A Countess from Canada eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 357 pages of information about A Countess from Canada.

A Countess from Canada eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 357 pages of information about A Countess from Canada.

He broke off suddenly, and, after a pause, Katherine ventured gently:  “Don’t you think it is the ‘buts’ which really make us live to some purpose?”

“At least they make a mighty difference in our outlook,” he admitted with a smile.  “The particular ‘but’ which stopped my medical studies, and drove me into the first situation where I could earn money was the death of my father, and the consequent cessation of the income which had been his allowance under his grandfather’s will.  We had been poor before; after that we were destitute.”

Katherine nodded sympathetically.  Her life had been hard, and there was plenty of rough work in it, but she had never been within seeing distance of destitution, and she had plenty of pity for those whose lives had been fuller of care than her own.

“I tried keeping near home first,” went on Jervis; “but it was of no use.  There was no room for me anywhere; the only thing I could get to do was a miserable clerkship at twelve shillings a week.  Just think of it!  Twelve shillings a week, and there were four of us to live!  I bore it for six months, and then I cleared out.  My next brother, who is four years younger, got work which brought in enough to buy his food, and I have managed to send home something to help to keep my mother and the youngest boy, who is still at school.”

“Perhaps the necessity to do your utmost has been very good for you,” Katherine ventured demurely.

“I think it has,” he answered with emphasis.  “At any rate, I don’t feel disposed to quarrel now with the destiny which has knocked me about the world, and brought me eventually to an anchorage like this.”

Katherine’s face flamed scarlet, to her intense mortification.  What would this man think of her, what must he think of her, if she changed colour at every word he said?

But Jervis did not appear to notice her confusion, for which she was devoutly thankful, and in a moment he went on talking:  “It is going to make a very great difference to me if Mr. Selincourt decides to spend money in developing this place.  The fisheries, properly worked, will yield a cent-per-cent interest on the outlay, and that is going to make a big difference to me, because I am not manager merely, but I have a share in the profits also.”

“A working partner,” suggested Katherine.

“Something of the kind,” he replied.  Then turning his head he saw that they were close to the Indian encampment, for long lines of fish were stretched in all directions, drying in the sun.

“The end of our journey,” he said lightly.  “Do you sit here in the boat and I will have my business finished in about ten minutes.”

Katherine’s gaze went to the treetops again, only now it was not trees and sky that she saw, but a rose-hued future of happiness stretching out before her.

CHAPTER XVIII

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Project Gutenberg
A Countess from Canada from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.