Antoinette De Mirecourt by Rosanna Leprohon

Author:Rosanna Leprohon [Leprohon, Rosanna]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-7710-9408-8
Publisher: McClelland & Stewart
Published: 2000-04-15T00:00:00+00:00

TWENTY

It happened, fortunately for the easy fulfilment of Mrs. D’Aulnay’s plans, that Major Sternfield, owing to some unforeseen impediment, was somewhat late, and on dashing up in his fantastic but graceful cutter, he found the members of the party already in their respective places.

“Time is up, Sternfield! What kept you so late to-day?” exclaimed two or three voices, but the new-comer deigned no reply. When his eye fell on Antoinette, seated beside Colonel Evelyn, an angry flush mounted to his forehead; but, controlling his vexation, he approached Mrs. D’Aulnay, who sat back among her bear-skin robes, with a very provoking smile on her face.

“Am I to thank you for this arrangement?” he asked in a low angry tone. “Is it you who have condemned me to drive alone?”

“No need for that, Major Sternfield. Look at yon unfortunate Captain Assheton, with two ladies, crowded up in that nut-shell of his. Relieve him of one of his fair charges.”

“Pshaw!” retorted the gentleman with a look of intense annoyance, “Mrs. D’Aulnay is not like herself to-day. However, you have punished me; now I shall retaliate, and inflict my ill-tempered companionship on you;” and, suiting the action to the word, he threw the reins of his horse to one of the men in attendance, and sprang into Mrs. D’Aulnay’s sleigh.

“You are really becoming insufferably impertinent,” she exclaimed, inwardly however, anything but dissatisfied with an arrangement which she had probably contemplated from the first.

A few smiles and satirical glances passed between some members of the party at this by-play; but Sternfield was an idol of the ladies, and do what he would, was generally sure of indulgence. Another five minutes’ delay was occasioned by one of the gentlemen leaving his own already sufficiently freighted sleigh and stepping into Sternfield’s empty cutter, into which he invited one of the over-crowded fair ones, vainly pointed out to the former’s compassionate notice, a few moments previous. All were now ready, and, with jingling bells and nodding tassels, the cavalcade set out.

“Now, Mrs. D’Aulnay,” abruptly questioned Sternfield, after a few moments’ silence, “answer me frankly. Is this arrangement yours or Antoinette’s?”

“Entirely mine.”

“And why, may I ask? Why separate me from my wife when I have so much to say to her? when we have so little time to spend together.”

“To punish you, Major Sternfield, for delivering so untruthfully and rudely my message to Colonel Evelyn.”

“Ah, he has stooped then to explain and complain, our most potent, grave, and reverend Colonel,” said Sternfield with a sneer.

“No such thing. It was by mere chance I found out your supercherie; but, good heavens! do you want to break our necks that you worry and abuse my beautiful pets thus? Give me the reins at once! ’Tis dangerous to trust you with them whilst you are in such a dreadful temper.”

Sternfield sullenly obeyed; and for a long time afterwards, nothing beyond an occasional monosyllable escaped his lips. Not so silent, however, were Colonel Evelyn and his fair companion; and it was well, at

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