Domestic fiction; England -- Fiction; Mothers and sons -- Fiction; Religious fiction; Unmarried mothers -- Fiction
In fact, the expression, which had been only occasional
formerly, when his worse self predominated, had become permanent. He
looked restless and dissatisfied. But he was very handsome still;
and her quick eye had recognised, with a sort of strange pride, that
the eyes and mouth were like Leonard's. Although perplexed by the
straightforward, brave look she had sent right at him, he was not
entirely baffled. He thought this Mrs Denbigh was certainly like
poor Ruth; but this woman was far handsomer. Her face was positively
Greek; and then such a proud, superb turn of her head; quite queenly!
A governess in Mr Bradshaw's family! Why, she might be a Percy or
a Howard for the grandeur of her grace! Poor Ruth! This woman's
hair was darker, though; and she had less colour; altogether a more
refined-looking person. Poor Ruth! and, for the first time for
several years, he wondered what had become of her; though, of course,
there was but one thing that could have happened, and perhaps it was
as well he did not know her end, for most likely it would have made
him very uncomfortable. He leant back in his chair, and, unobserved
(for he would not have thought it gentlemanly to look so fixedly at
her if she or any one noticed him), he put up his glass again. She
was speaking to one of her pupils, and did not see him.
By Jove! it must be she, though! There were little dimples came out
about the mouth as she spoke, just like those he used to admire
so much in Ruth, and which he had never seen in any one else--the
sunshine without the positive movement of a smile. The longer he
looked the more he was convinced; and it was with a jerk that he
recovered himself enough to answer Mr Bradshaw's question, whether he
wished to go to church or not.
"Church? how far--a mile? No; I think I shall perform my devotions at
home to-day."
He absolutely felt jealous when Mr Hickson sprang up to open the door
as Ruth and her pupils left the room. He was pleased to feel jealous
again. He had been really afraid he was too much "used-up" for such
sensations. But Hickson must keep his place. What he was paid for was
doing the talking to the electors, not paying attention to the ladies
in their families. Mr Donne had noticed that Mr Hickson had tried to
be gallant to Miss Bradshaw; let him, if he liked; but let him beware
how he behaved to this fair creature, Ruth or no Ruth. It certainly
was Ruth; only how the devil had she played her cards so well as to
be the governess--the respected governess, in such a family as Mr
Bradshaw's?
Mr Donne's movements were evidently to be the guide of Mr Hickson's.
Mr Bradshaw always disliked going to church, partly from principle,
partly because he never could find the places in the Prayer-book. Mr
Donne was in the drawing-room as Mary came down ready equipped; he
was turning over the leaves of the large and handsome Bible. Seeing
Mary, he was struck with a new idea.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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