Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1871-10-11
LADY THORNHURST'S DAUGHTER.
CHAPTER I.
THE FATHERS RETURN.


the most fertile in Lincolnshire, perhaps in all
England.
The house is a picturesque old stone dwell
ing, which has stood couple of centuries.
At little distance in the rear of the house
are outbuldings, all indicative of the ex-
treme thrift and prosperity OF the owner OF
| Rodruth Moor.
That owner, twenty years ago, as to-day
was Miss Jacobca Rcdruth. She was and is
possessed of tirst-class business abilities, ac-
tive in her habits, keen sharp-wittcd, and her
own farm manager.
She was not a woman Of social habits, nor
particularly given to hospitality. There was a
vein of pNrsimony in her nature, that made
social gatherings at her expense a positive
PAIN but she had come Of q fine old county
family, and her ancient name and excellent
lineage procured her friendly recognition and
formal visits from the various county mag
mates. These visits were as formally returned
at stated periods, and but for her small
break in the even course of their existence,
Miss Redruth would have led the life of re-
cuse.
Late one afternoon in May, nearly twenty
years ago, Miss Redruth was seated in her
drawing-room, after her usual afternoon GUS
tom. Her chair was drawn up before an open
bOw-window, and she was looking out into the
dcpths.of an apple orchard, which was covered
with bloom, with strangely intent gaze.
One might have supposed her engaged in alb
struse calculations as to the probable yield of
the fruit-trees, but a second glance at her
deeply-contracted brows and troubled face
would have testified that her thoughts had a
deeper and more unquiet source.
She was gaunt, grim woman Of middle age
and of masculine appearance. She had hard
face and hard nature. She had no tender,
womanly ways, no gentle womanly sympNthies,
no sentimentality, as she loved to say-no
fOndness for womanly employments.
Rcdruth Moor was not an entNlled estate,
and Miss Redruth had inherited it from her
father. The present representative OF the
proud old family was Colonel Redruth, her
brother, an army officer, who had spent most
Of his life in India, and whose arrival she was
now momcatHrily expecting at her home, after
an absence from his native land for many
years. There was more Of dread than of joy
Gus anticipation in the manner of Miss Red
ruth, as the moment of the ColonePs appear
ance drew near.
"Wh0t can say to him." she muttered I'M
easily. "What will he say to me when he
knows all? wish the meeting We're over, All,
| there he comes"
The carriage she had sent to Scaford to
meet her brother was i'll fact at that moment
seen returning at a swift pace along the dusty
road 1t turned in at the wide farm gates,
|
porch Miss Redruth arose after a mechani
cal fashion from her chair, and Went slowly
ont into the wide hall, advancing to the
threshold to meet her relative.
The open carriage came nearer. Upon the
back seat sat gentleman, whose face flushed
at sight OF her, and who took Off his hat as 4
sudden rush of emotion swept over his soul.
The carriage drew up at the porch, and the
gentleman sprang lightly out and ran up the
steps.
Jacob My dear sistcr' he cried, in deep,
agitatcd tones, embracing her. d" lOW have
not changed, at least, in the nine years since
we parted!'
1iisARcdruth submitted to the embrace, and
presented her right check to her brothers
caress, but she did not offer to kiss him. She
was superior to such small weaknesses.
| 81 am glad to see YOU back in England,
George" she exclaimed quietly. You have
changed, think; but, then, your life has not
been so quiet as mine"
| She Withdrew herself from his arm and led
him into the low, quaint, pleasant drawing
room.
The Colonel halted just within the threshold
and looked about the room with an eager,
cXpcctant gaze.
He was handsome, Observation-Disclosures
man, Of some fifty years, with complexion
deeply bronZed by Indian suns with keen
dark eyes, a grand head, and black hair al
ready stre0ked with gray. He wore ron-gray
military whiskcrs, and his massive eyebrows
were Of iron-gray also, giving to his noble
countenance a look of sternncss and COM
mand that well became him.
"Whcrc is Ignata 2" he asked, his face sud-
denly clouding with disappointment. "Why
is not my child here to welcome her father
Shc--she is not ill.,
"No, George" answered Miss Rcdruth, with
embarrassment. "She does not know that you
are expected to-day. | thought it best not to
tell her, and-aud | sent her out in her little
pony chaise for drive"
"Intcndng to let her find me here on her
return y said the Colonel, his brow clearing
"Iou meant to surprise her? viii she be
back soon?"
"Sit down, George" said Miss Redruth with
pcrceptiblc uneasiness. 81 have something to
tell you before Ignatia comes. Did-did you
hear anything over at Sleaford? Did you meet
any one you used to knowy
81 did not said the Colonel wOndcringy,
seating himself at window commanding a
view Of the road "Was there anything for
me to hear? Z" he added, with sudden change
of countcnancc. "lhe child has not grown
dofomed, nor had the smallpox, nor"
How old do You think the child is ~ de-
mNnded Miss Redruth grimly. "You left her
little girl, and she seems but a little girl to
you still But she is twenty years old, a
woman grown"
"Ah, yes" sighed the Colonel. "Shc has
left behind her her childhood, but she will be
something dcarer and nearer to me than SIM
ply a child. She will be my companion, my
friend. She will console me in part for the
loss of her mother Does she fulfill her childish
promise of beauty and graccW
"She does" said Miss Redruth, setting her
lips firmly together,
81 know that she is good" said the Indian
soldier, with tender emphasis. g remember
well her loving, sensitive nature, her winning
ways, her bright, impctuous spirit. She had a
noble intellect-you do not mean, Jacob, that
she is not so clcar-headed as she was ?" he
added, in sudden alarm.
"No, she knows enough" was tho RELUCTANT
reply,
"Ah!" said the Colonel, trying to smile.
| "She has lover, then? That is to be expect
cd at her age"
"You should have come home sooner,
George" said Miss Redruth. "Pcople who
have children should stay with them and take
care of them"
81 could not well come home earlier, ia
cob said the Colonel. "My daughter is an
) heiress, and rs such must take her place in
society. If she has an unworthy lover | will
, undertake to wcan her heart from him.
r Surely she cannot resist her fathers loving
counscls"
1T is too late for counsels," said Miss Red
2 ruth, with sort OF grim desperation. "lg-
malta Redruth is beyond the reach of advice.
You need not blame me, George. Ignatia her
self will clear my skirts Of blame. 1t is not
my fault il she has wrecked your hopes, and
? made herself bed Of living Goals to lie on"
The Coloncls face grew suddenly pale. The
glizzled moustache on his upper lip trembed
convulsiyely
: "What has she done?" he asked, in hoarse
: whisper.
"Narricd dissOlute fellow"
" Married! Good Hcavensl"
cit so, George, said Miss Redruth. "She
has been married nearly four years"
" -Four years? And you never told me
| She never wrote that she was married. -Four
{ years."