Rosa Lambert — page 358: what you’re looking at

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

SE ee ROSA LAMBERT. S47 complexion ; cause to know him’so well as I did, that could have possibly recognised him. “Now, Miss Rose,” said the wretch, with a deep concentrated ferocity, “you shall pay for all the past in more ways than one: Ps I rent the air with my shrieks,—-at the same time struggling desperately to extricate myself from his clasp: but his arms wound themselves all the more tightly about me—and with ferocious inipre- cations he ordered me ‘to be silent. But another scream pealed from my lips—he threw me upou the bank—at that very instant the sounds of ad- vancing horses were heard—and Lord Ilderton, closely followed by a groom, galloped up to the spot. Dashing me from him with a most savage ferocity, and levelling at my face a blow with his heavy riding-whip, which, if it had struck me, would have marred my beauty for, ever,—Grayson made ene spring towards his horse, vaulted with marvel- lous agility into the saddle, and dashed away with the speed of the whirlwind. This was all I saw: for overpowered by the tremendous excitement of the adventure, as well as by the violence with which the ruffian had hurled me from him, I swooned upon the bank. | ' When I came back to consciousness, I found myself supported in the arms of Lord Liderton ; and there was a sensation as if his lips had been imprinting kisses upon my eheeks. As I slowly opened my eyes, I saw that his own were bent with mingled tenderness and anxiety upon me, and that his cheeks were flushed with the crimson slow of ardent passion. .“ Are you hurt?” he inquired, in a tone of deep suspense: ‘‘do you suffer from the violence which that miscreant used towards you ?” “TI shall be better presently,’ “But my groom—he is perhaps murdered “ No—he could only have been stunned,” replied Ilderton, glancing along the road. “ My own groom is attending to him—and I see that he is rapidly recovering.” _f now became aware that in my desperate struggles with the miscreant Grayson, my hat had come ofi—my hair was floating in wild disorder— the front of my riding-habit was torn open, and my bosom was exposed. Hastily rising up from my recumbent position in the young nobleman’s arms, 1 turned aside to adjust my apparel: but at the moment of thus turning, I caught his looks still riveted upon me with the most, passionate ardour,—the crimson deepening upon his counte- nance, while a blush mantled upon my own. The next instant however he sped towards the horses— his own and mine, which were standing together ; and he held them with his back turned towards me,—thus with delicate consideration affording me the opportunity to repair my disordered toilet. This was soon done; and then I accosted him to express my thanks for the assistance which acci- dent had a second time enabled him to render me. “It appears, Miss Lambert,” ‘he said, with a look and tone of tender meaning,'“‘.as if we were destined to be brought together under circum- stances which will warrant me in claiming that friendship which from the very first moment I so much longed to enjoy. You will not refuse it?” —and taking my hand, he gazed with a deep impassioned tenderness upon my countenance. L answered. 33 and thus it was only one who had | — “Certainly not,” IL answered, suffering him to retain my hand for a few moments, during which he pressed it—while his looks showed that his feel- ings prompted him to say more, but that a youth- ful bashfulness beld him in restraint. “ Come,” L said, withdrawing my hand, “let us hasten and see whether that poor groom of mine is much hurt.” Lord Ilderton led the two horses, while I walked by his side towards the spot were my groom had been attacked by Toby Grayson, and which, though at a considerable distance, was nevertheless plainly visible from where we were,—the lane being straight as an arrow in that particular part. “ If I were enabled to be the companion of your rides,’ said Lord Ilderton, as we walked along to- gether, “ you would have in myself and my groom, together with your own, a sufficient escort to place you beyond the fear of such occurrences as these. May I not hope that you. will occasionally suffer me to join you in your equestrian excursions? J say oecasionally,’ he added, with timid hesitation, “because I scarcely dared use the word always— though I can assure you it would afford me infinite pleasure to be your constant companion.” “ fT cannot feel otherwise than flattered by your lordship’s kindness,” I answered; “and certainly | whenever we do happen to meet, I shall be glad to avail myself of your chivalrous escort.” “We might happen to meet as often as you think fit,” he rejomed, becoming somewhat bolder —yet speaking in the low and half-hushed tone of his youthful passion: “ because I should gladly— oh, so cheerfully !+ride every day in a particular direction and at a particular hour, in the hope of encountering you.” “But I eould not think,’ I exclaimed, “ of suf- fering you to adopt a course which would neces- sarily lead to frequent disappointment.” ‘Nevertheless, I shall do so,” he exclaimed; “for I take your words as a permission of which I may avail myself. Every day, therefore—when it is fine enough to warrant me in believing that you will ride out—shall I take this very identicai lane, which has now become memorable for an incident which though in one sense painful, is on the other hand fraught with happiness and hope for me.” The reader will perceive that the young noble- man’s language had grown gradually bolder and bolder—or at least more significant: for there was naught of insolent hardihood in it. On the con- trary, it was delicately tender: and it had all the charm which the mingled freshness and bashful- ness of a youthful passion threw over it: I saw that he was deeply in love with me; and though | I gave him no marked encouragement, I certainly neither spoke nor looked in a manner to discourage him. We reached the spot where his groom was at- tending to mine; and I found that the latter had received a somewhat serious contusion on the head, —the villain Grayson haying knocked him off his horse with the handle of his heavy riding-whip : but the man was sufficiently recovered to remount the animal. Lord Ilderton assisted me into my own saddle; and we rode together in the direction of Newport,—the two grooms following. When within sight of Albion House, I said to him, “ I am sure you will excuse me, my lord, for speaking with frankness: but I cannot ask you to walk in — (C(O) NOOK €