A Heart's Bitterness — page 66: what you’re looking at

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

5S A HEART'S BITTERNESS. : ua snowy heath,.and heliotrope, and lilies of the valley, and tiny white rosebuds, all white, and fragrant, and fair as her own sweet self. It had come to her from Kenneth Keith. She trembled, and her heart beat fast, and her eyes filled with bitter-sweet tears as she looked at it. - She was dressed, and went into the drawing-room where Lord Leigh waited. | Kate followed her with a satin cloak lined with swans- - down. ‘“You look as a Countess of Leigh should look,” said Lord Leigh, surveying the enchanting figure with some pride. ‘*‘ But how white you are—not only your dress, but _ your face is as white as your bouquet.” ‘Lord Keith sent me my bouquet,” said Violet, trem-— bling. She was resolved that however Leigh might deceive her, z on her part she should be thoroughly open and clear. ‘““Did he? Good of him,” said Leigh, carelessly. *‘Didn’t know but you had offended him. Keith was al- ways fond of flowers; had his room in Oriel College cum- bered with a great stand of plants, and new bouquets every © aay.” _ He gave her his arm and they went down to the carriage, Violet wondering if she should see Keith at the ball. Yes, he was there. He came to them soon after they en- tered the room; and while a buzz of compliment, a fire of admiring glances followed the charming bride of Leigh, there leaped from Kenneth’s eyes one flash of adoring ad- ~ -miration that meant more than all the rest. “Thank you for my bouquet,” said Violet, as he came up. | ““T am glad if you like it. May I ask a dance—two?” «The first belongs to Lord Leigh,” said Violet, timidly. ‘‘ But they don’t all belong to me,” said Leigh, in the most matter-of-fact manner. ‘‘A man doesn’t expect to dance with his wife all the sets. Certainly, you have a dance for Keith, Violet. Put him down for two or three waltzes. He is a wonderful waltzer.” , Violet took out her tablet, and blindly followed her fate. But the heart of Keith said that if this pearl of women was his wife, he would be the man who would wish to dance with his wife all the sets, and would feel a cruel agony if he saw her whirled away in other arms. Did he not feel some of _ that agony as she danced with Leigh? “COMIGbOoOKs.co ". Pe Wa ~ ae