"You see, though I have a great regard for my lady, and—and—all that," pursued Mr. Dugdale, "yet Chatty is young, and she has no mother to direct her, poor thing, and I am a man of the world, you know, but Chatty isn't, and—really, you know, I do think, young ladies—you understand—"
If we did understand, it was no thanks to him, poor young man, but of course, one could not refuse such a request.
Chatty spent the evening with us, and we had a very quiet, profitable time reading the Bible, singing, and talking. Chatty was a nice, modest, sensible young girl, who had a bias to good given her in her childhood by her mother. She was glad to talk of that mother, and to have her lessons recalled. She has since married well, and makes an excellent and happy wife and mother, with a great family of daughters, one of whom is my namesake.
The next day we saw the arrival of a groom on horseback with letters to my lady, and learned that Sir Julius was expected to arrive before evening.
[CHAPTER XXII.]
NEWS FROM THE NORTH.
SIR JULIUS arrived sure enough, and with him Lord Bulmer, and another gentleman whom I did not know, but who was presented to Amabel as Captain Dangerfield. The moment I saw this man, I conceived an intense aversion to him, as if I had had a premonition of what he had come for. He was rather handsome—indeed, I think most people would have called him very handsome—but his style of face was one which I always distrust. He had rather a high, round head, with wavy hair growing well back from his forehead, eyes at once black and shallow, and opening very widely lip and down, and eye-brows highly arched. I could judge nothing of the shape of his mouth, for he wore a heavy moustache, having been, it was understood, in the imperial service.
Sir Julius was very gracious to Amabel, and hardly less so to myself. He seemed surprised at the Position in which he found me, and meeting me after supper asked me why I had not been to the table. I told him the simple truth—namely, that my lady had ordered me to take my meals in the housekeeper's room, whereat, he muttered something, and seemed greatly disconcerted. I fancy, he and his wife had some words about the matter, and that she judged it best to give way; for the next day my lady sent for me, and ordered rather than invited me to take my meals with the family as usual.
It was evident from the very first, that Lord Bulmer had come as Amabel's suitor. He lost no opportunity of appearing in that character, and fretted her constantly by his assiduous attentions. She on her part was barely and distantly civil, gave him the coldest and shortest answers, refused his attentions whenever it was possible, and took no more notice of his compliments than the picture of her grandmother in the saloon would have done. She kept me close by her side on all occasions, and in short gave his lordship clearly to understand that he was utterly disagreeable to her.