‘Nance, it is over,’ said Grant, handing the paper to his cousin. ‘It is complete and absolute, and Uncle begins the third chapter in his life. It seems a mistake for him to go to Aunt Maria. They say nothing revives a habit like the place where it started.’
‘We seem to have gone back to the first chapter: I have a feeling that Mother has only just died.’
‘So has Uncle. You must have noticed it, when he took such pains that you should. Her portrait is to go back to the dining-room; he has written to Bethia. It would hardly be worth while to move it again, if it were not to be a permanent arrangement. When it went to the landing, I was permitted the task. Bethia is the next thing to Uncle himself.’
‘Bethia could not have moved it to the landing; there are things that could not be. Alison would seem like a dream if it were not for the child.’
‘Nance, it is still a secret, and will always be?’
‘I believe there may be a rumour. I suppose that had to come. It is astonishing how little one thinks about it. Bethia said something in my hearing, meaning either to warn me or to wound. 216 One thing is, that no one can say anything to our faces; and Dulcia herself would not breathe it to Father. In a way we are safe. What incredible things happen in this house!’
‘Nothing can happen to us outside it. We have no life elsewhere. I want to ask you a question, Nance: I think some people call it the question. Do you think you could marry me? You know about my wild oats; and that is said to be so important, though I should have thought it would be a mistake. There is nothing for you to find out: there really is not, though it does seem strange, when you think of what has come to light. I shall have no secrets from you. My very last one transpired, you see. Things do point to our marrying.’
‘Father has said something, has he? You were glad not to be cast off, but to be demanded as a son is too much difference. He must be one of those people, who make more fuss over little things than big ones.’
‘You have not given me your answer. You can’t say you do not love me. We could not have lived in this house for all these years, without mutual affection; Uncle would have made it impossible: I think he has a right to expect us to marry.’
‘There are the reasons against it, that always hold good. I feel to you as a sister, and there is someone else.’
‘Then God bless you, Nance. Your happiness is all that counts. I see it is all that does. Do you think Sibyl would marry me? I know there is someone else; but he is out of the case.’
‘Grant, what are you doing?’
Grant altered his tone.
‘I want to settle down; and I am not out for romance. You may say I have not kept myself for it. Uncle wants me to marry one of you, and would do more for me if I did.’ 217
‘You have not always considered what he would like.’
‘Nance, I see you could not marry me; that it would not be for the happiness of either. Even at this moment you are not studying my happiness. But Sibyl could surely be happy with me, if she could be with Almeric. I shall not give her Dulcia for a sister, and I do not think men superior to women, which very few men can say. It’s being simple of them does not make them any better. A quiet respect and affection is the best foundation; and although she can’t have respect for me, if she has not affection, she is very unaffectionate.’
Nance did not speak for a moment.
‘She might be better, married to you, than as she is now. If you make it clear to her what your feelings are.’
‘She will not expect my heart at her feet, when her heart is not at disposal at all. It is odd that she and Alison both prefer Almeric to me. It is a salutary lesson, just as your refusing me has been. I shall be very much improved by the time I marry. I hope I shall not always be refused. If I have to tell Uncle that neither of his daughters will spend her life with me, he will not think I am worth a larger salary. He knows they have both spent their lives with him, and what he is like to live with. You won’t tell Sibyl I have proposed to you? She might not like to marry a rejected man; though of course I like to marry a rejected woman; the cases are not the same.’
Grant went to the schoolroom, where Sibyl was with Cassie, and sat down at her side.
‘Will you please leave us, Cassie?’
‘Have you anything especial to say?’
‘The thing a man only says once.’
Cassie glanced from one to the other, and left them. 218
‘Sibyl, if I ask you to marry me, you will give me some hope? I know men are satisfied, if they can only have some hope. You can’t go on being a comfort to Uncle, if you will not be my wife. He wants me to marry one of his girls, and Nance and I are not suited. We should make such an awkward pair, and you and I would be a charming couple; and that is so seldom seen, that it would comfort anyone. We ought to think of Uncle as well as ourselves; and this seems the only way of thinking of all three.’
‘Grant, you are joking; and it is a simple jest.’
‘You know it is not one of my jokes. You must know them all by now. And my jokes are not simple. When have I asked you to marry me? Of course I am your cousin, and there is someone else; but those are conventional objections.’
Sibyl stared at him, and did not speak. Then she looked about her, as though seeing another world rise from the ruins of her own.
‘Grant, have you ever had your place taken with someone who was all your life?’
‘Should I propose to you, if I had? And I don’t think you have either, quite apart from not being able to bear to think so. Almeric had too little to give you, to be your life, I must speak jealously of him; it is only natural.’
‘I know it is undignified to yield to a feeling that is not returned.’
