the sun had set on cedar grove, and together on the broad, airy piazza sat mrs. lansing and ada, rather impatiently waiting for richard, whom they had not seen since he left them so abruptly in the morning. greatly relieved at the absence of one whom she had in a measure dreaded as a rival, ada began to hope that the conquest of her guardian would now be a comparatively easy matter, and as she knew the effect which a pretty face and a becoming dress had upon him, she had spent a great deal of time upon this evening’s toilet, and looked unusually young and handsome in her pale blue tissue, with her soft curls falling over her white uncovered neck.
that day she had talked a long time with mrs. lansing, who had not only expressed her willingness to receive her as a sister, but had also promised to do whatever she could to forward the matter. believing mrs. lansing to have far more influence over her brother than she really had, ada began to entertain hopes of soon becoming a bride, and when she thought no one could see her, actually wrote upon a card, “mr. and mrs. r. delafield,” just to see how it would look! it looked well, she thought, and smoothing from her brow a frown which had been caused by her finding among 351her waving tresses a long white hair, she went down to the piazza to await richard’s coming.
“he has not been here since morning, and i am sure he’ll come to-night. you know he has latterly been a most constant visitor,” remarked mrs. lansing.
“yes, but possibly the attraction which kept him so much here is gone,” faintly suggested ada.
“fie!” returned mrs. lansing, with a toss of her head. “i know richard better than that, and though he may at one time have felt a slight interest in miss lee, i am positive ’tis nothing serious, or lasting. only think of it, richard delafield marry my governess, a poor schoolmistress! what would his fashionable acquaintance in augusta and charleston say, setting aside our friends in new orleans!”
and on the proud woman’s face there was a sneer at the very idea of her brother’s thus disgracing himself.
“hark! i do believe he’s coming,” said ada, as she heard approaching footsteps, and she had just time to adjust her skirts gracefully when there stood before her, not mr. delafield, but the servant to whom had been intrusted the note for mrs. lansing.
this the negro had entirely forgotten until it was recalled to his mind by the continued absence of his master, whose return they had confidently expected before night. taking the note from his hand, mrs. lansing hastily glanced at its contents, and then, with an exclamation of surprise, handed it to ada, who turned deathly pale as she saw her new-born hopes crushed at once and forever; and if now she clasped her hand upon her side, the action was not feigned, for a pain, which blistering could not heal, was indeed there—the pain of wounded pride at seeing a humble, obscure girl preferred to herself. for several minutes not a word was spoken, and then mrs. lansing, who knew it would not be 352politic to quarrel with her brother, said, “i am astonished at richard’s proceedings, but i suppose there is no help for it, and we may as well make the best of it. miss lee ain’t the worst girl in the world. she had many friends in the village—was well educated, and with a few lessons from us on some points of etiquette she may do very well.”
“us,” angrily retorted ada. “when i teach dick delafield’s wife etiquette i shall be older than i am now.”
“and that you would not care to be;” said mrs. lansing, a little sarcastically.
she was a woman, who, if essential to her own interest, could turn with every breeze, and though she was not pleased with her brother’s choice, she did not deem it advisable to provoke his anger by quarrelling about it, for when once roused, but few could cope with his resolute, determined spirit. then, too, rosa lee was yielding and generous, and would not object even if her husband should bestow half his fortune upon his sister; so after all it might be better to have her the mistress of sunny bank than one like ada, who was more selfish and wanted everything for herself. thus mrs. lansing reasoned, coming at last to feel quite amiably disposed towards rosa lee, whom she fully intended to manage in her own way, and she was about making up her mind to write a kind, sisterly letter to said rosa, when her attention was attracted by a loud sobbing, and looking round she saw ada weeping violently.
as well as she could love any one, ada had loved her guardian, and the knowledge that he was now lost to her, overcame her for a time, and covering her face with her hands, she cried aloud. mrs. lansing had never really loved in her life, so she could not appreciate the feeling, and she made no effort to soothe the weeping girl who that night wet her pillow with bitter tears, and who next morning 353looked weary, pale and old, as she languidly took her seat at the breakfast table. still ada was not one to love very deeply, and as on this occasion her pride was touched rather than her heart, she ere long grew calm, and with mrs. lansing wisely resolved to make the best of it. then, too, there arose the very natural desire to conceal from richard that she had ever cared for him, and to do this she thought she must pretend to be pleased with his choice. accordingly when mrs. lansing wrote to her brother, ada inclosed a gilt-edged note, in which she congratulated him upon his intended marriage, telling him she had foreseen it from the first, and ended by sending her love to “rose.” thus, because she thought it would be for her interest, did mrs. lansing deem it best to change her tactics, while ada was too proud to evince any open hostility, though in her heart she hated the future bride and lamented the fatality which had decreed that she should be rivalled by “both of those lee girls.”
