As time passes without any further arrivals, and the tardy guest has not yet put in appearance, Shenstone begins to think he will this day have Miss Wynn to himself, or at least without any very formidable competitor. There are others present who seek her smiles – some aspiring to her hand – but none he fears so much as the one still absent.
Just as he is becoming calm and confident, he is saluted by a gentleman of the genus "swell," who, approaching, drawls out the interrogatory: —
"Who is that fella, Shenstone?"
"What fellow?"
"He with the vewy peculya head gear. Indian affair —topee, I bewieve they call it."
"Where?" asks Shenstone, starting and staring to all sides.
"Yondaw! Appwoaching from the diwection of the rivaw. Looks a fwesh awival. I take it he must have come by bawt! Knaw him?"
George Shenstone, strong man though he be, visibly trembles. Were Gwen Wynn at that moment to face about, and aim one of her arrows at his breast, it would not bring more pallor upon his cheeks, nor pain to his heart. For he wearing the "peculya head gear" is the man he most fears, and whom he had hoped not to see this day.
So much is he affected, he does not answer the question put to him; nor indeed has he opportunity, as just then Miss Wynn, sighting the topee too, suddenly turning, says to him: —
"George! be good enough to take charge of these things." She holds her bow with an arrow she had been affixing to the string. "Yonder's a gentleman just arrived; who you know is a stranger. Aunt will expect me to receive him. I'll be back soon as I've discharged my duty."
Delivering the bow and unspent shaft, she glides off without further speech or ceremony.
He stands looking after; in his eyes anything but a pleased expression. Indeed sullen, almost angry, as watching her every movement he notes the manner of her reception – greeting the new comer with a warmth and cordiality he, Shenstone, thinks uncalled for, however much stranger the man may be. Little irksome to her seems the discharge of that so-called duty; but so exasperating to the baronet's son, he feels like crushing the bow stick between his fingers, or snapping it in twain across his knee!
As he stands with eyes glaring upon them, he is again accosted by his inquisitive acquaintance, who asks:
"What's the matter, Jawge? Yaw haven't answered my intewogatowy!"
"What was it? I forget."
"Aw, indeed! That's stwange. I merely wished to knaw who Mr. White Cap is?"
"Just what I'd like to know myself. All I can tell you is, that he's an army fellow – in the Cavalry I believe – by name Ryecroft."
"Aw yas; Cavalwy. That's evident by the bend of his legs. Wyquoft – Wyquoft, you say?"
"So he calls himself – a captain of Hussars – his own story."
This in a tone and with a shrug of insinuation.
"But yaw don't think he's an adventuwer?"
"Can't say whether he is, or not."
"Who's his endawser? How came he intwoduced at Llangowen?"
"That I can't tell you."
He could though; for Miss Wynn, true to her promise, has made him acquainted with the circumstances of the river adventure, though not those leading to it; and he, true to his, has kept them a secret. In a sense therefore, he could not tell, and the subterfuge is excusable.
"By Jawve! The Light Bob appears to have made good use of his time – however intwoduced. Miss Gwen seems quite familiaw with him; and yondaw the little Lees shaking hands, as though the two had been acquainted evaw since coming out of their cwadles! See! They're dwagging him up to the ancient spinster, who sits enthawned in her chair like a queen of the Tawnament times. Vewy mediæval the whole affair – vewy!"
"Instead, very modern; in my opinion disgustingly so!"
"Why d'yaw say that, Jawge?"
"Why! Because in either olden or mediæval times such a thing couldn't have occurred – here in Herefordshire."
"What thing, pway?"
"A man admitted into good society without endorsement or introduction. Now-a-days any one may be so; claim acquaintance with a lady, and force his company upon her, simply from having had the chance to pick up a dropped pocket-handkerchief, or offer his umbrella in a skiff of a shower!"
"But, shawly, that isn't how the gentleman yondaw made acquaintance with the fair Gwendoline?"
"Oh! I don't say that," rejoins Shenstone, with forced attempt at a smile – more natural, as he sees Miss Wynn separate from the group they are gazing at, and come back to reclaim her bow. Better satisfied, now, he is rather worried by his importunate friend, and to get rid of him adds:
"If you are really desirous to know how Miss Wynn became acquainted with him, you can ask the lady herself."
Not for all the world would the swell put that question to Gwen Wynn. It would not be safe; and thus snubbed he saunters away, before she is up to the spot.
Ryecroft, left with Miss Linton, remains in conversation with her. It is not his first interview; for several times already has he been a visitor at Llangorren – introduced by the young ladies as the gentleman who, when the pleasure-boat was caught in a dangerous whirl, out of which old Joseph was unable to extricate it, came to their rescue – possibly to the saving of their lives! Thus, the version of the adventure vouchsafed to the aunt – sufficient to sanction his being received at the Court.
And the ancient toast of Cheltenham has been charmed with him. In the handsome Hussar officer she beholds the typical hero of her romance reading; so much like it, that Lord Lutestring has long ago gone out of her thoughts – passed from her memory as though he had been but a musical sound. Of all who bend before her this day, the worship of none is so welcome as that of the martial stranger.
Resuming her bow, Gwen shoots no better than before. Her thoughts, instead of being concentrated on the painted circles, as her eyes, are half the time straying over her shoulders to him behind, still in a tête-à-tête with the aunt. Her arrows fly wild and wide, scarce one sticking in the straw. In fine, among all the competitors, she counts lowest score – the poorest she has herself ever made. But what matters it? She is only too pleased when her quiver is empty, and she can have excuse to return to Miss Linton, on some question connected with the hospitalities of the house.
Observing all this, and much more besides, George Shenstone feels aggrieved – indeed exasperated – so terribly, it takes all his best breeding to withhold him from an exhibition of bad behaviour. He might not succeed were he to remain much longer on the ground – which he does not. As if misdoubting his power of restraint, and fearing to make a fool of himself, he too frames excuse, and leaves Llangorren long before the sports come to a close. Not rudely, or with any show of spleen. He is a gentleman, even in his anger; and bidding a polite, and formal, adieu to Miss Linton, with one equally ceremonious, but more distant, to Miss Wynn, he slips round to the stables, orders his horse, leaps into the saddle, and rides off.
Many the day he has entered the gates of Llangorren with a light and happy heart – this day he goes out of them with one heavy and sad.
If missed from the archery meeting, it is not by Miss Wynn. Instead, she is glad of his being gone. Notwithstanding the love passion for another now occupying her heart – almost filling it – there is still room there for the gentler sentiment of pity. She knows how Shenstone suffers – how could she help knowing? – and pities him.
Never more than at this same moment, despite that distant, half-disdainful adieu, vouchsafed to her at parting; by him intended to conceal his thoughts, as his sufferings, while but the better revealing them. How men underrate the perception of women! In matters of this kind a very intuition.
None keener than that of Gwen Wynn. She knows why he has gone so short away – well as if he