CHAPTER XVI.MORE INTRODUCTIONS.
Meanwhile another spiritual episode was transpiring in a different portion of Lady Dunforth’s drawing-room.
Lillian Linton, brilliantly beautiful in pale pink silk, with elegant ornaments of opals, was entertaining a group of young people, while merry jest and sparkling repartee ran from lip to lip, when, chancing to glance toward the door, she saw Rupert Hamilton coming forward with a girl of bewildering loveliness leaning on his arm.
Her heart gave a great startled bound as she looked, for something in the glance, at once proud and fond, which the young man bent upon his fair companion—something in the happy, trustful eyes which Virgie raised to meet her lover’s, told her that her own dream of love in connection with her uncle’s ward could never be realized.
Rupert had appeared very different to her since his return from America. While he always treated her with every mark of politeness and friendliness, there was at the same time an unusual reserve—a constraint in his manner which seemed like a brazen wall between them.
At first she had told herself that it was because he had been absent so long; that when he was once more thoroughly settled at home matters would resumetheir usual course, and she would be able to win him by the witchery of her charms.
But he had been restless and absent-minded; he was anxious to get back to London, and could hardly control his impatience until the family completed their arrangements to go for a while to their town house.
Now she could understand it all. She was quick and keen enough to comprehend why his handsome face was all aglow; why his eyes beamed with that tender, unaccustomed light that called the soft color to the young girl’s cheeks and wreathed her red lips with happy smiles—he loved and was beloved.
Her proud, passionate heart instantly arose in rebellion against the cruel fate which decreed that the sweetest hopes of her life must be blighted; that the love of which she had dreamed all her life, and which had grown into her soul so strong and deep, must be denied her, just as she had begun to feel so sure of winning it.
That the girl was peerlessly beautiful, and of a more delicate and refined type than herself, she realized with a pang of jealousy, and she was conscious, too, that Rupert was bringing her straight toward her, doubtless with the intention of introducing her.
Unlike her mother, she had a moment in which to compose and brace herself before meeting her rival; and, calling all her pride to her aid, she looked the picture of brilliant, happy maidenhood when Rupert reached her side.
“Lillian,” he said, “I wish to introduce you to a friend; Miss Alexander—Miss Linton.”
Lillian put forth her daintily gloved hand without a tremor, and, with a dazzling smile, expressed her pleasure at making her acquaintance.
“Miss Alexander is an American,” Rupert explained, and Lillian’s heart sank; a sudden faintness seemed to come over her at his words.
Her brother Percy’s prophecy had been verified; he had fallen in love with this girl while on his tour in the United States.
But she would rather have died than betrayed anything of her dismay before the girl, and looking straight into Virgie’s clear eyes, she said, brightly:
“Ah! then I suppose you have recently come abroad, as I have not met you before.”
“Yes, we were passengers on the same steamer with Mr. Hamilton,” Virgie answered, “and we owe him a great deal, for he was very kind to us—mamma and me.”
“And how do you like England and English people?”
“Very much,” Virgie replied, smiling, while her eyes turned instinctively to Rupert, as if she judged the whole nation by her estimate of him.
Lillian shut her white teeth together viciously as she saw the look and Rupert’s answering smile, and she wondered what her mother would say when she learned that her uncle’s ward had bestowed his heart upon a hated American.
“Have you ever been in the United States, Miss Linton?” Virgie asked, wholly unconscious of the disturbance which her presence was creating.
“Yes, I traveled considerably there one summer several years ago.”
“And were you pleased with my country?”
“Well, of course America is very different from England, and I like my own land best, although America has some grand scenery,” Lillian responded. “Butmamma came near losing her life there in a terrible railway accident, and I was only too glad to get safely home again.”
“Oh!” said Virgie, with a quick indrawn breath, “I remember; we were on that very train. Is that Lady Linton your mother?”
“Yes; how strange that you should have been in that accident, too?” returned Lillian, greatly surprised. “Were you injured?”
“No; mamma and I both escaped unhurt, though my maid had one arm badly broken. I can just remember Lady Linton; mamma took me to see her just before we left the place; I was sure I had heard the name before, when Mr. Hamilton mentioned her to me one day last week, but I could not place it.”
“I wonder——” began Lillian, excitedly, and then she suddenly checked herself.
She was just upon the point of saying, “I wonder if your mother was the lady who was so kind to mamma while she was so ill.”
Lady Linton had been obliged to confirm her physician’s statements to her son when he arrived, that a brave woman had saved her life at the time of the accident, and then carefully and faithfully nursed her through a critical crisis afterward; but she pretended not to know her name and never mentioned her again, though Percy and his sister often spoke of the circumstance with considerable curiosity and interest.
Virgie raised questioning eyes, as Lillian cut herself short, and she felt compelled to complete her sentence in some way, so she said:
“I wonder there were not more lives lost at that time; it must have been a shocking accident. Buthave you seen Lady Dunforth’s Japanese curiosities, Miss Alexander?”
“No, I have not,” Virgie answered, thinking her new acquaintance had changed the subject rather abruptly.
“Then let me take you to examine them, Vir—Miss Alexander,” Rupert interposed, eagerly, glad of an excuse to get her again to himself, and Virgie, bowing a graceful adieu to Lillian, took his arm and allowed him to lead her from the room.
Lillian watched them with an angry, aching heart, but she was obliged to conceal her feelings, for she knew that others were observing her, and not for the world would she have her jealous fears suspected; so it was not long before she was again the life and center of an admiring circle.
Rupert led Virgie to a small room opposite the drawing-room, which had been fitted up in Japanese style, and where many curiosities and choice bric-a-brac from that country had been collected and tastefully arranged.
