The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 238: what you’re looking at

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

216 THE COURT OF LONDON tact, prudence, and judgment were required, in order to avoid compromising herself. In the former case she saw that it was almost certain that the Marquis of Leveson, being himself intimately acquainted with Miss Bathurst, would insist upon full explanations as to all Louisa had told him relative to her sister residing at No. 13, Stratton Street, with persons of the name of Beckford; or else Louisa herself might discover that Clara was not there, nor any such beings as the Beckfords in existence. Therefore, in entrusting Sir Douglas Huntingdon with the delicate task of rescuing Louisa from Leveson House, Venetia was compelled to take him entirely into her confidence. To secure him, however, altogether in her interest, and more effectually to put the seal of secrecy upon his lips, she made up her mind to bestow upon him those favours for which he languished; and in coming to this resolve, she also yielded somewhat to her own inclinations, for the barriers of virtue being completely broken down, it needed but a small impulse thus to urge her on to the gratification of the sensuous passion she had con- ceived for the baronet. As the reader, however, will recollect, she accidentally gave Lord Curzon the note intended for Sir Douglas Huntingdon, so that the nobleman, availing himself of an invitation which he thought was meant for him, was the first to revel in her arms. This circumstance she did not altogether regret, because, in the first place, Huntingdon proved well satisfied to serve her faithfully and effectually upon the mere promise of a crowning reward, while, in the second place, it was equally necessary to secure the secret devotedness of Curzon in carrying out her object with regard to Loftus. Indeed, the management of this latter affair required as much fidelity as courage. From Louisa’s letters, Venetia had learned all that Mary Owen had told her relative to the conspiracy against the Princess of Wales, and from those letters like- wise had Venetia ascertained the object of Jocelyn’s visit to the Continent. But it was only with great risk and danger to her own position and interests that Venetia could act in a manner hostile to the prince regent’s views, and to espouse Jocelyn’s cause was to adopt that hostile course. Hence the imperious necessity of sealing Curzon’s lips relative to the task she entrusted to him, and consequently she regretted but little the misadventure which had at once thrown her Commicloookks (CO)