The Monk's characteristic ring at the bell was heard, and the letter was, without loss of time, committed to him, while both mother and son watched him as he gathered up the sense.
"Well, this is jolly!" was his first observation. "Downright handsome of Ruthven!" and then as the colour rose a little in his face, "Just the thing for you, Jock, home work, which is exactly what you, want."
"I'm not sure about that," said Jock; "I don't want to get into that kind of practice just yet. It is fitter for a family man."
"And who is a family man if you are not?" said John. "Wasn't it the very cause of your taking this line?"
"There's a popular prejudice in favour of wives, rather than mothers," said Jock. "I should have said you were more likely to fulfil the conditions."
"Oh!" and there was a sound in that exclamation that belied the sequel, "that's just nonsense! The offer is to you primarily, and it is your duty to take it."
"I had much rather you did, and so had Dr. Ruthven. I want more time for study and experience, and have set my heart on some scientific appointment-"
"Come now, my good fellow-why, what are you laughing at?"
"Because you are such a good imitation of your father, my dear Johnny," said his aunt.
"It is just what my father would say," returned John, taking this as a high compliment; "it would be very foolish of Lucas to give up a certainty for this just because of his Skipjack element, which doesn't want to get into routine harness. Now, don't you think so, Mother Carey?"
"_If_ I thought it _was_ the Skipjack element," she said, smiling.
"If it is not," he said, the colour now spreading all over his face, "I am all the more bound not to let him give up all his prospects in life."
"_All_ my prospects! My dear Monk, do you think they don't go beyond a brougham, and unlimited staircases?"
"I only know," cried John, nettled into being a little off his guard, "that what you despise would be all the world to me!"
The admission was hailed triumphantly, but the Kencroft nature was too resolute, and the individual conscience too generous, to be brought round to accept the sacrifice, which John estimated at the value of the importance it was to himself, viewing what was real in Lucas's distaste, as mere erratic folly, which ought to be argued down. Finally, when the argument had gone round into at least its fiftieth circle, Mother Carey declared that she would have no more of it. Lucas should write a note to Dr. Ruthven, accepting his proposal for one or other of them, and promising that he should know which, in the course of a few days; so that John, if he chose, could write to his father or _anyone_ else. Meantime there was to be no allusion to "the raid of Ruthven" till the day of the review was over. It was to be put entirely off the tongue, if not out of the head!
And the two young doctors were weary enough of the subject to rejoice in obedience to her.
The day was perfect except that poor Allen was pinned fast by his tyrant, all the others gave themselves up to the enjoyment of the moment. They understood the sham fight, and recognised all the corps, with Jock as their cicerone, they had a good place at the marching past, and Esther had the crowning delight of an excellent view of Captain Viscount Fordham with his company, and at the luncheon. Jock received an absolutely affectionate welcome from his old friends, who made as much of his mother and sister for his sake, as they did of the lovely Lady Fordham for her husband's, finding them, moreover, much more easy to get on with.
CHAPTER XXXIX. THE TRUANT.
The bird was sitting in his cage And heard what he did say; He jumped upon the window sill, "'Tis time I was away." Ballad.
There is a young lady in the drawing-room, ma'am," said the maid, looking rather puzzled and uncertain, on the return of the party from the review.
"A stranger? How could you let her in?" said John.
At that moment a face appeared at the top of the stairs, a face set in the rich golden auburn that all knew so well, and half way up, Mrs. Brownlow was clasped by a pair of arms, and there was a cry, "Mother Carey, Mother Carey, I'm come home!"
"Elvira! my dear child! When-how did you come?"
"From the station, in a cab. I made her let me in, but I thought you were never coming back. Where's Allen?"
"Allen will come in by-and-by," said the astonished Mother Carey, who had been dragged into the drawing-room, where Elvira embraced Babie, and grasped the hands of the others.
"Oh, it is so nice," she cried, then nestling back to Mother Carey.
"But where did you come from? Are you alone?"
"Yes, quite alone, Janet would not come with me after all."
"Janet, my dear! Where is she?"
"Oh, not here-at Saratoga, or at New York. I thought she was coming with me, but when the steamer sailed she was not there, only there was a note pinned to my berth. I meant to have brought it, but it got lost somehow."
"Where did you see her?"
"At the photographer's at Saratoga. I should never have come if she had not helped me, but she said she knew you would take me home, and she wrote and took my passage and all. She said if I did not find you, Mr. Wakefield would know where you were, but I did so want to get home to you! Please, may I take off my things; I don't want to be such a fright when Allen comes in."
It was all very mysterious, but Elvira must be much altered indeed if her narrative did not come out in an utterly complicated and detached manner. She was altered certainly, for she clung most affectionately to Mother Carey and Barbara, when they took her upstairs. She had a little travelling-bag with her; the rest of her luggage would be sent from the station, she supposed, for she had taken no heed to it. She did so want to get home.
"I did feel so hungry for you, Mother Carey. Mother, Janet said you would forgive me, and I thought if you were ever so angry, it would be true, and that would be nicer than Lisette, and, indeed, it was not so much my doing as Lisette's."
Whatever "it" was, Mother Carey had no hesitation in replying that she had no doubt it was Lisette's fault.
"You see," continued Elvira, "I never meant anything but to plague Allen a little at first. You know he had always been so tiresome and jealous, and always teased me when I wanted any fun-at least I thought so, and I did want to have my swing before he called me engaged to him again. I told Jock so, but then Lisette and Lady Flora, and old Lady Clanmacnalty went on telling me that you knew the money was mine all the time, and that it was only an accident that it came out before I was married."
"Oh, Elvira, you could not have thought anything so wicked," cried Babie.
"They all went on so, and made so sure," said Elvira, hanging her head, "and I never did know the real way the will was found till Janet told me. Babie, if you had heard Lady Clanmacnalty clear her throat when people talked about the will being found, you would have believed she knew better than anyone."
So it was. The girl, weak in character, and far from sensible, full of self-importance, and puffed up with her inheritance, had been easily blinded and involved in the web that the artful Lisette had managed to draw round her. She had been totally alienated from her old friends, and by force of reiteration had been brought to think them guilty of defrauding her. In truth, she was kept in a whirl of gaiety and amusement, with little power of realizing her situation, till the breach had grown too wide for the feeble will of a helpless being like her to cross it. Though she had flirted extensively, she had never felt capable of accepting any one of her suitors, and in these refusals she had been assisted by Lisette, who wanted to secure her for her brother, but thanks to warnings from Mr. Wakefield, and her husband's sense of duty, durst not do so before she was of age.
Elvira's one wish had been to visit San Ildefonso again. She had a strong yearning towards the lovely island home which she gilded in recollection with all the trails of glory that shine round the objects of our childish affections. Lisette always promised to take her, but found excuses for delay in the refitting of the yacht, while she kept the party wandering over Europe in the resorts of second- rate English residents. No doubt she wished to make the most of the enjoyments she could obtain, as Elvira's chaperon and guardian, before resigning her even to her brother. At last the gambling habits into which her husband fell, for lack, poor man, of any other employment, had alarmed her, and she permitted her party to embark in the yacht where Gilbert Gould acted as captain.