It was a lovely room, and Virgie was delighted with its unique treasures.
The lovers spent some time examining the different objects and in the enjoyment of each other’s society, and they had nearly made the round of the room when someone put aside the curtains of the door-way and entered.
Rupert glanced up, and then started forward, his face lighting with a smile of pleasure.
“Uncle Will,” he cried, “I did not know that you were coming here to-night. When did you arrive?”
“Only a few moments ago,” returned Sir William Heath, regarding his ward affectionately. “I did notexpect that I should be able to accept Lady Dunforth’s invitation; in fact, I told Miriam I could not, but I managed to get through my business somewhat earlier than usual, and so concluded to drop in here for a little relaxation.”
“I am glad you did; you are working too hard, Uncle Will, and need more recreation. But come, I have a friend here whom I want you to know,” Rupert concluded, linking his arm within his guardian’s and leading him toward Virgie, who was examining an elaborate piece of embroidery on the opposite side of the room.
“Ah! a young lady!” remarked Sir William, archly, as his glance fell upon the pretty figure; her face he could not see, for it was turned from him.
Rupert colored slightly at his tone, but he said nothing until he reached the side of his betrothed, then he remarked:
“Miss Alexander, I want to introduce you to the best friend I have in the world, my guardian, Sir William Heath.”
Virgie turned, a smile of pleasure on her lips, for she had longed to meet Rupert’s guardian, and something in the fair face which she lifted to him, in that delicate profile, in those refined features, in the glancing of her eye, and in the very movement she made, as she stepped forward to greet him, suddenly smote the baronet with the strangest sensation that he ever experienced, yet he never dreamed that he was looking into the face of his own daughter!
It almost seemed to him as if he had known her before in some previous state of existence—as if somewherein the dim and misty past their souls had met and held sweet and genial converse.
For a moment he hardly knew whether he was in the body or out; a mist obscured his sight, a mighty ringing was in his ears, dulling every other sound, while the very earth seemed quaking beneath his feet.
“Uncle Will, you are ill!” was the startled remark that recalled him to himself, and made him suddenly realize that he was conducting himself very strangely.
“No, my boy, it is only a sudden dizziness; it will pass in a moment; it is gone even now, and I beg pardon for alarming you and your friend,” the baronet replied, as his vision began to clear and he met the beautiful dark eyes of the young girl fixed upon him with a look of deep concern.
He put out a hand to steady himself, even as he spoke, and she took a step forward, drawn toward him by a power of attraction she could not understand.
“Pray sit down, Sir William; have this rocker,” she said, as she drew forward a light but roomy willow chair for him.
“Thanks,” he returned; “let us all sit; we can chat a few moments more comfortably so,” and he gladly sank into the rocker, still feeling as if the floor was slipping from under him.
Rupert drew another chair for Virgie, and then went to get a glass of water for his guardian, for his pallor alarmed him greatly.
But he was soon entirely himself again, making light of his sudden attack, and they sat and talked some time about the curiosities around them.
But the baronet watched every movement of the fairyoung stranger with an eager, wistful eye. Her grace charmed him more and more; even the tones of her voice thrilled him with a painfully sweet sensation, and whenever she addressed him the tears would almost start into his eyes.
“Are you a stranger in London?” he asked, after a little pause in their conversation.
“Yes, sir; but I have not been allowed to remember the fact since coming here—everyone is so kind,” she said, smiling.
“Where is your home?” he inquired.
“In New York city, on the other side of the Atlantic.”
“Indeed! Then you have come hither recently?”
“It is scarcely three weeks since my arrival in London,” Virgie returned.
Sir William turned a questioning look upon Rupert.
“I met Miss Alexander during my trip, Uncle Will,” he said, quietly, but coloring beneath his glance.
“Alexander!” repeated the baronet, with a sudden start.
“I did not quite catch the name before. Is New York your parents’ native place?”
“No, sir. Mamma’s early home was in the West, and my father—oh! what have I done?”
In her nervousness, caused by speaking of her father, Virgie had swept something from the table, by which she was sitting, with a motion of her arm, and it had fallen with a crash to the floor.
“No harm,” Rupert returned, as he stooped to pick it up, “it is only a metallic paper knife and could not break. It is, however, a curiously carved affair; had you noticed it?” and he passed it to her to examine,for he observed that she was disturbed and excited by the mention of her father.
Virgie took it, glad of an excuse for changing the subject, and then they all fell to discussing the skill and ingenuity of the Japanese.
While they sat thus, a face suddenly looked in upon them from the hall.
It was the face of Lady Linton.
She had heard voices there, while passing, and stepped to the door-way, impelled by an unusual curiosity.
She took in the situation instantly.
Her brother had told her that he could not attend Lady Dunforth’s reception that evening, and, ever since her encounter with Mrs. Alexander, she had been congratulating herself that he had been detained, while now she had found him here, sitting face to face with his own daughter, and perhaps upon the very verge of discovering her relationship to him.
She could have shrieked aloud with terror and anger.
Must all her skillfully wrought plans come to naught?
Had she sacrificed truth and honor for years, to fail now—to have the woman whom she had hated all her life triumph over her at last?
No! She would fight it out to the bitter end; if there was any power on earth that could keep them apart they should never meet, and she must begin now—this instant, by breaking up this interesting group.
“William!” she cried, in a strangely altered voice, “you here!”
Sir William started up at the words, turned and sawhis sister standing upon the threshold with a face of ghastly whiteness.
“Yes. What is the matter, Miriam?” and he sprang forward and caught her in his arms, just as she was falling to the floor in a well-feigned swoon.