The Moonstone - Page 223/404

"Oh?" he said. "Miss Clack is here as YOUR guest--in MY house?"

It was Rachel's turn to lose her temper at that. Her colour rose, and

her eyes brightened fiercely. She turned to the lawyer, and, pointing to

Mr. Ablewhite, asked haughtily, "What does he mean?"

Mr. Bruff interfered for the third time.

"You appear to forget," he said, addressing Mr. Ablewhite, "that you

took this house as Miss Verinder's guardian, for Miss Verinder's use."

"Not quite so fast," interposed Mr. Ablewhite. "I have a last word to

say, which I should have said some time since, if this----" He looked my

way, pondering what abominable name he should call me--"if this Rampant

Spinster had not interrupted us. I beg to inform you, sir, that, if my

son is not good enough to be Miss Verinder's husband, I cannot presume

to consider his father good enough to be Miss Verinder's guardian.

Understand, if you please, that I refuse to accept the position which is

offered to me by Lady Verinder's will. In your legal phrase, I decline

to act. This house has necessarily been hired in my name. I take the

entire responsibility of it on my shoulders. It is my house. I can keep

it, or let it, just as I please. I have no wish to hurry Miss Verinder.

On the contrary, I beg her to remove her guest and her luggage, at her

own entire convenience." He made a low bow, and walked out of the room.

That was Mr. Ablewhite's revenge on Rachel, for refusing to marry his

son!

The instant the door closed, Aunt Ablewhite exhibited a phenomenon which

silenced us all. She became endowed with energy enough to cross the

room!

"My dear," she said, taking Rachel by the hand, "I should be ashamed of

my husband, if I didn't know that it is his temper which has spoken to

you, and not himself. You," continued Aunt Ablewhite, turning on me

in my corner with another endowment of energy, in her looks this time

instead of her limbs--"you are the mischievous person who irritated him.

I hope I shall never see you or your tracts again." She went back to

Rachel and kissed her. "I beg your pardon, my dear," she said, "in my

husband's name. What can I do for you?"

Consistently perverse in everything--capricious and unreasonable in all

the actions of her life--Rachel melted into tears at those commonplace

words, and returned her aunt's kiss in silence.

"If I may be permitted to answer for Miss Verinder," said Mr. Bruff,

"might I ask you, Mrs. Ablewhite, to send Penelope down with her

mistress's bonnet and shawl. Leave us ten minutes together," he added,

in a lower tone, "and you may rely on my setting matters right, to your

satisfaction as well as to Rachel's."