman's temptation. the day in the place of exercises ; and, generally speaking, making wild work with her grammars, dictionaries, and histories. It was with some truth that Miss Wood pro- tested that her pupil was so childish, it was impossible to trust her for a moment by her- self; no sooner was the governess's back turned than Geraldine was at her pranks, and when she returned, many a mark did the school-room bear of what had gone on in her absence. Too good-natured to com- plain to Lady Bournemouth, Miss Wood mildly remonstrated and reproved, and in- variably received for answer, " I am so dull ; I must keep myself alive. When I have more amusement I shall behave better." It was unanswerable — the first part at least ; and so Geraldine's vagaries were suffered to pass without much comment. But notwithstanding her fearless natm'e and apparent lawlessness, she stood in great awe of her mother, the dread of whose displeasure was enough to induce her to curb her wild spirits at any time. And, therefore, under the WOMAN S TEMPTATION. 7 influence of that fear, she now sat do^vn to practise what she had pronounced a hundred times to be " a stupid, nasty, tiresome, dis- agreeable piece." As she sits there, you would scarcely ima- gine her to be the romping, childish girl I have described her. But she suffered the usual penalty of high spirits in pretty frequent fits of depression, and as she had been in a wild state of laughter and excitement all the morning, it was not wonderful that she had the " blues " all the afternoon. Her eyes and ears are fixed on the music, and her attention is so wrapped up in |it that she does not hear a carriage drive up to the door. But she starts and raises her eyes, as a handsome and distinguished-looking young man enters the room. " Lindon ! " " Well, Cherry, and how are you ? Didn't my mother say I was coming ? I wrote to tell her." " Not a word — I had no idea of it." " Where is she ? and where is Arthur ? " 8 woman's temptation. " Out — all out, except me." " And what have you been about since I saw you last ? " " Lessons ! lessons ! lessons ! nothing but lessons." " Heyday 1 Avhat's the matter now ? " " 'Tis so dull ! I never go out anywhere, or see anybody ! Nothing but singing and draw- ing, and practising all day long ! I hate it all, and I hate practising ! " said Geraldine, clash- ing down her hands on the piano with con- siderable violence. " Take care, you'll hurt yourself, and spoil the piano," observed her brother, quietly. " If I could spoil the nasty thing I oh dear ! oh dear 1 it's so tiresome ! " " Well, you seem to amuse yourself, too," said Lord Lindon, taking up a sheet of draw- ing-paper. One side was covered with carica- tures, and on the other was a chalk head. " I thought I had burnt that ! " exclaimed Lady Geraldine in alarm. " Please give it to me, Lindon. Mamma would be' so angry if she saw it ! '* " I thought you showed me a head like this woman's temptation. 9 when I was here last," said her brother, turn- ing the paper round. " So I did ; I made another after I had spoilt that one." " But that seems to be giving yourself un- necessary trouble." " It's all the same to me. If I had finished that, I should have been sent to my music, so it comes to the same thing in the end. I don't care! I wish I were Gertrude Ellison! she always goes out twice a day. And that's another vex- ation. She promised to call on me to-day, and when mamma heard of it she said I shouldn't see Gertrude, because I had my music to prac- tise," said Geraldine, bursting into tears. " That's too bad ! " exclaimed Lord Lindon. " Don't cry, Cherry ; I'll tell the servants to let her in. Or stay, I hear my mother on the stairs. I'll make it all right with her." Geraldine dried her eyes, and began prac- tising assiduously. Presently her brother came" back. " It's all right ; and you may drive with Gertrude, if she can take you." " Oh, thank you, Lindon ; thank you 1 " 10 woman's temptation. And Geraldine sprung up, closed the piano with a bang, and danced round the room. " I should think you will enjoy yourself when you come out, at all events, as you are so fond of dancing," said her brother. " But see, here comes Gertrude, just in time." As Lord Lindon left the room, Miss Ellison entered it. " Dear Gertrude, I am so glad to see you T' exclaimed Geraldine. "I met Lindon on the stairs ; why did you not tell me he was coming home ? " " I did not know it myself till he walked in, half an hour ago. Mamma never tells me any- thing. Now don't look shocked; it's the truth. I wish she were like Aunt Ellison ! " Gertrude, seeing the conversation take this turn, endeavoured to change it. " Have you been out, Geraldine ? " " No," replied her cousin, breaking out again, " I never go out as you do. However, Lindon has got me leave to go out with you this afternoon, if you can take me. Is there a place in the carriage ? " " Certainly there is, and I am glad you are woman's temptation. 11 coming, for mamma and I are going to drive to Dulwich and see the pictm^es. You will like that ? " " Of all things ! Let iis go to Eaton Square at once, for I long to be out of this house." Gertrude, as we have seen, was Geraldine's first cousin ; Sir William Ellison being Lady Bournemouth's brother. At a time when he had found it necessary to go to the West In- dies, personally to superintend his property there. Lady Ellison, avIio accompanied him, had left her little nine-year-old daughter under Lady Bournemouth's care. So for three years Gertrude and Geraldine lived together like sisters, sharing one another's amusements and, alas for Gertrude ! one another's lessons also. She was a gentle, nervous, sensitive child, without any of the fearlessness and elas- ticity of temperament which carried Geraldine pretty well through her difficulties. The large, dark, shy eyes, the high, narrow, transparent forehead, the quivering, restless lip, all spoke of morbid tendencies and excitable nerves; and it was with a heart full of anxiety that Lady Ellison gave up her cherished little girl 12 ' woman's temptation. to her sister-in-law's care. She returned to find that her misgivings were not without foundation. Gertrude was more nervous, more excitable, more tearful than ever, less apt at learning, having been so overdone with lessons that she had not only failed to acquire anything new, but had actually forgotten what she had learnt before. It was many years before Lady Ellison could counteract the mischief so unwit- tingly done ; for her sister-in-law assured her with perfect truth that precisely the same plan had been pursued with Gertrude which was working out such delightful results in dear Geraldine. Delightful indeed ! High-hearted, generous, buoyant, and self-reliant; but impuls- ive, wayward, passionate, and self-willed. Such was Geraldine Vivian at twelve, and such, in a much greater degree, was she at fifteen, when our story opens. All the germs of a noble cha- racter were hers, but all run wild, and mis- directed. This was the mind and character that Lady Bournemouth vainly tried to control and direct with copy-books, dictionaries, and sums. It was little enough she knew of Ger- aldine ; but that little showed her something woman's temptation. 13 beyond even the mighty power of grammars and verbs, and which she therefore tried with all her force to crush and extinguish. And yet, as we have said before, Lady Bournemouth was fond of her daughter, almost as fond as she w^as of her son. But this fondness had developed itself very differently in the two cases. She was too much a woman of the world not to know the scanty allowance the world makes for the faults and follies of women, and the impatience of a rigid self-control in those who mingle much with it. But having obtained possession of this partial truth, she proceeded to act upon it by suppressing, or, when that was not possible, by ignoring, every demonstration of feeling on the part of her daughter; so, whereas Lord Lin don w^as en- couraged and applauded for everything he did or said, she was as continually checked and reproved. The unfair and injudicious differ- ence made between the two might have been productive of dislike and jealousy without end, but for Geraldine's generous and affectionate natm-e, and her brother's good temper and easy disposition. So they had grown up, be- 14 woman's temptation. coming fonder of each other every day ; Geral- dine listening with rapt eagerness to the praises of his amiable disposition, handsome face, and fascinating manner, which from time to time reached her ear ; and he proudly anticipating the sensation which her beauty, grace, and undoubted talent would make when she should come out in the world. Por, as we have be- fore said, she had talent of a very high order, more, perhaps, than intellect. Without being a great thinker, or even a great reader, she could have done or learnt anything to which she gave her mind, easily and well. Had the smallest pains been taken to make her lessons interesting and agreeable to her. Lady Bourne- mouth would have had no reason to complain of her backwardness and indifference. But we have made a somewhat long digres- sion, and must return. " Where is Miss Wood ? " inquired Ger- trude. " Out for the afternoon, and so are Arthur and Mr Lawrance.'' " Mr Lawrance ! who is he ? " woman's temptation. 15 " Arthur's new tutor. Haven't you seen him ? " " No, what is he like ? Agreeable ? " " Yes, very agreeable, and good-looking, I think. I like him very well ! He seems very kind to Charlie." " That would be quite enough to make you like him, even if he were ugly and stupid. But come, put on your bonnet, for mamma will expect me back." 16 woman's temptation. CHAPTER II. Fair mien, discourses,"civil'exercises, And aU the blazon of a gentleman. The churl in spirit, howe'er he veil His want in forms for fashion's sake, Will let his coltish nature break At seasons through the gilded pale. In Ilemoriam. While introducing Geraldine, her mother, and brother to the reader, we have said no- thing of her father. It must not be supposed from this that he was a cipher in his family. Lord Bournemouth, in his younger days, had been remarkable for his beauty, his wit, and more than all for his numerous and, to say the truth. WOMAN S TEMPTATION. 17 somewhat discreditable escapades. He had served with credit and distinction in the Penin- sula, and well proved that the hereditary bravery of his family had descended to him, together with other more questionable qualities. So- cially, no man ever, perhaps, enjoyed more decided and brilliant success. On all subjects of art and taste, from the greatest to the least, his fiat was infallible. His approval at once stamped the merits of an author, a musician, an actor, an old painting, or a young beauty. Nor was he less at home on the subject of horses, dogs, everything, in a word, connected with sporting. Of racing he was passionately fond ; and this taste, combined with a total inaptitude for business, and an easy temper that shrunk from any exertion, had embarrassed his income very considerably. Not that this disturbed him for a moment ; on the contrary, he continued to spend as lavishly as if all the gold in California had been at his command ; contenting himself with remarking that when he dropped off, Lindon must look into it, and set things straight. Lord Lindon, however, was scarcely the sort VOL. I. 2 18 woman's temptation. of man whom one would expect to repair the broken fortunes of his family, having more than his father's indolence, and less than his father's talents. But he possessed a few very good notions on the subject of honesty and honour, — where picked up, Heaven only knows; and was capable, under energetic guidance, of taking a leisurely survey of his affairs ; a species of view which no member of the Bourne- mouth family had obtained for many genera- tions back. At present he was in total ignor- ance of there being any necessity for making the effort ; he saw himself and his family surrounded with everything that money could purchase, and supposed that money was given for it — or if it was not, that was no business of his. He and his father were very good friends. It was impossible to quarrel with Lord Lindon ; and Lord Bournemouth was too old, and too thoroughly invahded with gout, to feel jealousy of his son's great popularity — which, indeed, he considered rather creditable to himself than otherwise. As for his daughter, he looked upon her as woman's temptation. 19 a mere toy, a pretty doll. Very fond of her in a placid way, it never occurred to him that she possessed thought, feelmg, or opinions, and he never saw her but for an hour or two after dinner, any evening they happened to be alone. He left everything to Lady Bournemouth, and as long as Geraldine was nicely dressed, and seemed cheerful and lively, took it for granted all was right. For her part she loved him with a strength of affection that was ex- traordinary, considering how little pains he took to draw it out. It might be one thing, it might be another — his helpless and suffer- ing condition perhaps, for Geraldine had a tender heart, as all good women have. Or it might be the calm fortitude with which he bore his sufferings, and showed that his courage was as high and midaunted as ever, though exercised passively, instead of actively ; for Geraldine reverenced strength, as all women do, whether good or bad ; — who knows ? One thing is certain, she loved him as few daughters love the best and most de- voted of fathers. 20 avoman's temptation. There was a younger son also ; the boy who has been mentioned in conjunction with Mr Lawrance, the new tutor. Geraldine soon found Mr Lawrance a pleasant addition to the school-room, for though he and Arthur had their own study, they took their meals with her and her govern- ess. She had scarcely seen any young man be- fore, except her brother ; certainly not on in- timate terms, and it was a new and agreeable experience. His manners were to a certain extent gentleman-like ; he had plenty to say for himself, and said it well, for he was very quick, and in some respects clever. With these qualifications, what Avonder if Geraldine found his society enlivening ; especially in the utter dulness of her London life, where she had not even the few amusements and interests which the country afforded ? She liked to hear him tell Arthur stories of his school and college life; it opened glimpses of a new world to her, and she would by look, if not by word, encourage him to proceed ; at which he was extremely flattered, notwithstanding the good woman's temptation. 21 opinion that he entertained of his own merits, and powers of conversation. His position in society was humble. His father, who was of a good family, and held an appointment in the H. E. I. C's. Civil Service, had died eighteen years previously in India. He had married a woman beneath him in rank, %vha was then left a widow with a son and daughter to provide for, and a hundred and twenty pounds per annum for her sole income. A desperate struggle it had been, for she had ambition enough to resolve that her son, at least, should have an education befitting his father's station. She contrived to place him on the foundation of one of our public schools ; how she contrived to keep him there, and to maintain herself and her daughter at home, was a Avonder to all her friends. The boy, ambitious and persevering like herself, had some talents, and a marvellously retentive memory, of which endowments he made so good a use as to obtain, w^hen arrived at the proper age, a scholarship at a small hall at Ox- ford. A pinching, striving hfe he had of it, espe- cially as his good looks, and a certain fascina- 22 woman's temptation. tion peculiarly his own, brought him into the notice of a set considerably above him in rank and wealth, though, with admirable resolution, he refused to join in their expensive pleasures. On the whole, however, things prospered with him. " Lucky Lawrance " had become a pro- verb, and it was not the least part of his luck that he had the opportunity of saving the life of a young lord, who, being unable to swim, had adventured himself on the river in an out- rigger. The young man's father, the Duke of Dorchester, wishing to prove his gratitude, had promised to present Mr Lawrance to a living, whenever he had one vacant, and in the mean- time recommended him to Lady Bournemouth, then in search of a tutor for her son Arthur. Having given this account of his anteced- ents, we will leave him for the present, and turn to the drawing-room in Belgrave Square, where Lord and Lady Bournemouth and their eldest son are sitting. Peals of laughter resound from the apartment over-head ; the sofa is evidently being wheeled violently about the room, and every now and then thumps are heard, as if woman's temptation. 2S the unseen cause of the noise would break through the ceiling. " What a noise Geraldine is making ! " said Lady Bournemouth, peevishly, " that child is such a romp !" She stopped, as if expecting her husband to make some answer; none being forthcoming, she resumed her complaints. " I don't think you care about it in the least, Erederick ; and really I don't know what to do with her. Her spirits are terribly high 1 I quite tremble at the thought of bringing her out." " Don't alarm yourself, my dear," returned Lord Bournemouth, placidly. " With her good looks she must be admired, and her very spirits will be so much the more in her favour, girls must have their fun as well as boys." " At all events she will never be affected or missish, and that's a good thing," remarked Lord Lindon. " So it is, and I am quite ready to admit it, but I dread her falKng into the opposite ex- treme. Taney, if my daughter were to turn out a mere hoyden 1 " 24 woman's temptation. " Fancy ! " said Lord Bournemouth, with- out looking up from his book, feehng that he was expected to say something. His son looked amused. In a few minutes another thump was heard, louder than all the rest, which drew an angry exclamation from Lady Bournemouth. Lord Lindon left the room, and went up to the school-room, where Geraldine, her face flushed, and her hair in disorder, was playing with her little dog. " Oh, here you are, Lindon ! You beauty, be quiet ! " " Now, Cherry, you really must be quiet yourself. Your noise disturbs mamma." " Very well ; then, Charlie, pet, you must be very good and sedate, or else Lindon won't like you. Come and say * how do you do ? ' to him." And she went up to her brother, and put the dog's paw in his hand. " You absurd child ! " he said, laughing ; " will you ever be a rational being ? " '* Not if a rational being is a proper, precise young lady ; I detest missislmess and young ladyism ! I shall romp with Charlie till I'm eighty, just every bit the same ! " woman's temptation. 25 " I really believe you will. But put liim down for the present ; he monopolizes too much of your affection." " No, he doesn't, and never will. I shall never love him as well as you ! " " Thank you," said her brother, composedly. " Hallo ! what's the brute up to now ? " " Don't call him a brute ! He's practising his last little trick, dear fellow. See there, isn't it clever ? Mr Lawrance taught him that." " So Mr Lawrance taught him that, did he?" " Yes, and he is going to teach him some- thing else. Oh, Mr Lawrance is so good-na- tured ! " " Indeed," said Lord Lin don, rather shortly. " I don't think you like him, Lindon," re- marked Geraldine, decidedly. " Not very much. Though I don't know why I shouldn't either, for I have scarcely seen anything of him." " Well, I like him very much," returned his sister, with an accent on the adverb. " And why, pray ? " " Why do you dislike him ? " 26 woman's temptation. " I don't dislike him ; I have only seen him once or twice, and shouldn't have noticed him particularly, but that you talked about him, and excited my curiosity." " And now you are disappointed? " " Not disappointed, for it is no odds to me whether he comes up to your description or not, but I don't think him paiiicularly gentleman-like. He's all very well, but you led me to expect something out of the common." " Well, then, we won't talk about him any more," said Geraldine, who placed great con- fidence in her brother's judgment, but was not particularly delighted when it ran coimter to her own. " Gertrude was here to-day." " Gertrude — was she ? " exclaimed Lord Lindon, with more appearance of interest than he had yet exhibited. " What did she come for?" " Why, to see me, to be sure," said Gerald- ine, testily. " Did you think she came to see you? — no such luck, I can tell you. What made you start in that extraordinary way ? " " Did I start ? " said Lord Lindon, relaps- woman's temptation, 27 ing into quiescence ; " your abrupt manner, I suppose." " I like that," cried Geraldine ; " do you want me to break tlie news of Gertrude's visits gently to you ? Lin don, why don't you marry ? There — you are starting again ! " " My charge of abruptness is fully proved," said Lord Lindon. " What has come to you, Geraldine? what made you think of my marrying ? " " I don't know — talking of Gertrude, per- haps," said Geraldine, desperately, and looking her brother steadily in the face. He returned her glance with great compo- sure ; then breaking out into a hearty laugh, exclaimed, "You silly child! match-making already, I see. It won't do. Cherry." " And why not ? " said Geraldine, still eye- ing him curiously. " Don't you know that people who are brought up together never do marry?" " Sometimes they do ; and, Lindon, I did think you liked her," said Geraldine, with grave simplicity. " Like her 1 so I do like her, too much 28 ^ woman's temptation. to marry lier perhaps. But there is the dressing-bell. You will come to the draw- ing-room after dinner ? " " If you think mamma w^ill like it ? " said Geraldine, doubtfully. "I am sure she will ; so mind you come." WOMAN S TEMPTATION. 29 CHAPTER III. Allan -a-Dale has no faggot for burning, Allan-a-Dale has no furrow for turning, Allan-a-Dale lias no fleece for the spinning, Yet Allan-a-Dale has red gold for the winning. EOKEBT. " LiXDON, I want a few minutes' convers- ation with you." " An awful prelude, mamma ; what do you want ? " said Lord Lindon, coming up to the sofa where his mother was lying, one dusky evening. The candles had not been brought 30 woman's temptation. in, and there was no light in the drawing- room but the flickering one of the fire. " I scarcely know how to begin what I have to say," observed Lady Bournemouth, after a few moments' silence. Indeed, she seemed far from her usual composed tran- quillity. " Well, mamma ?" said Lord Lin don, after a few minutes more had elapsed. " Well, Lindon, the fact is, I think I have observed in you a liking — a preference — or whatever it may be — for Gertrude Ellison." " And what then, mother ? " " By your not denying it, you tacitly admit the truth of my conjecture ? " observed his mother, interrogatively. " I may — or I may not — let that pass for the present. Do you mean that there is any objection ? " " She has no money." " But I have." " No, you have not — there we come to the point. Your father's afi'airs are terribly em- barrassed, more than he has any idea of. Little as I know of business, I know enough woman's temptation. 31 to suppose that at his death you will find yourself in a very different position to that you occupy at present. It is as much as we can do to keep off bankruptcy during his hfe." Lord Lin don rose abruptly, and walked two or three times up and down the room. " This is all news to me, mother," he said. " I know it : perhaps you ought to have been informed of the state of affairs before. But it was natural that we should both feel a reluctance in speaking on the subject; and €ven now, I do it on my own responsibility. Your father knows nothing about it." " You may be mistaken, mamma." " Don't flatter yourself that I am. If there is any mistake, it is not in our favour. But if you take my advice, you will consult your father's man of business, and get some in- sight into his affairs. Should I indeed be mistaken, why, then, I will not say another word about Gertrude." " Mamma," he said one day, after being out all the morning, " you were but too right ! " 32 woman's temptation. " I knew I was/' she replied ; and added mth real concern, " but I am sorry for your disappointment." " Disappointment ! you may well say so. I never saw a girl I liked a quarter as well, but that is over. I know what I want, and that is money. Love in a cottage won't suit me ! " " I am glad you take so proper a view of the subject," said his mother. "Well, never mind ; you will do better. She herself is a nice girl enough ; but you will make a better marriage." " At the same time I must tell you,"" said Lord Lindon, looking straight out of the window, " that if I thought she had the least preference for me, I should feel bound to propose ; for I certainly may have led her to expect it. But as it is — . Mother, I'm oflP." " Are you going out, do you mean ? " in- quired his mother, sinking back languidly among her cushions, rejoicing that the business was over. " Will you do a commission for me at Hancock's, if you are going that way?" woman's temptation. 33 " It was America I meant," observed Lord Lindon, mildly, " and if you have any com- missions there, I shall be happy to execute them." " America ! " exclaimed Lady Bournemouth, starting up, " Why do you go there ? " " To get cigars,'' returned her son, still looking straight out of the window. " Seriously, mother, I have always wished to go there, and this seems about the opportunity. I hope Ger- trude will be married when I come back." A rapid review of the circumstances con- vinced Lady Bournemouth that her son's plan was the wisest. " Well, well," she said, " what must be, must be. Shall you see her before you go ? " " Why ? She is not for me, and I am not like the children in the street, who stand star- ing at the cakes they can't get." And so Lord Lindon went to America. " Of course he likes travelling ; every one must," said Geraldine to herself ; "I did think he liked Gertrude better." As to Gertrude, Lord Lindon was right when he intimated that she did not care for VOL. I. 3 S4 woman's temptation. him except as a cousin. Sorry for his depart- ure she certainly was, but it was more on Geraldine's account than her own. She made it her chief care to see as much of her cousin as possible, until, the season drawing to a close, the Ellisons left London for their country seat. The Bournemouths had already gone, a week earlier that usual, much to Geraldine's disgust ; for she had never before spent an autumn and winter at Avonbury without Lord Lindon be- ing there for some considerable time. Now she was entirely thrown on her own resources, being at the same time deprived of many of the country amusements which she had pur- sued under his protection. We are wrong in saying entirely, however, for Mr Lawrance, of course, accompanied them, and now began to devote himself systematically to attracting Geraldine's notice. He had done so already ; but that was no fault of his ; she had made the first advances to intimacy, and, trifling as they were, he resolved to follow them up. We do not know if, at this time, he had any more definite end in view than the gratification of his vanity ; very possibly not ; WOMAN S TEMPTATION. 35 but seeing the coast clear, and Geraldine very ready to seek for amusement wherever she could find it, he had few scruples of honour to restrain him. It was only to be expected that he should be fascinated by such an attractive girl as Geraldine; all the more so that she was so superior to the women he had seen hitherto, and was at the same time so per- fectly simple-minded and unaffected that, with- out meaning anything by it, she occasionally .gave him what he might have interpreted as encouragement. Lord Lindon's absence was an unfortunate circumstance, for when at home he insisted upon making Geraldine his companion, and would not hear of her being in the school- room, or wdth her governess, a minute beyond the expiration of the fixed hour of lessons. In- deed he often, in defiance of Lady Bournemouth and her rules, invaded the scholastic precincts during those sacred periods, carried his sister off by the strong hand, and left Miss Wood la- menting that Geraldine's studies should be so recklessly interrupted. And as the most per- fect freedom of discussion existed between them, Geraldine communicated all her ideas S6 woman's temptation. on people and things to him, thereby giving them the benefit of dayhght, and a good deal of often adverse criticism. He was the safety- valve for the raw and fanciful notions which generated in her active brain, and which woidd otherwise have been pent up, to spread and grow in silence. Lord Lindon was quite unconscious of the value of his society to her ; Avonbury was often dull, and Geraldine and her theories very amusing ; therefore he sys- tematically drew her out, and led her to un- fold them, without being aware of the real use and importance of what he was doing. The safety-valve was now shut, and Geraldine left to her own unguided judgment, which, Hke that of other clever imaginative girls of fifteen, was very little to be trusted. WOMAN S TEMPTATION. 37 CHAPTER ly. On English ground ^ You understand the letter .... ere the fall How Adam lived in a garden. All the fields Are tied up fast, with hedges, nosegay-like ; The hills are crumpled plains ; the plains parterres ; The trees, round, woolly, ready to he clipped ; And if you seek for any wilderness Tou find at best a park. E. Baeeett Beowning. Pleasant it was, when woods were green And winds were soft and low, To lie amid some silvan scene. Where, the long drooping boughs between, Shadows dark and sunlight sheen Alternate come and go. — Longfellow. "Cherry-blossom," said Arthur, the day after they arrived in the country, " are you not glad to be here ? " S8 woman's temptation. " Yes, on the whole, for London was very dull. But there is nothing to do here." "Ah, you will miss Lindon. However, papa says now I can ride so much better, we may go out in the park together, without a groom, so we will have plenty of rides ; and then you can play at cricket with me and Mr Lawrance." This did not suit Geraldine, who had often played at cricket with Arthur, but did not fancy the addition of Mr Lawrance ; so she re- plied, " If Mr Lawrance is going to play with you, you won't want me. Besides, you are so much improved in your playing that you are more than a match for me, and with Mr Law- rance, it would be more unequal still. So I will sit in the shade and watch you." " That will never do, Cheny," said Arthur. " Half the fun will be gone." " It ]nust do, my dear," was the answer, "for mamma was saying yesterday that she hoped I should leave off playing at boys' games ; and when she has once said * I hope,' the next step will be 'you must.' Besides, you will never improve if you are to play WOMAN S TEMPTATION. 31^ down to me, and it would be nothing but that now." " Well, then, I suppose we must give it up," sighed Arthur. " I wish there were no such things as young ladies. I know mamma is pre- paring to make you a young lady." " Mamma has very bad materials to work upon, 1 am afraid," was Geraldine's laughing answer. So the affair was settled, and hence- forth, whenever Arthur played at cricket^ Geraldine brought her work, and sat down under the neighbouring trees to watch the game. She was always fond of it, and it de- rived a new element of interest from Mr Law- rance's presence ; with Arthur's play she was perfectly acquainted, but Mr Lawrance's was for some time a subject of speculation. It was not what would have been considered good at the great public schools ; still it was much better than any that Geraldine had been ac- customed to see, and she watched it and com- mented upon it with the eagerness of a person used to make the most of small excite- ments. "Mr Lawrance," she said one day, "why 40 woman's temptation. did you not take another run when the ball came this way ? " " Because it was so easy to find, and the distance so short, I did not think I should have a chance." " You were mistaken however, as I could have told you, for the grass is so slippery just here, no one can run very fast on it." " You are a close calculator. Lady Geraldine." " Geraldine is a very good judge," inter- posed Arthur. " She plays uncommonly well herself for a girl ; only she wouldn't play any more after you came." Geraldine blushed, and Miss Wood, seemg her embarrassment, said, " Lady Bournemouth did not wish your sister to play this year, Arthur ; cricket is not a proper game for young ladies." " All this is only practice," said Geraldine quickly, seeing Arthur ready to break out; " suppose we ask papa to let us have a regular match some day. I think there are boys enough in the neighbourhood." " Oh do," said Arthur. " You ask, Cherry ; papa always does what you ask him." woman's temptation. 41 Mr Lawrance did not second the idea as readily as Geraldine had expected; the fact was, he knew that of those asked a large pro- portion would probably be pubKc -school boys, at home for the holidays, and did not care to show his inferiority before them. Arthur was much captivated with the plan, and proceeded to discuss the people to be invited, the day and hour to be named, with great zeal. Lord Bomnemouth's consent was asked, and ob- tained that evening ; — not without strong re- monstrances from his wife. " I am really quite vexed about this match," she said, when out of Geraldine and Arthur's hearing ; " it is my constant endeavour to interest Geraldine in the pursuits of a lady, instead of allowing her to follow her own un- fortunate tastes, and join exclusively in her brother's amusements. Her face will turn perfectly red, her hands become coarse and large, and she will talk slang. It is bad enough to have her following Arthur about all day ; but what will become of her if she is to make companions of ten or twenty school-boys, I am 42 woman's temptation. at a loss to conceive. Frederick ! " she con- tinued, provoked at her husband's continued silence, " do you hear what I am saying ? " " I have been listening to every word atten- tively, my dear," returned Lord Bournemouth, with perfect placidity and politeness. " I have no doubt Geraldine could play in the match extremely well, if she tried; still there has been no question of her doing so, and her face and hands need not necessarily suffer from looking on. I have not the slightest intention of allowing her to make companions of any school-boys, and if I heard her use a word of slang, I should immediately forbid it. But I never have. As to Arthur, you know it was my will that he should go to school at once. If, to please you, I educate him at home for the present, I must insist on his having proper amusements and companions. A tutor is all very well, but a boy wants something else in his play hours ; and even as a tutor, I should not myself, I think, have engaged Mr Lawrance." By thus dexterously carrying the war into woman's temptation. 43' the enemy's country, Lord Boumemoutli, as he expected, diverted the attack from hhnself. Lady Bournemouth began to vindicate her se- lection, and for some time the question of the match Avas dropped. When it was resumed, he said, " My dear, let us have no more dis- cussion about it. I have promised the children that they shall have this match. No really lady- like girl is ever the worse for mixing with boys ; and if Geraldine takes to talking slang because her brother has a party once or twice in the summer, send Miss Wood away, and get a more efficient governess. I am sure you and she ought to be able to neutralise the poison of watching a game of cricket." This settled the matter so decidedly, that Lady Bournemouth did not venture to forbid Geraldine's being present at the match, as she had intended. As Mr Lawrance had expected, there were many better players than himself present. Geraldine speedily became aware that Charlie Richardson was a better bowler, William Har- vey a better bat, and James Stanley quite as 44 woman's temptation. good a field. After this day she no longer cared to watch his play, though she still went regularly to the cricket-ground, in order to please Arthur. The discussion between Lord and Lady Bournemouth had two results. One was that Lady Bournemouth did not carry out a plan she had formed for separating Geraldine and Arthur ; the other was that Lord Boui'nemouth, being rather pleased with his championship of his daughter, began to see more of her, with a view to discovering if she were really as boyish in her tastes as was represented. It was but a very little more, and yet it sufficed to show him something of her character, and to con- vince him that her mother's fears as to her be- coming wild and rough were groundless. But he saw that she liked liberty and freedom, and therefore he w^ould not keep her with him as much as he might otherwise have done; not guessing that she would rather wait on him, or read to him, for hours at a time, than take the pleasantest walks or rides. " Ge- raldine/* he said one day, " can you come woman's temptation. 45 and do some tilings for me ? But it is a sliame to keep you in while the sun is shining so brightly." " Oh no, papa, not at all. I would much rather be with you," replied Geraldine, with alacrity ; " Avhat can I do for you ? " " In the first place, I want you to write a letter to Lindon. Begin by telling him I have an attack of gout coming on, and can't write myself." " Oh, papa, are you going to be ill ? " said Geraldine, dropping her pen in dismay. "I am afraid so, my dear ; probably by to-morrow I shall be quite laid up." " I am so sorry," said Geraldine, the tears gathering in her eyes ; " I can't bear to think of your suffering such pain. I wish I could do anything for you. But I suppose you would rather have mamma to nurse you when you are really ill." " I should like very much to have you too; I have no doubt you would make a very good little nurse. But, my dear child, you must not distress yourself in this way. There, don't cry ; at this rate you will 46 WOMAN*S TEMPTATION. suffer more than I shall. Come, take up your pen again, and let us go on." Geraldinc obeyed, and wrote some business details which her father dictated. " Now you can tell him I am very sorry he is away, for as I expect a pretty sharp attack, I shall not be able to have any shooting parties this year." " I shall put a parenthesis, if you don't mind," said Geraldine, " to tell him again liow much I miss him." " I suppose you do," said Lord Bourne- mouth ; "you used to ride and walk so much with him. Tell him I miss him also, for I have no one to drive me out when I can't drive myself." " Oh, papa," said Geraldine, " won't you let me drive you? I assure you I can drive quite well. Lindon said I was a very good whip." " Are you ? " said Lord Bournemouth, stroking her hair, " that woidd be very pleasant. Well, some day when I am pretty well again, and the ponies quieter than they woman's temptation. 