Milady de Winter

“ The Winters left early. She was enjoying herself so much, Lady Winter said, that she could stay all night; but she was bound not to keep late hours. She was going to have some visitors—one in particular, whom she believed they would like to meet, and she mentioned an early day for tea at their house, begging Lady Elton to come too, and to bring Maud and dear little Trixy with her.
To her son she said as they walked home: 'A little of that kind of thing goes a long way. I wonder if those dear good people will ever learn to be rich?'
'Tom won't. He is a regular muff,' said Sir Reginald. ”

“ Winter gave a large "At Home" in Miss Grant's honour, which was a great success. Marie did not come, because she was unfortunately suffering with headache; but Prince Della Robbia appeared, and stood most of the time near Mary and Vanno.
It was wonderful how many people knew and liked the Winters. All the most interesting "personages" on the Riviera passed through Rose's pretty rooms that afternoon, if but to say "How do you do?" and "Goodbye," and make the acquaintance of Prince Vanno, with the Princess-to-be. ”

“ We are so like one family that I feel as if it ought to be good news to you all. And now,' looking towards Lady Winter, 'what do you all say? Shall we sit out on the lawn until tea? It is just pleasant now.'
'If you ask me, I should like nothing better,' said Lady Winter, rising gracefully.
'But where is he—Tom, I mean?' said Lady Elton, as they went out. 'I heard he had come back from town.'
'Reginald has carried him off for a smoke and a chat,' said Lady Winter. 'I expect they will join us presently. But young men will have their quiet hour in the evening.'
'I see them!' cried Trixy. ”

“ If you don’t, I’ll tell you. It’s a man who wants to go away up North so far that his next step will start him South; and he had just come back from the land where it is always Winter.
Somehow Maida found him the nicest grown-up she had ever met, he was so interested in everything she said, and somehow when she was cuddled against his big arm, with her nose nestled against his breast it was so easy to explain that she was tired—oh, so tired of being a little girl; and tell him all her troubles.
He listened to every word and then he told her about the Wishing Post. ”

“ Be it ever so humble, there’s no place like home.” Winter sped rapidly away to our friends at the Oaks, each day so full of agreeable, useful employment and quiet pleasures, that they found it all too short; time never hung heavy on their hands, ennui was unknown to them.
No unusual or startling event marked the course of the weeks and months. Mildred and Annis kept up a steady correspondence with mother and sisters, and now and then the letters from Pleasant Plains seemed to bring with them a touch of homesickness ”

“ Winter, wiping his [Pg 111] forehead, "I wonder what induced me to prose away about an unfortunate hump-backed organist to a moustached man of fashion; I am a great fool!"
"Mr. Winter," said I, gravely, "you must think moustaches and fashion terrible petrifiers of the heart, if you imagine such a tale as you have just sketched could excite no interest or sympathy in mine; believe me, there are few so thoroughly good for nothing, and I trust I am not in the minority." ”

“ Winter, the dear, sweet lady who nursed you through the small-pox when you were quite a little child.”
“Mrs. Winter and Mrs. Mortimer are one. I must have forgotten to tell you of her second marriage, which took place when I was last in Moulmein. My friend married a cousin of her own who was going, in a state of hopeless consumption, to Malta. Mrs. Winter married him in order to be able to go with the dying sufferer and nurse him to the last.”
“O Oscar, what a fool I have been!” exclaimed Io, bursting into tears; but the tears were those of relief, and shed on the bosom of her husband. ”

“ Annis said, her face brightening a little. “I don’t want to be, or to seem ungrateful to anybody, and I think I can stand it in that way for a week. And I’ll try to like the cousins there, though I’m sure they’re not half so nice as these here.”
“No,” assented Mildred, “but you might travel the world over without finding another such little girl as Elsie.”
“Yes, indeed, sister! I grow fonder of her every day, she’s so sweet and bright, often merry and full of innocent fun, without a particle of rudeness, so gentle and humble and unselfish. ”

