The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 352: what you’re looking at

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

= 2. 2 eee | | THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. mot absented herself from the villa, save for an bour’s daily walk with her brother, ever since that brief visit which they paid together to Edenbridge Park, and when Francis Paton avowed his love. But on several occasions Frank had journeyed up from Kent to see his betrothed; and frequent was the epistolary correspondence between them. William Deveril still continued to call regularly upon his charming and well-beloved Fiorina in Cavendish Square ;—and thus stood matters at the time when Lord Harold Staunton encountered Chiffin, as deacribed in the preceding chapter. It was in the ing of the second day after thie encounter, that a letter bearing the Kden- bridge post-mark, was delivered at the villa. It was addressed to William Deveril; and its con- tents were found to be as follow :— * Edenbridge Park, December 22nd, 1944. *¢ My dear Deveril, “ Something has transpired which renders it necessary that I should see you to-morrow evening (the 23rd) at the Park. You hed better leave London so as to be with us atthe dinner-hour. Of course you will stay the night: but if you be anxious to return home soon, I will let you depart on the following day. Do vot alarm yourself un- necessarily as to the nature of the business to which I have so distantly alluded: for though of importance, and requiring prompt attention, it need nevertheless excite ne ension. ‘We all join in kindest regards to your amiahbis sister and yourself; and belicve me to remain, s¢ Your sincere friend, ‘* RAGLEDEAN,.” This letter was received at the villa while the brother and sister wero seated at the breakfast- table. William bad at once exclaimed that it was from the Marquis of Kagledean,—not merely be- cause he perceived the Edenbridge post-mark, but likewise because he fancied that it was his lord- ship’s handwriting. But as he read the letter, his countenance gradually expressed a look of sus- picion and mistrust,—vo that Angela observed him with an increasing degree of anxiety. “I hope, dear brother, there is nothing wrong ?” ahe said. “ Read for yourself, Angela,” he answered, giving her the letter. “And now what do you think P” he inquired when she had perused it. “There certainly appears something strange in the wording of the contents,” replied Angela, also mystified and suspicious: “and yet it is his lord- ship’s handwriting—here too is the Edenbridge postmark ‘‘ But observe, my dear sister,” interrupted our young hero. “This letter addresses me as ‘ My dear Doveril,’'—whereas the Marquis invariably writes to me as ‘ My dear William.’ It speaks of * kindest regards, wherees the berm i | wont to be either ‘most affectionate regards’ ‘ kindest love :’ and instead of ‘your aincore friend, hia lordship is accustomed es subscribe himself ‘ Your's affectionately,’ ‘Your affectionate friend. Trivial as the variations in this letter may seem from his lordship’s habitual manner of portant when a suspicion is excited.” “True!” observed Angela, thoughtfully as well as anxiously. “But what do you suspect P” ‘I know not, dear sister: and yet I am afraid that some treachery is at the bottom of this note. Indeed,” he continued, having taken up the letter again and considered it attentively, ‘“‘I am now all but convinced that this is not even the handwriting of the Merquis, excellent though the imitation be. Angela, it is a forgery—I feel convinced of it! and there i a treacherous intent in some quar ter !”’ . The young maiden grew very much alarmed: but her brother hastened to reassure her, by ob- serving, “It would be much worse, Angels, if our suspicions had not been thus excited, and if in blind confidence I were to plunge headlong into the snare, whatecever it may be, that is set for me. The object evidently is to get me away from home during the ensuing night: hence the recom- mendation to be at Edenbridge by the dinner-hour —so that it is doubtless calculated I could not get back again, on discovering the deceit, until long . . ht.” “And what will you do, William?” asked An- gela, still with a trepidation of anxiety, though considerably reassured by what her brother had just said. “What shall I do?” aid William, thoughtfully repeating the question thus put to him: and then for a few moments he reflected deeply. “I teil you what I will do, Angela: I will start off at once for Edenbridge, and clear up all uncertainty as to the genuineness or fabrication of the letter If it be a forgery—as we have so much reason to suspect—I will return home at once, I can easily come back by three or four o'clock; and then aided by the advice which the Marquis will in the meantime have given me, I shall know how to act. You need be under no apprehension during my absence. Whatscever treachery may be m con- templation, is to be reserved for the night-time. That is evident. Therefore fear not, my sweet sister. Not for an instant would I leave you un- protected, if I thought there was any danger.” Having embraced Angela, William Deveril issued forth from the villa. As he traversed the little garden in front, the old gardener, who appeared to be busy at work, stopped him with the accus- tomed touch of the hat; and asked him a question of a trivial nature in connexion with some shrub. William was about to hurry past, telling him that he had not time to attend to the matter at that moment,—when it struck him that the gardener surveyed him in a somewhat singular manner; and as this was not the first time that the same suspicion had occurred to our hero, he did stop and answered his questions. “I see you are in a hurry now, sir,” said the man; “or else I had several other things I wanted to speak to you about in connexion with the gar- den. But as I suppose you won't be more than an hour or two absent, as usual, I will wait till vour return.” - “ You had better tell me now what you have to gay,” answered Deveril: “ for I have some business which may «letain me in town; and when I come home in the afternoon, I must be off at once to Edenbridge. I have received a letter from the Marquis of Eugledean, inviting me to dine with him this evening.” While affecting to have his eyes fixed upon the particular shrubs to which the gardener had al- luded, William was all the time ecrutinising, from beneath his long dark lashes, the countenance of the old map; and his original suspicion was con- oe, ——_ | (COL (C DOO CS (COL