Rosa Lambert — page 365: what you’re looking at

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

eet 354, ROSA LAMBERT, had the slightest effect—fearing even greater vio- lence and ill-usage from these resolute female- myrmidons of the vindictive old nabob—I assumed a calmly dignified demeanour, informing them that I would put on my own apparel if they would take their hands off me, ‘To this there was no objection; and I therefore dressed myself in that gown which they had just produced. They ferreted out likewise the very bonnet and shawl which I had worn on the occasion referred to: but when I offered to put these on likewise,—thinking that I was about to be summarily ejected from the man- sion,—one of the housemaids spitefully exclaimed, “Oh, no! you are to continue Sir James’ guest for two or three days, according to your specified agreement.” These words were a signal for all the women to seize upon me once more; and feeling that I was so completely in their power that all resistance would be vain, I said, “here is no necessity for you to ill-treat me. ‘Tell me where I am to go— and I will obey. But IT cannot help thinkitig that your conduct is of a nature you will repent: for I have always been ‘kind and indulgent to the domestics.” “Up-stairs, Miss, if you please!” aid the housemaid who had previously spoken. ‘ Go of your own accord, if you will—and if not, we can easily carry you.” I issued from the room, and ascended the stairs to the upper storey, where the servants’ chambers and the laundry were’situated. . “In here, if ‘you please, Miss,’ said the house- maid who acted as spokeswoman: and she indi- cated the laundry, which ‘was a spacious apartment and had a strong door with bolts outside. One of the domestics tossed niy bonnet and shawl after me: the door was closed and secured ; and I thus found niyselfa prisoner. The perfidious eénduct of Sir James Thornléy was now beyond ail doubt: but what farthér punishment had he in reserve for me? As to any attempt on my life, Thad not the faintest appre- hension thereof; and as for ary extreme outrage which would make him amenable to the law, I was equally confident on that head. But what could his meaning be? “Was it merely to keep me captive there until the day that I was to rejoin Lord Ilderton according to the understand- ing between us? ‘That all my personal property in the shape of valuable jewels and richly furnished wardrobe, would be withheld from me, was only too apparent ; and I was bitterly indignant at the entire treatment I was thus receiving. In the midst of my reflections, and when I had been about a quarter of an hour in that place, I heard the bolts draw back: the door opened—and Sir James Thornley made his appearance, accom- panied by his confidential valet. This man, closing the door, placed his back against it—while the old nabob, with a countenance full of a malignant sardonism, advanced towards me. I maintained a coldly dignified demeanour, and did not rise from the seat which I was thus occupying at the bime, “What do you think of all your conduct ?” asked the nabob, stopping at a distance of about three yards from where I sate: “ what profligacy ‘can be equal to your’s? You accept all imaginable bounties ab my hands;.and when I am stretched ee ee ee Ee 6 ea ~ Cee 6OUD NE SE TE RO, cae a+ Acer, ' upon a sick bed, you admit your paramour into the house. Ah! you may start with surprise : but everything is known to me—the key of the garden-gate—the side-door left unfastened |” The conviction flashed to my brain that the anonymous letter which the old Baronet had re. ceived, must have emanated from Toby Grayson, who adopted those means to revenge himself upon me, “Can you wonder,’ I asked; my countenance now flushing with indignation, “that I should accept the first favourable opportunity to eman- cipate myself from the tyranny of one who did not hesitate to raise his coward hand against a woman P” “Then you should have left me frankly and openly,” retorted the Baronet; “and there would have been no harm done. But you cannot even persuade yourself that any conduct on my part justified you in intriguing with andther so long as you were under my protection, I hate you as niuch as I ever liked you; and as you have been treacherous, depraved, and underhand in your behaviour towards me, I shall prove implacable in My vengeance towards you.” “Remember, Sir James Thornley,’ I said, ‘“tliere is law in the land, and there is justice to be invoked ; and if you dare keep me a prisoner heré——” , “Taw and justice—stuff and nonsense!” ejdcu- lated'the 'nabob. “I can safely risk ‘all that you may!podssibly do by such meaiis. ‘A prisoner you ‘are—and a prisoner you shall rémain until Lord Hdertén ‘is entirely lost to you. Ah! you ‘know ‘not how resolute I'am in punishing you: but you ‘thay judée of my capacity to ‘earty out xiy vengeance When ‘you ‘féflect on ‘thie ‘consunitidte ‘artifice with which Ite now lulled your paraméur aud yourself into the eompletest seeirity. But I vill tell Vou what I mean to do=80o ‘that during your léng hours of solitude in this place, you'may ‘be racked by the bitterest thoughts.” “ Proteed, Sir,” ‘I said, affecting a‘cold contenip- tuous indifferénce, though I was in “réality on the tentér-hooks of siiSpérise to learn what his *seheme of vengéanée Could possibiy be. “The day after to-morrow,’ he continued, “the wedding of Lord Ilderton’s sister takes place; and on the day next ensuing your paramour will pro- ceed to Southampton to meet you there at a cer- tain hotel. But instead of meeting you, he will find me in readiness to receive him. He believes me to be gencrous-hearted and magnanimous: he will therefore put confidence in whatsoever I may tell him.” “And what will you tell him?’ I inquired: and I could not altogether prevent my countenance from expressing a certain degree of nervousness. “T shall tell him,” rejoined the nabob, with an increasing malignity in his looks, “that I wait upon him at your special request—that you have reconsidered the arrangements you had entered into with him—that entirely of your own accord, and without any suasion, or entreaty, much less coercion on my part, you besought that everything might continue as heretofore between yourself and me—that you therefore carnestly conjure Lord Ilderton to banish your image from his memory— and that you appeal to him as a man of honour to — abstain from any attempt to see you, as your re- ecomicbooks.conr