“The very arguments of the excellent Pamela, I vow!” Miss Hamlin had recovered her usual coolness. “Well, child, when you’re married, I’ll make it my business to see that everything be done according to your mind. I fear it’s useless my offering you a share in good Mr Bellamy’s services this evening?”
“Indeed, miss—” I said, and could not get out another word for the foolish tears that would come. Miss Hamlin did not perceive ’em at first.
“The Padra rejected the notion of taking the world by surprise for some time,” she went on, “but consented to perform the ceremony on condition that all the dancing and jollity should be over by midnight, so as not to interfere with the Sabbath. But what, miss? Have I vexed you? I hoped—no, I can’t say that I hoped—but I heard Mr Fraser was here. Han’t he set things right?”
“How can he?” I cried. “Oh, dear miss, if you can tell me anything to unravel this dreadful mystery, pray relieve my mind. Is there any plea that can acquit Mr Fraser of the most unmanly behaviour?”
“Why, if there is, it en’t for me to advance it,” says she. “Give the gentleman a hearing, miss, if you desire him to justify himself. I never thought to offer you such advice, but my heart is foolishly soft to-night, and my dear Miss Freyne seems to have taken the affair much more hardly than I had hoped. Let him speak if he will, and if he won’t, don’t waste another thought on him. Has Menotti persecuted you again of late, by the way?”
“He never ceases his importunities, miss.”
“So I thought. Well, should the fellow go so far as to address himself to your papa, refer Mr Freyne to me. I can tell him why Mrs Freyne supports Menotti’s suit, and ’tis a reason won’t commend itself to him. But now, miss, we must join the company. I look to you to support me on this trying occasion. You and Polly Dorman will be my sole bride-maids, but sure there never was a wedding with such a quantity of bride-men.”
But I catched her by the sleeve. “Oh pray, miss, tell me what this secret is that you offer me as a weapon against Mr Menotti. If it be anything that would injure my papa’s credit, or wound his heart, I would not use it—no, not though I were standing at the altar with the wretch.”
“It en’t so bad as that, though Mr Freyne will take it hard enough. Have you never wondered that your stepmother managed to play so continually without asking your papa for money, which she knows he’d refuse her?”
“I thought she was a great fortune when my papa married her.”