47 are at present, we will try. I always wished that your mother could drive, but she was a great deal too nervous. She tried once, and failed to upset me into a ditch. I don't think you are nervous." " No, not at all ; and I am very fond of driving. Shall I say anything else to Lindon ? " '' No, I think there is nothing else at present. I will write myself by-and-by. Now give me that Review and the paper-cutter ; shut the window, and draw down the blind half-way. Thank you, that will do nicely. Give me a kiss, my darling, and run out to Arthur, who, I dare say, is waiting for you." Geraldine followed all these directions faithfully, especially the two last. Arthur was just coming in from his cricket. " Where have you been. Cherry ? " he said. " I was watching for you the whole time, and Mr Lawrance said twice he won- dered why you did not come." " Did he ? " said Geraldine ; " I was with papa. But I am sorry you missed me." 48 woman's temptation. " Oh, I guessed you were with papa ; so, after a time, I almost gave up the hope of yoiu" coming. But I don't think Mr Law- rance did; for besides wondering why you did not come, he said once, when I gave a good ball. It's a pity Lady Geraldine could not see that." " Did he play well himself ? " "Yes, pretty well; we had a very good game. Here he is." " Arthiu- tells me you had a very good game, Mr Lawrance," said Geraldine ; "I must come and look on to-morrow." " It is a pity you were not there to-day," he said ; " Arthur gets on well. I think if we played another match, and could get Charlie Richardson for our bowler, instead of Wilham Harvey, we should have the best of it." Geraldine wondered why Mr Lawrance seemed now to advocate a cricket-match, when before he had clearly not cared for it ; and being unable to solve the problem, merely remarked, "I daresay we shall have another by-and-by ; and probably Charlie woman's temptation. 49 Richardson will play on whichever side we like. I must go in and find Miss Wood, to come for a walk/' " Well come too, won t we, Mr Lawrance?" said Arthur. " It's not time to go in yet, and we may just as well walk as do any- thing else." " I dare say Mr Lawrance won't care for a stupid walk, Arthur," said Geraldine. "If you want to come, do ; but I am sure he would rather not." " I am quite of Arthur's mind. Lady Geraldine," said Mr Lawrance, immediately. " I like a walk on a fine morning fike this ; if you have no objection." " Pray come then, and we will go round by the Cow Common. It is the prettiest place about here, but I can never go to it, unless we have a gentleman with us, for Miss Wood is afraid of the cows. It is so tiresome ! I took her there once, one fine morning like this, when all the cows were lying down. Their backs looked so nice and broad, that I couldn't help sitting down on one of them, and when it got up, I VOL. I.: 4, 50 woman's temptation. really thought Miss Wood would have fainted. She wanted to drag me away, but she was afraid to come near ; and since then she has never ventured into a field where there were any cows or oxen, because she says I play such wild tricks." Mr Lawrance smiled, and Arthm^ laughed. " So you do," he said ; " you are the wildest Cherry-blossom that ever was gro^vn. When we ride together will be the time to talk about wild tricks. I say, Cherry, we'll have a ride soon." " My pony is still lame, my dear," said Geraldine. " I went to see him yesterday, and he looked so stupified with being in the stables. Oh, here is Miss W^ood at last. Mr Lawrance is coming with us, so we are going to the Cow Common." "I have no objection, if Mr Lawrance is coming," said Miss Wood; "indeed, I am very glad you should be able to take your favourite walk; though I am sure it is not safe for us to go alone." " Oh, Miss Wood, I msh I could make you look at cows in the Ught I do!" said woman's temptation. 51 Geraldine, comically. " We could have such nice walks, if you were not afraid. I would promise never to sit down upon their backs again, if it would do any good, but I know you are afraid of cows ' pures et simples,' in- dependently of their occupations." Again Mr Lawrance smiled, as he said, " If you are satisfied with my escort. Miss Wood, and feel inclined to take any of these perilous walks, I hope you will make use of me. You know when I am disengaged." " Thank you," replied Miss Wood ; " it would be a very good arrangement, for, as Lady Geraldine says, our walks at present are rather circumscribed." " Now here is the Cow Common," said Geraldine ; " is it not lovely ? Look at the thorns ; papa says this is a bit of the real old country which has never been en- closed. Just fancy how pretty it must have been when there were deer, instead of cows, browsing under the trees, and lying down in the fern." " It is beautitul," said Mr Lawrance ; " I don't wonder that this is your favourite 52 woman's temptation. walk. Is not that the oak fern growing there?" " The oak fern ! what is that ? " said Geraldine. " That is not its real name, but I forget what is — bracken, I think. I call it the oak fern, from the mark of an oak tree on its stalk. Have you never seen it ? Arthur, just pick me a good stout piece of fern." Arthur complied, and Mr Lawrance, cut- ting the stem, showed Geraldine the well- known resemblance of an oak tree, which was, however, new to her, from the fact of this fern growing nowhere about Avonbury, except in this one place. " I believe the common people used to think it was the miniature of King Charles' oak," he said. " Whether they supposed this species of fern never grew before, I can't tell. Possibly they thought that the * Angels who watcli'd the guardian oak bo well,' also took care to keep the circumstance within the memory of man, by putting this mark here." woman's temptation. 53 " You said you would read me some- thing about King Charles' escape," said Arthur, " something more amusing than what they tell in the histories." " The account in the Boscobel Tracts, you mean," said Mr Lawrance. "It is in the Library, and I will read it to you when- ever you like." " Pray let us hear it too," said Geraldine. "Miss Wood, have you ever read it? Sup- pose we have it this afternoon in the garden, before tea. That sort of story ought to be read out of doors in the summer." " That will just do," said Arthur. " I do like a good escape. It's very good fun where King Charles is up in the tree, and the soldiers can't find him. That was a good story about those prisoners you read the other day ; you would like that. Cherry. Mr Lawrance, won't you read it to her some other time? She likes having things read to her." "I shall be delighted if Lady Geraldine likes it." " Don't ask me," said Geraldine. " I 54 woman's temptation. accept everything of that sort that is offered ; so, unless you would really not mind it, you had better not put temptation in my way. Here is a cow — no, it is a bull, ex- actly before the gate. Now, Miss Wood, how shall we open it ? " Miss Wood immediately proposed to re- turn, which Geraldine absolutely declined, and was proceeding to walk up to the gate, when Mr Lawrance settled the matter by driving the animal away, not before it had cast such threatening glances at CharUe, who accompanied them, that he thought it best to catch the dog up, and put it over the wall. " I know Charlie will be tossed some day," said Geraldine, " he is so silly about provoking them. And then he runs back to me for pro- tection, so probably I shall be tossed also. Arthur, how should I look, flying over the gate into the next field, with CharHe flying a little before me ? " " Geraldine ! " said Miss Wood, " don't joke about such frightful things ; it is not right. I am sure if that is to be the case, I shall be too WOMAN S TEMPTATION. 55 thankful for Mr Lawrance's protection: you will certainly involve yourself in a serious acci- dent if you go on in this wild way. I wish Lord Bournemouth had not given you leave to ride alone with Arthur; he surely does not know how unfit you are to be trusted by your- self." " Only in the park, Miss Wood," said Ge- raldine, " and only on the pony. No harm can happen to me with him ; and I am not to ride the Hornet by myself. So you need not be alarmed." " I am sure I can take care of her," said Arthm% " I know quite well what she can do, and what she can't ; and I shan't let her do anything silly." " I have no doubt you are singularly pru- dent, Arthur," said Mr Lawrance, laughing. *' Lady Geraldine, there is Charlie bullying a ram, which has every intention of retaliating." Accordingly, the ram turned round upon his small persecutor, and pursued him so fiercely, that Charlie, with a shriek, fled back to his mistress, throwing himself under her feet, and leaving her exposed to the attack of 56 WOMAN S TEMPTATION. liis enemy, from which she was with some diffi- culty saved by Mr Lawrance. With a few more such incidents, the walk terminated; Geraldine being much pleased at having se- cured an ally who would enable her to ramble over the country in any dii^ection she liked ; and who seemed incHned to read to her as often as she wished ; — an occupation to which she was very partial. The Boscobel Tracts proved a great source of amusement that even- ing, and Geraldine quite settled in her OAvn mind that she would ask Mr Lawrance to read a great many other things to her out of books into which she was not allowed to look herself. WOMAIS'S TEMPTATION. 57 CHAPTER Y. Eehold ! The world of books is still the world : And worldlings in it are less merciful, And more puissant. Eor the wicked there Are wing'd like angels. Every knife that strikes, Is edged from elemental fire to assail A spiritual life. The beautiful seems right, By force of beauty, and the feeble wrong, Because of weakness. Power is justified, Though arm'd against St Michael. Many a crown Covers bald foreheads. In the book world, true. There's no lack, either of God's saints and kings, ' That shake the ashes of the grave aside Prom their calm locks, and, undiscomfited. Look stedfast truths against Time's changing mask. E. Baeeett Beowning. Lord Bournemouth's anticipations proved correct ; the next morning lie was laid up with a very severe attack of gout. Geraldine 58 woman's temptation. had never before seen him until he was convalescent; she was now allowed to come into his room during the actual con- tinuance of the lit. She moved noiselessly about, doing any little thing that might be wanted, or sat by his bed-side with her knitting — the only work of which she had any knowledge — thinking she had never known how terrible a thing pain could be till she saw her father's ashy face, with the drops of perspiration standing on his forehead, and the muscles drawn and con- tracted in agony. Nor had she ever kno^vn till now how bravely and resolutely pain might be borne, how it might be crushed down by determined fortitude, and how dominant the strong will might become over the feeble body. Never, even in the severest paroxysms, did Lord Bournemouth allow a cry or groan to escape him, no expression of impatience crossed his lips, nor could the utmost extremity of suffering wring from him a word that was not kind and gentle. Indeed, he was generally, on these occasions, more uncomplaining and woman's temptation. 5d considerate for others tlian usual; partly from the feeling of complete dependence, and partly from his pride, and keen sense of the ridiculous, inspiring him with an utter terror of sinking into a querulous, fretful invahd. Geraldine had always loved and admired him, but now she did so more than ever; and would with pleasure have sacrificed whole days to waiting in his room, for the smallest chance of being able to do him some trifling service. He would not fallow her to spend more than an hour or two each day with him, as he liked her to go out with Arthur, and bring him back accounts of what they had been doing — very insignificant incidents in themselves, but deriving interest from her fresh, original manner of relating them. Her chief value, however, was as a reader. Lady Bournemouth had been accustomed to read aloud to her husband, when he Avas able to listen, but her throat was weak, her voice languid, and her interest in the subjects that amused him not keen enough to enable her to discuss any point that might arise. Geraldine, on the contrary. 60 woman's temptation. liked most things, and read well what she liked. Nothing she enjoyed more than hav- ing what she called " a good talk " over a book, and she delighted to raise questions, and propose knotty problems, which she might solve with the new lights her father could bring to bear upon them. " Mina," he said one day as she came softly into his room, carrying a basket of flowers in her hand, " have you been out ? " " Yes, papa, out in the woods, and then I came home by the kitchen- garden and hot-houses, and picked these flowers for you. Have you been asleep ? " " Yes, for a short time. Thank you for the flowers, my dear; bring them here, and let me look at them." Lord Bournemouth knew little about flowers, and cared less, but as Geraldine had brought them to please him, he would not seem indif- ferent, and admired them with considerable judgment, thanking her again, with a smile on his worn, wearied face. " Poor papa," said Geraldine, " you look so dreadfully tired ! " woman's temptation. 61 " It is weary work lying here, even at the best of times," he said with a sUght sigh. " But, however, I am in very Httle pain just now. Take off your bonnet, and let us have some reading. Where did you leave off? Is the book nearly finished? I am getting rather tired of it — it is wonder- ful how few good novels are published now." " I suppose you don't care for them now because you have read so many," said Gerald- ine. "I think most of them very amus- ing. It is so pleasant reading to you, papa, for you let me read all these nice novels, and Miss Wood won't let me look into one of them. What do you think She wanted to take ' Ivanhoe ' from me the other day ; but I resisted. Was I not right, papa? May I not read Scott's novels if I like?" " Yes, to be sure you may, if you don't read them in lesson-time. Read them while you are young and fresh enough to enjoy them thoroughly, before ■ cares of your own make Rebecca's and Rowena's seem tame, or an Ivanhoe of the nineteenth century throws 62 woman's temptation. the Invanhoe of the book into the shade. Well, have you found the place ? " " Yes, papa ; it is where Laura is debat- ing whether she shall marry Charlie, or do as her mother wishes, and accept Sir James. What do you think she will do? Wliat do you think she ought to do ? " " As she is a young lady in a novel, I have no doubt she will marry Charlie. What she ought to do, is more difficult to answer. I see no objection to Sir James myself ; and then her mother wished it." " Yes ; but, papa, she did not love him." "Well, what then? Don't look shocked, you romantic child ; she might have grown to love him. And he is a gentleman in every sense, whereas, you will excuse me for saying, Charlie is neither more nor less than a snob." " Charhe is a snob," said Geraldine. " But supposing he had been nice and gentleman- like, and all that, don't you think she would have done better to marry him than Sir James, whom she didn't care about ? I don't like to woman's temptation. 63 hear people put money before love and suiting ; it doesn't seem natural." "But it was not merely money. Charlie was in a much lower rank of life than Laura, and suiting includes suitability of ideas, edu- cation, and habits, as well as disposition. Class differences, though subtle, are very power- ful, and are quite as likely to cause unhappi- ness as differences of temper and character.'' "That is to say," said Geraldine, slowly, " you think if she had married Sir James, who was really a very good sort of man, she would have been happier with him, though she was not in love with him, than with Charlie, of whom she was so fond, because Sir James was in her own class of life, and Charlie was not?" " I dare say she would ; though, to state the case fairly, you must assume Charlie to have been Sir James' equal in character and dis- position, which was certainly not the case. All other things being equal, I am clearly against mesalliance , both for men and women, but more especially for women." " But, papa, does that seem right ? Ought 64 woman's temptation. there to be such a distinction of classes ? And I am sure I read the other day that it is a very good thing that there should be inter- marriages between different ranks." " As to whether there ought to be such a distinction of classes, here it is, and as we did not make it, we cannot unmake it, and had better not run our heads against a wall by trying to do so. And if we could do away with the present distinctions, and begin afresh, every one starting equal, we should find that they would build themselves up again in some shape. In every society some will float to the top, while others remain at the bottom." " In a republic ? " said Geraldine. " Just as much as under any other form of government ; — the only difference being that in a republic the aristocracy is generally one of money, that being the most tangible and comprehensible form of superiority when actual rank is done away with. And as to whether an aristocracy of money is less proud and ex- clusive than one of birth, I can only tell you to read and judge for yoiu-self. It will give you something to think about." woman's temptation. 65 " Is there no such thing as an aristocracy of virtue and intellect ? " said Geraldine, sighing. " Not till human nature is shghtly remodel- led," said Lord Bournemouth, with a smile. " Virtue and intellect don't always go hand in hand, and riches and power don't range them- selves on the side of virtue when intellect is wanting. And then poor virtue goes to the wall, and might becomes right. No, commend me to an hereditary and territorial aristocracy, who have a name and standing to maintain, and value tlie people to whom their younger branches really belong, from whom their ranks are continually ' recruited. That is my idea, though many of us fall sadly short of it." "That brings us back to the question of marriages," said Geraldine. "You have not answered what I said about the mixture of classes being a good thing." " So it is a good thing, undoubtedly, in the political economy point of view, good for both classes; but when it comes to a question of individuals, to whom political economy does not apply, it seldom turns out happily. I VOL. I. 5 66 woman's temptation. have known a good many cases in my time, but very few answered; and those that did, were not the best sort of people of either class. I should be sorry if any member of my family made the experiment ; for I well know the confusion, worry, and heart-burnings that are the general result." " You will have no sympathy for poor Laura ; and she does marry Charhe, for I have peeped on to the end." " She ought not to w^ant sympathy, since Charlie is to suit her so perfectly." " But she does want it, for I can see that he is not at all kind to her." "Ah," said Lord Bournemouth, "just what I should have expected of him. Well, sup- pose you begin reading ; if they make out a very good case for Laura, I dare say I shall be able to squeeze out a little pity." The reading had scarcely continued for more than half an hour, when Lady Boiuiie- mouth entered. "Dear me, Geraldine reading, and one of those trashy novels, too. My dear Lord Boiuiicmouth, Avhy don't you let her read that woman's temptation. 67 book of travels in which you are so much in- terested, or something improving, and leave the novels to me ? " Geraldine looked alarmed, and Lord Bourne- mouth replied, with a smile lurking round the corners of his mouth : " Thank you, my dear, I shall be most grateful for your services ; but as you can't read very long at a time, I may as well avail myself of hers also. And I Hke to hear what she has to say about the novels." "Nothing very wise, I am afraid," said Lady Bournemouth, patting her daughter's hair. "This poor little head will be full of no- thing but nonsense and love scenes. Geraldine, I have been thinking that it would be a very good thing if you were to learn a little Latin now and then. Mr Lawrance has plenty of time to teach you, and it is a pity not to seize the opportunity when it offers." " Oh, mamma ! " said Geraldine, with a look of blank dismay, "I am sure I have not time to learn it. There is French, and German, and Itahan, and Spanish, — I am learning all, and don't know one except French. Pray let 68 woma-n's temptation. me off the Latin — if I knew it, I should never have time to open a Latin book." " Nonsense ; you don't learn any more than most girls, or know as much. Lord Bourne- mouth, I beg you will speak to her; you must see the importance of her making the most of her time while she is in the school- room." " I rather agree with Mina," said Lord Bournemouth, laughing. " If she masters the literatures of England, Prance, Spain, Ger- many, and Italy, while she is in the school- room, she won't have much time left on her hands for Latin." Lady Bournemouth looked, and was, ex- tremely angry, but she made it a rule never to have a dispute with her husband before a third person, and therefore said carelessly : " Well, perhaps you are right; we had better not begin Latin for a month or two, at all events. Geraldine, it is quite time for you to go to Miss Wood ; give me the book, and I will go on reading." When Geraldine had left the room. Lord Bournemouth obser\^ed, " I see you are vexed woman's temptation. 69 with me, my dear, but I really must beg you not to take Mr Lawrance away from Arthur. If the boy doesn't go to school, I must insist on his being properly worked at home. It is not only the actual loss of time, but the disorder that a girl introduces into a school-room, that I mind. Geraldine has plenty to do apparently — indeed I suspect myself, if she had fewer lessons, she would learn more ; however, that is your affair, not mine. Only pray let there be no mixing of school-rooms, for I know how fatal that is to work. I dare say Arthur will grow up a prig under this home system, but I can't have him a fool as well." " If you object," said Lady Bournemouth, " of course I must give it up. But I must say I did wish her to have a little more steady work." " There I think you are mistaken. Even if she did learn all you propose, it would only load her memory with lumber she would have no means of using. Much better give her time to work her brains a little ; — read less, and think and compare more. Her notions are unusually crude, and I wish you would let 70 woman's temptation. her read more novels. A good novel is not a bad way of getting experience at second hand, and it is rather a dangerous experiment to start in the world without any." " Frederick, you upset all my plans. It has always been my wish that Geraldine should be educated in a thoroughly superior manner, and her mind stored with knowledge that will be really useful to her, so that throughout life she shall possess rational tastes and occupations. And now, after all the trouble I have taken to achieve this object, you propose, just when she is becoming fit to acquire and use valuable information, to let her time be wasted, and her imagination run wild, over foolish sentimental stories." " I never proposed that they should be foolish or sentimental," said Lord Bourne- mouth, with the peculiar diy coolness that always irritated his wife. " You do not dis- tinguish between information and education. I think a first-class novel is a great help to education. However, do just as you please. By-the-by, I have once or twice thought of asking you if you know anything of Mr woman's temptation. 71 Lawrance beyond Dorchester's recommenda- tion ? " " Nothing — of course I thought that was enough. Have you anything against him ? " " Not at all ; and if you are satisfied, so am I. And Arthur seems to like him. I may have thought his manner a little forward at times, perhaps." " It is that," said Lady Bournemouth, thoughtfully ; " but one cannot have every- thing, and I really think he is painstaking and conscientious. Besides, we see very little of him, and Miss Wood makes no complaint." "Oh, it is not enough for that — a mere shade — and, as you say, we cant have every- thing. Only—" " Pray let me arrange your pillows," inter- rupted Lady Bournemouth, dreading more doubts and objections. "I see you are uncom- fortable ; — and shall I not go on with the book?" " Yes, please do," said Lord Bournemouth, resigning himself to his wife's monotonous voice, after Geraldine's animated tones. " This is a very stupid book," she said 72 woman's temptation. presently. " How it can forward Gerald- ine's education, I am at a loss to con- ceive. So unnatural to make a girl like Laura marry that foolish, under-bred young man." " And yet one has known such instances," said Lord Bournemouth. " Witness Miss Seymour, and that foolish, under-bred young man, Mr Hogg." " Oh, don't mention that as an illustration, pray; it puts me quite out of patience. Never was an affair so mismanaged. ]\Irs Seymour was really so credulously blind. The girl herself must have had very inferior tastes and ideas, for they tell me she is quite happy." " How sad ! " said Lord Bournemouth, drawing down the corners of his mouth. " There is nothing so demoralizing in this story, for I believe the heroine is miserable." " That is quite right," said Lady Bom-ne- mouth, brightening up, "that is the natural and inevitable end of any right thinking girl who suffers herself to be so deluded ; and if stories of this sort must be written, it is quite proper that they should show woman's temptation. 73 the real consequences of such a step, and not dress it up in false attractions. It should be a warning, not an example." " Very true," said Lord Bournemouth, " a warning to daughters, and a warning to mothers." But the last part of the sentence being smothered in a yawn, it is doubtful whether Lady Bournemouth derived any benefit from it. 74 woman's temptation. CHAPTER YI. I learnt my complement of classic Frencli (Kept pure of Balzac and Neologism), And German also, since she liked a range Of liberal education — tongues, not books. I learnt a little algebra, a little Of the mathematics, brushed with extreme flounce The circle of the sciences, because She misliked women who are frivolous. ***** I learnt much music, — such as would have been As quite impossible in Johnson's day As still it might be wished ♦ * # * * * * And I drew costumes From French engravings, Nereids neatly draped, "With smirks of simmering godship. I washed in, From nature, landscapes (rather say, washed out), ***** Because she liked accomplishments in girls. Atjeoea Leigh, In due time Lord Bournemouth's fit of gout left him, but left him so weak that woman's temptation. 75 his doctor ordered change of air, to which he, nothing loth, agreed. For he was be- ginning to find Avonbury frightfully dull, and, as he observed, " Geraldine Avas a very good little girl, and a very nice little girl, but she was not society." He did not men- tion Lady Bournemouth, so it is to be pre- sumed that he included her in the category of people who, though very nice and good, were not society. Brighton was the place fixed upon, with which he was very well satisfied, for several of his friends were there for the winter, and he could look forward to their dropping in upon him when he was too ill to go to them, or to undergo the fatigue of having them in his house. Besides, he could there give the little parties for which he was so famous, and which, whether in London or elsewhere, he always contrived to make pleasanter than any one else's parties. Geraldine was troubled at her father's going, but not disappointed at not going herself ; which was well, as Lady Bournemouth at once negatived the idea, when it was suggested by her husband. He ac- 76 WOMAJj's TEMPTATION. quiesced in her decision, as he generally did in anything that concerned his daughter; his resistance to her theories being merely verbal, and for the sake of argument. To carry it into practice would have required an amount of exertion he was not prepared to make for anything. So Geraldine and Arthur were left at Avonbury to prosecute their education through the winter months, she being admonished by her mother to keep up her Erench, and pay great attention to her German ; not to neglect her singing or drawing, and practise four hours a day; and above all things to try and improve in her handwriting, her mode of expressing herself, and her manners ; and by her father, to " be a good little girl, do as Miss Wood told her, and not break the Hornet's knees." She was extremely dull wdien first left alone ; and the dulness did not decrease, but rather grew, as the autumn days and their glories of red leaves, and romance of blue mists and crimson sunsets, faded away into dreary, muddy, English winter. Riding with Arthur ceased to furnish any excite- woman's temptation. 77 ment ; tliey scoured the country, with the groom behind them, within the certain num- ber of miles which formed the extent of their radius, and explored every nook and cranny of the park by themselves, mounted on their ponies, until the whole business seemed as flat as anything else. " Oh, Arthur ! " exclaimed Geraldine one day, as they paced soberly forth on the said ponies, "it is so tiresome that Willis will keep the Hornet so quiet. He says ' his Lordship wouldn't consider it safe if he had more sperrut.' I don't believe his Lord- ship would care a bit about it." "It's very dull, certainly," said Arthur, ^' but still I don't know — the Hornet has plenty of sperrut in him, and it would be n bore if anything happened. I say. Cherry, the first frost that comes, suppose I teach you to skate ? " "Oh do, Arthur. I know I could skate beautifully if I tried." "Wouldn't Miss Wood object? " " I shall raise the standard of rebellion if she does ; and then she will write to mamma. 78 woman's temptation. and I shall write to papa, and I dare say papa will say yes. Come, I am tired of going at this steady pace ; let us have one good scamper before we go in." "Off we go then," returned Arthur; and off they did go accordingly, at a speed that made Geraldine's curls whistle in the wind, and deprived her for the time of the power of speech. She did find voice enough to cry out as they came to the rabbit warren, '' Keep to- the path ! " Arthur was several yards in front of her, and could not clearly hear what she said ; he saw the path was slippery, and thought she Avas cautioning him against it ; to her alarm, therefore, he turned aside. Again she cried, " Keep to the path ! Take care of the holes ! " but too late. The pony put his foot into one, stumbled with such violence as to throw Arthur out of the saddle, recovered him- self, and sped on, dragging along the poor child, one of whose feet remained fixed in the stirmp. Never, to the latest hour of her hfe, did Geraldine forget the agony of that horrible mo- ment. She could do nothing; to pursue too close- ly would be Avorse than folly ; she dared not re- woman's temptation. 79 main behind ; besides, her pony had become almost unmanageable with terror, and when she tried to hold it in, plunged and reared so violently as almost to unseat her. The whole thing only lasted about two minutes ; a man's figure appeared from behind a thorn bush, and to her great joy she recognised Mr Lawrance. He, putting himself in the way, stopped the pony with little difficulty, and extricated Arthur, who was bruised and half stunned, but not otherwise hurt. Geraldine's gratitude could scarcely find words in which to express itself ; again and again she repeated that she could never thank him enough, and that to the end of her hfe she would remember what he had done for her. She did not know how she loved Arthur, how he had twined himself around her very heartstrings, until she had so nearly lost him. From this day Mr Lawrance had a new interest for her. He had saved Arthur's life, estabhshing an undoubted claim on her gratitude; and gratitude very easily slips into liking. Deficiencies of manner and good breeding were unnoticed in what she 80 woman's temptation. considered his sterling qualities ; and indeed the former were not so frequent or so strik- ing as to be quickly perceptible to an inex- perienced girl. Eormerly she had been in- different to his society, and took no pains to conceal it, except at the very first, when he had the attraction of novelty ; now, if he seem- ed to wish to talk to her, she would not only suffer but give him encouragement to do so, so fearful was she of hurting his feelings by a rebuff. She took almost an exaggerated view of the service he had rendered her ; for Arthur, at this time, was the one great interest and passion of her life, and anything done for him, she valued fifty times more than if it had been done for herself. This Mr Lawrance was not slow in perceiv- ing. Considering the incident in every point of view, as, indeed, was but natural, for inci- dents of any sort were scarce at Avonbury, especially incidents of which he was the hero, he wished at first it had been Geraldine her- self whom he had saved ; for himself and his own advancement being the point on which all his views of external objects turned, he simply woman's temptation. 81 preferred that to happen which best suited his own ideas and schemes, independently of the welfare of those around him, even of those he liked best. But having once clearly established that what had happened was precisely the most calculated to further those ideas and schemes, it next occurred to him that he had not felt happy when he saw her pony struggling with her, and that he should not have liked to have seen her face cut, scratched, and bruised, as Arthur's was, or her long yellow hair dabbled with blood, and torn by briars. " For it is, undeniably, the most beautiful face I have ever seen, and she is the nicest girl," was the con- clusion of his reflections. It now became an established custom, that Mr Lawrance should accompany Geraldine and Miss Wood in their daily walks. Por Miss Wood lived in a constant state of apprehension as to the result of her pupil's " wild ways," and a man who could not only drive away cows, but stop a runaway pony, must be a valuable resource in every emergency. Geraldine found her profit in this arrangement, as it gave her a great deal more liberty than she had for- VOL. I. 6 82 woman's temptation. merly enjoyed. If Miss Wood pronounced any of her enterprises to be too dangerous, she had only to appeal to Mr Lawrance, and his opinion to the contrary being obtained, no further diffi- culty was made. From appealing to him on matters of fact, she proceeded to appeal to him on matters of opinion, and many a long dis- cussion was the consequence. In these dis- cussions, Geraldine and Mr Lawrance usually took one side, and Miss Wood the other ! Miss Wood, most often in the right, being invariably worsted by Mr Lawrance's showy reading, and Geraldine's bright young wits. And so the winter wore on — not quite so drearily as it had threatened — and when spring came. Lord Bournemouth was tired of Brighton, and disgusted with the east winds ; so, some time before Easter, he and Lady Bournemouth went to London for the season. Geraldine and Arthur were immediately sent for,.as Lady Bournemouth determined that her daughter should have, in her last school-room year, a long miinterrupted course of masters under her own inmiediate eye, and try whether, by hard practising, her singing could not be woman's temptation. 83 worked up to the requisite drawing-room, and her German and ItaHan to the requisite con- versation pitch. " I am really quite pleased with Geraldine's progress," she said to her husband ; ** not only is her German so much improved as to be apparent even to me, but the whole tone of her mind is so much more formed. She can converse on most subjects in a rational man- ner, and her range of interest seems to be en- larged. I hope you will acknowledge now, what I have always told you, that Miss Wood is a really superior finishing governess." " If Miss Wood has enlarged the range of Geraldine's interest it must be nothing less than a miracle," returned Lord Bournemouth. " To me the child seems to be just as much a child as ever ; she talks more fluently on sub- jects about which a girl cant possibly be quali- fied to form an opinion, but that I take to be a sign of approaching young ladyhood. You may send her here when we return from our drive, and she shall read this Revietv to me. Some one said it is very good, and I don't think you would care about it." 84 woman's temptation. " My dear Frederick," said his mfe, stop- ping short with an air of great decision, " pray remember we are not in the country. You know I am always ready, day and night, to do anything for you you may want, but I must beg that Geraldine's time may not be taken up at this very important period of her hfe. She has a very little space left her to complete her education, and the utmost industry will be necessary to bring it up to anything like the ordinary standard." Lord Bournemouth being in London with the means of amusement at hand, did not care so much about his daughter's society ; besides, though he could insist on detached points with great firmness, he was not capable of carrying out a system ; therefore he gave up the question at once, saying, " I should be very ungrateful, my dear, if I could ever forget all you hav© done for me, and very sorry to vex you or interfere with your plans ; pray do just as you please ; and if you will be good enough to read the Revieiv to me, I shall be very much obliged ; or if you are tired or engaged, I will read it myself." woman's temptation. 85 "I shall not be the least tired, I assure you. Here is the carriage. I must just go down and see if Geraldine is at her drawing lesson, and I shall be ready for you in ten minutes." 86 woman's temptation. CHAPTEH YII. 'Twas sin to smile, 'twas sin to laugh, 'Twas sin to sport and play ; And heavier than a hermit's fast Was each dull holiday. — Attoun. " William, how stupid you are this evening ! Pray talk; we see you so seldom that you needn't sit poking over a book all the even- ing." The speaker was Mr Lawrance's sister Emily ; a handsome, lively girl of eighteen, and the scene was a dark, dingy little parlour in a small street in the City. This was his home, and here he used to come and spend an evening three or four times while the Bourne- woman's temptation. 