THREE TO ONE

Or some Passages out of the Life of Amicia Lady Sweetapple

BY THE AUTHOR OF ANNALS OF AN EVENTFUL LIFE'

CHAPTER XLVIII. LADY SWEETAPPLE SEES LADY CHARITY, AND HEARS SOMETHING OF EDITH PRICE.

NEXT morning they were all up with the lark, for were they not all going away? We pass over the departure-how Lord Pennyroyal looked noble, and Lady Pennyroyal like an angel; how Count Pantouffles bowed and bowed; how Mr. Beeswing was genial to the last; how glad Colonel and Mrs. Barker were to get back to town; how Mrs. Marjoram had neglected her duties too long; and—though last, not least-how delighted Amicia was that the visit was over, and that she should get back to Lowndes-street and see Harry Fortescue.

The absurd thing was that Florry and Alice were quite sorry to part with her; for as long as she stayed was she not a link between them and their lovers, and when she was gone might she not come between them and the objects of their affection?

'I am so glad she is going,' said Florry to Alice; and yet, after all, she can do me less harm here than I know she will in town.' 'Don't fret, darling,' said Alice; 'she will never win Harry Fortescue.'

'O,' said Florry, you say that because you feel so safe with Edward.'

'That's because I trust him,' said Alice. Harry in the same way?'

Why can't you trust

Ah, if I only could!" said Florry; and then she sighed and sobbed.

'Now do cheer up,' said Alice; 'you know we shall meet them both at Ascot next-week.'

'How do I know that ?' said Florry; and how do you know it ?' I heard mamma settle it all with Lady Pennyroyal. We are

to go there this day-week for Ascot Races. Won't that be nice ?' 'Yes, if my enemy does not get possession of Harry in the mean time,' said Florry sulkily.

So they saw them all off in the break and barouche and brougham, and two carts carried off a mountain of luggage; and then High Beech relapsed into its usual condition, and Mr. Podager had a rest from his labours.

SECOND SERIES, VOL. VIII. F.S. VOL. XVIII.

H

'Such toil,' he said to Mr. Beeswing's valet, as he gave him a glass of port before he went away, is fit to make an old servant

give warning.'

Amicia reached town before luncheon; and as soon as ever she got to town she sent a message to old Lady Charity, in Eatonplace, to say that she wanted to see her particularly that afternoon, and would call on her between five and six.

She was

Old Lady Charity was a very remarkable woman. called old because no one knew how old she was; but, to look at, she might have been as old as Mrs. Methuselah, and older. Her face was all a web of wrinkles like the rind of a melon, her teeth were too faultless to be real, and her eyes were the only features which remained as they had been when she was young. They were preternaturally bright and fine, and though some people compared them to the eyes of a toad, many a woman fifty years younger might have been glad to have such jewels in her head. Lady Charity was not very tall, but she was very limp-she was like a bundle of clothes supported on two mop-sticks, and but for her eyes she would have been nothing. But you could see by them that she was a woman of energy, and yet they were so soft, it was plain that she had the kindest heart. Young people of either sex used to mock at her, and say, Charity covered a multitude of sins; but that was all spite. She had passed through her trials and experiences, and had made up her mind that the world was not so bad as it seemed. The result was, that she was always ready to help those who could not help themselves, out of pure kindness. It cannot be said she had much knowledge of right or wrong, and as for principles, she declared she could never understand them.

I try to do no wrong myself,' she used to say, but I well know how hard it is not to do wrong; and so I really think I sympathise more with sinners than with the virtuous. At any rate, they deserve our pity more.'

And so it was, that while other people were breaking the sinners' heads with their precious balms, or heaping coals of fire on their heads, Lady Charity was ever ready, pouring in oil and wine, and playing the Good Samaritan. No wonder all who were in trouble and affliction respected and adored her, while ladies like Mrs. Marjoram declared openly that she was only holding a candle to a certain personage who shall be nameless.

'If there were no Lady Charities,' said Mrs. Marjoram, there would be fewer wicked people in the world.' But then we all know Mrs. Marjoram was one of those people who would have sat side by side by Saul, keeping the clothes of those who were stoning Stephen. It was no wonder, therefore, if she threw stones at Lady Charity, and called her a go-between, and a mischief-maker, and a busybody, and a time-server, and we know not what besides. On

the whole, therefore, it is as well for Lady Charity, and for all the Lady Charities, that the rest of the world of women are not like Mrs. Marjoram.

'Now,' said Amicia, when she had heard that Lady Charity would be very glad to see her between five and six—' now I feel as if I had the ball at my foot. But, first of all, I must find out something about this Edith Price. I think I had better send Crump to find out.'

So Crump was duly summoned, and warned to be cautious, and after she had 'her' dinner, which it was that she had waited too long for,' she was to go to No.- Lupus-street, and try and find out something about Miss Price.

'You must not mention my name, you know, Crump,' said Lady Sweetapple. I only send you because I take an interest in the young person."

'Of course, my lady,' said Mrs. Crump- of course I shall say nothing about you. Shall I try to see the young person, my lady?'

'Yes, by all means, Crump, if you can; and if you see her, you might ask her if she would like a situation in the country, because you think you know a lady who could find her one.'

'Yes, my lady,' said Mrs. Crump; I understand it all now.' And down she went to 'her' dinner.

If I could only get her out of town,' said Amicia, and take Harry with me to Ascot, I should breathe more freely. But I do hope Crump will be discreet, and not compromise me in the matter.'

