"I daresay it was rather impertinent of me to call at such an
untimely hour," said Roger.
"Not at all; I call at all hours, and nothing is ever said about it.
It was just because she was put out that morning. I'll answer for it
she's sorry now, and I'm sure you may go there at any time you like
in the future."
Still, Roger did not choose to go again for two or three weeks, and
the consequence was that the next time he called the ladies were out.
Once again he had the same ill-luck, and then he received a little
pretty three-cornered note from Mrs. Gibson:--
MY DEAR SIR,
How is it that you are become so formal all on a sudden,
leaving cards, instead of awaiting our return? Fie for
shame! If you had seen the faces of disappointment that
I did when the horrid little bits of pasteboard were
displayed to our view, you would not have borne malice
against me so long; for it is really punishing others as
well as my naughty self. If you will come to-morrow--as
early as you like--and lunch with us, I'll own I was
cross, and acknowledge myself a penitent.--Yours ever,
HYACINTH C. K. GIBSON.
There was no resisting this, even if there had not been strong
inclination to back up the pretty words. Roger went, and Mrs. Gibson
caressed and petted him in her sweetest, silkiest manner. Cynthia
looked lovelier than ever to him for the slight restriction that
had been laid for a time on their intercourse. She might be gay
and sparkling with Osborne; with Roger she was soft and grave.
Instinctively she knew her men. She saw that Osborne was only
interested in her because of her position in a family with whom he
was intimate; that his friendship was without the least touch of
sentiment; and that his admiration was only the warm criticism of
an artist for unusual beauty. But she felt how different Roger's
relation to her was. To him she was _the_ one, alone, peerless. If
his love was prohibited, it would be long years before he could
sink down into tepid friendship; and to him her personal loveliness
was only one of the many charms that made him tremble into passion.
Cynthia was not capable of returning such feelings; she had had too
little true love in her life, and perhaps too much admiration to do
so; but she appreciated this honest ardour, this loyal worship that
was new to her experience. Such appreciation, and such respect for
his true and affectionate nature, gave a serious tenderness to her
manner to Roger, which allured him with a fresh and separate grace.
Molly sate by, and wondered how it would all end, or, rather, how
soon it would all end, for she thought that no girl could resist such
reverent passion; and on Roger's side there could be no doubt--alas!
there could be no doubt. An older spectator might have looked far
ahead, and thought of the question of pounds, shillings, and pence.
Where was the necessary income for a marriage to come from? Roger
had his Fellowship now, it is true; but the income of that would be
lost if he married; he had no profession, and the life interest of
the two or three thousand pounds that he inherited from his mother,
belonged to his father. This older spectator might have been a little
surprised at the _empressement_ of Mrs. Gibson's manner to a younger
son, always supposing this said spectator to have read to the depths
of her worldly heart. Never had she tried to be more agreeable to
Osborne; and though her attempt was a great failure when practised
upon Roger, and he did not know what to say in reply to the delicate
flatteries which he felt to be insincere, he saw that she intended
him to consider himself henceforward free of the house; and he was
too glad to avail himself of this privilege to examine over-closely
into what might be her motives for her change of manner. He shut his
eyes, and chose to believe that she was now desirous of making up for
her little burst of temper on his previous visit.