87 moutli family were in London. Oftener than that he could not make up his mind to face the dulness of the establishment. On the opposite side of the table sat his mother ; a great contrast to her two children, except in the matter of good looks, to which she also must have had some pretensions in her day. She was now a hard-featured, gloomy woman, with a slow dogmatic voice, and very deliberate and decided manner ; seldom speak- ing, and then generally to condemn. The only person who knew her, and was not afraid of her, was her daughter ; her son still retained some slight awe of her, but Emily was afraid of no one, and had too keen a perception of character not to be perfectly acquainted with her mother's foibles. No one but she could have gone on as she did now, inquiring, in defiance of Mrs Lawrance's condemnatory face, about subjects for which her mother could find no milder term than soul- destroying vanities. *' Now come, William, put down that book ; I want to talk to you. Do you still like the Bournemouths ? " " Yes." 88 woman's temptation. " What are great people really like ? Proud?" " Yes, but too proud to show it in their manners. Lord Bournemouth has the most perfect manner I have ever seen — something you have no idea of. Lady Bournemouth is the finest of the family." " What is Lady Geraldine like, now you know her better ? " " Very charming. I wish you knew her ; you will never know what a real lady is im- less you know her or some one like her." " She would be too grand for me — make me feel small and shy." " Grand ? She has the simplest manners in the world. You have such foolish notions about great people. I tell you they are not half as proud in their manners as many of our own set. For insolence and exclusiveness, commend me to one or two of our friends I could name." " Lady Hodgson to wit — whose husband is an ex-Lord Mayor ! She gives herself such airs to me, though our father was much better born than any of her folks, as I had WOMAN S TEMPTATION. 89 a great mind to tell her the other day. Father was quite a real gentleman ; was he not, mother ? " "As much a gentleman as any Lord in the country, though it is but a foolish matter to boast of. He was a truly spiritual, en- lightened Christian — which is, I fear, of little value in your eyes," said Mrs Lawrance, scarcely looking up from her work. " Va ])our les Chretiens I " was William's irreverent remark, made in a low tone, not- withstanding his mother's ignorance of French. " I am always glad my father was a gentle- man. If we had only kept our original posi- tion in society ! " *' Your father's, you mean," said Mrs Law- rance, coldly, " Mine is what it has always been. Yom^ father thought it no shame to marry me, though I was of lower rank than he, and what the world would call a bad match. I fear his son has not the same indijBFerence to the things of this life." Mr Lawrance looked up, and seemed in doubt how to take his mother's observation, or what answer to make. Emily said quickly : m WOMAN S TEMPTATION. "Well — never mind. Tell me how Lady Geraldine dresses." " Oh, very plainly. Something of cotton, I think, in the summer, and thick-looking stuffs in the winter, and a straw bonnet or hat. Her things always look fresh and new, but they are almost as plain as the poor people's.'' " Law ! I shouldn't like that," said Emily. "What is the good of being rich, if one doesn't have quantities of pretty gowns and everything one can possibly wish for ? Does Lady Bournemouth dress as badly ? " " Never badly, but always very simply, unless there is something particular to dress for. The other night I happened to see her as she was starting for a party, and she was one blaze of diamonds, and her gown covered with flowers and things, but generally she is as plain as possible." Mrs Lawrance looked up uneasily. " Emily," she said, " is it absolutely neces- sary that you should be idle while you are talking? Cannot your hands be usefidly employed even if your tongue is gossiping?" woman's temptation. 91 "No, indeed, mother; I can never talk and work at once. And I have done quite enough for that stupid Dorcas Society. What the good of it is, I cant conceive, unless cackling, and tea drinking, and minister- worshiping are good. We could all work much better at home." "I do not see that your conversation at home is more edifying than abroad. As to what you call cackling, I have never heard you try to introduce a more spiritual tone among your young friends, and until you have done that, and failed, you have no reason to complain." And Mrs Lawrance gathered up her work and left the room. " Emily, you have driven my mother away with your frivolity and heterodoxy," said William with a smile. "Well, it doesn't matter," she replied, " she has given me up for lost long ago, and I really want to talk to you, which even I cant do comfortably before her." " I should think not. How do you con- trive to support existence here? One night 92 woman's temptation. of it gives me the blues. You needn't ex- pect to see me any more for the present ; but when I can make up my mind to face it again, I will let you know." "I suppose one cant ask you to come," said Emily, sighing, "and yet I wish you would, for, as you say, it is dreadfully dull. On one point I have quite made up my mind. If ever I marry, it shall be right out of this religious set. No minister for me." " Does my mother still think of that man for you ? " " Oh yes, she is more set upon it than ever. He comes here every Sunday even- ing after meeting, and stays to supper. I cant think why she doesn't declare herself a Dissenter. All her feelings are with them." " She will never leave the Church of England, because my father did not, and thank goodness for it," returned William. " Now mind, Emily, take my advice, and hold out. If you marry a minister, whoever he may be, I will never speak to you again. You will lose even the little standins; ^ve woman's temptation. 93 t now possess, and sink hopelessly down into their narrow-minded, ignorant, vulgar set." Mr Lawrance spoke with unusual energy and excitement, and Emily hastily rejoined : "Trust me for that. It would be out of the frying-pan into the fire. I wouldn't marry him if there wasn't another man in the world." " You are quite right. I have no doubt, if you wait a year or two, yoii will marry well ; and remember, Emily, it will depend on you and me to raise ourselves again to our original position. There is no reason why we should not take om^ place among the ' untitled aristocracy,' to which our family really be- longs. Of course you can only do it through marriage." "And you by preaching, or writing, or what ? " said Emily. " Marriage also, per- haps ? " " As one means, of course. I shall have an eye to gaining a good standing ground." " Have you any one in view ? Do you still think of Anieha Hodgson ? " 94 woman's temptation. " Oh no — I have long ago given up all thoughts of her. It is astonishing how one raises one's standard as one's experience en- larges. Besides which, I should find it far easier to marry into a higher rank than into theirs. They expect money and a commercial standing ; higher up, talent, and so forth, can be made to tell." " And talent you certainly have," said Emily, thoughtfully. " And yet, there are a good many clever people in the world, and it must take a deal of talent to outweigh poverty, bad connection, and no birth to speak of." " Certainly there were heroes before Aga- memnon. But I doubt if there were heroes more resolved to succeed," said William, his keen face lighting up mth a cool determined smile. " There is no end of men cleverer than I am, but there are not many who can turn their talents to better account. That only comes with an education like mine, and that is why I, and men like me, can cut out half the rich clever fellows in Eng- land." WOMAN S TEMPTATION. 95 " Matrimonially ? But, joking apart, Wil- liam, into what kind of family do you hope to marry ? " " The very best I can by any means achieve. I see a good many different shades of rank now." " But though you see a good many people, you are in a hopelessly bad position for making any advances at present. Who would Hsten to a tutor's proposals ? The only advantage you will get from yoar pre- sent position will be the doubtful chance of a living." " I don't know that. When a man is domesticated in a house, it must be his own fault if he does not find opportunities of making play." " But that could only apply to Lady Geraldine herself, as you say they never have young ladies staying in the house for more than a day or two together. William, you are never thinking of her? It would be madness — ruin. Once found out, you would lose your situation, and not only all 96 woman's temptation. chance of a living from Lord Bournemouth, but even the Duke of Dorchester would feel himself absolved from his promise." " You jump to conclusions too fast. Don't alarm yourself — how should I think of Lady Geraldine ? As you say, it would be madness and ruin. Did you ever know me stake every- thing on one throw, and such a fool-hardy one r " No, I will do you the justice to say yoii are prudent enough in general. Still, if she is so beautiful and charming, you might be tempted to say something rash. Pray be on your guard, and if there is the slightest danger leave at once. Anything would be better than a crash with the Bournemouths." " You haven't a bad head on your should- ers, Emily, when you choose to use it," was Mr Lawrance's answer. " Take care to keep it clear of fancies, that's all. I am going noAv, so you may wish my mother good- night for me. I dare say she is crying up- stairs over our worldliness, and won't like to be interrupted. Before I go, I have one woman's temptation. 97 piece of advice to give you. Do be particular :ibout your dress, and take care not to wear more than two colours at a time." " Not more than two colours ? " said Emily. '• That's a hint worth attending to. I'll see about that. Good-bve, and come as-ain as soon ;is you can." VOL. I. &8 woman's temptation. CHAPTER YIII. Be good, sweet maid, and let who will be clever ; Do noble things, not dream them all day long, And make life, death, and that for ever. One grand, sweet song. — C. Kii^gslet. " Emily was right enough in what she said about the Bournemouths," thought Mr Law- rance to himself, as he walked away, "it would be the deuce to pay if they suspected anything. But, after all, what is there to suspect ? That I admire Geraldine ? A man must be made of stone if he doesn't, when living in the same house with her. I think I have managed very well to keep so long out of love, though it is too expensive a luxury for me. I suppose in woman's temptation. d9 a year or two she will be married to some great Lord, and then I don't care how soon I get a living, and look out for a wife. Let me see ; there is no chance of Arthur's being sent to school for the next two years, as my Lady won't let him go before he is twelve, however forward he may be. If his remaining at home depended on his learning, or rather, want of it, I would very soon settle that matter. As it is, however, I have nothing to do but to work him up to be well placed at Eton ; easy enough, fortunately, as he is a quick little fellow. I might be worse off, in many respects, certainly. Shocking place that home of mine is, to be sure. I wish Emily were well out of it, and if she made a good marriage, she might be able to help me ; besides, her house would be a place for me to live at, if I wanted it. Her dress looked bad and shabby. I won- der if I could spare her five pounds to buy a few new things ? No — better keep it — I am sure to want it some day, and it is my mother's business to dress her, after all. I'll just look what sort of things the girls who come to our 100 woman's temptation. house wear, and let her know ; a hint or two will be more useful to her than money with- out it/' And being much pleased with this prudent and economical resolution, Mr Lawrance went cheerfully home, complacently feeling that he had done his duty to his mother for a good month at least, and need not yet undergo again the penance of such an evening as the one he had just passed. Geraldine came down the next morning very full of a letter she had received from Lord Lindon, and out of which she read extracts to Arthur during breakfast. " My gracious," said Arthur, " what a jolly place to be at ! Oh, shouldn't I like to drive a horse that could trot nineteen miles an horn' 1 He should bring a pair back with him." " Too expensive and troublesome," said Geraldine. " He says their riding horses are nothing extraordinary, so you and I, Arthur, had better stay in England." " Does Lord Lindon mean to stay long in the United States ? " inquii*ed Mr Lawrance. woman's temptation. lOl "No, he is going to Canada, and then means to finish with South America and the West Indies." " He is very much to be envied." "So I think," returned Geraldine; "if I were a man, I should hke to travel every- where.'' " Hallo ! " cried Arthur, who had been peeping over her shoulder, " here's a nice bit she has kept all to herself. Now listen. Miss Wood and Mr Lawrance. * I haven't yet seen any girl as pretty as you, Cherry-blossom.' " " Arthur ! for shame 1 " exclaimed Geraldine, shutting up her letter. " You have no business to read out my letters." " Oh, my goodness, how angry she is," said Arthur, delighted ; " well, but he goes on to say he has seen some very pretty ones for all that. I dare say one of them will be Lady Lin don. How should you like that, Cherry? You would be cut out then ; there would be a prettier Cherry-blossom than you in the world." " He is quite welcome to marry them, as far as I am concerned, provided his wife 102 woman's temptation. doesn't talk with a twang," returned Gerald- ine ; " but I don't know what papa and mamma would say to it." " Would they dislike it ? " asked Mr Law- rance. " Oh yes, I fancy so ; they wouldn't like any one of whom they knew nothing ; mamma has the very greatest objection to unequal marriages, and so, indeed, has papa." "But it need not be unequal, my dear," said Miss Wood. " Well, these people he describes don't seem very nice ; and in any case, I think mamma has set her heart on his marrying into our own set. I should think it a pity myself, for those who live entirely in a set become so narrow and stupid, and it is so much plea- santer to know all classes and kinds of people ; but mamma is very fastidious. She scarcely likes any one, even among those whom I should call ladylike." "That is rather unfortunate, is it not?" said Mr Lawrance. " What is unfortimate ? " returned Gerald- ine, absently, still looking at her letter. WOMAN S TEMPTATION. 103 "To be so fastidious, since in this world she must mix with all classes and kinds of people, as you say." "Oh I don't know — manmia is never obhged to see any one she doesn't like, and probably never will be. Some people like one thing, and some another. My taste is de- cidedly for variety." "My dear Geraldine," said Miss Wood, " what can you know about it ? Sm^ely Lady Bournemouth is the best judge. And it will be so important for you, who have no sisters, to have a nice, pleasant, refined sister-in-law." " Nice and pleasant, of course, and refined in mind; but as to refinement in manner, I think sometimes too much is sacrificed to it. I should not like a person who was vulgar, but as for little solecisms, I could very well put up with them, if they were accompanied by a superior mind and character. It is not very often that one finds strength and refinement combined ; and, for my part, I like strength." " Geraldine, I shoidd be quite uneasy at your expressing yourself in this very decided manner if I did not know that it is chiefly 104 woman's temptation. theory. When you came to try it in practice*. I don't know any one who wouhl be morv fastidious than you." "Well, wc won't dispute about it; whrii Lady Lin don appears, we can decide the question. I suppose I must go to my lessons. Miss Wood, I Avish you wouhl excuse me these Kaisers. I cant remem- ber them a bit, and if I could, what wouhl be the good of it ? " ''You will find the o'ood some dav, when you read more than you do at present. Fancy hoAv helpless you would be, when reading some interesting work on History or Biography, if one of the Emperors avjis mentioned, and you did not know when ]\v lived, or any of the leading events of his reign 1 I was quite shocked the other da}- to find that you scarcely knew anything moi-<' than the name of Charles the Fifth." "I would compound for the helplessness, if I might give it up at present," returned Geraldine, as Miss Wood left the room. "Mr Lawrance, before you go, pray tell me when Henry the Fowler lived, and who ^^ns woman's temptation. 105 his father? I have mislaid the book, and forgotten the whole thing." Mr Lawrance promptly supplied the re- quired information, and added, " If there is anything else you wish to know. Lady Geraldine, pray apply to me. I shall be delighted to assist you in any way." *' Oh, thank you ; I should be delighted to apply to you, if Miss Wood did not object. She likes me to look it all up for myself. But I may fairly ask you about this, because I cant be expected to find it out for myself. What is the meaning of this Latin quotation ? " *' A very simple one ; I should almost have thought you might have made it out. ' I scorn to change or fear.' " " That should never be my motto," said Geraldine ; "I should never scorn to change, on due cause being shown ; or to fear when there is good reason for it." " True wisdom and true courage," said Mr Lawrance, "the only difficulty being to decide what are good reasons for changing or fearing." 106 woman's temptation. Geraldine looked puzzled. " I can fix on no general rules," said she ; " beyond this, of course, that we must only fear what is wrong, and change when we are not right. And that would lead us to considering what is right and wrong, into which let us by no means inquire. I suppose we shall be able to settle each case as it rises. There are some mottoes I do particularly like — ' Nous malntiendrons,^ for instance ; and better still, ' Noblesse ollige! " "Do you translate 'noblesse' as 'nobility?'" " In the Avidest sense of the term, as superiority of any kind; so that it be true superiority. I rather wish, after all, that I had learnt Latin. Do you know, mamma proposed a few months ago that I should learn it with you ? " " Did she ? And Avhy was it given up ? " *Tapa and I both thought I had enough to do already. But I am almost sorry now. I dare say you would have taught me so well, that I should have learnt directly." WOMAN S TEMPTATION. 107 " I dare say you would have learnt directly ; whether through my method of teaching, or your own aptitude, let us by no means in- quire," he retiu-ned, smiling. " If ever Lady Bournemouth should wish it again, I am entirely at your service. Arthur's lessons do not nearly fill up my day." " You are very kind — but it is an un- dertaking ! And my German is still so bad. Bad as it is, however, I have there an advan- tage over you, for I don't believe that you know any." " No, I don't. You will find it no difiicult matter to get an advantage of that sort over me." " Oh, I am not so sure of that ; I always think you know everything." Mr Lawrance's answering look, and shake of the head was a masterpiece, so completely did it express conscious worth disclaiming well-deserved tribute. '' I am forgetting Arthur," he said. " His lessons will, very literally, not fill up my day at this rate. There is nothing else I can tell you ? " " A great deal that you might tell me, but 108 WOMAN S TEMPTATION. nothing that I should think fair to ask. By dinner time I dare say I shall have a ques- tion or two more." But, notwithstanding this promising be- ginning, Mr Lawrance did not find he made as much progress with Geraldine in London as in the country. She was often with her cousin, and generally went to Gertrude, instead of letting Gertrude come to her, as she was only too glad of any excuse for going out. And Miss Ellison's manner was shy and cold, and Mr Lawrance could not feel at his ease before her. So he retired into the background, wisely feeling it better not to appear at all, than to appear at a dis- advantage, and congratulating himself that Lord Lin don was not likely to return home for the present. Geraldine disliked her stay in Londoik as much, if not more, than usual. Before she had always had Lord Lhidon as a re- source in case of the worst ; in the country Mr Lawrance had in some measure supplied his place. Now she had neither, and Lady Bournemouth was more than usually rigid woman's temptation. 109 in keeping her daughter in the background, pending the important era of her " coming out." Right glad was she when the time for their departure arrived, and she joyfully thought to herself, that when next she came to London it would be to amuse herself, and not to be shut up all day with her books and her masters. Lord Bournemouth, having been most thoroughly weary of his last solitary autumn in the country, announced his intention, happen what might, of asking at least one or two people to shoot his covers for him. " Men will always come where there is good shooting and good wine, and that I €an give them at any rate," he said to his wife. "I cant be bored as I was last year. So write to Pitzgermaine — and stay — yes, you can ask his brother Ernest, too ; and the St Aubyns. Old St Aubyn is still the best shot I know ; and if the young men do blow the birds about a little, he will make up for it. We must have some of the neighbom's, I suppose, for I know they grumbled at our not having any of 110 woman's temptation. them last year ; and yet there is not a decent shot on our side of the country. If you can think of any one else, pray do." " Certainly," said Lady Bouniemouth. " As Lin don is not here to entertain the young men, it will be far easier and plea- santer to have as many as we can at once. But will there not be too many for the shooting? I know nothing about it, but I thought it did not answer to have too many — guns, I believe, is the expression — out at once ? " " Oh no ; well, give them some battues, as I shan't be there myself; and then they can shoot each other, or the game as they please. And I was thinking that as Gerald- ine is to come out so soon, she had better take this opportunity of being a little more in the drawing-room. Her manners are rather abrupt." " Well — yes ; perhaps they are. It might not be a bad plan. And she can work all the harder when they are gone." So the visitors were invited and duly accept- ed, with the exception of Lord Fitzgermaine, woman's temptation. Ill who was going on the Continent, and then up the Nile. And Geraldine was duly brought down into the drawing-room at stated times, and rode and drove with the ladies at other stated times, and was petted and admired by them, as the only daughter in a house where there is a handsome eldest son is apt to be. The gentlemen admired her too; and, alto- gether. Lady Bournemouth was in a fever lest her freshness should wear off, and she become a conscious beauty before her time. She might have spared herself the trouble how- ever; Geraldine, who had never been in so much society before, was mightily pleased and amused, observed everything and remembered everything, except this same admiration for herself, to which she remained, throughout, perfectly and innocently blind. "Now, Miss Wood, please give me some tea ! I am quite parched with thirst ! " she exclaimed, entering the school-room in her riding habit, as Miss Wood prepared to make the tea. This hour, and that of breakfast, were those 112 woman's temptation. Geraldine liked the best, for then she told all she had been doing in the afternoon or evening, and discnssed the company with Miss Wood, Mr Lawrance, and Arthur. " I hope you have had a pleasant ride, my dear ? " said Miss Wood. "Oh very — at least it would have been, only when we came to Woodcote Lane, we found a locked gate, which proved an insuper- able obstacle to Margaret St Aubyn. Lord Ernest offered to make such a gap in the hedge as should only leave her the least little bit to scramble through ; or to turn her horse over for her; but she would neither go through the hedge nor dismount; so I was cheated of the gallop I had promised myself over the Common." "Wasn't it a shame?" joined in Arthm*. " I told her Balnamoon would take the gate easily, if she preferred that, and she screamed, and said she was certain her neck Avould be broken amongst us 1 So Cherry, out of com- passion, gave up persuading her, and we turn- ed round, and went soberly back." woman's temptation. 113 " Arabella would have jumped the gate without a word," said Geraldine, " I wish she had been with us instead of Margaret." "So did not Lady Margaret, I dare say," was xArthur's reply. " She took good care to ride by Lord Ernest's side all through the lanes. You and I had to put up with old Mr Richardson, Cherry." " And quite right too," returned Geraldine. "If I were nervous on horseback, I should certainly rather have Lord Ernest to take care of me than Mr Richardson. Otherwise I don't think she cares for him at all ; in fact, I know she is disappointed not to find Lord Fitzger- maine here." " Does she like him better than his brother ? " inquired Mr Lawrance, who till now had not spoken, but sat balancing his spoon on the edge of his tea-cup. " I suppose so. I don't know. By-the-by, you know Lord Eitzgermaine, for he is the young man whose life you saved ! Which did you like the best ? " " I never saw Lord Ernest until yesterday, when I had ten minutes' conversation withhim." ,. VOL. I. 8 114 woma.n's temptation. " And I never had more than ten minutes' conversation with Lord Fitzgermaine. Did you Hke him ? " " Why of course he did," said Arthur, " as he took the trouble of picking him out of the river." " Goodness, Arthur ! " exclaimed Geraldine, " do you think he could see any man drown- ing without trying to save him ? " " I hope my own private feehngs had nothing to do with the matter," said Mr Lawrance. "Any passer-by who could swim would have done all I did for him. Yes, I liked him ; though I don't think he was gener- ally very popular at Oxford." " To be clever, Lord Ernest is so stupid ! " "Is Lord Ernest stupid?" said Mr Law- rance. " Of course I am not a competent judge, but I should not have fancied him a naturally stupid man. Lord Eitzgermaine is more shrewd than clever ; fairly well-infonned, and very ready." " That is exactly all Lord Ernest is not. I am sure I should like his brother the best ; he would be so much easier to get on Avith. Miss woman's temptation. 115 Wood, do you mind playing over that duet with me ? I promised to play it with Arabella to-night, and I don't half know it." " I wish you played as well as Lady Ara? bella, my dear," said Miss Wood, opening the piano. " And Lord St Aubyn was saying last night he wished Arabella played as well as I do. He is a connoisseur, you know," said Gerald- ine, with a saucy shake of her head. *' Lord St Aubyn flatters you." " There you just have it, Miss Wood," said Arthur. " i\Iy eye ! doesn't he flatter her ? I believe he means it all though, poor man." Every one burst out laughing, and Mr Lawrance said, " I am sure Lord St Aubyn is much obliged to you, Arthur, and so, I dare say, is Lady Geraldine." Geraldine turned round as she was sort- ing her music. " Why should I be obliged ? " she said, with proud simplicity. "It is nothing to me whether Lord St Aubyn means what he says or not." Mr Lawrance saw he had involved him- 116 woman's temptation. self in a dilemma by his officious remark, and did not see his way out of it. For- tunately Miss Wood began playing the bass of the duet ; and Geraldine, without wait- ing for his answer, sat down to her own part. Mr Lawrance felt he was well out of his difficulty, and resolved to be more cautious in future. woman's temptation. 117 CHAPTER IX. High nature, amorous of the good, But touch' d with no ascetic gloom, And passion pure in snowy bloom, Through all the years of April blood. And manhood fused with female grace, In such a sort that child would twine A trustful haud unask'd in thine, And find his comfort in thy face. In Memoriam, The St Aubyn party only stayed a few days at Avonbury — they had other and liveher places to visit ; and one by one Il8 woman's temptation. the gentlemen dropped off, till at length Lord Ernest Pitzgermaine was the only one left. He lingered on indefinitely, for he was expecting daily to be summoned back to his regiment, and Avonbury was con- veniently near the town where it was quar- tered. So he and old Mr Richardson, the Squire of the neighbouring parish, had the shooting to themselves, and did not enjoy it the less that there were no inferior shots to oflPend their Avorkman-like taste. Geraldine remembered the hint Mr Law- rance had given about Lord Ernest not being naturally stupid, as she remembered and re- flected on all his opinions, whether relating to people or things, but do what she would, she found no reason to reverse her o^m judgment. After expending her best efforts, she could not make anything of him. Perhaps she was un- skilful; perhaps there Avas really nothing to be made ; . however it might be. Lord Ernest re- mained always the same ; the most ardent of sportsmen, the most chivalrous of gentlemen^ the most silent of guests. She liked him well enough — especially when she saw how atten- woman's temptation. 119 live he was to her father, and how good-na- tured to Arthur. She admired his face, his riding, his shooting ; but it was a rehef to leave him, after attempting to entertain him for half an hour, and return to her school-room. Miss Wood, and perhaps Mr Lawrance. Some- times, when she and her father were engaged in a discussion, he would look up with such quick intelligence, that she quite expected he would join in the conversation ; but no — he remained silent, and if asked for his opinion, generally contrived to evade giving it. Once, on a racing day, she came down to play at billiards with him, and found him deeply en- gaged with a book, which, as he threw it down at her approach, she perceived to be a volume ofFroissart. *' Do you like it ? " she said, hoping to lead him gradually into a conversation. " Yes, very much. This is your cue, I think. Lady Geraldine ? What am I to give you ? " He gave her ten, beat her, and returned to his book for the rest of the day. " Mr Lawrance," said Geraldine, '' are you sure Lord Ernest is not stupid ? " 120 WOMAN S TEMPTATION. " Not at all," lie replied, with a start, and an assumed smile. " I wonder that you should remember my remark, though." " Well, it was not my own opinion, which, I suppose, accounts for it. But he is so very, very silent." " Many a man is that who is not stupid. I cant argue the question as applied to Lord Ernest, however, for I have really seen nothing of him. He is his father's favourite, I fancy, if that goes for anything." " I wish Lord Titzgermaine had come," said Geraldine. " I think I should have liked him." Mr Lawrance became thoughtful. "I doubt it," he said, shortly. " He cant ride as well as Lord Ernest, nor is he such a good shot, for I have often heard other men say so." " Do you think I only value a man for his riding and shooting ? " said Geraldine, draw- , ing down her brows. " You must have a very low opinion of me ! " " Not necessarily. But I know you admire that sort of thing." woman's temptation. 121 " 1 admire perfection of every kind, but I prefer perfection of the mind. I think you might have known that ! " And she walked off, with a shght toss of her head. Somehow her abruptness did not seem to offend Mr Lawrance ; he merely smiled, looked after her for a second, took up a book, and began to read. Geraldine, in some displeasure at his low estimate of her judgment, would not return to the school-room after luncheon, be- cause, as it was a half-holiday, she knew she should probably find Mr Lawrance there. Ar- thm', who never settled his afternoon's amuse- ment without consulting his sister, after wait- ing vainly for her up-stairs, went down to the lawn, where Lord Ernest and Mr Richardson were arranging the details of their next day's sport. " Have you seen Cherry ? " he inquired ; and w^as about to seek her elsewhere on re- ceiving an answer in the negative, when Mr Lawrance crossed the grass not a hundred feet from them. " Mr Lawrance ! have you seen Geraldine ? '' was again Arthur's unsuccessful cry. 122 woman's temptation. " That is the first time I ever heard you call Lady Geraldine by her long name," said Mr Richardson. " I didn't think you knew her as anything but Cherry-blossom." " I never call her anything but Geraldine to strangers and servants," returned Arthur. " You don't call Mr Lawrance a stranger, or yet a servant, Arthur ?" said Lord Ernest' quickly. " Oh no ! no ! of course not ; I only meant that I do know how to call her Geraldine sometimes." " And why to Mr Lawrance ? " said Lord Ernest. Arthur looked up at him, and seeing en- couragement to proceed in the curious and amused expression of his face, said, " I don't know — but there is a difference. I always call her Cherry-blossom to you, but Mr Law- rance isn't the same thing." As Arthur said this, Geraldine appeared from the other side of the horse-chestnut, in the shade of which they were standing. " Bless the boy ! " said Mr Richardson, in a low voice, to Lord Ernest, " what fancies he woman's temptation. 125 has ! like any girl, upon my word ! I'm sure tlie sooner he goes to school the better." Lord Ernest slightly shook his head, but merely answered, " All boys are better at school to my mind." Geraldine had heard what her brother said, and was greatly puzzled. "What can he mean? " she thought, " or does he mean anything ? " Vainly racking her brains for an answer, she resolved to question Arthur himself. " Well, you know Cherry, there is a differ- ence," he said. " But why ? How do you mean ? I see none." " Look here. If you wanted a great favour done, would you rather go to Mr Lavvrance, or to Lord Ernest ? " " Mr Lawrance — I know him the best." " Oh, would you ? Well then, I'd rather go to Lord Ernest any day." "But why?" " I know you think him a bore ; but I think him very good-natured." " Oh, so he is ; I always say so, but so is Mr Lawrance, is he not ? " 124 woman's temptation. " Well, yes, I suppose so. But somehow — Lord Ernest is the best of the two, take my word for it, Cherry." And this was the most satisfactory answer she could obtain from Arthur. A new light flashed upon her. " Surely he doesn't mean that Mr Lawrance is less gentleman-like than Lord Ernest ? It cant be that." She determined to take her father's sense on the matter, her usual resource in a difficult case. " Papa," she said, as she sat by his garden chair, an hour before dinner, " do you like Lord Ernest ? " " Like Ernest Eitzgermaine ? Yes ; why do you ask ?'" " Don't you think him rather dull ? " " Heavy in hand, eh ? Well, perhaps he is. But he is as good a young fellow as I know anywhere." " Which is the nicest? — he or Lord Eitzger- maine?" " I like him the best, and so does Dorches- ter. Younger brothers are generally worth two woman's temptation. 125 of tlieir elders. Don't make that an article of your creed though, puss ; it's only fit for an old man like me." " I cant yet, for I scarcely know any one except Lindon and Arthur. Now, is Lord Ernest what you oall a thorough gentleman, papa f " Yes, every inch of him ! " was the old lord's emphatic answer. *' I don't know a better." " In word, and deed, and thought ? " said Geraldine earnestly. " You romantic puss," laughed Lord Bourne- mouth. " Nothing less than apreux chevalier, sans 'peur et sans reprocJie, contents you. I should say he was." , " Isn't it a pity he doesn't talk more ? " " It greatly depends on what he has to say." " Papa, is Mr Lawrance what you call a gentleman?" " What is the meaning of that question, puss ? " said Lord Bournemouth, looking up. " I am enlarging my organs of comparison," returned Geraldine, with demure gravity. 126 WOMAN S TEMPTATION. " Oh, well, your opportunities are unfavour- able for that amusement, I should say. I have scarcely seen him, but I fancy he is very fair for the sort of thing. His appearance is gentleman -like . " *' Which is the most so — he, or Lord Ernest?" "Ernest, without a minute's doubt. I wonder your organs of comparison haven't taught you that." " That is what Arthur was thinking of," thought Geraldine to herself. " Papa," she continued, " if a person is clever and amusing, don't you think it makes up for their not being quite good style ? " "As an acquaintance you mean? Yes, of course I do. Rather a foolish question to ask, pussy. There is the dressing bell, and there is Ernest coming this way. I dare say he will be kind enough to wheel me in, so you needn't call the servants." " Now I am glad I have settled this ques- tion," thought Geraldine. "Yes, Arthur is right, Mr Lawrance is not quite so gentleman- like as Lord Ernest ; I see it all now, but then woman's temptation. 127 papa agrees with me that that doesn't matter if a person is clever ; and no one can be more fastidious than papa. No doubt Mr Lawrance is clever, and, in spite of all he says, I do think Lord Ernest stupid." " That's a beautiful rose you are pulling to pieces, Lady Geraldine." She looked up, and saw Lord Ernest stand- ing beside her. " There are plenty more as good in the garden," she replied. " Have you taken papa in?" "Yes, and consigned him safely to the charge of Mr Harrison. Now pray don't de- stroy that flower, for I have taken rather a fancy to it." " Have you ? there it is for you then," she rephed, pulling it off, and throwing it care- lessly towards him. He took it, and when Geraldine looked at him ^ye minutes after- wards, the rose was gone. " Stupid man," she thought. "Why did he make such a fuss about it, if he has lost it so soon f Not so, Lord Ernest had not lost it, but had X28 woman's temptation. very carefully put it into his pocket ; that being his idea of a good place for a flower. The next day the expected telegraphic mes- sage came, and he returned to his regiment. Geraldine was in the school-room when he left, but he charged Lady Bournemouth with his adieux, which she faithfully delivered. " Well, I am not sorry he is gone," was Ge- raldine's only remark ; "he bored me rather." All through the autumn and winter they continued to have a few visitors at Avonbury. Lord Bournemouth had been amused by his daughter's observation about enlarging her organs of comparison, while, at the same time, it suggested a new idea to him. Geraldine could compare — she should have some material to work upon. It was perhaps unfortunate that among the very few young men asked, there did not happen to be one who, in power of conversation and variety of literary acquire- ment, was Mr Lawrance's equal, which natur- ally confirmed Geraldine in the belief that his talents were really of a very superior order. She would relate in the school-room all that passed in the drawing-room, the trifling inci- WOMAN S TEMPTATION. 