"I have not prepared my lesson to-day, sir, and I have not done the exercises."
Mr. Porson made no remark; he saw at once by Ned's face that something was wrong with him. When several questions went round, which Ned could easily have answered without preparation, the master said:
"You had better go to your desk, Sankey; I see you are not well. I will speak to you after school is over."
Ned sat down and opened a book, but he did not turn a page until school was over; then he followed his master to the study.
" Well, my boy," he asked kindly, "what is it?"
"My mother is going to marry Mr. Mulready," Ned said shortly. The words seemed to come with difficulty from his lips.
"Ah! it is true, then. I heard the report some weeks ago, but hoped that it was not true. I am sorry for you, Ned. I know it must be a sore trial for you; it is always so when anyone steps into the place of one we have loved and lost."
" I shouldn't care so much if it wasn't him," Ned said in a dull voice.
"But there's nothing against the man, is there?" Mr. Porson asked. "I own I do not like him myself; but I believe he stands well in the town."
" Only with those who don't know him," Ned replied; "his work-people say he is the worst master and the biggest tyrant in the district."
"We must hope it's not so bad as that, Ned; still, I am sorry—very sorry, at what you tell me; but, my boy, you must not take it to heart. You see you will be going-out into the world before long. Your brother will be following you in a few years. It is surely better that your mother should marry again and have someone to take care of her."
"Nice care of her he is likely to take!" Ned laughed bitterly. "You might as well put a fox to take care of a goose."
" You are severe on both parties," Mr. Porson said with a slight smile; "but I can hardly blame you, my boy, for
feeling somewhat bitter at first; but I hope that, for your own sake and your mother's, you will try and conquer this feeling and will make the best of the circumstances. It is worse than useless to kick against the pricks. Any show of hostility on your part will only cause unhappiness, perhaps between your mother and him—almost certainly between you and her. In this world, my boy, we have all our trials. Some are very heavy ones. This is yours. Happily, so far as you are concerned, you need only look forward to its lasting eighteen months or so. In that time you may hope to get your commission; and as the marriage can hardly take place for some little time to come, you will have but a year or so to bear it."
"I don't know, sir," Ned said gloomily; "everything seems upset now. I don't seem to know what I had best do."
" I am sure at present, Ned," Mr. Porson said kindly— for he saw that the boy was just now in no mood for argument—" the best is to try and think as little of it as possible. Make every allowance for your mother; as you know, my boy, I would not speak disrespectfully to you of her on any account; but she is not strong-minded. She has always been accustomed to lean upon someone, and the need of someone to lean on is imperative with her. Had you been a few years older, and had you been staying at home, it is probable that you might have taken your place as her support and strength. As it is, it was almost inevitable that something of this sort would happen.
(281) L
"But you know, Ned, where to look for strength and support. You have fought one hard battle, my boy, and have well-nigh conquered; now you have another before you. Seek for strength, my boy, where you will assuredly find it, and remember that this discipline is doubtless sent you for your good, and that it will be a preparation for you for the struggle in after life. I don't want you to be a thoughtless careless young officer, but a man earnest in doing his duty, and you cannot but see that these two trials must have a great effect in forming your character. Remember, Ned, that if the effect be not for good, it will certainly be for evil."
"I will try, sir," Ned said; "but I know it is easy to make good resolutions, and how it will be when he is in the house as master I can't trust myself even to think."
"Well, let us hope the best, Ned," Mr. Porson said kindly; "things may turn out better than you fear."
Then seeing that further talking would be useless now, he shook Ned's hand and let him go.
The next three or four months passed slowly and heavily. Ned went about his work again quietly and doggedly; but his high spirits seemed gone. His mother's engagement with Mr. Mulready had been openly announced, directly after he had first heard of it. Charlie had, to Ned's secret indignation, taken it quietly. He knew little of Mr. Mulready, who had, whenever he saw him, spoken kindly to him, and who now made him frequent presents of books and other things dear to schoolboys. Little Lucy's liking he had, however, failed to
gain, although in his frequent visits he had spared no pains to do so, seldom coming without bringing with him cakes or papers of sweets. Lucy accepted the presents, but did not love the donor, and confided to Abijah that his teeth were exactly like those of the wolf who ate Little Red Riding Hood.
Ned found much more comfort in her society during those dull days than in Charlie's. He had the good sense, however, never to encourage her in her expressions of dislike to Mr. Mulready, and even did his best to combat her impression, knowing how essential it was for her to get on well with him. Ned himself did not often see Mr. Mulready during that time. The first time that they met, Ned had, on his return from school, gone straight up into the drawing-room, not knowing that Mr. Mulready was there. On opening the door and seeing him he paused suddenly for a moment and then advanced. For a moment neither of them spoke, then Mr. Mulready said in his frankest manner:
" Ned, you have heard I am going to marry your mother. I don't suppose you quite like it; it wouldn't be natural if you did; I know I shouldn't if I were in your place. Still you know your disliking it won't alter it, and I hope we shall get on well together. Give me your hand, my lad, you won't find me a bad sort of fellow."
" I hope not," Ned said quietly, taking Mr. Mulready's hand and continuing to hold it while he went on: "I don't pretend I like it, and I know it makes no difference whether I do or not; the principal point is, that my
mother should be happy, and if you make her happy I have no doubt we shall, as you say, get on well together; if you don't, we shan't."
There was no mistaking the threat conveyed in Ned's steady tones, and Mr. Mulready, as Ned dropped his hand, felt that he should have more trouble with the boy than he had expected. He gave a forced laugh.
" One would think, Ned, that you thought it likely I was going to be unkind to your mother."
" No," Ned said quietly, " I don't want to think about it one way or the other, only I promised my father I would be kind to my mother; that means that I would look after her, and I mean to. Well, mother," he said in his usual tone, turning to Mrs. Sankey, "and how are you this morning?"
" I was feeling better, Ned," she said sharply; " but your unpleasant way of talking, and your nonsense about taking care of me, have made me feel quite ill again. Somehow you always seem to shake my nerves. You never seem to me like other boys. One would think I was a child instead of being your mother. I thought after what you said to me that you were going to behave nicely."
" I am trying to behave nicely," Ned said. " I am sure I meant quite nicely, just as Mr. Mulready does; I think he understands me."
" I don't understand that boy," Mrs. Sankey said plaintively when Ned had left the room, " and I never have understood him. He was dreadfully spoilt when he was
in India, as I have often told you; for in my weak state of health I was not equal to looking after him, and his poor father was sadly over-indulgent. But he has certainly been much better as to his temper lately, and I do hope, William, that he is not going to cause trouble."