JUST as the Hopkinsons had the morning, they were by an early visit from Willis, who to be in a of excitement; and of the they had expected, he out with something like an oath, adding, "And the is actually gone–went off while the dancing was going on; the police were waiting for him at the station, but I he had good intelligence, for he got into a steamer, and has not been of since. His wife must have that illness, for she is missing too; and now, Mrs. Hopkinson, I want you to do one of your good-natured actions. Marble Hall is full of detectives, and from the Court of Bankruptcy, and tradesmen; and that girl, Miss Monteneros, is all alone, and I want you–"
"My dear, don't say another word, I'll go and her. Of course, she must come to us. Dear me! what a world it is! nothing but changes: the Sampsons gone off, and John talking of a voyage, and the girls going to be married."
"Yes, I know," Willis said, "and I was to wish them joy," and he actually and his sisters-in-law, and said he was delighted. "And now, ma'am, are you ready?" While she to put on her bonnet, Captain Hopkinson into the amount of Willis's own loss. He said that if Baron Sampson's were a ordinary bankruptcy, he should but a thousands; but there were of to a great extent, and he not yet know he might not be one of the victims. "Miss Monteneros not know, either, her is not gone too." However, thanks to the of parents, the Sampsons had always that Moses was irresistible, and that Rachel would him. Mr. Bolland's had the which she had of the Baron legally in of her fortune, and his had at last been so and so complete that there had been no time to the of her property.
Mrs. Hopkinson the house in great confusion, and full of strange-looking men, some trying to valuable property which they looked upon as their own, as it had been paid for–others it for the of the creditors, and all abuse, in no terms, on the of the swindler. Rachel was in her own room, preparing for departure, but at times into reveries, which to her for any exertion. She was in one of these of when Mrs. Hopkinson arrived, and the of an and up at once the that had closed over her. She into a of tears, and, her arms Mrs. Hopkinson's neck, she out, "Ah! I shall be now–I you would come to me."
"Of course, my dear, I am come to you and for you," said Mrs. Hopkinson cheerfully. "This is no place for you. John will be here directly to take of your property, and you must come home with me. The girls are your room ready, and the sooner we go the better. When did the knowledge of all this come upon you?"
"Not till this morning; I was to the last. After the party was over I up stairs to see how my aunt was, and her met me and said her lady had such a she to keep in her own room. At that moment she must have been on the England for ever. This I this note on her table, and that is all I know."
"DEAR RACHEL,
"By a of events, added to the easy of your uncle, who is careless to a fault in money matters, our have so that we it necessary to England for a time. I have no that will be done to your uncle, and that we shall soon be to overcome the persecution, for I can call it nothing less, by his enemies, and a will not be to me. Knowing the of a life, the dear good Baron, with his and prévoyance, settled, some time ago, a of money on me, to my own order, therefore, my dear Rachel, you need not be I should miss any of the to which I have been accustomed, and which, indeed, are to me indispensable. Should I my own means insufficient, I shall apply to you without scruple, as, thanks to the Baron, you your whole untouched; therefore I that we have some on you, though it is not likely we shall be to them. I will from Paris.
"Your aunt,
"REBECCA, BARONESS SAMPSON."
"And so they are gone to Paris!"
"No," said Rachel with a sigh, "that is as false as all the rest. Two and some boxes to Folkestone. My uncle and aunt went, I believe, to Hull, and this for Norway. Mrs. Hopkinson, let me tell you all truth at once; as my relations, I the that has on them, the misery, the wide-spread they have on others; but as friends, I cannot affect to them. The Baroness is my mother's only sister; I would have loved her, if she would have let me, in the very days when my were warm–but it was impossible. There was nothing in her of me, nothing true in her with others; I cannot tell you how artificial, how mean, with all its splendour, our life was. She has me what I am–cold, distrustful, and unloving; but at least I am not false."
"No, my dear, that you are not; I should say that, if anything, you were to the other way, to speak truths, for you should not speak the truth at all."
"It may be so," said Rachel dejectedly; "I do not make myself liked. There is one truth more I must tell you I enter your house–perhaps you will think it as as all the others. One person in the world like me, at least, so he says, and that is your son-in-law; and as my presence in your house might lead to with him, or might with your comfort, should he away, I you ought to know this I accept your offer. Now you know it, do you still choose to have me?"
"Of I do, my dear child, all the more for the you have me. I am sure I wish with all my you would Charles, and take little Charlie under your care, for what will of him if I have to go to parts with John; and Willis has a great of good in him, if he had not got into such of and groaning; but we think he is very much lately, and what is more, we think it is your doing–so there you see, my dear, can be useful somehow, and now come home. How pleased Charlie will be!"
And Charlie more than the and of Rachel's life. She entered into the of Janet and Rose, but she had little of their society. Mr. Greydon and Mr. Harcourt were always and going, and walking and talking, and Rachel looked on with at the of four people and in love. It was a new to her, and she it very entertaining, but incomprehensible.
