But a clattering and stamping were heard in the yard, and Aurelia, looking from the window, called Mrs. Dove to see four horses being harnessed to a coach that was standing there.
Lawk-a-day? cried the good woman, if it be not our own old coach, as was the best in poor Sir Jovians time! Ay, there be our colours, you see, blue and gold, and my Ladys quartering. Why, twas atop of that very blue hammercloth that I first set eyes on my Dove! So my Lady has sent to meet you, Missie. Well, I do take it kind of her. Now you will not come in your riding hood, all frowsed and dusty, but can put on your pretty striped sacque and blue hood that you wore on Sunday, and look the sweet pretty lady you are.
Mrs. Doves intentions were frustrated, for the maid of the inn knocked at the door with a message that the coach had orders not to wait, but that Miss was to come down immediately.
Dear, dear! sighed Mrs. DOve. Tell the jackanapes not to be so hasty. He must give the young lady time to change her dress, and eat a mouthful.
This brought Dove up to the door. Never mind dressing and fallals, he said; this is a strange fellow that says he is hired for the job, and his orders are precise. Miss must take a bit of cake in her hand. Come, dame, you have not lived so long in my Ladys service as to forget what it is to cross her will, or keep her waiting.
Therewith he hurried Aurelia down stairs, his wife being in such a state of deshabille that she could not follow. He handed the young lady into the carriage, gave her a parcel of slices of bread and meat, with a piece of cake, shut the door, and said, Be of good heart, Missie, well catch you up by the time you are in the square. All right!
Off went Aurelia in solitude, within a large carriage, once gaily fitted though now somewhat faded and tarnished. She was sorry to be parted from the Doves, whom she wanted to give her courage for the introduction to my Lady, and to explain to her the wonders of the streets of London, which she did not quite expect to see paved with gold! She ate her extemporised meal, gazing from the window, and expecting to see houses and churches thicken on her, and hurrying to brush away her crumbs, and put on her gloves lest she should arrive unawares, for she had counted half-a-dozen houses close together. No! here was another field! More fields and houses. The signs of habitation were, so far from increasing, growing more scanty, and looked strangely like what she had before passed. Could this be the right road! How foolish to doubt, when this was my Ladys own coach. But oh, that it had waited for Mrs. Dove! She would beg her to get in when the riders overtook her. When would they? No sign of them could be seen from the windows, and here were more houses. Surely this was Turnham Green again, or there must be another village green exactly like it in the heart of London. How many times did not poor Aurelia go through all these impressions in the course of the drive. She was absolutely certain that she was taken through Brentford again, this time without a halt; but after this the country became unknown to her, and the road much worse. It was in fact for the most part a mere ditch or cart track, so rough that the four horses came to a walk. Aurelia had read no novels but Telemaque and Le Grand Cyrus, so her imagination was not terrified by tales of abduction, but alarm began to grow upon her. She much longed to ask the coachman whither he was taking her, but the check string had been either worn out or removed; she could not open the door from within, nor make him hear, and indeed she was a little afraid of him.
Twilight began to come on; it was much later than Mr. Dove had ever ventured to be out, but here at last there was a pause, and the swing of a gate, the road was smoother and she seemed to be in a wood, probably private ground. On and on, for an apparently interminable time, went the coach with the wearied and affrighted girl, through the dark thicket, until at last she emerged, into a park, where she could again see the pale after-glow of the sunset, and presently she found herself before a tall house, perfectly dark, with strange fantastic gables and chimneys, ascending far above against the sky.
All was still as death, except the murmuring caws of the rooks in their nests, and the chattering shriek of a startled blackbird. The servant from behind ran up the steps and thundered at the door; it was opened, a broad line of light shone out, some figures appeared, and a man in livery came forward to open the carriage door, but to Aurelias inexpressible horror, his face was perfectly black, with negro features, rolling eyes, and great white teeth!
She hardly knew what she did, the dark carriage was formidable on one side, the apparition on the other! The only ray of comfort was in the face of a stout, comely, rosy maid-servant, who was holding the candle on the threshold, and with one bound the poor traveller dashed past the black hand held out to help her, and rushing up to the girl, caught hold of her, and gasped out, Oh! What is that? Where am I? Where have they taken me?
Lawk, maam, said the girl, with a broad grin, that ere bees only Mr. Jumbo. A wont hurtee. See, heres Mistress Aylward.
