Natalie A Gem Among the Sea-Weeds Part 12

He folded her to his heart, and the rich harvest moon had sunk far below the horizon, ere these two kindred spirits had wearied of the glorious night.

Mr. Santon had not felt the utter desolation, after the first overpowering sense of grief had pa.s.sed, after his wife's death, that he would have felt had he had no one upon whom to have leaned. As it was, his home was not desolate, for he cherished his daughter as the "apple of his eye," and he had come to be like himself again. Happy faces met him as he came in wearied from his duties "on 'change," and he had again a.s.sumed his easy, jocose manners. Natalie was still continuing her studies, making unprecedented progress, to the rapturous delight of the Signor; while Winnie enlivened the whole household.

As mistress of the mansion she had new duties to discharge, though they were not so arduous as to deprive her of entertaining the young aspirants to her hand, who if they did not throw themselves at her feet, it was only for the want of an opportunity. And thus was everything going on harmoniously at Santon Mansion, when, to the no little surprise of every one, it was rumored that the wealthy Mr. Santon was about to introduce to his domains a new mistress. No one was more taken by surprise than were Winnie and Natalie. They could hardly credit their senses, when Mr. Santon congratulated his daughter on the prospect of having a new mother.

Poor Winnie! she tried to smile, and she tried to make one of her most brilliant remarks, as she congratulated her father on his happiness; yet it was not like herself, and Natalie could see, what Mr. Santon in his blindness of joy did not discern,--there was no heart in his daughter's mechanical tones. Winnie had not as yet seen her intended mother-in-law; she might be all that could be desired of one standing in that peculiar relation, and she might be otherwise; it was not that which had quelled the buoyant spirits of the heiress, it was that she shrank from the thought of any one so soon filling her own dear mother's station, and she hid her face in Natalie's golden tresses, as her father left the room, and burst into tears.

"Dear, dear Natalie," she exclaimed, "you will think me so wicked! But I wanted no other mother than you! Though you are younger than myself, I have learned to look up to you, as a valuable bequest left me by my mother, who smiled even in death, when you promised never to forget me.

We are happy now; why need a stranger come among us? Oh, Natalie, I never can part from you!"

"Hus.h.!.+ hus.h.!.+ dear Winnie, you must not think thus! you may come to love your new mother, filling the most sanguine wishes of your father's heart, who would be wretched, if his daughter were not reconciled to her who will stand in the nearest relation to him."

And thus the Sea-flower endeavored to prepare Winnie's mind for receiving her new mother, who would so soon take her place at the head of this once unbroken family, as became a meek and dutiful child; but she did not tell her of the trembling within her own heart, lest this new tie should prove a source of sorrows, sowing her youthful heart with seed which might be productive of bitter among the sweets; neither did she know of the prayers of the innocent maiden, that hers might be a thornless path.

The lady in question, whom Mr. Santon had deemed worthy of his hand, and its consequent honors, was of a family of lower standing than his own as far as much of this world's goods go to give caste; but if, aside from depth of purse, she was his inferior, we have yet to learn. The marriage ceremonies were attended with little display, in deference to Mr. Santon's wishes, and the day at length arrived, when the bride, who resided in a neighboring city, was to be received in her new home.

She came, and congratulations were exchanged between mother and daughter, first impressions were made, and the hour arrived which should liberate each one to the night's repose. Winnie flew to her room; she had seen her whom she was to call "mother," and from the few hours which she had already pa.s.sed with her, her superior discernment of character had judged of her aright; she never had cause to vary from the opinion which she had from the first formed of her; she choked back the tears, so strange to see within her eyes, and kneeling, she repeated the very first prayer her mother had ever taught her, an exercise which from the example set before her for the last two years, she now never failed to observe. Arising, she endeavored to dispel the mountain of anguish which was creeping into her soul,--in sleep. Poor Winnie! we can pity you; 'tis but life's lesson taught.

The impression which Natalie had received of the second wife of Mr.