After luncheon Lady Sweetapple ordered her carriage and drove out. We really cannot say how many shops she went to, except that she went to ever so many which she had visited just before she left town. Of course she went to Marshall and Snellgrove's, and Mrs. Brown's, and Mde. Devy's; where else she went we cannot afford time to tell. But she spent two hours in these flights from shop to shop, and then she went to Lady Charity's in Eaton-place. 'O, dear Lady Charity, I am so glad to see you!' said Amicia, running up and embracing the bundle of rags.

have

So, my dear, am I to see you,' said Lady Charity. And how you enjoyed the country? I see by your looks that you have been very happy.'

'Not so happy as I wished,' said Amicia sadly. Several things happened that put me out very much.'

her

6

And what were they, my dear?' said Lady Charity, handing a cup of tea.

'It is a very long story,' said Amicia. 'But what should you say if I told you that I met at High Beech my first love?'

'First love!' said Lady Charity; 'why, I should say it was not so pleasant as meeting one's last love.'

But suppose I told you I met

'Yes,' said Amicia pettishly. there both my first and my last love?'

That depends if you were off with your first love,' said Lady Charity.

'Of course I was off with him,' said Amicia. It was years ago, you know. But still it was not pleasant.'

'Of course not,' said Lady Charity, sipping her tea. Did anything happen?'

'O dear, no,' said Lady Sweetapple. 'No one knew that I met my first love except myself and the first love himself. I stopped his mouth very cleverly.'

'I always knew that you were very clever,' said Lady Charity. 'But how did you stop his mouth ?'

'By leading him on, and making him believe I might still be a little in love with him, and that he might love me just a little.' 'Rather a dangerous game to carry on under the eyes of the last love. How did he take it ?'

'O, very well indeed,' said Amicia. But, dear Lady Charity, can I confide in you? This last love has a love of his own, and I want to find out all about her.'

'Is Harry Fortescue in love with Florry Carlton ?' asked Lady Charity. A little bird told me he was as good as engaged to her.'

Then a little bird told a great story,' said Amicia. It's all a mixing up of the two sisters. Edward Vernon is as good as engaged to Alice Carlton, but I am as sure as I sit here that Harry Fortescue is not engaged to Florence Carlton, though of course she would be very glad if he were.'

Who, then, is Harry Fortescue's love of whom you are so afraid?' said Lady Charity, her eyes glistening with desire to worm out this secret.

'O, nobody only a young person, not a lady,' said Amicia; in fact, I hardly know what she is; but her name is Edith Price, and she lives in Lupus-street.'

That's a very odd street for a lady to live in,' said Lady Charity.

'Just what I said,' said Amicia. She can't be a lady; but, for all that, Harry Fortescue writes to her, and she arswers him by advertisement in the Times.'

'Let me hear all about it,' said Lady Charity, pouring out another cup of tea, which Amicia refused, and Lady Charity drank. So Amicia told her the whole story; and when it was over Lady Charity said,

'It sounds very strange, and I cannot tell what to make of it. But don't fret about it. Young men will be young men. And when we get Mr. Fortescue down to Ascot, I daresay all will go right.'

'There, again, is another vexation,' said Amicia. 'No sooner

had I arranged with Mr. Fortescue to come to stay with you at Ascot than that stupid Lady Pennyroyal went and asked the Carlton girls to come and stay with her; and as Edward Vernon is devoted to Alice, and Harry Fortescue to Edward, he declares he will not come to us at Ascot unless Edward is asked too, and so I have come to beg you to include him in the invitation.'

'Pray don't say anything about such a trifle,' said Lady Charity. 'Give my compliments to Mr. Vernon, and say that as he and Mr. Fortescue are such bosom friends, I cannot bear to part them, and so I hope he will come to Ascot as well.'

'You are an angel,' said Amicia, giving the wrinkled old face a kiss.

'Rather an old one,' said Lady Charity, and most of the feathers have fallen out of my wings; but, for all that, I am still helpful and warm at heart.'

'Of course you are, dear Lady Charity,' said Amicia; we all know that.'

And so she sailed away downstairs, and drove home, and waited to hear what Mrs. Crump had to tell her.

She had not to wait long, for as soon as that worthy Abigail had finished 'her' tea, she went upstairs to tell her mistress how her mission had ended.

6

'Well, Crump,' said Amicia, did you find Lupus-street?'

'Yes, my lady, which it is a very low-lived place,' said Mrs. Crump.

'Yes, my lady; and I see the landlady, which is a hard-working, industrious woman, as was once a lady's-maid.'

Indeed, Crump; and what turned her into a lodging-house keeper ?'

Marriage, my lady,' said Mrs. Crump; and a very bad marriage too, which it was with a drunken butler out of place, who drinks and robs her of her little ald.'

Pray observe the ald,' for it was Mrs. Crump's way of pronouncing all.'

'And did you learn all this from the lodging-house keeper herself ?' asked Amicia.

'Lord bless us, my lady!' said Mrs. Crump. Do you think a wife would go and tell another woman outright, at first sight, as how she had got a drunken good-for-nothing husband? Wives as has been lady's-maids ain't so bad as that. They never speak no harm of their husbands to strangers.'

'How do you know, Crump? You have never been married,' said Amicia.

'No, but I have been as good as married, my lady,' said Mrs. Crump; which it was near I was being married before I came to you