FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169  
170   171   172   173   174   175   176   177   178   179   180   181   182   183   184   185   186   187   188   189   190   191   192   193   194   >>   >|  
uneasiness. And, oh! Miss Dacre! if I might say one word!' She did not stop him. 'If,' continued he, 'it be your wish that the outrage of to-night should be known only to myself and him, I pledge my word it shall be so; though willingly, if I were authorised, I would act a different part in this affair.' 'It is my wish.' She spoke in a low voice, with her eyes still upon the ground. 'And I thank you for this, and for all.' They had now joined the Shropshires; but it was now discovered Miss Dacre had no shawl: and sundry other articles were wanting, to the evident dismay of the Ladies Wrekin. They offered theirs, but their visitor refused, and would not allow the Duke to fetch her own. Off they drove; but when they had proceeded above half a mile, a continued shout on the road, which the fat coachman for a long time would not hear, stopped them, and up came the Duke of St. James, covered with dust, and panting like a racer, with Miss Dacre's shawl. CHAPTER XI. _Grim Preparations_ SO MUCH time was occupied by this adventure of the shawl, and by making requisite explanations to Mrs. Dallington Vere, that almost the whole of the guests had retired, when the Duke found himself again in the saloon. His brother-hosts, too, were off with various parties, to which they had attached themselves. He found the Fitz-pompeys and a few still lingering for their carriages, and Arundel Dacre and his fair admirer. His Grace had promised to return with Lady Afy, and was devising some scheme by which he might free himself from this, now not very suitable, engagement, when she claimed his arm. She was leaning on it, and talking to Lady Fitz-pompey, when Sir Lucius approached, and, with his usual tone, put a note into the Duke's hand, saying at the same time, 'This appears to belong to you. I shall go to town with Piggott;' and then he walked away. With the wife leaning on his arm, the young Duke had the pleasure of reading the following lines, written with the pencil of the husband:-- 'After what has just occurred, only one more meeting can take place between us, and the sooner that takes place the better for all parties. This is no time for etiquette. I shall be in Kensington Gardens, in the grove on the right side of the summer-house, at half-past six to-morrow morning, and shall doubtless find you there.' Sir Lucius was not out of sight when the Duke had finished reading his cartel. Making some confused ex
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169  
170   171   172   173   174   175   176   177   178   179   180   181   182   183   184   185   186   187   188   189   190   191   192   193   194   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
leaning
 

reading

 

continued

 

Lucius

 

parties

 
approached
 
appears
 

belong

 
scheme
 

admirer


promised

 

Arundel

 
carriages
 

pompeys

 
lingering
 

return

 
engagement
 
claimed
 

talking

 

suitable


devising

 

pompey

 

occurred

 

summer

 

Gardens

 

etiquette

 

Kensington

 

morrow

 

cartel

 

finished


Making

 
confused
 

morning

 

doubtless

 

sooner

 
pleasure
 

Piggott

 
walked
 

written

 
pencil

meeting
 

husband

 
discovered
 
Shropshires
 

sundry

 

articles

 
joined
 

ground

 
wanting
 

evident