NEVER FORGOTTEN.

PART THE FIRST.
CHAPTER XXX. FERMOR TRIED.

NEXT day, Captain Fermor went to the
Manuels' house. It was one of his moody days.
As he walked along there was bitterness,
disappointment, hostility, all yeasting and frothing
within him. He stalked in with majesty, and
found Pauline and her brother; Violet was
lying down with a headache.

"Headache?" said Fermor, looking round
from one to the other, "this seems to be about
the chronic state of things. Violet turns out to
be regularly delicate."

"She is delicate," said the young man, looking
at him with a dull hostility. "She requires
care and tenderness."

Fermor never relished the tone of this man to
him; and only that he thought quarrelling with
a connexion or relative indecent to a degree,
would have given him "a bit of his mind."

Pauline, always in alarm when such elements
as tinder and powder were approaching each
other, said, nervously, "Louis, dear, here are
the letters—would you?"

He took them, and went his way.

Fermor then said, "I suppose I am not to see
her. When will she be convalescent?"

"O, she will see you, of course. I am sure
she is better. We had Sir Hopkins here."

"I know," said Fermor, bitterly. "I have
had all the details. We are in rare good luck,
it seems. We are never destined to set the
Thames, much less any little river even, on
fire."

Pauline looked at him with a look that he
took for hostility. "I did not expect her to
please your relation," she said. "He has been
trained among clever women, and thinks—"

"You misapprehend," said Fermor, calmly.
"The same idea occurred to others—to men
who have travelled, and seen life, and—"

"Ah!" said Pauline, "I see—your Major
Carter. I was afraid so. And do you listen to
him, consult him about that poor child? O,
Captain Fermor," she said, suddenly losing her
scornful manner, and becoming very earnest and
imploring, "you will not see her with his cold
eyes. She would wither under them. I dread
him. I have an instinct about him. I would
not trust a word that he would say. I am as
convinced, as that I am standing here, there is
something not right about that Major Carter."

This was a long speech for Pauline, but she
went on more excitedly still.

"So you take your inspiration from him? No
wonder that poor gentle child should wither
away before it like a blast. Of course she is not
of his pattern. He is clever, and skilful, and
wicked, I am sure: you would be like a child in
his hands, if he got an influence over you."

Deeply wounded by this supposition, Fermor
coloured, and answered her with a voice that
trembled.

"You are complimentary. I suppose I am a
very weak person—as you say, most people can
deal with me like a child." His words then
became steeped in polite senna. "I suspect
you are singular in your views. You will
forgive me if I remind you that you live very
quietly, and very retired, and do not come in
contact with the world as we do. Most people
here accept him, and I accept him."

At this moment Violet entered, her cheeks
flushed, her hair a little rumpled. She ran up to
Fermor—then shrank away and stopped short, as
if expecting correction.

He felt his strength and moral power in presence
of the two sisters. He saw this helpless
child fluttering to his protection. He became
softened and subdued. He asked how she was
in a tender key of interest. Her face beamed.
He told her she must take care of herself, and
chided her affectionately. Sisterly eyes beamed
on him with delight. Sisterly eyes were presently
up-stairs in their own room.

Violet told him of Sir Hopkins, and how she
had lost all courage to speak, and how she had
been so dull and stupid.

"But why lose courage?" said Fermor, suddenly
growing hard as he thought of this relation.
"There is no visible danger. People do
not carry fire-arms into drawing-rooms. You
should try and train yourself to get over that.
Even already, Violet, I am sorry to tell you, you
have not succeeded in impressing favourably two
persons whom it is all-important you should
have impressed."

Her face showed such distress and utter
blankness at this intelligence, that he almost
repented of having told her.

"It may be repaired," he said. "But you
must try and make an exertion. It is my duty