The Young Duchess; or, Memoirs of a Lady of Quality — page 251: what you’re looking at

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

ee Ere are atlanta. Sn. THE YOUNG DUCHESS ; OR, MEMOIRS OF A LADY OF QUALITY. young lady, “that I would set’my milliners to work day and night until they accomplished the task. Such beautiful. things as they just now sent me home! But when did you return, Ethel ?” | ‘“* About an hour and a-half ago.” “Tf I had known that you were going into London, we would have had the carriage and I would have gone with you,” pursued Mildred, who now chose to be very affable to Ethel, as well as loving towards her mother. “You have not told us yet, Ethel,” said Lady Langport, “what you have done ?—for you know, my dear girl, that I am most anxious on your account . “I think—yes, I think,” said Ethel, “ that I shall take my leave of you to-morrow. Indeed, I am almost sure.” “Ah!” said Mildred; “I wish you all happi- ness !” and she could scarcely conceal the delight she experienced at thus finding that one whom she regarded as a foe, was about to retire from the scene. ; “May I hope,” said Lady Langport,—“ may I hope, Ethel,” she repeated, hesitatingly and tremu- lously, “that the change you are about to make is one that promises well—satisfactorily—for— you———” She could say no more: her voice was choked in a sob which she could not possibly repress. ‘Perhaps Ethel would rather not be questioned at present,” said Mildred, who saw that the sub- ject was a sore one for her mother. ' Fortunately the matter was cut short by the entrance of the footman, to announce that dinner was served; and the three descended to the dining-room. But little was said during the re- past. Lady Langport was visibly in low spirits ; Ethel was thoughtful on many things; and Mil- dred was afraid of appearing too gay, lest she should unmask herself to her mother and betray all the heartless hypocrisy of her conduct in respect to Ethel. Dinner was over— dessert was disposed of—and the ladies had ascended to the drawing-room to partake of coffee, when a vehicle of some kind drove up to the front of Hendon Court. In two or three minutes the footman entcred the drawing- room, and addressing his mistress, said, ‘If you please, my lady, # gentleman has called and begs a moment’s conversetion.” “Did you ask him to walk up?” inquired Lady Langport. The footman replied in the affrmative,—adding, “But the gentleman declined, as he said that he should not detain your ladyship more than a few moments. I showed him into the breakfast parlour.” | “ But his card? his name?” said the mistress of the house. ‘¢He said it was useless to give his name, as he was personally unacquainted with your ladyship.” “ He is a stranger, then ?” ‘‘And looks like a foreigner, my lady. He wears a moustache——” Ethel started—for the idea of Count Mandeville struck her ; and she also perceived that the same thought occurred to Mildred. “'Yes—a light moustache; and heis very tall,” continued the fooptman, ‘He came in a London cab, He speaks quite like a foreigner,” 237 “Go, dear Ethel,” said Lady Langport, ‘ and see who this gentleman is. I do not feel well enough. SBesides,”—and she glanced at her toilet as if she felt that she was not in fitting evening costume to receive a visitor. . ‘Oh, I will go,” said Mildred. ‘It is my place, dear sister :” and she spoke the word em~ phatically because the footman was in the room. Mildred accordingly quitted the apartment, and descended the stairs, preparing herself with a dig- nified carriage of the head and a coquettish bear- ing of her fan to make an immediate impression upon the stranger, whoever he might be. The footman threw open the breakfast-parlour door : the visitor was examining a beautiful oil painting which hung at the further extremity, and thus his back was towards Mildred as she entered. The door was closed behind her by the footman; and as she advanced, the rustling of her dress made the stranger turn round. But how sudden was the start that he gave!— and how simultaneous was the galvanic effect pro- duced upon her whose eyes met his own! ‘¢ Mildred!” he exclaimed: and then he stood gazing upon her with an expression of counte- nance not easy to be described. As for Mildred, no sound escaped her lips; but she staggered towards a chair, on which she sank down, overcome with terror, shame, and other feelings: for he who stood before her was none other than the man who had once loved her so tenderly and devotedly—the father of her child Roxana—the husband from whom she had been long ago divorced—the Imperial Grand Duke! ——a CHAPTER XLVII. THE GRAND DUKE AND MILDRED. We will pause to explain how it happened that the Russian Grand Duke came to visit Hendon Court. In the first place he had been struck by the comparative readiness with which Count Olonetz had assented to the wish of the Princess that Ethel Trevor should become her companion ; because, in the first instance when the matter was suggested and the Grand Duke had with his own lips proposed it to Ethel, Olonetz had thrown cold water upon it. But still further in contrast with his former behaviour on the subject, Olonetz had now appeared to be zealous in hastening the negotiation to a conclusion, by sending for Ethel, instituting inquiries concerning her, ascer- taining her accomplishments, and learning enough about her to be enabled to recommend her with confidence —and all this within the spaceof a very . few hours! The Grand Duke knew full well that Count Olonetz was one of the most wily politicians and crafty diplomatists in a sphere where all policy was astute .and’ all diplomacy of the keenest intenseness; and he could not help thinking that the Count must be swayed in his present conduct by some ulterior motive apart from the mere desire to afford pleasure to the oung Princess, And then again, the Grand Duke knew not how it was that Ethel had in the first instance visited the Russian Embassy, nor for what she had been brpyght thither on that day when sho was first introduced to Roxana, yp en a RI COMO YN Wn) Colin