He was not speaking the truth, however, in saying he regretted the troubles. As a soldier of fortune they were bread to him, promising fame with promotion. He might look to regaining his liberty by exchange, or otherwise, and once more get upon the ladder of ascent.

Nor had the reasons he spoke of aught to do with his being a prisoner; though she seemed, or affected, so to understand them.

"Indeed, yes," she rejoined, "you have been very unfortunate, Captain Trevor. I'm sorry you should have been taken; still more, fighting on the side you were."

"Oh, thank you!" he returned, encouraged by her kind words, and without heeding the last clause. "But 'tis not for that I care. What makes me regret the war is the loss of friendships. And," he added, speaking in a lower tone, but more impressively, "the fear of having lost yours."

"But you have not, sir--so much as it is worth. My father was angry in those days; so were we all. But, then, you were not to blame--we could not think that, did not--knowing you acted under orders."

"Ah! never had I an order to execute so much against my wish, never one with such disagreeable consequences, separating me so long from--"

He hesitated to say whom or what. But, mistaking her look of simple inquiry for one of a more interested nature, he completed the speech with one other word--"yourself."

She started, looking a little confused, but remained silent; which he, again misinterpreting, took as a permission to go on, which he did, with increased fervour.

"Yes, Mistress Vaga! that was my chief regret, never out of my mind for a moment since. Many the night on watch and guard have I thought of you. Sleepless they would have been, even without duty to keep me awake."

"But why all this, sir? Why should I be a cause to keep you awake?"

She spoke in a tone that suddenly checked and chilled him. For the question recalled a fact he seemed to overlook, or had forgotten--that Vaga Powell had never acknowledged him in the light of a lover; never before given him permission to address words to her such as he was now speaking.

"Ah!" he answered, with a disappointed air, "if you do not know why, 'tis not much use my telling you." Then adding, with a sigh, "I had hopes you would have understood me."

She did understand him perfectly; knew his aspirations and their hopelessness. And never was she less inclined to give heed to them than at that moment. For close by she saw her cousin Clarisse by the side of his cousin Eustace, the two standing up as partners for a dance about to begin.

If Reginald Trevor suffered the pangs of an unrequited love, Vaga Powell was in a very torment of jealousy. For the air and att.i.tude of the other two seemed to speak of something more than the mere indifference of dancing partners. The Creole had hold of his arm, was hanging upon it, her eyes upturned to his face with a languishing, loving smile, which he appeared to reciprocate.

Rather a pleasing sight to Reginald, for reasons that just then presented themselves. But a painful one to her with whom he was conversing--torture itself.

All at once a thought occurred to her, which promised something, if not relief. Anyhow, it gave this and more to Reginald Trevor. For of the many seeking her hand for the dance, he was the one preferred, and with an alacrity that somewhat surprised, while delighting him.

His delight would have been less could he have fathomed her motive and design. Little dreamt he of either, or that he was about to be utilised solely as a p.a.w.n for playing the game of _piques_.

CHAPTER THIRTY TWO.

A CONTRADANZA.

It was a _contredanse_; the "contradanza" of Spain transmitted through France to England, where it had become naturalised, and by a misapprehension of terms called "country dance" It was the _piece de resistance_ of the time, before the introduction of the cotillon, quadrille, and other "square" dances.

The a.s.semblage being a large one, several sets danced at the same time, inside the house and without, the music in a central position availing for all.

The set in which figured Mademoiselle Lalande was, of course, the select one, comprising the _elite_ of the family's friends and resident gentry, with the strangers of greatest distinction, military and civilian. It was formed on the lawn outside, in front of the withdrawing-room windows, where a spread of smooth, firm turf afforded ample s.p.a.ce, and a floor for dancing good as that of any ballroom. Better, slips and tumbles considered. Around and overhead were strings of lamps suspended from the trees, while a profusion of flowers, now in full blow, filled the air with incense. A warm summer's night, with such surroundings, the Creole girl might have fancied herself back in her native isle of the Antilles, under the palms and amidst the flashing _cocuyos_.

As if she had such a fancy, her grand dark eyes were aglow with delight--triumph in them too. But neither had to do with any thought of scenes or things transatlantic. The cause was by her side, and she took no pains to conceal it. Impa.s.sioned child of the tropics, never in her life gainsaid, she had needed not the resorts of subterfuge; instead openly demanding and having whatever she desired. And now desiring Eustace Trevor, she believed she had secured him.

Certainly it seemed so; and as if with her wiles and witchery--bold ways the sober Bristolians called them--she had succeeded in weaving a spell around him. Once already had he been her partner, and now for the second time was he standing up with her, to all appearance absorbed in what she said, making impressive responses, partaking of her joy and triumph.

This was what Vaga Powell supposed; and no wonder at her jealousy stung to the highest, bitterest pitch. But the green-eyed monster sees with eyes that distort and exaggerate, as hers were doing then. She was putting a wrong interpretation on what she saw, reading it reversely to the truth. A disinterested spectator, with skill in physiognomy, could have told that Eustace Trevor, so far from being taken up with Clarisse Lalande, would have been glad to get disembarra.s.sed of her. He too was at that moment suffering pangs of jealousy equal to those he inflicted.

