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Page 49
"You do give me such turns, Charlotte." But who ever reasons with a
superstition? Ducie simply obeyed Charlotte's wish, and laid the pallid
blooms almost remorsefully back upon the earth from which she had taken
them. A strange melancholy filled her heart; although the servants were
busy all around, and everywhere she heard the good-natured laugh, the
thoughtless whistle, or the songs of hearts at ease.
When she entered the houseplace she put the bright kettle on the hob,
and took out her silver teapot and her best cups of lovely crown Derby.
And as she moved about in her quiet, hospitable way they began to talk
of Stephen. "Was he well?"--"Yes, he was well, but there were things
that might be better. I thought when he went to Bradford," continued
Ducie, "that he would at least be learning something that he might be
the better of in the long end; and that in a mill he would over-get his
notions about sheepskins being spun into golden fleeces. But he doesn't
seem to get any new light that way, and Up-Hill is not doing well
without him. Fold and farm are needing the master's eye and hand; and it
will be a poor lambing season for us, I think, wanting Steve. And, deary
me, Charlotte, one word from you would bring him home!"
Charlotte stooped, and lifted the tortoise-shell cat, lying on the rug
at her feet. She was not fond of cats, and she was only attentive to
puss as the best means of hiding her blushes. Ducie understood the
small, womanly ruse, and waited no other answer. "What is the matter
with the squire, Charlotte? Does he think that Stephen isn't good enough
to marry you? I'll not say that Latrigg evens Sandal in all things, but
I will say that there are very few families that can even Latrigg. We
have been without reproach,--good women, honest men; not afraid of any
face of clay, though it wore a crown above it."
"Dear Ducie, there is no question at all of that. The trouble arose
about Julius Sandal. Father was determined that I or Sophia should marry
him, and he was afraid of Steve standing in the way of Julius. As for
myself, I felt as if Julius had been invited to Seat-Sandal that he
might make his choice of us; and I took good care that he should
understand from the first hour that I was not on his approbation. I
resented the position on my own account, and I did not intend Stephen to
feel that he was only getting a girl who had been appraised by Julius
Sandal, and declined."
"You are a good girl, Charlotte; and as for Steve standing in the way of
Julius Sandal, he will, perhaps, do that yet, and to some more purpose
than sweet-hearting. I hear tell that he is very rich; but Steve is not
poor,--no, not by a good deal. His grandfather and I have been saving
for him more than twenty years, and Steve is one to turn his penny well
and often. If you marry Steve, you will not have to study about money
matters."
"Poor or rich, I shall marry Steve if he is true to me."
"There is another thing, Charlotte, a thing I talk about to no one; but
we will speak of it once and forever. Have you heard a word about
Steve's father? My trouble is long dead and buried, but there are some
that will open the grave itself for a mouthful of scandal. What have you
heard? Don't be afraid to speak out."
"I heard that you ran away with Steve's father."
"Yes, I did."
"That your father and mother opposed your marriage very much."
"Yes, that also is true."
"That he was a handsome lad, called Matt Pattison, your father's head
shepherd."
"Was that all?"
"That it killed your mother."
"No, that is untrue. Mother died from an inflammation brought on by
taking cold. I was no-ways to blame for her death. I was to blame for
running away from my home and duty, and I took in full all the sorrowful
wage I earned. Steve's father did not live to see his son; and when I
heard of mother's death, I determined to go back to father, and stay
with him always if he would let me. I got to Sandal village in the
evening, and stayed with Nancy Bell all night. In the morning I went up
the fell; it was a wet, cold morning, with gusts of wind driving the
showers like a solid sheet eastward. We had a hard fight up the breast
of the mountain; and the house looked bleak and desolate, for the men
were all in the barn threshing, and the women in the kitchen at the
butter-troughs. I stood in the porch to catch my breath, and take my
plaid from around the child; and I heard father in a loud, solemn voice
saying the Collect,--father always spoke in that way when he was saying
the Confession or the Collect,--and I knew very well that he would be
standing at that east window, with his prayer-book open on the sill. So
I waited until I heard the 'Amen,' and then I lifted the latch and went
in. He turned around and faced me; and his eyes fell at once upon little
Steve, who was a bonny lad then, more than three years old. 'I have come
back to you, father,' I said, 'I and my little Steve.'--'Where is thy
husband?' he asked. I said, 'He is in the grave. I did wrong, and I am
sorry, father."
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