Beyond The Rocks | Page 7

them there aristocrats," as his old aunt,
who had kept a public-house at New Norton, would have said. Bought
her with solid gold--he had no illusions on this subject, and he quite
realized if the solid gold had not been amassed out of England, so that
to her family he could be represented as "something from the
colonies--rather rough, but such a good fellow"--even Captain
Fitzgerald's impecuniosity and rapacity would not have risen to his bait.
He was also grateful to Theodora--she had been so meek always, and
such a kind and unselfish nurse. With his impaired constitution and
delicate chest he had given up all hopes of looking on her as a wife
again, just yet; but, as a nurse and an ornament--a peg to hang the
evidences of his wealth upon--she was little short of perfection. He
could have been frantically in love with her if she had only been the
girl from the station bar in Melbourne. Josiah Brown was not a bad
fellow.
By the time Mr. Toplington advanced in his dignified way with the
accurately measured tonic on a silver tray and the single acid drop to
remove the taste, Josiah Brown had decided to go and partake food
with his father-in-law at Henry's. If he had been good enough to
entertain the Governor of Australia, he was quite good enough for
Russian princes or English lords, he told himself. Thus it was that
Captain Fitzgerald, who came in person in a few minutes to indorse his
invitation, found an unusually cordial reception awaiting him.
"I am too delighted, my dear Josiah," he said, "that you have decided to
come out of your shell. Moping would kill a cat; and I shall order you
the plainest chicken and soufflé aux fraises."
"Josiah can eat almost anything, papa. I don't think you need worry
about that," said Theodora, who hoped to make her husband enjoy
himself. And then Captain Fitzgerald left to meet his widow.
All the morning, while she walked up and down under the trees in the

Avenue du Bois beside her husband, who leaned upon her arm,
Theodora's thoughts were miles away. She felt stimulated, excited,
intensely interested in the hour, afraid they would be late. Twice she
answered at random, and Josiah got quite cross.
"I asked you which you considered would do me most good when we
return to England, to continue seeing Sir Baldwin once a week or to
have Dr. Wilton permanently in the house with us, and you answer that
you quite agree with me! Agree with what? Agree with which? You are
talking nonsense, girl!"
Theodora apologized gently, and her white velvet cheeks became
tinged with wild roses. It seemed as if the victoria, with its
high-steppers, would never come and pick them up; and it must be at
least quarter of an hour's drive to Henry's. She did not understand
where it was exactly, but papa had said the coachman would know.
If some one had told her, as Clementine certainly would have done had
she been there, that she was simply thus interested and excited because
she wished to see again Lord Bracondale, she would have been
horrified. She never had analyzed sensations herself, and the day had
not yet arrived when she would begin to do so.
At last they were rolling down the Champs-Elysées. The mass of
chestnut blooms in full glory, the tender green still fresh and springlike,
the sky as blue as blue, and every creature in the street with an air of
gayety--that Paris alone seems to inspire in the human race. It entered
into her blood, this rush of spring and hope and laughter and life, and a
radiant creature got out of the carriage at Henry's door.
The two men were waiting for them--Lord Bracondale and the French
Count--her father and Mrs. McBride had not yet appeared.
Theodora introduced them to her husband, and Lord Bracondale said:
"Mrs. McBride is always late. I have found out which is your father's
table; don't you think we might go and sit down?"

And they did. Theodora got well into the corner of the velvet sofa, the
Count on one side and Lord Bracondale on the other, with Josiah
beyond the Count.
They made conversation. The Frenchman was voluble and agreeable,
and the next ten minutes passed without incident.
Josiah, not quite at ease, perhaps, but on the whole not ill-pleased with
his situation. The Count took all ups and downs as of the day's work,
sure of a good breakfast, sooner or later, unpaid for by himself. And
Lord Bracondale's thoughts ran somewhat thus:
"She is even more beautiful in daylight than at night. She can't be more
than twenty--what a skin! like a white gardenia petal--and, good Lord,
what a husband!