‘Is that what Hardy says you will never put up with?’ asked Aubrey; but instead of answering, Leonard turned to one of the great windows, saying,
‘There now, would not this be a charming place if it were properly kept?’ and Aubrey looked out at the great cedar, spreading out its straight limbs and flakes of dark foliage over the sloping lawn, one branch so near the window as to invite adventurous exits, and a little boat lying moored in the dancing water below.
‘Perfect!’ said Aubrey. ‘What fish there must lie in the mill tail!’
‘Ay, I mean to have a try at them some of these days, I should like you to come and help, but perhaps—Ha, little Mab, do you wonder what I’m after so long? Here’s a friend for you: as the little dog danced delighted round him, and paid Aubrey her affectionate respects. Her delicate drawing-room beauty did not match with the spacious but neglected-looking room whence she issued. It had three great uncurtained windows looking into the court, with deep window-seats, olive-coloured painted walls, the worse for damp and wear, a small amount of old-fashioned solid furniture, and all Leonard’s individual goods, chiefly disposed of in a cupboard in the wall, but Averil’s beautiful water-coloured drawings hung over the chimney. To Aubrey’s petted home-bred notions it was very bare and dreary, and he could not help exclaiming, ‘Well, they don’t lodge you sumptuously!’
‘I don’t fancy many clerks in her Majesty’s dominions have so big and airy an apartment to boast of,’ said Leonard. ‘Let’s see these flies of yours.’
Their mysteries occupied the boys for some space; but Aubrey returned to the charge. ‘What is it that Hardy says you’ll never put up with, Leonard?’
‘What did the old fellow say?’ asked Leonard, laughing; and as Aubrey repeated the conversation, ending with the oracular prediction, he laughed again, but said proudly, ‘He’ll see himself wrong then. I’ll put up with whatever I’ve undertaken.’
‘But what does he mean?’
‘Serving one’s apprenticeship, I suppose,’ said Leonard; ‘they all think me a fine gentleman, and above the work, I know, though I’ve never stuck at anything yet. If I take to the business, I suppose it is capable of being raised up to me—it need not pull me down to it, eh?’
‘There need be no down in the case,’ said Aubrey. ‘My father always says there is no down except in meanness and wrong. But,’ as if that mention brought a recollection to his mind, ‘what o’clock is it? I must not stay much longer.’
‘I’ll walk a bit of the way home with you,’ said Leonard, ‘but I must be back by five for dinner. I go to rifle practice two days in the week, and I don’t like to miss the others, for Sam’s often out, and the poor old man does not like being left alone at meals.’
The two boys were at the room door, when Aubrey heard a step, felt the fustiness enlivened by the odour of a cigar, and saw a figure at the top of the stairs.
‘I say, Ward,’ observed Mr. Sam, in a rude domineering voice, ‘Spelman’s account must be all looked over to-night; he says that there is a blunder. D’ye hear?’
‘Very well.’
‘Who have you got there?’
‘It is Aubrey May.’
‘Oh! good morning to you,’ making a kind of salutation; ‘have you been looking at the water? We’ve got some fine fish there, if you like to throw a line any day.—Well, that account must be done to-night, and if you can’t find the error, you’ll only have to do it over again.’
Leonard’s colour had risen a good deal, but he said nothing, and his cousin ran down-stairs and drove off in his dog-cart.
‘Is it much of a business?’ said Aubrey, feeling extremely indignant.
‘Look here,’ said Leonard, leading the way down-stairs and into the office, where he pointed to two huge account books. ‘Every page in that one must I turn over this blessed night; and if he had only told me three hours ago, I could have done the chief of it, instead of kicking my heels all the afternoon.’
‘Has he any right to order you about, out of office hours, and without a civil word either? Why do you stand it?’
‘Because I can stand anything better than being returned on Henry’s hands,’ said Leonard, ‘and he has spite enough for that. The thing must be done, and if he won’t do it, I must, that’s all. Come along.’
As they went out the unwieldy figure of the elder Mr. Axworthy was seen, leaning out of his open window, smoking a clay pipe. He spoke in a much more friendly tone, as he said, ‘Going out, eh? Mind the dinner-time.’
‘Yes, sir,’ said Leonard, coming nearer, ‘I’m not going far.’
‘Who have you got there?’ was again asked.
‘One of the young Mays, sir. I was going to walk part of the way back.’
Aubrey thought the grunt not very civil; and as the boys and Mab passed under the gateway, Leonard continued, ‘There’s not much love lost between him and your father; he hates the very name.’
‘I should expect he would,’ said Aubrey, as if his hatred were an honour.
‘I fancy there’s some old grievance,’ said Leonard, ‘where he was wrong of course. Not that that need hinder your coming over, Aubrey; I’ve a right to my own friends, but—’
‘And so have I to mine,’ said Aubrey eagerly.
‘But you see,’ added Leonard, ‘I wouldn’t have you do it—if—if it vexes your sister. I can see you every Sunday, you know, and we can have some fun together on Saturdays when the evenings get longer.’
Aubrey’s face fell; he had a strong inclination for Leonard’s company, and likewise for the trout in the mill tail, and he did not like his independence to be unappreciated.
‘You see,’ said Leonard, laying his hand kindly on his shoulder, ‘it is very jolly of you, but I know they would hate it in the High Street if you were often here, and it is not worth that. Besides, Aubrey, to tell the plain truth, Sam’s not fit company for any decent fellow.’
‘I can’t think how he came to ask me to fish.’
‘Just to show he is master, because he knew the poor old man would not like it! It is one reason he is so savage with me, because his uncle took me without his consent.’
‘But, Leonard, it must be worse than the living at home ever was.’
Leonard laughed. ‘It’s different being jawed in the way of business and at one’s own home. I’d go through a good deal more than I do here in the week to have home what it is now on Sunday. Why, Henry really seems glad to see me, and we have not had the shadow of a row since I came over here. Don’t you tell Ave all this, mind, and you may just as well not talk about it at home, you know, or they will think I’m going to cry off.’
Aubrey was going to ask what he looked to; but Leonard saw, or thought he saw, a weasel in the hedge, and the consequent charge and pursuit finished the dialogue, the boys parted, and Aubrey walked home, his satisfaction in his expedition oozing away at every step, though his resolve to assert his liberty grew in proportion.
Of course it had not been possible to conceal from Dr. May where Aubrey was gone, and his annoyance had burst out vehemently, the whole round of objurgations against the Wards, the Vintry Mill, and his own folly in fostering the friendship, were gone through, and Ethel had come in for more than she could easily bear, for not having prevented the escapade. Gertrude had hardly ever seen her father so angry, and sat quaking for her brother; and Ethel meekly avoided answering again, with the happy trustfulness of experienced love.
At last, as the tea was nearly over, Aubrey walked in, quite ready for self-defence. Nobody spoke for a little while, except to supply him with food; but presently Dr. May said, not at all in the tone in which he had talked of his son’s journey, ‘You might as well have told me of your intentions, Aubrey.’