she was now daily expected, the vessel in which she had sailed having landed at new york, and numerous preparations in honor of her arrival were in progress at cedar grove, where she was evidently regarded as a person of consequence. the best chamber in the house was appropriated for her use; mr. delafield himself taking much interest in the arrangement of its furniture, and bringing over each morning fresh bouquets of flowers, which, in costly vases, adorned the apartment. every one seemed anxious and expectant, save jessie and halbert, the former of whom did not wish her to come, as she took up so much of “uncle dick’s” time, while the latter openly avowed his dislike, saying, he wished she’d stay in europe always.
as for myself, though there was no particular reason why i should do so, i dreaded her arrival, and when at last, word came to the schoolroom that she was in the parlor, and the children must come down to see her, i stole out into the garden, in order that i might put off the interview with her as long as possible. i knew i must meet her at the supper table, and so after a time i went up to my room to dress, donning a plain white muslin, which i had often been told became me better than aught else i could wear. before my toilet was finished, little jessie came in and 256insisted upon twining among my curls a few simple buds, which, she said, looked “mighty nice,” adding, as she stepped back a pace or two to witness the effect, “i think you are a heap prettier than ada; but uncle dick don’t, ’cause i asked him, and he said ‘of course ad was the handsomest.’ hal says how he’s her beau, and i reckon he is, for he kissed her like fury!”
“he kisses everybody, don’t he?” i asked; and she replied,—
“mighty nigh everybody but you. i never seen him kiss you, and when i asked him why, he said you wouldn’t let him—won’t you?”
“it wouldn’t be proper,” i said, smiling down upon the little fairy, who, poised on one foot, was whirling in circles, and then looking up into my face, with her soft dreamy eyes.
at that moment the supper bell rang, and bounding away, she left me alone. for full five minutes i waited trying to summon sufficient courage to go down, and at last chiding myself for my weakness, i started for the dining-room. my footsteps were light, as they evidently were not aware of my approach, for they were talking of me, and as i reached the door, i heard jessie, who was giving ada a description of her teacher, say, “why she’s the properest person in the world, for she won’t even let uncle dick kiss her.”
“somewhat different from miss rawson,” said ada, joining in the general laugh; at the same time lifting her large, languid eyes, she saw me, and started slightly, i fancied, as she recognized me.
she had changed since i saw her last, and her face now wore a weary, jaded look, while the dark circle beneath her eyelids told of late hours and heated rooms.
“miss lee—miss montrose,” said mrs. lansing, and the 257proud ada bowed haughtily to the humble governess, who with heightened color took her accustomed seat at the table.
“you have seen each other before, i believe,” said mr. delafield, looking curiously at both of us, while mrs. lansing, in much surprise, exclaimed, “seen each other! where, pray?”
i waited for ada to answer, and after staring at me a moment, she replied, quite indifferently, “miss lee’s face does seem familiar, and if i mistake not, i met her once or twice in boston”—and this was all she said, if i except a glance, half entreating, half threatening, which she threw at me from beneath her long, drooping eyelashes. this glance i did not then understand, but i now know it to have been prompted by a dread lest i should tell of her engagement with herbert langley, and thus betray her to mr. delafield, to whom, it seems, she had positively denied the whole, solemnly assuring him that there had never been between them anything more serious than a mere friendly acquaintance. when, therefore, she saw me, her fears were awakened, and knowing that i had her secret in my possession, she looked upon me with suspicion and dislike, while i, wholly unconscious of her feelings, had not the least intention of ever speaking of the past, unless circumstances should render it necessary. but of this she was not aware, and that night, in the privacy of her room, she communed with herself as to the best means of counteracting anything which i might say concerning her conduct in boston, deciding at last that the surest way of accomplishing her object was to brand me as a person whose word could not be trusted! and this she deemed an easy task, inasmuch as no one there had ever seen or heard of me before. strange, too, as it may seem, there was mingled with her distrust of me a slight shade of 258jealously lest mr. delafield should in any way notice me. true, i was a poor obscure girl, earning my daily bread, and on no point could i compete with her save one, and that was age, i being, as she well knew, eight or nine years her junior. to be old and unmarried was with her almost a crime, and as year after year passed on, leaving her still ada montrose, her horror of single blessedness increased, while at the same time she seemed to look upon those much younger than herself as almost her enemies, especially if they came between her and mr. delafield, who, as the world goes, was at the age of thirty-one more likely to choose a girl of eighteen than one of twenty-seven. this, then, was my fault. i was young and had also in my possession a secret which she did not wish to have divulged, for well she knew that one as upright and honorable as mr. delafield would despise a woman who could stoop to a falsehood as she had done.