‘You must return my feeling, or you could not say that to me. Would my arm be where it is, if it had no right to be? When Uncle comes home, let me tell him I am his son. My being his nephew will dispose of the question of what I am to call him; and that is such a silly problem for a man. Everything points to our marrying.’ 219
‘How would things be with us, Grant?’
‘I can offer my wife every comfort: I have a right to propose to a woman. And I can offer her more comfort, if she is Uncle’s daughter, and so have more right to propose to her.’
‘Some women would not marry you, if they knew what I know.’
‘Well, I would not marry them, so I can’t see that it matters. And the difference in my past is that it happened at home. It only shows I am at heart a family man. Nothing has gone deep with me; and you cannot say the same.’
‘Perhaps it did not go as deep as I thought.’
‘You have made me the happiest man alive: I felt I was right to hope. I am glad I shan’t have to go away to get over a disappointment, when I should be settling down as Uncle’s agent. He would despise me for being refused, and for not carrying it off better. You see, he has no knowledge of being refused. He seems always to have been accepted.’
‘Your mistakes have lost you the place that was your own; and some women would use a worse word than mistakes.’
‘How trying you seem to find some women! I know a man’s early mistakes alter his life, and that mine have done it. But with the money I have of my own, we shall have enough for comfort with a little contrivance, which is known to be the happiest state.’
‘I believe it is a grief to Father, that you will not come after him.’
‘Nothing binds people so close, as a shared sorrow. I have noticed we are getting closer.’
When Duncan returned to his house, he was once again met by Sibyl. 220
‘Father, you have wished that Grant was your son. Now he is going to be. Tell us that you are glad.’
‘I am glad,’ said Duncan, putting his hands on her shoulders, and looking with easy feeling into her face. ‘And your mother would be glad with me. She looked on Grant as her son; and we may say he will be a son to her.’
‘I felt to her as to a mother, Uncle.’
‘Oh, words, words. Well, Nance, you remain an old maid, rather than be under this fellow! Miss Jekyll, you and I must not look for much, or we shall find the young ones too simple for us. Well, there is room in the house for its life to spread. You may come to me, boy, and tell me what is in your mind; and I will do what I can, to get most of it out for you. I don’t want any of it in mine. One head full will do.’
‘Nance, Father does not expect us to live in this house?’ said Sibyl, when Duncan had gone.
‘Why should he not? You offered him Grant as a son.’
‘He could not have thought I meant it in that sense.’
‘You seemed to speak sincerely.’
‘Can’t you say a word for us? Can’t you say that Mother would think it better for us to have our own home?’
‘Father has enlisted Mother on his side. You heard him.’
‘You would take it seriously, if it were your future at stake.’
‘I am taking it seriously. I am in a tremble to think that Father is to be thwarted.’
‘He would not expect me to live with him, with another wife,’ said Grant; ‘I ought to be able to settle it.’
‘I hope not at the expense of changing your wife.’
‘Would you like to live in this house, as a married woman?’ asked Sibyl. 221
‘I don’t know why it should be so different from living in it as a single one. Perhaps Grant had better marry me. Father would not mind which daughter made the bond.’
‘I believe you are jealous.’
‘Then he had certainly better marry me.’
‘I believe you think he should have asked you first.’
‘Well, as the elder, I am entitled to prior dealing.’
‘I wish I could see some solution. You might try to think.’
‘I have thought. Father will have to suffer a disappointment.’
‘Do you think he will mind too much?’
‘Not more than you will be able to bear, without preventing it.’
‘You don’t think we ought to live with him?’
‘Of course not: I think you should consider your own lives.’
‘Grant, go and get it over. Then we shall know how it is.’
‘Grant may not be so eager to make the discovery.’
Grant went to his uncle, and found him with his accounts.
‘Well, boy, so the girl’s portion is not to fall to an upstart. It is strange we have not thought of this. Odd man that I am, I feel your disinheritance, and find myself doing what little I can.’
‘You show me all kinds of generosity, Uncle. I wish Sibyl were to have a husband equal to her father.’
‘There is no need for a man to be too much equalled in his own house. Why should you be my equal, after all?’
‘We cannot impose upon you so far, as to live here. We must live in a smaller house of our own.’
‘Why can you not?’ said Duncan, looking up, and then seeming to consider his papers. ‘It has not troubled you, what you do in my house. What have you to offer my daughter anywhere else?’
‘It would be an inconvenience to you and Nance. A different course of life would be running across your own.’ 222
‘It would not, under my roof, as I should not choose it. I can consider my own convenience: I was not thinking of not doing so.’
‘Of course not, Uncle. I mean it would be considered a foredoomed experiment. It would be recognized as bad for other people.’
