Rensselaer Journal, Volume 11, Number 5, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 July 1901 — The Heiress of Northwood [ARTICLE]

The Heiress of Northwood

/ r T EMIMAANNE HAYWARD! I Great Caesar! What a Pi name!” “Now, Frank, I will have Bone of your confounded nonsense. I suppose you want your wife to be a Daisy, or a Primrose, or a Lily—a pretty wax doll, with flaxen curls and blue eyes, like the heroine of a penny novelette.” And Colonel Beresford smiled sarcastically as his eyes rested on the handsome face of bis son. “You are very much mistaken, father,” replied the young man, as he turned from the window from which be had been gazing with admiration on the fair scene which even winter could not succeed in robbing of its charm. “I assure you I have no such Ideal as you describe. But don’t you admit that it is most unreasonable to have my future wife chosen for me without either consulting my wishes or those of the lady herself? You know We have never seen each other.” “Fiddlesticks!” growled the colonel, •that’s all sentimental rubbish. Remember that Oakfield Park Is heavily mortgaged, and we shall be beggars If you throw away the chance of this brilliant marriage for the sake of your ridiculous sentiment. Why, there are hundreds of fellows In your position who would envy you the prospect of marrying the heiress of Northwood (Manor. “Besides,” he added, in a more conciliating tone, “you will have plenty of opportunity of seeing her. Lady iWestborough, her chaperon, has invited you to spend some time at Northwood for the purpose of making the young lady’s acquaintance. Her ccmlpg of age will be celebrated in about a month, and your engagement will have to be announced at the ball which Will be given on that occasion. Before Sir Philip’s death he made all these arrangements, although his daughter was then only six or seven years old. The poor fellow had once been under a great obligation to me, and he thought this was the best method of repaying it” “I wish he had chosen some other way of showing his gratitude. However, I have no objection to becoming acquainted with the heiress, but no power on earth will compel me to marry her!” and a loud bang of the library door prevented all farther remonstrance from the colonel.

I Three weeks later. ' The soft strains of the Intermezzo to “Cavallerla Rustlcana” were resounding through the richly furnished draw-ing-room of Northwood Manor, and as the last chord of Mascagni’s beautiful composition subsided the musician rose from her seat and was about to leave the room. “Play that again. Miss Granville. Please do,” pleaded a young man, laying aside the book In which he had tried In vain to feel interested, and advances toward the piano. “That seems to be a particular favorite of yours, Mr. Beresford, but I’m afraid I cannot wait to play It over again—Lady WestboroUgh will be wondering what has become of me. You must remember,” she said, ns she turned to collect some scattered pieces of music, "you must remember that I am a dependent In this house. I am only Miss Hayward’s companion. Consequently, I cannot afford to spend all my spare moments at the piano, however much I should like It.” “I can’t bear to bear you talk In that way,” he exclaimed passionately. "Oh, I am not making any complaint,” she replied quickly, pretending not to notice the unmistakable tenderness in his tone. “I am treated very well—almost like one of the family, and lam quite content. But, Indeed, I must go now and look after Miss Hayward. She Is laid up with a bad headache, and ” “Oh, bother Miss Hayward!” he muttered Impatiently. “Why are you s’.ways reminding mo of her existence?” “You ought not to speak so disrespectfully of your future wife,” and there was the faintest suspicion of raillery In her voice. “My future wife,” he echoed. “She Is not my future wife. I will never marry the heiress of Northwood.” The corners of the girl’s mouth

twitched slightly, and there was a mischievous sparkle in her dark eyes. “Yon are very foolish,” she said, “to allow a silly prejudice to spoil your prospects in life—great heiresses are not to be met with every day. Of course 'Jemima Anne’ is not exactly a pretty name, but that is no fault of hers. After all ” “But it’s not her name—lt’s herself,” he interrupted, irritably. “I never met any one I disliked so much.” “Oh!” she exclaimed, “I thought It was only her name you objected to,” and she carelessly plucked off the petals of a flower which was fastened at her belt. “But, Miss Granville—Violet," and he pressed the hand which rested on the piano, t “surely you know—you must know that I love you.” “Hush! You forget who I am. Don’t be so foolish as to dream of marrying a penniless girl. Remember Miss Hayward will be of age to-morrow, and she will then have complete control over an Immense fortune—a fortune which will be more than sufficient to enable you to fulfill your loftiest ambitions.” “Violet, darling, I beg of you not to mention her name to me again. It is quite Impossible that she could-ever, be my wife. What do I care for her wealth or her possessions? One word from you would make me a thousand times happier than all the riches in the world.” “Don’t make rash promises, you silly boy. Of course you will marry Miss Hayward, and I shnll be one of the first to congratulate you on your engagement” “If you care so very little,” he said, bitterly, “at least do not mock my feelings. I assure you I cannot marry Miss Hayward, and I Intend writing to my father this very evening to acquaint him of the fact.” “Promise me,” she said, earnestly, “that you will not write to Colonel Beresford for two or three days more.” “Of course, since you wish It, I cannot refuse, but do not Imagine for one single moment that there Is the slightest chance I shall ever change my mind.”

Frank Beresford was seated before his bedroom fire, gazing vacantly Into the bright flames, and Indulging in the bitterest and most gloomy thoughts. He was to leave Northwood Manor the next morning, but where to turn his steps he knew not. He dare not go back to Oakfield Park and meet his father, whose dearest hopes he had so keenly disappointed by refusing to marry the heiress; and yet—oh! bitterest thought of all!—the woman for whose sake he was willing to sacrifice everything treated him with cold indifference. The young man’s serious reflections were suddenly interrupted by a knock at the bedroom door, and the butler announced that Miss Hayward wished to speak to him for a few minutes In the library. By no means relishing the Idea of a tete-a-tete with the mistress of Northwood in his present frame of mind, he slowly made his way downstairs. When he opened the library door a radiant figure, sparkling with diamonds, advanced to meet him. “Violet, dearest,” he exclaimed, Impulsively, “this Is Indeed a pleasant surprise. I expected to see Miss Hayward here, but I suppose there was some mistake.” “There was no mistake,” she replied, and there was an amused look In her beautiful dark eyes. “I am the woman whom you so often declared you hated, whose very name was the subject of your ridicule, and whose hand and fortune you spurned with contempt—in one word, I am Jemima—Anne— Hayward,” and she pronounced each syllable slowly and distinctly. “What? Yon?” he exclaimed Incredulously. “Then, wl)6 Is the lady whom I have always believed to be the heiress?” i “She Is my companion, Violet Granville—we simply exchanged places. Forgive the deception, Frank—lt wad only a little trick of mine. You see”— and there was a ring of triumph In her voice—“l was determined that my husband should love me for myself, and not for my money.” “Darling, can it be really true?” and he drew her tenderly toward him, “Did I not tell you that I should be the first to congratulate you on your engagement to Miss Hayward?” and she laughed gaily. “Yeu little minx! Who would Imagine yon could ever deceive me so cruelly! But you must let me call you Violet. It has become so familiar now that I could scarcely change It" “Oh, you may call me anything you like,” she answered, her face beaming with love and happiness, “for after all, dearest what’s In a name?”— Woman’s Life.