“no, it shall not be!” said she, as she sat alone in her room with her face resting upon her hands; “it shall not be! i will thwart her and she shall never triumph over me, as did her pale-faced sister, but for whom i might now have borne the title of mrs. instead of trembling lest some one should ask how old i am!” and the proud belle felt a pang of envy towards my poor widowed sister whose heart was buried in the grave of her unfortunate husband.
not that she (ada) had ever cared particularly for herbert langley, but women of the world sometimes bestow their hand where the heart cannot be given, and thus might she have done had not circumstances prevented, for she had then no hope of ever winning her guardian.
here, ere we proceed farther, it may be well to relate briefly her past history, going back to the time when on his death-bed her father had not only given her to the charge of mr. delafield, but had also made a request that, if 259it were consistent with his feelings, richard would one day make her his wife. as we have said elsewhere, mr. delafield was a great admirer of beauty, and when he looked upon the exceedingly lovely face of the youthful ada, and thought of her as a lonely orphan, his heart was touched, and he found no difficulty in promising to protect her, and also to make her his wife, if, upon a more intimate acquaintance, he found her all he could wish her to be. that he did not find her thus was proved by the fact that nearly ten years had elapsed since her father’s death, and she was ada montrose still, while he, as he grew older, seemed less likely to find any one who fully came up to his standard of excellence, beauty, in reality, now being of minor importance, notwithstanding his sister’s assertion that he would never marry one who had not a pretty face.
upon this point, however, ada had some doubts; for if beauty were what he desired, she still possessed it to an uncommon degree, and it did not seem to move him in the least. rumor, indeed, said they were on the eve of marriage, but she knew better, for never yet had he really told her in earnest that he loved her. it is true that years before, when she first came a weeping orphan to cedar grove, he had devoted himself to her entirely, feeling, perhaps, a little proud of his ward, to whom he sometimes talked of love, or hinted vaguely of the time when she would be his bride, as they wandered together beneath the whispering pines, which grew around his home, and once, when she was in boston, he had actually made up his mind to offer himself immediately and take her to sunny bank as its mistress. to this resolution he was urged by her cousin, a strong-minded woman, who, in visiting at cedar grove, had labored to impress upon him the sense of the duty he owed not only to her father but to ada herself, who was represented as loving him devotedly, 260and who was said to have made a vow never to marry unless it were her guardian. very artfully, too, did mrs. johnson insinuate that her illness, of which they had heard, had its origin in “hope deferred which maketh the heart sick.”
the knowledge that a beautiful girl loves you—nay, is dying for you, is sufficient, i suppose, to touch the feelings of men less susceptible to female charms than richard delafield, and acting upon the impulse of the moment, he started off without, however, leaving any word as to his destination. arrived in boston, he went to the revere house, where, as we know, he casually heard of ada’s engagement with herbert langley. to say he was not disappointed would hardly be just, for his self-pride was touched in knowing that ada had given her affections to another, and that other not a very worthy object, if the word of his gossiping informer was to be trusted. too much displeased even to see her, he had left the city immediately, declaring that he would never again think of marriage with any one.
as the reader will remember, ada heard of him through one of her acquaintance, and from something her cousin had written, she half guessed the nature of his visit. accordingly on her return to georgia she several times in his presence laughingly referred to the gossiping story, which, she said, some of the bostonians got up concerning her and a millionaire, positively denying it, and wishing people would let her alone! but all this was to no purpose. mr. delafield’s impulse had subsided, and though his manner towards her was always kind, affectionate, and brotherly, he never spoke to her of love or marriage, except sometimes to ask her teasingly if “if they were not both of them almost old enough to get married.”
