The Touchstone of Fortune | Page 5

a project which perhaps you may turn to your advantage. Marriage has no part in it save that the greatest good fortune that can befall a woman is to marry well, which I hope will be the ultimate result of what I shall propose. If a young woman's friends do not put her in a position to marry the right sort of a man, they fail in their duty to her."
"I hate the word 'marriage,'" returned Frances, impatiently.
"Ah, but it is a woman's privilege, the one great purpose of her life," I insisted. "Why pretend otherwise? I don't believe in the drag-net process of getting a husband, but in England a girl must be seen before she is married, and her chief concern should be to be seen by the right man."
"I should detest the right man," returned Frances, now grown almost surly.
"Yes, yes, now, perhaps. But the suggestion I have to make, if acted upon, will do all these things for you and will give you the opportunity to detest the 'right man' intelligently if you feel so inclined when you meet him. I have taken it upon myself to come all the way to Sundridge with a suggestion, because of the love I bear you and because you have no mother to do these things for you. As for dear Uncle Richard--well, you know, he can't."
"No, no! father is old and of late has been failing rapidly. Sarah and I can look for no help from him. On the contrary, we must help him. I have thought of nothing else, night or day, for years. Tell me what it is you have to suggest. What you have had to say to us has always been for our good. We should have starved these last five years had it not been for you and good old Roger Wentworth. Tell me, Baron Ned, what have you come to offer me?"
I had intended telling Frances privately of the Duchess of York's announcement, but after my talk with her I concluded to wait and to make the statement in the presence of her father, so I answered:--
"I am not ready to tell you just now, but I'll do so before I return to London."
"Then return at once, Baron Ned."
"If I do, you'll never hear it," I answered.
"In that case, stay. But tell me as soon as you can, for pent-up curiosity is killing to a girl," said Frances, with a doleful little smile.
"Does nothing else trouble just now?" I asked.
She turned to me in surprise, blushed and answered: "Yes. My poor, dear father. Yes--father. Of course there's nothing else. Why do you ask?"
"Just to be asking," I replied.
At that point we came to the shop where we were to buy our supper, and I was glad to change the subject. I had learned definitely that there was a man in the case, and my task would be to put him out if I could. The man who first enters a young girl's heart is hard to dislodge, and the worst part of the terrible business is that even she herself may be unable to expel him her whole life through.
When supper was well under way that evening, I took the opportunity to set my great ball rolling, and said:--
"Uncle Richard, I have come from London for the purpose of offering a suggestion which may eventually be of advantage to all of you."
Sarah put down her knife and fork to listen; Frances held hers in suspense, and Sir Richard looked up quickly, asking:--
"What is it, nephew? We all thank you in advance."
A cold bath is better taken quickly, so I plunged in.
"The Duchess of York has announced her intention to choose four maids of honor by personal inspection. Aside from the fact that they must be of good family, they will be taken solely on account of their beauty, the most beautiful to win."
Frances dropped her knife and fork and sprang to her feet, exclaiming:--
"I'm going to see the duchess! Thank you, cousin Ned! I'll be a maid of honor!"
"Of course--beauty!" observed Sarah, resuming her supper with a dry laugh.
"Your sister can win on the terms offered, if anyone can," said I, turning sharply on Sarah.
"I am sure of it," returned Sarah. "I laughed only because she is so sure."
Frances then turned to her sister, not reproachfully but earnestly: "Sure?" she exclaimed. "Of course I am sure. I know myself. You have a far better mind than mine, but I have--well, I know what I have. I don't believe I am vain, but I know, sister, that you and I must rebuild the fortunes of our house, or worse will come to us than we have ever known. You are sure to do your part because you have intellect--brains. You know you have.