The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-10-10 00:00:00

LALL RICIRTS RESERVED.]
CATHERINE'S MISTAKE,

A SECRET FOR YEARS

4114 A

-

CHAPTER XlX—(cen(inua).

minutes after, a message from Mr. Ingestre.
tiC required a cup of strong coffee, and only I could
tnake it to his liking; so, with my spirits at low-water
/nark, and my best silk dress on, I must descend to
tile kitchen, and humour his whim.
It was in no very gracious mood that I presented
°is coffee to him. Lying stretched at full length on
the softly4ushioned couch, lie reminded me too much
of the Sultan and his imperial will, for me to be well
Pleased in erving him; and the haughty manner in
he told me to put the coffee down until he had
Iktishecl hi S pipe, aggravated my vexation. I begged
withrsome acidity, to allow Perkins to make his
Coffee next time, from my recipe.
"I didn't want the coffee—l wanted you," was all
ne said. "Sit down, and try to smooth the feathers
You have ruffled so infernally the last week or two.
,133' Heaven, Catherine, I have been in purgatory
today! And you have kept me there!"
I shall put down without abridgement all that
Passed. I can have no reason for concealinc, it.
reply was a movement towards the door. He
Put out his hand and caught my skirt.
" You shell not go! Sit with me here an hour by
that fireplace, and hear every word I have to say,
72
"Or whit, sir ?"
'Or I will lock the door! There! You are afraid
of the servants' tongues. Cautious being! Let them
talk, and t will break their heads. That is right,
snaile—whether scornfully or not—and my rustiness
vanish If you choose to stand you may, but go
YOU shall not."
And I was too wise to attempt it, for I believe when
this man is fairly roused nothing will thwart him.
moved to the table, st )od there, and took up a
cook, praying that Ross or Maxall might come in.
, I listened for their footsteps in vain ; nothing
neard I but the musical tick of the timepiece, and the
Pilffing of Mr. Ingestre's pipe. / was not going to
.Peak, and lie seemed equally bent on silence. I think
't Was some ten or fifteen minutes before he uttered
this, quite suddenly—
'lt wants fresh painting! Will you come with me
.411c1 see me do it ?"

_
I looked as I felt—surprised.
" The tablet, I mean; it wants re-painting. Have
3'134 never noticed that name—Helen Ingestre—on the
church ? That was my wife's name. I painted
it up there.'
And while he said this, he was looking at me with
4 strangely intent look; so intent, so suspicious, that
the
„ next words I expected to hear from his lips was
at my secret was discovered.
I made no reply; I could not. My voice was beyond
ecnunand. _ _

She was a Scotch girl, and for five weeks I was
bladly-in love with her. Five weeks, mind you; not
(uore. After that, we agreed to hate each other ; and
tben—she died. Catherine, I have not been a good
Irian, nor lived a happy life since then. Age is coming
and human nature wilt look forward. What a
future is before me! Cla married, and my boy in
the world—gathering up the cloak of his father's cast-
ciff vices. I have looked and longed for a woman's love
--a woman's true love—throughout my five-and-l-irty
pars of life, Catherine; but never found it. I have
,satleied I have, often. But my house is large, and
purse heavy; and my gold has greater charms
lAu! there's a sigh heaved up out of the
,luuttoinless pit of my experience, and it is given to
rot of all evil—women
What reply could I be expected to make to this
',ll.dden outburst of confidence? Moreover, such
oftterness was in my heart, such woeful remembrance
red up by his selfish lament, that I dared not
era word to escape my lips, lest it should be a
tee inquiry as to the fate of at least one woman's
rue heart.
elle went on, and there might have been no past at
for the memory it won from him. Could he see
gie there, and not remember?
ha" You think me an abominable character, and I
ti taken no pains to win your good opinion. The
h 0 is past for me when I can lay aside my own
• tirriour to flatter a woman's; but she can flatter, and
flattering soften mine, which, God knows, is rough
4111°11gh often. But then, Catherine, the soft tongue
ttlist not lie, nor the smiles be false, nor the hands
g,seedY, and the heart full of treachery. Women of
f,eh character it has been my lot to know, and their
,•,°lllness has become a pestilence to my nostrils.
Ilerine, I disbelieved in woman's rectitude until—
_antil I recognised the essence in you! Upright,
:11-teere, truthful, and bold as a lioness, you know no
;Lanibling-block in the way of virtue! You are as
'ar above my reach as the sun above my head, and
3r.:et I'll live in your light, and gather warmth from
x4our beams! You know your power—you know--
4 ! not yet."
. And he sprang forward and caught my hands,
already on the handle of the door.
" yuu wish me to quit your house ?"
No?,

