Ayala's Angel [249]
to send Tom away upon his travels without any more direct messenger from Stalham.
On the Wednesday there was more hunting, and on this day Ayala, having liberated her mind to her lover in Gobblegoose Wood, was able to devote herself more satisfactorily to the amusement in hand. Her engagement was now an old affair. It had already become matter for joking to Sir Harry, and had been discussed even with Mrs Gosling. It was, of course, "a joy for ever' -- but still she was beginning to descend from the clouds and to walk the earth -- no more than a simple queen. When, therefore, the hounds went away and Larry told her that he knew the best way out of the wood, she collected her energies and rode "like a little brick", as Sir Harry said when they got back to Stalham. On that afternoon she received the note from her aunt and replied to it by telegram.
On the Thursday she stayed at home and wrote various letters. The first was to the Marchesa, and then one to Nina -- in both of which much had to be said about "Jonathan." To Nina also she could repeat her idea of the delight of having a man to love. Then there was a letter to Aunt Margaret -- which certainly was due, and another to Aunt Emmeline -- which was not however received until after Lady Tringle's visit to Stalham. There was much conversation between her and Lady Albury as to the possible purpose of the visit which was to be made on the morrow. Lady Albury was of opinion that Lady Tringle had heard of the engagement, and was coming with the intention of setting it on one side on Tom's behalf. "But she can't do that, you know," said Ayala, with some manifest alarm. "She is nothing to me now, Lady Albury. She got rid of me, you know. I was changed away for Lucy."
"If there had been no changing away, she could do nothing," said Lady Albury.
About a quarter of an hour before the time for lunch on the following day Lady Tringle was shown into the small sitting-room which has been mentioned in a previous chapter, and Ayala, radiant with happiness and beauty, appeared before her. There was a look about her of being at home at Stalham, as though she were almost a daughter of the house, that struck her aunt with surprise. There was nothing left of that submissiveness which, though Ayala herself had not been submissive, belonged, as of right, to girls so dependent as she and her sister Lucy. "I am so delighted to see you at Stalham," said Ayala, as she embraced her aunt.
"I am come to you", said Lady Tringle, "on a matter of very particular business." Then she paused, and assumed a look of peculiar solemnity. "Have you got my letter?" demanded Ayala.
"I got your telegram, and I thought it very civil of Lady Albury. But I cannot stay. Your poor cousin Tom is in such a condition that I cannot leave him longer than I can help."
"But you have not got my letter?"
"I have had no letter from you, Ayala."
"I have sent you such news -- oh, such news, Aunt Emmeline!" "What news, my dear?" Lady Tringle as she asked the question seemed to become more solemn than ever.
"Oh, Aunt Emmeline -- I am -- "
"You are what, Ayala?"
"I am engaged to be married to Colonel Jonathan Stubbs."
"Engaged!"
"Yes, Aunt Emmeline -- engaged. I wrote to you on Tuesday to tell you all about it. I hope you and Uncle Tom will approve. There cannot possibly be any reason against it -- except only that I have nothing to give him in return; that is in the way of money. Colonel Stubbs, Aunt Emmeline, is not what Uncle Tom will call a rich man, but everybody here says that he has got quite enough to be comfortable. If he had nothing in the world it could not make any difference to me. I don't understand how anybody is to love anyone or not to love him just because he is rich or poor."
"But you are absolutely engaged!" exclaimed Lady Tringle.
"Oh dear yes. Perhaps you would like to ask Lady Albury about it. He did want it before, you know.
"But now you are engaged to him?" In answer to this Ayala thought it sufficient simply to nod her head. "It is all over
On the Wednesday there was more hunting, and on this day Ayala, having liberated her mind to her lover in Gobblegoose Wood, was able to devote herself more satisfactorily to the amusement in hand. Her engagement was now an old affair. It had already become matter for joking to Sir Harry, and had been discussed even with Mrs Gosling. It was, of course, "a joy for ever' -- but still she was beginning to descend from the clouds and to walk the earth -- no more than a simple queen. When, therefore, the hounds went away and Larry told her that he knew the best way out of the wood, she collected her energies and rode "like a little brick", as Sir Harry said when they got back to Stalham. On that afternoon she received the note from her aunt and replied to it by telegram.
On the Thursday she stayed at home and wrote various letters. The first was to the Marchesa, and then one to Nina -- in both of which much had to be said about "Jonathan." To Nina also she could repeat her idea of the delight of having a man to love. Then there was a letter to Aunt Margaret -- which certainly was due, and another to Aunt Emmeline -- which was not however received until after Lady Tringle's visit to Stalham. There was much conversation between her and Lady Albury as to the possible purpose of the visit which was to be made on the morrow. Lady Albury was of opinion that Lady Tringle had heard of the engagement, and was coming with the intention of setting it on one side on Tom's behalf. "But she can't do that, you know," said Ayala, with some manifest alarm. "She is nothing to me now, Lady Albury. She got rid of me, you know. I was changed away for Lucy."
"If there had been no changing away, she could do nothing," said Lady Albury.
About a quarter of an hour before the time for lunch on the following day Lady Tringle was shown into the small sitting-room which has been mentioned in a previous chapter, and Ayala, radiant with happiness and beauty, appeared before her. There was a look about her of being at home at Stalham, as though she were almost a daughter of the house, that struck her aunt with surprise. There was nothing left of that submissiveness which, though Ayala herself had not been submissive, belonged, as of right, to girls so dependent as she and her sister Lucy. "I am so delighted to see you at Stalham," said Ayala, as she embraced her aunt.
"I am come to you", said Lady Tringle, "on a matter of very particular business." Then she paused, and assumed a look of peculiar solemnity. "Have you got my letter?" demanded Ayala.
"I got your telegram, and I thought it very civil of Lady Albury. But I cannot stay. Your poor cousin Tom is in such a condition that I cannot leave him longer than I can help."
"But you have not got my letter?"
"I have had no letter from you, Ayala."
"I have sent you such news -- oh, such news, Aunt Emmeline!" "What news, my dear?" Lady Tringle as she asked the question seemed to become more solemn than ever.
"Oh, Aunt Emmeline -- I am -- "
"You are what, Ayala?"
"I am engaged to be married to Colonel Jonathan Stubbs."
"Engaged!"
"Yes, Aunt Emmeline -- engaged. I wrote to you on Tuesday to tell you all about it. I hope you and Uncle Tom will approve. There cannot possibly be any reason against it -- except only that I have nothing to give him in return; that is in the way of money. Colonel Stubbs, Aunt Emmeline, is not what Uncle Tom will call a rich man, but everybody here says that he has got quite enough to be comfortable. If he had nothing in the world it could not make any difference to me. I don't understand how anybody is to love anyone or not to love him just because he is rich or poor."
"But you are absolutely engaged!" exclaimed Lady Tringle.
"Oh dear yes. Perhaps you would like to ask Lady Albury about it. He did want it before, you know.
"But now you are engaged to him?" In answer to this Ayala thought it sufficient simply to nod her head. "It is all over