129 dents, the conversation, the opinions broached, sometimes with clear and accurate mimicry, and then discuss them with Mr Lawrance, and learn his opinions, which, after a httle turning and twisting, she generally made her own. Meanwhile, her manner became more formed, and her appearance more decidedly beautiful than ever; while her accomplish- ments, if not brilliant, at least promised to be satisfactory. Her father and mother were both pleased : it now and then occmTed to Lord Bom'nemouth that Geraldine's ideas were not always such as he should expect from her character, but he reasoned fairly enough, that women always learn their opin- ions from books or people, and supposed she had been reading some book or other, from whence she had derived them. There was a proposal once, from Lady Bournemouth, to send Arthur to Eton after this Christmas, but this, to her great surprise, was oveiTuled by her husband. The fact was. Lord Bournemouth had observed with plea- sure the very remarkable affection that sub- sisted between Geraldine and her brother. VOL. I. 9 130 WOMAN S TEMPTATION. He had once had a sister of whom he had been very fond, and who died young, and the memory of the love he bore her was still the freshest feeling left in his heart. To him it was beautiful and touching, this reproduction of the old days he remembered so well, and to this piece of unconfessed sentiment Geraldine owed his determination that she should not be separated from her brother till she had amuse- ments and society to fill up the blank. He would not have owned it for the world, and merely remarked that Arthur was forward for his age, and Midsummer would be time enough. The winter passed much as usual, excepting that Lord Bournemouth was remarkably free from gout ; and that Geraldine's prospects of approaching emancipation were such a well- spring of hope to her that she cared very little for present dulness or restraint. That bright fairy land, London society, gilded everything by anticipation. She was really sorry to part with Miss Wood, of whom she was very fond, but the pleasure of " coming out " superseded all other considerations. That time was now woman's temptation. 131 near at hand. Spring came quickly ; Easter was late ; so Lady Bournemouth decided upon going to London at least six weeks before it, that Geraldine might be properly dressed, and make acquaintances, before the regular crush of the season began. 13S woman's temptation. CHAPTER X. * * * What time and where Did she pass that maid with her heavenly brow, And her look so sweet, and her eyes so fair, And her graceM step and her angel air. The Bridal of Teieemain. " What is your fortune, my pretty maid, With your sunny eyes and your golden hair ? " " My face is my fortune, kind sir," she said, " The strawberry leaves make maidens fair." Old Song. That Slender, though well-landed, is our idiot. Mekry Wites oe Windsor. It is evening. There are lights in the streets, Hghts in the shops, hghts in the squa- woman's temptation. 133 lid abodes of poverty, vice, and crime. Lights in the citizens' houses, hghts in the aristocratic precincts of Belgravia, and hghts in Lord Bournemouth's splendid mansion, brilliant lights, for Lady Bournemouth is to give a great ball this evening. So says the "Morning Post," and so says the " Herald," and all the other papers which pretend to be well inform- ed in such matters. And the invited, includ- ing a royal Duchess, prepare to go, and th6 uninvited are in wrath and despair, for this is to be the ball of the season, and every one with any pretensions to fashion and conse- quence is to be there. And there are lights in the room where Geraldine Vivian stands before the looking-glass, putting, with a beat- ing heart, the last touches to her ball toilet. The happy time is come ; Miss Wood has departed — not without many tears from Gerald- ine, and entreaties to come and see her often in London, and visit her at Avonbury. She has been presented, and is now in the midst of her first London season. . All her longing anticipations are realized, and hfe seemed to her one dream of de- 134 woman's temptation. light. Flattered, caressed, and admired, her portrait is in every print shop, and her name is in every mouth, a proverb for beauty and grace. No more complaints of dulness are heard ; parties, balls, concerts, operas, rides, drives, and a thousand other amusements and excitements, amply and charmingly fill up her time. All the day, and nearly all the night, is thus spent; till it seems a wonder that even her vigor- ous constitution and high spirits can stand the wear and tear. And Geraldine might have had other excitement too, had she so willed it. Many a girl would have found endless amusement in her many admirers ; but Geraldine had no particle of the co- quette in her, and though aware of the general admiration she excited, was strangely and completely unconscious of individual aspirants. There might have been no such things in the world as lovers for all she thought about them, and her surprise and incredulity, when rallied on her numerous conquests, were perfectly genuine and mi- afFected. So it happened that no one had. woman's temptation. 135 as yet, made her an offer of marriage, and no one's name had been coupled with hers, even by the most gossiping. It was im- possible to suppose any one the favoured individual, when all were treated with the same frank carelessness ; it was still more impossible for any one to mistake her light, friendly gaiety, as meant to encoiu-age inti- macy. Lady Bournemouth, meanwhile, was not regardless of what she termed " dear Geraldine's future prospects." She could not disQ-uise from herself that dear Gerald- ine's face must be her fortune; and very pretty as that face was, it was by no means impossible that, in this mercenary age, it might not prove fortune enough to secure her a brilliant marriage. There are so many pretty girls in London ! She catalogued her daughter's charms with as business- like an eye as any auctioneer. Item — a good figure ; ditto, red lips, blue eyes, golden curls, &c. — all this was very well for the present ; but Geraldine might not be the fashion next year ; some raven-haired, pale- complexioned young lady might bear off 136 woman's temptation. the palm, and beautiful Geraldine sink into a star of the second magnitude. Such things had been; and Geraldine, as we know, had no striking accomplishments. Little Miss Young sang twice as well — Charlotte Treherne played fifty times bet- ter, and every one talked about Lady Mar- garet St Aubyn's drawings, while Gerald- ine's water-colour sketches made no effect at all. It would scarcely have increased her popularity could her acquaintances have seen the clever caricatures she executed of them, or heard the inimitable manner in which she mimicked them for her father'^s amusement ; though in another rank of life either of those talents would have made her fortune. So Lady Bournemouth stood by, and saw her clever daughter eclipsed on all sides by the most ordinaiy young ladies, who had not one fifth of Geraldme's talent, but who far surpassed her in the art of showing off, and making the most of what they knew. It was mortifying enough — but what could she do ! Alto- gether she would have been thankful to woman's temptatiof* 137 have her daughter well established in life, young as she was ; and it was with no small pleasure that she at length saw a person appear on the scene, who seemed exactly fitted for furthering her objects. A long minority had so increased Lord Silver- ton's great wealth, that he was one of the richest peers in England. Eairly good-look- ing, very silly, and very vain, he had been brought up to believe himself a person of the very greatest importance. Educated in the country, where " 'Not SL Lord in all the country "Was so great a Lord as he," — this idea was the natural consequence of the adulation and homage he received on all hands. It met with no check when he came to London, where the men toadied him, having heard that the shooting was excellent at Silverton Hall, and the cellar irreproachable ; and the women flung them- selves at his head in a barefaced manner, which even his vanity was forced to attri- bute more to his rank and rent-roll than to his personal charms and qualities. He 138 woman's temptation. had good taste, this young lord, and was immediately struck by Geraldine's beauty, and still more by her manners, whose sim- plicity and unaffected grace he rightly thought better style and better breeding than all the minauderies and pretension of her companions and rivals. Lady Bourne- mouth's hawk eye perceived this preference at once, and quietly and warily she spread her toils, and prepared to take him in her net. Of course, he was invited to the ball, and great was her anxiety that Geraldine should look her very best; anxiety which Avas quite superfluous, as her daughter's taste was perfect, and no one could re- proach her with indifference to the business of the toilet, even down to its minutest details. " Ah, come here, child ! " she cried, as Geraldine entered the boudoir, where her mother was reposing after the fatigues of dressing, " let me look at you. Well, that is very creditable — you really look ex- tremely nice. But your hair — I wish you woman's temptation. 139 would take more pains with it; your curls are far too smooth and straight." " Now, mamma, leave me alone," said Geraldine, dancing off to the glass ; " my curls are irreproachable, and why do you wish to alter them? It does not suit me to have my hair in a frizz." " Leave her alone ; the effect is perfect," said Lord Bournemouth, who, for the time, had established himself in his wife's boudoir, being too ill to appear in the ball-room, and being driven from all his usual haunts. Lady Bournemouth deferred to his opinion, on the ground that men always know best what men like, but shifted her plan of attack. " Geraldine, I heard you singing atro- ciously to-day : with the opportunities you have had, it is really disgraceful. There is Miss Young, with not half your voice; who do you think would listen to you while she is in the room? The men rave about her." Geraldine, who had not received a word 140 woman's temptation* of blame since she left the school-room^ and who expected to be applauded for the success of her toilet, turned sharply round, and seemed about to retort angrily ; when, suddenly changing her intention, she flmig up her head, and by Avay of reply made a roulade so clear and briUiant, and yet such a] comically truthful caricature of Miss Young's pecuHarities, that Lord Bourne- mouth burst out laughing, and even her mother could not repress a smile. It quick- ly vanished, however, and she resumed: " That is all veiy well here, but would never do in the draTOig-room, where I beg that you will not disclose your pro- pensity to mimic, for nothing is more un- popular." " Mina," said Lord Bournemouth, " your mother is right ; if you can sing as well as Miss Young, w^hy don't you do so ? " " Now, papa, this is too bad," said Gerald- ine, really distressed, " I thought you, at least, would take my part. It is all non- sense. I can't sing, I can only copy. I learnt that roulade from Miss Young, the WOMAN S TEMPTATION. 141 last time she was here ; it is a very good one, and she made it often enough for me to remember it. You wouldn't like me to go through life copying Panny Young, I hope ? " " Hush, Geraldine, there is no occasion for speaking so sharply," said her father. " I don't want you to copy anybody ; only you know perfectly well that you could sing better if you choose. There, you have made yom- hair rough, and I hear a car- riage at the door ; pray smooth it before you go down." " A carriage at the door ! " said Gerald- ine ; " and I promised Arthur to go and see him Avhen I was dressed. Well, I must run down the back stairs, and will be up again before any one else comes." She hurried into the adjoining dressing- room, passed a brush hghtly over her hair, and running back again, opened a door in the boudoir which led down the back way. " Geraldine 1 " exclaimed her mother, " do take care — you will tear yom^ dress — ^do move more quietly." But Geraldine had 142 woman's temptation. slammed the door behind her, and was dashing down-stairs as fast as she could. " So tiresome ! " she mentally exclaimed. '* Mamma is just as bad as she used to be in my school-room days ; nothing pleases her." She opened the school-room door hastily, and was somewhat disconcerted to find Mr Lawrance there as well as Arthur — she did not wish him to think she had come to be admired. " Mr Lawrance ! " she said, " I — I thought you were up-stairs." " So I should have been," he replied, readily, " but Arthur said you were com- ing down, and I thought I might as well benefit by the sight." " I did not know you cared for this sort of thing," said Geraldine ; " I thought all gentle- men despised dress." " Not a bit of it, whatever they may pre- tend ; it is only the details they cannot master; depend upon it, they are the best judges of the effect." " It may be so," said Geraldine ; " I know woman's temptation. 143 one at all events who bears out your theory, and that is Lord Fitzgermaine. As he says himself, il s y coiinaitJ' " He does ; he makes almost a ridiculous fuss about it. I remember when he saw a young lady, his first thought used to be, not whether her eyes were bright or her figure good, but whether her bonnet was the most fashionable shape, her gown the right colour, and whether her gloves fitted well." " Mr Lawrance," said Geraldine, " do you remember when I said I should like to know Lord Fitzgermaine ? " "Perfectly. You said you thought you should like him better than Lord Ernest. I have always meant to ask you what you thought of him." " You had better ask me," said Arthur, " Fm not a young lady, so he has no call to flatter me. I don't like him half as w^ell as Lord Ernest. He never says a civil word to me ; and I know he was in a great way the other morning when they were riding together, and Lord Ernest would come up to me and talk for ever so long. Besides, he can't ride a bit." 144 WOMAN S TEMPTATION. " Our old ground of difference," said Mr Lawrance, turning to Geraldine with a smile ; " you were displeased with me once for saying you would not like Lord Fitzgermaine because he can't ride." " With good reason ! Besides, you were wrong, for I like him the best of the two." Mr Lawrance became grave — not to say gloomy. " He is very fluent," he said, " which certainly Lord Ernest is not. But I am half inclined to agree with Arthur." "But why? Undoubtedly he is the most agreeable of the two." " I suppose so. But I should think Lord Ernest the most gentleman -like." "There it is 1 Every one says Ernest Eitz- germaine is so gentleman-like ! till I am quite tired of hearing it. What is the good of a man's being gentleman-like, if he is nothing in the world else ? " ^'It is always something," said Mr LawTance, smiling. " But I dare say too much stress is laid upon it. To one in my position, however, perfect, unconscious courtesy must always be a most fascinating thing." woman's temptation. 145 Geraldine flushed, as slie always did when experiencing the uncomfortable sensation of beino; ashamed for some one else. She at once guessed, or fancied, that Mr Lawrance had not always received " perfect, unconscious courtesy" from Lord Pitzgermaine, and she very well knew that Lord Ernest could not be uncivil to any one. She said simply and gravely, "It is as fascinating to me as to any one, for whatever I may say, I don't easily forgive want of courtesy." " I know that perfectly," he replied, " and I know very well that in this particular instance you will never see anything of it." " I shall take precious good care to tell her of it, if I do," said Arthur; "for I don't half like him, and I don't choose, CheiTy-blossom, that you should like people I don't." " You tyrant ! " laughed Geraldine. " AVhen your school-boy friends come to Avonbury, I shall have to like them, I suppose." " You won't be there ; you'll be married be- fore my first half is over." " You are sound asleep and dreaming, that's very clear," retorted Geraldine. " Mr Law- VOL. I. 10 146 WOMAN S TEMPTATION. ranee, I see you have this new poem every one is talking about/' she continued, taking up a book from the table. "It is so tantaUzing that I must not read it. Do you think it is good ?" " So good, that it is a thousand pities you can't read it ; I am sure you would enjoy it, and yet there certainly are passages in it that jou wouldn't like. It is a great pity, for they are not at all necessary to the story ; mere blemishes in it, in fact." " Then it is not the whole book that is bad ? If those parts were left out, might I read the rest?'-^ " Yes, there is nothing in the rest to which the most fastidious need object." " I wish you would do me a favour," said Geraldine ; " and that is to read some of the good parts to me when you have time." " I will read the whole book to you if you like. I shall have plenty of time, if you have." " Oh, that will be dehghtful ! We have not read a book together since I was in the school- room, and you translated part of the ' Iliad ' to me. If I come to-morrow at one o'clock, shall woman's temptation. 147 you be disengaged? But tell me whenever you are tired of it, or perhaps I shall come too often." " That will suit me very well ; I shall enjoy hearing your opinion of it, of all things. And pray don't think you can come too often, for nothing can give me so much pleasure as doing anything for you." Something or another in his looks or words made Geraldine blush, and exclaim, " But I must not stay a minute longer. Mamma will wonder where I am, and I hear carriages com- ing as fast as they can. Arthm% my darling, good-night — you are really asleep now. Good- night, Mr Lawrance." She half hesitated, then gave him her hand in her usual frank, careless manner, and left the room. " She is charming certainly, wonderfully charming, and so beautiful and unspoilt ! " thought the tutor. " So simple and unaffected too, just what she used to be in the school- room. No giggling and joking and nonsense, and no canting prudery, like the girls of our own set. I do like her clear grave eyes, and 148 woman's temptation. her real hearty laugh when there is anythuig to laugh about. I wonder if she really admires that feUow Pitzgermaine ? Anyhow, I rather think I have put a spoke in his wheel. She may like Lord Ernest as much as she pleases ; he can't marry her." He took up a pencil and book, and opening it at an evidently favourite passage, scored the verses — " Not because thou art more fair Than thy namesake of Ferrare ; "Who, like thee, made love despair, Eleanor. Not because in those old days Ne'er was known such theme for praise, As thy grave and gentle ways, Eleanor." WOMAN S TEMPTATION. 149 CHAPTEE XI. Knights were dancing by three and three, There was revel, game, and play ; Lovely ladies, fair and free, Dancing with them in rich array. — True Tliomas. And a fool In every sense was he, "With scarce the wit to be a knave, If born in low degree. — Attottn". Meanwhile the blush did not fade on Ge- raldine's cheek sooner than did the remem- brance of what had caused it from her mind, and saying to herself, " How I shall enjoy reading with Mr Lawrance ! " she ran up-stairs. 150 woman's temptation. with a perfectly light heart, to find the rooms full, and the ball only waiting for her presence to begin. " Geraldine/' whispered her mother, " your thoughtlessness is inexcusable ! What do you mean by keeping every one waiting in this manner ? " Geraldine only shrugged her shoulders im- patiently, and took Lord Silverton's ami, who came up, and asked her to dance. He devoted all his little poAvers of making himself agree- able, and flattered himself that his courtship was progressing vastly well. "Ah," he said, as a lady and gentleman passed them, " there goes Alfred ,Mowbray, and that singing girl — Brown — Jones — what do they call her? " "It is Miss Young that you mean, I sup- pose," said Geraldine. " Ah, Young — yes — that's her name, sing- ing girl. Don't admire her style though ; upon my honour now, I don't — too what you call screeching, you know." " You surprise me," said Geraldine, " I woman's temptation. 151 thought every one admired her singing; it is an undeniable fact." " No, upon my honour, I don't. Don't like all that confounded Italian stuff — get that at the Opera, you know. You don't sing Italian, do you. Lady Gerald- " No," replied Geraldine, " I can't. I wish I could." " No, don't say so," returned her gallant admirer. "English is far better for Eng- lish ladies. No need for them to sing like — what do you call 'em? — professionals, you know." i< Very true," said Geraldine, much bored, and suppressing a yawn with difficulty. "Lord Eitzgermaine, I see you are looking for me." " I was," he returned. " This is our waltz, I think." " You'll dance with me again. Lady Geraldine, won't you ? " interposed Lord Silverton, as she was going away. "I don't know," said Geraldine. "I am 152 woman's temptation. engaged so very deep ; but if I have a spare dance — " "Ah — all right ; yes — I'll come, you know." " May that spare dance never arrive then!" said Geraldine to her partner. " What ! you don't like him ? That's hard ; for I suppose he can't help being a bore." "No, it is not; for he is a greater bore than he has any right to be, and there are plenty of people who will find his ninety thousand a year, ninety thousand irresistible charms. Look at Margaret St Aubyn ; she doesn't find him a bore, you may depend upon it. It is a pity he does not marry her." " Marry her ! He is after higher game." " Who then ? " Lord Fitzgermaine looked at her in sur- prise. " Now," he thought, " are you the deepest of flirts, or are you really as inno- cent as you pretend to be ? " " You pretend ignorance ? " he said. " When may I congratulate you ? " " What do you mean ? " exclaimed Gerald- woman's temptation. 153 ine in astonishment ; then laughing, she said, " Not now, at all events, for it is just possible the spare dance may come off, in which case, formal condolences would be more appropriate." " To whom are you engaged?" " To everybody in the room almost." " Then I don't see that you need be uneasy. By-the-by, before I forget it, let me ask you if Lawrance is still with your brother ? " " Yes, he is. Arthur will not go to school till Midsummer, and he stays till then." " Ah, I must call upon him one of these days. Do you like him? But I dare say you see very little of him." " Very little now, certainly ; but when I was in the school-room he was often with us. Yes, I like him very much. What does that look mean ? Don't you ? " " Oh, I — I am bound to like him ; he saved my life." " Yes, I know he did, and you ought to feel obhged to him," said Geraldine, 154 WOMAN S TEMPTATION. remembering the tone in which Mr Law- ranee had spoken of Lord Fitzgermaine, and feeUng rather amused. She saw that for some reason they did not like one another, and wondered where the fault lay, though, of course, she was in- clined to take Mr Lawrance's part. Never- theless, Lord ntzgermaine was so perfectly courteous to her, that she could not believe he could be different to any one else, and was disposed to think there must be some misunderstanding between them. "So I am — only I had rather any one else had done it. There — I know all you can say about obligations and so forth; it doesn't alter the fact ; I don't like him. But for that very reason I am enormously punctilious and polite to him ; and, there- fore, if you should chance to see me rap- ping at your door to-morrow, you will know that I am doing my possible to discharge the said obligation. I hope to do it more effectually one of these days, with a living." "But why don't you like him? What do you know against him ? " woman's temptation. 155 " Nothing — not a single thing ; and that is just where the gist of the matter lies. If there was anything against him, I might know it and forgive it; but it is impossible to forgive a man for doing nothing." "Do you know, I think you are very queer ? '' said Geraldine. " I beg your pardon, but let me explain myself. Gener- ally, if you ask a man what he thinks of another man, he says, ' Oh, he's a very good fellow,' or ' He's a brute,' and recognises no shades of difference between the two ex- tremes. They leave all small perceptions to women, and then say w^e are ill-natured because we are fastidious. Now I see that you are like Lindon, who is the only other man I know who makes any distinctions, or is th% least particular about shades of character." • " Without disputing your premises, I believe I am hke Lindon in this respect ; and if I remember right, he is much of my way of thinking in this case. But I should not leave you with such a ground- less prejudice on yom- mind, and it is only 156 woman's temptation. fair to Lawrance to say, that he was very well thought of at Oxford. Smce then, of course, I have had no opportunity of hearing anything about him, except from you. But the music is stopping, more's the pity. I would ask you to stretch a point, and give me the next dance also, only I happen to know that you are engaged to Ernest, who would never allow it, even if you were so kindly disposed. And a quarrel between brothers for a quadrille with a young lady is not so well in real life as it sounds in novels. Well, it has saved me from a re- fusal, I don't doubt." " I don't know that," said Geraldine, " you can reserve the experiment ; it will keep." " I shall consider that a promise ; or is it merely another form of the German land- lord's ' You may ask ? ' " " A promise — if you like to take it so." And she moved off with her new partner. As usual, she found him difficult to get on with, but the dance was short, and she had little time to feel wearied; besides, she woman's temptation. 157 could talk to him of Avonbury, and that supplied conversation. Partner after partner succeeded ; she had so many engagements that it was impossible to remember one half of them, and the evening was one long trimiiph. Here she was on her own peculiar ground*, no one could compete with her, she distanced all rivals, and dazzled every- one by her beauty and spirit. Never had she been so gay and brilliant ; she had a success that satisfied even Lady Bourne- mouth, whose proud, calm eyes followed her about, marking the sensation she created. Towards the end of the evening, she was standing by her mother, in the inten^al between two dances, waiting for her partner, when Lord Silverton, fancying her disen- gaged, claimed her hand, and reminded her of her promise. In vain she made her ex- cuses, and assured him that she was really engaged; he had drank just enough cham- pagne to make him extremely ill-tempered and obstinate, and insisted on his right with a warmth that at length attracted Lady Bournemouth's notice. 158 woman's temptation. " What is it, Geraldiiie ? " she said ; and then seeing how the case stood, " Take a turn with Lord Silverton ; Mr Mowbray is down- stairs, getting his cousin's carnage; if he comes up before the dance is ended, I will explain, and send him to claim you." Geraldine, extremely loath, was forced to comply, and set off with a good deal of ill temper. Not so Lord Silverton; he was pleased with himself for doing what he con- .sidered a very clever thing, and talked on, heedless of her short cold answers. He danced very badly, and took no pains to guide her clear of collisions ; she was dashed violently against another couple, and, out of all pa- tience, declined dancing any more, but pro- posed taking a turn through the Conservatory. There was no one there but themselves, and it was this auspicious time and place that Lord Silverton chose for making her a formal offer of marriage. Geraldine was extremely angry. " He must be out of his mind," she thought, " to propose after a week's acquaint- ance, and at a ball ! What in the world should I do if any one came in ? " woman's temptation. 159 He was not out of his mind however, nor yet very drunk, — simply a very fooHsh young lord, wdth little sense of the fitness of things ; and he persevered so pertinaciously, that it was impossible to evade the question. Gerald- ine, therefore, gave a decided refusal, well calculated to put an end to the matter at once, and expressing her astonishment at the extra- ordinary time he had chosen for his declara- tion, begged to hear no more about it. Lord Silverton fired up, and accused her of having given him encouragement; to which Gerald- ine, in great anger, replied that she should not defend herself from that charge, as he must be perfectly aware that it was not true ; and, leaving him abruptly, went to seek her mother. On her way she met Mr Mowbray in search of her, and taking his arm she re- turned to the ball-room. Before the next dance was over, her displeasure had in some degree cooled down, and she looked on the matter as a ridiculous joke, little dreaming what very serious earnest it was about to prove to her. The ball was over, the last guest departed, 160 woman's temptation. and she rejoined her mother, who was sitting on a sofa in the inner room, a picture of weari- ness and exhaustion. "It has gone off remarkably well," said Lady Bournemouth, as Geraldine approached ; " and I never saw you looking better, especial- ly towards the end of the evening, when your hair shook out a little. You are perfect now I Every one remarked it ; there was not a girl in the room who could be compared with you." " Oh, dear me ! how very tired I am ! " said Geraldine. " What I shall feel like to-morrow I can't conceive. Good night, mamma." " To-morrow ! " said Lady Bournemouth ; "yes, you will look rather Avretched, I am afraid. What do you think happened this evening? Lord Silverton asked if he could have a few words with me in private to- morrow, and from his manner there can be no doubt that it is a question of a proposal." " When did he ask you that ? " exclaimed Geraldine hastily. "Just now, just before he left. Why, how red you have grown, child ! What is the matter ? " woman's temptation. 161 " Now I call this shameful ! " said Gerald- ine angrily, and flushing all over her beauti- ful face. " He proposed to me this very evening, and I refused him, and said I wished to hear no more about it, and now he is going to speak to you. It's too bad ! " and she began rapidly walking up and down the room. " Refused him ! What is all this ? What are you thinking of ? " said Lady Bourne- mouth, in great astonishment. "Really you are very extraordinary. Pray be quiet, you drive me distracted ; my nerves are quite un- equal to these violent demonstrations." But Geraldine took no heed, and continued pacing up and down. She did not for a mo- ment doubt that she should be able to discard her troublesome suitor, but foresaw a great deal of worry and vexation from this measure, and thought he had taken a most ungenerous advantage. " Geraldine, come here directly," said her mother. "Your behaviour is quite incom- prehensible. Why do you put yourself into VOL. I. 11 162 woman's temptation. sucli a fuss ? and what do you mean by saying you have refused hhn ? " " That I don't like him, and don't mean to marry him," said Geraldine steadily, and stop- ping short in front of her mother. ''Well, really," said Lady Bournemouth, extremely angry, but half frightened at her daughter's determined aspect, " girls now-a- days behave in a very remarkable manner! Don't talk any more nonsense to me about not liking him. How should you, at seventeen, know what you like and what you don't ? " "I know pretty well what I don't Hke," said Geraldine, "and that's Lord Silverton. I know I am very young, and why need I marry at all now ? I want to enjoy life for a year or two, and not tie myself down to any one." " That is talking more sensibly," said her mother, who had half feared to discover some previous attachment; "and there can be no objection to putting off your marriage till you are eighteen, or even longer, perhaps." "It would not be fair," said Geraldine woman's temptation. 163 quietly, but very firmly, " for I never mean to marry him at all ! " "You are talking perfect nonsense," said Lady Bournemouth, quite as quietly ; "of course you will marry him. And now go to bed, child ; I am far too tired to talk any more on this subject, and really there is nothing further to be said." Geraldine obeyed, with sundry uneasy misgivings on her mind, and an anxious longing to see her father, and prevail on him to take her part. And if she could have laid the case before him at that mo- ment, it is probable that the result would have been very different, and this story- would never have been written. But he was already in bed; and so Lady Bourne- mouth had the first word with him, and Geraldine's chance was gone. At first he was inclined to take her part, and to think that, with her youth and beauty, she might well afford to wait : besides, he w^as a clever man himself, and had no difficulty in un- derstanding his daughter's distaste for Lord Silverton, w^hom he considered about the 164 woman's temptation. greatest goose he had ever seen. But he was soon talked over by his wife, who re- presented that as Geraldine had certainly no previous attachment, she would, from her very youth, soon become accustomed to Lord Silverton, who, if a little silly, would be good-natured and complaisant, and allow his beautiful young wife to take pretty much her own way. To all this Lord Bournemouth deferred, knowing his daugh- ter's decision of character well enough to imagine that, given the advantages of great beauty aiid fascination of manner, she would be able to obtain the upper hand in her future household. Peehng was not Lord Bournemouth's strong point ; he was ami- able but cold ; and had himself married his wife without being the least in love with her. He had been very fairly happy, and saw no reason why Geraldine should not be the same. This being conceded, the advantages of the match were obvious. He was much better informed as to the state of his affairs than his wife thought, and was perfectly well aware that Gerald- woman's temptation. 165 ine's fortune was small, and in case of his death — which might happen any day — she would be reduced to great poverty. It was as well to provide for her at once ; and so Lord Bournemouth composed himself to sleep again, in the cheering belief that Ge- raldine was about to be happily settled in life, and that, though she might cry a little, and make a fuss at first, when once mar- ried matters would arrange themselves, and everything go smoothly. 166 woman's temptation CHAPTER XII. But her cheek was pale — Sad was her smile at jest or tale ; And though she strove to bear her part, She could not so devise But that the anguish of her heart Came glistening to her eyes. — Attoxjn. Geraldine awoke tlie next morning "with an impression of something unpleasant hang- ing over her, and got up in perfect terror and wretchedness at what was about to happen, but firmly resolved to have her own woman's temptation. 167 way. She would go to her father ; surely he would be on her side, and see the whole case as she saw it. Though she re- peated this over and over to herself, an uncomfortable misgiving lurked in her mind that he might not. Geraldine had not much perception of character, but if she understood any one it was her father. She had an instinctive consciousness of the coldness that lurked under his caressing manner, and did not love him the less for it ; she well knew that when Lord Bourne- mouth had resolved on anything, no power on earth could shake him from it. He was rarely angry or vehement, but his un- compromising, gentle determination was a thing that could not be resisted; and once or twice she had experienced this. She was now to try how much her influence over him was really worth. Lady Bournemouth knew she would do so, and wisely determined to say nothing to her until afterwards. She met her dauditer o with the usual amount of cold warmth, or 168 woman's temptation. warm coldness, in her manner ; remarked that she looked pale, that the air was close, and after Imicheon they would drive into the country. About eleven o'clock she said : " Now, my dear, I suppose you would like to go and talk to your father about your new prospects. You will find him ready to see and congratulate you." Congratulate ! the word was ominous, and for the first time Geraldine went with a beating heart to her father's room. " I have been expecting you, my darling," he said, as she entered. " Well — you have my congratulations and very best wishes, if you are determined to rmi away from us, Puss." "I don't want to run away at all, papa," she said, seating herself on a stool at his feet, and laying her cheek against his hand. " Scarcely fair on the young gentleman, as there is no real reason for keeping you. We must not be selfish." " Papa, dear," said Geraldine, raising her- self up, and looking into his face, " I want to talk this seriously over. Indeed, I don't WOMAN S TEMPTATION. 169 want to marry Lord Silverton — I don't like him at all." " Why not, my dear ? " " He is so silly ! " " Eh — qiiand mtme ? He is no worse than half the young men in London. Depend upon it, he Avill make a very good husband." " I shan't make a good wife." " Make as good a wife as you have a daughter, and no man in the world would have a right to complain." " Papa, if I am a good daughter to you, it is because I love you ; I could not be a good wife to a man I did not love." " My dear child, how are you to love him, if you don't live with him ? How many girls do you suppose are in love be- fore they marry? And yet most marriages are veiy fairly happy. Do you think I was in love with your mother, or she with me, before we married? Not a bit of it. But T would not, if I could, marry any one else now. So it will be with you; — the only difference being that Lord Silverton is extremely fond of you, — and, take my word 170 woman's temptation. for it, Mina, there is nothing for winning love like that." " If he were only a man I could respect, I should not so much care," said Geraldine, " though I don't know why I am to marry the first person who offers Avhen I don't like him. But he is so foolish — so ignorant — so ungentle- man-like ; I believe he had taken too much when he proposed to me last night." " Humph ! that's against it," thought Lord Bournemouth, but he merely said, " Oh, non- sense, child, the neiTOusness of proposing flus- tered him a little, I don't doubt. I believe he is steady, as young men go, and that, let me tell you, is something. He is not bad-looking either, and his country-place is really beautiful, quite a fairy-land — the very thing you would enjoy. I knew it well in his father's time. In fact, it is in every respect a very good mar- riage for you." " Oh, papa, I don't care about his looks, or his place, or anything. Oh, pray, let me wait. Perhaps I might have another offer ; some one whom I could like a little better, and to whom you and mamma would not object." WOMAN S TEMPTATION. 