“ Wise ones save it up for time of need.”
“The truly wise don’t hoard all they have, Don,” remarked Ada gravely.
“No; of course they must live, and they’ll pay their way honestly if they are the right sort of folks.”
“And if they are that,” said Mildred, with a sweet, bright smile irradiating her features, “they will feel that the money God gives them is not wholly their own, to save and to spend.”
“Oh no, to be sure! and what a nice big tenth you’ll have to give now, Milly,” exclaimed Annis. ”

“ I sat smoking quietly while Winter told the story of our adventure. He listened most attentively.
"It's a most extraordinary story," he remarked, when the narrative was concluded. "You are quite sure neither of you touched any of that port?" [40]
Winter turned one of his pockets inside out with an expressive gesture.
"Wine may rob a man of his wits," he replied, "but it does not relieve him of fifty pounds in notes, six in gold, a watch and chain worth fifty, and a diamond which has been valued at a hundred." ”

“ For the apparel oft proclaims the man.”
—​Shakespeare. “Milly,” Annis said, following her sister, as usual, when she retired for the night to her own apartments, “what shall I wear to the party? Have I anything suitable?”
“I’m afraid not, dear; but you shall have a new dress and as pretty a one as can be found. We have ten days for the buying and making.”
“But there won’t be time to ask father or mother if I may have it.”
“And no need,” Mildred said gayly. “I am rich now, you know, and it will be a dear delight to me to deck my little pet sister for the party.” ”

“ I’m sure she’ll grow too large for them before they’re half worn out.”
“Yes, no doubt,” Mildred said with a slight smile. “But now, dear, isn’t it time to say good-night?”
“Yes, when I’ve had a peep at darling wee Percy,” Annis returned, stealing softly to the side of the crib and bending over the little sleeper with a face all aglow with loving admiration. “O Milly, he’s so sweet and pretty!” she whispered, turning to the young mother who stood close at her side. “I’d like so much to kiss him, but I won’t, for fear of waking him—​the precious pet.” ”

“ Mr. Winter did not come home to dinner, and in the afternoon Mrs. Winter and the girls went to the Museum, where they found more to interest them than anywhere they had been. It had a very large and interesting collection of paintings and antiquities, but the girls enjoyed seeing the old cloister—the first they had ever seen.
That evening when Mr. Winter came home, he told his wife that he should only be obliged to remain one more day, and they must entertain themselves again without him. ”

“ It was Annis at the door of Mildred’s boudoir, where she sat meditating with her babe in her arms.
“Yes, dear, I’m glad you came,” she answered in low, sweet tones. “I don’t see much of you now that Elsie has taken possession,” she went on, smoothing her little sister’s hair with tender, caressing hand as the child knelt at her side to pet and fondle little Percy.
“’Tisn’t because I don’t love you just as well as ever!” Annis answered with quick, impulsive warmth, holding up her face for a kiss, which was given very heartily. “I wouldn’t be here without you, Milly, for anything. ”

“ Annis returned, giving Elsie a kiss and hurrying away.
The next day’s shopping was a decided success, and the two little girls managed to get a great deal of enjoyment out of it. Mildred was not far behind them in that, she had seldom set herself a sweeter task than the selection and preparing of these gifts for the dear ones at home. For some only the materials were bought, and then fashioned into beautiful things by her own deft fingers; many a tender thought, many a loving prayer, weaving itself in among the stitches. ”

“ When all had been seated, the blessing asked, and the meal fairly begun, Annis, smiling across the table at her sister, asked, “What have you done with Percy?”
“Found a nurse for him and left him in her care fast asleep,” replied Mildred. Then turning to her Cousin Horace, “Good help is still scarce with us,” she remarked; “a competent child’s nurse not to be had; but with so many sisters at home, all esteeming it a privilege to assist in the care of the baby, I scarcely felt the need of one there.” ”

“ Of all the virtues ’tis the nearest kin to heaven.”
—​Decker. When alone with Annis that evening Mildred said to her, “I had a talk with Uncle Dinsmore to-day. You know we are all engaged to dine at Roselands to-morrow, and he wants us—​that is, my husband, you, and me—​to go prepared to stay at least a week.”
“O Milly, I don’t want to!” cried Annis. “Do you think I must? I wish we didn’t have to go at all.” ”