still she did not despair, for of his own accord he had accompanied her and her cousin to europe, whither he had 261always intended to go, and though he had left them some months before, mrs. johnson was willing to leave paris, where ada’s beauty attracted much attention from the polite frenchmen, she would not believe he was at all weary of her, but rather, as he had said, that his business required his immediate return to america.
latterly mrs. lansing had in a measure espoused her cause, and knowing, as she did, of the recent repairs at sunny bank, said by richard to be for the benefit of his bride, she began again to entertain sanguine hopes of eventually becoming mrs. delafield, provided the governess did not, by her foolish tattling, mar her prospects.
such, then, was the state of affairs when i was the burden of ada’s thoughts, as she sat alone in her room on the first night after her return home. for a time she mused with her face in her hands, then lifting up her head and throwing back the silken tresses, which fell over her brow, she gazed long and earnestly at herself in the opposite mirror.
“yes, i am fading,” she said at last, “and each year my chance for winning him grows less, and if this lee girl should tell, it would take from me every shadow of hope—but it shall not be. i can prevent her foolish tattling from doing me harm, and i will.”
then the better nature of ada montrose whispered to her of the great wrong she was meditating against a poor, defenceless girl, who as yet had never injured her, and for a moment she wavered.
“if i only knew she would never tell,” said she; “but she will, accidentally if not intentionally. low-bred people like her are always bold, and as she becomes better acquainted with me, she may possibly say something to me about herbert in the presence of mr. delafield, who will question her, 262perhaps, and thus learn the whole. so i’ll be prepared. she’s nothing but a poor governess, and my word will be preferred to hers, provided i first give her the character of a deceiver.”
on awaking next morning her resolution was partially shaken, and might, perhaps, have been given up entirely, if, in looking from her window, she had not seen a sight which awoke within her the demon jealousy, by whose aid she could do almost anything. the governess had arisen early, as was her usual custom, and gone forth into the garden, where she came unexpectedly upon mr. delafield, who, after expressing his pleasure at meeting her, very quietly drew her arm within his own, and then walked with her several times through the garden, casting often admiring glances towards the drooping figure at his side, who, trembling lest the argus eyes of mrs. lansing were upon her, would fain have been left alone. all this ada saw, and as she thought how different was his manner towards rose from what it had ever been towards her, a sudden light flashed upon her. she had not lived twenty-seven years for nothing, and like dicken’s woman with the “mortified bonnet,” she knew the signs, and with a sinking heart, she exclaimed, “is it possible that he loves her?”
the thought was maddening, and now strengthened tenfold in her purpose of working the young girl evil, she went forth into the garden to meet them, nodding coldly to rosa, and bestowing her sweetest smile upon her guardian, who wound his arm around her waist and playfully kissed her forehead—a liberty he would not dare to have taken with rose, who, thinking that of course she was not wanted, made an effort to withdraw her hand. but mr. delafield’s arm was strong, and he pressed it closely to his side, at the same time giving her a look which bade her stay, notwithstanding that 263ada two or three times hinted to her the propriety of going.
“why don’t you ask miss lee about your boston friends?” said mr. delafield, when they had taken a few turns in silence.
ada tossed her head scornfully, and replied, “i don’t think i had any acquaintances in common with miss lee, unless, indeed, it were her old aunty;” and with a little hateful laugh she leaned across mr. delafield, and asked, “how is she? richard, you would like to know.”
i was provoked at her manner, but i answered civilly that my aunt was well, adding, as one would naturally do, “herbert langley, i suppose you know, is dead.”
the news was unexpected, and coming as it did, it produced upon her a singular effect, blanching her cheek to a marble whiteness, while her lips quivered spasmodically. mr. delafield was startled, and stopping short, demanded of her what was the matter.
“oh, nothing much,” she answered, recovering her composure, and pressing her hand upon her side, “nothing but an ugly pain, which is gone now. i have felt it often lately,” and her face looked as unruffled and innocent as if she really thought it was the truth she had uttered.
i knew she told a falsehood, but mr. delafield did not, and leading her to the summer-house, which was near, bade her sit down, while he made minute inquiries concerning the pain, asking how long since she first felt it, and saying he would speak to dr. matson the first time he came to cedar grove, adding that a blister, he presumed, would help it!
