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Page 64
"And I do believe," after another pause, "that the two girls' lives will
be passed as unostentatiously as if the money had not come to them."
"Why do you speak as if the money had come to both?" asked Miss
Sherman, with a curious inflection of the voice.
"Did I? I did not realize it. But I will not change my words; for,
unless I mistake much, the money will be Bettina's as much as Barbara's,
and this, because Barbara will have it so."
The words were hardly spoken by Mrs. Douglas when Mr. Sumner, who was
riding backward and so facing the following carriage, sprang up, crying
in a low, smothered tone of alarm, "Barbara!"
But Mrs. Douglas had not time to turn before he sank back saying:
"Excuse me. I must have been mistaken. I thought that something was the
matter; that Barbara had been taken ill."
Then he added, in explanation to his sister: "The carriage was so far
back, as it rounded a curve, permitting me to look into it, that I could
not see very distinctly."
Miss Sherman bit her lip and rode on in silence. Mr. Sumner's concern
for Barbara seemed painfully evident to her. She had much that was
disagreeable to think of, for it was impossible to avoid contrasting
herself with the picture of Barbara which Mrs. Douglas had drawn. She
thought of the sister at home who so patiently, year after year, had
given up her own cherished desires that she might be gratified; who had
needed, far more than she herself had, the change and rest of this year
abroad, but whom she had forced to return with the father, even though
she knew well it was her own duty to go,--how many such instances of
selfishness had filled her life!
She felt that she could almost hate this fortunate Barbara,
who so easily was gaining all the things she herself
coveted,--admiration,--wealth,--love? no, not if she could help it! and
she forced herself to smile, to praise the same qualities of heart that
Mrs. Douglas had admired; to talk pityingly of the miserable ones of
earth; adoringly of self-sacrificing, heroic deeds, and sympathizingly
of noble endeavor.
* * * * *
What had been the matter in the other carriage? After the burst of
gayety with which the three girls and Malcom had greeted the swifter
equipage as it rolled past theirs, nothing was said for some time, until
Malcom suddenly burst out with the expression of what had evidently been
the subject of his thought:--
"Girls, do you think that Uncle Robert is falling in love with Miss
Sherman?"
The question fell like a bombshell into the little group. Margery first
found a voice, but it was a most awed, repressed one:--
"Why, Malcom! _could_ he ever love anybody again? You know--oh! what
could make you think of such a thing? It is not like you to make light
of Uncle Robert's feelings."
"I am not doing so, Madge dear. Men can love twice. It would not hurt
Margaret should he learn to love some one else. And it would be ever so
much better for him. Uncle's life seems very lonely to me. Now he is
busy with us; but just think of the long years when he is living and
working over here all alone. Still, I am sure I would not choose Miss
Sherman for him. Yet I am not certain but it looks some like it. What do
you think, Betty?"
"I--don't--know--what--I--do--think,--Malcom. You know how much I love
and admire your uncle. I do not think there are many women good enough
to be his wife."
Bettina thought, but did not say, that she could not love and admire
Miss Sherman, who had made it quite evident to Barbara and herself that
she cared nothing for them, save as they were under the care of Mrs.
Douglas; who had never given them any companionship, or, at least, never
had until during the past week or two, after she had learned that
Barbara was Howard's heiress.
Barbara drew her breath quickly and sharply. Could such a thing as this
be? was this to come? In her mind, Mr. Sumner was consecrated to the
dead Margaret, about whom she had thought so much,--the picture of
whose lovely face she had so often studied,--whose character she had
adorned with all possible graces! She listened, as in a dream, to
Bettina and Malcom. He _should_ not love any one else; or, if he
could--poor Barbara's heart was ruthlessly torn open and revealed unto
her consciousness. She felt that the others must read the tale in her
confused face.
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