A Struggle for a Ring — page 48: what you’re looking at

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

44 A BRIDE'S LETTERS. | “ ‘‘That will make it a proper champagne breakfast, Alice,” he said. ‘‘No one can be properly married with- out a champagne breakfast.” She looked up at him. ‘‘T have heard of champagne,” she said, simply, ‘‘but I have never either seen or tasted.-it.” Her expression of intense wonder amused him—that any one should have lived to her age without tasting the king of wines. Perhaps it was the wine that made him so brave. He drew his chair to the table. ‘¢Now, Alice,” he said, ‘‘ we will defy the whole world. I want you to write some letters; you must write, word for word, just what I dictate. Before you begin, I have some- thing to say to you.” She looked up at him reverently, as though she were listening to an angel or an oracle. ““You know, Alice,” he began, ‘‘that I am father’s only _ son and heir. I am now Lord Vivian Carsdale; eventually I shall be—though Heaven grant the time be distant—lI shall be Earl of Waldrove. You understand, of course, that my father and mother have grand views for me—they expectme to marry well; by that, I mean some one in their own rank of life.” ‘‘T am so sorry,’ she began, with a face full of con- trition. He laughed. ‘«There is nothing to be sorry for, my dear Alice ; I have vindicated myself and saved you; there is no cause for regret. I want to explain to you. My parents expect great things from me. If I did as I liked, I should go at once and say’'to my father: ‘See, father, through my care- lessness I placed this young lady in a false position, and, Eomicbhboo a co