“oh, mercy!” she exclaimed, again growing pale. “you make too serious a matter of it.”
but he did not think so—he was very tender of her, as a brother would be of his orphaned sister; and knowing that 264her mother had died of consumption, he watched narrowly for the first indications of that disease in her. just then little jessie came bounding down the walk, saying that “breakfast was ready,” and leading her by the hand, i returned to the house, followed by mr. delafield and ada, the latter of whom made some remark concerning my gait, which she pronounced “wholly yankee and countrified.”
“and graceful,” rejoined mr. delafield, at the same time telling her he did not like to hear one female speak disparagingly of another.
ada bit her lip with vexation, and when she took her seat at the table, she was evidently not in the best of humors. at mrs. lansing’s invitation her brother remained to breakfast, and i could not perceive that he was any more polite to the beautiful lady in elegant french muslin on his right, than he was to the plain-looking girl in a shilling calico on his left. indeed, if there was a difference, it was in favor of the latter, with whom he conversed the most, addressing her as if she had at least common sense, while towards ada he always assumed the trifling, bantering manner which he seemed to think was suited to her capacity.
breakfast being over, i started for my room, accidentally dropping upon the stairs a handkerchief, which had been given me by anna, and which had her name “anna lee” marked in the corner. in honor of ada’s return, there was no school that day, and as the morning advanced and the heat in my chamber grew oppressive, i went with my book to the sitting-room, and took a seat by an open window, where i soon became so absorbed in reading as not to observe mrs. lansing and ada, who came out upon the piazza and sat down quite near me, but still in such a position that neither of us could see the other. after a time they were joined by mr. delafield, and then for a moment i thought 265of stealing quietly away, but thinking my remaining there could do no harm, i resumed my book and forgot my neighbors entirely, until my attention was roused by the sound of my own name.
it was mrs. lansing who spoke, and she asked, “what kind of folks are those relatives of miss lee?”
“oh, about so so,” answered ada, and mrs. lansing continued, “and she was then at school? i believe.”
“at school!” repeated ada, apparently in much surprise. “mercy, no! why, she was a grown up woman, as much as twenty-two or twenty-three years old.”
“there, i thought so,” answered mrs. lansing, who the reader will remember had, at my first introduction, taken me to be twenty-five. “i thought she must be more than eighteen, didn’t you, richard?”
“eighteen!” repeated ada. “it isn’t possible she calls herself eighteen. she dare not do it in my presence. why, she had been a teacher, i don’t know how long, and, besides that, ’twas said that she had once been engaged to a dr. clayton, who, for some reason, jilted her, and was then a married man as much as thirty years old. eighteen, indeed. i’d like to hear her say so.”
i was confounded, but supposing she had mistaken me for anna, my first impulse was to go out and tell her so, but fearing lest she should think i had intentionally listened, my second thought was to go away where i could hear nothing further, and then, when mrs. lansing questioned me, as i felt sure she would, i fancied it would be an easy matter to exonerate myself from the falsehood ada had put upon me. i had reached the hall, and was half-way up the stairs, when mr. delafield, who had arisen and was walking back and forth on the piazza, espied me, and called me back.
there was a troubled look on his face, and fixing his 266piercing black eyes upon me as if he would read my inmost thoughts, he said with something of bitterness in the tones of his voice, “i did think i had found one female who, on all occasions, spoke the truth; but if what ada has said is true, i am mistaken; though why you (and his hand involuntarily clutched my arm) or any other woman should stoop to a falsehood, or seek to deny her age, be she a hundred or less, is a secret which heaven knows, perhaps, but i do not.”
i felt my face flush with indignation, and turning towards ada, who, not having expected a scene like this, was very pale, i said, “it is not necessary, miss montrose, for you to repeat what you have asserted concerning me, for i accidentally overheard it, and i thank mr. delafield for giving me an opportunity to exonerate myself from the charge you are pleased to bring against me.”
“been listening,” muttered mrs. lansing.
