Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 162: what you’re looking at

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154 thence into Bridge Street, Blackfriars. Here he entered a large and well-known family hotel; and addressing himself to a waiter in the hall, he said, “I wish to see Mrs. Hardress.” “This way, if you please, sir:’’—and the do- mestic conducted the attorney up the staircase to a handsomely furnished sitting-room on the first floor. Cicely, who was alone in that room until Mr. Timperley thus made his appearance, started up from the sofa where she was seated ; and hastening to greet the old man, she exclaimed, “ My dear uncle, I am delighted to see you!” ‘““ And I, my dear Cicely, am very glad to see you,” responded the lawyer, as he shook her hand warmly. ‘ Well, you have done something good for yourself: but you have lost me, I fear, an ex- cellent client a “How so ?” ejaculated Cicely in astonishment. * Why, don’t say a word to your husband Hector — for it is more or less a secret — but I have been engaged to some little extent for his father Lord Mendlesham, for many years past.” “His father cannot yet know of our marriage,” observed Cicely. “Well, but he must hear of it soon,” rejoined Mr. Timperley ; ‘‘and he will be sure to think that I have intrigued to bring this marriage about. Bat no matter, my dear girl! You are the Hon. Mrs, Hardress to all intents and purposes—and you will some day be Lady Mendlesham. You have brought honour into the family, my dear—I am proud of you. Your aunt will receive you with open arms Bat when did you arrive from Scot- land P” “ Late last night,” answered Cicely,“ too late to call in Liveoln’s Inn Fields?” “ And your husband Mr. Hardress ?”’ said the lawyer ; “I have not as yet had the pleasure of his acquaintance.” “I purposely suggested a variety of commis- sions for him to. perform, and which will oc- cupy him for an hour or so—because I wished to see you alone in the first instance. He has gone out,” “ Ab, you sly puss, Cicely!” exclaimed the law- yer: “now at length it is all explained why you begged your aunt a little while back to let you have two or three hundred pounds. No won- der that you would not explain your object, but that you assured her the use of the money would be preatly beneficial to your interests! You were preparing this surprise for us; and I suppose that as Hector with bis extravagancies is never very flush | in a pecuniary sense, you had to bear all the ex- penses P” “You have not guessed very widely of the mark, my dear uncle,” answered Cicely, whom we must now call Mrs. Hardress. “ But how came you to know that I was in the court, waiting to hear the trial of that unhappy girl ?” asked Mr. Timperley. “Immediately after breakfast,” replied Cicely, “T sent the hotel-porter to Lincoln’s Inn Fields ; but he returned with the intelligence that you had gone to the Old Bailey to hear the trial. So then I penned that note 8 “Ah! and you say in it,” ejaculated Mr. Tim- perley, “ that it is highly important you should see me without delay. Pray be quick with your ex- ~~ en On ee ee Es AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE. planations, my dear Cicely,” continued the lawyer; - “for I am anxious to hear this trial. You are aware that the prisoner is the grand-daughter of my client Mr. Barrington, the poor old man who bas been for so many years in a debtors’ | prison.” tet “T shall not detain you long,” replied Cicely. * But how thiak you it will go with Winifred Bar- rington ?” * Ah! how can it go with her,” exclaimed Mr. Timperley, shaking his head in an ominous man- ner, “in the face of all the evidence which is ac- cumulated against her? But there is one very strange thing—I can’t at all make it out i “And what is that?” inquired Mrs. Hardress quickly. “Why, by some means or another a person has got upon the jury—an individual who csn scarcely have any right to be there—and what it means I cannot understand.” “Do you suppose that he is prejudiced against Winifred Barrington, or that he is farourable to her ?” asked Cicely. “ Well, there again I am puzzled,” rejoined the lawyer. ‘‘ He ought to be prejudiced—it is in the nature of things that he should be; and yet on the other hand, from certain information wzich I received about a month back 2 “ Well,” interrupted Cicely, “ you are in a burry to return to the court—and [I likewise hare plenty to do with my time; for I must hasten and pay my respects to my aunt in Lincoln’s Inn Fields.” “To be sure!” said Mr. Timperley. therefore for this business Fs “My dear uncle,” interrupted Mrs. Hardress, “ have the kindness to answer me a few questions. Your replies will constitute the best possible pre- face to the business which I have to introduce.” ~ * Proceed, my dear girl,” said the lawyer, who now began to think there was something pecu- liar in the tone and manner of his niece, as well as in the way in which she contemplated him. “Tn the first place, my dear uncle,” continued Cicely, “ as you have not any relative of your own, I presume that you regard myself as your wife’s nearest relative ¥ “To be sure! I understand you!” exclaimed Mr. Timperley : “I regard you as my own nearest relative. Was not your father the brother of my dear wife i “ Well then,” continued Cicely, “regarding me as your nearest relative, you of course intend to make me your heiress?” ; “ My dear girl, what a question !” ejaculated the lawyer. “ Do you know that it is highly im- proper . “TI only know that I want an answer to my query,” interrupted Mrs. Hardress. “ But I will suppose it already given, Well then, I am to con- sider myself your heiress. Now, you are im- mensely rich—and it will not hurt you to put me in immediate possession of a portion of the ample fortune which you intend to leaye me in your will.” Mr. Timperley started from his seat—angrily snatched up his hat—and said in a sharp auick manner, “If this is the important business, Mrs. Hardress, for which you have summoned me hither, I beg to decline discussing it with you. Indeed, I “ Now Gomichbooks ptt iii “omen tt. 20a ance: ete