Santon's choice, though she would not bring herself to realize it, were by no means prepossessing. She had schooled her own, and Winnie's heart to love her under any circ.u.mstances, but when she saw with what frigidity she received Winnie's warm welcome, thinking not of the condescension with which she had taken her own hand, her tender heart was pierced as Winnie looked toward her, as if for strength, and she had returned her look with a smile which could not fail to prove to her a ray of suns.h.i.+ne.

Why is it that it is of so frequent occurrence, that a man who has been blessed with peculiar loveliness of character in a wife, if he be called upon to part with her, finds, alas! too late, in a second partner, an extreme opposite? It was thus in Mr. Santon's experience, as he but too soon was obliged to acknowledge to himself, though he would not that others should have a suspicion of the fact; yet it was evident to his nearest friends that he was not the happy man he once was; the few sprinkles of gray, which had reflected honor upon the raven black of his hair, had increased ere the honey-moon was hardly ended.

Early the next morning after the arrival of Mrs. Santon, Winnie was awakened by an attendant, whose sense of propriety were a question, if placed in a balance with that of her new mistress, which were the weightier. The woman apologized for disturbing "her leddy-s.h.i.+p," but the new mistress would like to see Miss Santon in the drawing-room as soon as possible.

"You can go," was Winnie's reply, "and tell Mrs. Santon that at my convenience, I will see her!" but recalling the servant, with her next thought, she added, "merely say to my mother, that I will soon be with her," and hastily making her toilet, she repaired to the drawing-room.

Mrs. Santon was alone, for it was a full hour before the family's usual time for arising. Winnie bade her mother "good morning," and was about to ask if she had rested well in her new home, when she was interrupted by her, and in an imperative tone she said:--

"This may be earlier than you have been accustomed to 'rising, Miss Santon, but my habits for early rising are proverbial, and of course my household will conform to my wishes in regard to matters which you will at once see are for the best. What I wished to speak with you more particularly about this morning, is in regard to the keys; you will please produce them, as I shall have a thorough overhauling at once, and if I mistake not," said she, glancing at Winnie's neat morning attire, "the sooner the better, for I think those jewelled hands have not troubled themselves much about such things. I wonder that you have not been brought up to something beside killing time!"

"Madam!" vociferated Winnie, her face crimsoned with the insult which she had received, but she paused, though still trembling with rage, her eye had rested on a gentle form, standing within the open door--it was the Sea-flower. With one finger upon her lip, her brow calm as the new day, she gazed upon Winnie, till gaining her eye, un.o.bserved by Mrs.

Santon she glided away. Instead of the rage Winnie would have poured forth, she merely said, "I will send you the keys," and left the room.

Despatching a servant with the keys, which she had intended to have put into her hands at the earliest opportunity, thereby acknowledging her superior claim at once, she sought Natalie, whom she found seated in the conservatory, enjoying the Indian summer breeze, which stole softly in among the fragrant plants, which were the particular objects of her care. Each knew what was uppermost in the other's mind, but Winnie's heart was too full to speak.

"I have been thinking, Winnie," said the Sea-flower, "how thankful we should be, that we have so many friends to love us. I think I have never realized it until now, and," she spoke in a lower tone, "dear Winnie, should you ever receive other than the kindly treatment to which you have always been accustomed, let it serve to increase your grat.i.tude that you have so many with whom you can trust your affections."

"Yes, Natalie, I will strive to do aright. I will try to do as I think you would have done, but I fear I shall not have your strength. O, it is so hard! if I only had a mother to love me, I could endure anything else!" and her excitable nature getting the better of her, she burst into tears. Natalie threw her arm about her neck, and, her own voice tremulous with the pity which she felt for her, she tried to soothe her spirits; "you shall have a mother! My mother shall be your mother! for are you not to be my sister? and she will love you as did your own gentle mother! but Mrs. Santon will yet become reconciled to you, for when she finds what a good heart you have, she cannot but treat you with kindness."