‘So you are thinking of other people? That is your trouble? How soon are you taking my girl to this small house of your imagining, or I suppose of hers?’
‘We feel the ordinary impatience, Uncle.’
‘We! Why bring in the girl? It is for you to feel impatience, isn’t it?’
Duncan got up and walked to the window, breathing with his lips closed. Grant, not seeing what to do, returned to his cousins.
‘Well, is it over?’ said Nance. ‘What was it like?’
‘I can hardly tell you. Uncle was so much master of himself.’
‘That indeed tells me nothing. I have only seen him when the self is master of him.’
‘Poor, darling Father!’ said Sibyl. ‘It will be best for him in the end.’
‘I don’t see why. It will be best for you and Grant. Of Father and me it must be said, that we still have each other.’
Duncan sought his nephew as usual in the next days, and, as usual, made no demand on his daughters, giving no sign that he saw the change in the family as calling for other change. But one morning he came to the schoolroom, where Cassie was alone.
‘Well, Cassie, you and I are left behind in the march. We have to follow the example set us, and see to ourselves. We have seen a deal together, and seen it in the same way. We knew 223 and lost Ellen together, which is the chief thing in my life, and comes high in yours. You are alone, and I am alone.’ His voice quavered for a moment. ‘And we shall not be at a loss for talk of the past. Shall we have regard to these things, and go on as we may, together?’
Cassie heard him with her eyes on his, and now gave him a smile; and he lifted her hand to his lips, and the scene was over.
‘Is that the easiest proposal you have made?’
‘You are a chattering woman! Wanting to gossip at once! Be content with the gossip you will raise. Well, we have something to say for ourselves, other people have had enough to say to us.’
‘What will Nance say to it?’
‘What should she say? What has it to do with her? We are not answerable to her, I hope, for the way of our lives. She is answerable to us for the same thing. You have been a second mother to her. She and her sister can see you in their mother’s place.’
‘She has been a good friend to me: I hope I do the part of a friend by her.’
‘You have always done it, and it rests with you to continue to do so. I cannot be troubled with your doubts or hers. I shall not concern myself with them.’
‘You will, when they are mine.’
‘Oh, I shall, shall I?’ said Duncan, pausing to adjust himself to the new tone of his life. ‘Well, I shall then, if you say it. It shall be so.’
‘Will you tell them? I could not screw my courage to such a pitch.’
‘Your courage? What is there about them, to make such talk? They are the ordinary sort of boy and girl, as I see them: I wish they were less so.’ 224
‘Then I will expect them to know.’
‘Expect of them what you like, if you will make mention of it. I will tell them what you expect, and bid them look to it. We are over them, and have what we wish from them, I hope.’
Duncan went to the drawing-room and found Grant and Sibyl.
‘Where is Nance?’
‘I don’t know, Father.’
‘Do you know, boy?’
‘I am afraid not, Uncle.’
‘Then will you put yourselves about to find her? One of you go one way, and one another. And when you come upon her, bring her to me, and see you both accompany her. I have something to say which I propose to say only once.’
Nance was in the library with Oscar, who had called on Duncan, and found him occupied; and followed Grant to her father.
‘I would have you know that I am making a change in my life: I have had enough of changes in yours. The woman who has been your best friend and your mother’s, is to be more to you. I do not expect you to follow with your wits, and so will put it again in words. Miss Jekyll has consented to be my wife. Consider what I have said, and also consider your conduct.’ Duncan turned and left them.
‘Oh, can he mean it?’ said Nance.
‘He seems to mean it; but is there a mistake? Did Cassie fail to make herself clear? Uncle had evidently proposed to her.’
‘Cassie would not have left it like that,’ said Sibyl. ‘She has always been fonder of Father than other people have.’
‘Uncle seems to have contracted a habit of proposing. Perhaps he proposes to the first woman he meets after he is free. It is absurd of him to pretend he does not think much of women. His 225 feelings for them completely run away with him. It is a mercy Miss Burtenshaw and Dulcia have not been about.’
‘Mother; Alison; Cassie!’ said Nance. ‘He would not have proposed to Miss Burtenshaw. Well, I can claim it is not I who have set him the example this time. I think he let fall that he was following you. I hardly realized that the young took the lead in this house.’
‘Can you imagine Uncle proposing to Cassie?’
‘I cannot; I will not do what is too much for me.’
‘I suppose he spoke up like a man. After all, practice makes perfect.’
‘Nance, it is not because Grant and I are leaving him?’
‘It may be. But if it is, he has soon found his compensation.’
‘Cassie will be a change after Alison.’
‘Change is hardly the word for Cassie. I suppose he thought he would resort this time to the accustomed. There is really nothing surprising in it: I wonder if we are really surprised.’
