The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 30: what you’re looking at

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24 occasion at the mansion, before he observed his brother’s conduct towards the Duchess. At first he himself was as much astonished as the rest: for he had not the remotest suspicion of anything that had taken place between Bertram and Eliza when she was Miss Lacey at Oxford. Neither did he conceive it possible that his brother loved the Duchess ; for if so, Clandon.thought that Bertram would pursue quite a different course and would seek to render himself as agreeable as possible. There was a mystery to be cleared up; and Hugh resolved to penetrate it. But how? He threw himself in Bertram’s way—walked out alone with him—turned the conversation on the Duchess— and endeavoured to draw his brotherout. But not the slightest syllable of explanation was volun- teered. must go upon some other tack. He watched his brother’s and Eliza’s demeanour towards each other for the next two days: still all was mystery. Then he bethought himself of a plan to arrive at its solution. “My dear Mrs. Bailey,” he said to this lady, one morning courteously offering her his arm to escort her for a walk through the grounds after breakfast,—“ have you observed nothing?” “ Observed what, my lord ?” inquired the anti- quated votary of fashion: “that the eldest Miss Lomax’s hair is red, though it passes in a com- plimentary way for auburn—that Miss Rachel Lomax has freckles—and that Miss Mary drank three glasses of champagne yesterday at dinner?” “ No—nothing of all that,’ answered Lord Clan- don. “You are a relation of my amiable, beauti- ful, and accomplished young aunt i “To be sure I am!” said the old lady, proudly. “Tt was at my house, your lordship is aware, that his Grace first met Eliza and became enamoured of her.” “T know it,” rejoined Clandon. “And being the Duchess’s relation, you are of course in her confidence ?” « Ah, there you are wrong, my lord!” exclaimed Mrs. Bailey. “It is this which pains me. Eliza never consults me in anything. Even her very orders to her milliner are given without the least deference to my opinion; and though certainly everything becomes her i “Well then, my dear Mrs. Bailey,” continued Hugh, “if you are not in her Grace’s confidence, you ought to be. Yes—you ought to be,” he added still more emphatically: ‘‘ for there is some- thing going on which no one can understand.” “Tt certainly struck me,” said the old lady, “that the Hon. George Curzon is paying his ad- dresses to Mary Lomax: but really I do not see that her Grace can interfere. Of course the young man’s intentions are honourable “My dear Mrs. Bailey,” interrupted Lord Clan- don, “it is not this that I mean. A lady of your shrewdness, experience, and penetration,” he went on to say, in order to flatter the dame and win her over to his purpose,—“a lady of your tact and judgment “T flatter myself that I am not deficient in all that,” observed Mrs. Bailey, with a proud elevation of the head: “ for I was the first to detect that the turtle-soup was burnt yesterday, and that there was no cayenne in the vermicelli.” “Then with such penetration, my dear Mrs. — eee eee Lord Clandon accordingly saw that he | Sit, ~ ; ; ‘nai THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. —_—_s Bailey,” quickly resumed his lordship, “yeu can- not possibly have failed to notice the extraordinary conduct of my brother Bertram towards the Duchess—and I might add, her equally extraor- dinary conduct towards him. I consult you as a relation of the Duchess—as her best and sincerest friend; and if there is anything to be done to bridge the gulf which evidently separates my bro- ther from her Grace—if there be anything that can place them on a more cordial footing, pray make use of my services.” “Well, my lord,’ said Mrs. Bailey, delighted and flattered at being thought of so much import- ance as to be consulted in the matter, “there is something, you know—or rather you do xo¢t know : for it is a profound secret. The late Captain Lacey imparted it to me, strictly enjoining me however, not to divulge it. But as you have ex- pressed yourself in such kind, such generous, such admirable terms, I think it would really be wrong for me not to take you into my confidence.” “My dear Mrs. Bailey, rest assured that I shall not abuse it;”—and Hugh spoke with the ill- repressed eagerness of one who hovers in suspense on the threshold of a mystery’s solution. “ Well, I will trust you,” said Mrs. Bailey, who was as frivolous as she was vainand selfish. “The © fact is, Bertram and Eliza were acquainted at Oxford. They loved each other madly: they se- parated with an exchange of rings. I don’t know whether they have them still: but I do recol- lect that Elza wore her’s very frequently up to the day of her marriage—but never since. Well, the report reached England of Bertram’s death; — and shortly afterwards Captain Lacey and his daughter removed to London to live with me. In due time the Captain received a letter from ‘Bertram, expressing a hope that if the report of his death which was published in the English papers, had come to his knowledge, the contradic- tion had likewise been seen. This however had escaped the Captain’s notice. Well, Eliza was beginning to be admired in my saloons; and though the Duke had not as yet seen her, there was every prospect of her forming some brilliant alliance. So I of course gave my advice on the subject: and of course Captain Lacey followed it. ‘Bertram Vivian,’ said I, ‘is the mere cadet of a junior branch of a great family; and Eliza, with her beauty, can look much higher. Depend upon it, she will marry a peer of the realm. Keep this letter secret. Now that she is resigned to the belief of her lover’s death, it is a pity to disturb that feeling. At all events, let her continue in ignorance of Bertram’s miraculous escape until we see whether she cannot form a better match.’— Captain Lacey thought my counsel good, and adopted it.” * And therefore,” observed Lord Clandon, “ Eliza married the Duke in the belief that Bertram was no more P” “Precisely so,” answered Mrs. Bailey. “But I can assure you that for the last month or so, both her father and myself were dreadfully nervous and uneasy I mean the last month previous to the wedding. For a second letter came from Bertram, It was addressed to the Captain at Oxford, as the former one was, and was sent on by the postmaster, with whom he had left an intimation whither his letters were to be forwarded.” Go 0)(0)6) <SriGO