171 " Mina, there is no one whom you like ' a Httle better/ is there ? " " Every one I know, ahnost ; but not in that way. No, that is not my objection. I scarcely think there is another man you could name whom I would not try to hke, if you wish- ed it." " Except the man I do ask you to like, against whom you can really urge nothing, but that at twenty-one he is not very wise. Perhaps he might make the same objection to his bride." The tone was so unlike what Geraldine Avas accustomed to hear from her father, that she looked up in surprise. She determined to make one more effort, though she felt it was well-nigh hopeless. " Eor God's sake, father, let me wait ! I am wretched." She grasped his wrist with all the strength of her shglit nervous fingers, and gazed at him as if she would tear an assent from him by the mere force of her energy. Lord Bournemouth gave no answering look. Nothing more calmly rigid than his white face, nothing more impassibly steady than his un- 172 woman's temptation. moved voice as he replied, *' I have already told you what I wish. Perhaps you \yi]l allow that I am a better judge of a young man than you. Be that as it may, Geraldine, both I and your mother think that Lord Silverton is in every way calculated to make you happy ; and I expect you to receive him as your future husband when he comes this morning.'' Ge- raldine bowed her head down on the arm of his chair in a perfect storm of tears. Lord Bournemouth leant back with a strong expression of relief. He felt he had managed the matter well and warily; no violence, no threats (nothing more foolish than threats with a high-spirited girl, he thought), no holding out of worldly advantages— that w^ould never have answered, beyond the slight hint about the country place ; nothing but the simple command, delivered as if disobedience was a clear impossibility. He watched her tears curiously — thankfully too, for tears are safe, and silence and quiescence sometimes very dangerous ; was glad his part of stem father, which he had assumed rather against the grain, was over ; and quietly waited for an opportu- woman's temptation. 173 nity of speaking again, in a more natural tone. He stroked her curls once or twice, and after Avaiting some time longer, drew them aside. He could scarcely see her face, it was so sunk down, and buried in her hands. " You will make yourself ill, Mina ; pray control yourself. You are no longer a child ; if you do feel unhappy at first, so does every girl who leaves a pleasant home. My dearest, you must know how it distresses me to see you so wretched ! " Geraldine looked up, and Lord Bourne- mouth felt startled for the first time when he saw the alteration those few minutes had made in her face. She was pale, and almost haggard, and the tears still ran quickly, though quietly, down her cheeks. She spoke steadily, and without any vexation ; never in her life had she felt angry with her father: it was well that he, and not Lady Bournemouth, had re- opened the subject. " I cannot help being wretched, father," she said. " I don't want to distress you. I suppose Lord Silverton will be here soon." 174 woman's temptation. " I suppose so. If you are going, 'my darl- ing, tell your mother to come here." He had too much tact to call her by the usual pet name of " Pussy," or to ask her to kiss him, as he generally did. Geraldine went to the drawing-room, where she found Lady Bournemouth. " Papa wants you," was all she said. " Oh, very well," returned Lady Bourne- mouth nervously. " If Lord Silverton calls while I am away, let him be shown up. He has been here already," she continued, " and I am quite satisfied with all he has said. No- thing could be more satisfactory. As to his affection for you, it does not admit of a doubt. I begged him to return in half an hour, when I promised that you should be ready to see him." Geraldine's depressed assent convinced her that her husband had, as she would say herself, " acted quite wisely and firmly." She went to him, curious to know the result of the in- terview. " I don't think you will have any difficulty woman's temptation. 175 with her," he said ; " but, upon my word, I was more than half inclined to give in. She was terribly cut up, poor child, and not without reason." " My dear Frederick ! what can be said against Lord Silverton ? All the young ladies, except Geraldine, want to marry him. Good looks, splendid income, fine place — . and, after all, he is very presentable." " If you want to know what he is, he is simply the greatest ass in London, and that is saying a good deal," returned Lord Bournemouth, with the indescribable expres- sion in his eyes and mouth, which still, after all her years of married life, his wife could not understand ; " you and I need not make any illusions to ourselves upon that point. If it must be, Geraldine shall marry him ; but I want to know if she may not be allowed to wait? She is sure to have other offers." " But none so good. Besides, it is settled ; probably Lord Silverton is here now." " I could arrange that. And I should 176 woman's temptation. be satisfied to see her Duchess of Dorches- ter. She would have Fitzgermaine." "But would Lord Fitzgermaine have her? I am not so sure of it. If it were Lord Ernest—" " Ah — Ernest. Yes, I am not romantic enough for that. Geraldine must not marry a younger son, with eight hundred a year. I wish to goodness Ernest were in Silver- ton's shoes." " But I don't believe she would accept Lord Ernest. He bores her dreadfully." "Well, that signifies nothing at present. Is there no one else likely to come forward if I give Silverton his conge ? " " No one nearly as good. She is so cold, she frightens the young men. I am sure I don't wonder at their not coming to the point." " She thinks Silverton was drunk when he proposed. Probably that gave him cour- age. But how could you make such a blunder as to let him speak to her in that condition ? " " It was not my fault ! I had no idea WOMAN S TEMPTATION. 177 he meant to speak so soon. I was com- pletely taken by surprise. But even if lie had taken a little too much, what young man does not? Scarcely any. And they make none the worse husbands for it." " That's as it may be. However, if it is clearly settled that Geraldine is to marry him, I will do my part, as I have begun. Only I own I am sorry for her." " My dear Frederick, do you think I would press it if I really thought she would be unhappy ? I firmly beheve she will settle down into his ways, or he into hers, and that they will agree extremely well." " So be it then. I have said my say. If he is really here, perhaps you had better go and look after him. I dare say they will have come to the end of all they have to say to one another by this time." Lady Bournemouth went accordingly, con- sidering the hint not to be despised ; but Lord Silverton had just left ; and Gerald- ine, the picture of misery, was sitting with her head resting on her hands. From the position of the chairs, it was easy to see VOL. I. 12 178 woman's temptation. that she had placed some considerable dis- tance between herself and her lover. She had done her best, being determined, if possible, to like the man her father had chosen for her, but it was quite in vain. Lord Silverton's ideas on the subject of an interview with the lady of his love were limited to kissing; — this, of course, Gerald- ine was not disposed to permit. She had sat opposite him for fifteen minutes, during which time he had yawned three times, looked at his watch twice, and said, " Jolly ball last night — never enjoyed myself more. Re- member the conservatory, Geraldine ? '' The conservatory being in the back garden, Geraldine could not very well forget it ; nor was she very likely to forget what had happened there. She was so startled at his calling her by her name for the first time, that in her nervousness she squeezed Charlie Avith her foot, and made him howl, which gave Lord Silverton an opening for remarking, "Very jolly little dog. King Charles, eh ? Suppose you'll want to take him to my place with you ? " woman's temptation. 179 Mindful of her father's orders to re- ceive Lord Silverton as her future husband, she repHed : " I could not be parted from Charlie. He has been my little pet for five years." " Ah, yes — very well. Don't get another, though." Geraldine reddened. This was rather strong for the first day ; but she merely replied. " I should not care to have another." " Ah — that's right," with an appearance of immense relief. " I don't like little dogs littering about. I mean to fit up a set of rooms for you, with everything any one can possibly think of ; we needn't mind about the expense, you know ; money 's no object to me. But we mustn't have yelping little curs about the house ; you shall have a big dog to live in a kennel, and go out walk- ing with you when I can't," — Geraldine slightly shuddered, — '' and I'll give you a horse. Ah, that reminds me — just you come to the window and look at my cab. What do you think of that, now? Isn't that a horse ? " 180 woman's temptation. " He is very handsome," said Geraldine. " I like his shoulders." " Lord bless me, what an eye you've got ! His shoulders — yes, to be sure — that's his best point. I say, Geraldine, do you think your mother would let me take you out for a drive? You could get on yo^r bonnet in a minute, I suppose." " Oh no ! " exclaimed poor Geraldine ; " she would not hear of it." " Where is she ? I'll ask her." " Oh, but you can't see her — she is ^Yith. my father — they are talking of business," urged Geraldine, who in her extremity felt ready to say she did not possess a bonnet in the world, or anything else that might free her from the proposed infliction. " Settlements, eh ? I tell you what, Ge- raldine, I shan't be a screw about all that, but I know old Bournemouth 's a sharp hand, — at least, so they tell me ; so I shall have nothing to say to him. My man of bu- siness shall settle it with his." " This is a very strange way of talking woman's temptation. 181 of my father, Lord Silverton," said Gerald- ine, in great displeasure. *' Oh, come — yoii mustn't be angry — I meant nothing by it — only a way of talk- ing, you know. But I say — you mustn't call me Lord Silverton, but Silverton, as my sister does. I must bring her to see you, by the by ; she's very slow, and not a beauty, hke you. AH the better, isn't it ? there won't be jealousy between you, eh? Sisters-in-law are always like cat and dog." " I think I have had the pleasure of meeting Lady Sophia," said Geraldine, as a vision of a tall, aAvkward, and very silent girl rose up before her. " She seems very quiet." " Oh, yes — all the better that. Women should always hold their tongues — they do no good with their confounded cackle. Don't mean that for you, you know ; you can't talk too much to please me." " Thank you," said Geraldine, with a twinkle in her eyes; for not even the seri- 182 woman's temptation. ousness of her position could extinguish her natural sense of the ridiculous. " Well, then, if you won't come with me, I must go, I suppose. Shall you be at home this afternoon ? " " Oh no — we are going into the country — I don't know where, but miles away," said Geraldine, in great haste. " Oh, that's a bore ; however. 111 come again to-morrow. I say — wont you give me a kiss ? " " No," said Geraldine, and deliberately set her foot on Charlie's tail, who there- upon made such a fearful barking, howling, and yelping, that Lord Silverton departed in dismay. It was after this peculiarly satisfactory tete-h'tete that Lady Bournemouth found her daughter as described. Can it be wondered at if she looked wretched? Lady Bourne- mouth hesitated a little — she scarcely knew what to say. At last she seated herself beside Geraldine, and, taking her hand, gently drew her towards her, and kissed her forehead. woman's temptation. 183 " My clearest child/' she said, " you see your father agrees with me. Are you not satisfied to abide by our united judgment ? " " Oh, mother ! " said Geraldine, " indeed I cannot ! If you had been here ten minutes ago, I don't think even you would wish me to marry him." " I dare say he is not very bright ; but, Geraldine, it is not always the cleverest men who make the kindest husbands." " But, mamma, he is worse than stupid — he is so unlike a gentleman — so unlike everything I have ever seen ; I should be ashamed to come into a room with him." " My dear, no one else sees him in the same — I must say, exaggerated — light that you do. Most people think him pleasing." " But I don't. It is a penance to me to be in the same room with him; what would it be when he belonged to me ? " " Geraldine, remember it is your future husband of whom you are speaking." " Indeed it is not," said Geraldine, " for I cannot and will not marry him. I wish with aU my heart I could obey you ; but it would 184 woman's temptation. not be right where the happiness of my whole life depends upon it." "It is no use telling this to me. You must settle it with your father," returned Lady Bournemouth, risin in grave displeasure. " He led me to expect that I should find you in a more dutiful frame of mind. But his wishes appear to have as little weight as mine, notwithstanding your protestations of aflPec- tion." She left the room, and Geraldine, unheed- ing the last part of the remark, sat revolving in her mind what further arguments she could use with her father. There was but one that was valid to her — the more she saw Lord Silverton, the less she liked him ; but whether it would seem equally so to Lord Bourne- mouth might, after her morning's experience, well be doubted. While she was still con- sidering the question, the clock, striking one, reminded her of her promise to Mr Lawrance. " I will go down," she thought, " or he will guess that something has gone wrong." She washed her eyes, smoothed her hair, and taking up her work-box, went down-stairs. woman's temptation. 185 CHAPTER XIII. XL. "Ah! Lady deare," quothe then the gentle Knight, *' "WeU may I ween your grief is wondrous greate, For wondrous great griefe groweth in my spright, Whiles thus I hear you of your sorrows treate. But, woefull Lady, let me you entreate For to unfold the anguish of your hart : Mishaps are minstred by advice discrete, And counsell mitigates the greatest smart ; [part." Eound never help, who never would his hurts im- XLI. " ! but," quothe she, '' greate griefe will not be toulde, And can more easily be thought than said." *' Right so," quoth he, " but he that never would Could never : wiU to might gives greatest aid." The Faeeie QuEEiirE. " How punctual you are ! " lie exclaimed as she entered. 186 woman's temptation. " I am not less so, I hope, for I have the book here, with the parts all ready marked out. You will enjoy this opening scene." Geraldine silently drew a chair to the table, and began her work. The poem was, as Mr Lawrance had said, beautiful, and at any other time she would have enjoyed it of all things, but now she seemed utterly incapable of fixing her thoughts. He noticed her abstracted air, and stopped. " I am afraid I read it very badly," he said, half vexed ; '' for I cannot believe, if you read this to yourself; your thoughts would wander." She started and answered hastily, " Oh no 1 you read beautifully. I like it very much. Pray go on ; I am rather tired this morning, and that makes it difficult to keep my mind steadily to it. Give me another trial, and I will be more attentive." • He went on for a short time, and by ex- ercising great determination she succeeded in restraining her wandering thoughts. She had better have let them wander, however ; for on coming to a very touching passage, which seemed applicable to herself, she put down woman's temptation. 187 her work, and after one or two attempts to control herself, fairly burst into tears. " My dear Lady Geraldine ! " exclaimed Mr Lawrance, who till this consmnmation had prudently ignored her pale cheeks and red eyes. She put her two hands on the table, and laying her head upon them sobbed as though her heart would break. Mr Lawrance was extremely puzzled. "I am afraid you have had something to distress you," he said gently ; " no bad news, I trust?" " No, oh no, — to no one but me, that is." " It cannot be bad news to you, and good news to your family," said Mr Lawrance, after a few moments' hesitation. " Yes, it is," replied Geraldine ; " they do not care. Oh ! if Lindon were here ! " He was silent ; for he feared on the one hand to appear unfeeling, and on the other to be presuming, but on reflection felt convinced that, after what she had said, he might con- tinue the subject. " Can you not write to Lord Lindon ? " he asked. 188 woman's temptation. " It would be too late," she sobbed out, " I could not get his answer for five or six weeks, and I see plainly that I shall be mar- ried by then." " Married ! " Geraldine started at the word. " Oh, what have I said ? Oh, I ought never to have spoken of it ! Pray forget that I said anything about it." *' Forget it I cannot," he returned, " but I will never recall the subject if you do not like it. Shall I go?" *' No, it is too bad to drive you from your own room. I beg your pardon for being so foolish, but I am so tired ! I will come again ; not to-morrow, for I shall be out all the morn- ing — but the next day, if you don't mind try- ing again, I hope I shall listen better." She had dried her eyes, and, by a strong effort, recovered her composure in a great de- gree, and was now determined to treat her tears as a mere bodily weakness, brought on by over-fatigue and excitement. " I am not fit for London, if a ball upsets me so much," she said with a smile ; " good bye, Mr Lawrance, and thank you." WOMAN S TEMPTATION. 189 " Or an offer," thought Mr Lawrance, " I wonder from whom ? " It was easy to find out, for the next day Lord Silverton came to luncheon, and Gerald- ine's manner was, in its way, as unmistake- able as her mother's. Mr Lawrance had no difficulty in ascertaining exactly how the case stood, and, somewhat to his surprise, found himself taking rather more than an interest in the affair. He was so perturbed as to be under the necessity of communicating his sentiments to some one else, and took the un- usual step of going to his mother's house, with a view to giving Emily part of his confidence, which he certainly would not have done had he had any one else with Avhom to consult. But he had studiously dropped all his friends in his own station ; and those of a higher rank were merely acquaintances — besides, this was not a matter to confide to them. Emily was alone in the little sitting-room when he reached Mrs Lawrance's house, and to his great pleasure he found his mother had gone out to a Missionary meeting ; Emily, who had a head-ache, having declined to accompany her. 190 woman's temptation. "That's lucky," he observed. "Really quite a rare piece of luck. Now look here, Emmy, your head's not so bad but what you can talk to me ? " " Oh no, not at all. WeU, have you any news? " There's one piece of news at our place ; — Geraldine is going to be married." " Who to ? No one I should know about, I suppose ? " " To the Earl of Silverton — an immense in- come, I believe, and a very fine place." " Dear me ! how nice for her ! WHiat will her wedding dress be ? " " Wedding fiddlesticks ! just like you wo- men ! Nice indeed ! She doesn't think it so, I can tell you." " What does she Avant then ? A Marquis or Duke ? " " A man, I imagine ; instead of a snobbish, ignorant puppy, as this fellow is. Marry her to him ! — " As tlie husband is, the wife is, , Thou art mated to a clown. And tlie grossness of his nature Shall have weight to drag thee down." woman's temptation. 191 " Per goodness sake, don't quote poetry in that dreadful fierce tone ! What do you mean ? Why is she to marry him if she doesn't like him?" " Because her father and mother insist upon it. He is a great catch — not to be thrown away, though he is an idiot, and a vulgar one. " Vulgar? but he is an Earl ! " " Earls can be vulgar as well as other people ; and idiots too. Heaven knows. What she will do, .1 can't tell, but I don't think she will make up her mind to marry him without a fight for it." " What can she do ? Won't her brother help her?" " He is in America — no one exactly knows where at present. The chances of a letter reaching him in time are a great deal more than doubtful, and then he is laziness itself. I fancy she has written to him, but I don't ex- pect much result. The most he would do would be to write, probably ; and he might as well write to the winds as to Lord and Lady Bournemouth on this subject." 192 woman's temptation. " Then what can she do ? '' " Marry some one else." " But has any one proposed ? " "For that matter, there are always men ready to propose to a girl like her." " But would her father and mother let her marry any one else ? " " Not unless he were a better, or at least as good a match as Lord Silverton." " Then what do you mean ? •" " Perhaps she might not ask them." " Oh," said Emily, who thought she began to perceive what her brother meant. She sat very silent for some time, a cuiious considering expression coming into her brown eyes, and then said : " You take a great interest in aU this, William ! " " Who could help it ? A lovely, charming creature like her to be sacrificed — sold — to a clod, and Avorse than a clod ! " " She must be very — charming, as you say." " Charming ! this — but there ; it's no use trying to say what she is. There is more fas- cination in her little finger than in all the other women I've ever seen put together." woman's temptation. 193 " You once gave me to understand that you were not in love with her, WiUiam. I don't think you could say as much now ? " " I don't pretend to say it. I'm over head and ears in love with her, and there's no use in denying it," was the moody answer. " But what can come of it ? Nothing but disappointment. It sounds hard to say so ; but the sooner you get over the feeling the better." " It's too late for that. I could no more leave off loving her than I could live without breathing. I love her hair, her eyes, her lips, even her very di^ess. And this is not the mo- ment to think of giving it up." "Why not?" said Emily, watching his face intently. " Because — I can't see what will be the end of it." " Of her engagement, I suppose you mean? William, I am afraid you are thinking of doing something very rash." " And what may that be, pray ? " " I am afraid — surely you would never think of telling her how much you feel for her ? " " That would depend on circumstances." VOL. I. 13 194 woman's temptation. " But, William, for Heaven's sake, think what you are doing ! Surely you are not decided upon it ? You do not know if she has any feeling for you." " I could make certain of that before I at- tempted anything. But make your mind easy, I have decided on nothing. As to her marr}ing me, it is out of the question ; but if I can com- pass it, she shall marry no one else." " Rather hard on her," said Emily, with a slight smile, which she did not dare show. " Besides, how could you prevent it ? " " It may be hard on her, and if so, so much the worse ; but come what may, I cannot see her the wife of another man. I have already very effectually stopped a budding liking for a young lord with a head on his shoulder^ and a tongue in his head ; it will go hard if I can't prevent her marriage with this booby." " But how can you ? This is quite absurd." " Not so absurd as you think. I have plenty of opportunities of seeing her alone, and we are on inthnate terms ; I can easily suggest methods of rebellion." "Take care what you are about. It's ill woman's temptation. 195 playing with edge tools. If she does not re- spond — if you are discovered." " The game is up, of course. I go in for all the risks." " I wish I could persuade you ; I wish you would take my advice, it would be so much better to give it up." " Give it up ? Not for the world." " At least promise me that you will be pru- dent ; I wish you would promise me decidedly not to speak to her." " I will promise you one thing ; if I have a fair chance, to make a fair use of it." " William, you distract me ! I shan't know a moment's peace ; I shall expect every day to see you come here, having been turned off by Lord Bournemouth." " I wish I hadn't told you, then." " No ! no ! I am glad you have. You must promise to tell me everything — everything. Promise." WilHam hesitated. " I can't ; for I don't know when I shall be able to come again ; and I never trust this sort of thing to paper. No, you must be content with what I can let you 196 woman's temptation. know from time to time. It won't be long, I imagine. They will be anxious to settle the marriage as soon as possible." " William, did you not say she has an uncle? Can't he interfere ? " "Not to any effect. Lady Bournemouth will make out a plausible case ; and, after all, he has no legal right. No, we must cut out our own path, fight our own battles ; Gerald- ine scarcely guesses, I think, how identical our paths are." " Then let her remain ignorant." " Nonsense 1 Come, Emmy, you have said enough. I am not a baby or a fool, and can take care of myself. Was there ever anything so fortunate as my mother's being out of the way to-night? Now, mind you hold your tongue about all this ; or never a word more will I tell you. Good bye. Take care of your- self, and get rid of your headache." In about ten minutes after he had left, Mrs Lawrance came in. " Emily," she said, in her grave, deliberate voice, " I would you had been with us. It was a most blessed meeting. We were, in- woman's temptation. 197 deed, liiglily privileged. That man of God, good Mr Barton, held forth in prayer for more than an hour ; and then we had a most lucid exposition of a portion of Scripture from Mr Josias Jones." She took off her bonnet, seated herself, and continued meditatively : " Poor human reason and human wit ! A perishing matter indeed, and yet it may be made subservient to the spiritual interests of the soul. At least, so I gather from the Book, though many professing Christians think otherwise. Rarely have I heard so clear an argument as was Mr Jones' to-night. And yet, after all, what is argu- ment ? What signifies the head compared to the heart ?" Be it observed that there were few people keener in detecting a flaw in an argmnent than Mrs Lawrance, that she knew, and was proud of her logical acuteness, and that she generally prefaced a display of it with some such de- preciatory remark as the above. Emily knew what was coming, and having no taste for po- lemics, interposed. " I dare say you enjoyed it, mother ; but. 198 woman's temptation. after all, I am not sorry I staid at home. William has been here, and he would have been disappointed at finding us both out after coming so far." " Has he ? T am sorry to have missed him. If he had come an hour earlier he might have gone with me, and we could have conversed by the way." Emily slightly raised her eye-brows and shook her head, but said nothing. "Did he say anything of himself? I sup- pose everything is much as usual with him ? " " Yes ; — but they are going to have a wed- ding at Lord Bournemouth's. Lady Geraldine is going to be married." " Indeed ! Poor young thing — no doubt she is wholly given up to the pleasures of her new clothes and finery. Did William say anything of the character of her future husband ? " " He is the Earl of Silverton. William did not seem to think very highly of him, and hinted that Geraldine does not either. It is her father and mother's doing." " Sad indeed ! Poor thing ! But, Emily, I must give you an outline of Mr Jones' dis- woman's temptation. 199 course. And the Missionary — a most comfort- able man, and a true Christian — gave me this tract. It contains an account of his labours among those poor benighted savages, and is deeply interesting." " My dear mother, my head is so bad, I can think of nothing. I am going to bed ; but to-morrow, when we are at work, I shall be delighted to hear all about it." " Now," she thought, as she went up-stairs, " mother would take that as a special indica- tion of the will of Providence. I had meant to give her a cautious hint as to William's feelings, but she wouldn't hear me. Well, Providence or no Providence, I have no doubt it is better as it is. I shall keep it all to my- self now." 200 woman's temptation. CHAPTER XIV. If consequence do but approve my dream, My boat sails freely, both with wind and stream. Shakspeaee. Day by day Geraldiiie became more de- pressed and careworn. She had made an- other appeal to her father, and had been silenced so decidedly that even she did not venture to renew the subject. Lady Bourne- mouth's manner was unusually sweet and caressing, but so cold and resented as to leave not the slightest ground for hope. They seldom went out in the evening, and when woman's temptation. 201 they did, she found that every one considered her the future Lady Silverton. In spite of her indignant protests, everything she did or left undone was construed into a tacit consent to her engagement. No answer from Lord Lin- don could as yet be looked for; and Lady Bournemouth contrived to keep her mornings so entirely employed in the arrangements for the trousseau, and her afternoons so filled Avith occupations of various kinds, that she had no time for seeing either her uncle, aunt, or Ger- trude alone. She wrote to Sir William, de- tailing the whole case, and imploring his pro- tection ; but, as Mr Lawrance had said, beyond remonstrating, it was out of his power to in- terfere. Remonstrances were not wanting, both from him and Lady Ellison, but to no effect ; Lord Bournemouth, in his politely frigid manner, effectually dismissed the subject as far as he was concerned ; and Lady Bourne- mouth assured them in her softest tones, that though dear Geraldine was not — what should she say ? — so much in love with Lord Silverton as some young ladies were with iheiv fiances y yet that was scarcely to be expected or lament- 202 woman's temptation. ed, as she was not a girl to have a '' gr ancle pas- sion/' and Lord Silverton was so amiable, and so truly and fondly attached to her, that, once married, he could not fail to make her happy. After this, nothing more could be said ; Gerald- ine was fairly caught in the toils, and must be strong and dexterous indeed to escape. She was in a thoroughly false position, and more seriously compromised every day. Her only friend was Arthur, who, of course, took his sister's side, hated Lord Silverton with all the energy of a thorough- going partizan, and could scarcely be pre- vailed upon to treat him with civility. It was rather a curious instance of his instinct- ive distrust of Mr Lawrance as regarded Geraldine, that while he talked freely on every other subject to him, he never men- tioned her, though she was certainly the person uppermost in his thoughts. Meanwhile her readings with Mr Law- rance continued; and after a time it came to be tacitly understood between them, though neither alluded to the subject, that it was woman's temptation. 208 lier approaching marriage with Lold Silver- ton that had caused her distress on the first occasion. " There is Lord Silverton's cab at the door ! I suppose I must go/' was the manner in which she broke the ice. " I don't think I will though — he will keep me all the morning." " I heard him yesterday at luncheon make an appointment with Lord Fitzgermaine for two o'clock, so, if you take my advice, you will go," said Mr Lawrance, frightened lest she should refuse, and Lady Bournemouth should lay the blame on him. "It is very Avell for you to say go," exclaimed Geraldine, " but you do not know how I hate it ! No one does — no one cares for me." " I do," said Mr Lawrance ; " no one more, or half so much. Had I my will, you should never do a thing you disliked." " What difference does it make to you ? " exclaimed Geraldine, bitterly, yet catching at his words. 204 woman's temptation. "Every difference. I do not wish to see you — as I have seen you," he said in a cooler tone, and looking up carelessly. Geraldine said quietly, " I suppose you are right ; I had better go/' and went, without another word. " What does he mean ? " she thought. " ' No one more, or half so much ? ' I know he admires me, and does all he can to please me, but so do most people, and yet they don't talk to me in that earnest sort of tone, or in those words. But then he seemed to draw back; — after all, I dare say he meant nothing by it. I wish he hadn't alluded to that day when I was so silly." And with that she went up-stairs, and sat in the drawing-room for half an hour? enduring in cold silence Lord Silverton's attempts to make himself agreeable. " I say, Geraldine," he remarked, towards the end of the visit, " we must be thinking of settling the day for om- wedding, you know." woman's temptation. 205 " You must ask my mother," she re- turned ; " it is her affair, not mine." " Oh, come, that's too bad ; it's not Lady Bournemouth that I'm going to marry." "It is Lady Bournemouth who accepted you, as you very well know; and I must refer you to her to settle all details." " Very well ; you promise to agree if she does settle it ? " said Lord Silverton, rising to take leave. " I must," was the encouraging answer. Eive minutes afterwards, Geraldine rush- ed past Mr Lawrance, as he came up- stairs, with a pale and wrathful face, and Lord Silverton' s cab drove away from the door. The next day there was the same inat- tention that had characterized the first read- ing, and this time Mr Lawrance was at no loss to account for it. The poem turned upon the subject of a girl, who, being re- quired to marry a man she did not like, refused to do so, and carried her point, in spite of the wishes of her father and mother. 206 avoman's temptation. Geraldine seemed to wake up as this was read. " People may write poetry if they like/* she said ; " but they know nothing about it/' "I have not thought this book unnatural hitherto," said Mr Lawrance. " It is now," said Geraldine. " A girl can't help marrying, if her father and mo- ther insist upon it." " I think there are always ways — though not always pleasant or easy ones," returned Mr Lawrance very quietly. " I wish I knew them ! " exclaimed Ge- raldine. " I should not mind their being difficult or disagreeable. Tell me how you mean." " I can't do that," returned Mr Lawrance, " every one must act and plan for him- self — if indeed acting and planning be de- sirable." This hint worked and fermented in Ge- raldine's mind. " What can he mean ? How can I refuse ? I am siu-e I have done all I can; and if Lord Silverton had a spark of love for me, or respect for him- woman's temptation. 207 self, he would have broken off our engage- ment yesterday. I have heard of people, in cases like mine, mariying some one else — can he mean that? But whom could I marry? No gentleman would propose to me now it is so well known that I am engaged to Lord Silverton, or I am sure I would ac- cept him at once, if I didn't positively dis- like him." " Geraldine," said her mother's voice at her elbow, " come here ; I have something to say to you." Geraldine obeyed, and Lady Bournemouth continued ; " Lord Sil. verton has asked me to fix the day for your maniage. He says you referred him to me. I will not remark now on the singularity of your manner to him; for that is more his affair than mine, and he appears to be satisfied; but I wish to inform you that I named this day fortnight. Your trousseau will be quite ready by that time." Geraldine grew deadly pale. " Oh, mamma, must it be so soon ? " " Yes," said Lady Bournemouth. " I do not see that there is any good in waiting. 208 woman's temptation. You will get on miicli more comfortably with him after you are married. You know, my dear child, I only wish to promote your happiness — and I assure you that when I was married to your father, I was never so thankful in my life as when it was fairly over." " Happiness ! " exclaimed Geraldine, " if you wish for my happiness, you will let me dismiss him." " Dismiss him ! and after it has gone so far! Your trousseau nearly ready, many of your presents arrived. You would be dis- graced for life." " Not so much as I shall be when I promise to love, honour, and obey a man whom I hate and despise." " Don't use such strong language, Geraldine, it is unlady-like and unnecessary. I tell you again, you will get on very well when once you are married. You had better write to Gertrude, and tell her this day fortnight is fixed." And Lady Bournemouth swept out of the room, leaving Geraldine half stupified with woman's temptation. 209 fear and horror. Notwithstanding all she had sujffered, till this minute she had never seemed to realize the full misery of her position. Mr Lawrance's words recurred to her mind, and she tm-ned them over and over, consider- ing what meaning coidd possibly be attached to them. " Means — and yet not pleasant or easy ones ? Should she try to disgust Lord Silverton so much with her coldness as to force him to break off the engagement him- self? She had tried that already without suc- cess; and had she succeeded, she could not think it an honourable course to pursue. Should she tell him plainly that she disliked him so much as to make the thought of marrying him odious to her, and put it to him whether he would hold her to the promise made by her mother ? Surely that must be what Mr Law- rance meant. Disagreeable it would certainly be, but soon over, for after her explanation he must release her. Yes, it would be the best and faii'est thing to do, both for herself and for him." A trifling circumstance threw its weight into the scale, and, increasing her detestation of TOL. I. 14, ■' 210 woman's temptation. Lord Silverton, determined her to take this course. Her Httle dog Charlie, who, as we have seen, was a great favourite and very highly prized by his mistress, accidentally ate some poison which had been put down in the housekeeper's room for rats, and notwithstand- ing the remedies Geraldine used, died in con- vulsions a few hours afterwards. She was still so much of a child that this misfortune cost her many tears, and she was crying very bitterly in the drawing-room w^hen Lord Sil- verton came in. Of course he was much astonished; but when the tragedy of the morning was explained to him, he burst out laughing. "Lord bless me, Geraldine, I thought jiour brother was dead," he said. " Why, what a fool you are to cry about a little cur dog!" Geraldine's tears dried up in a moment, as she raised her head and said, "I was very fond of poor Charlie ; — and I don't think any one a fool for loving a dog." " What a rage you're in ! Well, I must say I'm very glad ; you know I always told you I woman's temptation. 211 didn't like little dogs littering about the house ; and he was a horrid yelping Httle brute." Geraldine was now divided between as- tonishment and anger. Charlie had been the general pet of the house ; her father and mo- ther and Mr Lawrance had all testified a be- coming amount of sympathy for her loss ; and as for Arthur, he was nearly as much distress- ed as Geraldine herself. Lord Silverton was the first person who had spoken of the depart- ed Charlie in anything but terms of regret, and she was very much hmi. She was about to make a sharp retort, and then at once pro- ceed with her meditated explanation, when Lady Bournemouth, who took care never to leave her daughter alone with Lord Silverton for long together, entered the room. " I suppose Geraldine has told you of the sad misfortune we had this morning," she said. " Poor dear httle CharHe ! we are all quite distressed about it. I never thought Lord Bournemouth could have cared so much about any pet dog, for he does not like them generally, but he was saying just now how he 212 woman's temptation. missed the sound of the little footsteps patter- ing after Geraldine when she came into his room." At this pathetic mention of her favourite, Geraldine's tears flowed again, while Lord Silverton repHed : " Oh, well, Lady^ Bourne- mouth, I have just been telling her I don't see any sense in crying about a little beast of a dog. I dare say she was very fond of him ; but I hate little curs, and the more of them die the better, I think.'' *' Dear me. Lord Silverton ; eveiy one has his different tastes, of course ; but I am sure you must be sorry for poor Geraldine. Por my part I was excessively fond of Charlie; but gentlemen don't generally like ladies' pets, I believe." " Oh no — they're no good to any one ; I've promised her a big dog when we are married — that's the thing for her." " I don't want a big dog," said Gerald- ine. " I don't like them." " It is rather soon to talk of filling up Charlie's place," said Lady Bournemouth, woman's temptation. 