‘Yes, Nance,’ said Grant. ‘We did not foresee it. We were astonished. We did not believe it. But evidently we believe it now.’
‘Poor Father!’ said Sibyl. ‘We might be nicer about it.’
‘I don’t think we are below the standard in these things. There has been a certain demand upon us.’
‘Nance, you will bear the brunt of it,’ said Grant.
‘There will be no brunt from Cassie. And I am used to yielding my position as mistress of the house.’
‘Cassie has always liked Father,’ said Sibyl. ‘He is so much nicer to her, than to anyone else. She has much more reason for liking him. I don’t suppose there is deep feeling on either side.’
‘I wonder what is their reason for marrying,’ said Nance, ‘as the natural one seems disposed of.’ 226
‘Father wants a companion; Cassie wants a certain future. You talk as if you were a child, Nance.’
‘Well, that is to be my position. I hope to be a dutiful child to these my parents.’
Cassie came into the room with a transparent assumption of ease.
‘Cassie darling, we are glad,’ said Sibyl.
‘Cassie knows we are glad, when Father marries. But we have no hidden feelings.’
‘Cassie, it was nice of you not to reject Uncle. I have lately imagined myself in the position of being rejected; and it would not be respectful to think of him in it.’
‘It is not an experience he seems to encounter. And I have found him a good friend, apart from my normal wish to marry him. His life has had its rougher side.’
‘Cassie, be careful. Are you mistaking pity for love?’
‘We both have a life behind us. It will be a help to the life in front, and a reason for it.’
‘I don’t think you are expecting too much, which is said to be the great danger. You do not sound as if you could not help yourself.’
‘You are the one woman, who will enable the portrait to be left in the dining-room,’ said Nance. ‘Father could hardly have it moved again.’
‘I see he had no choice but to marry me.’
‘Mother would have liked it to be you,’ said Sibyl, kneeling by Cassie’s chair. ‘I daresay she thought of it before she died.’
‘I am sure she did not,’ said Cassie, laughing. ‘If the matter had come to her mind, she would not have thought your father would marry again.’ 227
‘Once I should not have thought so either,’ said Nance.
‘Neither should I,’ said Cassie. ‘And in a way we were right. He has never attempted to fill her place.’
‘You have attained a real understanding of him,’ said Grant. ‘You are quite right to marry. So many people would have thought he had: I thought I had recognized one or two attempts myself. He should be regarded as absolutely faithful to Aunt Ellen’s memory. He may be thought even less so, when he is married to you; and of course that is absurd.’
‘It seems I am destined to recapture the rights of youth,’ said Nance.
‘I am thankful I am to keep one of you; and it is the one I would choose.’
‘Cassie, take care,’ said Grant. ‘A parent should be impartial.’
‘Who should be impartial?’ said Duncan, driven to the scene by curiosity concerning it. ‘Cassie and I have an equal respect for all of you, if that will do. You are reasonably worthy people.’
‘Father, we are glad,’ said Sibyl.
‘What have you to be glad of, that you should come bamboozling me? You keep your thoughts to your own man, and learn from him to whom you belong. Grant, do you care for a word governed by reason? Or must you have the girl at your heels?’
Grant and Sibyl followed Duncan, and Nance turned to Cassie.
‘Cassie, I must ask it once. Our relation is not yet altered. Why do you want to marry Father?’
‘I want a provision for my future. Oscar must build his own life, when my mother dies. And I have lived with your father for twenty years. It is not remarkable that I can spend some more with him.’ 228
‘Did you expect him to propose to you? I should not have thought he would have such a good idea. He has only had worse ones.’
‘The idea was his own. If it had been mine, he would have had it earlier.’
Bethia appeared at the door.
‘Mrs Jekyll and Mr Jekyll are here, ma’am,’ she said, with a light on her face.
‘You are glad Miss Jekyll is to be the mistress, Bethia?’
‘There is cause for gladness at last, Miss Nance.’
‘Well, Cassie,’ said Oscar, ‘so Duncan wishes to enter our family?’
‘You have decided to be Number Three?’ said Gretchen, staring at her daughter. ‘Well, you are used to managing his house, and bringing up his children; and you have the mistakes of two to guide you.’
‘Nance and Richard are an ill-assorted pair.’
‘There is not so much reason why they should be alike. What does Nance say to losing her place? I suppose she is getting accustomed to it.’
‘Nance and I can do anything together. And she does not care for managing her father’s house.’
‘Well, he is good at getting other people to manage it. I am glad you are to be rid of two of them. You don’t want a houseful of other women’s children.’
‘My life has depended on other women and their children.’
‘Well, you are the one to bring happiness to them all,’ said Gretchen, embracing her daughter. ‘They are not doing wrong in getting you to be over them. Your place is anywhere over the rest.’