A tall, white-capped, black-gowned elderly woman turned on the new-comer a pale, grave, unsmiling face, saying, Your servantMiss Aurelia Delavie, as I understand.
Bending her head, and scarcely able to steady herself, for she was shaking from head to foot, Aurelia managed to utter the query,
Where am I?
At Bowstead Park, madam, by order of my Lady.
Much relieved, and knowing this was the Belamour estate, Aurelia said, Please let me wait till Mrs. Dove comes before I am presented to my Lady.
My Lady is not here, madam, said Mrs. Aylward. Allow me and she led the way across a great empty hall, that seemed the vaster for its obscurity, then along a matted passage, and down some steps into a room surrounded with presses and cupboards, evidently belonging to the to the housekeeper. She set a chair for the trembling girl, saying, You will excuse the having supper here to-night, madam; the south parlour will be ready for you to-morrow.
Is not Mrs. Dove coming? faintly asked Aurelia.
Mrs. Dove is gone to London to attend on little Master Wayland. You are to be here with the young ladies, maam.
What young ladies? asked the bewildered maiden.
My Ladys little daughtersthe Misses Wayland. I thought she had sent you her instructions; but I see you are over wearied and daunted, she added, more kindly; you will be better when you have taken some food. Molly, I say, you sluggard of a wench, bring the ladys supper, and dont stand gaping there.
Mrs. Aylward hurried away to hasten operations, and Aurelia began somewhat to recover her senses, though she was still so much dismayed that she dreaded to look up lest she should see something frightful, and started at the first approach of steps.
A dainty little supper was placed before her, but she was too faint and sick at heart for appetite, and would have excused herself. However, Mrs. Aylward severely said she would have no such folly, filled a glass of wine, and sternly administered it; then setting her down in a large chair, helped her to a delicate cutlet. She ate for very fright, but her cheeks and eyes were brightened, the mists of terror and exhaustion began to clear away, and when she accepted a second help, she had felt herself reassured that she had not fallen into unkindly hands. If she could only have met a smile she would have been easier, but Mrs. Aylward was a woman of sedate countenance and few words, and the straight set line of lips encouraged no questioning, so she merely uttered thanks for each act of hospitality.
There! You will take no more roll? You are better, now, but you will not be sorry to go to your bed, said Mrs. Aylward, taking up a candle, and guiding her along the passage up a long stair to a pretty room wainscoted and curtained with fresh white dimity, and the window showing the young moon pale in the light of the western sky.
Bedrooms were little furnished, and this was more luxurious than the dear old chamber at home, but the girl had never before slept alone, and she felt unspeakably lonely in the dreariness, longing more than ever for Bettys kisseven for Bettys blameor for a whine from Harriet; and she positively hungered for a hug from Eugene, as she gazed timidly at the corners beyond the influence of her candle; and instead of unpacking the little riding mail she kissed it, and laid her cheek on it as the only thing that came from home, and burst into a flood of despairing tears.
In the midst, there fell on her ears a low strain of melancholy music rising and falling like the wailing of mournful spirits. She sprang to her feet and stood listening with dilated eyes; then, as a louder note reached her, in terror uncontrollable, she caught up her candle, rushed down the stairs like a wild bird, and stood panting before Mrs. Aylward, who had a big Bible open on the table before her.
Oh, maam, she cried, between her panting sobs, I cant stay there! I shall die!
What means this, madam? said Mrs. Aylward, stiffly, making the word sound much like foolish child.
Thethe music! she managed faintly to utter, falling again into the friendly chair.
The music? said Mrs. Aylward, considering; then with a shade of polite contempt, O! Jumbos fiddle! I did not know it could be heard in your room, but no doubt the windows below are open.
Is Jumbo that black man? asked Aurelia, shuddering; for negro servants, though the fashion in town, had not penetrated into the west.
Mr. Belamours blackamoor. He often plays to him half the night.
Oh! with another quivering sound of alarm; is Mr. Belamour the gentleman in the dark?
Even so, madam, but you need have no fears. He keeps his room and admits no one, though he sometimes walks out by night. You will only have to keep the children from a noise making near his apartments. Good night, madam.
Oh, pray, if I do not disturb you, would you be pleased to let me stay till you have finished your chapter; I might not be so frightened then.