“silence, angeline. go on, rose,” interrupted mr. delafield, in a voice which we both obeyed, she resuming her needlework, while i continued, “i had taken my seat by the open window ere you and miss montrose came out here, and not thinking it necessary to leave, i remained, without, however, hearing a word of your conversation until i caught the sound of my name. then, indeed, my senses were sharpened, and i heard miss montrose’s statement, which i am sure she would never have made were she not laboring under a mistake.”
here ada, who was not in the least prepared for the occasion, began to stammer out something about “letting the matter drop—she did not wish to harm me, and had said what she did inadvertently, without ever dreaming of making trouble. she didn’t see why richard wished to make it such a serious matter, for she was sure she didn’t care whether i were forty or eighteen.”
267“but i care,” he said, grasping my arm still tighter, “i care to have justice done. i have supposed miss lee to be frank, ingenuous and truthful, and if what you assert is true, she is the reverse, and should suffer accordingly, while on the contrary if she be innocent, she shall have an opportunity of proving herself so.”
by this time ada had collected her scattered senses, and resolving to brave the storm she had raised, replied, “certainly, miss lee has a right to clear herself if she can, and prove that she is really rose instead of anna lee.”
“rose instead of anna! what do you mean?” thundered mr. delafield, while i was too much astonished to speak.
ada was not very deep, and in all her plotting she had never thought how easy it would be for me to prove the falsity of her assertion by writing home; so with the utmost coolness she replied, “i mean this:—there were two lee girls living at the house of their uncle where i occasionally visited: one was anna, a young lady of twenty-two or twenty-three, the other was rose, a school-girl of fourteen or fifteen. the oldest of these two i have every reason to believe stands before us—at least this, which i found upon the stairs, would indicate as much,” and she held to view the handkerchief which i had dropped and had not missed.
glancing at the name, mrs. lansing said, “i have observed a similar mark upon several of her garments, and rather wondered at it.”
this was true, for anna had dealt generously with me, giving me many of her clothes, some of which bore her full name, while others had merely the initials. i was about to tell of this, when mr. delafield prevented me by asking if i could prove that i was what i represented myself to be, and that i was a mere school-girl when i saw miss montrose in boston.
268“yes, sir, i can,” i answered firmly; “by writing home, i can prove it, if in no other way. but miss montrose knows better than to confound me with anna, whom she surely has reason for remembering.”
fearful lest her darling secret was about to be divulged, ada roused up and in a tone of angry defiance, answered, “yes, i have reason for remembering you, for you did me good service by taking off my hands a worthless, drunken fellow, about whom the bostonians were annoying me. i thank you for it, miss lee, and only wonder how you could suppose i would forget you. i recognized you the moment we met at the table, but i did not then dream of your calling yourself eighteen when you are certainly twenty-six!”
i was confounded and remained speechless, while with renewed strength my accuser continued, “perhaps you will deny having been a teacher at that time, when according to your statement you were only fourteen.”
“no,” i answered, “i do not deny that; i had taught, but i was only thirteen when i did so, as any one at home will testify.”
“thirteen! how improbable!” exclaimed mrs. lansing, while ada continued, “and what of your engagement with dr. clayton. i heard it from the lips of your aunt; but perhaps she told me a falsehood?” and she looked maliciously at me, while with a stamp of his foot mr. delafield said sternly, “ada, you have no right to question her of that.”
“but i am glad she did,” i said, “for as i live, i have never been engaged to any man.”
“nor in love with one either? will you say you were never in love with dr. clayton?” persisted ada.
it was a cruel question, but i could not deny it, and i remained silent, while i cowered beneath the burning gaze of mr. delafield, who still held me fast, but who now loosened 269his hold, and slightly pushing me from him, leaned against the pillar, with folded arms, and dark, lowering brow, while mrs. lansing and ada exchanged glances of triumph. they had by my silence gained a partial advantage over me, but as long as i felt the clasp of mr. delafield’s hand, i was strong to defy them. now, however, that had failed me, and girl-like i began to cry, telling them “they could easily test the whole matter by writing either to boston or meadow brook.”
this alternative had not occurred to ada before, but now she readily saw how easily i could prove my innocence, and as she met mr. delafield’s inquiring glance, she turned very pale and laid her hand upon her side as if the pain had returned.