213 suavely. "One never likes, when one has just lost a pet, to have another proposed in its stead." " Oh, I dare say. I don't know though ; one gets tired of things. I'm always very glad to lose a dog or horse, for they have always some fault, and then one has a chance of suiting oneself better." " I suppose you don't easily attach your- self to animals," said Lady Bournemouth, in despair at these sentiments being enun- ciated before Geraldine. " There are so many differences of opinion on these points. Ge- raldine's horse and pony are quite weak- nesses with her, and she thinks they suit her precisely." " Lord bless me now, I shouldn't have thought it. Tell you what, Geraldine, I don't half like that Hornet of yours. I wonder a good judge like you should keep him. Bad hind quarters — mere showy-look- ing beast. There's a mare in my stables will suit you a great deal better." "She can have both," said Lady Bourne- 214 woman's temptation. mouth. " Geraldine is so fond of riding, I have no doubt she can give two horses employment." " Oh, I don't know about that. I haven't room for any more beasts." Lady Bournemouth heartily wished Lord Silverton would take his leave. He was perpetrating a series of blunders of the most stupid description, and do what she would, she could not stop him. To her great re- lief he rose to go, saying as he did so, "I say, I thought we were to make a party to go and see my place." This was a favourite plan of his, as he wanted Geraldine to see the rooms he was fitting up for her ; and Lady Bournemouth, by her husband's advice, had agreed to it, hoping that the sight of the manifold beauties of Silverton Hall might produce some effect on her daughter. She felt, however, that this was not the moment to propose it, and hastily replied: " Really we have so many engagements, that it is difficult to name a day. The best plan will be for me or Ge- woman's temptation. 215 raldine to write to you when we are a little less occupied ; or we shall see you, here or elsewhere, and can arrange it probably then." And with this promise he was with diffi- culty prevailed upon to leave. 216 woman's temptation. CHAPTER XY. They, by parks and lodges going, See the lordly castles stand ; Summer woods about them blowing Made a murmur in the land. * # * * Parks with oak and chestnut steady, Parks and order'd gardens great. Ancient homes of lord and lady, Built for pleasure and for state. Tenntsok. In compliance with Lord Silverton's in- cessant solicitations, Lady Bournemouth at last fixed a time for going to Silverton Hall. woman's temptation, 217 It was a lovely day ; they started early in the morning, and were to have luncheon there. The drive was long, and before it was half over, Geraldine was so wearied and tor- mented with her lover's incessant folly, that she determined to take an opportunity of speaking to him that very day. Silverton was a splendid place, and any one might have been excused for feeling proud of being the owner of it. Geraldine could quite sympathize with Lord Silver- ton's admiration of the magnificent timber in the park, but was sm^prised to find he estimated it solely by its money value, and was quite heedless of its glories of beautiful foliage, bough, and trunk. " Look, Geraldine, that is a lovely view at the end of that glade," said Lady Bom^ne- mouth, pointing to a beautiful reach of country appearing through the trees. "Oh, that's nothing, Lady Bom^nemouth; that's all over old Dick Stanfield's property. Now I'll show you by and by a view where it's all mine as far as you can see." " Still it is very pretty," said Lady 218 woman's temptation. Boumemoutli. " If I were you, I would have a seat placed somewhat under those trees. That is just the sort of view Geraldine enjoys." " She must see about all that herself. However, she mustn't have one there, for that's where the pheasants are bred. I say, Geraldine, where are we to go after we are married ? I hate a lot of people, and you Hke scenery and that sort of thing, so we'll go to some place where we can be quiet. What do you think of the High- lands?" " Wherever you please," said Geraldine. " She has never been abroad," suggested Lady Bournemouth, who could not think this plan of going to a quiet place a wise one. " Are you fond of the Continent, Lord Sil- verton ?" " Oh Lord, no — I've never been there, at least ; but I can't talk their confounded lan- guages, and what's a fellow to do then ? Much better stay in England. If Geraldine likes a trip to Ireland or Scotland, I'm agreeable ; but I won't go further." woman's temptation. 219 " Well, there is time enough to settle that. Really, this is splendid," she continued, as they drove up to the house ; " Lord Bournemouth told me it was a fine place, but he had not pre- pared me for anything so beautiful as this." The house was, indeed, both beautiful and curious, and Geraldine, with her passion for the antique, was forced, in spite of herself, to feel interested. She was soon recalled to a sense of her actual position by Lord Silver- ton's taking her hand as she alighted from the carriage, pulling her into the hall, and say- ing to the old house-keeper — the very beau-ideal of a house-keeper in such a house — " Oh, I say, Mrs Pernshaw, this is Lady Geraldine Vivian, your future mistress, you know. I want to show her the rooms that are being done." Mrs Fernshaw curtseyed, Geraldine blushed scarlet, as she felt the two or three servants who were standing about stare at her curiously ; and Lady Bournemouth, really pitying her daughter, came forward, and contrived to effect a diversion. They went immediately to the looms that were to be Geraldine's, as it was 220 woman's temptation. clear that Lord Silverton would leave them no peace until they had been seen. They were three in number, bed-room, dressing, and sit- ting-room, in a pleasant part of the house, overlooking the flower-garden. Everything that had been done was in the most costly style, but it was evidently upholsterer's work ; there was not a trace of a guiding taste, or of individuality of any kind. Geraldine's quick eye detected numerous faults in design and execution, but she gave a listless word of ap- proval when required to do so. What did it signify ? She should never live there. Lady Bournemouth, whose taste in furniture was excellent, also noticed these defects silently, and thought it a pity anything had been begun before Geraldine came. A man never under- stands these things — especially, she might have added, a man like Lord Silverton. Was ever anything so stupid as having a sitting-room up-stairs, in a country house, when there were two or three charming rooms below, opening on the garden? And where, with all these painted panels, was the child to hang her prints, and drawings, and portraits ? Why not leave woman's temptation. 221 all this for her to settle, and give her a pleasant occupation and interest in her new home? However, Geraldine must alter all this ; no doubt she would be able to do so by degrees. One thing did surprise her, and that was, that her daughter did not at once express her dis- approval of certain atrocious coronets with which the rooms were being decorated, and which, being only just begun, could easily be counter-ordered. Lady Bournemouth abso- lutely shuddered as she looked at them, and wondered more and more at Geraldine's silence. vShe little guessed what was passing in her daughter's mind. " Now then," said Lord Silverton, " weVe seen all there is to be seen ; suppose we go to luncheon." "It is half-past one," said Lady Bomiie- mouth ; " if we have luncheon now, we can see the old part of the house and the pictm^es aftersvards." " Oh, Lord, you don't mean to say you care about all that old rubbish ? Well, the horses must bait, and you may as well do that as no- thing. I say, Mrs Pernshaw, after Imicheon 22^ woman's temptation. Lady GeraldiDe wants to look at the show rooms." ' "Can you not show them to us yourself?" suggested Lady Bournemouth in an aside. " I would if I knew anything about them, but, upon my honour, I don't. Here's Femshaw has got the whole story at her fingers' ends, and I don't know the name of a single picture, or the date of a single, what do you call 'em? in the house. She'll do it much better. Now, Geraldine, come on. I've had the silver service put out to-day for you to see. Pretty, ain't it ? Cost my father no end of money, I can teU you." " I dare say it did," said Geraldine. The luncheon, as might be expected, passed off very silently, and she was thankful when her mother rose, and begged Lord Silverton to summon Mrs Femshaw. The show part of the house was very interesting, and not being annoyed by its owner's presence, Geraldine gradually woke up, and examined the beautifid pictures and curious antique furniture Avitli such eagerness, that Lady Bournemouth began to hope her plan was succeeding. woman's temptation. 223 "Really, this is extremely handsome," she observed, as they came to a room fitted up with splendid silver inlaid furniture. " This is the king's room, my lady," said Mrs Femshaw ; "it was fitted up for Charles the rirst, when he came to Silverton. The furniture was brought from Venice by the Venetian ambassador, and cost forty thousand pounds." "This is the first old room I have seen which looks as if one could really live in it," said Lady Bournemouth. " Even now, Gerald- ine, I have seldom seen as handsome a toilet as this, and the looking-glass is far better than our English ones." Geraldine was examining the silver sconces on the walls, and the dogs on the hearth, and, as her mother spoke, came and stood before the glass. To her great disgust, as she looked at her own reflection in it, over her shoulder appeared Lord Silverton's head. He had followed them here, and now broke in with " Well, what do you think of this ? Hand- some, ain't it ? I say, how should you like to 224 woman's temptation. have this in your room ? Make it look pretty, wouldn't it ?" " Oh no," said Geraldine, " you should leave it here — this room is quite perfect. Besides, this is one of the show-rooms, and the sight should not be spoilt." " Oh, hang that — who cares about the people who come bothering over here to see the place ? Besides, I tell you what, Geraldine, it will save me no end of money to put this in your room, and, as your mother says, one could scarcely get anything handsomer." " Dear Geraldine always thinks of every one before herself," said Lady Bournemouth. " She cannot have anything without wishing to share it with others. But really, Lord Silverton, I am inclined to agree with her. It would be a pity to spoil this little hijou of a place." " Lord bless me, what does that matter ? Things are made to be used, I think. Well, this is the best thing to be seen in the house. Suppose we come down to the garden. There's the gardener been cutting no end of a great nosegay for Geraldine." woman's temptation. 225 They went down to the garden, which was^ as Lord Bournemouth had truly said, a perfect fairyland. Geraldine's love of flowers overcame her resolution to be silent, and she could not help expressing her admiration. Lady Bourne- mouth, who was now thoroughly tired, sat down on a seat under a beech-tree, and proposed that Lord Silverton should take her daughter round the gardens. To her surprise, Geraldine assented immediately. More and more she congratulated herself on the success of the day. They walked away together, and after some little time Lord Silverton proposed that they should sit down and rest in a cool shady place near a fountain. Geraldine agreed with a beating heart, for now, she felt, the time had come for speaking. It was difficult to begin? for every succeeding day — this day especially — had more firmly riveted the chains around her. She wished she had done it at first. But better late than never — and so, after a minute's consideration, she said, " I have been wishing to speak to you alone, for the last few days." VOL. I. 15 226 woman's temptation. " Eh, what ? Speak to me alone ? Well, what do you want ?" " I think you must be aware that this en- gagement is not agreeable to me." Lord Silverton turned round and looked her straight in the face, with an expression of angry surprise, but said nothing. Geraldine, resolutely steadying her voice, continued : " I have never deceived you about this 1 You knew that my mother accepted you against my positive wishes ? " She waited for an answer, and her voice and manner imperatively required one. " Well, if you come to that, I knew you were not very sweet upon me," said Lord Sil- verton, moodily betaking himself to sucking the top of his stick. " You remember that I refused you when you proposed to me, and have never accepted you since ? " "Yes." " You cannot think that we shall be happy, if we do marry ? " WOMAN S TEMPTATION. 227 " I don't know about that, — when we are married you are mine, you know ; and it 's you I want." " It would be very little use, I fear, to tell you that I should be miserable ; but do you expect to be happy yourself? " " Oh, never fear for me, I don't want to be always bilhng and cooing, you know ; we shall do as well as most people." " Indeed, I doubt it. To speak plainly, Lord Silverton, the prospect of this marriage is utterly odious to me; and I put it to you, whether, knowing that, you would wish our engagement to go on ? " Lord Silverton looked at her for a moment with a hard, uneasy glare, and sullenly replied, " Yes." " Can you wish to marry a woman, knowing that she positively dislikes and despises you?" Lord Silverton suddenly rose up. " Now look here, Geraldine. Marry you I shall and will, whether you like it or not, and when we are married I'll have none of these tempers. Despise me, indeed ! A pretty thing for Lady Silverton to despise her husband! 228 woman's temptation. Let me tell you it 's the first time any one has said as much to me, and, by Heaven ! it shall be the last. Come back to your mother ; I'll see what she says to all this." He caught her hand, dragged her off the seat, shaking her roughly at the same time. A more cowardly woman than Geraldine might have trembled at his violence and the expres- sion of his face, but 'she was brave by nature, and was perfectly reckless with despair. Brave as she was, however, she now, from very fear, secretly determined that, come what might, she would never be his wife. Tor her hfe, she would not have dared to marry him. They went back to Lady Bournemouth, and as she made room for them on the seat. Lord Silverton pushed Geraldine towards her. " Here, Lady Bournemouth, what's the meaning of your daughter's conduct ? " " I have been telling Lord Silverton," said Geraldine quietly, but growing deadly pale, " that I am engaged to him quite against my own wishes ; and have put it to him, whether he still wishes to marry me." woman's temptation. 229 " And I say, have her I shall and will, whether she likes it or not." " Geraldine ! Lord Silverton ! " exclaimed Lady Bournemouth, rising in great agitation, and looking from one to the other — " what is the meaning of this ? " " Talks of despising me, indeed ! A pretty way you've brought her up ! " " Geraldine, surely you have not used such unbecoming language to your future hus- band ? " " Ay, confound her impudence ! that she has. I wish I were married to her, that 's all." He was proceeding to use some tolerably strong oaths, when Lady Bournemouth inter- rupted him. " Lord Silverton, you really terrify me. Pray be calm. Geraldine is quite ill. There must be some mistake — some misunderstand- ing — you frightened her, or she took offence at some imaginary slight. A mere lovers' quarreL I Avill arrange it all. Will you be good enough to get a glass of water, and order my carriage ? I am afraid she will faint." 230 woman's temptation. " I shan't go back with you after the way she has treated me ; I shall stay here," said Lord Silverton, sulkily. " Perhaps you are right ; she is really ill, and quite tired out. It is nothing. If you will call on us when you come to London, you will find everything just as it was before, I assure you. You are not used to the fancies of girls. This sort of thing occurs in every engagement, but it will be quite different when you are married. Only you must not frighten her." This was said in a hurried aside, and so far produced its effect, that Lord Silverton pro- mised to call, " and hear if Geraldine had any explanation or apology to offer." Lady Bourne- mouth well knew he might look in vain for either, but of course did not dispute the point. woman's temptatio:n. 231 CHAPTER XYI. " Madam ! if I have erred through love, I look for pardon from above, And shall not look in vain. True love is prompt, and will not wait Till chance or hazard ope * * # * If love is hasty, it is blind, And will not bear to wait." Aytotjn. It may be imagined that Geraldine's posi- tion was now almost unbearable. Both her father and mother were extremely angry with her, and did not conceal it ; and as her at- tempt had failed, she was very awkwardly 232 woman's temptation. situated with regard to Lord Silverton. Again and again she protested against her marriage, but not the shghtest notice was taken of her tears and prayers ; while day by day she be- came more firmly resolved that nothing should induce her to become his wife. He showed a spite and malice, and at times a violence, that terrified her ; and it was quite certain that all hope of her enjoying even an immunity from persecution in her married life was over. She was utterly driven to despair, and would now have shrunk from scarcely any means that could have been suggested to free her from her dreaded husband. Three days before her marriage, she was sitting in her old school-room, expecting one of Lord Silverton' s hated visits, and meditating various impossible plans of escape, when the door opened, and Arthur entered. "You promised me a game of battledore and shuttlecock at twelve, and the clock has just struck. I have got the battledores in our school-room — it is higher than this ; be- sides, we shall be out of the wav of Lord Sil- woman's temptation. 23S verton if he comes ; — no one will think of looking for you there/' Unwilling to disappoint the boy, Geraldine slowly followed him down-stairs. Mr Lawrance was seated at the table, writing. He raised his eyes as she came in, and instantly per- ceived that she had been crying — no unusual occurrence now. " This battledore is quite damp," said Ge- raldine after a short time ; " there is a fire in the drawing-room; take it there and warm it." Arthur ran off with the battledore, and Ge- raldine sat down by the window, not noticing how keenly the tutor's eyes were fixed upon her. He was indeed certain that the proper moment for speaking had come. Prom hints that had been dropped, he was tolerably well- informed as to what had taken place at Silver- ton Hall, and felt very sure that she would look on any fate as preferable to a marriage with Lord Silverton. Lady Bournemouth had played his game for him, and having ' a fair chance given him,' he now proceeded to make what he called a fair use of it. He ap- 234 woman's TEMPiATION. proached her, and after very few preliminaries, for there was httle time to spare, plunged at once into the middle of his subject. How he began, neither he nor Geraldine could remem- ber afterwards, but she suddenly found her- self listening to a most vehement declaration of affection, without the power or the wish to stop it. Here was the prospect of deliverance that she had sighed for ! Coming at this time, it seemed to her as if sent by Heaven. She formed her resolution while he was speaking, and when he seized her hand, and implored her to give him some answer, she did not attempt to withdraw it. He was overjoyed, for not even his presumption had aspired to so easy a conquest. Nor would he have ob- tained it, had her destined husband been one degree superior to Lord Silverton. At this moment Arthur came back with the battledore. " Why, Arthur," said Mr Lawrance quickly, ^' you should have taken this one as well. It wants warming as much as the other." The boy ran off again, and Mr Lawrance employed the time of his absence so well, that woman's temptation. 235 "before he returned, Geraldine Vivian had con- sented to elope on the morrow with her bro- ther's tutor. She returned to her room amazed, stunned, in a tumult of feelings, among which fear held the chief place. It had all been brought about so quickly, that she was like one walking in her sleep, and under the influence of some hideous dream. What a difference had one short hour made in her prospects ! What would every one say ? What would Lindon and Arthur think ? The first question was much ■easier to answer than the last. She could easily imagine the astonishment of some, the indignation of others, the sorrow of her friends, and the triumph of her enemies. All this was as nothing to her. She felt that on the step she had taken depended her earthly happiness or misery, and, with that at stake, could not trouble herself about the opinions of by-stand- ers. And as this conviction forced itself on her mind, she was seized with a perfect agony of terror. The exceeding rashness of thus venturing on her fate without the counsel of one older head or clearer judgment than 236 woman's temptation. her own, the thought that she was going to cast off the love and friendship of those dearest to her, that in weal or woe she must henceforth rejoice or sorrow by herself — it blanched her cheek, and the life-blood died away from her heart with a deadly fear. Superior as she thought Mr Lawrance to Lord Silverton, inti- mate as she had been with him, friendly as was the feeling she entertained for him, what would she not give to recall her hasty promise ? But it was too late — too late ! Honour de- manded that she should not retract — and come what might, she would abide by her plighted word. The longer she thought of it, the more dangerous and uncertain her future hfe seemed. Should he, Avho now promised so fair, tm-n out false, and unkind, and neglectful, what would become of her, cast off by her friends and pro- tectors ! Or even if her husband's family dis- liked her, or were coarse and vulgar-minded, how much misery might they cause her, how should she bear to associate with them, and be- come one of them ? As she thought of these things, a marriage with Lord Silverton did not seem so utterly unendurable. If married at woman's temptation. 237 the positive desire of her parents, she could always claim their protection in case of actual violence; and for anything else, she might perchance have been able to command respect, or at least fear enough, from him to shield her- self from everything but that neglect which would be the most precious of boons. Un- happy, lonely, sohtary, she might be, but these might possibly be the worst evils which would fall to her lot ; and how could she tell what might happen to her when married to Mr Law- rance? We have said before that she liked him, but it was not with the entireness and confidence usual at seventeen. Perhaps the very fact of his proposal told against him ; she would not have owned it to be a shameful breach of confidence, even to herself; but in the bottom of her heart she felt that it was so. She was now in a worse position than before. Engaged by her parents to Lord Silverton, en- gaged by herself to Mr LawTance, detesting one prospect, and distrusting the other, yet forced to choose either the one or the other before twenty-four hours had elapsed — her perplexities were great, and she could see no 238 woman's temptation. way out of them. Puzzled, distracted, con- fused, and frightened — her brain seemed inca- pable of thinking, at the very moment when her judgment should have been clearest, and her reason strongest. To the tumult of thoughts which had disturbed her mind, succeeded a species of mental apathy or stupor ; involun- tary, but so overwhelming, that she was com- pelled to give up the struggle, and wait inertly till circumstances decided her one way or the other. Meanwhile Mr Lawrance, fearing lest she should regret the rash step she had taken, did not let the grass grow under his feet, but hast- ened to complete the necessary preparations. Another interview with her was positively in- dispensable, but the means of obtaining it — as the readings had been dropped — were far from clear. It Avas compassed at length, through Arthiu*'s unwitting agency. Mr Lawrance found her looking pale and ill, but extremely calm, and apparently quite ready to fulfil her promise. So surely did he reckon on her at- tachment, that he even went so far as to offer woman's temptation. 239 to release her if she desired it. To his conster- nation she hesitated, but, after a short pause of deep and anxious thought, she repHed de- cidedly, " No, I am ready to abide by my word." He felt her manner to be unsatisfactory, but she added not a word more, though he remained silent several minutes to give her the opportunity of so doing ; and he was obliged to speak of the time and man- ner of their flight. This was a very difficult matter to arrange, as Geraldine had Httle liberty, and was seldom left alone for long together. At last they settled that the next morning she should feign a violent head- ache, and retire to her room, requesting that she might not be disturbed. She was then to put on her walking things and descend by the back-stairs to the school-room, from whence, watching her opportunity, she was to slip out, and at the corner of the street Mr Lawrance would be in waiting for her with a cab. They calculated that by pro- ceeding at once to the church they could 240 woman's temptation. be married almost before her absence was discovered, and certainly before any effectual pursuit could be made. This plan was full of risk, but no bet- ter one could be devised. It seemed absurd to hope that Geraldine, the carefully-guarded, could abscond and be married, in broad day- light, between breakfast and luncheon. It must be attempted, however, and, to say the truth, she liked the scheme none the worse -for its rashness and daring, — which perhaps Mr Lawrance had foreseen when he pro- posed it. " But my luggage, my clothes," said Ge- raldine ; " it will not be much, but I must take some." " True," replied Mr Lawrance, musing. " I have it now," he continued ; " you are going to a party this evening ? Then pack up your box before you go, and hide it under the sofa. Be sure it is small and light, and I will find an opportunity of carrying it off when you are gone. I can take it to a friend's house near the church, and after the ceremony we will call for it. woman's temptation. 241 Don't put any name or address, except ' Care of Mr Wilson, street.' " This point being settled, they remained talking for some time, or rather he remained talking, for he was describing the delight of his mother, when he should bring home his beautiful and high-born bride. An unlucky subject, for it naturally recalled her own parents and brother to her mind, and she began pictur- ing vividly to herself their grief and in- dignation when her flight should be dis- covered. But Mr Lawrance, perceiving this, so dexterously enlarged on the misery of being tied for life to such a man as Lord Silverton, and so vehemently — and yet with such hesitation, as though his indignation forced it from him against his will — ex- claimed against Lady Bournemouth's cruelty in washing to sacrifice such a daughter, and so worked on the simple-minded girl by these arts, that for the time she lost her distrust, and was so far blinded as to con- sider him worthy of her truest love and esteem. And matters being brought to this pass, Mr Lawrance suggested the expedi- VOL. I. 16 J 242 woman's temptation. ency of her going to pack up, to which she assented, and ran up-stairs to her own room with a heart considerably hghtened. Pack- ing-up was not an easy task to her inex- perience. The box was very small, and when she had selected many things as abso- lute necessaries, she found to her dismay that it would not hold a third part of them. But by sacrificing several favourite gowns, everything was put in, including an even- ing dress, and a box containing some money and a few trinkets, given her by her aunt and uncle. The next thing was to decide on her wedding dress. She was sorely tempt- ed to wear a certain bewitching blue muslin of the newest colour, pattern, and make, but feeling it was too conspicuous, had prudence enough to put it aside. After a little more searching, a quiet unpretending silk was fixed upon, accompanied by a barege shawl, and a plain straw bonnet. When these articles had been placed in one of her drawers, and the box locked and pushed under the sofa, it was time to dress for the party. Mr Law- rance had judged wisely in giving her so woman's temptation. 243 much occupation that no leisure for thought remained. That evening Lord Silverton persecuted her more than ever, and as she returned home, disgusted, frightened, and wearied, she was less inclined to regret the step she had taken, and thought with pleasm^e of her approaching escape. The next morning found her with a violent headache, thereby saving her from the trouble of feigning one, and affording her a reasonable excuse for retreating to her own room directly after breakfast, and begging to be left entirely alone. Now that the time had come, she could hardly summon resolution to proceed with her undertaking ; but the hours were flying rapidly, having gone so far she could not draw back, and therefore Avith trembling hands and tearful eyes she hurriedly began to put on her walking-dress. Locking the door after her, she ran down the back stairs, fearing every minute to meet one of the servants ; and reached the school-room, her heart beating so violently that she was perforce obliged to stop 244 WOMAN S TEMPTATION. and take breath. Her head was throbbing pamfuUy, her knees knocked together, and it was with difficulty that she reached a chair. There was Httle time for rest, for in a few minutes the hall porter was, from some un- usual cause, called away from his post ; and as such another opportunity might not occur, she was forced to take advantage of it, and make her way out at once. How she reached the corner of the street she never knew ; certain it is that she would not have seen Mr Lawrance, but that he took her hand, and half led, half dragged her to the cab. She pressed her hands to her forehead, for her head ached almost insupportably, and tried to tmii her thoughts on the solemn ceremony about to be performed, but she found the attempt useless, and was obliged to lean back in the cab, silently enduring the pain as best she might. Every jolt over a stone, every additional noise caused her torture, and when they stopped at the church door, Mr Lawrance lifted her out, so far senseless that the clergyman refused to marry them, till, as he said, "the young woman was in a condition to imderstand the woman's temptation. 245 nature of the vows she was taking on herself." This recalled Geraldine to her senses sooner, and more completely, than any restoratives would have done ; the fear of being followed and taken home after she had disgraced herself by her flight, took possession of her ; and, after the peAV-opener had brought her a glass of water, she was able to stand before the altar without assistance, and pronounce the responses audibly. In half an hour they came out of the chm'ch, and reentered the cab which had been dii'ected to wait, and in that brief half-hour Geraldine Vivian had renounced kindred and friends, and bound herself for ever to a schem- ing adventurer. Again she sank back and closed her eyes without saying a word, nor did she look up till they stopped at the London Bridge Station. They w^ere to go to St Leonard's, where Mr Lawrance had engaged a lodging for a month, considering that it united the three requisites of quiet, cheerfulness, and a beautiful country. 246 WOMAN S TEMPTATION. CHAPTER XYII. A¥lien I waked, I cried to dream again. — The Tempest. The month had passed, and brought with it some changes. At first Geraldine enjoyed her present quiet and peace greatly, and felt per- fectly satisfied with her choice. They rode and drove to every place that was worth seeing in the neighbourhood, and no one could be more attentive than Mr Lawrance, or a woman's temptation. 247 pleasanter companion. She often compared with satisfaction his consideration for her wishes, and intelHgent conversation, with the lack of those quahties displayed by Lord Silver- ton on the memorable day at Silverton Hall. And yet, after a time, everything did not seem quite so rose-coloured. She felt a little doubtful about her husband; every now and then she fancied there was something concealed that she had not fathomed — his temper did not seem quite so good as she had supposed it, and he was not quite so refined in his language and manners as he had appeared when in her father's house. Certainly he was apt to be put out about trifles, and his treatment of servants and other inferiors often made her excessively shy. Of course this gave her great uneasiness ; and she had a vague feeling of being on the top of a mine which might ex- plode at any time, a feeling not conducive to happiness or confidence between man and wife. So a sort of constraint imperceptibly grew up ; a constraint which he felt as much, if not more than she did, and which gave him a desire to do and say something which should break the ice 248 woman's temptation. at once and for ever. He was tired of acting, and longed for her to know the worst of him. Soon after they had arrived, he returned to London, to be present at his sister's wed- ding. Emily had, quite unexpectedly, re- ceived an offer from a Mr TurnbuU, a junior partner in a wine-merchant's house. It was an excellent marriage for her, and her brother was greatly pleased with it. Mrs Lawrance secretly sighed over the rejected minister, but Emily was quite determined not to ac- cept him, and in a worldly point of view the wine-merchant was beyond all compari- son the best match. She was a fine, hand- some girl ; Mr Turnbull had seen her in church, been struck with her beauty, and, on being introduced to her, with her shrewd- ness and practical sense, and had proposed after a fortnight's acquaintance. Though she knew little of him, what she knew she liked, and she was determined to escape as soon as possible from her mother's set. He was sensible, well-informed, and gentlemanlike, very superior to his bride and her family in every respect. His father had opposed woman's temptation. 249 the iiiarriage at first, expecting his son to do better; but Emily had made her own way, showing more tact than could have been hoped for ; and at the time the mar- riage took place, Mr Turnbull's family were almost reconciled to it. It cost William Lawrance a good day and night's hard thinking, to devise some pre- text for not taking Geraldine to the wed- ding, which should be valid both with her and with his own people, and it was but a lame affair when invented. But the idea of bringing her into the gathering of vulgarities which he well knew would take place on the occasion of his sister's marriage, was not to be contemplated ; introducing her to his family at all was a prospect which gave him a qualm whenever he thought of it ; and therefore he went alone. He only staid away two. nights, and Geraldine was very glad when he came back, for this was in the early days of their married life ; and before she had begun to discover that he could not only be out of temper, but occa- sionally out of temper with her. Towards 250 WOMAN S TEMPTATION. the end of the last week, she desired their landlady, who cooked for them, to call in the bills, being her first efibrt at house- keeping on her own responsibility. She had left everything to Mrs Willcocks, and consequently their expenses were very great. Mr Lawrance was in the room when she opened the bills, and looked up at her with an exclamation of surprise. "Do look at these bills, William!" she exclaimed ; "I don't know much about it, but I am sure they are higher than they should be." " Higher ! " he said, rapidly casting his eye over them, " they are rather more than three times the sum my mother told me would be sufficient. What have you done to manage so badly ? " "I have not managed at all," was Ge- raldine's perfectly true reply, "I know no- thing about it — how should I ? " " But you must learn. We shall be ruined if you go on in this way. You really might have taken more pains about it, and, at least, had the bills in every week." woman's temptation. 251 " Ought I ? you should have told me. I don't mind what trouble I take, for I know we are veiy poor/' "You needn't cast that in my teeth," he said, roughly ; "if you didn't like poverty, you shouldn't have married me." " Wilham ! " cried Geraldine, " what do you mean? I am not casting it in your teeth — we are very poor, and there is no use in disguising the fact." " Well, you needn't keep harping upon it," he said more gently, " I am only afraid we shall get into difficulties, which, of course, you would feel more than I should. Let us look at these bills, and see Avhat we can make of them." Nothing could be made of them but the plain uncompromising fact that they were three times as much as he had expected. " Such extravagance !" he said. " Here are a thousand unnecessary things. We could have done without the half of them. You must not be so helpless and childish. I tell you we shall be ruined." " It's very unfair to reproach me," said 252 woman's temptation. Geraldine, with tears in her eyes, " you knew I understood nothing about all this. I'm sure I am very willing to leani, if I had anybody to teach me. Shall I ask Mrs Willcocks about the prices of things ? " " Don't be silly," he answered. " Ask her ! don't you see how she has swindled us already? You are worse than a baby." " Don't call me silly," said Geraldine, her tears drying up with sudden anger ; "you give me no help at all, and I am sure you ought to know more about it than I do." " You may reproach me with my Ioav birth as much as you please; — " "I am not reproaching you with your low birth," said Geraldine, drawing up her head, and speaking in cold, calm tones. " I could not if I tried — I am not accustomed to reproach any one with what should be no disgrace. Do not let us recriminate any longer — give me the money to pay these bills, and tell me what you wish done for the future." He looked at her for a second, then took out his purse and gave it to her. woman's temptation. 