Once, when Mrs. Menteith had been besetting her father with entreaties
for the keys of Lady Keith's private possessions, she was decisively
silenced, and the next day these same keys were given to Alick, with a
request that his wife would as soon as possible look over and take
to herself all that had belonged to his sister, except a few heirloom
jewels that must return to Scotland. Alick demurred greatly, but the
old man would not brook contradiction, and Rachel was very unwillingly
despatched upon the mission on one of Alick's days of prostration at
home. His absence was the most consoling part of this sad day's work.
Any way it could not be otherwise than piteous to dismantle what had
been lately so bright and luxurious, and the contrast of the present
state of things with that in which these dainty new wedding presents had
been brought together, could not but give many a pang; but beside this,
there was a more than ordinary impression of "vanity of vanities, all
is vanity," very painful to affection that was striving to lose the
conviction that it had been a self-indulgent, plausible life. The
accumulation of expensive trinkets and small luxuries, was as surprising
as perplexing to a person of Rachel's severely simple and practical
tastes. It was not only since the marriage; for Bessie had always had
at her disposal means rather ample, and had used them not exactly
foolishly, but evidently for her own gratification. Everything had
some intrinsic worth, and was tasteful or useful, but the multitude
was perfectly amazing, and the constant echo in Rachel's ears was, "he
heapeth up riches and cannot tell who shall gather them." Lord Keith
could hardly have found an executrix for his poor young wife, to whom
her properties would have done so little harm. Rachel set many aside
for the cousins, and for Mrs. Menteith, others she tried to persuade
the Colonel to call Gowanbrae belongings, and failing in this, she hoped
through Grace, to smuggle some of them into his Gowanbrae; but when all
was done, there was a mass of things that Lord Keith never wished to see
again, and that seemed to Rachel to consist of more ornaments than she
could ever wear, and more knick-knacks than a captain's wife could ever
carry about with her.
She was putting aside the various packets of letters and papers to
be looked over more at leisure, when the Colonel knocked at the
morning-room door, and told her that his brother would like to see her,
when her work was done. "But first," he said, "I must ask you to be kind
enough to look over some of these papers, and try to find receipts for
some of those bills."
"Here they are," said Rachel, "I was going to look them over at home."