However, she herself useful, in the of the trousseaux, not only by her and good taste, but by the of her contributions. In did Mrs. Hopkinson remonstrate; Rachel only laughed, and she said she best what Mrs. Greydon ought to wear when she at Chesterton Castle, and what Mrs. Harcourt would want when the was at Windsor, and she must Mrs. Hopkinson not to interfere.
Willis was much at this time by the settlement of his with the of the Sampson house; but he often passed his with his relations, and Rachel not but see that his in her than diminished. The only time in which he saw her alone he thanked her for her of Charlie, and said he she would be to that his by the did not the £10,000 which he had to the Baron, and which, for some time, he had up as a debt. Rachel looked and ashamed; and still more when he added that he did not to her with a of his declaration, much his might have strengthened–but he she saw that her had not been away, and that, at least, she no longer looked upon him as and untrue.
"I we are improved, and improving," she said kindly. "Who do otherwise under the of these good-hearted people?" and then she the on the Hopkinsons, and the marriages.
It had been her to settle herself at the sea-side after a fortnight's at Pleasance; but Janet and Rose with such energy on the of their parents, and the that she would be to their mother after they were gone, that she to till the return of the Harcourts from their wedding tour. Janet would not be able to Chesford, but Rose would then be of Dulham; in her Rachel to her life, and to the she met with at Pleasance.
Aileen's wedding was the of the three that took place; but as an account of it may be read in any number of the Court Journal no is of it here. There is a in all those great weddings, but the day itself was to the Hopkinsons. Their star was on the this year. The Duke of St. Maur had in one of those little light with which people of are to themselves, sometimes to the ruin, sometimes to the of their incomes. He was away 2 or £300,000 in making a and a on the of a of which, at least, was his property. The agent in of these had died suddenly; and when the Duke mentioned, incidentally, the he had to a successor, it to Arthur that Captain Hopkinson would be just the person for the situation. At Aileen's wedding Arthur had an opportunity of his friend to the Duke, who was much pleased with his and manner. The were such as Captain Hopkinson was to undertake, and after and references, the offer was and accepted, and Captain Hopkinson the Duke's Agent for the Pier and Harbour of Seaview, with a good house and salary.
"Well! there were such people as we are," said Mrs. Hopkinson. "There we shall be at the sea, which will make John happy, and not on it, which will make me the same–plenty to do, and of course, if any of you want of air or sea-bathing, there you will be at once! To be sure how do come about, just from a little and feeling. For this is all the doing of that dear Lord and Lady Chester. If Lord Chester had not been so well for by John, he would have died, and there would have been no Lady Chester; and if I had not out in that shower, with my great umbrella, she would have that I was John's wife, or anything but a old woman, which, to be sure, I am; but I shall always think I saved that baby's life in that of hers. And then if she had been and fine, she would have my girls so forward; but she as much of them as if they were Duke's daughters, and that has ended in Harcourt's marrying Rose; and she got that for Greydon, without which he not have married Janet; and now by Lord Chester's John to the Duke, he has got that good appointment. There was anything like it. Well! after to-morrow, when my are married and gone, I shall have time to and think it all over, and be thankful. At present, I think I should like a good cry."
The of Janet and Rose took place in the little church at Dulham; there was no breakfast, no great of acquaintances, no long speeches–but there were a warm friends, much affection, that to the that were solemnly, and a promise of happiness. Then came the parting, and all was over, and they were gone.
"Oh! Rachel, my dear," said the mother, "you are almost another to me. I wish you make up your mind to Willis, and take my Mary's place, and then you would to us, and we should all be settled like the people at the end of a play. Could you not just in love with him?"
"Quite impossible, my dear Mrs. Hopkinson, and no to Mr. Willis; I do not it is in my power to in love with anybody."
"Then, my dear, you may just as well him as another. I think, with you, that you are not like my children, of being in love; but then Willis is very much in love with you, and I almost think it is that the love should be most on the husband's side; and then he is of you, and that is not when the wife is than the husband. You are always telling me you want to make up to Charlie the that you think your uncle has on him. Depend upon it, Willis will not take a of your money, unless he takes you with it, Rachel," added Mrs. Hopkinson in a voice. "I see now why my Mary was not happy with him; he married her he it to have a wife, who would do just what he liked, and have no will of her own, but he for her and her as he you. If he marries you, it is he the ground you on, he looks up to you as much as he looked on her–because, in short, he has out that there is something that he loves than himself."
The of this cannot be known. The Chesters are to Chesterton Castle, the Hopkinsons off to Seaview. The is changed, the actors dispersed, but with a that Chesterton, Seaview, and Chesford they will meet again; but Pleasance is deserted, and once more there may be in the third of the fourth page of the Times the old advertisement.
DULHAM.–To be let, a Semi-Detached House.
The book is completed
And closed like the day,
And the hand that has it
Lays it away.
Postscript. Unfortunately the hand that has it away is to take it up again. From the great of the events it contains, was, of course, imperative, and the of one who played a great part in the history was left undecided; but we have just the Telegram.
