Glynne

“ I’ve found him out, though, after all, and it’s worth every pain I may feel, and Glynne shall know what a wretch he is, and then she’ll turn to poor, dear Moray, and he’ll be happy once again. Poor fellow, how he has suffered, and without a word, believing that there was no hope for him when there is; and I don’t care, I’m growing reckless now; I’d even let Glynne see how unworthy Captain Rolph is, by going to meet him. It doesn’t matter a bit, people will believe I’m weak and silly; and if the captain were to boast that he had won me, everybody would believe him. ”

“ Lady Glynne, a daughter of Lord Brabrooke, was left with the sole charge of the property and the children. She was a beautiful woman of strong character. Fortunately about this time her brother, the Honorable George Neville, came to be rector of Hawarden parish. The castle and rectory were within a quarter hour’s walk of each other, and it was a precious boon for Lady Glynne to have her brother’s judicious help in the management of the large estates, and in the education of her two boys and her two girls. ”

“ Glynne received an impression that the two walking there must be lovers; but he did not recognize the tall, squarely-built form nor the petite, girlish figure, which was such an extreme contrast to its height and strength. He could not suppose it to be of any consequence to him who the two were who found such pleasure in each other's society.
But a pair of eyes, very much on the alert to mark all that passed before them, had observed the two at the other end of the lane ere they passed into its shelter. ”

“ They want rain. You won’t be disappointed?”
“I?—oh, no,” said Glynne, quietly.
“Think I’ll do a bit of training this afternoon. I’m not quite up to the mark.”
“Are you always going to train so much, dear?” said Glynne, thoughtfully.
“Always? Eh? Always? Oh, no; of course not; but it’s a man’s duty to get himself up to the very highest pitch of health and strength. But if you’d set your mind upon a ride, we’ll go.”
“I?—oh, no,” said Glynne. “I thought you wished it, dear.”
“That’s all right then,” said Rolph, cheerfully. “By-bye, beauty,” he said, kissing her. ”

“ The group formed a pretty enough natural picture, upon which a silvery rain of sunshine was poured through the dense foliage of the overhanging boughs, for, without being classically beautiful, Glynne Day was as fair a specimen of a young English lady as a country visitor would be likely to see in one twenty-four hours. Her’s was the kind of face with its sweet, calm, placid repose that asked for a second look and then for a third: and when this was complete, he who gazed, old or young, wanted to look again, and so on, in never tiring mood. ”

“ No—emphatically no: there is nobody.”
“Nobody?”
“Nobody!” cried Lucy, shaking her head vigorously. “Don’t look at me like that, dear,” she continued, imploringly, for she was most earnest now in her effort to make Glynne believe, if she suspected any flirtation with Rolph, that her old friend was speaking in all sincerity and truth. “If there were anything, dear, I should be unsettled until I had told you.”
She rose quickly, laid her hands upon Glynne’s shoulders, and kissed her forehead, remaining standing by her side. ”

“ George Neville, to whom her husband, shortly before his death, had presented the living of Hawarden.
A journal is still in existence in which Lady Glynne made notes about her children during the years 1815-20. She describes Catherine as beautiful, high-spirited, and strong-willed.
Catherine Glynne was not highly educated in the sense in which that phrase is now understood. As a girl, she lived more out of doors than indoors, became a good horsewoman and proficient in all the athletic exercises, archery among them, then permitted to girls. ”

“ Where’s Rob?”
“I think he went for a long walk, papa.”
“Humph! I hope he’ll be in training at last,” said Sir John, good-humouredly. “You’re a lucky girl, Glynne, to have a man wanting to make himself perfect before he marries you. You ought to go and do likewise.”
“Don’t try, Glynne, my dear,” said her uncle affectionately. “A perfect woman would be a horror. You are just right as you are.”
“Well, you are not, Jem,” said Sir John, laughing, “so make haste, and come down. Come along, Glynne.” ”

