Not that she was Miss Constance Greenwood very long after the receipt of that letter. She had risen to the very height of popularity with the public, and had drawn a large amount of money into Mr. Wuff's treasury, when Mr. Wuff sent for her one day to his room, and told her in confidence that Mr. Frank Likely was going to give up the Parthenium next week and go into the Queen's Bench, where he would remain until he was "whitewashed;" after undergoing which process he and Mrs. Likely would undertake an engagement at the Hatton-Garden Theatre. "And the worst of it is," said Mr. Wuff,--"the worst of it is, my dear, that Mrs. Likely says she won't have any better-looking woman than herself playing leading business in the theatre. That's a compliment to you, my dear; but it seems that you must go; and as I've made an engagement with the Likelys, I am afraid you and I must part at the end of the season."
Miss Greenwood shrugged her shoulders and bowed her head. She knew that with her present prestige any manager in London would be glad to engage her. She was in no hurry, therefore, to seek for work. The Parthenium closed; Mr. Frank Likely's body was seized by the myrmidons of the sheriff; Mr. Wuff's season came to an end; and still Miss Greenwood had not looked after another engagement, though she had innumerable offers of terms.
How did Sir Laurence Alsager, so far away from England, keep au courant with London theatrical matters? Just as Miss Greenwood was weighing two offers in her mind, doubtful which to accept, she had a visit from an old gentleman, who announced himself as Sir Laurence Alsager's solicitor, and handed her a letter--a letter which said that the writer had never forgotten her intended kindness to a certain person; that he had heard of her theatrical success, and desired to serve her. Would she not like to be the lessee of the Parthenium--then, as he understood, vacant? If so, his lawyer had instructions to act in any way she wished; to draw what money she required, and to carry through the arrangement for her. Miss Greenwood gave a little cry of delight; her old love of fun sprung up in her. How glorious it would be to beat the Likelys with their own weapons and in their own den! She accepted Sir Laurence Alsager's kind proposition, she said; and while the lawyer went to work at his business, she went to work at hers. She set the eminent Spofforth to work on a new piece; she engaged Dacre Pontifex, who was as distasteful to Mr. Frank Likely as was Miss Greenwood to his wife. She got together a capital stock-company, and took the town by storm. Everything prospered with her, and at the end of each season she found large gains. She has long since repaid Sir Laurence Alsager's advance; and she has now great wealth, and some one to share it with her. Dacre Pontifex, who had so long made love to her on the stage, at length made love to her in earnest; and as he had always proved himself a thoroughly good fellow, she accepted him, And there is no happier couple in England. They have almost given up acting now; but they still retain the theatre, and are thought highly of by all who know them.
And Lord Dollamore? Lord Dollamore still lives, as well as, and in some respects better than, ever. He superintended all the arrangements for sending Sir Charles Mitford's body to England under the charge of Banks--a duty which that functionary performed with the greatest reluctance, declaring that he had not been engaged to "wait upon corpses;" and then Dollamore had a long and serious consultation with his stick, the subject of which was whether it would be expedient for him to make any change in his mode of life. The idea of marriage had never entered his head; but now that he knew Lady Mitford was free, he began to experience a curious sensation at his heart, which caused him at first the wildest astonishment, and then a considerable amount of trouble. He had watched Georgie through all her trials and temptations, and the sight had impressed him deeply. For the first time since manhood he confessed (to himself) a belief in virtue, bravery, and selflessness; for the first time in his life he felt an irrepressible yearning towards the possessor of these qualities; and he thought how the companionship of such a woman would illumine the decline of his aimless, purposeless life.
He was for some days in doubt whether he should not return at once to England, and after a decent interval proceed tentatively to see whether an offer of his hand to Lady Mitford would be likely to be successful; but he finally decided otherwise. He was no longer young, his manner of life was formed; and he doubted whether he should have strength to keep to all his good resolutions--in which case, and in the event of his marriage with Georgie, her old troubles would be renewed when she had less strength to bear them.
There is no doubt, however, that the mere fact of his indulging in such thoughts proved that he was to a certain extent an altered man. His tongue is much less bitter, his manner much less rough, his thoughts much less cynical than they were. The person who suffers most from him now is the chef of the Maecenas, when Dollamore rules the House-Committee. When that unfortunate Frenchman hears from the house-steward that Lord Dollamore has been seen whispering to his stick about an entrée or an omelette, he knows what to expect the next day.
* * * * *
When Lady Mitford was told by Captain Bligh, who executed his task with great feeling, if not with profound skill, that her waiting was all in vain,--that her letter had never reached her unfortunate husband, but had been carefully enclosed with the effects of the deceased, and consigned to the custody of Mr. Banks, she was not so completely overwhelmed as might have been expected. She listened patiently to all the details which it was considered necessary to give her, and bore herself with a gentle fortitude which surprised all who saw her.
The remains of the unfortunate Baronet arrived in due time; the funeral was "performed;" and Sir Charles Mitford rested in the family burial-place--the most unfortunate of a race who had been generally rather uninterestingly prosperous.
Lady Mitford found herself very rich. Not only did she come into possession of an ample jointure, but the entire sum destined for a provision for younger children was bequeathed to her, in case of the non-existence or death of such children. She was very much surprised to find that Sir Charles had made a will, not many months prior to his death, by which he had left her considerable personal property also; so that her position was an enviable one, as far as pecuniary affairs were concerned. How far that was, she had yet to learn. She had courage, resignation, and patience; and she had the good gift of common sense, enabling her to lay plans and make arrangements with judgment and foresight; but she was not cold-hearted, nor callous, and the time lay yet a good way distant at which she could reckon her riches and feel her freedom.