Ayala's Angel [242]
Albury said to her husband.
"She is a pretty little girl enough," said Sir Harry, "but I doubt whether she is worth all the trouble."
"Of course she is not. What pretty little girl ever was? But as long as he thinks her worth it the trouble has to be taken." "Of course she'll accept him?"
"I am not at all so sure of it. She has been made to believe that you wanted her to stay, and therefore she has stayed. She is quite master enough of herself to ride out hunting with him again and then to refuse him." And so Lady Albury doubted up to the Sunday, and all through the Sunday -- up to the very moment when the last preparations were to be made for the man's arrival. The train reached the Stalham Road Station at 7 p.m., and the distance was five miles. On Sundays they usually dined at Stalham at 7.30. The hour fixed was to be 8 on this occasion -- and even with this there would be some bustling. The house was now nearly empty, there being no visitors there except Mr and Mrs Gosling and Ayala. Lady Albury gave many thoughts to the manner of the man's reception, and determined at last that Jonathan should have an opportunity of saying a word to Ayala immediately on his arrival if he so pleased. "Mind you are down at half past seven," she said to Ayala, coming to her in her bedroom.
"I thought we should not dine till eight."
"There is no knowing. Sir Harry is so fussy. I shall be down, and I should like you to be with me." Then Ayala promised. "And mind you have his frock on."
"You'll make me wear it out before anyone else sees it," she said, laughing. But again she promised. She got a glimmer of light from it all, nearly understanding what Lady Albury intended. But against such intentions as these she had no reason to fight. Why should she not be ready to see him? Why should she not have on her prettiest dress when he came? If he meant to say the word -- then her prettiest dress would be all too poor, and her readiest ears not quick enough to meet so great a joy. If he were not to say the other word -- then should she shun him by staying behind, or be afraid of the encounter? Should she be less gaily attired because it would be unnecessary to please his eye?
Oh, no! "I'll be there at half past seven," she said. "But I know the train will be late, and Sir Harry won't get his dinner till nine."
"Then, my dear, great as the Colonel is, he may come in and get what is left for him in the middle. Sir Harry will not wait a minute after eight."
The buxom woman came and dressed her. The buxom woman probably knew what was going to happen -- was perhaps more keenly alive to the truth than Lady Albury herself. "We have taken great care of it, haven't we, Miss?" she said, as she fastened the dress behind. "It's just as new still."
"New!" said Ayala. "It has got to be new with me for the next two years."
"I don't know much about that, Miss. Somebody will have to pay for a good many more new dresses before two years are over, I take it." To this Ayala made no answer, but she was quite sure that the buxom woman intended to imply that Colonel Stubbs would have to pay for the new dresses.
Punctually at half past seven she was in the drawing-room, and there she remained alone for a few minutes. She endeavoured to sit down and be quiet, but she found it impossible to compose herself. Almost immediately he would be there, and then -- as she was quite sure -- her fate would be known to her instantly. She knew that the first moment of his presence in the room with her would tell her everything. If that were told to her which she desired to hear, everything should be re-told to him as quickly. But, if it were otherwise, then she thought that when the moment came she would still have strength enough to hide her sorrow. If he had come simply for the hunting -- simply that they two might ride a-hunting together so that he might show to her that all traces of his disappointment were gone -- then she would know how to teach him to think that her heart towards him was as it had ever been. The thing to be done
"She is a pretty little girl enough," said Sir Harry, "but I doubt whether she is worth all the trouble."
"Of course she is not. What pretty little girl ever was? But as long as he thinks her worth it the trouble has to be taken." "Of course she'll accept him?"
"I am not at all so sure of it. She has been made to believe that you wanted her to stay, and therefore she has stayed. She is quite master enough of herself to ride out hunting with him again and then to refuse him." And so Lady Albury doubted up to the Sunday, and all through the Sunday -- up to the very moment when the last preparations were to be made for the man's arrival. The train reached the Stalham Road Station at 7 p.m., and the distance was five miles. On Sundays they usually dined at Stalham at 7.30. The hour fixed was to be 8 on this occasion -- and even with this there would be some bustling. The house was now nearly empty, there being no visitors there except Mr and Mrs Gosling and Ayala. Lady Albury gave many thoughts to the manner of the man's reception, and determined at last that Jonathan should have an opportunity of saying a word to Ayala immediately on his arrival if he so pleased. "Mind you are down at half past seven," she said to Ayala, coming to her in her bedroom.
"I thought we should not dine till eight."
"There is no knowing. Sir Harry is so fussy. I shall be down, and I should like you to be with me." Then Ayala promised. "And mind you have his frock on."
"You'll make me wear it out before anyone else sees it," she said, laughing. But again she promised. She got a glimmer of light from it all, nearly understanding what Lady Albury intended. But against such intentions as these she had no reason to fight. Why should she not be ready to see him? Why should she not have on her prettiest dress when he came? If he meant to say the word -- then her prettiest dress would be all too poor, and her readiest ears not quick enough to meet so great a joy. If he were not to say the other word -- then should she shun him by staying behind, or be afraid of the encounter? Should she be less gaily attired because it would be unnecessary to please his eye?
Oh, no! "I'll be there at half past seven," she said. "But I know the train will be late, and Sir Harry won't get his dinner till nine."
"Then, my dear, great as the Colonel is, he may come in and get what is left for him in the middle. Sir Harry will not wait a minute after eight."
The buxom woman came and dressed her. The buxom woman probably knew what was going to happen -- was perhaps more keenly alive to the truth than Lady Albury herself. "We have taken great care of it, haven't we, Miss?" she said, as she fastened the dress behind. "It's just as new still."
"New!" said Ayala. "It has got to be new with me for the next two years."
"I don't know much about that, Miss. Somebody will have to pay for a good many more new dresses before two years are over, I take it." To this Ayala made no answer, but she was quite sure that the buxom woman intended to imply that Colonel Stubbs would have to pay for the new dresses.
Punctually at half past seven she was in the drawing-room, and there she remained alone for a few minutes. She endeavoured to sit down and be quiet, but she found it impossible to compose herself. Almost immediately he would be there, and then -- as she was quite sure -- her fate would be known to her instantly. She knew that the first moment of his presence in the room with her would tell her everything. If that were told to her which she desired to hear, everything should be re-told to him as quickly. But, if it were otherwise, then she thought that when the moment came she would still have strength enough to hide her sorrow. If he had come simply for the hunting -- simply that they two might ride a-hunting together so that he might show to her that all traces of his disappointment were gone -- then she would know how to teach him to think that her heart towards him was as it had ever been. The thing to be done