“rose,” said mr. delafield, “you would hardly wish for me to write to meadow brook were you guilty, and as you seem willing that we should do so, i am inclined to hope that ada may be mistaken. come, stand by me (and reaching out his hand he drew me to his side) and tell me all the particulars of your acquaintance with miss montrose, and also about that sister with whom you are confounded, and you (turning to the other ladies) are not to speak, until she is through, when ada can make any correction or explanation necessary.”
it was an act of justice which i owed to myself, i knew, and wiping my eyes, i was about to commence, when ada, rising up, said mockingly, “with the hon. judge’s permission i will leave, as i do not wish to hear the falsehoods which i am sure will be uttered.”
again mr. delafield’s long arm was extended, and catching ada, as she was passing, he drew her to his side, where he held her firmly, saying, “it looks suspicious, ada, that you are not willing to hear miss lee’s defence. you have, 270either by mistake or design (the former, i hope), preferred against her serious charges, and you must listen to her explanation. commence,” he added, looking down upon me, and in a firm, unfaltering manner i told both my story and that of anna, who, i said, had eloped with herbert langley and was now a broken-hearted widow, living with his mother in boston.
at this part of my narrative ada’s hand was pressed convulsively on her side, while with parted lips and pale cheeks she leaned forward, looking at me anxiously; but when she saw that i did not speak of her ever having been engaged to herbert, the color came back to her face, and with a sigh of relief she listened more composedly, nodding assent when i referred her to our meeting at the dépôt at canandaigua, and faintly admitting that “she might have been mistaken. i looked so much like anna that ’twas not impossible.”
this i knew was false, but i did not contradict her, and proceeded with my story, until suddenly recollecting the incident at the theatre, i turned to mr. delafield and asked “if he remembered it?”
he thought a moment, and then the arm, which had gradually been winding itself about my waist, clasped me to his side, while he exclaimed, “remember it? perfectly, and you are that little girl. they called you rose;—and this is why your face has puzzled me so much. i see it all now. you are innocent, thank heaven,” and the hand, which, heretofore, had held ada fast, now rested caressingly upon my head and parted back my curls, as he said, more to himself than to me, “and you have remembered me all this time.” then, turning towards ada, he said sternly, “we will hear you now.”
ada was caught in her own snare. she had thought to prevent me from doing her injury by branding me as a liar, 271and now that i was proved innocent, it filled her with confusion, and she remained silent until mrs. lansing came to her aid by saying, “i do not think ada meant to do wrong; she probably mistook rose for her sister, hence the blunder.”
this gave ada courage, and crossing over to me, she took my hand, begging my forgiveness and saying “she had been mistaken—she certainly did not mean to do me so great a wrong, and she hoped i would forget it and try to look upon her as my friend, for such she would henceforth be.”
i was not quite verdant enough to credit all that ada said; but i replied i was willing to forgive her, and when she asked permission to kiss me, so that the reconciliation might be perfect, i offered no resistance, though i did not return the compliment, for which i think mr. delafield felt gratified—at least i read as much in his face. during the progress of my story ada had alternately turned red and white, particularly at the points where i touched upon herbert. this did not escape the observation of mr. delafield, and suspecting more than ada thought he did, he half seriously, half playfully asked her “why she had evinced so much feeling whenever mr. langley’s name was mentioned.”
instantly the color left her face, which wore a livid hue, and her hand went up to her side as if the cause of her agitation were there, while with a half stifled moan, she said, “oh, oh!—the pain!”
of course mrs. lansing asked what she meant, and ada, in answering her, managed to dwell so long upon “the horrid pain, which she feared would become chronic,” that mr. delafield could not reasonably expect an answer to his question. still, i think, he was not satisfied, and when i saw the mischievous look in his eye, as he told her “she must certainly be blistered,” i fancied that he, too, understood her as i did.
