Page:All the Year Round - Series 2 - Volume 1.djvu/490

480 Melusina might have been astonished at the increased kindness and geniality on the part of her young hostess that day. Perhaps she suspected the cause. We only know that she dressed and smiled more bewitchingly than ever, and that the confident glance reappeared.

Things were in this position, when two misfortunes, occurring almost simultaneously, exercised a most injurious effect upon Colonel Fonnereau's affairs. The agent to whom he had delegated authority to complete the sale of his West India property speculated with the purchase money, failed, and fled to Australia. A financial company, also, in which the colonel held a serious stake, became involved in a manner to entail very heavy losses upon the shareholders. Colonel Fonnereau found it necessary to raise a large sum of money, larger, in fact, than he had securities to cover, and soon his altered manner, and the gloomy lines in his heretofore kind and pleasant face, bore sad testimony to his increasing anxieties.

It was in these darker days that the genuine kindness of Mrs. Magniac shone most conspicuously forth. With the deepening trouble her attachment to father and daughter only increased. Geraldine, despite herself, could not but be grateful for a sympathy so manifestly disinterested, and for the comfort it afforded her father.

The latter soon began to revive. His letters seemed to give him more satisfaction. His smiles came back. He openly announced that a great load had been removed from his mind, and matters resumed pretty much their usual course, except that Mrs. Magniac—her consoling presence being no longer required—discontinued her visits, and now seldom or ever quitted Mon Port. The confidence between Geraldine and her father, which had been a little chilled, seemed fully re-established, and all was going merrily, when, one morning, a strange piece of news arrived.

A vulgar process, known as an "execution," had been put into Mon Port! The bewitching tenant was ruined!

This was no moment to desert the lonely woman. The colonel mounted his horse, and never drew rein till he reached Mon Port.

He was absent the whole of the day.

When he did return, his haggard look and disturbed demeanour struck Geraldine with terror.

"Papa, papa! what has happened?" she exclaimed, as she fell upon his neck, in tears.

Her father assured her, affectionately, that she should at once know all (that sinister "all," preface to so many a tale of imprudence and of sorrow), and, placing her by his side, commenced the painful story.

From this Geraldine learned that the recent improvement in her father's affairs had been due to the generosity of Mrs. Magniac, who had, in her seductive manner, pressed upon her embarrassed neighbour the use of a very large sum of money, of which, she positively assured him, she had no present need. It was a little fraud of that description popularly styled "pious." She had herself borrowed the money! The fears of her creditors had become excited. Advantage had been taken of some informality, and she was called upon to refund the money. In doing so she had been reduced to the condition of her own cherished poor.

At this point the colonel paused. His colour brightened. He glanced at his child in a tender, troubled way. It was clear that the "all" was not yet told; and Geraldine knew instinctively that the worst was to come. The colonel's lip quivered, but he dashed at it like a man. Why had Mrs. Magniac done this? "Why?" Her agitation had betrayed the secret she would have given worlds to conceal. She loved him!

There was no need of other words—no need of her father adding that he was in no position to return the loan—that, whatever might be his own secret feeling, there was but one mode of reparation at his command. Their home must become hers—its master also and his darling must forgive him. Yes, the Woman of the Sea had won!

The colonel's darling did forgive him. More than that. With all the fervour of her brave young heart she strove to reconcile herself to the change, and to love—if she could—the being she had hitherto detested.