253 saying as he did so, "We must go to my mother, and get her to teach you. I mil write and ask her to take a room for us, in the same house with herself." Geraldine assented, and accordingly they left St Leonard's at the end of the week. Mrs Lawrance was waiting to receive them with as wann a smile as she ever permitted to relax her countenance, and Geraldine tried hard to greet her affectionately, feeling that everything depended on the first impression. She was however chilled and repulsed by her mother- in-law's cold, stern demeanour, though Mr Law- rance had tried to prepare her for it before- hand. They went up-stairs to the sitting- room, w^hich was small and close, a great con- trast to their bright little St Leonard's draw- ing-room. She had expected this, but not realized it ; she w^as astonished and disgusted ; nor was Mr Lawrance less so, seeing it, as he did, with the eyes of his high-born bride. His manner was conscious and embarrassed, Geraldine's nervous and low-spirited, which did not tend to improve matters ; Mrs Law- rance only was perfectly calm and unmoved, 254 woman's temptation. and proceeded to scold the slip-shod servant girl in precisely the way she did every day. She then turned to her daughter-in-law, and asked her if she would Hke to He down till dinner was ready, an offer of which Geraldine, who had had a bad head-ache all the morning, was glad to avail herself. The bed-room was dark, dingy, and dirty, but she was too ill to care for that ; she lay down on the bed, and closing her eyes, tried to rest and to shut out thoughts which were now seldom pleasant ones. She did not absolutely sleep, but she dozed for an hour or two, and when Mrs Lawrance came to tell her that dinner was ready, was sm-prised to find her head much better. There was a hot dinner in honour of the bride, who, how- ever, felt little disposed to partake of it, though she did her best to seem pleased mth everything. The repast over, she again re- treated to her room, unpacked her trunks, and looked round to see if perchance she could find a stray book wherewith to amuse herself. All she discovered was a small vol- ume on prophecy, and seeing " Priscilla Law- rance " written on the title-page, she rightly woman's temptation. 255 concluded that it belonged to her mother-in- law, who indeed delighted to feed on pro- phetical pastures of the greenest description. This was a terrible little book ; it was a per- fect howl or shriek of woe, and presently reduced Geraldine to betake herself again to the bed in low spirits. Then came tea, a most mournful and silent meal, no one speak- ing a word, until Mr Lawrance suddenly said, " Geraldine, you will see your new sister to- night. Emily and her husband are coming," which announcement made Geraldine start and say, " Indeed ! I shall be so glad to see her. You like Mr TurnbuU, I believe ? " turning to her mother-in-law. " He is a person of good income, and what the world would call good connections," re- turned Mrs Lawrance solemnly ; " a partner in the house of Sturgeon and TurnbuU, wine- merchants ; and, I trust, a young man of de- cided piety," she added; a conclusion which produced a smile on Mr Lawrance's counte- nance. A loud knock was now heard at the door, and presently Mr and Mrs TurnbuU entered. 256 woman's temptation. Emily was much improved in appearance and style by her marriage ; she was very well dressed, and looked extremely handsome. She had, however, assumed an importance and fussiness which gave her the appearance of being more ill-bred than she really was, and made Mr Lawrance very uneasy. Geraldine, being only too thankful to see some one who looked cheerful, was not disposed to be critical, and felt very tolerably satisfied with her sister- in-law. She and Mr TurnbuU were a great acquisi- tion to the dvll little party now assembled in Mrs LawTance's sitting-room ; they infused Kfe, and even merriment, into the trio ; they talked incessantly, and talked well. Geraldine found that she could like them, especially the hus- band. As for Emily, if blunt and inconsiderate at times, she was amusing and warm-hearted, and very anxious to be on good terms with Geraldine ; there was enough good to coun- terbalance the bad, and anything was prefer- able to Mrs Lawrance's grim composure. The evening passed off pleasantly, even gaily ; Ge- raldine was astonished when the clock struck woman's temptation. 257 eleven, and the Turnbulls rose to go, promising to come again the next day. She went up to bed ; though, tired as she was, she did not undress immediately, but sat thinking by the fire till Mr Lawrance came up and proceeded to scold her in no very gentle terms for being so late. It was not the first time that evening that she had had reason to complain of his temper, for he had been put out by the meagre appearance of his mother's menage, which struck him forcibly after his long absence. She made no reply, beyond a look of indignant surprise, which so far re- called him to himself, that, muttering some kind of apology, he began another topic, and did not attempt to find fault with her again. VOL. I- 17 258 woman's temptation. CHAPTER XYIII. I cannot tell what coming years May have reserved of grief for me ; I cannot tell vrhat they may be, How wrung with anguish, dimmed with tears. But scarcely can a sadder morn Than this upon my eyelids break, When from a flattering dream I wake On a forlorn reality. — TEEiifCH. Every day that Geraldine passed under her mother-in-law's roof increased her anxiety to leave it. It is not too much to say that by this time she most heartily repented her im- woman's temptation. 259 prudent marriage. The scales seemed to fall from her eyes, and she now saw her husband almost in his true light. While he was in her father's house, away from his own relations and his own associates, while his manners still retained the gloss his tact had thrown over them, she was not conscious of his great in- feriority in tone of mind and feeling. But little by little, slowly at first, and very pain- fully to her, her illusions had been dispelled. The awakening began at St Leonard's — it advanced with very rapid strides as soon as he was fairly among his own people, and he could not, even had he wished it, maintain a different manner before his wife from that which was natural to him with them. It had always been an effort to him to assume it, even when at Lord Bournemouth's; an effort he was in- capable of sustaining now that the outward pressure was taken off. Geraldine, to her surprise and bitter mortification, found that the man who had appeared to her so refined when in her father's house, was not in his own house at all above the standard of the vulgar people by whom she saw him surrounded, and 260 woman's temptation. was in the habit of displaying a violence and moroseness of temper that she had never seen equalled, except by Lord Silverton. To her he did, at first, retain some slight recollection of the respect he had been used to pay her, and an uneasy consciousness that he was not her equal, which she, however unwillingly, could not help sharing. One good effect of this was that when he was disposed to be rough with her, it checked the angry retorts that would otherwise have risen to her lips, and her cold, grave displeasure so far overawed him, that he showed less of his violent temper to her than to any other person in the world. But he was not fond of her. He felt that she had found him out, and her grave dignity and conscious superiority continually galled and mortified him. Never were two people so soon and so completely disenchanted. Looking back, he wondered at the violence of the passion with which she had inspired him. True, she was almost as lovely as ever, but now that she was his, she seemed, and she was, further from him than ever. He was no longer her friend, and she would never love him ; that he knew, and woman's temptation. 261 cursed her in his heart ; and his passion turned to bitter hate at the disappointment. He could not raise himself to her ; he could not* drag her down to him ; she was immeasurably a- bove him, and his success in concealing it hitherto only made the distance seem the greater when at length the veil shrivelled off. And Geraldine would have given worlds to retrace her rash step, to have replaced herself in the position which she had voluntarily quitted. Viewed from this distance, she doubted whether she would not have been less miserable married to Lord Silverton, for then she would at least have been in her proper position, among those with whom she had been brought up, and with all the undeniable shields that rank and money can place around an ill- assorted marriage. She had feared insult and violence from him, but it seemed a doubtful point how long she should be secure from either with Mr Lawrance, and she had now not a single protector to whom she could appeal. She was utterly wretched, and none the less so for knowing that it was her own choosing. 262 woman's temptation. The only person who entered into any of her distresses was Emily Turnbull. She knew her brother thoroughly, and, as a consequence, was not fond of him, though she always kept on good terms with him. Emily was by nature a thorough woman of the world, never quarrelling with anybody if it could possibly be avoided, and making the best of every one from motives of unconscious ex- pediency. His selfishness, his meanness, his shallowness, every turn of his character, was as familiar to her as a well-read book, and she could scarcely understand any one being less clear-sighted than herself. To her, his marriage was utterly incomprehensible. What man^el- lous blindness could have made Geraldine — whose worth she was not slow to recognize — think him a hero, was a daily and hourly mystery to her ; nor, after she was acquainted with all the circumstances of the case, could she, with her own independence of disposition, imagine that any girl could be driven into such a strait as to be unable to resist an unwel- come marriage successfully. However it might be, she was heartily sorry for her sister-in-law. woman's temptation. 263 and watched her gradual initiation into the secrets of her new home with painful interest. S}anpathy, she had perception enough to see, would be insulting and misplaced; so she awaited the course of events silently. The very next morning after her elopement, Geraldine had gone through the usual form of writing to ask forgiveness, taking care to address her letter to her father. Little as she expected him to answer it, her disappointment was still great on receiving a note from the housekeeper, saying that the family would leave town in two days, and that she was directed to say, that her Ladyship could then come, or send, for the things she had left behind. The fact was that Lord Bournemouth, who was not so rigorously im- placable as his wife, would have written in person, but that the difficulty of doing so Avithout tacitly granting pardon — which he had no intention of giving — was so great, and his natural indolence so exaggerated it, that he let the time slip by, and was at last glad to adopt his wife's suggestion, and desire the house- keeper to write. Of course Geraldine could 264 woman's temptation. not be aware of this, and thought that her father was as much enraged as she was well aware her mother would be. She wondered that Arthur had not found means to send her a Ime; not bemg aware that Lord Bournemouth — knowhig that Arthur would neither be "to have nor to hold" if he knew his sister had writ- ten, but Avould insist on seeing her — had never let him see her letter, or hear one word of the transaction. He had been sent to a tutor soon after her elopement, preparatory to going to Eton when the summer holidays were over, and was more utterly miserable than ever a little fellow^ was before, bewailing the sudden and total eclipse of Geraldine, and shortly declaiing that she had been abominably ill- used. Lord Bournemouth ordered him to be silent, and leave the room, not knowing what else to say. Geraldine, in utter ignorance of all this, continued to wonder, and arriving at no satisfactory conclusion, went to Belgrave Square as soon as she arrived in London, fetched a'w^ay all her things, and then set herself seri- ously to work to make the best of her situation, and consider what was to be done next. woman's temptation. 265 Her first object was to move from her mother- in-law's house, and to obtain, if possible, some employment for her husband, as their means of subsistence were absolutely nothing. Had lb come to the worst, she would even have insisted on Mr Lawrance's again going out as a tutor, and endeavoured to find employment as a governess herself. She talked to her husband and talked to her mother-in-law about it, and many were the plans she revolved in her head. Mrs Lawrance was as anxious as herself about the matter, for starvation seemed staring them in the face, as Geraldine's fortune, whatever it might be, was only payable on her father's death, and therefore the young couple had simply no income at all. With all the scandal of his elopement still fresh, it was ex- tremely difficult to obtain even a curacy for Mr Lawrance, and it had been several times suggested that he should drop his " Reverend," and obtain employment in some mercantile house, which his brother-in-law's connections rendered a far easier matter. But Mrs Lawrance was so unwilling to throw away the advantages of William's expensive education. 266 WOMAN S TEMPTATION. that she redoubled her exertions, canvassed her friends unceasingly, and at length her own and her son's joint efforts procured him a curacy worth ninety pounds a year, and a small house in one of the poorest and most populous parts of Westminster. This result was highly pleasing to Geraldine, as it necessitated a move from her mother-in-law's, and placed them, besides, at such a distance from her house that the two families would be little together. Also it was a good deal nearer to Belgrave Square, and consequently to her aunt and brother when they should return to London. These two, she still ventured to hope, would not utterly cast her off. '^ WiUiam, I want you and Geraldine to come here, that we may talk about your afiairs," said Mrs Lawrance to her son one evening. Geraldine was pleased at her name being mentioned, for she had already observed an inchnation on her husband's part to keep her in the dark on matters of business, which mor- tified her pride, and was really not fair to her. The speech was a prelude to a long discussion about economy, in the course of which Mrs woman's temptation. 267 Lawrance instructed Geraldine in a variety of contrivances whereby she herself had been en- abled to keep house, for a lengthened period, on, so to speak, nothing a year ; contrivances which astonished Geraldine by their marvellous ingenuity. They were all very useful, however, to people in the Lawrances' position, and the young wife did wxll not to despise them, for truly hers was to be a hard battle with po- verty. Mrs Lawrance, who would have made any sacrifice for her son, proposed to give him part of her scanty income, an offer which he €oolly accepted, though it cut Geraldine's pride to the quick. He was right, however, for cer- tainly they could not dispense with it ; as it was, their income did not exceed a hundred and thirty pounds per annum ; little enough for two people, even without a family. It was agreed that they could only keep one servant, and Mi^ Lawrance promised to find them an honest and hard-working one who would suit their purpose. " William," said the mother, as Geraldine left the room, "your wife seems well disposed in all your worldly affairs, but with her bring- 268 woman's temptation. ing up, how will she leani to manage ? Our struggles and shifts will not suit her." " What 's good enough for you is good enough for her, mother, I suppose. I shall stand no airs about her bringing up, I can tell you." " Do not be harsh to her, William ; as far as her light goes, she appears to be a well-meaning person, and, though no value is to be attached to the natural character, hers is what would be called amiable." " She amiable and well meaning ! You don't know her temper and her confounded high-bred ways. She's as proud as all the rest of them." " Why then did you marry her ? Alas, this is the end of all our struggles for worldly gain^ sowing the wind and reaping the whirlwind. But doubtless it is for our good that it should be so." "Never mind, mother; she'll turn out a good speculation yet. She must have some- thing at her father's death, and there 's her brother who dotes on her, he will come home and get us something. And as to hai'shness. woman's temptation. 269 I don't know what you call harsh, but I'll have my own way." And Mrs Lawrance w^ent her way comfort- ed, but moralizmg, and her son went his to plague his wife. She however was not in a humour to be plagued, and a braver and bet- ter man might have shrunk from her scornful silence and the cold contempt of her icy eyes. William Lawrance was afraid of his wife, and knew it, and the knowledge made him furious. He went back to his mother in such an evil mood that she saw something had happened, though she dared not ask him what. As for Geraldine, she drew out of her work- box a small bottle marked " Laudanum," looked at it, put it down with a strong shudder, say- ing, " I dare not — I dare not now ; but oh that I had died before I married him ! " 270 woman's temptation. CHAPTER XIX. Heaven me such uses send, Not to pick bad from bad, but by bad, mend. Shakspeaee. The truth you speak doth lack some gentleness, And time to speak it in ; you rub the sore "When you should bring the plaster. Shakspeaee. It was a cold drizzling day, and Geraldine Lawrance sat in a small poorly-furnished room, close to the window, to get what light she could upon her work, and shivering with cold, which the shawl thrown over her shoulders was insufficient to keep out. The fire was woman's temptation. 271 very low, and for some reason or another she did not seem wiUing to replenish it. Every- thing about her looked cheerless and miserable, and she herself not the least so. She was very, very- plainly dressed ; her gown did not seem warm enough for the approaching winter season, and the boot which peeped from under it was a patched one, and patched by no shoe- maker or cobbler either. Her long curls were gone, and her hair was braided back as simply as possible from the pale thin cheek, with no ribbon or velvet, or any kind of ornament, about it. She was busily hemming a coarse hand- kerchief, and as she worked, vnih. one foot she rocked a little wicker cradle, in which lay a very young baby fast asleep. Presently the door opened, and a head was thrust in, which looked inquiringly round the room. A set of strongly-marked, determined features accom- panied, and reddish hair adorned it. " My Leddy," said the owner of the head, "if ye'll give me the money, I'll be after buying some chops for tea." Geraldine took out her purse, saying as she did so, " You need not get more than three. 272 woman's temptation. Susan ; that will be enough for Mr Lawrance, and I am not hungry." " Sure ye've had no dinner any more than the master, and ye '11 never be getting your strength again if ye dunnot eat more meat." " There is no fear, I will eat it when I want it," said Geraldine. " But, Susan, if you go out, bring that darning up here. I have hemmed four of these handkerchiefs, and they €an wait better than the stockings." Susan looked as if she would have dissuaded her mistress, but feeling that the darning was indeed a Avork of necessity, said nothing, but departed, and presently returned with a huge basket of stockings, and an account-book. " There's a hantle of ironing to be done, so I'll be in again shortly," she observed. " I'm afraid I am not strong enough to iron yet," said Geraldine doubtfully, " and yet, if I could only get on with the fine things, it would be such a help." " Eh, sirs ! hark till her ! " exclaimed Susan, throwing up her hands and eyes. " Sure ye'U be killing yoursel'. Just ye no fash woman's temptation. 273 yoiirser ; and let the ironing gang its ain gate. 'Twill a' be done gin it's wanting." "I hope so, — but at all events I can take this work off your hands, while you are getting the chops and the other things that are wanted. How thankful I am that we took Mrs Law^ ranee's advice, and always paid ready money for what we had ! " " It's saved us from a peck of troubles, that's certain," said Susan, who had a way of identi- fying herself with her mistress. " This washing in the house, too, saves us a good deal, and I pride myself on the idea," said Geraldine ; " but it increases our work im- mensely." " Think o' the gude white siller it pits into our purse, my Leddy," said Susan. " But I'm ganging out; if a body comes to see your Leddyship, I've bid the lassie bide till I come back." So saying, she left the room, and a" thundering rap at the door presently proved the utility of the precaution. A rustle was heard on the steep narrow stair-case, and enter Mrs Tumbull, aiTayed in all the splendour of silk and velvet, and exhaling strong perfumes VOL. I. 18 274 woman's temptation. from the laced handkerchief she held in her hand. " My dear Emily ! " said Geraldine, spring- ing up, " out this wretched day ! " " Yes," said Mrs Tumbull, sinking back in the little stiff arm-chair ; "I was out shopping this way, and so thought I would look in for half an hour's chat." " You will have a cup of tea, I am sure," said Geraldine. " No, I thank you. Susan is out, I suppose, as an untidy slip-shod girl opened the door, and you would have to get it yourself. And I prefer talk to tea." This well-bred speech, which Avas delivered with a cool air of superiority, entirely failed to disconcert Geraldine. With a good-humoured laugh she replied, " You would not have long to wait, for the caddy is here, and I could have brought up the kettle and tea-things in a moment. But if you prefer talk, I have nothing more to say." " Who is the girl ? " continued Mrs Trnn- bull, in the same tone as before. " Have you taken her as a ' little foot page ? ' " woman's temptation. 275 " Not at all ; she comes for two days once a fortnight to help in the washing. She has been retained this afternoon later than usual, for the express purpose of opening the door." " Really, Geraldine/' said Mrs TurnbuU, in a tone of compassionate remonstrance, " I can't think why you live in this way. You might be in the back- woods of America, with your one servant to do the dirty work, and yourself to do all the rest. Furnished lodg- ings, with the people of the house to do for you would be vastly more genteel." " Do for us they certainly would, I suspect," said Geraldine, smiling ; " my dear Emily, con- sider the expense. St Leonards taught me something about that. We must lay by in case of a family, of which this is a promising instalment," laying her hand on the cradle, " and how we are to do it in any other way, on our income, I really don't see. It is hard enough as it is, but, thank Heaven ! we have as yet kept out of debt, and laid by." " You are a most admirable poor man's wife," said Emily, in a much softer tone. " Brought up so differently as you were too ! " 276 woman's temptation. " A rich man's daughter makes a poor man's Avife, you know," said Geraldine lightly. " I see Susan coming round the corner. Won't you be persuaded to have a cup of tea nowi^ " No thank you ! " said Emily, with affected horror, " your dragon would never forgive me. I can't think why you don't have a neat cheer- ful-looking maid servant, instead of that grim old woman." " Who would flirt with the baker's boy, and continually step out to buy a ribbon, instead of working hard all day, and putting her hand to everything, as Susan does. Engaging her was the greatest kindness Mrs Lawrance ever did us, and I can never be grateful enough for it. Without her, all my efforts would not keep us clear. " *' Not if your health continues to mend as slowly as it does now," said Emily, with again the softening of voice and manner. " I have brought you a fine pheasant, which came in a basket of game sent to Robert, by Lord Eitz- germaine, whose father is one of his clients or customers, or whatever you call it. There, woman's temptation. 277 don't thank, and don't refuse ; if you do, I shall give it to WilUam, who was always re- markable for taking whatever he could get. I wish I could do more for you, — but you have plenty of wine, I know. Will you come out for a drive with me ? I am afraid it is hope- less, you are always so busy, but I will go where you like, and do what you like." 'Tor mere amusement it would be hope- less," said Geraldine ; " I can't afford to spend my time in that way. But I think I shall be glad to accept your offer a day or two hence, as I may have business ; — that is, if you really don't mind going where 1 like." "Not the least, — I am too happy to do anything for you," said Emily, who was really anxious to do her best for her sister-in-law, despite the licence she allowed her tongue. " Any day you please to send me a line, the carriage shall be at your service." " That would be too bad," said Geraldine, ** you might want it that very day. If next Thm'sday will suit you, I will find or make time; could you come for me at three ? " " That will suit me very well. I must go 278 woman's temptation. now, for I promised to look in on my mother this afternoon." " If you are really going, good-bye," said Geraldine. " Give my love to Mrs Lawrance, and don't forget Thursday at three o'clock." And Mrs TurnbuU departed, and entering her neat brougham, congratulated herself, as she sank back among the cushions, that she was not now poor, like her sister-in-law. We may as well explain here what was the business which decided Geraldine to make the sacrifice of spending an afternoon from home. During the last few months she had occupied herself a great deal in writing. She wrote stories, sketches, essays, verses ; anything, in short, which occurred to her. The time she was forced to spend in needle-work gave her many opportunities for composition ; and once thoroughly arranged in her mind, she was not long in writing down her thoughts in her few leisure moments. She had a good stock of these papers ready, and the idea had struck her that she might gain a little money by selling them to magazines and other periodicals. Therefore she determined to drive to several of woman's temptation. 279 the principal offices, and offer specimens of her productions, for, Httle as she knew of the world, she thought that the sight of Mr TurnbuU's well-appointed brougham would do much to help her in disposing of her writings. How far she was right in this conjectm'e we shall presently see. She sat working steadily for some time, with an expression of pleasant, rather than of anxious, thought, which lightened her brow, and gave her wonderful beauty of expression, instead of the smoother graces of her girlhood. But a man's step was heard on the stair-case, she raised her head, and oh, the haggard look of weariness and misery that crossed her worn face ! Her husband entered the room, with ill- humour depicted in every line of his features, and in the very creaking of his boots, as he came in, with a heavy, noisy tread. " What a wretched fire, Geraldine ! " hq began, " and tea not ready yet. Nothing ever is ready here 1 What time do you profess to have it, pray ? " " You know it will not be ready for a quar- ter of an hour, and I can t have Susan hm-ried ; 280 woman's temptation. she has only just come in," said Geraldine, coolly and decidedly, as she knelt down before the fire, and endeavoured to coax it into burn- ing brightly. " It's of no use — you may just as well leave it alone ; you're only making the room smoke," was her husband's surly comment. Geraldine continued her employment with- out taking the slightest notice of him. " What have you been doing this after- noon ? " she presently inquired, in a tone that was very quiet, but yet gave Mr Lawrance the impression that he had better not provoke her too far. " Going all about the parish, and I do think it's without exception the very worst parish in London." " Rather exaggerated, though it is bad, no doubt," observed Geraldine. '' But you must be wet through; had you not better change your boots ? " " Thinking of your carpet," said Mr Law- rance, with a sneer. " Very true, I am thinking of my carpet," was the cold rejoinder. " So change at once. woman's temptation. 281 and perhaps tea will be ready by the time you come back." Tea was ready by the tmie he came back, the fire was blazing brightly, the kettle singing on the hob, and altogether the Httle room looked cosy and cheery enough to put any one in good humour. Any one but Mr Lawrance, that is, for he was obstinately insensible to these moUifying influences, and remained moodily silent. " Who has been here to-day ? " he at length inquired abruptly. " No one but Emily. Who else should? " " Your cousin — Gertrude — what do you call her ? She's not been near you, I sup- " Lady Kincardine was here yesterday," re- plied Geraldine, coldly, though without any apparent annoyance. " I don't expect her to come every day." " She has never asked you to her house, has she ? " " Because she knows that I- shall come whenever I please." ' " Well, to my mind, it's not paying you 282 woman's temptation. proper attention not to ask you to dinner," said Mr Lawrance, mounting his high horse* " I begged her on no account to do so/' said Geraldine, " as I could not come." " Not come ! and why, pray ? " " You know we can't afford cabs." "And your fine relations won't send their carriages for you, as Emily TurnbuU does." " I can't understand," said Geraldine, " why you have this wish to visit the Kincar dines. I have declined their offer to send their carriage for us." " And pray, Lady Geraldine, may I ask why you did so ? I beg you to consult me in fu- ture, before declining invitations which relate to me as well as to yourself." " Invitations from my relations concern me alone ; and as the expense of suitable dresses would be far more than I can afford, I have told them that we do not go out in the even- ing." " I might have liked to have gone. I pre* sume the invitation was not for you alone." Por the first time Geraldine raised her eyes, and bursting into a laughing, answered^ woman's temptation. 28^ " If you had gone once by yourself, you would never have had the chance again. But," she continued, resuming her gravity of manner, " as you choose to take this matter seriously, I will be serious too ; and, once for all, I wish you to understand that I shall certainly not consult you about any invitations from my own relations. About visiting your people, I am always ready to do what you wish; about any other invita- tions I shall do as I think proper; and you know I mean what I say. Now let us say no more on the subject." As usual she overawed him with her calm superiority, and instead of flying into a violent passion, as he would have done with any one else, he was glad enough to take refuge in silence and chops, and to be tolerably civil to her during the rest of the evening. 284 woman's temptation. CHAPTER XX. A brother is born for adversity. Thursday found Geraldine in a state of great anxiety and excitement about the suc- cess of her enterprise. She had toiled harder than usual all the week before, and had got her work so far advanced, that she could spare a couple of houi's without much in- convenience. When the afternoon came, she carefully sorted out the best of several dif- ferent kinds of compositions, and then dressed herself more gaily than she had done for many months previously. Emily Turnbull woman's temptation. 285 was surprised at her elegant attire, and thought she must be going to visit some of her grand friends. Her astonishment was great, when Geraldine begged to be driven to the office of a well-known periodical in the Strand. "For pity's sake, what are you going to do there ? " she cried. Geraldine laughed rather shyly, and replied, "It's only fair to tell you where I mean to go, and why. But you must promise to keep my secret from every one, even from Mr TurnbuU." " Well, to be sure ! " cried Emily, when her sister-in-law had explained her plan, " and so you are an authoress ! You are really indefatigable, and I hope you will succeed with all my heart. Do let me have a peep at those papers." " No ! no ! " said Geraldine ; " here we are at the place. Suppose I send in my card, and ask if Mr • can see me; I think it may make an impression." The answer was favourable, and Gerald- ine went in. Apparently her card had its 286 woman's temptation. effect, and she herself had a still greater one, for she purposely assumed a grand air, and spoke as if money was the last thing she considered. Whatever may have been the cause, a copy of verses — which it is fair to say had really great merit — was accepted, and a small sum given for them on the spot. Elated with her success, Geraldine returned to the carriage, and directed the servant to drive to another office, where she hoped to dispose of a somewhat lengthy story. Here she was entirely unsuccessful with the story, but sold an " Essay on Languages ; " and at another place got rid of a sketch in the style of "Our Village." The story was the most difficult of all the pieces she had brought to dispose off, but she was not to be discouraged, and as Mrs Turnbidl's in- terest and patience were inexhaustible, they went from place to place, and finally parted with it late in the day for five pounds, on condition that her name should be published with it, a concession which was most unmll- ingly extorted. Altogether her afternoon's work brought her in ten pounds; no con- WOMAN S TEMPTATION. 287 temptible addition to her house-keeping and pocket money. " How shall you spend it, Geraldine ? " said Mrs Turnbull ; " I hope some of it will go in buying a new winter dress." " Only in retrimming the old one, which will do perfectly well when taken in and altered." " But it is so old-fashioned ! " *' I can alter it enough to prevent its being conspicuous, and that is enough for me ; I can't pretend to lead the fashion, — merely to follow humbly in its wake." " Then how shall you spend your money ? " " I hope to lay by part, and part will go in new pocket-handkerchiefs for Wilham. Then I must see about getting a work-table for the sitting-room, that I may keep all my things to myself, and leave the middle table clear for him. I think I know where to get one second-hand, whenever I have time to look after it." "Don't do that," said Emily, "for I can give you one. I have far too many in my drawing-room, and the one I am thinking of 288 woman's temptation. will be exactly the thing for you, as it has a chefFoneer drawer, where you can lock up all your affairs. But if I do so, you must pro- mise me to spend the money I shall save you in buying something for yourself." " If that is all, I accept your offer with thanks, and will get myself a new winter bon- net, which I really want, and a hood for baby, which she wants just as much." " By the by," said Emily abruptly, " I have always forgotten to tell you that I saw in the ' Times ' last week the names of Lord and Lady Lindon, as passengers in one of the West Indian packets. I know your bro- ther went to America, but is he married? " " Not that I know of," returned Geraldine. " But," she added flushing painfully, " it might be. I have no news of my family now." " He may have married a West Indian heiress," said Emily, a little nervously. " Possibly. It would be the best thing he could do," retm-ned Geraldine, forcing a faint smile. Emily said no more, feeling it to be a shy woman's temptation. 289 subject, and Geraldine, in 'spite of two or three attempts, found it impossible to continue the conversation, or to begin a fresh subject. So many thoughts were passing through her mind ! It might be — it probably was her bro- ther bringing home, as Emily had suggested, a West Indian bride. Of com^se he knew of her marriage already ; but would he seek her, and if he did, would he be able to find her? Not a creature at home knew her direction; going to see him was out of the question, and yet she so longed for a sight of his face 1 How would he meet her ? With his old affec- tion, or would he overwhelm her with re- proaches? Heaven knew she had suffered enough for her fault ; was this bitterness to be added to her punishment ? And his wife — what was she like? Rich, of course, and handsome, she supposed, remembering his old taste for beauty ; but would she be a jealous exacting woman, who would force him to give up his sister, even if he himself were inclined to love her as of yore ? One only comfort she had; Gertrude was happily married, so, whether he returned married or single, there was no VOL. I. 19 290 woman's temptation. fear of her peace of mind being disturbed by him. The carriage stopped at her door, while she was thinking in this strain, and, thanking Mrs TurnbuU mechanically, she gathered up her remaining papers, and entered the house. u There's a gentleman in the drawing-room, my Leddy, who came an hour ago, and said he'd bide till yere Leddyship came hame," said Susan. Geraldine turned deadly pale. " It is he ! " she said to herself, and her heart beat so violently that it Avas with difficulty she could walk up-stairs. But when she opened the door, and saw her brother, and heard his affectionate greet- ing, she sprang forward, and throwing herself into his arms, burst into tears, exclaiming in- coherently, " Oh, Lindon, are you back at last ? Oh, if you had been here then ! " Lord Lindon was extremely distressed. In general he hated a scene, but this was too real and genuine to excite any feeling but com- passion. He tried to soothe her with the tenderest words, the fondest caresses he could woman's temptation. 291 think of; he was so far successful that she dried her eyes, and was soon able to speak with tolerable composure. He thought it better to broach the subject of her marriage at once, and do away with all reserve between them. He learnt enough to know that Ge- raldine had not been the only person to blame, and that, if he had been at home, matters would have gone very differently. He saw that his sister was profoundly miserable, but was struggling bravely with her misery, external and internal; and honouring her stedfast resolution and uncompromising performance of duty, would do nothing to discourage her in her difficult task. He even suppressed much of his bitterness against Mr Lawrance, and promised to do his best to obtain prefer- ment for him, that they might be relieved from the pressm-e of extreme poverty; and finally he gave her his address, and begged her to come and visit his wife, who, he affirm- ed, would be delighted to see her. Geraldine appreciated the kind thought that prompted him to ask her to his house, wdiere she might meet her sister-in-law, with- 292 woman's temptation. out the embarrassment of her husband's pre- sence, which his quick discrimination told him would be as intolerable to her as to him. " And who is she, and what is she like ? " she asked. " For I only heard to-day that you were married at all." Lord Lin don looked pained. " And yet I wrote to you several times," he said, "and begged my mother to forward the letters." " It is needless to say I never got them," said Geraldine, speaking very quickly, "but indeed it was not her fault. She did not know either my direction or my mother-in- law's." " She could easily have discovered the first," said Lord Lindon, " for I had no difficulty when I wanted to find you out. My wine-merchant told me yom* brother-in- law's direction, and I Avent there this after- noon, and got yours." " You have not answered my question about my sister-in-law," said Geraldine, abruptly. " In the first place," returned Lord Lindon, "I am her second husband, and she is ex- actly nineteen. Her maiden name was Leonie woman's temptation. 