CAPÍTULO 29.

 

            AND so the conversation was continuous, as that of friends who had not met for years, and have much to tell each other. And Noel marvelled at the contrast between Maynard’s present condition of intelligence and observation, and his mood and conduct of a few hours back.

 

            Not a word was said of Margaret, although she was all the time uppermost in Maynard’s mind; while in that of Noel, knowledge of his companion’s relations with her divided his consideration equally with his remembrance of the undeclared relationship to Lord Littmass. Thus Noel was in possession of the clue to every action and thought of Maynard’s, while to Maynard he was little more than a newly and timely made acquaintance.

 

            Knowing what an advantage it would give to Maynard to be made aware of his real position, he could not but long to impart to him the secret of his birth, as a key to unlock all mysteries for him, and solve all his difficulties. But the secret was not his own; and Noel was a loyal man, as Sophia Bevan well knew when she entrusted him with it. She little thought, however, how soon and how sore his temptation would be.

 

            Maynard made no secret of his anxiety to secure beyond recall the appointment of permanent director and manager of the Dolóres Mine, although he said nothing of his special reason for wishing it. Noel, however, comprehended him perfectly, and determined to espouse his cause, if needful, with his uncle. His doubt of such interference being necessary arose from his being unable to believe that the secret would be much longer kept from Maynard, who, as only son of a rich nobleman, would not feel called on to accept such a situation.

 

            On arriving in London, Noel found the following letter from Sophia awaiting him: –

 

(p. 162)

                                                                                                          ‘Linnwood.

                        ‘DEAR CHILD,

            ‘As soon as you left us mamma went to the cottage, and found the dame gone and a stranger in charge. She brought back a note for me from the old woman, which said that she hoped I would not take offence at her declining to come to Linnwood, but she could not run the risk of offending Lord Littmass, who has been very good to her in her troubles, and that she had just received orders to set off for London at once. I hope soon to see her back again, for mamma has written to ask his lordship to send Margaret to us for a nice long visit, with the dame.

            ‘Now don’t be disagreeable, and say that I imagine things instead of demonstrating them, when I tell you that I believe the old woman, and am positive it is all a story of Lord Littmass’s own making about Margaret’s mother not being married. Mamma thinks we must have mistaken the meaning of the dame’s phrase, and that it was a mere euphemism. She is so used to believing in “cousin Littmass,” that it would be as painful to her to have to cease to do so, as pleasant to be able to believe in her sister’s “untarnished honour,” as she calls it. So, between the balanced evidence, custom rather wins the day.

            ‘I am so stupid about these things, never having myself been either married or not married, that I can’t see the crime of being deceived. But then, you say I am only half a woman, or if you don’t say it you think it, which is worse; for I would rather have you say what you don’t think, than think what you don’t say, when it’s anything disagreeable about me. At any rate, I am not manly enough to throw contempt upon a poor woman for being wronged by a man. And don’t think me unwomanly, if I rebel against another of your manly ordinances. Mamma has told me what the poor dame meant by her “troubles.”

            ‘Once upon a time, she was a well-to-do industrious body, having a little money of her own, partly inherited and partly earned. She was induced to marry a butler of Lord Littmass’s. This man took every sixpence she had, and bought a public-house with it, making a will in her favour. He then took to drinking, and being otherwise manly, quarrelled with and ill-used her, tore up his will, and died. Whereupon, by virtue of man-made law, his brother inherited the whole of the property, which had been purchased with her money; and she was left utterly penniless. At best, had it not been invested in houses or land,

(p. 163)

she would have been entitled to but a third of her own money. The brother, on being appealed to, declined to part with any portion of what was legally his, and the poor plundered widow had to return to service to escape starvation. And in the mean time, the brother has taken a young wife and died, leaving her all the poor dame’s property.

‘           ‘If she is not provided for by Lord Littmass, we mean to take care that she is not obliged to end her days in a workhouse, which must otherwise be her reward for trusting to masculine justice. If I only were a man, I would not rest until I had abolished such a cruelty and disgrace out of the land. I shall sing with greater vigour than ever, in future, –

                                   “It’s oh! to be a slave,

                                               ‘Along with the barbarous (?) Turk,

                                   Where woman has never a soul to save,

                                               If this be Christian work.”

            ‘I had rather be denied my soul in Turkey, than my reason in England.

            ‘Mamma has just got an affectionate note from Lord Littmass, which must have crossed hers, saying that “the poor child is in an excitable state, and requires change to a less stimulating air, with entire rest and seclusion,” and that he thinks of sending her abroad at once. Now that I have begun to distrust him, I find myself doubting everything that comes from him. Do find out what you can for me, and what Mr. Maynard is about. Perhaps your City uncle can tell you.

                        ‘Ever yours,

                                                                                                          ‘S. B.’

 

 

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