The Mysteries of London, Vol. IV — page 319: what you’re looking at

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Pee re ee ee 314 THER MYSTERIES OF LONDON, ee Ppacsing up her effects. She was much surprised ynen she heard Trevelvesi’s voice, and immediately apprehended that some misfortune was in storo for her—some evil tidings, perhaps, relative to Sir Gil- bert Heathcote, But scarcely had Agnes reached the threshold of the apartment, when—the moment Airs, Sefton turned to receive licr visitors—the young girl gave vent to an cjaculation of mingled astonishment and joy, and, bounding forward, was in the next in- stant clasped in that lady’s arms. “My dearest—dearest mother !” * Agnes—my beloved child !” These were the words which explained to I're- eolyan tie scene that he now witnessed, CHAPTER CLXXX. DRPLANATIONS, TRE reader need scarcely be informed that if Lord William were amazed at the discorcry of the rela- tionship subsisting between two ladies whom hie had hitherto deemed to bo perfect strangers to each other, Mrs. Sefton was not Iess astonished at having her daughter thus unexpectedly introduced into her presence and at such an unseasonablo hour, For a fow minutes, however, she lad no loisure for reflection,—joy at once more being enabled to strain that beloved child to her bosom triumphing over all other considerations. But when the first gush of feoling had somewhat subsided, a horrible suspicion entered her mind. Could Lord William have seduced Agnes awaj from the care of those friends to whom she was con- signed ?—could he hare entertained the vile and derogatory idea of using the villa as the receptacle for a young creature whom he intended to make his mistress ?—did he suppose that Mrs. Sefton would lend herself to such an atrocious proceeding ¢ —and had he unconsciously brought tho child to the house of the mother, thinking to mako a pander of tho latter to the dishonour of the former ? All these thoughts flashed with lightning rapidity to Mrs. Sefton’s mind, as, disengaging herself from the embraces of Agnes, she turned towards Lord William, and, with flashing eyes and quivering lips, peremptorily demanded an explanation of the cir- cumstances which had rendered him the companion of her daughter at such an hour. Trevelyan instantly divined what was passing in the lady’s bosom; and, porceiving at once the awk- wardness of his position and the grounds of her suspicions, he hastily gave such explanations as Were satisfactory to Mrs. Sefton, Agnes herself cor- roborating the main facts. ‘Pardon me, my dear friend,” said the now happy mother, taking Trevelyan’s hand and pressing it fer- rently in token of gratitude,—" pardon me if fora momentI entertained the most unjust and deroga- tory suspicions.” « Mention them not,madam,” exclainied Trevelyan warmly: “but let your daughter seck that repose which she must so deeply need—and I[ will then, as a man of honour, ezplain to you how [ becamo in- terested in her, and how it was that the Mrs. Mor- timer whose namo has already been mentioned hap- pened to bring her to my house.” A. slight smile—almost of archness—played npon the lips of Mrs. Sefton, as she turned towards Agnes,—a smile which seemed to intimate that she a ne car i AS already knew more than the young nobleman fancied, but was not vexed with him in consequence of the facts thus known to her. “ Come with me, dearest girl,” she said, address- ing her daughter, “and I will conduct you to a chamber where you may obtain a few hours’ repose. You need not bid farewell to his lordship; for I have no doubt he will honour us with his presence at breakfast—when you will sec him again.” Agnes blushed and cast down her eyes—she scarcely knew why—as these words met her ears ;— and again the arch smile played upon her mother's lips. Trevelyan observed that there was some mys- tery, though not of a disagrecable nature, in Mrs, Sefton’s manner; and in a moment—with galvanic swiftness—tho reminiscence of the tears upon the portrait and the lost letter flashed to his mind. The ladies disappeared, and Trevelyan threw him- self in 2 chair, to muse dpon the discovery which he had thus made, and which was well calculated to afford him pleasure, inasmuch as it was evident from Mrs, Sefton’s manner and the significant words she had uttered relative to tho meeting at the break- fast-table, that she was not inimical to his suit. In a few minutes sho returned to the room, “My dear madam,” said Trevelyan, rising and ad- vancing to meot her, “ you already know that I love your daughter Agnes—that I adore her?” “And you have already divined how the letter which you must have missed, came to be lost?” re- turned Mrs. Sefton, with a smile. ° : Ves, madam—and I Jikewise obsorved the trace of a tear upon the portrait which I painted from memory,” continued tho young nobleman. “Oh! then you can make allowance fer the feel- ings of a mother !” exclaimed Mrs. Sefton, with en- thusiasm: “and you will forgive mo that act of apparent ingratimmde—nay, of treachery—I mean the purloining of a document so sacred as a sealed letter—and at a2 moment, too, when I songht your aid, and you so generously afforded it ?” “Tt is for mo to implore your pardon as a mother for having dared to address such a letter to your daughter,” said Trevelyan, with somo degree of em barrassment. “Then let us accord mutual forgiveness,” ex- claimed tho lady, extending her hand, which was immediately pressed with the fervour of gratitude. “Tam well aware that my conduct in taking that letter was improper to a degree,” she continued, after a short pause: “ but pray consider all the clr- | cumstances.” ‘IT do—I do,” interrupted Trevelyan; “and yon | have nothing to explain. Oh! I am delighted atthe | discovery that the beautiful and much-loved Agnes | is your daughter—delighted also to think that, by ! the perusal of that letter, you have acquired the cer- | tainty of the ardent and honourable feelings which | animate me with regard to her.” | “And Agnes is deserving of your affection, my | lord,” said Mrs. Sefton: “I am convinced that she | is in heart and soul all she appears to beo—ingertd- ! ousness, amiability, candouf, and virtue !” «Oh! Lam well assured of the value of that jevrel | which, in due time, I shall implore you to bestow | upon me!” exclaimed the generous and impassioned young nobleman: “and I rejoico that you not only observed the letter in my apartment, but that you also took it; for it has——”’ ‘Tt has enabled me to discover my child, whom TY had fruitlessly sought for years, and whom I EConnicloooks (CO)