The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 121: what you’re looking at

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108 THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. favour ?—and as for the latter suspicion, sooner should suffer one tittle in the esti- , I would proclaim everything !” Christina beheld all the truth and none of the sophistry—for there was a blending of both—con- tained in these arguments, She was bewildered how to act. Not for the world would she bring mischief into a house the lady of which had re- ceived her with open arms!—but on the other hand she could not bear the idea of harbouring a secret which to her pure mind savoured so much of a “Now, Miss Ashton, you must decide upon the course which you intend to pursue,” resumed Lord Octavian: and it was with the difficulty he could conceal iety and suspense which he experienced. “ are but two alternatives for your choice: the one is that her ladyship shall be made acquainted with everything, and her | by confidence in me be thereby destroyed—or that she shall remain in total ignorance of the past, and her happiness continue undisturbed.” “If those be the alternatives, my lord,” re- sponded Christina, “I cannot for another mo- ment hesitate between them. It shall be as you “Thank you, Miss Ashton,” answered Mere- dith: but he was now so completely on his guard that he did not suffer his looks to betray the joy that he felt at the decision to which the beautiful Christina had just come: nor did he speak in tones, nor bend such looks upon her, which might again cover her with confusion, and en- gender in her mind a suspicion of the love with which she had inspired him, but of the existence of which she was as yet evidently altogether ig- norant. just as Christina was about to rise from her seat and retire to her own thrown open, and the footman announced the Duke of Marchmont. arity; “it is an age since we met!” His quick eye had at once canght sight of Christina: at once too had he recognised in her the sister of his young secretary, by the similitude existing between them: but he preserved the completest control over his looks—at first affecting not to peresive her at all, and then bowing with the air of a man who has nothing peculiar in his mind when insehe presence of some one whom he sees for the first time. “Permit me, my lord,” said Meredith, “to in- troduce you to Mises Ashton—a friend of Lady Octavian’s.” “ Delighted to have the honour of Miss Ashton’s acquaintance,” said the Duke, again bowing: and then for the first time appearing to be struck by anything in reference to her, he ejaculated, “ Dear me, how strange! I have a young gentleman with me, bearing the same name; and observation———but the resemblance is so strik- “And no wonder, my lord,” exclaimed Mere- dith, with a good-humoured air; “for the young gentleman to whom you allude, is this young lady’s “1 am more than ever glad to form Miss Ash- door was | i ton’s acquaintance,” said the Duke, with another courteous bow: “for I have taken a very great fancy to young Mr. Ashton—and I am sure that he and I shall be excellent friends. We have not had above a dozen words of conversation this look nor word did he suffer Octavian to peresive that he had fathomed the secret, and that in Chris- tina he felt convinced he did behold that fair un- known. As for Miss Ashton herself, she was about to leave the room at the expiration of a few minutes: but both Meredith and Marchmont assured her that they had no private business to converse upon; and for courtesy’s sake she was compelled to remain. When however the had taken his leave, she at once ascended own chamber,—where she tarried until Octavian returned from her father’s house. she re-appeared in the drawing-room; and riEre great relief found that Meredith was not there. CHAPTER XXI. CHRISTIAN @ VIRST DAY AT MARCHMONT NOUSE. Havine thus seen Christina Ashton installed in the situation which she had accepted, let us follow her brother to the mansion of the Duke and Duchess of Marchmont. On arriving there, he was requested by a footman to follow him to the housekeeper’s room ; and in a few minutes he was introduced to that important female funoctionary. We may here as well observe that the housekeeper were husband and wife, and that their name was Calvert. They were an couple,--Mr. Calvert of spare tenance, and remarkable precision and manners—his wife a stout, matronly, fortable-looking dame, always exceedingly On een een, an (GO) (C DOO Col