The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 231: what you’re looking at

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220 THE MYSTERIES OP THE COURT. it was well worth my while to bribe him by means of his own freedom. More I need not say upon the subject ——unless it be to enjoin the strictest secresy on your part in respect to all that has thus occurred.” *‘¥ am eure, Sir Frederick,’ answered Madame Angelique, “after your kindness to me of this morning, you have only to express your wishes in order to have them fulfilled by me. But how came you at the house in the very nick of time——” Sir Frederick explained that he had ridden across from Balham Hill, to ask some more quee- tions in respect to the topic which had been dis- coursed upon in the morning: but Madame Ange- lique could give him no farther explanations. She Geclared that she had never, to her knowledge, seen the paramour whom Lady Anastatia had ooca- sionally met at her house; and in short, Sir Frederick Latham took his leave of the ex-milliner no wiser on that point than he was previoas to this second visit. But the mystery of the cash-box appeered to him to be now fully elucidated. Indeed, it was moet natural fur him to entertain the conviction that Anastatia had given Lord Rushbrook the key of the safe that he might help himself to its con- tents. “And thus,” said Sir Frederick to himeelf, as he rode homeward, “ has my own wife enabled her own brother to rob me!—that wife who bad al- feady so grossly deceived me—that brother of her’s whom I had already allowed to prey upon my puree! But there shall be an end of all this! Maledictions upon my folly in having married into one of the families of the aristooracy !” CHAPTER CXXVII. THE DENOUEMENT. Bin Fesprrick Larnax rose at an early hour in the morning, after having peseed an almost sleepless night; and he immediately sent off one of his domestics on horseback to the residence of the Earl and Countess of Fordwich, to inquire after the health af the latter. It was not that Sir Frederick had the slightest consideration for the health of the Countess: his object in sending was to learn by indirect means when his wife Avastatia would be likely to return to Balham Hill—aend whether the illness of her mother was of a severity calculated to detain her away from her home. Lady Anastatia sent back a note by the domestic, -—wherein she cordially thanked her busband for his kindness in sending to inquire—she assured him that her mother, having passed a good night, was in a condition that inspired no further appre- hension—and that she herself should be at Balham Hill by lunch time at two o'clock. On the receipt of this note, Sir Frederick sate down .and peoned a brief letter to his brother-in-law Lord Rush- | brook, requesting him to call at Tudor House pre- cisely at two o’clock, on basiness of considerable importance. Having sent off this letter, the City snerchant walked forth into his grounds to delibe- rate again upon the plan which he had settled in his mind during the past night. We should observe that Lord Rashbrook did not reside with his parents, but had apartments iu some other fashionable quarter of the town. He did not know that his sister had passed the night beneath the paternal roof; and therefore instead of repairing thither to accompany her back to Bal- ham Hill, he drove down in bis own phaeton. I¢ happened that the Viscount’s equipage reached Tudor House only about five minutes before Lady Anastatia herself retarned in ber own carriage ; and Sir Frederick Latham, who was watching from an arbuur at the extremity of his grounds, was well pleased to observe that his brother-in-law and his wife accidentally reached Tudor House almost at the same instant. For he did not wish to be compelled to speak to one before the arrival of the other; and thus did ciroamstances favouaf his views in this respect. The Viscount—who could not altogether con- jeotare what Sir Frederick wanted with him, bat whose guilty conscience was nevertheless haunted by fears and misgivings—at once inquired for his brother-in-law and was informed thet Sir Frede- rick had left word that he should be in puncteally at two o'clock. While lingering upon the steps of the mansion to ask additional qaestions, the Vis- count beheld Auastatia’s equipage approach ; and as he helped his sister to alight, he learnt from her lips that she had been since the previous day in attendance upon their mother. “Gir Frederick has written, desiring me to be here at this hour,” said the Viscount; “and he tells me in his letter that it is upon important business. I wonder what on earth the business can be P” “If you cannot conjecture it, Robert,” answered his sister, “ you may be assured that I am still less able; for Sir Frederick seldom or never speaks to me upon matters of business. Let us go and seek him. Perhaps we shall find him in bis etady ?” ** No,” answered the Viscount; “ he is oat bat will be in at ¢wo o'clock. It wants ten minutes,” he added, referring to his-watoh. “TI will hasten up-stairs to make some little change in my toilet,” eaid Ledy Aoastatia: “ and I will join you in the room where luocheon is served. I am happy to inform you, Robert, that our mother is now out of danger: but last evening she was in a state that filled me with the greatest apprehea- sion. She might have died, Robert, before you would have come to inquire after her !” “ No one ever sent to tell me she was ill,” replied the Viscount carelessly ; “or if such a message were left at my lodgings, i¢ wae not delivered.” Anastatia heaved a profound sigh as she bent upon her brother a reproachful look, which was as much as to say that she feared all affectionate in- terest on behalf of his relatives was waning in his breast: but without another word she hastened ap to her chamber, where she made some change ia her toilet, —little suspecting the while that a etorm was about to burst over her head. In about a quarter of an hour she repaired to the apartment where the luncheon was served up, and where she found her brother standiog at the window. ‘‘ Here comes Sir Frederick!” he said; “he is just this moment entering the house. I waved my hand to him—but he did not appear to notice it. Ho is a singular fellow at times, this husband of your's, Anastatia {” “He has been very manificent towards you, COMME HOG cS) (CO