The Mysteries of the Court of London Vol. 4 — page 188: what you’re looking at

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

| | = Ee) siete ° THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. | eals at Carlion Jiouses”—and heredier Royal High- ness Blrook her head ominously. This giurried and whispered colloquy occupied but little more than a minute, Quring which Lady Prescott remained standing atea distance of about four yards-from the garden-seat where the Princess was placed: and though she caught not a syllable of what was @ttered, she nevertheless waa at no Joss to understand that the observations thus covertly passing, concerned herself. Not however that she for a moment suspected her actual condition was descried: she had flattered herself that her preg- “ancy was imperceptible with the dress which she wore and the appliances of art she had put in requi- .tion to conceal her shame, But the keen eyes of 735 Prescott, whore conduct she naturally jerarded as a deliberate and wanton insolence towards Miss Owen. Lady Presegtt according!y banded the letter to the Princess and then hurried away, overwhelmed with confusion, and consoled only by the reflection that after having dared so much—and likewise en- dured so much—she had succeeded in placing Jocelyn’s despatch in the hands of her Royal Highness. The page, who was waiting at a dis- tance, hastened to conduct her out of the gargen: but ere she quitted tht grounds she threw a hasty lovk back, and beheld the Princess with the letter open in her,hands. “She is reading it—she is reading it !" said Lady Lee) mE t-wgyer es Agatha, who had passed through all that process of | Prescott to herse f: and in the joy now expe- ancealment and artifice, had not failed to detect the | rienced on account of the success of her mission ecret—-while Lady Prescott herself fancied that the xhispered discourse which was going on merely re- gurded the Ittle bit of scandal tnat had been coupled with her name in London at the time of her resig- nation of her situation at Court. But still, even this idea which had previously made her blush ere she revealed her name, now made her blush again as she observed those rapid whisperings which were passing amongst the group, and the piercing glances that were flung towards herself. “ May it please your Ruyal Highngss,” she said, recovering fier presence of mind, “I did not at once reveal my name for fear some prejudice might exist against i@ .But my mission wil) be , aecomplished it you permit me to hand this letter, which 1s addressed to yourself from your Royal llighness's august sister-in-law and cousin the Princess Sophia.” “TI think*you yould do well, Lady Prescott,” interrupted Agatha, “to withdraw. Her Royal Highness even wonders at your audacity in up- pearing before her in a condition, which, had you any feeling of decency, you would have been only too anxious to conceal.” A deadly pailor overapread the countenance of the unhappy Lady Prescott as the eldest Miss Owen tnus addressed her in words proving that her secret had indeed been penctrated, But with a desperate resolve to accomplish her iissivn, she drew forth a letter from her bosom—advanced towards the Princess—and said, “ Take st, ngdam —lL implore you to take it! Whatever I may be} my shame—my misfortune—canno? alter bor pre- judice the contents of this note; and you may judge of its inportance by the rigx of exposure which I have run in undertaking to be the bearer Of ix.” " “‘No—her Royal Highness cannot receive any- thing from your had,” said Ajratha, sternly. “Withdraw, mad:m—withdraw! Every momont thit you remain here is an additional insult to her Royal Highness.” “ Take care, Miss Owen,” retorted the ‘now en- raged—almost maddened Lady Prescott, ‘ that the time does not come when your presence shall alsu be regarded as an insalt |” “This = a sheer impertinence,” exclaimed Agatha, with the quickness of an hysterical ex- citement—and from head tu foot she trembled with a mortal terror, as if a thundcrbolt had fallen at her feet. e “Give me that letter and begone!” exclaimed the Princess, sternly addressing herself to Lady a en pc ef A ED OP (a she forgot for the moment the indignity, the hu- miiation, and the exposure through which she had just passed. . But let us return to the royal group. The moment the Princess Caroline had taken the letter in the manner already described from Lady Pres- cott, she tore it open; and the envelope she in her haste let full uponthe ground. Agatha stooped— picked it up—and appexred to fold it in an unpre- meditated, unwitting manner, while the Princess opened the letter whicu the envelope had eun- tained, It was the missive from the Princess Sophia, and ran as fullows :-— “St, Jumess Palace, London. “ December, 1514. CMY SranEsT CAROLINE, “T bez and entreat of you to see the bearer of this, who will explain to you what his object is In approaching yoa— what he has already suffered in the endeavour to seck you —and how it is that he is coinpelled to adopt extraordinary meang to obtuin access to your presence. He bears ine name of Jocelyn Loftus: buf that is not his real one. This he will reveal 1 vou, together with the reasens which have indyced him to alopt the assumed one. On no account be dissuaded frum seein,; him.e That attempts wild ba made so to dissuade you I am well aware hefore- hand: but 1 entreat you, for your own sake—for the sake of your deny daughcer Charlotte® who knows of the step which is being taken—-I entreat you, I say, not to lHeter to city representahons that may be made in order to prevent hun from ebtiuning access to yeu! Rest assured tt15 cf the highest importance! At all events see him—hear hlia— and then judge for yourself ‘i Ever your affectionate sister-in. law and eougin, 6 SORIA.” Over the shoulders of her Royal Highness did the sharp eyes of Emma and Julia peruse this letter, while they had all the appearance of standing in re- spactful attention behind her; so that not even Ber- gaini himaelf noticed that they were thus scanning their royal mistress’s correspondence. As for Aga- tba, who was standing by the Prineess, ske fad been engaged in folding up the envelope in an apparently listless manuer, but in reality with the utmost care to preserve I. “ Here is a singular letter!* exclaimed the Prin- cess, “ You may read it, my dear girl,” she added, handing it to Agatha: “and I must thank you, by the bye, for the manner in whieh you ere now vin- dicated no; only the respect due to me, but also the delicacy of our sex with regard to that Lady Pres- cott. Bui how could she have become the bearer of this letter, seeing that it speake of a Mr. Lofeas?. Moreover, it is dated in December; and this is 6 ae TE SOG A SARTO as bee Ea, “= _mmeanesonasrgpapeengrarnmnmenemamre goer tt TIO A ELT TDL TED ALTO A A EO AOC) ( OY <S CO