CHAPTER LXXI.A DOUBLE WEDDING.
Mrs. Carter and Eva still remained in the reception-room. The passionate words of Herman Ross had filled them with amazement if not alarm. They could not believe the thing he had so wildly stated.
“If it should be now,” said Mrs. Carter, “if you really are his daughter and my niece, I shall just believe a special Providence sent you under this roof. Only to think how I took to you from the very first.”
“I cannot understand, it all seems so unreal. Not Ruthy’s sister—not related to little James. It is impossible!” answered Eva, in sad perplexity. “Still there was something from the first that made me turn to him. Love, yet not love; such tenderness as brings tears into one’s eyes. Is that the way a child feels towards its father?”
“Well, as I never had a father since I was six years old,” answered Mrs. Carter, “perhaps you’d better ask some oneelse, but that is a good deal like my own feelings toward brother Herman; for I just worship him.”
“When will he come back? I am so restless,” said Eva going to the window.
“So am I. It’s of no use to attempt anything; my heart jumps into my mouth at every noise. What if it should prove true? Come and kiss me, child!”
Eva threw her arms around the good woman’s neck, but she was so nervously restless that her very kisses were tremulous.
“I am so anxious,” she exclaimed.
“He is coming! that is his step!”
It was Herman Ross, walking up to the door with the light tread of a boy. His face was radiant when he entered the room. He advanced to Eva and took her tenderly in his arms.
“It is true, my child; my own, own child!”
Eva looked at him wonderingly; the whole thing seemed so marvellous, that she could not at once return his caress.
“But how? tell me more!” she faltered.
Ross sat down on the couch, and drew Eva to his side. Mrs. Carter moved her chair closer.
He told them all, with the brief passionate eloquence which perfect joy inspires. Before half his narrative was over, Eva had crept into his arms, and Mrs. Carter was sobbing like a child.
“And this lady is my own mother?”
Ross leaned forward and kissed Eva’s forehead.
“Yes, Eva, your unhappy, bereaved mother.”
“Poor lady!”
“She is waiting for you now.”
Eva arose agitated and trembling.
“I am ready; take me to my mother. Oh! how strangely the word seems; but my mother that was! how can I give her up!”
“There is nothing to give up, Eva; but everything to accept.”
“You—you have always been my father!” cried the girl with a sudden outburst of affection, “from the first moment I have loved you.”
“And you will love me?”
“Dearly, papa.”
The girl gave a little joyous laugh.
“Oh, what a dear, dear word, papa, papa!”
“But there is one dearer yet, Eva.”
“Yes, by-and-by I shall get used to it; but will she let me, I hardly dare.”
“My sweet child, how little you know her. She is counting every moment till you come. I left her crying like a child.”
“Poor lady, poor mamma.”
The girl’s face brightened all over, as the word fell from her lips. She looked shyly at Ross, and whispered it again and again as if to familiarize herself with the sweet sound. He smiled and passed his hand over her head.
“Come now, your mother is waiting.”
Eva left the room and then Ross saw that his sister was crying bitterly.
“What is the matter! Why are you distressed?” he asked.
“Oh! I loved her so! She was like my own child. Now—now that other woman will take her from me.”
“That she never will! Elizabeth understands too well all that you have done for her child.”
“After all,” said the kind woman, brightening up like a child, “sheismy niece, and that is something.”
“Besides, you forget that Elizabeth is your sister,” said Ross.
“Mrs. Lambert my sister—mine! How strange it seems—such a beautiful, lovely lady.”
Before Eva came down stairs, Mrs. Carter had begun to console herself; after all, it was something to have a niece like Eva, and a sister-in-law who had been for years a leader in society.
Mrs. Lambert was indeed waiting with passionate impatience for a sight of her child. The flood of her own happiness fairly transfigured the woman. Her pride was all swept away; the calm force of her character had disappeared with the secret that she had guarded so well. She walked the room; she flung herself on the couch and wept the sweetest tears that had ever visited her eyes. She went to the window and looked longingly out.
Would they never come? surely, surely more than an hour had passed.