272that afternoon we were again assembled upon the piazza, mrs. lansing, ada, and myself, the former nodding in her large willow chair, while the latter sat upon a little stool at my feet, and with her elbow upon my lap was looking up into my face with the childish simplicity she knew so well how to assume. she was just asking me to assure her again of my forgiveness when mr. delafield joined us, and coming up behind me leaned over my chair, while he handed to ada a little oblong package, saying, “i was in the village just after dinner, and seeing the dr. i asked him about your pain. as i expected, he prescribed a blister, and at my request he prepared one, which you are to apply at night when you go to bed!”
i could not see him, but i absolutely pitied poor ada, who began to realize that the way of the transgressor is hard. the tears started to her eyes, while with a look of dismay, she exclaimed, “oh, richard, how could you? i never was blistered in my life. it will kill me. i can’t do it,”—and she cried aloud.
very gently, mr. delafield soothed her, telling her that so far from “killing her,” it would certainly “cure her,” he knew it would, and he insisted upon her trying it. at last, as an idea, perfectly natural, under the circumstances, dawned upon her mind, she looked up very submissively at him and said, “to please you, i’ll try it; though the remedy, i think, is worse than the disease.”
i hardly know whether he had any faith in her words—i certainly had not, and when next morning she came down to breakfast in a loose wrapper, with a very languid look, i could not bring myself to ask her concerning the blister, which the livelong night had drawn nicely—on the back of the fire-board, in her room! as i expected, mr. delafield soon made his appearance, and after inquiring how his prescription 273worked, and if it had pained her much, he said, looking towards neither of us, “how would you like to ride on horseback with me out to mr. parker’s plantation? i have business there, and do not wish to go alone.”
“oh, charming!” exclaimed ada, jumping up and clapping her hands in a manner but little suited to a blistered side; “that will be grand, and i can wear my new riding-dress, which fits so nicely.”
“why, ada, what do you mean?” said mr. delafield, with great gravity. “my invitation was intended for miss lee. you can’t, of course, think of riding on horseback with a blister. you must have forgotten it!” and his keen eyes rested upon her face with a deeper meaning than she could fathom.
she turned very red, and for an instant, i think, half resolved to acknowledge the deception she was practising. but richard delafield was one who despised a falsehood, and she dared not confess to him her error, so she turned away, saying with a feigned indifference which illy accorded with the expression of her face, “surely, i forgot all about it.”
alone in her room, however, she shed tears of anger and mortification as she saw us ride off together, and thought of the happiness from which she was debarred by a fancied blister, which had never come in contact with her flesh. but whether it drew upon her side or the fire-board, it in a measure wrought the desired cure, for seldom again did ada attempt to deceive her guardian. would it not be well if more of our modern young ladies should be blistered for the same disease that afflicted ada montrose.
it was nearly dark when we returned, and mrs. lansing 274and ada were in their accustomed places upon the piazza, the latter holding an open letter which she had that afternoon received from her cousin mrs. johnson, who was spending some time in mobile, and who wished ada to join her there, before going on to new orleans. they were evidently discussing the matter, and when we came up, ada handed the letter to mr. delafield, bidding him read it and tell her what to do. hastily running it over, he said, “go, by all means: you have never seen mobile, and it will be a good opportunity.”
“but i have been thinking of giving up my visit to new orleans,” she continued in a kind of beseeching tone; “mrs. lansing had rather i’d remain with her this winter.”
it was not so dark as to prevent me from seeing the expression of mr. delafield’s face, and i fancied the proposition did not altogether please him. she evidently thought so too, for rather pettishly she added, “but if you wish to be rid of me, of course i’ll go.”
“ada! how foolish!” he said, sternly. “i’ve often heard you express a desire to spend a winter in new orleans, and now that an opportunity is presented, i think you had better accept it. i shall be there a part of the time, perhaps all,” he added; and then i turned away lest my face should betray what was passing within.
“and will you go with me to mobile?” ada asked of him, as a child would ask her father.
“certainly,” he answered; “i do not propose letting you go alone. but how is that side? i’d almost forgotten to ask.”
“it has pained me a good deal,” said she, “but martha dressed it nicely this afternoon, and it feels much better. i’m so glad you made me apply it, now the worst is over, for i believe it will do me good!”
