"A pretty sight!" observes Ellen, as they sit looking up at the sharp, slender wings, and long bifurcated tail, cut clear as a cameo against the cloudless sky. "Isn't it a beautiful creature?"
"Beautiful, but bad," rejoins Gwen, "like many other animated things – too like, and too many of them. I suppose it's on the look-out for some innocent victim, and will soon be swooping down at it. Ah, me! it's a wicked world, Nell, with all its sweetness! One creature preying upon another, the strong seeking to devour the weak – these ever needing protection! Is it any wonder we poor women, weakest of all, should wish to – "
She stays her interrogatory, and sits in silence, abstractedly toying with the handles of the oars, which she is balancing above water.
"Wish to do what?" asked the other.
"Get married!" answers the heiress of Llangorren, elevating her arms, and letting the blades fall with a plash, as if to drown a speech so bold; withal, watching its effect upon her companion, as she repeats the question in a changed form. "Is it strange, Ellen?"
"I suppose not," Ellen timidly replies; blushingly too, for she knows how nearly the subject concerns herself, and half believes the interrogatory aimed at her. "Not at all strange," she adds, more affirmatively. "Indeed very natural, I should say – that is, for women who are poor and weak, and really need a protector. But you, Gwen, who are neither one nor the other, but instead rich and strong, have no such need."
"I'm not so sure of that. With all my riches and strength – for I am a strong creature; as you see, can row this boat almost as ably as a man" – she gives a vigorous pull or two, as proof, then continuing, "Yes, and I think I've got great courage too. Yet, would you believe it, Nelly, notwithstanding all, I sometimes have a strange fear upon me?"
"Fear of what?"
"I can't tell. That's the strangest part of it; for I know of no actual danger. Some sort of vague apprehension that now and then oppresses me – lies on my heart, making it heavy as lead – sad and dark as the shadow of that wicked bird upon the water. Ugh!" she exclaims, taking her eyes off it, as if the sight, suggestive of evil, had brought on one of the fear spells she is speaking of.
"If it were a magpie," observes Ellen laughingly, "you might view it with suspicion. Most people do – even some who deny being superstitious. But a kite – I never heard of that being ominous of evil. No more its shadow; which as you see it there is but a small speck compared with the wide bright surface around. If your future sorrows be only in like proportion to your joys, they won't signify much. See! Both the bird and its shadow are passing away – as will your troubles, if you ever have any."
"Passing – perhaps, soon to return. Ha! look there. As I've said!"
This, as the kite swoops down upon a wood-quest, and strikes at it with outstretched talons. Missing it, nevertheless; for the strong-winged pigeon, forewarned by the other's shadow, has made a quick double in its flight, and so shunned the deadly clutch. Still, it is not yet safe; its tree covert is far off on the wooded slope, and the tyrant continues the chase. But the hawk has its enemy too, in a gamekeeper with his gun. Suddenly it is seen to suspend the stroke of its wings, and go whirling downward; while a shot rings out on the air, and the cushat, unharmed, flies on for the hill.
"Good!" exclaims Gwen, resting the oars across her knees, and clapping her hands in an ecstasy of delight. "The innocent has escaped!"
"And for that you ought to be assured, as well as gratified," puts in the companion, "taking it as a symbol of yourself, and those imaginary dangers you've been dreaming about."
"True," assents Miss Wynn musingly; "but, as you see, the bird found a protector – just by chance, and in the nick of time."
"So will you; without any chance, and at such time as may please you."
"Oh!" exclaims Gwen, as if endowed with fresh courage. "I don't want one – not I! I'm strong to stand alone." Another tug at the oars to show it. "No," she continues, speaking between the plunges, "I want no protector – at least not yet: nor for a long while."
"But there's one wants you," says the companion, accompanying her words with an interrogative glance. "And soon – soon as he can have you."
"Indeed! I suppose you mean Master George Shenstone. Have I hit the nail upon the head?"
"You have."
"Well; what of him?"
"Only that everybody observes his attentions to you."
"Everybody is a very busy body. Being so observant, I wonder if this everybody has also observed how I receive them?"
"Indeed, yes."
"How then?"
"With favour. 'Tis said you think highly of him."
"And so I do. There are worse men in the world than George Shenstone – possibly few better. And many a good woman would, and might, be glad to become his wife. For all, I know one of a very indifferent sort who wouldn't – that's Gwen Wynn."
"But he's very good-looking!" Ellen urges; "the handsomest gentleman in the neighbourhood. Everybody says so."
"There your everybody would be wrong again – if they thought as they say. But they don't. I know one who thinks somebody else much handsomer than he."
"Who?" asks Miss Lees, looking puzzled; for she has never heard of Gwendoline having a preference, save that spoken of.
"The Rev. William Musgrave," replies Gwen, in turn bending inquisitive eyes on her companion, to whose cheeks the answer has brought a flush of colour, with a spasm of pain at the heart. Is it possible her rich relative – the heiress of Llangorren Court – can have set her eyes upon the poor curate of Llangorren Church, where her own thoughts have been secretly straying? With an effort to conceal them now, as the pain caused her, she rejoins interrogatively, but in faltering tone, —
"You think Mr. Musgrave handsomer than Mr. Shenstone?"
"Indeed I don't! Who says I do?"
"Oh – I thought," stammers out the other, relieved – too pleased just then to stand up for the superiority of the curate's personal appearance – "I thought you meant it that way."
"But I didn't. All I said was, that somebody thinks so; and that isn't I. Shall I tell you who it is?"
Ellen's heart is again quiet; she does not need to be told, already divining who it is – herself.
"You may as well let me," pursues Gwen, in a bantering way. "Do you suppose, Miss Lees, I haven't penetrated your secret long ago? Why, I knew it last Christmas, when you were assisting his demure reverence to decorate the church! Who could fail to observe that pretty hand play, when you two were twining the ivy around the altar-rail? And the holly, you were both so careless in handling, I wonder it didn't prick your fingers to the bone! Why, Nell, 'twas as plain to me, as if I'd been at it myself. Besides, I've seen the same thing scores of times, so has everybody in the parish. Ha! you see, I'm not the only one with whose name this everybody has been busy; the difference being, that about me they've been mistaken, while concerning yourself they haven't; instead, speaking pretty near the truth. Come, now, confess! Am I not right? Don't have any fear; you can trust me."
She does confess; though not in words. Her silence is equally eloquent; drooping eyelids, and blushing cheeks, making that eloquence emphatic. She loves Mr. Musgrave.
"Enough!" says Gwendoline, taking it in this sense; "and, since you have been candid with me, I'll repay you in the same coin. But, mind you, it mustn't go further."
"Oh! certainly not," assents the other, in her restored confidence about the curate willing to promise anything in the world.
"As I've said," proceeds Miss Wynn, "there are worse men in the world than George Shenstone, and but few better. Certainly none behind hounds, and I'm told he's the crack shot of the county, and the best billiard player of his club – all accomplishments that have weight with us women – some of us. More still; he's deemed good-looking, and is, as you say, known to be