"t must, I must, if you use this language to me."
d "No, Catherine, you must not leave my house. I
fce), not think I could exist in it unless I knew that
r the seeking I could find the face I like best to
1,(3131t at in all the wend- unless I knew that I should
"eear the quiet rustle of your dress when your pre-
teais nee is invisible—that rustle, that sound, which
over me like a delicious sense of happiness—
hi, lug me into perfect peace, and blissfulunconscious-
b`ss of everything but you. No, I can never suffer
Jolt to leave my use!"
I will do so to-morrow unless you allow me to
'ave this room now." - •
tka" Half an hour, ten minutes longer, and I swear
t I Will not open my lips—only sit opposite and
(:)°1 at you?,
"That is simply ridiculous, Mr. Ingestre."
"It is, for I should break my vow. No, you shall
• ; but with one condition, mind."
" With no condition, sir."
"•
Yes, with this one: that you go with me when I
a visit to the church in the park—when I paint
flelen Ine•estre's name blacker than it is now. I
v,"111 have you to hold my brush and palette. You
-.11 come r
" It depends upon circumstances."
" liPon your will, rather. I must have an ansvier.
4°Me di.y I will have your time to myself, either in
at• old damp church or in this house. I want to tell
1,1,p, many things; I wish to talk to you about
brra'elf; I long for your sympathy, your pity, your
and praise. You shall not be an image of
ln my house; the bright fire blazing on my
tcrth shall melt you, and then, Catherine—and
en 7,
toile had removed his hand from my dress pieVlous
ttetihis outburst; and standing there apparently with
tat;tltention of moving, I threw him off his guard, or
ler, 'watch upon me.
‘;
And then
Vhe heard no more, but darted to the door, and shut
rest from my hearing.
Was a fool for dreaming to escape; better have
I.IP all desire of it than have endured what came
r---pursuit and capture. I was ashamed, con-
ed, and would not open my lips, even to utter
4t„Proach. I was too deeply moved to give my
sw.ler words, and he—yes, I believe my face alone
him, savage as his mood was.
eha. ter five minutes' detention, he rose from his
°Pened the door, bowed haughtily, and allowed
1,1-0 walk out.
rt,('-claY we have not exchanged a word, and it will
endeavour to avoid him for the future.
AVe:,,ta•—We are to have some new neighbours;
ten"wood Farm is to be inhabited next month, Ross
tlets,Llie, by a German family, whose name he does
The tenant and his drunken wife left for
per Workhouse last week, and I hear Mr. Ingestre is
se: angry at the prospect of strangers taking pos-
beii, of the place, and usurping his right to it. I
Ire he is going to law about it.
liothe. has not spoken to me civilly yet, so I hear
A I°g but what Ross or Cle tell me of his doings.
beat
many law-looking epistles engross his ate!),
Ny41.1 (luring breakfast time; his horse is usually in
he lting half an hour after, and., from then until dinner
P, absent from home.
sti "is morning Maxall informed us there was to be
sloaraateur concert given at the Music-hall at Low-
b).ol' in aid of the church fund, and that Sir John
-43's
DEtrt in had begged Mr. Ingestre to take a leading
n the performance.
t,adi am going to sing a couple of Italian duets with
Drayson, and a solo of my own selection. What
,-(11 it be, Miss Waco?"
' Let it be of your own selection, by all means Mr.
4xali
tgb •
kiss ad is sure to ask you to tell him what to sing,
,ace," said Ross; "he thinks so highly (if your
in the music line."
'Mu
i‘c c more of his own, though," sneered Maxall.
now, none of that!" exclaimed the other,
usyr,• "'e crimson in an instant. "You've been getting
riao,ll4 bounds, Mr. Maxall, lately; and if I hear much
of that sort of thin, I—l "
r4ittf"--LI---- Well, wie-lt is I—going to do?"
Aed the little torment.
rose very quietly frem his seat, but did
‘. °,ve a step forward; he only said, very calmly—
i„teeiarn't like bullying a chap in my own house, es-
"eat Y such a little one as you; but, by Jove, if I
h\"ainatanother word of your confounded snarling
4114 'my governor, I'll not undertake to keep my
AI °ft You
all took out his delicately-scented handkerchief,
qo...ustnaself, and lisped out—
Ziseghuct gad ! they are large enough and brown
to frighten me. What will they feel like ?
• turn
• et she n_ came now. Savage and bitter was the
,1` Then a"nf
n u,•
,g,roys English sun has coloured them, and *not
vybx„ 00d.7
talks of negro's blood ? " And a dead silence
etted t •
,v his inquiry, very sternly put, in Mr. Ju-
lie had entered the room unheard, and
g for a reply.
11t.e -looked very frightful in his silent rage; he was
*14(114 'l4' rather yellow, with passion. Th;', rest, hi-
an--'a-' rather foolish.

66 \Vim 1; a f no'sbloodP
-4
Cle shook back her thick mane of hair, an looked
out like a young lioness, brave, but expected to be
worsted in the conflict coming.

