One of Our Conquerors - World eBook Library

George Meredith
not evasive of her duty. The look was interpreted by Nesta as
belonging to the social annoyances dating, in her calendar,
from Creckholt, apprehensively dreaded at Lakelands. She
hinted asking, and her mother nodded; not untruthfully;
but she put on a briskness after the nod; and a doubt was
driven into Nesta’s bosom.
Her dear Skepsey was coming down to her for a holiday,
she was glad to hear. Of Dudley, there was no word. Nataly
shunned his name, with a superstitious dread lest any mention
of him should renew pretensions that she hoped, and
now supposed, were quite withdrawn. So she had told poor
Mr. Barmby only yesterday, at his humble request to know.
He had seen Dudley on the pantiles, walking with a young
lady, he said. And ‘he feared,’ he said; using, a pardonable
commonplace of deceit. Her compassion accounted for the
‘fear’ which was the wish, and caused her not to think it
particularly strange, that he should imagine Dudley to have
quitted the field. Now that a disengaged Dartrey Fenellan
was at hand, poor Mr. Barmby could have no chance.
Dartrey came to her room by appointment. She wanted to
see him alone, and he informed her, that Mrs. Blathenoy
was in the hotel, and would certainly receive and amuse Nesta
for any length of time.
‘I will take her up,’ said Nataly, and rose, and she sat immediately,
and fluttered a hand at her breast. She laughed:
‘Perhaps I’m tired!’
Dartrey took Nesta.
He returned, saying: ‘There’s a lift in the hotel. Do the
stairs affect you at all?’
She fenced his sharp look. ‘Laziness, I fancy; age is coming
on. How is it Mrs. Blathenoy is here?’
‘Well! how?’ ‘Foolish curiosity?’ ‘I think I have made her
of service. I did not bring the lady here.’ ‘Of service to whom?’
‘Why, to Victor!’ ‘Has Victor commissioned you?’ ‘You can
bear to hear it. Her husband knows the story. He has a grudge
… commercial reasons. I fancy it is, that Victor stood against
his paper at the table of the Bank. Blathenoy vowed blow for
blow. But I think the little woman holds him in. She says she
does.’ ‘Victor prompted you?’ ‘It occurred as it occurred.’
‘She does it for love of us?—Oh! I can’t trifle. Dartrey!’ ‘Tell
me.’ ‘First, you haven’t let me know what you think of my
Nesta.’ ‘She’s a dear good girl.’ ‘Not so interesting to you as
285