Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 336: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

$28 AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASUBE, “Not for a single instant, my dear Miss Eve- lyn,” exclaimed Winifred, “could I deem you eapable of subterfuge or duplicity. But in respect to the Hon. Mr. Hardress I can positively inform you that he is not at this moment in London: for when thinking of all these matters yesterday, I took up a newspaper at Mr. Wardour’s office, my eye glanced at the name of Hardress—and I then read amongst the Fashionable Intelligence that he had set out with two or three young noblemen on an excursion to Paris; while the same paragraph stated that the Hon. Mrs. Hardress remained at her beautiful villa-residence at Bayswater.” “You are therefore sure, Winifred,” said Agnes, “that the Hon, Hector Hardress is not in Lon- don ?” “If the newspaper paragraph can be relied upon,” rejoined Winifred; “and I feel confident that it is correct.” “Then in that case,” said Miss Evelyn, “I will at once proceed to Bayswater and see Cicely on this important subject. Have you a description of the deed to which such special reference is made ?” “Yes,” answered Winifred: “ here are the par- ticulars:”—-and she produced a slip of paper which she handed to Agnes. A cab was sent for: Agnes took Winifred as far as the New Road: there they separated—and our heroine proceeded to Bayswater. CHAPTER LV. THE DEED. It was between one and two o’clock in the after- noon—and Cicely was lounging in a voluptuous easy chair, in an elegantly furnished apartment at the villa at Bayswater. She was partaking of breakfast, for she had been up all night at a brilliant entertainment given by her husband’s parents Lord and Lady Mendlesham, whose coun- tenance she had continued to enjoy ever since she had extorted this concession as a reward for saving the honour of her sister-in-law the Hon. Josephine Hardress. Cicely, having been in bed for some hours after returning from the entertainment, had at length risen; and she now looked not as if she had been dissipating, so to speak, for the greater portion of the night: there was a healthy freshness in her appearance—a bloom upon the skin,—which set off her beautiful complexien with the most bril- liant effect. The reader will scarcely require to be reminded that she was tall and good-looking, without being absolutely beautiful or handsome. She was robustly formed, with full rich contours, voluptuously luxuriant, and yet not bordering upon embonpoint. Her large blue eyes denoted a certain soft sensuousness, but sufficiently refined to be mistaken for a sentimental pensiveness. Her lips were very full, and as pouting as they could be without being absolutely coarse; and they were ever habitually held slightly apart, displaying a magnificent set of teeth. Her limbs were ad- mirably modelled—her arms robustly rounded— the feet and ankles of a perfect symmetry. She was now dressed in a morning negligée ; and as she lay half reclining in her easy chair—her fine form sustained by the floculent velvet cushions— one half-naked arm disclosed as she listlessly played with the luxuriant tresses of her light hair—there was an indescribable air of fascina- tion and voluptuousness about this lady; and it might even be said of her that she was quite capable of wielding over certain hearts a power and influence which many a woman of a more exquisite beauty would fail to exercise. We have already said that the room was ele- gantly furnished ; and it exhibited the prevalence of a perfect feminine taste. The statues holding wax tapers—the mantel-ornaments—the draperies —the china breakfast service—all testified to the same effect: while a beautiful little lapdog was no uninteresting addition to the entire scene. The Hon. Mrs. Hardress was thus lounging in her easy chair, when Miss Evelyn was announced, As the reader is aware, this was the first time that Agnes had ever called at the villa at Bayswater; and Cicely was therefore somewhat astonished on beholding her friend—for she cherished a real liking towards our amiable and beautiful heroine. It was therefore a kind welcome which Agnes ex- perienced ; and Cicely waited with some degree of interest and suspense until the object of this visit should be explained—though she was of course too polite to put the question. “IT am rejoiced to see you, my dear Agnes,” said Cicely. “I was thinking of you just now; and it is most probable that if you had not thus called upon me, I should have presented myself at Sidney Villa in the course of the afternoon, Have you heard, my dear friend, of your cousin Flo- ribel lately P” “TI have heard nothing more of her,” replied Agnes, with a saddened look and voice, “ since Mr. De Vere wrote about two months back—I read you that portion of his letter, you remember “4 “ Yes,” said Cicely; “in which Mr. De Vere in- formed you that Floribel had separated from Mr, Clifford—that she purposed to take another name —and dwell altogether on the Continent in some strict seclusion. Yes—it must be two months since the date of that letter! And that is the last intelligence you have received of your cousin Floribel ?” “The last,” rejoined Agnes. has heard nothing of her since.” ‘* And Mrs. Vere, whom I met one day at your house, and wno seemed to be a very nice lady,— has she gone out to 50% her son at Naples?” asked Cicely. “ Oh, yes,” teplied Agnes: “Mrs. De Vere left England about three weeks ago. I have since re- ceived a letter from her, notifying hes safe arrival at Naples. The letter came to Engand in the British Ambassadur’s bag; and hence the speed with which it has reached me. And now to speak of yourself for a moment, Cicely,—you are looking exceedingly well. But why so late at break- fast 7” “Because, my dear Agnes, I was up till half- past five o’clock this morning at a brilliant enter- tainment given by Lord and Lady Mendlesham. They were very much annoyed that Hardress would not wait for it; but he had made all his arrangements to go to Paris “4 “Yos,” said Agnes; “I learnt through the me~ “ Mr. De Vere __ Comilcbooks | |