At this juncture the door opened, and Mrs. Santon brushed rudely in; "welladay! is this your usual morning's occupation? Miss Grosvenor, I think you should have more wisdom than to be petting a spoiled child! I imagine that I shall have as much as I shall care to undertake, to undo the mischief which is already too apparent. It has been as much as I could do for the last two hours, to get things a little in order; but I suppose I need not look for a.s.sistance here," she scornfully said, and turned to leave the room. Winnie had it upon her tongue's end to reply, "My father employs his servants to keep his house in order, and they have never failed to give satisfaction," but biting her lip, the thought died away. Natalie arrested Mrs. Santon's steps, saying, "Winnie and myself will consider it a pleasure to a.s.sist you, and whatever we can do at any time for your enjoyment, we shall be most happy to do it." The hard-hearted woman quailed a little, at the Sea-flower's proffered a.s.sistance, and Natalie accompanied her to the upper drawing-room, wondering much what could have given offence to her ideas of a well-regulated house; for under the housekeeper's scrupulous care, everything was kept in the nicest order. Desiring Natalie to a.s.sist her in the disposal of some articles, she directed Winnie to find some out-of-the-way place, and to stow away the rubbish which she would find in the next apartment, pointing to the room which had been her mother's, and which Winnie had not permitted any one to disturb, since her death.

Everything had been left just as she had left it, even some withered flowers had not been removed, and the book from which she had read, had been left opened at the place her eye had last looked upon. This room had been kept as a place sacred to Winnie's heart, and indeed the very servants pa.s.sed it by with a blessing on their departed mistress; and it was now with trembling steps that Winnie, hardly realizing what had been said to her, followed in the direction which the cruel woman had pointed. She opened the door, and sank fainting into a chair! In the middle of the floor were the very clothes which her mother had worn, with other articles thrown together in a pile! her mother's portrait had been removed, and the room was otherwise in disorder. Natalie ran to Winnie's a.s.sistance, bathing her temples, and smoothing back her long tresses with tenderness. Just at that moment Mr. Santon entered the room; he looked at his daughter! at the disordered apartment of his buried wife, which he had never held more sacred, and he looked at Mrs.

Santon! Without speaking a word he left the room. Poor Winnie! this is indeed life's lesson! but thou art learning to "suffer and be strong."

Had the character of the mother-in-law been in accordance with her exterior, Santon Mansion might still have resounded with joy, for hers was a face by no means forbidding. On the contrary, a stranger would have p.r.o.nounced her to be decidedly good-looking, considering that she was a woman of nearly fifty years, and those good looks were the secret of Mr. Santon's unfortunate connection with her. From the first, the woman had taken a dislike to Natalie; it seemed as if she was determined to spite her in every way possible. Why she should have felt thus toward her, was certainly unaccountable, as there was no trait more unlovable than innocency, about her character; but this very gentleness of nature, in contrast with the iciness, seldom found in woman's heart, would, as an unavoidable result, serve to widen the two extremes.

The Sea-flower would, as time advanced, have sought refuge in her own home, from this mist of unrest, which had by degrees spread itself around, but when she had spoken of the thing to Mr. Santon, he had grasped her by the hand, as a drowning man would catch at a straw, saying, if she would not entirely sever the golden thread which was once bound around their home circle, she would defer her departure, for at least, a little time; and she had seen the tear, which was as molten lead, welling up from the strong man's heart. Then she said, "It is my duty! I will remain with you! I feel there is something which bids me stay; some mysterious power controlling my destiny."

"May you have your reward!" was Mr. Santon's reply; and we heartily respond, "May she have her reward!"

Never a word did Mrs. Santon receive from the Sea-flower, in return for her ungenerous treatment of her, other than tones of kindness; and Natalie was happy under this new dispensation, for she said within herself,--"I am but bearing a part of the burden which would crush dear Winnie's heart;" and so she sang and played with her usual glad spirit, gliding about the house with simple dignity, with a cheering word for every one, and, as Biddy said,--"she was an escaped ray of light, too bright for the darkness to hide."

As we may foresee, this very light-heartedness of the Sea-flower only served to incite the ire of Mrs. Santon, who saw that every new indignity which she had cast upon her, was returned with more meekness of spirit. If Natalie had resented such conduct, giving "measure for measure," the stern woman could have borne it better; but as it was, it enraged her, that she could not come within her sphere; and, if the truth were known, her senses were not so steeped in the waters of insensibility, but that in her very heart she felt her great superiority over herself.

