“I am afraid I must plead guilty to being that ‘he,’ Miss Campion. I believe, if the truth must be told, that Crystal has been engaged to me from a child. I know she was only nine years old when she made me an offer—at least she informed me in the presence of my father and sister that she meant to belong to me.”
“Oh, Margaret, do ask him to be quiet,” whispered Crystal; but her glowing, happy face showed no displeasure. Something like tears glistened in Miss Campion’s shrewd eyes as she kissed her and shook hands with Mr. Ferrers.
“It is not often the ideal turns up at the right moment,” she said, bluntly; “but I am very glad you have come to make Crystal look like other girls. Now, Miss Ferrers, as only lovers can feed on air, I propose that we go in search of luncheon, for the gong has sounded long ago;” and as even Raby allowed that this was sensible advice, they all adjourned to the boarding-house.
The occupants of the piazza were sorely puzzled that evening, and Miss Bellagrove was a trifle cross. Captain Maudsley had been raving about the beauty of the wonderful brunette who was sitting opposite to him at dinner. “She must be an Italian,” he had said to Miss Bellagrove, who received his confidence somewhat sulkily; “one never sees those wonderful eyes and that tint of hair out of Italy or Spain. Tanqueville, who is an artist, is wild about her, because he says he has never seen a face with a purer oval. He wants to paint her for his Rebecca at the Well. It is rather hard lines she should be engaged to a blind clergyman,” finished Captain Maudsley, rather incautiously. Miss Bellagrove’s fair face wore an uneasy expression.
“How do you know they are engaged?” she said, impatiently; “I do not believe they are. Miss Ferrers does not wear any ring.”
“Nevertheless, I should not mind betting a few dozens of gloves that they are,” replied Captain Maudsley, with a keen, mischievous glance that rather disconcerted Miss Bellagrove. He was quite aware that he was teasing the poor little girl; but then she deserved punishment for flirting with that ass Rogers all last evening. Jack Maudsley was honestly in love with the fair-haired beauty, but he had plenty of pluck and spirit, and would not be fooled if he could help it. Perhaps Miss Bellagrove, in common with the rest of her sex, liked a lover to be a little masterful. It was certain that she was on her best behavior during the rest of the evening, and snubbed Mr. Rogers most decidedly when he invited her to take a turn in the shrubberies.
Crystal attracted a great deal of notice in the boarding-house, but she gave no one any opportunity of addressing her. Raby was always beside her, and she seemed completely engrossed with his attentions. As Miss Campion observed to Margaret, she might as well look for another companion for all the good Crystal was to her.
But one evening Margaret found Crystal sitting alone in a corner of the large drawing-room. Most of the company had gone into the tea-room, but one or two, Raby among them, were lingering in the garden. Raby was talking rather earnestly to Miss Campion.
“Alone, Crystal!” sitting down beside her with a smile. “Do you mean that Raby has actually left you?” But Crystal’s face wore no answering smile—she looked a little disturbed.
“I asked him to go and let me think it over. I can not make up my mind, Margaret. Raby wants me to marry him at once, before we go back to England; he will have it that it will be better for me to go back to the Grange as his wife.”