Читать книгу Our Admirable Betty - John Jeffery Farnol - Страница 15
ОглавлениеIN WHICH LADY BELINDA TALKS
"And pray mam," enquired the Major as they strolled over velvety lawn, "are you and my lady Betty settled in the country for good?"
The Lady Belinda stopped suddenly and raised clasped hands to heaven.
"Hark to the monster!" she ejaculated, "O Lud, Major, how can you? Stop in the country—I? O heaven—a wilderness of cabbages and caterpillars—of champing cows and snorting bulls! Sir, sir, at the bare possibility I vow I could positively swoon away——"
"Don't, mam!" cried the Major hastily. "No, no mam, pray don't," he pleaded.
"I detest the country sir, I——"
"Quite so, quite so," said the Major soothingly, "cows mam, I understand—quite natural indeed!"
"I loathe and abominate the country, sir—so rude and savage! Such mud and so—so infinite muddy and clingy! What can one do in the country but mope and sigh to be out of it?"
"Well, one can walk in it, mam, and——"
"Walk, sir? But I nauseate walking—in the country extremely. Think of the brooks sir, so—so barbarously wet and—and brooky. Think of the wind so bold to rumple one and spiky things to drag at and tear and take liberties with one's garments! Think of the things that creep and crawl and the things that fly and buzz—and the spiders' webs that tickle one's face! No sir, no—the country is no place for one endowed with a fine and delicate nature."
"Certainly not, mam," said the Major heartily. "Then you'll be leaving shortly?"
"I so beseech Heaven on my two bended knees, sir, but alas, I know not! 'Tis Betty—an orphan, sweet child and in my care. But indeed she's so wickedly wilful, so fly-by-night, so rampant o' youth and—and unreason."
"Indeed, mam!"
"And though sweet Bet is an angel of goodness she hath a temper, O!"
"Hum!" said the Major.
"And such—such animal spirits! So vulgarly robust! Such rude health and vigorous as a dairy-maid! And talking of dairy matters, only the other morning I found her positively—milking a cow!"
"Egad and did you so, mam?"
"And this morning such a romping in the dairy and there was she—O sir!"
"What, mam?"
"Arms all naked—churning, sir!
"O, churning?"
"Riotously, sir!"
"Did you—er—swoon, mam?"
"Indeed I could ha' done, dear Major, but—'twixt you and me, though dear Bet hath the best of hearts, she is perhaps a little unsympathetic I'll not deny, and hath betimes a sharp tongue, I must confess."
"Indeed I—I should judge so, mam."
"O you men!" sighed the Lady Belinda, turning up her eyes, "so quick to spy out foibles feminine—la sir and fie! But indeed though I do love my sweet Bet, O passionately, truth bids me say she can be almost shrewish!"
"You have my sympathy, mam!"
"Dear Major, I deserve it—if you only knew! The pranks she hath played me—so wild, so ungoverned, so—so unvirginal!" The Major winced. "I have known her gallop her horse in the paddock—man-fashion!" The Major looked relieved; perceiving which, Lady Belinda, sinking her voice, continued: "And once, sir, O heaven, can I ever forget! Once—O I tremble to speak it! Once——" The Major flinched again. "Once, sir, she actually ventured forth dressed in—in—O I blush!—in—O Modesty! O Purity!—in—O——!"
"Madam, a God's name—in what?"
"Male attire, sir—O I burn!"
The Major did the same.
"Not—you don't mean—abroad, mam, in—in 'em?"
"I do, sir, I do! She swaggered down the Mall, sir ogling the women, and finding me alone and I not knowing her, she did so leer and nudge me that I all but swooned 'twixt fear and modesty, sir!"
"Good God!" ejaculated the Major, faintly, "was she—alone, madam?"
"She was with her naughty brother Charles and methought he'd die of his unseemly mirth. A wild youth, indeed and she hath the same lawless spirit, sir. All their motherless days I have cared for 'em and what with their waywardness and my own high-strung nature—O me!"
"I can conceive your days have not been—uneventful, mam."
"Charles is known to you, of course, sir?"
"No, mam."
"But your nephew Pancras and he are greatly intimate!"
"I've never even heard of him, madam."
"Why then you don't know that poor, naughty, misguided Charles is—hush, they come! Yonder, sir—O Cupid, a ravishing couple!"
Lady Betty and the Viscount were approaching them, quarrelling as usual, she bright-eyed and flushed of cheek, he handsome, debonair and unutterably serene.
"A truly noble pair, dear Major!" sighed Lady Belinda.
"Indeed, yes, mam!"
"'Twould be an excellent match?"
"Excellent!"
"Both so well suited, so rich, so handsome——"
"And so—young, mam!"
"O sir, I yearn to have 'em married!" The Major was silent. "'Twould tame her wildness, I warrant. How think you?"
"Belike it would, madam."
"Then let us conspire together for their good, dear sir! Let us wed 'em as soon as may be—come?"
"But mam, I—er—indeed, madam, I know nought of such things I——"
"Nay sir, never doubt but we shall contrive it betwixt us. 'Tis then agreed—O 'twill be pure! Henceforth we are conspirators, dear Major, O 'tis ravishing! Hush—yonder come the gentlemen to make their adieux, I think—let us meet 'em!"
As one in a dream the Major gave her his hand and together they rejoined the company who took leave of their host with much bowing of backs, flirting of ruffles, flicking of handkerchiefs and tapping of snuff-boxes. As the Major stood to watch their departure my lady Betty beckoned him to her side:
"And pray, dear sir, hath my aunt recounted you all my sins?" she enquired soft-voiced.
"I have learned you can milk a cow and felicitate you——"
"Of course she told you how I wore breeches, sir?"
The Major gasped, and stood before her blushing and mute; perceiving which, she laughed:
"Indeed, they become me vastly well!" she murmured, and sank before him in the stateliest of curtseys. "Au revoir, my dear Major Jack!" she laughed and giving her hand to an attendant adorer, moved away down the drive with all the gracious dignity of a young goddess.
Long after the gay company had vanished from sight Major d'Arcy stood there, head bowed, hands deep-plunged in coat pockets and with the flush still burning upon his bronzed cheek.
