"Oh yes, I know the style of place."
"One gets better acquainted in a week than one does in seven years in a place like this," proceeded Frank. "And you may tell Julius to ask any of the clerics if Lenore was not a perfect darling with the Vicar and his wife, and her sister too; and Rockpier is a regular tip-top place for Church, you know. I'm sure it was enough to make a fellow good for life, just to see Eleonora walking up the aisle with that sweet face of hers, looking more like heaven than earth."
Rosamond made reply enough to set him off again. "Lady Tyrrell would have been content to stay there for ever, she told me, but she thought it too confined a range for Eleonora; there was no formation of character, though I don't see how it could have formed better; but Lady Tyrrell is a thoroughly careful motherly sister, and thought it right she should see a little of the world. So they broke up from Rockpier, and spent a year abroad; and now Lady Tyrrell is making great sacrifices to enable her father to come and live at home again. I must say it would be more neighbourly to welcome them a little more kindly!"
"I should think such agreeable people were sure to win their way."
"Ah! you don't know how impervious our style of old squire and squiress can be! If even mother is not superior to the old prejudice, who will be? And it is very hard on a fellow; for three parts of my time is taken up by this eternal cramming-I should have no heart for it but for her-and I can't be going over to Sirenwood as I used to go to Rockpier, while my mother vexes herself about it, in her state. If she were up and about I should not mind, or she would know better; but what can they-Lenore, I mean-think of me, but that I am as bad as the rest?"
"Do you mean that anything has passed between you?"
"No, not with Lenore. Her sister spoke to me, and said it was not right when she had seen nothing but Rockpier; but she as good as promised to stand my friend. And when I get to the office, in two years, I shall have quite enough to begin upon, with what my mother allows us."
"Then you hope she will wait for that?"
"I feel sure of it-that is, if she is not annoyed by this abominable usage from my family. Oh! Rosamond, you will help us when you get into your own house, and you will get Julius to see it in a proper light. Mother trusts to him almost as much as to Raymond; but it is our misfortune to be so much younger that she can't believe us grown up."
"O, Frank," said Charlie, coming in, "here's Price come up about the puppies.-What, Rosamond, has he got hold of you? What a blessing for me! but I pity you."
Frank and Charlie went off together; and Julius was in the act of begging Cecil to illuminate a notice of the services, to be framed and put into the church porch, when Raymond came in from the other room to make up a whist-table for his mother. Rosamond gladly responded; but there was a slight accent of contempt in Cecil's voice, as she replied, "I never played a game at cards in my life."
"They are a great resource to my mother," said Raymond. "Anne, you are too tired to play?-No, Julius, the pack is not there; look in the drawer of the chiffonier."
Julius handed the list he had been jotting down to Cecil, and followed his brother, with his hands full of cards, unconscious of the expression of dismay, almost horror, with which Anne was gazing after him.
"Oh! let us be resolute!" she cried, as soon as the door was shut. "Do not let us touch the evil thing!"
"Cards?" said Cecil. "If Mrs. Poynsett cannot be amused without them, I suppose we shall have to learn. I always heard she was such an intellectual woman."
"But we ought to resist sin, however painful it may be," said Anne, gathering strength; "nay, even if a minister sets the example of defection."
"You think it wicked," said Cecil. "Oh no, it is stupid and silly, and an absurd waste of time, but no more."
"Yes, it is," said Anne. "Cards are the bane of thousands."
"Oh yes, gambling and all that; but to play in the evening to amuse an invalid can have no harm in it."
"An invalid and aged woman ought to have her mind set upon better things," said Anne. "I shall not withdraw my testimony, and I hope you will not."
"I don't know," said Cecil. "You see I am expected to attend to Mrs. Poynsett; and I have seen whist at Dunstone when any dull old person came there. What a troublesome crooked hand Julius writes- just like Greek! What's all this? So many services-four on Sunday, two every day, three on Wednesdays and Fridays! We never had anything like this at Dunstone."
"It is very superstitious," said Anne.
"Very superfluous, I should say," amended Cecil. "I am sure my father would consent to nothing of the kind. I shall speak to Raymond about it."
"Yes," said Anne; "it does seem terrible that a minister should try to make up for worldly amusements by a quantity of vain ceremonies."
"I wish you would not call him a minister, it sounds like a dissenter."
"I think ministers their best name, except pastors."
"Both are horrid alike," said Cecil. "I shall teach all the people to call Julius the Rector. That's better than Mr. Charnock-what Raymond ought to be."
Anne was struck dumb at this fearful display of worldliness; and Cecil betook herself to the piano, but the moment her husband appeared she showed him the list.
"He has cut out plenty of work," said Raymond, "but three of them must want a field for their energies."
"It is preposterous. I want you to speak to him about it."
"You are not expected to go to them all," Raymond made answer.
"Then there's no sense in having them," responded Cecil. "Evening services are very bad for the people, bringing them out late. You ought to tell him so."
"He is Rector, and I am not," said Raymond.
"Mr. Venn did nothing without papa's consent," exclaimed
"My dear Cecil, don't let your loyalty make a Harry the Eighth of your father," said Raymond; "the clergyman ought to be a free agent."
"You don't approve?"
"I don't approve or disapprove. It is not a matter I know anything about."
"But I assure you it has been all thought over at Dunstone."
"Come, my mother wants to go to bed, and you are keeping her waiting."
Cecil was silenced for the moment, but not daunted; for was it not the foremost duty of the lady of the manor to keep the clergyman in order, more especially when he was her own husband's younger brother? so she met her brother-in-law with "Julius, when I undertook that notice, I had no notion you were going to have so many services."
"Is there more than you have time to paint? Then Bindon can do it, or Jenny Bowater."
"No! it is not time or trouble; but I do not think such a number of services desirable."
"Indeed!" said he, looking amused.
"Yes. An over number of services frequented by no one only brings the Church into contempt. I heard papa say so. We only had regular Sunday and Saint's Day services, and I am sure Dunstone was quite as religious a place as there is any need to be."
"I am glad to hear it," said Julius, an odd look flickering about his face; "but as I am afraid Compton is not as religious a place as there is need to be, I must try, by your leave, all means of making it so. Good night."
He was gone, and Cecil was not sure that he had not presumed to laugh at her.
CHAPTER V. A Sunday of Excitement
Strangers in court do take her for the queen.-Shakespeare
The first Sunday of Julius Charnock's ministry was spent in an unexpected manner. In the darkness of the autumn morning there was a knock at the door, and a low hurried call in Anne's voice at the bedroom door: "Rosamond! Julius, pray look out! Isn't there a great fire somewhere?"
"Fire! Here?" cried Rosamond, springing up.
"No, not here. A great way off. You could beat it back."
Rosamond had by this time rushed to the window which looked out the wrong way, found her dressing-gown, and scrambled into it in the dark ere joining Anne in the gallery, from the end window of which the lurid light in the sky, with an occasional flame leaping up, was plainly visible. When Julius joined them he declared it to be at Willansborough, and set off to call up the coachman and despatch the fire-engine, his wife calling after him to send for the soldiers at Backsworth.