She at once hurried to his room. He made light of his hurts, and declared that he should come down to breakfast as usual. She persuaded him, however, to remain in bed. He consented to do so on condition that she would send over to May, and account for his non-appearance at Downside that day.

Sir Ralph was very indignant at hearing of the outrage, and determined at once to take steps to discover the perpetrators. He had wished to speak to his son, and was annoyed at being unable to do so, as Lady Castleton persuaded him that any agitation would be injurious to Harry.

A surgeon had been sent for and gave a favourable report, complimenting Captain Headland on the way he had treated his patient.

Julia and Headland met constantly in Harry's room, both being anxious to a.s.sist in nursing him.

In a couple of days he was able to dress and come downstairs. Perhaps he would have remained up longer had he known the ordeal he was about to go through.

Harry was sitting in the drawing-room when he received a message from Sir Ralph, requesting him to come into the study.

"My father is going to question me about May," he thought. "I had hoped to escape this for some time to come; but I must be firm and not allow his prejudices to cause her unhappiness."

He walked slowly in. Sir Ralph closed the door and placed him in an arm-chair, and took his usual seat at his writing-table.

"Harry," he said, "I had sufficient confidence in you to suppose that, when you brought your friend Captain Headland to the house, you knew that he was a man of family and good connections, so that should he fall in love with your sister no objections were likely to be raised. Am I right in giving you credit for this amount of wisdom?"

Harry felt greatly relieved on finding that he was not to be questioned about May.

"My friend Headland, sir," he said, "is a first-rate officer and an excellent fellow, and is sure to gain credit for himself and to rise high in the service."

"That may be," observed Sir Ralph. "But I wish to know if he is a man of family and a fit match for your sister, for I understand that he has of late paid her great attention."

"I think so highly of him that I am sure any girl would be fortunate in winning his affections," answered Harry.

"That's not the question I wish to have answered. I wish to know whether he is of good family, and has a sufficient fortune to support a wife, as Julia ought to be supported."

"On the first point I cannot enlighten you," answered Harry; "for I confess that I do not know of what family he is, but he has been very fortunate in making prize money, and I am sure he has quite enough to live in a way to satisfy Julia."

"I was afraid it might be so from never having heard him speak of his family," said Sir Ralph. "You have acted very imprudently, Harry, in bringing a man of his description here. Though I do not wish to act with discourtesy, I desire you will give him to understand that he is no longer welcome at Texford."

"That is impossible, father," exclaimed Harry. "He is devotedly attached to Julia, and I am sure she is to him. If he is told to go, I must go also. I have said that, though I do not know his family, for the simple reason that he does not know it himself. He is everything that is n.o.ble, and good, and excellent, and I would rather see Julia marry him than any other person in existence."

"I know the world better than you do, Harry, and such a marriage as you wish me to sanction for your sister is not calculated to promote her welfare, and that is the point I, as her father, have to consider."

"If she is not allowed to marry Headland she will be miserable,"

exclaimed Harry.

"I had considered the point maturely before I sent for you," said Sir Ralph, "and I wish to save your friend the annoyance of being spoken to by me. If you refuse to tell him my determination, I shall have to do so. And now, Harry, I have another matter to speak to you about."

Harry grew nervous.

"I understand during my absence you have paid frequent visits to Downside."

"Yes, sir," said Harry, "Our cousins kindly invited me there."

"I know they did, and placed a young lady, I hear, of some personal attractions in your way, and, like a sailor, you directly tumbled over head and ears in love with her. I strip the matter of the romance with which you may be inclined to surround it. Do I not speak the truth?"

"I confess, sir," said Harry, determined to speak boldly, "I have met at the Miss Pembertons a young lady to whom I have declared my love."

"You have declared your fiddlestick," exclaimed the baronet, with less than his usual dignity. "You could make no promise without my sanction, and that I cannot give you. You can let the girl know this in any way you like."

"My affections were engaged before I was aware of it, and as I am of age, and the young lady is in every way calculated to insure my happiness, and I have the means of supporting her without taxing you, I felt that I had a right to propose to her."

"In other words, you were entrapped before you saw the meshes spread to catch you, and discarding every other consideration, are ready to disobey me, and give up your profession, and all your prospects of advancement in life, for the sake of a pretty face," observed the baronet, sarcastically. "Though _you_ are ready to make a fool of yourself, I must exert my paternal authority and save you from ruin."

"But I do not contemplate giving up my profession, and the prize money I have already made, with what I may hope to obtain, will give me ample means to support a wife," answered Harry.

"Have you calculated, may I ask, to what this princely fortune you speak of amounts?"

"Three or four hundred a year, sir, not including my pay; and the young lady herself is not penniless, for our cousins have resolved to leave her their property."

"Our cousins leave a stranger their property!" exclaimed Sir Ralph. "It should be Julia's or yours; it came through the Castletons, and should return to them."

"So it will, sir," said Harry, having, as he hoped, caught his father in a trap, "when May marries me."

"I see how it is," observed the baronet, not noticing Harry's last remark. "Our sanctimonious cousins wish to get a husband for this girl they have picked up, and as they are not likely to meet any other young gentleman in the secluded way they live, they have entrapped you."

"I a.s.sure you, sir, you do them great wrong," observed Harry, warmly.

"I went to the house of my own accord, and I am sure it did not enter their heads that I should fall in love with their friend. I wish, sir, that you could see them and the lady you condemn. Possessing as you do so exquisite a taste in female beauty and refinement, I am sure you will admire her."

"I may possibly call at the Miss Pembertons, because I wish to express my opinion of their conduct in the matter," said the baronet, wishing not to appear influenced by his son's remarks. "I may then see this girl who has caught you. I tell you that if she were as beautiful as Venus, nothing would alter my determination. May I ask, do you know who she is? Your mother has only spoken to me of her as the Miss Pembertons protege."

Harry, feeling perfectly sure that should he answer the question his father would be still more adverse to his marriage, and would possibly express himself forcibly on the subject, replied--

"I wish, sir, that you would see her before I answer the last question.

I wish you to judge her on her own merits, independent of all other considerations."

Harry had maintained the conversation with a good deal of spirit, though he felt somewhat exhausted, when his father, turning to the table, began to write without apparently noticing him. While thus seated, his eye fell on the picture of his long lost uncle which hung next to Sir Reginald's. Though he had been often in the room, he had never particularly noticed it, for it was in a bad light, and the features were not distinct. A gleam of sunlight now coming into the room fell directly on it, and suddenly, as he gazed, a strange idea came into his mind. He thought, and thought. "Yes, the features and expression remind me much of what he was at the same age, and yet it must be fancy."

Sir Ralph suddenly interrupted his reveries.

"Harry," he said, "I do not wish to quarrel with your friend, that is not my way, but you will take an early opportunity of advising him to spend the remainder of his time on sh.o.r.e elsewhere."

"But has Headland proposed to you for Julia?" asked Harry.

"No, and I wish to prevent him from doing so," said Sir Ralph. "We shall part on much better terms than would be the case had I to refuse his offer, and I dislike such a scene as is likely to follow. If he goes away without being engaged she will soon forget him, and he, employed in active service, will forget her; the matter will thus be settled, and much inconvenience saved."

CHAPTER THIRTY NINE.

SIR RALPH AT DOWNSIDE.

Harry had returned to his room when the surgeon, Mr Curtis, arrived.

"Pulse is not as satisfactory as I should have wished," he observed.

"We must keep you quiet, Mr Harry, and I must request you to remain in your room till I see you again."