“ Glynne, with a slight smile.
"Not at all," said Clara, readily; "for my part, I make a point of doing the reverse; there is nothing I enjoy more than astonishing people. But Aldyth has always been so good and proper."
John Glynne lifted his hat and moved on without saying more, though he wondered at the idea of goodness suggested by Miss Dawtrey's words.
The next minute he was passing Myrtle Cottage, which, with its closely-drawn blinds, had a deserted air. Even the little housemaid looked forlorn as she stood in the front garden, watering the geraniums. ”

“ She doesn’t care a sou for the best bit of time made in anything. Here, I believe,” he said, warmly, “if that what’s-his-name chap, who said he’d put a girdle round the globe in less than no time, had done it, and come back to Glynne and told her so, she’d just lift up her eyes—”
“Her beautiful eyes,” said Lucy, interrupting.
“Oh, yes, she’s got nice eyes enough,” said Rolph, sulkily; “but she’d only have raised ’em for a moment and looked at him, and said—‘Have you really.’ Here, I say, Puck’s the chap I mean.”
“I don’t think Glynne’s very fond of athletic sports,” said Lucy. ”

“ His son, Sir William Glynne, the first baronet, sat in Parliament for Woodstock, and died in 1721. It was not till 1723 that the Glynnes moved to Hawarden, from Bicester. An old stone records the building of a house in Broadlane in 1727. In 1732 Sir John Glynne, nephew of Sir William, married Honora Conway, co-heiress with her sister Catherine of the Ravenscrofts of Bretton and Broadlane, an old family connected with Hawarden for many generations. ”

“ Of Glynne's immense ability as an advocate there has never been any question, nor could have been after his speech on the impeachment of Strafford. He was equally distinguished as a judge, his judgments being much admired for their lucidity and method, which, says Siderfin (Rep. pt. ii. 189) brought an intricate case down to the apprehension of every student. His reputation for political honesty suffered severely at the hands of Anthony à Wood, who bore him a special grudge for his part in the suppression of Penruddock's rising. ”

“ There was another pause, during which the larks went on singing, the wood-pigeon cooed, and there was a pleasant twittering in the nearest plantation.
“Poor Glynne! when she might be so happy with a man who really loves her, but who would die sooner than own to it. Oh, dear me! ”

“ He loves Glynne with all his heart, and the love of such a man as he is cannot change. Glynne is beginning, too; and when she quite finds it out, she will never go and swear faith to that miserable Rolph. I am going to wait and let things arrange themselves, as I’m sure they will.”
The object of her thoughts was not going on with the astronomical calculation, but pacing the observatory to and fro, with his brow knit, and a feverish energy burning in his brain.
Volume Two—Chapter Eleven. The Doctor Brings Alleyne down.
About an hour later Oldroyd called ”

“ Pretty thing, indeed, when a man mayn’t choose a husband for his own child.”
The baronet took a few strides this way and that way, grew scarlet as he spoke, and ended by taking off his grey hat and dabbing his shining forehead.
“I’ve too much love for Glynne, and too much respect for her mother’s memory to stand by silently and see such a miserable bargain concluded; and I enter my protest against what must turn out an unhappy match,” said the major.
“It will turn out nothing of the sort, sir,” cried the baronet, hotly; “and, look here, Jem, it’s time we came to an understanding. ”

“ Glynn began, when Elsie came in, dressed in her ordinary costume of black, with a little scarf of fine creamy lace round her throat, and a bunch of daffodils beside it.
The excitement of seeing a stranger had brought a little color to her cheek, and as she stood still for a moment of graceful hesitation, Glynn's heart throbbed with tenderness and pride, and he thought it must puzzle Lady Gethin to find fault with so fair a creature. ”

“ He sank back on his cushions, still holding Glynn's hand, and gazing at him imploringly.
"You know, Lambert, I am worthy of some trust, and desire nothing more than to be of service to you," said Glynn, suppressing all tokens of his immense surprise, and speaking with studied calmness. "You must not fatigue or excite yourself. ”

“ He counted the cost, and decided that in winning her he should win all that would make life worth living. Glynn was not a conventional man. He liked society, but was not its slave. A quiet home, with such a companion, what could be a fairer lot? Would the day ever come when she would let him hold her to his heart, when her soft arms would steal round his neck, and her sweet, sad, tremulous lips return his kisses? Whatever Lambert's circumstances, misdeeds, crimes, Glynn resolved to give his life to the tender, blameless daughter. ”

