The Gold that Glitters: The Mistakes of Jenny LavenderHolt, Emily Sarah
General
The Gold that Glitters: The Mistakes of Jenny Lavender
Holt, Emily Sarah
Historical fiction
Suddenly Tom's conscience spoke. "Are you acting like a Christian man,
Tom Fenton?" it said. "Have you any right to work Featherstone up into
a passion, however foolish he may have been? Is that charitable? is it
Christ-like?"
"Very good, Mr Featherstone," said Tom quietly.
"I ask your pardon, and I'll relieve you of my company. Good night--
Good night, Jenny."
Jenny could have cried with disappointment. She was afraid that Tom was
vexed with her, and wholly unwilling to be left to the society of
Featherstone. As to the diamond buckle, she did not half believe the
story. Tom's action, however, had its effect upon Featherstone.
"Don't you believe me, Mrs Jenny?" he said more gently. "I doubt I've
made a mess of my story, but 'tis really true. Will Jackson was the
King himself in disguise, and he bade me bring that to you, and tell you
that he entirely agreed with you that Will was an ill-looking fellow."
When Jenny really understood the truth, she was overwhelmed. Was it
possible that she had actually told King Charles to his face that she
considered him ugly? Of course she was pleased with the gift in itself,
and with his kindly pardon of her impertinence.
"But, eh dear!" she said, turning round the clasp, which flashed and
glistened as it was moved, "such as this isn't fit for the likes of me!"
Farmer Lavender was exceedingly pleased to see the clasp and hear its
story, and in his exultation gave Featherstone a general invitation to
"turn in and see them whenever he'd a mind."
"Why, Jenny!" cried Kate, "you'll have to hand that down to your
grandchildren!"
Jenny only smiled faintly as she went upstairs. She liked the clasp,
and she liked the gracious feeling which had sent it; but what really
occupied her more than either was a distressed fear that she had
offended Tom Fenton. He never came to the farm now. The only hope she
had of seeing him lay in an accidental meeting.
Sunday came, and Jenny dressed herself in the flowered tabby, tying her
tippet this time with blue ribbons. When she came into the kitchen
ready to go to church, her sister's eyes scanned her rather curiously.
"Why, Jenny, where's your clasp?"
"What clasp?" asked Jenny innocently. Her thoughts were elsewhere.
"What clasp!" repeated Kate, with a burst of laughter. "Why, the clasp
King Charles sent you, for sure. Have you got so many diamond clasps
you can't tell which it is?"
"Oh!--Why, Kate, I couldn't put it on."
"What for no? If a King sent me a diamond, I'd put it on, you take my
word for it!--ay, and where it'd show too."
"I'd rather not," said Jenny in a low voice. "Not for church, anyhow."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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