"It was called--Look here, this subject wants a lot of talking over.Suppose we wait till we are alone and have lots of time before us."
"All right, sir." Adam was filled with curiosity, but he thought itbetter not to hurry matters. All would come in good time. Then thethree men returned home, leaving Mr. Caswall to spend the night inLiverpool.
The following day the Lesser Hill party set out for Castra Regis, and forthe time Adam thought no more of Diana's Grove or of what mysteries ithad contained--or might still contain.
The guests were crowding in, and special places were marked for importantpeople. Adam, seeing so many persons of varied degree, looked round forLady Arabella, but could not locate her. It was only when he saw the old-fashioned travelling carriage approach and heard the sound of cheeringwhich went with it, that he realised that Edgar Caswall had arrived.Then, on looking more closely, he saw that Lady Arabella, dressed as hehad seen her last, was seated beside him. When the carriage drew up atthe great flight of steps, the host jumped down and gave her his hand.
It was evident to all that she was the chief guest at the festivities. Itwas not long before the seats on the dais were filled, while the tenantsand guests of lesser importance had occupied all the coigns of vantagenot reserved. The order of the day had been carefully arranged by acommittee. There were some speeches, happily neither many nor long; andthen festivities were suspended till the time for feasting arrived. Inthe interval Caswall walked among his guests, speaking to all in afriendly manner and expressing a general welcome. The other guests camedown from the dais and followed his example, so there was unceremoniousmeeting and greeting between gentle and simple.
Adam Salton naturally followed with his eyes all that went on withintheir scope, taking note of all who seemed to afford any interest. Hewas young and a man and a stranger from a far distance; so on all theseaccounts he naturally took stock rather of the women than of the men, andof these, those who were young and attractive. There were lots of prettygirls among the crowd, and Adam, who was a handsome young man and wellset up, got his full share of admiring glances. These did not concernhim much, and he remained unmoved until there came along a group ofthree, by their dress and bearing, of the farmer class. One was a sturdyold man; the other two were good-looking girls, one of a little overtwenty, the other not quite so old. So soon as Adam's eyes met those ofthe younger girl, who stood nearest to him, some sort of electricityflashed--that divine spark which begins by recognition, and ends inobedience. Men call it "Love."
Both his companions noticed how much Adam was taken by the pretty girl,and spoke of her to him in a way which made his heart warm to them.
"Did you notice that party that passed? The old man is Michael Watford,one of the tenants of Mr. Caswall. He occupies Mercy Farm, which SirNathaniel pointed out to you to-day. The girls are his grand-daughters,the elder, Lilla, being the only child of his elder son, who died whenshe was less than a year old. His wife died on the same day. She is agood girl--as good as she is pretty. The other is her first cousin, thedaughter of Watford's second son. He went for a soldier when he was justover twenty, and was drafted abroad. He was not a good correspondent,though he was a good enough son. A few letters came, and then his fatherheard from the colonel of his regiment that he had been killed by dacoitsin Burmah. He heard from the same source that his boy had been marriedto a Burmese, and that there was a daughter only a year old. Watford hadthe child brought home, and she grew up beside Lilla. The only thingthat they heard of her birth was that her name was Mimi. The twochildren adored each other, and do to this day. Strange how differentthey are! Lilla all fair, like the old Saxon stock from which she issprung; Mimi showing a trace of her mother's race. Lilla is as gentle asa dove, but Mimi's black eyes can glow whenever she is upset. The onlything that upsets her is when anything happens to injure or threaten orannoy Lilla. Then her eyes glow as do the eyes of a bird when her youngare menaced."
CHAPTER V--THE WHITE WORM
Mr. Salton introduced Adam to Mr. Watford and his grand-daughters, andthey all moved on together. Of course neighbours in the position of theWatfords knew all about Adam Salton, his relationship, circumstances, andprospects. So it would have been strange indeed if both girls did notdream of possibilities of the future. In agricultural England, eligiblemen of any class are rare. This particular man was specially eligible,for he did not belong to a class in which barriers of caste were strong.So when it began to be noticed that he walked beside Mimi Watford andseemed to desire her society, all their friends endeavoured to give thepromising affair a helping hand. When the gongs sounded for the banquet,he went with her into the tent where her grandfather had seats. Mr.Salton and Sir Nathaniel noticed that the young man did not come to claimhis appointed place at the dais table; but they understood and made noremark, or indeed did not seem to notice his absence.
