A Group of Noble Dames | Page 9

this
Betty obediently did.
Dornell renewed his animadversions freely. 'Did you see how the sound
of his name frightened her?' he presently added. 'If you didn't, I did.
Zounds! what a future is in store for that poor little unfortunate wench
o' mine! I tell 'ee, Sue, 'twas not a marriage at all, in morality, and if I
were a woman in such a position, I shouldn't feel it as one. She might,
without a sign of sin, love a man of her choice as well now as if she
were chained up to no other at all. There, that's my mind, and I can't
help it. Ah, Sue, my man was best! He'd ha' suited her.'
'I don't believe it,' she replied incredulously.
'You should see him; then you would. He's growing up a fine fellow, I
can tell 'ee.'

'Hush! not so loud!' she answered, rising from her seat and going to the
door of the next room, whither her daughter had betaken herself. To
Mrs. Dornell's alarm, there sat Betty in a reverie, her round eyes fixed
on vacancy, musing so deeply that she did not perceive her mother's
entrance. She had heard every word, and was digesting the new
knowledge.
Her mother felt that Falls-Park was dangerous ground for a young girl
of the susceptible age, and in Betty's peculiar position, while Dornell
talked and reasoned thus. She called Betty to her, and they took leave.
The Squire would not clearly promise to return and make
King's-Hintock Court his permanent abode; but Betty's presence there,
as at former times, was sufficient to make him agree to pay them a visit
soon.
All the way home Betty remained preoccupied and silent. It was too
plain to her anxious mother that Squire Dornell's free views had been a
sort of awakening to the girl.
The interval before Dornell redeemed his pledge to come and see them
was unexpectedly short. He arrived one morning about twelve o'clock,
driving his own pair of black-bays in the curricle-phaeton with yellow
panels and red wheels, just as he had used to do, and his faithful old
Tupcombe on horseback behind. A young man sat beside the Squire in
the carriage, and Mrs. Dornell's consternation could scarcely be
concealed when, abruptly entering with his companion, the Squire
announced him as his friend Phelipson of Elm- Cranlynch.
Dornell passed on to Betty in the background and tenderly kissed her.
'Sting your mother's conscience, my maid!' he whispered. 'Sting her
conscience by pretending you are struck with Phelipson, and would ha'
loved him, as your old father's choice, much more than him she has
forced upon 'ee.'
The simple-souled speaker fondly imagined that it as entirely in
obedience to this direction that Betty's eyes stole interested glances at
the frank and impulsive Phelipson that day at dinner, and he laughed
grimly within himself to see how this joke of his, as he imagined it to

be, was disturbing the peace of mind of the lady of the house. 'Now Sue
sees what a mistake she has made!' said he.
Mrs. Dornell was verily greatly alarmed, and as soon as she could
speak a word with him alone she upbraided him. 'You ought not to have
brought him here. Oh Thomas, how could you be so thoughtless! Lord,
don't you see, dear, that what is done cannot be undone, and how all
this foolery jeopardizes her happiness with her husband? Until you
interfered, and spoke in her hearing about this Phelipson, she was as
patient and as willing as a lamb, and looked forward to Mr. Reynard's
return with real pleasure. Since her visit to Falls- Park she has been
monstrous close-mouthed and busy with her own thoughts. What
mischief will you do? How will it end?'
'Own, then, that my man was best suited to her. I only brought him to
convince you.'
'Yes, yes; I do admit it. But oh! do take him back again at once! Don't
keep him here! I fear she is even attracted by him already.'
'Nonsense, Sue. 'Tis only a little trick to tease 'ee!'
Nevertheless her motherly eye was not so likely to be deceived as his,
and if Betty were really only playing at being love-struck that day, she
played at it with the perfection of a Rosalind, and would have deceived
the best professors into a belief that it was no counterfeit. The Squire,
having obtained his victory, was quite ready to take back the too
attractive youth, and early in the afternoon they set out on their return
journey.
A silent figure who rode behind them was as interested as Dornell in
that day's experiment. It was the staunch Tupcombe, who, with his eyes
on the Squire's and young Phelipson's backs, thought how well the
latter would