"I will put her down, yet!" she said to herself, after another return, through the Sea-flower, of "good for evil." "She shall yet feel my power! and why Mr. Santon will persist in her staying with us, is more than I can tell. But that is the way with these men! they will get strange notions into their heads, which n.o.body can account for; even a wife's wishes are looked upon as of little consequence, in comparison with their lordly commands. I should not be surprised at any time if Santon should withhold a favor from me to lavish upon her! But I'm thinking that he will before long find out what I am made of, if he thwarts my wishes. To be sure, his daughter has become attached to her, but what of that? She must learn that she cannot have every whim gratified; she is a spoiled child at best, and will not be likely to improve under her skim-milk discipline. Leave me alone for managing affairs. I've got the staff in my own hands, and all they can do wont make me anything but the Honorable Mr. Santon's lady! though I'm greatly mistaken if he don't look with evil eyes on the day that made me his bride; but that's not of the slightest consequence, as I used to tell my first husband. Poor fellow! I suppose I was rather hard upon him once in a while; but I knew he was waiting patiently for the day which should separate us. He little thought he would go first," and the woman laughed aloud, as she thought how she had crept into the good graces of her present husband. "Leave me alone for playing my part," she said, as seated in her own apartment, she listened to the voice of Delwood in the drawing-room. "It is evident that her very life is wrapt up in Mr.

Delwood, and it is really quite a pity that so fine a fellow should be deceived; and lest she should follow my ill.u.s.trious example, I might as well interfere in their arrangements; and if I can see aright, she has talked the enviable heiress into the belief that her brother is a very paragon of perfection, for she knows right well that a good bag of money would be no serious objection to his fishermans.h.i.+p. How they ever raised two such likely looking specimens of humanity down there in the land of whales, is a mystery; but they'll find they cannot take the precedence with Boston gentry. If I can avail anything, my particular friend Montague shall try his luck in securing that portion of the heiress's estate which I shall be pleased to leave her."

With these plans matured, she ushered herself into Delwood's presence, and in her blandest manner made him welcome, initiating herself as far as possible into his good opinion, which was no difficult task, inasmuch as he had been accustomed to look upon a character so spotless, that he was not prepared for the detestable machinations of one who was not worthy the name of woman. It had been far from the Sea-flower to breathe a suspicion that there was aught amiss in the character of the flattering mistress of Santon Mansion. Her high esteem for Mr. Santon had not permitted her to speak of the sad change, even to her mother.

"My dear," said Mrs. Santon, turning to Natalie, "in the pleasure which we must ever find in Mr. Delwood's society, you have forgotten your engagement with the dest.i.tute family, which you have taken under your especial charge, and poor Mrs. Brown's child is so ill, I fear a few hours' delay in taking the necessary restoratives recommended by our physician, may cause the poor thing to suffer; I would despatch an attendant, but I fear there may be some mistake made, and I know your very presence will impart comfort to the poor woman."

"Oh, no, I had not forgotten them," replied Natalie; "but the physician said any time this afternoon would do, as the little sufferer's disease is about turning, and we must await the result."

"Yes, but I have such an anxiety about them, for in their ignorance they may act contrary to orders, and so be the means of the little fellow's death. It will be a great relief to my mind if you will just step around and look in upon them, as it is but a step, and I know Mr. Delwood will excuse you for a few moments, and I will promise to do my best to supply your absence."

Natalie prepared to depart on this errand of mercy, and Delwood would have taken his hat to accompany her, but Mrs. Santon held him fast by commencing a brisk conversation, from which he could not with politeness take himself away.

"Miss Grosvenor excels in her performance of the latest style, which the Signor has introduced," remarked Mrs. Santon, endeavoring to draw him out, when the Sea-flower had departed.

"I am perfectly amazed at her original rendering of the Italian,"

replied Delwood, "and I think I can safely say, that among all my sojournings among their people, I have never met with one whose style is more pure than that of Miss Grosvenor's. I should certainly say that she is of Italian birth, though she tells me that she has never crossed the Atlantic."