A dozen times she walked to the window; a dozen times she seated herself, resolved to wait in patience. When she heard footsteps coming, a sweet faintness crept over her, and reaching forth her arms, she saw everything in a mist. Then the kisses rained on her face, seemed coming through a dream; but above it all came that one sweet word that she had so longed for when that girl was a helpless babe, lost to her as she thought, forever.
“Mother, mother!”
Two weddings astonished society within a month of that day. Ross the artist, and Mrs. Lambert were married on the same morning with Ivon Lambert and Eva; of course the fashionable world was thrown into a state of excitement; but Mrs. Lambert had controlled public opinion too long for any fear of losing social power under any circumstances.
Mrs. Carter was very lonely and desolate in her grandeur for some weeks, but it was not long before Ruth Laurence was almost as much at the house and as welcome there as Eva had been. The park carriage was by no means given up, though it frequently happened that young James handled the white ponies in place of sister Eva, and sometimesMrs. Laurence was seen by his side, sitting prim, upright and vigilant, as if she fancied that some one might suspect her of putting on airs, because of the great prosperity that had settled on her family.
It often came to pass in the after time, that Mrs. Carter took her tea dinner in Mrs. Smith’s upper rooms without much household scandal; but when her carriage began to stop at the corner grocery on its way to or from the cottage, the cup of Mr. Battles’ indignation was full, and he loftily gave warning.
After all, that diamond bracelet came from Ball & Black’s in full splendor, and lying on its purple satin cushions, was among the most conspicuous of Eva Lambert’s bridal presents.
A SWEEPING REDUCTION!All our 12mo. Cloth Books are Reduced to $1.50 a Copy, including all the Works ofMrs. Southworth,Mrs. Ann S. Stephens,Mrs. Hentz,Mrs. Warfield,Miss Dupuy,Dumas,etc.,etc.As well as other Books formerly published by us at $1.75 each.CATALOGUE OF BOOKSPUBLISHED BYT. B. PETERSON and BROTHERS,PHILADELPHIA, PA.,And for sale by all Booksellers.☞ Any of the Books named in this Catalogue will be sent by mail, to any one, to any place, at once, post-paid, on remitting the price of the ones wanted to T. B. PETERSON & BROTHERS, Philadelphia, Pa.
A SWEEPING REDUCTION!
A SWEEPING REDUCTION!
A SWEEPING REDUCTION!
All our 12mo. Cloth Books are Reduced to $1.50 a Copy, including all the Works of
All our 12mo. Cloth Books are Reduced to $1.50 a Copy, including all the Works of
All our 12mo. Cloth Books are Reduced to $1.50 a Copy, including all the Works of
Mrs. Southworth,Mrs. Ann S. Stephens,Mrs. Hentz,Mrs. Warfield,Miss Dupuy,Dumas,etc.,etc.
Mrs. Southworth,Mrs. Ann S. Stephens,Mrs. Hentz,Mrs. Warfield,Miss Dupuy,Dumas,etc.,etc.
Mrs. Southworth,Mrs. Ann S. Stephens,Mrs. Hentz,Mrs. Warfield,Miss Dupuy,Dumas,etc.,etc.
Mrs. Southworth,
Mrs. Ann S. Stephens,
Mrs. Hentz,
Mrs. Warfield,
Miss Dupuy,
Dumas,etc.,etc.
As well as other Books formerly published by us at $1.75 each.CATALOGUE OF BOOKSPUBLISHED BYT. B. PETERSON and BROTHERS,PHILADELPHIA, PA.,And for sale by all Booksellers.
As well as other Books formerly published by us at $1.75 each.CATALOGUE OF BOOKSPUBLISHED BYT. B. PETERSON and BROTHERS,PHILADELPHIA, PA.,And for sale by all Booksellers.
As well as other Books formerly published by us at $1.75 each.
CATALOGUE OF BOOKS
PUBLISHED BY
T. B. PETERSON and BROTHERS,
PHILADELPHIA, PA.,
And for sale by all Booksellers.
☞ Any of the Books named in this Catalogue will be sent by mail, to any one, to any place, at once, post-paid, on remitting the price of the ones wanted to T. B. PETERSON & BROTHERS, Philadelphia, Pa.
FEBRUARY 2d, 1885.
FEBRUARY 2d, 1885.
FEBRUARY 2d, 1885.