The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 199: what you’re looking at

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

THE VISIT TO THE REGENT’S PARK 181 in the kindest manner as to her new position, and she ex- pressed her delight to hear that Christina was so happy with the Princess of Inderabad. An hour thus passed while they were in conversation together, and during the whole time Lady Octavian never once mentioned the name of her husband. There was, however, nothing pointed in this avoidance of such mention; it might or it might not have been a mere accident arising from the circumstance that the conversation flowed in channels rendering any allusion to Lord Octavian perfectly unnecessary. Refreshments were served up, but scarcely was the luncheon-tray removed when his lordship’s well-known knock was heard at the front door. Christina recognized it in a moment; she was thrown off her guard, she started, she blushed, she was filled with confusion. “ It is Lord Octavian,” said Zoe, in a quiet tone; and yet it struck Christina, as she glanced toward her friend, that a slight tremulousness was visible in her frame. ‘‘ He must either have changed his mind in respect to passing the day with his father, or else the marquis must have some other engagement which prevents him from entertaining his son.” While Zoe was thus speaking, Christina had leisure to recover somewhat from her confusion, and she felt the ne- cessity of retaining all her self-possession. She was about to hint that she must now return to Bayswater, when she recollected that she had ordered the carriage to return not until four in the afternoon, and she therefore immediately perceived that were she now to depart abruptly it would be admitting to Zoe that she attached a significancy to the circumstance of Lord Octavian’s unexpected presence. For though she had little doubt in her own mind that Zoe had more or less penetrated the circumstance which led to her removal to another home, yet it was one of those things con- cerning which the pure minds of two friends could not very readily show that they had any tacit but mutual under- standing. While all these thoughts were sweeping through Chris- tina’s mind, Lord Octavian’s well-known footsteps were ascending the stairs; they approached the drawing-room door, and he entered. Fortunately he had heard from the footman who gave him admission that Miss Ashton was with COMME OOO) cS (€©) mM