In common humanity Mrs. Aylward could not refuse, and Aurelia sat silently grasping the arms of her chair, and trying to derive all the comfort she could from the presence of a Bible and a good woman. Her nerves were, in fact, calmed by the interval, and when Mrs. Aylward took off her spectacles and shut up her book, it had become possible to endure the terrors of the lonely chamber.
CHAPTER VIII. THE ENCHANTED CASTLE
A little she began to lose her fear.MORRIS.
Aurelia slept till she was wakened by a bounce at the door, and the rattling of the lock, but it was a little childs voice that was crying, I will! I will! I will go in and seem by cousin!
Then came Mrs. Aylwards severe voice: No, miss, you are not to waken your cousin. Come away. Where is that slut, Jenny?
Then there was a scuffle and a howl, as if the child were being forcibly carried away. Aurelia sprang out of bed, for sunshine was flooding the room, and she felt accountable for tardiness. She had made some progress in dressing, when again little hands were on the lock, little feet kicking the door, and little voices calling, Let me in.
She opened the door, and white nightgowns, all tumbled back one over the other.
My little cousins, she said, come and kiss me.
One came forward and lifted up a sweet little pale face, but the other two stood, each with a finger in the mouth, right across the threshold, in a manner highly inconvenient to Aurelia, who was only in her stiff stays and dimity petticoat, with a mass of hair hanging down below her waist. She turned to them with arms out-stretched, but this put them instantly to the rout, and they ran off as fast as their bare pink feet could carry them, till one stumbled, and lay with her face down and her plump legs kicking in the air. Aurelia caught her up, but the capture produced a powerful yell, and out, all at once hurried into the corridor, Mrs. Aylward, a tidy maid servant, a stout, buxom countrywoman, and a rough girl, scarcely out of bed, but awake enough to snatch the child out of the young ladys arms, and carry her off. The housekeeper began scolding vigorously all round, and Aurelia escaped into her room, where she completed her toilette, looking out into a garden below, laid out in the formal Dutch fashion, with walks and beds centring in a fountain, the grass plats as sharply defined as possible, and stiff yews and cypresses dotted at regular intervals or forming straight alleys. She felt strange and shy, but the sunshine, the cheerfulness, and the sight of the children, had reassured her, and when she had said her morning prayer, she had lost the last nights sense of hopeless dreariness and unprotectedness. When another knock came, she opened the door cheerfully, but there was a chill in meeting Mrs. Aylwards grave, cold face, and stiff salutation. If you are ready, madam, she said, I will show you to the south parlour, where the children will eat with you.
Aurelia ventured to ask about her baggage, and was told that it would be forwarded from Brentford. Mrs. Aylward then led the way to a wide stone staircase, with handsome carved balusters, leading down into the great hall, with doors opening from all sides. All was perfectly empty, and so still, that the sweep of the dresses, and the tap of the heels made an echo; and the sunshine, streaming in at the large window, marked out every one upon the floor, in light and shadow, and exactly repeated the brown-shaded, yellow-framed medallions of painted glass upon the pavement. There was something awful and oppressive in the entire absence of all tokens of habitation, among those many closed doors.
One, however, at the foot of the stairs was opened by Mrs. Aylward. It led to a sort of narrow lobby, with a sashed window above a low door, opening on stone steps down to the terrace and garden. To the right was an open door, giving admittance to a room hung with tapestry, with a small carpet in the centre of the floor, and a table prepared for the morning meal. There was a certain cheerfulness about it, though it was bare of furniture; but there was an easy chair, a settee, a long couch, a spinnet, and an embroidery frame, so that altogether it had capabilities of being lived in.
Here you will sit, madam, with the young ladies, said Mrs. Aylward. They have a maid-servant who will wait on you, and if you require anything, you will be pleased to speak to me. My Lady wishes you to take charge of them, and likewise to execute the piece of embroidery you will find in that frame, with the materials. This will be your apartment, and you can take the young ladies into the garden and park, wherever you please, except that they must not make a noise before the windows of the other wing, which you will see closed with shutters, for those are Mr. Belamours rooms.
With these words Mrs. Aylward curtsied as if about to retire, Aurelia held out her hand in entreaty. Oh, cannot you stay with me?
No, madam, my office is the housekeepers, was the stiff response. Molly will call me if you require my services. I think you said you preferred bread and milk for breakfast. Dinner will be served at one.
Mrs. Aylward retreated, leaving a chill on the heart of the lonely girl.