The Young Duchess; or, Memoirs of a Lady of Quality — page 258: what you’re looking at

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

ne nen em \ ' ing from all allusion to that very topic. 244 cen er ory —_— Ictter was indeed penned in the warmest and the most grateful strain. It contained a bank-note for five hundred pounds, which her ladyship en- treated Ethel to accept, declaring that naught could possibly afflict her more than to find that this little tribute of affectionate friendship was re- jected. There was a postscript, wherein Lady Langport assured Ethel of her conviction that Mildred entertained a sincere friendship towards her—that she (Mildred) deeply regretted any un- kind words which might have escaped her lips— and that nothing would afford Lady Langport greater pleasure than to know that Mildred re- ceived Ethel’s sincere forgiveness and that they parted good friends. At first Ethel was overwhelmed by the affec- tionate tone of the letter and by the munificence of the gift which it conveyed: but as the first impression began gradually to pass away, the idea stole into her mind that Mildred had exercised some voice in dictating the letter and in suggest- ing the pecuniary testimonial. This thought wao a painful one; and the generous-minded young lady endeavoured to repel it—but she could not. Then, how should she act? Her good sense told her that her services for barely three weeks at Hendon Court could not be estimated at a tithe of the sum thus presented to her:—but on the other hand might she not regard it as the offering of pure friendship and gratitude on the part of Lady Langport? must it in any sense be consi- dered as a bribe for the maintenance of the tre- mendous secret which was in’her possession in respect to her ladyship? was it likewise to be looked upon as a sop thrown out to appease her for being compelled to make room for Mildred be- neath that roof? Ethel felt pained while asking herself these questions. To be brief, however, she determined upon putting the best construction on the whole proceeding, and ascribing the gift to the kindest and purest feelings on Lady Langport’s part. We should observe that one circumstance struck her as peculiar; and this was that Lady Langport did not ask in the letter to what new home Ethel was about to remove—nor had Mil- dred at the breakfast-table exhibited any curiosity on the point. But then it struck Ethel that inas- much as she herself had volunteered no explana- tion thereon, the mother and daughter had been restrained by mingled feelings of delicacy and pride from interrogating her on a topic which she seemed resolved to envelope in silence. ‘ She penned a billet of affectionate gratitude to Lady Langport, but as a matter of course ae er preparations for departure were now all made: she took leave of the domestics, with whom she left proofs of her generosity; and the moment came for her to bid farewell to Mildred. We will not pause to chronicle all that Mildred said—nor how she overwhelmed Ethel with assurances of ever- lasting friendship, and with oft repeated hopes that no offence nor provocation on her part would be thenceforth remembered. On this point Ethel replied with a generous fervour; and she issued forth from Hendon Court, followed by the nurse- maid bearing little Alfred in her arms, and by a man-servant carrying her boxes. ‘‘Up to the very last,” she thought to herself, .“*no question has been put to me with regard to my new destination. ‘ihe carriage was offéred, THE YOUNG DUCITESS; OR, MEMOIRS OF A LADY OF QUALITY. and no comment was made when I declined it. The very mode in which I am leaving the placa ought to excite some suspicion that it is with a certain degree of mystery, if not with ac- tual stealthiness, I am removing to my new home!” The end of the lane was reached: and in a few minutes the omnibus made its appearance. Ethel received the child from the hands of the nursemaid, who was not to accompany her; and she proceeded into London. From the point where the omnibus stopped, a cab bore her to the mansion in Grosvenor Square; and there she was at once introduced to the suite of apartments oc- cupied by the Princess Roxana. How joyous were the greetings which Ethel received !—with what ingenuous enthusiasm did the amiable young Princess welcome her anxiously expected friend!—and with what a gush oi girlish delight did she take little Alfred in her arms and kiss and fondle him as lovingly as if it were the child of some near and ‘dear relative whom she was thus for the first time embracing! And with what promptitude had all the prepara- tions for Ethel’s reception been made! The services of an English nursemaid were already secured for little Alfred; and they were to occupy a chamber contiguous to Ethel’s, so that she might exercise the completest supervision in respect to the care bestowed on her offspring. Her own chamber was in the immediate vicinage of the Princess Roxana’s; and a lady’s-maid was ap- pointed to attend upon her. When the Princess and Ethel found themselves alone together—little Alfred having been borne away by his new nurse—the artless Russian girl threw her arms again and again round Ethel’s neck, embracing her fondly. ‘Then she produced her portfolio of drawings—and they looked over them together; and they took their turns at the piano and the harp; and then Roxana led Ethel to inspect her suite of apartments. At length the Princess approached a topic upon which she was evidently desirous to enter, but the thought of which caused a shade to come over her beautiful countenance. ‘My dear Ethel,” she said, ‘‘ you must answer me one question ?” ‘‘ Speak, dear Princess. would ask me?” ‘“‘The other day,” continued Roxana, “ you re- member we were talking of my poor deceased mother—I told you that I would show you her portrait and then the instant you glanced at it you ejaculated the name of Mildred in so sin- gular a manner that it really struck me as if there were a meaning attached to the incident ——some deep significancy ? ‘““My dear Princess,” interrupted Ethel, “had you not previously informed me that your mother’s name was Mildreda or Mildred ?” “To be sure! But still,” continued the beau- tiful Roxana, fixing her soft limpid blue eyes earnestly upon Ethel,— but still it struck me as if you ejaculated the name with the vehemence of a sudden recognition——~” ‘‘Remember, dear Princess, that at the very instant of which you are speaking the door opened and the appearance of your father threw all your ideas into confusion.” “Yes,” said Roxana; ‘and therefore, when What is it that you YN Wn) COMO Colin