"She is evidently captivated with their people, or perhaps I may more properly say, with the only person she has ever met of that nation,"

said Mrs. Santon, with a mysterious manner.

"To what or whom do you refer?" asked Delwood, in an altered tone of voice.

"Mr. Delwood, I feel that it is my duty to inform you of a matter, which has been a source of no little uneasiness, not only to myself, but to every member of my family; and as you have shown a manifest interest in Miss Grosvenor, it is not well that you should remain in ignorance of what so deeply concerns your welfare."

"Speak! what can it be?" asked Delwood, pale with emotion.

"Do not allow yourself to be thus moved, I pray you; but what I have to say is, that three months ago, we gave the Signor notice that we should require his services no longer, as we had reason to believe his visits were becoming something more than mere professional calls, and to our great consternation, we found that Miss Grosvenor was not entirely indifferent to his marked attentions. I was the last to believe that Miss Grosvenor could so lose her self-respect and standing, as to look upon a poor professor, who gains his bread by his own exertions, as a favored compet.i.tor for her hand, and, it was not until I saw with my own eyes, that I could credit what I had heard. I was satisfied in time, that his rapt admiration as he gazed upon her, was something more than enthusiasm that she had excelled even his most ardent expectations; and the expression of her beautiful face, as she concluded, might have been the envy of a greater than the Signor. We dismissed the Signor, but he still continued his visits, under the plea that it was his custom to give a few additional lessons at the close of a course, and if he might be allowed, he should consider it a valuable acquisition to his own musical powers, to continue for a time his exercises under Miss Grosvenor's superior talent."

As Mrs. Santon paused, Delwood, in a state of frenzy, exclaimed,--

"It cannot be! I will never believe that she is false to me, even though she should declare to me with her own lips, that another's claims upon her affections were paramount to my own! Excuse me, madam, but I think there must be some dreadful misunderstanding in regard to the facts which you have stated. No! I would scorn myself if I had a doubt of her innocence! and if such a thing might be possible, I would die rather than be forced to believe it! I will tell her this very day what I have heard, but I will not degrade myself, or forfeit her trust, by asking her if it can be so!"

"Be calm, my dear friend," said Mrs. Santon; "compose yourself, I pray you, and take my advice in the matter. Say nothing of what you have heard to any one, but come here to-morrow morning at ten, when the Signor will make his appearance, and from a private window, opening from the conservatory, you may, unknown to any one, witness for yourself the truth of what I have said."

"I will follow your advice, inasmuch as I will reveal to no one what I have heard, until I become like myself," said Delwood, endeavoring to compose himself as he heard the light step of the Sea-flower in the hall; and as she entered, he arose to depart, pleading a slight indisposition as an apology for his abruptness.

The calm, spiritual eyes of Natalie looked out upon him, as he walked rapidly down the street, for she could not but notice an estrangement in his manners; but she did not mistrust that an arrow, poisoned by sin in its vilest form, had been aimed at his heart.

The starry heavens of that night told that another day had gone to be with the past, and innocence laid her head upon her pillow and slept, unmindful of plots of guilt, engendered of sin, which might prove for her a draught of bitterness.

At an early hour the following morning, Clarence Delwood bent his steps towards the residence of Mr. Santon. "Come here to-morrow, and you shall see for yourself,"--those words still sounded in his ears, and, as he drew nearer the house, it seemed as if they grew louder and louder, till his brain was nearly distracted. But would he privately watch her ways, whom of all others in the "wide, wide world," he had looked upon as nearest perfection? No, he would not thus debase himself.

It was at a much earlier hour than that which Mrs. Santon had named, that Delwood presented himself, and handsomely feeing the porter who answered his summons, he asked to see Miss Santon; "and, James," said he, "you need mention my presence to no other member of the family, as my business is strictly private, for Miss Santon's ear alone."

"Yes, sir," replied James, twisting his face info a most knowing wink, as he smiled upon the yellow ore, "I've been there before."