“ He was a tall man, powerfully built, with a strongly-marked, broad face, which was only saved from coarseness by its look of power. They made a strange contrast, the husband and wife, as they stood side by side--she slight and exquisitely delicate in her colour, dainty in her movements, he clumsy and big and masterful. Glynn suddenly recalled gossip which had run through the town about the time of their marriage. Linda had been engaged to another--a man whose name Glynn did not remember, but on whom, so the story ran, her heart was set. ”

“ Glynn. When I have been brooding over my book or work I always feel as if some bright, pleasant playfellow had come to rouse me when my father walks in."
"Thar!" said Lambert, looking over with infinite pride and a queer expressive nod and toss of the head to Glynn, as if to say, "What do you think of your old fighting, gaming, hand-to-mouth comrade now?" "It's not every old cuss that can find a nice young lady to say as much for him, hey?" ”

“ Glynn, as the hours went rapidly by, felt his power over himself melting away; there was a soft reserve, a frequent avoidance of being alone with him on the part of Miss Lambert, that fanned the long-smouldering fire of passion into a strong, an irresistible glow. Why should he let himself be cheated by cold caution out of the delicious, perhaps invigorating draught which fortune offered him? He was no mere conventional man of the world to turn his back on a woman worthy of all love because her father was not exactly eligible to be comptroller of Her Majesty's household! ”

“ With a long, quivering sigh she whispered, "It is."
"Let me look at your face once more," said Glynn in a low intense tone. "Don't you know you may trust me?"
"It is not for myself I fear," she said in the same hushed, frightened voice, as she yielded to the movement by which he drew her under a lamp; and loosening her veil, she lifted it, raising her eyes with their well-remembered expression of thoughtful candor to his. How lovely they were! With what rapture Glynn read in them the confirmation of her assurance that she was the same Elsie he had loved and lost. But she was changed ”

“ One or two journals mentioned the mysterious disappearance of a young lady, and the matter was dropped.
To Glynn the terrible darkness, which seemed closing in deeper and deeper with each succeeding day over the fate of the fair girl he had learned to love so passionately, was appalling. He chafed against his own hopelessness, he exhausted himself in conjectures and restless going to and fro.
When Lambert came back from his fruitless journey to Marseilles, he seemed sunk in a strange, sullen apathy, nor did he accept Glynn's well-meant efforts to comfort and sustain him with cordiality. ”

“ Let us consult my lawyer."
"A lawyer!—no, no!" cried Lambert. "That would be dangerous."
"We must proceed with infinite caution," observed Glynn. "Deering's position is a strong one. You have only your own word to weigh against his. If we could get hold of Vincent?"
"There is little chance of that," said Lambert. "If I could only be sure my precious Elsie were safe."
"She shall come and stay with me," cried Lady Gethin with enthusiasm.
"That would be going into the lion's jaws," said Glynn. "This is my plan: I have learned to love your daughter (as I still consider her) ”

“ It was barely eleven when Lambert was announced. Glynn was positively startled by the change in his aspect. His weather-beaten face was colorless and haggard, his eyes had a hunted look, as though seeking a way of escape, his clothes were carelessly put on, his moustaches no longer waxed and fiercely twisted, his whole air bespoke neglect.
"Delighted to see you, Glynn," he said, a faint gleam of pleasure lighting up his restless eyes. "I was afraid you wouldn't get back again this season; business must be attended to. You're in business, aren't you?" ”

“ He is not a highly-polished, courtly gentleman, but he is not a bad fellow; and he is devoted to his daughter."
"Indeed! Well, Glynn, I believe you have seen a good deal of the world, and it is pleasant to find that so much faith in your fellow-creatures survives the experience."
"Faith is certainly a more agreeable sensation than doubt," returned Glynn, unmoved. "By the way, I quite forgot I had an engagement this evening. I am late already; there is a fiacre." He hailed it. "Will you drive with me, Deering?" ”