I could not afford it, if I wished it, was the answer, while Punch was handed over to him, and Lord Northmoor applied himself to a long blue letter.
Landlubber! sighed Herbert to himself, with true marine contempt for a man who had sat on an office-stool all his life. He doesnt look a bit more of a swell than he used to. It is well theres some one with some pluck in the family.
CHAPTER IX
THE HEIR-PRESUMPTUOUS
Herbert began to be impressed when, on the train arriving at a little country station, a servant in mourning, with finger to his hat, inquired after his Lordships luggage, and another was seen presiding over a coroneted brougham.
I say, he breathed forth, when they were shut in, is this yours?
It is Miss Mortons, I believe, at present. I am to arrange whether to keep it or not.
They were driving over an open heath in its summer carpet-like state of purple heather, dwarf gorse, and bracken. Lord Northmoor looked out, with thoughtfulness in his face. By and by there was a gate, a lodge, a curtseying woman, and as they passed it, he said, Now, this is Northmoor.
Yours, uncle?
Yes.
My! was all Herbert could utter. It semed to his town-bred eyes a huge space before they reached, through some rather scanty plantations, another lodge, and a park, not very extensive, but with a few fine trees, and they thundered up beneath the pillars to what was, to his idea, a palacewith servants standing about in a great hall.
His uncle would have turned one way, but a servant said, Miss Morton is in the morning-room, my Lord, and ushered them into a room where a lady in black came forward.
You did not expect to find me here still, she said cordially; but Adela is gone to her brothers, and I thought I had better stay for the division ofof the things.
Oh, certainlyI amglad, he stammered, with a blush as one not quite sure of the correctness of the proceeding. I wouldnt have intruded
Bosh! Im the intruder. Letitia Bury is gonealasbut, said she, laughing, Hailes is herestaying, she added to relieve him and to lessen the confusion that amused her, and I see you have a companion. Your nephew?
Yes, Herbert, my late brothers son. I would not have brought him if I had known.
A cousin, she said, smiling, and shaking hands with him. Boys are my delight. This is quite a new experience.
Herbert looked up surprised, not much liking to become an experience. He had had less intercourse with ladies than many boys of humbler pretensions, for his mother had always scouted the idea of sending her children to a Sunday-school, and she was neither like his mothers friends nor his preconceived notions. There! for want of an introduction, I must introduce myself. Your cousin Bertha, or Birdie, whichever you like best.
Frank was by no means prepared to say even Bertha, and was in agonies lest Herbert should presume on the liberty given him; but if the boy had been in the palace of Truth, he would have said, You old girl, you are awfully old to call yourself Birdie! For Birdie had been a pet name of Rose Rollstone; and Bertha Morton, though slim and curly-headed, had a worn look about her eyes, and a countenance such as to show her five-and-thirty years, and to the eyes of fourteen was almost antediluvian; indeed, older observers might detect a worn, haggard, strained look. He was somewhat disgusted, too, at the thin rolls of bread-and-butter on the low table, whence she proceeded to hand teacups, as he thought of the substantial meals at home. When they had been conducted to their rooms, and his uncle followed to his, he broke out with his perpetual, I say, uncle, is this all the grub great swells have? Im awfully peckish!
Thats early tea, my boy, was the answer, with a smile. Theres dinner to come, and I hope you will behave yourself well, and not use such expressions.
Dinner! thats not such a bad hearing, but I suppose one must eat it like a judge?
Certainly; I am afraid I am not a very good model, but dont you do anything you dont see me do. And, Herbert, dont take wine every time the servants offer it.
At which Herbert made a face.
Have you got any evening shoes? No! If I had only known that the lady was here! It cant be helped to-day, only wash your face and hands well; theres some hot water.
Why, they aint dirty, said the boy, surveying them as one to whom the remains of a journey were mere trifles, then, with a sigh, Its no end of a place, but you swells have a lot of bores, and no mistake!
Upstairs Herbert roamed about studying with great curiosity the appliances of the first bedchamber he had ever beheld beyond the degree of his mothers first floor, but downstairs, he was in the mood of the savage, too proud to show wonder or admiration or the sense of awe with which he was inspired by being waited on by the very marrow of Mr. Rollstone, always such grand company at home. This daunted him far more than the presence of the lady, and though his was a spirit not easily daunted, he almost blushed when that personage peremptorily resisted his endeavour to present the wrong glass for champagne, which fortunately he disliked too much at the first taste to make another attempt. Lord Northmoor, for the first time at the foot of his own table, was on thorns all the time, lest he should see his nephew commit some indiscretion, and left most of the conversation to Miss Morton and Mr. Hailes, the solicitor, a fine-looking old gentleman, who was almost fatherly to her, very civil to him, but who cast somewhat critical eyes on the cub who might have to be licked into a shape befitting the heir.
They tried to keep their host in the conversation, but without much success, though he listened as it drifted into immediate interests and affairs of the neighbourhood, and made response, as best he could, to the explanations which, like well-bred people, they from time to time directed to him. He thus learnt that Lady Adela with her little Amice had been carried off by main force, Bertha said, by her brother. But she will come back again, she added. She is devoted to the place and her gravesand the poor people.
I do not know what they would do without her, said Mr. Hailes.
No. She is lady-of-all-work and Pro-parsonesswith all her might; then seeing, or thinking she saw, a puzzled look, she added, I dont know if you discovered, Northmoor, that our Vicar, Mr. Woodman, has no wife, and Adela has supplied the lack to the parish, having a soul for country poor, whereas they are too tame for me. I care about my neighbours, of course, after a sort, but the jolly city sparrows of the slums for me! I long to be away.
What to say to this Lord Northmoor knew as little as did his nephew, and with some difficulty he managed to utter, Are not they very uncivilised?
Thats the beauty of it, said Bertha; Ive spotted my own special preserve of match-girls, newsboys, etc., and Mr. Hailes is going to help me to get a scrumptious little house, whence I can get to it by underground rail. Oh, you may shake your head, Mr. Hailes, but if you will not help me, I shall set my unassisted genius to work, and youll only suffer agonies in thinking of the muddle I may be making.
What does Lady Adela say? asked Mr. Hailes.
She thinks me old enough to take care of myself, whatever you do, Mr. Hailes; besides, she knows I can come up to breathe! I long for it!