“ Winter is independent of livery stables; Cyclops will no doubt leave us far behind, but we will endeavour to come in for the fragments of the feast."
"If you promise to behave yourself," replied he, "I'll give you a seat in my buggy."
"Suppose, my dear," said Mrs. Winter, "we were to take tea at the farm, on our return; it is about half way?"
"Thank you, my dear, an excellent idea."
"A delightful suggestion, Mrs. Winter," said Miss Vernon.
"Then the programme is," said Winter, "an early drive over to Mowbray Castle, a good morning's work there ”

“ Winter! I am not so sure of that! a much more fastidious man might be pleased with the table we kept at A——."
Winter pulled a long face, expressive of contrition for his fault; and Kate interposed her soothing influence.
"Colonel Egerton was too glad to see you, and to come to you, to be difficile."
"Well, Mr. Winter, I must go home before it is quite dark," said Mrs. Storey.
"And I will escort you, my dear madam, to the omnibus—where can I catch Langley?" asked Winter.
"Oh, at his house; he goes out very little." ”

“ Mr. Winter offers you higher terms, and a comfortable home, and—"
"Och! what have I done, that ye should think I'm not desarvin' iv being wid yez, in throuble? Is id at this time of day ye want to be tould that I'd lave thousands to beg through the world wid yez—lave ye! och, where would I go? Sure yez the whole world to ould nurse! Lave ye, an ye in throuble. Oh! what have I done that ye [92] would spake that way to me?" And covering her face in the folds of her cloak—poor nurse sobbed aloud! ”

“ Milly, you’re just the best and kindest sister in the world!” exclaimed the little girl, dancing about in delight, then stopping short to throw her arms about Mildred and give her a vigorous hug and kiss.
Mildred returned the embrace, saying with a quiet smile, “You forget that I am pleasing myself. And don’t you think Zillah, Ada, or Fan would do as much for you under the same circumstances?”
“Yes; and I think I should for them. I think we all love one another very much ”

“ The snow formed an iceberg more than five feet thick, and had become literally a part of the house. Jean could not suppress a cry, which awoke Misonne and Vasling. An oath burst from the latter, whose features contracted. At this moment the smoke, thicker than ever, poured into the house, for it could not find an issue.
“Malediction!” cried Misonne. “The pipe of the stove is sealed up by the ice!”
Penellan resumed his staff, and took down the pipe, after throwing snow on the embers to extinguish them, which produced such a smoke that the light of the lamp could scarcely be seen ”

“ It was not difficult to conquer, as she had hitherto done, men prompt to let themselves be seduced, and whom the gallant education of a court led quickly into her net. Milady was handsome enough not to find much resistance on the part of the flesh, and she was sufficiently skillful to prevail over all the obstacles of the mind. ”

“ Annis hesitated for a moment, then said with frank cordiality, “Yes, I will, if Milly doesn’t object. You know she’s in mother’s place to me while I am here.”
“Thank you!” Elsie said delightedly. “I do so want you to have it. Let us run and ask Cousin Mildred now. No; on second thoughts I do believe it will be best to consult papa first. He always knows just what it is best to do. But wait, I want to show you the trimming for our dresses; they must be trimmed alike too, papa says.” ”

“ Tilford, and thank you!’
‘There,’ observed Conway, surveying Tom Winter's retreating form, ‘goes a man who would give his best boots to be standing in my shoes! Who wouldn’t, for that matter?’
He squeezed Geraldine's fingers exultantly.
‘Now don’t be silly,’ she replied, highly flattered.
‘Sorry to keep you waiting, old man,’ said Winter to his guest as he joined him in the lounge a moment later, ‘but you shouldn’t be so coy. There was a pretty lady asking to be introduced to you.’
For once Jimmy Blackadder was not interested in pretty ladies. ”

“ Annis said, as they all gathered in the entrance hall.
“Yes; room enough to avoid crushing the ladies’ dresses I trust,” replied Mr. Dinsmore. “Come, Mildred, you, Annis and the doctor step into this one, and my wife, my daughter and I will take the other.”
On reaching Pinegrove they found the house ablaze with lights and many of the guests already arrived. The ladies were shown to a dressing-room where a servant-woman was in waiting, to help them off with their cloaks and perform any other needed service. ”