The Mysteries of the Court of London, Vol. 7 — page 35: what you’re looking at

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

a4 THR MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. H Ss 1 oe ss ot —— ere ee i ree ee ‘o- — a ine Sa oombbewnigs Deen, | ae Re a a TE SSE occasion at the mansion, before he observed his! Bailey,” quickly resumed his lordship, “vou can- brother's conduct towards the Duchess. At first : not possibly have failed to notice the extraordinary he himself was as much astonished as the rest: ;conduct of my brother Bertram towards tie for he had not the remotest suspicion of anything : Duchess—and I might add, her equally extraor- that had taken place between Bertram gnd Eliza dinary conduct towards him. I consult you as « when she was Miss Lacey at Oxford. Neither did relation of the Duchess—as her best and sincerest he conceive it possible that his brother loved the | friend; and if there is anything to be done to Duchess ; for if so, Clandon thought that Bertram , bridge the gulf which evidently separates my bro- would pursue quite a differen¢é course and would | ther from her Grace—if there be anything that seek to render himsclif as agreeable as possible. There was a mystery to be cleared up; and Hugh resolved to penetrate it. But how? He threw himself in Bertram’s way—walked out alone with him—turned the conversation on the Ducheas— and endeavoured to draw his brotherout. But not the slightest syllable of explanation was volun- teored. Lord Clandon accordingly saw that he must go upon some other tack. He watched! his brother's and Eliza’s demeanour towards each other for the next two days: still all was mystery. Then he bethought himself of a plan to arrive at its aolution. “My dear Mrs. Batley,” he said to this lady, one morning courteously offering her his arm to escort her for a walk through the grounds after breakfast,—“ have you observed nothing ?” “Observed what, my Jord P” inquired the anti- quated votary of fashion: “that the eldest Muss Lomax’a hair is red, though it passes in a com- plimentary way for auburn—that Missa Rachel Lomax has freckles—and that Miss Mary drank three glasses of champagne yesterday at dinner ?” “No—nothing of all that,” answored Lord Clan- don. “You are a relation of my amiable, beauti- ful, and accomplished young aunt : “To be sure I am!” said the old lady, proudly. “Tt was at my house, your lordship is awaro, that his Grace first met Hliza and became enamoured of her.” ° “T know it,” rejotmed Chindon. “And being the Duchess’s relation, you are of course in her confidence ?” “ Ah, there you are wrong, my lord!’ exelaimned Mrs. Bailey. “It is thia which pains me. Eliza never consults me in anything. Even her very orders to her milliner are given, without the least deference to my opinion; and tough certanly everything becomes her—-—” “Well then, my dear Mrs. Bailey,” continued Hugh, “if you are not in hor Grace's confidence, you ought to be. Yes—you ought to be,” he added still more emphativally : “for there is some- thing going on which no one can understand.” “It cortainly atruck me,” said the old lady, “that the Hon. George Curzon ia paying his ad- dresses to Mary Lomax: but really I do not see that her Girace can interfere. Of course the young man’s intentions are honourable——” “My dear Mrs. Bailey,” interrgpted Lord Clan- don, “itis not this that I mean, A lady of your shrewdness, experience, and penetration,” he went on to say, in order to flatter the dame and win her over to his purpose,—‘‘a lady of your tact ani judgment-—-” “J flatter myself that I am not deficient in all that,” observed Mira. Hailoy, with a proud elevation of the head: * for I was the first to detect that the turtle-soup was burnt yesterday, and that there for it is a profound secret. however, not to divulge it. can place them on a more cordial footing, pray make use of my services.” ‘ " 9 “Well, my lord,” said Mrs. Bailey, delighted and flattered at being thought of so much import- ance as to be consulted in the matter, “there is- something, you know—or rather you do sot knows The late Captain Lacey imparted it to me, strictly exjoining me But as you have ex- pressed yourself in such kind, such generuus, such admirable terma, I think it would really be wrong for me not to take you into my confidence.” “My dear Mrs. Bailey, rest asaured that I shall not abuse it;”"—and Hugh spoke with the ill- repressed eagerness of one who hovers in suspensé on the threshold of a mystery’s solution, “ Well, I will trust you,” said Mrs. Bailey, who was as frivolous as she was vain and selfish. “The fact is, Bertram and Eliza were acquainted at Oxford. They loved each other madly: they se- parated with an exchange of rings. I don’t know whether they have them still: bnt I do recole lect that Eliza wore her's very frequently up te the day of ber marriage—but never since. Well, the report reached England of Bertram’s death; and shortly afterwards Captain Lacey and his, daughter removed to London to live with me. In due time the Captain received a letter from Bertram, expressing a hope that if the report of his death which was published in the English papers, had come to his knowledge, the contradic- tion had likewise been seen. This however had escaped the Captain's notice. Well, Eliza was beginning to be admired in my saloons; and though the Duke had not as yet seen her, there was every prospect of her forming some brilliant alliance. So I of course gave my advice on the subject: and of course Captain Lacey followed it. ‘Bertram Vivian,’ said I, ‘ie the mere cadet of a junior branch of a great family; and Eliza, with her beauty, can luok much higher. Depend upon it, she will marry a peer of the realm. Keep this . letter secret. Now that she 18 resigned to the belief of her lover's death, it 1s a pity to disturb that feeling. At all events, let her continue in ignorance of Bertram’s miraculous escape until we sce whether she cannot form a better match.’— Captain Lacey thought my counsel goud, and adopted it.” e * And therefore,” observed Lord Giandon, “ Elissa marciad the Duke in the belief that Bertram was no more P” “ Precisely so,” answered Mrs. Bailey. “ But [ can assure you that for the last month or so, both hey father and myself were dreadfully nervous and uneasy L mean the last month previous to the wedding. For a second letter came from Bertram. It was addressed to the Captain at Oxford, as the former one was, and was sent on hy the, postriaster, - ee ey ae oO eee eee ee ES Se Bae Dba - = eee ee [tinal = =e eye se was no cayenne in the vermucelli.” with whom he had left an intimation whigher hie “Then with such ‘penetration, my dear Mrs. | letters were, to be forwarded.” if s COMICOOOKS.CcoOMm