"I did, papa. I told Man that he had it in his
and I think he has."
-

_
"Then you have made a disagreeable and imperti-
nent remark, and one totally without foundation."
"This is what I am subjected to, Mr. Ingestre,, in
your house," choked Maxall; "it is scandalous, when
a word from you would put an end to it. I—l feel it
deeply."
"And a word from me shall put a stop to it, never
fear. Cleland, I must inform you that Maxall's father
had as true English blood in his veins as yours, and
that his Mother, although not an Englishwoman, was
most certainly no negro; and never let me hear you
hinting at such an insulting thing again, or I shall be
compelled to avoid your presence for at least a couple
of months. As for you, Ross, if the fact of Maxall
being my ward does not teach you to treat him with
proper kindness and respect, I shall find myself
obliged to send you to Oxford a year sooner than I ex-
pected.. Remember this, both of you."
. _ _ . . _

And he sat down to breakfast, with the frown still
lingering on his face. Neither the boy nor girl spoke
in their own defence, and I therefore felt bound to
do so.

"Perhaps, sir, it would be as well to caution Mr.
Maxall, too, and beg him to refrain from the remarks
made in your disparagement, which, in nine cases out
of ten, are the cause of these angry retorts.
"Don't make my tea too sweet, if you please.
Thank you. Mr. Maxall is quite at liberty to make
any remarks, of any kind, having reference to me, Miss
IN'ace. He is aware of that fact himself, and avails
himself of it; and I think if / choose to give him that
liberty, no one else has a right to take it from him."
"Well, it's precious hard to stand by and hear one's
own father railed at, without knocking the fellow over
that does it."

"Then you had better learn a precious hard lesson
ns soon as possible, my boy, or you will have to
knock over rather more than you can conveniently
manage. But I must beg you don't begin on
Maxall." •

"All right, only don't be cross," was the good-
humoured reply.

"I never ani- cross."

"Oh, papa. Oh, dad!" cried the voices simul-
taneously. "Come, that won't go down after this
morning and last night, when you pitched into me like
fun, only because "
"Because you kicked up a row when I wanted to
be quiet."
"No, because-"
"Be quiet."
" Because I only said Miss Waco was not--"
"Hold your tongue, or leave the room."
"Oh, I'll be quiet. I don't care."

And then Cle-must needs keep up this irritating
conversation, in spite of my looks to the contrary. I
expected every moment to hear something I ought
not, and sat in agony accordingly.
" You have been most abominably cross this last
week, papa. I don't know what has come over you,
such a merry, .good-tempered old gentleman as you
were. I can't bear to see your face, it's as black as
thunder; and I won't kiss you for fear I'd get a bite!
It is detestable; you don't spare any one, not even
Miss Wace, so good and kind as she is in taking care
of your house, and everybody in it fa- you. It was
only last night she sat up two hours with that good-
for-nothing Lizzy, because she was not well enough
to be left by herself, and none of the other servants
would look after her. And there you go on, scold,
weld, snarl, snarl, frown, frown, and my dear
old governess frettine, her heart. out to think what is
the reason of it; I know she does, for I saw her the
other night (don't tread on my foot, please, Miss Waco),
up in her own room—yes I wilt tell—looking so
mournful, and crying—crying, papa—because you had
just been saying—"
"Cleland, my tears flowed from a different cause.
I had a letter in my hand if you remember. Its con-
tents pained me exceedingly; the illness of some one I
love caused the sorrow you saw. You should not
jump so readily to conclusions."
Cleveland looked rather nonplussed, and Mr. In-
gestre instaney changed the conversation, for whith I
thanked him in my heart, for it was embarrassing
enough.
"You will honour Lady Drayson's concert to-
morrow night, I presume, Miss Waco ?" he said. "I
have three tickets in one of my pockets somewhere;
Sir John sent 'em to you, with his compliments, sup-
posing you would take the brats, too, I fancy. But
Cle is too young to appreciate such a rare musical
treat, so better leave her at home, and be squired by
Ross."
"Oh, that is too bad, papa. I never go anywhere,
nor see anything. What a shame ! "
If you have no other objection, sir, I would rather
that she went with me."

"By all means if you w;sh it. Cle, you shall be
there, and hear your father make a fool of himself
while he chants some love-sick Italian ditties to Miss
Ford's trashy accompaniments on the harp. Cath—l
mean, Miss Wace, her playing will not go down aftez
yours. A bright thought—grant me a favour ? "
"Name it, sir." •

"I am going to siy.g Adelaida,'—that most glorious
composition. Can I bear to hear its exquisite accom-
paniment murdered a I know the vicar's daughter
will murder it? No. You must play it for me. I
will have my own harp sent off to Lowrnoor to-day,
and you, I am sure, will not refuse me such a trifling
request."
It was in vain I urged my dread of publicity, my
fear of offending Miss Ford in usurping her part—the
inconvenience of the thing altogether. -

Mr. Inge,stre overruled everything; and it was
finally arranged that I should accompany his last solo,
which, fortunately, finished the last part of the even-
ing's entertainment.
I think he was very pleased at my civility in not
persisting in a refusal, for he has been remarkably af-
fable and pleasant all day. I have heard his voice
echoing cherrily through the house, calling to the
dogs, whistling, singing,with an utter absence of care.
It seems homelike, and I was glad to hear it—glad to
see him linger idly on the soft green lawns and round
the flower beds, peer into an opening flower, or stop
to puff a volume of smoke into the heart of a grey
blight setting on a leaf.
What am I drivelling about? Has the unwonted
sunshine scorched me?

(lo be contifwed.).*