This from seeing his cousin the partner of Vaga Powell, thinking of Reginald's acquaintance with her older than his own, and recalling something he had heard of between them antecedent to the time of his introduction at Hollymead. Only a rumour it was--a vague whisper--but it spoke of relations of a nature warmer and more confidential than those of mere friendship.

Could it have been so, and was there a renewal of them? These were the questions self-asked by the _ci-devant_ gentleman-usher. Seemingly answered in the affirmative by what he now saw. For, young as was the younger daughter of Ambrose Powell, she was no child of simplicity, but could play at coquetting with the oldest and cleverest coquette there.

If he in her eyes seemed too a.s.siduously attentive to Clarisse, she in his appeared the same with Reginald.

An odd position of affairs it was with this _quartette_ of cousins as regarded their feelings towards one another--a play of cross purposes, triangularly twisted and sinister, but in a manner symmetrical. The two men in love with the same woman, the two women loving the same man, yet two of the four not loved at all--as it were, left out in the cold. And these last the ones that were joyous and exultant, the others despondent and sad.

Could hearts see into hearts, and read the writing therein, all this would have been reversed; the glad ones would have ceased to be gay, and on the instant, while the sad ones would as suddenly have found joy.

But the people so perversely astray could not comprehend one another.

Not likely with everything done to hinder it--glances, att.i.tudes, gestures, all meant to deceive.

And so the mutual misconception remained throughout the night. Dance succeeded dance, but in none was Eustace Trevor the partner of Vaga Powell.

And yet the fault was not with him, though it may appear so. His dancing the first set with Clarisse was quite accidental so far as he was concerned. He had not sought to engage her; on the contrary she seeking him--in a manner commanding him. Officially privileged, she might do so without incurring censure or challenging remark. But when the thing was repeated, and for the second time in succession they were seen standing up together, a whisper went round that it meant something more than mere inadvertency--in short, a decided preference.

And so was it with her at least, he neither feeling it nor conscious of her design. For, in truth, he had been on the way to seek Vaga Powell and ask her for the second set, when once more encountering Clarisse, as by chance, she exclaimed, in a half patronising, half-coaxing way,--

"How well you dance, Captain Trevor! So different from all the others."

Rather surprised by such a plain-spoken compliment, flattery in fact--he was about to give it this name--but, without waiting his rejoinder, she rattled on,--

"And I hope you're enough satisfied with _my_ dancing to have me for your partner again--you will, won't you?"

Solicitation seeming bold, almost to shamelessness. It would have been this in an English girl; but one knowing Clarisse Lalande, her impulsive nature, and the way she had been brought up, could better pardon it.

"It will give me the greatest pleasure," was his response. He would not have been man--less gentleman--to answer otherwise. Both gallantry and good manners enforced an affirmative.

"Consider yourself engaged then!"

"By all means, Mademoiselle. For which set?"

"Oh! now--the next. I wish it."

Another surprise to him, anything but agreeable. It interfered with his intentions, spoiling his own programme. But there was no help for it, no gain saying a wish so plainly expressed, and he stammered out a.s.sent with the best grace possible.

As the music for the second set was just commencing, she thrust her jewelled fingers inside his arm, and conducted him, rather than he her, back to the place of dancing.

It was then Vaga Powell experienced that jealous pang which determined her to the line of action she was pursuing. But it was a jealousy neither new, nor born of that hour; only in that hour reaching the climax and acme of its keenness. Eustace Trevor twice dancing with her cousin, and never coming near herself! Never once, even to say a word, since the one or two of ceremony exchanged between them at his first entering and reception. No wonder at her being a prey to jealousy!

But she was not alone in the experience of its misery. He, in his turn, was tasting of it too. When at length released from his engagement with the Creole, inopportune as irksome, and he again sought Vaga Powell, it was to find her in a mood aught but amiable. And with Reginald still by her side--she had no difficulty in retaining _him_--the two seemingly engrossed with one another. Well and skilfully--too well and too skilfully--was the damsel of Dean Forest playing her part.

As Eustace approached them, Reginald drew back a pace, and stood in an att.i.tude of dignified stiffness, with a perceptible triumph in his eyes, and something like a sneer on his lips. No word of salutation pa.s.sed between the cousins now--not even nod of recognition--and one seeing who knew them not would have supposed them utter strangers. Eustace but bowed to the lady; and, as the music was just sounding the prelude to another dance, he asked, in rather a timid, doubting way,--

"May I have you for a partner, Mistress Vaga?"

At another time, even earlier that night, he might have addressed her differently and more familiarly--ay, would have been safe in saying--"Let us dance, dear Vaga!" But he had neither thought nor confidence to "dear" her now, nor she the desire to be deared. Curt, and almost disdainful was her answer,--

"Sorry; but I'm engaged."