Lady Arabella sat as before at Edgar Caswall's right hand. She wascertainly a striking and unusual woman, and to all it seemed fitting fromher rank and personal qualities that she should be the chosen partner ofthe heir on his first appearance. Of course nothing was said openly bythose of her own class who were present; but words were not necessarywhen so much could be expressed by nods and smiles. It seemed to be anaccepted thing that at last there was to be a mistress of Castra Regis,and that she was present amongst them. There were not lacking some who,whilst admitting all her charm and beauty, placed her in the second rank,Lilla Watford being marked as first. There was sufficient divergence oftype, as well as of individual beauty, to allow of fair comment; LadyArabella represented the aristocratic type, and Lilla that of thecommonalty.
When the dusk began to thicken, Mr. Salton and Sir Nathaniel walkedhome--the trap had been sent away early in the day--leaving Adam tofollow in his own time. He came in earlier than was expected, and seemedupset about something. Neither of the elders made any comment. They alllit cigarettes, and, as dinner-time was close at hand, went to theirrooms to get ready.
Adam had evidently been thinking in the interval. He joined the othersin the drawing-room, looking ruffled and impatient--a condition of thingsseen for the first time. The others, with the patience--or theexperience--of age, trusted to time to unfold and explain things. Theyhad not long to wait. After sitting down and standing up several times,Adam suddenly burst out.
"That fellow seems to think he owns the earth. Can't he let peoplealone! He seems to think that he has only to throw his handkerchief toany woman, and be her master."
This outburst was in itself enlightening. Only thwarted affection insome guise could produce this feeling in an amiable young man. SirNathaniel, as an old diplomatist, had a way of understanding, as if byforeknowledge, the true inwardness of things, and asked suddenly, but ina matter-of-fact, indifferent voice:
"Was he after Lilla?"
"Yes, and the fellow didn't lose any time either. Almost as soon as theymet, he began to butter her up, and tell her how beautiful she was. Why,before he left her side, he had asked himself to tea to-morrow at MercyFarm. Stupid ass! He might see that the girl isn't his sort! I neversaw anything like it. It was just like a hawk and a pigeon."
As he spoke, Sir Nathaniel turned and looked at Mr. Salton--a keen lookwhich implied a full understanding.
"Tell us all about it, Adam. There are still a few minutes beforedinner, and we shall all have better appetites when we have come to someconclusion on this matter."
"There is nothing to tell, sir; that is the worst of it. I am bound tosay that there was not a word said that a human being could object to. Hewas very civil, and all that was proper--just what a landlord might be toa tenant's daughter . . . Yet--yet--well, I don't know how it was, but itmade my blood boil."
"How did the hawk and the pigeon come in?" Sir Nathaniel's voice wassoft and soothing, nothing of contradiction or overdone curiosity in it--atone eminently suited to win confidence.
"I can hardly explain. I can only say that he looked like a hawk and shelike a dove--and, now that I think of it, that is what they each did looklike; and do look like in their normal condition."
"That is so!" came the soft voice of Sir Nathaniel.
Adam went on:
"Perhaps that early Roman look of his set me off. But I wanted toprotect her; she seemed in danger."
"She seems in danger, in a way, from all you young men. I couldn't helpnoticing the way that even you looked--as if you wished to absorb her!"
"I hope both you young men will keep your heads cool," put in Mr. Salton."You know, Adam, it won't do to have any quarrel between you, especiallyso soon after his home-coming and your arrival here. We must think ofthe feelings and happiness of our neighbours; mustn't we?"
"I hope so, sir. I assure you that, whatever may happen, or eventhreaten, I shall obey your wishes in this as in all things."
"Hush!" whispered Sir Nathaniel, who heard the servants in the passagebringing dinner.
After dinner, over the walnuts and the wine, Sir Nathaniel returned tothe subject of the local legends.