The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 47: what you’re looking at

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

THE PORTRAIT 29 midnight attempt which she made to poison Arthur Eaton, on that occasion when William Dudley introduced her to his young master’s apartment; but, having remained for a few days beneath the roof of her noble relatives, Fernanda de- parted suddenly, with the avowed intention of visiting the earl’s seat in Derbyshire. It was on the morning of the very day when his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales dined with Lord and Lady Desborough that Fernanda had thus quitted the mansion in Berkeley Square; and from that time her relatives had heard little concerning her, until the astounding intelligence was conveyed to them, by means of a hurried note which she had written, that she had become the wife of Mr. Clarendon, or rather, Lord Holderness. The Earl of Desborough, when he began to reflect calmly upon the matter, was not sorry that his wayward, volatile, and perverse tempered niece had thus settled herself in life, and at all events formed an honourable connection; and he could not help thinking that Arthur Eaton had ex- perienced a somewhat fortunate escape in being refused by a young lady of so strange, wild, and self-willed a dispo- sition. As for the Countess of Desborough, she was too much absorbed in her passion for Ramsey to devote many minutes’ thought to Fernanda; and, moreover, on the Saturday evening when the tidings of the young lady’s marriage reached Berkeley Square, Eleanor was completely wrapped up in the enjoyment of her lover’s society after an absence of three days on his part. For our readers will remember that on the previous Thursday night Ramsey had appeared to Mr. and Mrs. Page in the library at Stamford Manor; and that visit to the neighbourhood of Aylesbury had certain objects which will transpire hereafter. On the Saturday evening he came back to Berkeley Square, — his departure and his return both taking place at dusk, when his countenance might be effectually concealed by the shadow of his hat and the collar of his cloak. But need we say that in the meantime his absence had appeared an age to the enamoured Eleanor, and the three days had - seemed as many centuries? All the next day she remained at home, on purpose to enjoy his society, the excuses which he made for not going out proving quite satisfactory to her- self, and eliciting no remark on the side of her husband. (Gi) Anyi ] cS {