275she spoke with every appearance of candor, and much as it surprised him, mr. delafield was, i thought, partially, if not wholly, convinced that what she said was true, and that he had suspected her of more than she deserved; for his manner towards her changed, and as if trying to make amends, he devoted himself to her entirely for the remainder of the evening, telling her where they would go when they were in new orleans, and laying many plans for her pleasure. once in his zeal he thoughtlessly threw his arm around her waist, but she instantly shrank back, saying, “don’t—don’t—you hurt!”
this convinced him thoroughly, and i slept and woke twice that night ere the sound of their voices ceased upon the piazza, where their long interview was kept in countenance by mrs. lansing, who sat up until he left, and then patting ada’s cheek, told her she thought “her prospects were brightening.”
i thought so, too, and there was a shadow on my heart, when i saw how much they were together during the few weeks which elapsed before her departure for mobile. it is true he was still kind to me as of old; and whenever he found that ada, by word or look, had slighted me, he always managed to let her know how much he disapproved her conduct, so that in his presence she was usually polite, though she could not quite conceal the fact that i was to her an object of dislike.
it was nearly the middle of october, when ada finally left us for mobile, accompanied by mr. delafield, who, in bidding us good-bye, said we need not be surprised if he did not return in several weeks. i consider it to be my misfortune that my face generally betrays all i feel, and with his physiognomic powers he could not fail to see the effect which his words produced upon me, for well i knew how 276lonely cedar grove would be without him; and when after he was gone, little jessie climbed into my lap, and laying her head upon my shoulder wished “uncle dick never would go away,” i mentally responded to the wish. the whole household seemed more or less affected; mrs. lansing was cross; lina careless; halbert fretful; and jessie unhappy—while i began to be haunted with my old project of returning home; and i should, perhaps, have proposed it to mrs. lansing, had it not been that, at the close of the fifth day, we were greatly surprised at mr. delafield’s unexpected return. he didn’t like mobile, he said, and would much rather be at home.
numerous were the questions asked by mrs. lansing concerning ada and the pain in her side, which last, mr. delafield said, had left her entirely, owing, he believed, to the timely application of the blister. he was deceived, i thought, and i must confess to a slight feeling of gratification at an occurrence which thoroughly convinced him of his mistake. one night, a few days after his return, old hagar, his head cook, came over to cedar grove, groaning with rheumatism, which she termed “a misery in her back.” lina, to whom her complaints were made, listened a while, and then opening an old paper-box which stood under the table, drew forth a plaster, which she said she “had done found in miss ada’s room, on t’other side the fire-board, oncet when she was clarin’ the fire-place.”
as ada was gone she thought there was no harm in appropriating it to herself, which she accordingly did, laying it carefully away until it should be needed. the recital of hagar’s aches and pains reminded her of it, so she urged it upon the old negress, assuring her it must be good, or white folks would never use it! with many thanks hagar hobbled home, applied her plaster, and went to bed! 277but, alas! for the expected relief, which came only in burning sensations and stinging pains, eliciting many a groan from the poor old lady, who heroically bore it until morning, when she found herself unable to perform her accustomed duties.
for a long time mr. delafield waited for his breakfast, which was at last served up by hagar’s daughter, who gave such a deplorable account of her mother’s condition that the moment breakfast was over he went himself to the cabin, where he found the old lady moaning over her blistered back, which she said, “was a heap harder to bar than the rheumatics.”
a few words explained the whole, for hagar never concealed aught from her master, and so she gave the history of her plaster, which now lay upon the hearth in the ashes, where she had thrown it. quick as thought the truth burst upon mr. delafield, who laughed so long and loud, that aunt hagar, thinking that he was making light of her misfortunes, began to cry, saying she “never thought mars’r richard would poke fun at her misery.”
“neither am i making fun of you,” said he, adding further, by way of atoning for his error, that for the remainder of the week she should be freed from all household service, and devote her whole time, if she liked, to her aching back.
this had the effect of restoring aunt hagar to good humor, and in the midst of her thanks, mr. delafield returned slowly to the house, thinking that when a habit of deception is once firmly fixed, it required more to cure it than a blister applied to the fire-board!
