what you do here,” retorted Mr. Carlton, turning the tables. “I speak in her behalf when I say that in my opinion it is scarcely seemly.”
“You will allow me to be the better judge of that,” coolly returned the young man. “As my future wife, none can have a greater interest than I to guard her from aught unseemly.”
He drew a chair near the sofa as he spoke, and sat down; an intimation that he entertained no intention of quitting the room. Lucy, her face still crimson, spoke.
“Did you want anything, Mr. Carlton?”
“I came to bring these powders, Lucy,” was his reply, as he laid two small white papers on the table by her tide. “You complained of heartburn this morning: take one in a wine-glass of water now, and the second later in the day; they will relieve you.”
“Thank you,” she replied; “I will take it presently.”
Judith was in the room then, having entered it in time to hear what passed. Mr. Carlton left, not choosing probably to make further demur to the presence of the intruding guest, lest it might disturb Lucy, and Frederick Grey took up the powders and examined them.
“Have you suffered from heartburn, Lucy?”
“I think so. I had a hot, disagreeable sensation in my throat this morning, and Mr. Carlton said it was heartburn. I never had it before. "
“He wetted his finger, put it to the powder, and tasted what adhered to it. Then he folded up the papers and handed them to Judith.
“Put these away, Judith. They will do Lady Lucy no good.”
“Am I not to take them?” inquired Lucy.
“No, I will send you a better remedy.”
Judith received the powders from him very gingerly, as if she feared they might bite her, and left the room with them, meeting Lady Jane at the door, who was coming into it. Frederick laughed, and made the best excuse he could for being there without leave.
When he was leaving the house, half an hour later, Mr. Carlton came forth and met him face to face.
“A moment, Mr. Frederick Grey, if you please. It may be well that you and I should come to an understanding. You appear to assume that you may do just as you please with me: you enter my house, you interfere in my affairs: this shall not be.”
“The Ladies Chesney are temporary inmates of your house, and my visits in it are to them. I have not troubled it much.”
“I must request you to trouble it less for the future. I am not accustomed to these underhand modes of proceeding, and I don’t like them.”
“Underhand!” exclaimed Frederick Grey, in surprise.
“I don’t choose that my patients should be tampered with. When I become incapable of taking care of them, it will be time enough for others to interfere. It was a very unwarrantable liberty, that visit of Sir Stephen Grey’s to the sick boy at Tapper’s cottage.”
Frederick quite laughed. “You must ask Mrs. Smith to settle that with you. She sent for Sir Stephen, and I walked up with him. I did no more; I did not see the boy. As to interfering with you, Mr. Carlton, I am not conscious of having done it. I have desired Lady Lucy not to take those powders you brought her just now; so far, I certainly have interfered. But you should remember in what relation she stands to me.”
“And pray why have you desired her not to take the powders?”
“Because I don’t think they are the best remedy for heartburn; I told her I would send her something else.”
“You are cool and easy, sir,” returned Mr. Carlton, all his old hatred to Frederick Grey rising to boiling heat. And in point of fact there was a particularly cool, indifferent sort of tone pervading Frederick Grey’s behaviour towards the surgeon, which was easily discernible and anything but pleasant. “You and I will have a long account to settle some day.”
“It may be as well perhaps that we never come to the settlement,” was the answer. “I do not force it on: remember that always, Mr. Carlton, I do not force it on. There has been no good feeling between you and me for years, as you are aware; but that is no reason why we should quarrel every time we meet. I have had no intention of offending you in thus intruding into your house—and I acknowledge that it is an intrusion, antagonistic to each other as you and I are, and if you will so far allow me I would beg you in courtesy to excuse me under the circumstances. I will try and not enter it. again. In a day or two I expect the ladies will be leaving it for their own home.”
He made a movement to pass as he concluded; Mr. Carlton did not oppose it, and the fray ended. But no sooner had both disappeared than Judith emerged from a store-closet hard by, in which she had been an unwilling prisoner. She came out with a pot of jam in her hand, and a scared face: anything like quarrelling was sure to startle Judith.
Lady Laura Carlton was still in her room, making believe to be yet an invalid. She liked the indulgence of recovery; the being petted with attentions and fed with good things, jellies and wines and dainty messes. She would