Ellen Percy; or, The Memoirs of an Actress — page 387: what you’re looking at

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

374 CHAPTER LXIV. 3 FELICIA, In the morning of the second day from the inci- dents which I have just been relating, I received two letters. The first was from Beda,—informing me that Dame Betty was not at the cottage in the neighbourhood of Birmingham—that for the pre- sent she had succeeded in obtaining no clue rela- tive to her whereabouts—but that she had put matters in such a train that in the course of a day or two she hoped to receive the intelligence which was required. The other letter was from my friend Juliet; and its contents ran as follow :— River House, Dover, “ March 24th, 1842. “My dearest Ellen,—Having written to you so very lately, I do not know that I should have so soon taken up my pen again for the purpose of addressing you, had I not to communicate a piece of information which I am confident will give you pleasure. Frederick has every chance of being reconciled to his parents and his elder brother. Some wzmnknown friend is at work: but who i€ is he cannot possibly surmise—and I of course am as completely unable to assist him with a con- jecture. Indeed, the whole affair is involved in a strange mystery—and all the more strange, be- cause inasmuch as mysteries are for the most part ominous, this one seems to be very pro- pitious. I will tell you what has happened; and you will see how singular buf yet how promising the occurrence appears to be. “This morning’s post brought Frederick a letter, with the handwriting of which he is com- pletely unacquainted. This letter was signed ‘ AN UNKNOWN FRIEND.” The hand is a masculine one: the style of the letter is frank, honest, and evidently the language of a gentleman. It states that the writer has viewed with regret the aliena- tion of Frederick from his family simply on the ground that he has contracted an alliance accord- ing to the dictates of his own heart and to the exclusion of those selfish considerations which too often govern matrimonial unions. The writer de- clares himself to be an old friend of the family, and to possess influence with the Earl and Coun- tess of Carshalton, as well as with Viscount Ravenscliffe, Frederick’s elder brother. He says that he has been working in Frederick’s interest, and that nothing would afford him greater plea- sure than to be enabled to bring about a recon. ciliation. He thinks that the time has come when this is to be accomplished: but he insists that Frederick shall in all things follow his counsel to the very letter. Should Frederick refuse to be thus docile and obedient—or should he by his own headstrong obstinacy mar the scheme which is set afoot for his benefit—his unknown friend, the writer of the letter, would be desirous to remain still unknown ; because, in such an eventuality, he would incur the risk of losing many friendships which he values amongst the member's of Hrede- rick’s family, He therefore desires that Frederick will go up to London to-morrow; and at a given hour in the evening he is to be at King’s Cross in a OC I A A SE I Sg ol Se ae OS A a ELLEN PERCY; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF AN ACTRESS. a a tern “I have now given you an outline, dearest Ellen, of the contents of this strange letter, Can it be all a scandalous and disgraceful trick? We do not think so. Who would play such a trick? Lord Frederick’s friends and acquaintances gene. rally, he assures me, are not men who would eon. descend to a jest so stupid or an illusion so cruel. Besides, if is so little known where he is res siding that it can really be only some one who is within the circle of his father’s acquaintance that could have written such a letter. We therefore regard it alike with seriousness and with hope. At all events we both feel that no very great harm can arise from Frederick putting the matter to the test; and he will accordingly repair to London to-morrow. If he should arrive in time, he will do himself the pleasure of calling upon you and our dear friend Mary. But it is scarcely probable that you will see him until the following day— when he will be enabled to report to you the issue of his appointment, whether real or fictitious, at King’s Cross, I candidly confess that for my part I have every hope; and in this feeling Frederick shares. I pray to God that it may be realized !— for you know how well Frederick has behaved to me since our marriage, and how he has sought to obliterate from my mind the impression of all his former misdeeds, ° “TI received yesterday a letter from my dear father, who is still at the cottage where he has secluded himself in the neighbourhood of Brussels, He assures me that his health is excellent and that his spirits are improving: he adds that in a week or two he intends to procéed into Germany; and hig present intention is to return to England in the middle of thesummoer. He says that hé shall again write to you shortly; and in the meantime he desires me to convey everything kind on his behalf alike to yourself and our dear Mary. Believe me to remain, my beloved friend, “ Your’s ever affectionately, “ JULIET RAVENSCLIFFE.” “Then it is to-day that Lord Frederick comes to London,” I said to myself when I had con- cluded the perusal of Juliet’s letter; “and it is this evening that he is to hold his mysterious ap- pointment at King’s Cross—unless indeed it be all a trick and a delusion !” I must confess that the description of the letter signed by an unknown friend struck me as being most singular—indeed even suspicious, It was natural enough that Lord and Lady Frederick Ravenscliffe, anxious fo obtain the recognition by the Carshalton family of their marriage, should clutch with avidity at the first straw of hope which might seem to float towards them. But I was enabled to survey the matter somewhat more dis- passionately; and I was not therefore so sanguine on their behalf as they themselves were. Fora moment my thoughts settled upon Melissa Havrri- son as the authoress of the trick, if a trick if really were ; because I knew how passionately Melissa had at one time loved Lord Frederick, and she might not have forgiven him for having abandoned her when the explosion in respec to the Marquis of Tynedale’s cheque took place. Nevertheless, after a little reflection, I banished that idea: for I felt tolerably well assured that the New Road. There he will learn more. Melissa was of a different disposition. Profligate ~~ ee — —— eee <SnGOimM CORNICLOOO