A Heart's Bitterness — page 54: what you’re looking at

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

46 A HEART'S BITTERNESS. was taken to my uncle’s. I could hardly tell, then, which part of my sorrow was for loss of my grandmother, for she had always been very kind, only in that one thing, which I did not know, and which part was misery be- - cause you had forsaken me. I know it was a very dark, - gloomy year, and people said I mourned my grandmother very deeply. By and by I began to brighten. I had so many pleasant things and kind friends, and I determined never to think of you more. I brought all my pride up to disdain your desertion. I made up my mind never to marry, for since you were false, all men must be false.” «¢ Oh, if you had only adhered to that resolve till you saw me, all would have gone well!” groaned Kenneth Keith. ‘‘They urged me so,” said Violet, humbly. ‘‘ Uncle Henry complained of the care and responsibility of my for- tune, and Aunt Ainslie was always worrying about the care of guarding me, and about fortune-hunters, and hinting that I should make a proper marriage for the sake of the girls, and that I would be in their way when they came out. Finally they worried me into accepting Lord Leigh, after he had offered himself four or five times.” This recalled the honest-hearted Keith to a realization of their mutual relations. He said, witha start: ‘‘ Violet, it is done. Our lives have been settled for us; not as we would have them, but as we must bear them. I hope Lord Leigh will make you as happy as you deserve.” “‘T do not deserve anything but misery, since I was so hasty in distrust, and allowed myself to be talked into mar- riage. I did not know until I married how wild and wicked that was. But I shall not be happy. Lord Leigh does not love me. I found, only two hours after my marriage, that ‘ - only married me for my fortune, and loved some one else.” : | Lord Keith started. But the utter innocence and sim- plicity of Violet’s avowals roused all his manhood. The Tate of a woman whom he passionately loved was at stake. He must help her. “Violet,” he said, gently, ‘‘you may be misjudging Leigh as you misjudged me. You have, perhaps, been — trained to be suspicious. Do not make up your mind to be unhappy. No man could see you daily and not love you. — Leigh must love you. ‘Try, try and be happy, my dear. I speak as a friend.” (€(0) Eomicboo S)