On a sofa by the window sat Mrs. Graham, and the moment ’Lena’s eye fell upon her, her fears vanished, while she could hardly repress a smile at the idea of being afraid of her. She was a short, dumpy, florid looking woman, showily, and as ’Lena thought, overdressed for morning, as her person was covered with jewelry, which flashed and sparkled with every movement. Her forehead was very low, and marked by a scowl of discontent which was habitual, for with everything to make her happy, Mrs. Graham was far from being so. Exceedingly nervous and fidgety, she was apt to see only the darker side, and when her husband and son, who were of exactly opposite temperaments, strove to laugh her into good spirits, they generally made the matter worse, as she usually reproached them with having no feeling or sympathy for her.
Accustomed to a great deal of attention, she had fretted herself into quite a fever at Mrs. Livingstone’s apparent lack of courtesy in not hastening to receive her, and when ’Lena’s light step was heard in the hall, she turned toward the door with a frown which seemed to ask why she had not come sooner. Durward, who was present immediately introduced his mother, at the same time admiring the extreme dignity of ’Lena’s manner as she received the lady’s greeting, apologizing for her aunt’s non-appearance, saying “she was suffering from a severe headache, and begged to be excused for an hour or so.”
“Quite excusable,” returned Mrs. Graham, at the same time saying something in a low tone about it’s not being her wish to stop there so early, as she knew she was not expected.
“But perfectly welcome, nevertheless,” ’Lena hastened to say, thinking that for the time being the reputation of her uncle’s house was resting upon her shoulders.
“I dare say,” was Mrs. Graham’s ungracious answer, and then her little gray, deep-set eyes rested upon ’Lena, wondering if she were “a governess or what?” and thinking it strange that she should seem so perfectly self-possessed.
Insensibly, too, ’Lena’s manner won upon her, for spite of her fretfulness, Mrs. Graham at heart was a kindly disposed woman. Ill health and long years of dissipation had helped to make her what she was. Besides this, she was not quite happy in her domestic relations, for though Mr. Graham possessed all the requisites of a kind and affectionate husband, he could not remove from her mind the belief that he liked others better then he did herself! ’Twas in vain that he alternately laughed at and reasoned with her on the subject. She was not to be convinced, and so poor Mr. Graham, who was really exceedingly polite and affable to the ladies, was almost constantly provoking the green-eyed monster by his attentions to some one of the fair sex. In spite of his nightly “Caudle” lectures, he would transgress again and again, until his wife’s patience was exhausted, and now she affected to have given him up, turning for comfort and affection toward Durward, who was her special delight, “the very apple of her eye—he was so much like his father, Sir Arthur, who during the whole year that she lived with him had never once given her cause for jealousy.”
Just before ’Lena entered the parlor Mr. Graham, had for a moment stepped out with Mr. Livingstone, but soon returning, he, too, was introduced to the young lady. It was strange, considering ’Lena’s uncommon beauty, that Mrs. Graham did not watch her husband’s manner, but for once in her life she felt no fears, and looking from the window, she failed to note the sudden pallor which overspread his face when Mr. Livingstone presented to him “Miss Rivers—my niece.”
Mr. Graham was a tall, finely-formed man, with a broad, good-humored face, whose expression instantly demanded respect from strangers, while his pleasant, affable deportment universally won the friendship of all who knew him. And ’Lena was not an exception to the general rule, for the moment his warm hand grasped hers and his kindly beaming eye rested upon her, her heart went toward him as a friend, while she wondered why he looked at her so long and earnestly, twice repeating her name—“Miss Rivers—Rivers.”
From the first, ’Lena had recognized him as the same gentleman whom Durward had called father in the cars years ago, and when, as if to apologize for his singular conduct, he asked if they had never met before, she referred him to that time, saying “she thought it strange that he should remember her.”
“Old acquaintances—ah—indeed !” and little Mrs. Graham nodded and fanned, while her round, florid face grew more florid, and her linen cambric went up to her forehead as if trying to smooth out the scowl which was of too long standing to be smoothed.