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Page 2
Gliding up to her uncle she threw heir arms about his neck and
imprinted a kiss on his noble brow, then sinking on a stool at his feet
began to take him to task after the following fashion: "You truant, you
naughty uncle, to let me breakfast alone in my own room thinking you
hundreds of miles away, and not to let me know that you returned last
night; and Mrs. Fraudhurst is just as bad, and I will not forgive her or
you, unless you tell me where you have been and all you have seen and
done. Now, Sir Wanderer, commence and give an account of yourself; you
see I am prepared to listen," apparently waiting with much attention for
her uncle to enlighten her as to the why and wherefore he had journeyed
to London. It was evident that the Baronet had been in the habit of
making a confidant of his pretty niece, but on this occasion, for one
reason or another he had failed to do so; she had taken out of one of
her little embroidered pockets in her apron, some crochet work, and
applied herself diligently thereunto.
Edith was the orphan child of Sir Jasper's much loved and only sister,
who did not long survive the death of her husband, and on her decease
the Baronet had adopted the child, and as she grew up, her affectionate
disposition and natural simplicity wound themselves round the old man's
heart, and thus she soon became the apple of his eye, and he loved her
with all the tender solicitude of a father.
She was gentle and friendly to those beneath her, but dignified and firm
with those of her own station of life, with a fund of good practical
common sense, and was not easily dissuaded from doing any thing when she
had once made up her mind that it was her duty so to do. She loved her
uncle well and was ever ready to minister to his slightest wishes. She
used to delight him with the rich tone of her voice by singing
selections from his favorite operas, being an accomplished musician both
vocal and instrumental. They would frequently wander for hours through
the park or woods, but of late he had restricted his walks to the lawn,
or down the avenue to the lodge at the park gate, to hold converse with
the keeper, an old soldier who had served under him in his Peninsular
Campaigns, and often when relieved from the attendance on him would
Edith and Arthur Carlton, hand in hand, stroll down the said avenue to
listen to the wonderful stories related by the old lodge keeper. But
this was some time ago, for this youth (of which more will be heard
anon) was now, and had been for some time, at College at Oxford.
"Edith my darling," said the kind old man, bending over as he did so and
tapping her soft rosy cheek, "my visit to London was purely a business
one, and I delayed no longer than was necessary to complete it, but what
I saw and heard during my journey to and fro, I will relate to, you in
the evening."
The lively girl was about to make some reply to her good natured uncle
when a light rapping was heard; the door gently opened and a lady about
five and thirty entered; she was attired in a dress of black silk of
most undeniable Paris cut, which fitted her to a miracle; to Edith she
made a slight inclination of the head so as not to disarrange her
coiffure which was most elaborately got up doubtless with a view to
produce an effect.
"I trust, Sir Jasper, you slept well after your tedious journey."
"Very well, I thank you. Oh! I see you have the post bag, I am somewhat
anxious about some letters I expect to receive."
Moving around the back of the Baronet's chair she came between him and
Edith, who took the bag from her and held out her hand to her uncle for
the key to open it with, as was her usual custom of a morning; the key
was handed to her, and while they were thus engaged the eagle eye of the
lady in black fell upon the will which was still lying partially exposed
on the escritoire just as it had fallen from Sir Jasper's hand ere he
had sank into that reverie which had been disturbed by the entrance of
Edith; she obtained but a hurried glance, yet it was sufficient for her
to decipher its full meaning. As she realized this a dark cloud passed
across her features, she moved silently to the window and looked out;
when she again turned the cloud had vanished and her face was calm and
serene. So occupied with the mail bag had been both uncle and niece that
the action of the lady in question, in first glancing over the paper on
the desk and her subsequent movement towards the window, had remained
unnoticed by either.
"There is a letter for you, my dear," said the Baronet handing one to
Edith. "Oh!" said she joyously, "it is from Arthur. He is the dearest
old fellow, and one of the best correspondents alive; he tells the
funniest stories of the college scrapes he gets into, and how cleverly
he gets out of them, and makes all manner of fun in his caricatures of
the musty old professors."
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