293 Marie Alphonsiare de Medina, and she was the daughter of an offshoot of the Medi- nia-Sidonia family, who had settled at Cuba, and made his fortune there. Being parti- cularly handsome and accomplished, an old Spanish or Creole Don fell in love with her when she was fifteen, and married her, whereby she became the Sehorita Leonie della Santa Croce de Losada. Of course I needn't tell you that she had no choice in the matter — she had scarcely seen any one else, and had a great idea of doing as her father told her. I imagine she soon found that to be a mistake, for the Don was a gentleman of far from irreproachable morals or manners, and she was miserable with him. Fortunately for her he died two years after her marriage ; and she, being left a young and rich widow, was immedi- ately surrounded by suitors ; and — well — to cut my story short, I saw her and mar- ried her." "A very sufficient compensation for two years' unhappiness," put in Geraldine, with a smile. 294 woman's temptatiox. " That is her history," continued Lord Lindon; "as to her extraction, it is motley enough to justify the result. You know my old prejudice in favour of crosses, and my wife is an example that I practise what I preach. Her father, as I told you, was a Spaniard of good family, her mother was a Frenchwoman, and died soon after Leonie's birth. Her maternal grandmother was an Englishwoman; distantly connected with her first husband's family ; her paternal ditto was a German, and as far back as you can trace her family, there has always been the same curious mixture of races." "And you say the result is satisfactory," said Geraldine. " Tell me what she is like." " You must see her for yourself, but she is dark, very beautiful, very clever, and what you would call intellectual, and just what a woman ought to be. She is a capital musician— you must hear her sing, you will be charmed — an excellent linguist, dances beauti- fully, and rides not quite so well as you, but still very well indeed. There I I have ex- woman's temptation. 295 hausted my adjectives, and can only say, come and see." " My poor Lin don ! " said Geraldine, laugh- ing, " how very far gone you are ! It is easy to see you are only just married. I suppose you don't see any faults ; but as she must have some, I am curious to know what they are. Of course you couldn't tell me if you would ? " ' " Or wouldn't if I could. I know very well what her faults are, but you shall dis- cover them for yourself. I won't disclose anything to her prejudice." " Very right," said Geraldine, " and I would rather see her with my mind un- biassed. So you may expect me as soon as I have re-trimmed my winter cloak, and made my winter gown fit to wear. It is too cold to go out without them, but you may be sure I shall work hard." Lord Lin don's face grew grave as she talked of working for herself, and taking up her thin hand, he said, " I am sure you work too hard, Mina." '296 woman's temptation. , " Not at all ; and not at all more than is absolutely necessary," she said. " But you have not admired my baby. You must learn to be a connoisseur in babies. My Lrother-in-law, Mr Turnbull, was her godfather, but I have called her Frederica, after you." " I would have been its godfather if I liad been in England," said Lord Lindon, '' so you must let me give my namesake a godfather's present, and spend it in any way •you think best." And so saying, he drew out a fifty-pound note, and placed it between the baby's little hands. " 1 will not refuse it," said Geraldine, ** for we are in real want of many things which it will buy, and if taking money from you is not an absolute pleasure, it is at least very like one." *' Refuse it ! of course not," said Lord Lindon, " I shall be seriously offended if you think of any such thing. But I must be off; you remember our direction, so come as soon as you can, and come to luncheon, for then Leonie will be certain to be in, and you must spend the evening with us." woman's temptation. 297 " I will certainly come to luncheon, but I can promise no more than that. We will see. How do my father and mother like Leonie ? " " Very fairly/' said Lord Lindon, dubi- ously ; "I don't pretend to say that they like her as much as they would have liked an Englishwoman ; say one of the Howards or St Aubyns, for instance. And her man- ners are freer and more independent than is usual in their set. But her beauty would mollify any one, and then her money is a very great recommendation to them, for it is certainly sadly wanted. She has so much tact and perception that I don't doubt she will win their hearts entirely at last." " What did they say — did they say any- thing about me ? " said Geraldine, hesitating very much. "Why, of course they did," replied Lord Lindon gravely, " and of course you can't expect that they spoke otherwise than bit- terly of you, for it is useless to deny that your marriage was the greatest possible dis- appointment to them. My father is the 298 woma.n's temptation. most moderate in expression, but I think he feels it more deeply and less violently than my mother. Still, though everything looks unfavourable now, I think that with patience and perseverance you needn't despair of bringing them round, and you may be sure that I and Leonie will do all in our power to help you." " Did they wish Leonie not to see me ? '^ said Geraldine. Lord Lindon hesitated, and then said, " Hav- ing been candid so far, I may as well tell you the whole truth, and then you will know what you have to go upon. Leonie has had a hard fight about it, for my mother wished her to promise not to visit you, and, I must say, took rather an authoritative and exasperating tone with her about it. I was afraid of a row, for she has not been accustomed to that sort of thing, and generally speaks her mind pretty plainly ; however, she behaved with more discretion than I had dared to hope for, and said that she must decline making such a pro- mise ; that she believed I had no intention of quarrelHng with you, and she should certainly woman's temptation. 299 not advise me to do so. After this no more was said about it, for I think my mother saw from Leonie's manner that it was of very little use to dictate to her." " I half hoped," said Geraldine, " that after Lord Silverton was fairly married, they would not have continued implacable. Have you seen his wife ? " " I saw her yesterday in her carriage. They say he ill-treats her, and she looks very un- happy. I should never have known her for the same girl I used to dance with every night." " I am sure he does, and though I never liked Margaret St Aubyn, I am most heartily sorry for her fate, for really her home was so unhappy, it was a mere choice of evils." Geraldine did not add, " I am glad I am not in her place;" for indeed she was even now thinking whether, if she had married Lord Silverton, her lot would not have been happier than at present. He ill-treated his wife, but so would Mr Lawrance if she allowed him, and surely the same power that she had over the one, she might have obtained over the other. She had already lost her faith in love. 300 woman's temptation. and had come to think of marriage either as an affair of mutual convenience, and there- fore agreement, or a mere question of who should prove strongest. Not often, however, did she suffer her mind to dwell on the sub- ject, dimly conscious that she thought nothing that was right, and yet unable to see where she was wrong. *' And must you go now ? " she said, as her brother took up his hat. " Well, it will not be long before you see me ; I am so rich that I will afford the luxury of a workwoman to help me with my things ; therefore I shall pro- bably come the day after to-morrow." WOMAN S TEMPTATION. 301 CHAPTER XXI. She was a phantom of delight When fii'st she gleam'd upon my sight ; A lovely apparition sent To be a moment's ornament. Her eyes as stars of twilight fair, Like twilight, too, her dusky hair, But all things else about her drawn Prom May-time, and the cheerful dawn. ***** And now I see with eyes serene The very pulse of the machine, A being breathing thoughtful breath, A traveller between life and death ; The reason firm, the temperate will. Endurance, foresight, strength, and skill ; A perfect woman, nobly planned, To warn, to comfort, to command ; And yet a spirit still, and bright With something of an angel light. Accordingly, on the day mentioned, Gerald- ine, in great trepidation, set out for her brother's 802 woman's temptation. house. It was a dry, biting cold day, but she was warmly dressed, and rather enjoyed the fresh air than otherwise. Lord Lindon had taken a good house in a fashionable part of London, and when Geraldine entered it, even she was astonished at the prodigality and luxury of everything about it. Several packing-cases stood in the hall, opened and unopened, as if furniture and other things Avere continually arriving. There was no one in the drawing- room when she was shown in, and she had time to look round, and feast her eyes, long unused to such sights, on the rare and ex- pensive works of art and virtu scattered around. The room was in the greatest dis- order and confusion, though here and there were attempts at arrangement; but every separate article, from the furniture upwards, showed a taste of the highest and most refined order. Geraldine herself had little technical knowledge of such matters, her mother's liking for them being principally assumed, as neces- sary to her position in society. The picture, statue, or piece of porcelain once bought, Lady Bournemouth cared not to talk about it, scarce- woman's temptation. 303 ly look at it again, and would have been entirely unable to answer the flood of questions her daughter would have willingly poured forth con- cerning the difi'erent objects of art with which Lord Bournemouth's house abounded. But Geraldine had a genuine and natural craving for the beautiful, and an inborn refinement of taste, that supplied, in a great measure, the place of education. It was with real dehght that she now wandered about the large drawing-room, almost forgetting the new sister-in-law she was so anxious to see, in pleasure at the beautiful sculptures, paintings, cameos, china, etc., which lay all around her. She was arrested by the sound of a door opening, and turning round, saw advancing with outstretched hands, simply the most beautiful woman she had ever beheld. Leonie Lindon was tall, and on a somewhat large scale. She was very dark, and very lovely ; perfect features, and perfect colouring, with the head of a queen, and a proud, pure face, that seemed the perfect mirror of her etedfast heart. In this woman, who stood there, a very empress of women, and incama- 304 woman's temptation. tion of all noble womanly virtues, there seem- ed to be assembled all beauties and graces of body and soul, that could delight the eye and satisfy the mind. Paults she might have, but of the larger and nobler sort; no petty jealousy or envy, no trifling vanity or mean- ness, ever sullied her true, generous spirit. There was about her a proud, free conscious- ness that she w^as beautiful and admirable, that was even admirable in itself, and as far removed from vanity as the sunhght is from moonlight. Her face was pale, resolute, high- bred ; the broad powerful brow indicating intel- lect as much as the short curling lip hinted that she might be roused to wrath too suddenly. Her eyes, which looked out, grave, glorious, and fearless, might perchance, on due occa- sion, sparkle, or even flash, in a way not plea- sant to behold. Her dark masses of hair were drawn off" a pair of small, well-shaped ears, and fastened in a large careless knot behind, thus displaying the beautiful contour of her head and neck. A perfect figure, with but this one fault, her feet and hands, though well shaped, were large, attesting the strain of Saxon blood, woman's temptation. 305 and in that, perhaps, scarcely a blemish. But we have done ; we fear to weary the reader, though we were fain to dwell awhile on this type of perfect womanhood. She advanced to Geraldine Avith outstretch- ed hands, as we have said, with a kind smile, and a kind frank greeting. Her voice was low, and very peculiar, with a musical tone in it, a tone that was reassuring withal, and that spoke straight from the heart to the heart. Geraldine was beautiful ; had been, rather ; she looked wan and faded by the side of this stranger, whose wonderful and peerless loveliness seemed to extinguish all other that was not as infinitely glorious as her own ; and where could you find such ? She was alone in the world ; a paragon of beauty. But we shall appear extravagant ; only, when we write of her, our pen naturally praises, and cannot praise enough ; let it therefore be still, at least in description. The two sisters sat down; Geraldine tried to speak, and to find something common-place and appropriate to say ; but her tongue and her courage failed her; she remained silent. VOL. L 20 306 woman's temptation. She had no small change available at the moment; her companion had plenty of all kinds ; gold, silver, and, even if need should be, of copper. Lady Lin don talked much and well ; glancing at her sister-in-law out of her all-seeing eyes, and taking a mental inventory of her, correct enough as far as it went. After a time they were perfectly at ease with one another ; Geraldine was fascinated by Lady Lindon, and Lady Lindon had seen so much of the world that she could easily adapt her- self to her company. " I wish she would be intimate ! " thought Leonie. " I could be intimate with her at once ; but it would never do ! Quelles sont droles, ces Anglaises ! I am sure you are wondering where yom- brother is,'' she re- marked aloud, for, as Lord Lindon had said, she was an excellent linguist, and spoke Eng- lish well, though sometimes apt, when emphatic or excited, to mix French with it, that language being more her own natural tongue than any other. " He did mean to be here, but Milor — your father, I mean — sent for him about some papers — business — que sais-je ! Enfin, woman's temptation. 307 he is gone, but probably lie will be back soon." While Leonie was apparently entirely occu- pied in talking and Hstening, her thoughts were very busy, and the subject of her thoughts was Geraldine's husband. Lord Lindon had given her all the particulars of the runaway marriage, and she was now considering how far it might be a safe subject to introduce. " You must present your husband to me," she said suddenly, with startling abruptness. Geraldine coloured, hesitated, and then said, " I shall be delighted : he is very much occu- pied, and seldom pays visits ; but here, of course, it is different." The blush and the hesitation were not lost on Leonie, and she said no more about it. Lord Lindon now came in, in high spirits, for he had had a long conversation with his father about Geraldine, and Lord Bournemouth had seemed better disposed for a reconciliation, a result which would be exceedingly agreeable to his son's kind heart. Already pleased, he Avas still more so to find his wife and sister such good friends, and the rest of the day passed 308 WOMAN S TEMPTATION. off pleasantly enough. Leonie was gratified at discovering, at the end of it, that under her husband's auspices she had made more pro- gress towards intimacy with Geraldine than could possibly have been expected in the time. " I like your sister/' she said reflectively, after Geraldine had left. " She is true- hearted, and clever, and beautiful, I think. What made her run away ? Lord and Lady Bournemouth must have been fond of her ; her home must have been happy ? " " Oh, don't talk of it ! " exclaimed Lord Lindon. " They wanted to marry her — to establish her in life, as the cursed phrase is. They would have married her to Silverton, of all idiots in the world, and so — " " And so she ran away. Mr Lawrance is then very charming, very agreeable ? " '' If you could see the man ! " said Lord Lindon, comically shrugging his shoulders. " But who wouldn't be better than Silverton ? " " Eh ! you go too fast," said Lady Lindon, smihng. " Lord Silverton is not very clever, not very amiable perhaps ; but he is rich, he is an Earl ; enfin, it is a good match. And Mr WOMAN S TEMPTATION. 309 Lawrance, he also is not amiable and clever perhaps, also is he poor, and of no birth ; so, to use one of your expressions, ' she gets no change out of it/ " " But she loves him ; and girls think a deal of that." "But she does not," said Lady Lindon, quietly and decidedly. " I spoke to her of him ; she coloured and hesitated, as no woman does who loves her husband." " I'm afraid that's too true," said Lord Lindon unwillingly, as he remembered his sister's manner when he first saw her. " It is a sad case." " And she so young ! " continued Leonie. " She is very poor, is she not ? " " As far as I could see, they are horribly, miserably poor, and you see how ill, and pinched, and starved she looks. You called her beautiful just now, but I tell you, Leonie, that you can't form the sHghtest idea of what she was three years ago, from what she is now. Such a lovely girl she was ! So bright and full of life and spirits ! I never saw any one like her." 310 woman's temptation. "Had she no other admirers, no offers?" inquired Lady Lindon. "They tell me she was the greatest beauty in London." " Admirers by the score, but not offers, I believe. You see Geraldine never liked lovers, and nonsense of that sort, and didn't give the men a chance. She had the reputation of being rather snubby, and that sort of thing, and people thought it was no use to propose." "We were talking of her poverty," said Lady Lindon presently. "I msh something could be done for her ! In these cases it is wonderful how much smoother the wheels run for a little oil." " My dear child, so do I ; for what they'll do when their family increases, goodness only knows. But my father has no living vacant, or likely to be so, and if he had, he wouldn't give it to them." " One can buy livings in England ? " said Leonie interrogatively. " One can ; — are you thinking of buying onei^ " I am ; should you mind it ? " "I don't say I mind your thinking over woman's temptation. 311 the plan," said Lord Lindon, after a few moments' pause, "because, as all my money come from you, 1 should wish to spend it to please you. But it is a thing that requires thinking and talking over, before we settle anything. Your fortune, though large, won't last for ever ; we shall be very little better off when my father dies ; we may have a family of our own to provide for ; and it takes a good bit of money to buy a living worth giving." " All that is very true," said Leonie sighing ; " but we must think it over, and think what we can do for them. It seems such a shame for us to have so much, while your sister has not enough to live on ! " 312 woman's temptation. CHAPTER XXII. "Want is the only woe God gives us power to heal. — MeS ISTOETON. 'Tis a stern and a startling thing to think How often mortality stands on the brink Of its grave without any misgiving : And yet in this slippery world of strife, In the stir of human bustle so rife, There are daily sounds to tell us that Life Is dying, and Death is living. — Hood. Unknown to Leonie and to Geraldine, there was another person who was interesting him- self about the latter's fate, and that was Lord Fitzgermaine, her former acquaintance and woman's temptation. 313 admirer. He had often thought of her since her flight, wondered how she was getting on with that fellow, and what she found to like in him, and generally ended his meditations with, " She was an uncommonly nice girl, and I shouldn't have minded marrying her my- self." He had been going over this old ground in his mind one morning at breakfast, and had arrived at this point, when his father suddenly interrupted him by observing, as he opened his letters, " So old Haughton's dead at last." Lord Fitzgermaine looked up interested. " Dead, is he ? And what did he die of? " " Caught a fever in one of the cottages," said the Duke. " Well, I'm sorry he's gone. He was a fine old fellow, and used to be a rare good companion in our college days. Now comes the business of filling up the living." " You promised to give Mr Lawrance the next vacant one," observed his son. " Lawrance — Lawrance — what, the fellow who ran away with Httle Geraldine Vivian ? I 314 woman's temptation. can't give it to him — what are you thinking of, Ktz?" " Why not ? you promised it." " I promised him a hving ; but who ever expected Dorchester to be the next one vacant?" repHed the Duke. " Why, it's worth a thou- sand a year, and being my best living, and our own place, and all, I meant to keep it in the family. Your cousin Frederick would be thankful for it, and, I dare say, expects it." "Fred is a good fellow," returned Lord Eitzgermaine, " but he would be a horrid bore set down at om^ doors. He is Oxford mad, and would establish Maypoles, and Daily Service, and Heaven knows what all. The thing would be a nuisance." " That's true," said the Duke. " He would do better at Wroughton, and perhaps that may be vacant in a year or two. But as to this Lawrance, — it's out of the question. Just think what a scandal their marriage made ! We shall have a leader in the ' Times ' about us, if I give him the living." " No fear of that," said Lord Fitzgermaine. " The thing has blown over — nobody thinks woman's temptation. 315 of it now. And he saved my life, and a promise is a promise. They are miserably poor, I'm told, and Lindon would take it as a great kindness." " Serves them right," said the Duke. " But if it would oblige Lindon, that's another thing. I wonder, if I gave the living to his brother-in-law, or rather to his sister, whether he would get his father to sell me that piece of land which joins our park. How they come to have it there, away from all the rest, I can't conceive. Old Bournemouth always put me off when I mentioned it, but Lindon can do anything with him, and it would be a great convenience." " I dare say he would," said Lord Pitz- germaine. " He has not quarrelled with Lady Geraldine. Ernest tells me that they are often at one another's houses, and that he is always trying to patch up the business with the old lord. So of course he will be thank- ful to have them put in a better position." " Well, will you sound him, Fitz, and see what he says about it ? If he can get the ground for me, well and good ; the Lawrances 316 woman's temptation. shall have the living. What is the fellow like ? decently presentable ? " " The fellow is a snob ; but so are a good many fellows, and I don't know that he is worse than the common run of parsons. And it will be far pleasanter to have Lady Geraldine about the place than old Mrs Haughton in her poke bonnet." " Mrs Haughton was a good old soul, and took excellent care of the people ; I hope Lady Geraldine may do as much. But you will have your way ; and, as you say, a pro- mise is a promise. Why you ever went in an outrigger when you can't swim, Heaven only knows." With which not unnatural reflection the Duke pushed away his cup, gathered up his papers, and left the room. Lord Pitzgermaine meanwhile began to arrange matters about the living. He saw Lord Lindon, and mentioned his father's pro- posal ; and Lord Lindon, though sufficiently disgusted that the Duke should try to make a bargain of what was Mr Lawrance's right, still thought the offer too good to be neglected. WOMAN S TEMPTATION. 317 He spoke to his father, who proved singularly impracticable on the subject, at first refusing to do anything which would help the Law- rances ; and when his son's representations of Geraldine's extreme want had overcome his reluctance — for he still loved her, as much, ay, perhaps more, than ever — it appeared that it Avas not in his power to sell the land. There was a heavy mortgage on it, which he had no means of paying off, ready money being a commodity peculiarly scarce in the noble house of Vivian, and one not to be had for the ask- ing. This difficulty, however, was soon settled by Leonie, who advanced the sum required, overjoyed at finding a way to benefit her sister-in-law. *' Geraldine, it is all settled ; you are to have the living," she said, as Geraldine entered her drawing-room one morning. It was cold and raw, and raining heavily ; the sort of day that absolutely shrivelled Leonie up, and deprived her of all her wonted energy. She was curled up in an arm-chair by the fire, dressed in a velvet gown, a loose seal-skin jacket, and over all a splendid India 318 woman's temptation. sliawl ; yet she looked pale and pinched, and shrugged her shoulders up to her ears with cold. " Here, come to the fire ; how you can stir out such a wretched day as this, and on foot too — and in such a thin gown and cloak." Geraldine's only answer was to throw her- self into a chair, and burst into tears. " Hey day ! " cried Lady Lindon. " What's the matter now? I thought you would be pleased, and behold ! I see a very Niobe before me. " Pleased, Leonie !" said Geraldine through her sobs, " I am more ; I am thankful — grate- ful, oh, more than I can say ! If you knew what this is to me ! If you knew the wearing, crushing load of anxiety it takes off ; the canker that has been eating my very heart out T " My poor little sister," said Lady Lindon gently, " how you have suffered ! But come, I expect Lindon ; don't let him find us so doleful ; remember it is over now, Geraldine . never to return, I trust." " I don't know — I don't believe that I shall ever be happy and at rest again. This misery woman's temptation. 319 gone, another will come. There is no peace for me." " None, if you think so. This is both foolish and wrong, Geraldine. Wliere is the courage I used to admire so much ?" Geraldine endeavoured to rouse herself. Again and again she expressed her gratitude, tried to shake off her depression, and look on the bright side of her brightening prospects, but it was in vain ; all kinds of gloomy forebod- ings had taken possession of her, and insensibly communicated themselves to Leonie, who needed nothing to make her spirits lower than they were already inclined to be. " You are insupportable 1" cried she at length, half vexed. " I looked to visitors to make me cheerful this morning, and the first who comes is more doleful than myself. Come, talk of something gayer — your new house, if you like. And first, one word more on that subject. I hear the furniture is bad and scanty ; you must let me help you to buy some more." And she placed a bank bill for the amount of five hundred pounds in her sister's hands. 320 woman's temptation. Geraldine's eyes glistened. "Leonie, this is too much ; I can't accept so much." " Nonsense, you can, and you must. It is your duty to your husband and to me. Really, Geraldine, you don't know how thankful I am when I see a little money going the right road. I am ashamed of myself when I look round, and see so much lavished on luxuries and toys, and know how it is needed elsewhere. Even my o^vn dress costs far more than it ought to do." " And talking of that," said Geraldine, who did not like to hear the conversation take this turn, " why do you wear that velvet gown and seal-skin jacket ? They don't look well together." ''MafoiV said Leonie, "I am cold, ma cMre. Cela ne va pas mal!' " Yes, it does ; you don't look well in them. And where are your ear-rings ? You have none on." " Vanity of vanities !" said Leonie, laughing; " when I am in the right way for economy and simplicity, you come and tempt me to extravagance and finery. Allom — if it pleases woman's temptation. 321 you, I will wear a silk dress and ear-rings ; but always have such a smile on your face as you have now, and I shall never be cold again, I think. By the by, Lindon told me that your mother has been ill lately ; have you heard anything about it ?" "I? No ; how should I ?" said Geraldine. "I thought he might have said something to you about it ; you saw him this morning ?" " I did, but only for ten minutes. Surely, if there had been anything seriously wrong, he would have mentioned it ? Mamma was always well, though not strong." " I should think he would ; we should have heard of it somehow." There was something very seriously wrong however; Lady Bournemouth was dying. She had taken a severe cold, had insisted, while it was at its height, on going to a ball given by one of her fashionable friends ; inflammation of the lungs had set in, and now her hours on earth were numbered. The most celebrated physicians of the day had been called in, but they could only say, as they stood round the bed in the darkened room, that their skill was VOL. I. 21 322 woman's temptation. in vain, Lady Bournemouth had not twenty- four hours to live. She knew her danger ; if the doctors had not thought it right to tell her, her husband's silent misery, as he sat beside her, would havei indicated with sufficient clear- ness the real state of the case. It was an awful, almost a ghastly death-bed. She had no hope for the future ; death at the least and mildest was the abandonment of all that she loved, all that she valued, and her abject terror, her attempts to hide the truth from herself, were fearful things to see. But whatever she might say, she could not but feel that her end was approaching, and showed it by her restless eagerness to gather all her kindred around her ; as though she would fain cheat death of his prey, by surrounding it with a rampart of loving hearts that he could not scale. Abeady Lord and Lady Lindon, and Sir William Ellison, were there beside the sorrowing hus- band, but even then she did not seem satisfied ; one dear face was missing, one space was vacant. "Geraldine!" she murmured, in faltering accents. woman's temptation. 323 Lord Lindon left the room. He took a cab and drove to the Lawrances ; the house was shut up, Geraldme in bed and asleep. After some delay the door was opened ; he ran straight up -stairs to her room, awoke her, ex- plained the case as calmly and clearly as he could. Great and astonishing as the shock was, she did not seem confused ; she was dressed and ready in ten minutes, and even when, with her hand in her brother's, she crossed again the threshold she had left in such an ill-fated moment, her step did not falter, and her eye was bright and steady. As she entered her father looked up, and visibly started, almost shuddered; for the pinched and faded features of his dying wife did not bear a fainter resemblance to herself strong and well, than did those of Geraldine Lawrance to those of Geraldine Vivian. She approached the bed, but for some moments Lady Bourne- mouth did not seem conscious of her presence. Time was flying fast ; life was rapidly ebbing. At a look from Sir WilHam, Lord Lindon moved forwards. " Mother," he said, " Geraldine is here." 324 woman's temptation. " Geraldine — wliere is she ? That is not she/' said Lady Bournemouth, as her son shghtly indicated his sister. ''That is not she/' she continued quickly, and as if her mind wandered. " Geraldine — my Geraldine — was bright and rosy and young ; she is old and pale and careworn. Ah, no — that is not the Geraldine I lost." For the first time Geraldine's calmness for- sook her. With a wild strangled ciy she sprang forward, and fell on her knees by the bed. " Oh, mother, it is indeed the Geraldine you lost 1 Speak to me, and say you forgive me." A smile crossed the dying woman's face. " Ah, I see — I see ; it is indeed my Geraldine. Child, I have nothing to forgive you. I should ask your pardon; I drove you to it. I am glad you did not marry him. Are you happy now, my dearest ?" Lord Bournemouth had been intently watch- ing the two, and as she said this, an expression of lively pain crossed his features, for in his daughter's face he could easily read the truth. He made a quick eager movement, as though WOMAN S TEMPTATION. 325 he would speak and save her the embarrass- ment of answering, which attracted his wife's attention. " Frederick," she said, — " don't move," she continued, with the habitual thoughtfulness of twenty-three years, as he tried to rise from his chair, " I can speak loud enough. Frederick, when I am gone — for I suppose I am going — I shall leave you Geraldine to take care of you. Yes — I have robbed you of her for long, I would not let you forgive her ; but now I restore her to you. Take her, she is my last gift." Lady Bournemouth stopped, exhausted. There was silence for some minutes, then she signed to Leonie to approach. " Nearer," she said; "put your head down, my voice is going." Leonie knelt down, and put her ear to her mother-in-law's mouth. " Lindon is kind and true," she whispered, " but he is indolent. You will see that he takes care of his father and sister ; above all, that they are not separated again ? You will not let him neglect them, you will care for them ?" 326 woman's temptation. " I will. I promise it/' said Leonie. " I thank you, my daughter, for you are in- deed my daughter. You came to be a comfort and a blessing to them, Leonie." These were the last words she spoke. Se- veral hours she lingered after this, but speech- less and senseless, her gasping breath alone showing that life remained. Gradually it be- came fainter and fainter ; and before the cold grey dawn broke, Lady Bournemouth's spirit had passed away. Geraldine returned to her house ; oh, how she longed to stay amongst her own people, had not duty imperatively recalled her to her husband ! Sir William EUison also left ; no one remained but Lord and Lady Lindon, who sat together in the adjoining room conversing in low tones. Leonie still wore the evening gown she had on when suddenly summoned from a dinner party the night before ; she was wrapped in a large shawl, and shivering ex- tremely. Her face looked sallow, contrasted with the bright pink of her pretty gay dress, and her whole air was worn and wearied. woman's temptation. 327 " You are tired, Leonie/' said her husband, "you had better go to bed." " I could not sleep," she replied ; " see, the sun is already rising, but I will lie down pre- sently. I am only tired in body — my spirit is glad." "Is it ? Then mine is not. Leonie, it disturbs me; my mother was not what you call a religious woman." " Ah, hush, Lindon," said Leonie. " I dare not think of it. God is good — but He is also just, and I fear — fear more than I dare hope. My spirit is glad that she forgave your sister ; at least she died with words of love, and not hate, on her lips. It is the one small piece of comfort." Lord Lindon was silent, deeply reflective apparently ; then he said, " This will make a change for us." " How so ? " inquired his wife. " I suppose we shall live with my father." " I suppose so." " Then you don't mind it ? I was afraid you would; I was afraid you might find it too great a tie." 328 woman's temptation. " Mais, mon ami" said Leonie, " if he wishes it, it is our duty. We are not here in the world to think of what best pleases ourselves. There is work for us to do." " And little enough I, for one, have done of it. But you — you are always sacrificing your- self." " And if I were, better so than living to please myself. Even during the worst part of my life — my first marriage — there was a satis- faction in the thought that I had done it to please my father, not myself." " Leonie, it is so strange to hear you, not yet twenty, talk of having had a husband be- fore me." " Ah, oui, I have lived much, if not long," she said. " But it was better for me ; it suit- ed me. I should have died of the hfe your English misses lead. I cannot satisfy my soul and mind with visiting poor people, and look- ing after a garden. I must do and see, as well as think. Probably I should have left my home, become actress, singer, — que sais-je ? " " Truly you would have been rather a wild bird in the nest." WOMAN S TEMPTATION. 329 " Your English women," she continued, " become stupid, fade ; they live in the coun- try, and talk and think country gossip. If married, to that they add baby and governess gossip. If they are clever, if they have a think- ing brain and an active spirit, ah, how often, finding no field open, does it not turn upon itself, feeding on itself. Then they become invahds. From being ' malades imaginaires^^ they become malades in earnest ; that is often the end of your country-house existence. But they tell me it is good and necessary, this sys- tem of living, each proprietor on his own land ; it is one of the strong points of England. I beheve it — but the women suffer cruelly." As was often the case, Leonie was solilo- quizing; Lord Lindon could neither under- stand not sympathize with her; therefore he waited in silence till she had finished, and then resumed his say. " You will be dull, Leonie ; it is not the life you are accustomed to lead." " Ah, tais-toi, mon clier Lindon,'' said she. " I repeat, it is our duty. I am not a child, who always wants new toys ; if I thought it 330 Woman's temptation. was right, I could live anywhere, or do any- thing. How does Geraldine resign herself to live so differently from what she used? If she is strong, so am I. J^ai de la force, moi aussV "I know my father will wish it," said Lord Lindon, thoughtfully ; " and, as you say, it is our duty. Por myself, I shall like it ; it is only for you I could wish it different." " Put me out of your head, I shall do very well," said Leonie. " But I am tired, very tired ; I will lie down on a sofa. The house- keeper has prepared a room. But first — I will look in here again." She moved towards the room where the corpse lay. Lord Lindon got up, took her hand, and went in with her. The body was already laid out, the eyes were closed, the hair bound up. She looked calm, young, beautiful. " It is extraordinary," said Lord Lindon in a low whisper, " that she should be taken and my father left. She was twenty years younger than he ; she was only forty-five. And he so broken and infirm ! " woman's temptation. 331 " She looks like a girl again/' said Leonie ; " she looks younger than Geraldine, and so like ! The Lord have mercy on her ! Ah, mother, you were good to me." She stooped down, kissed the cold dead hand, then slowly left the room. END OF VOL, I. JOHN CHILDS AND SON, PEINTEES.