Violet Lisle — page 47: what you’re looking at

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

~ PARENTS AND CHILDREN. | 41 easier for Violet to face a trouble than to shirk it, and she -quickened her step at once, soothing Goody with caresses and kind words. She removed her hat as she ran up stairs, and held it dangling as she entered the library after knocking and being bidden to enter. Her father had evidently been pacing the floor, and his face was dark with anger as he turned and looked from her dusty boots to her nat hanging by its ribbon from her - arm. “You wished me to come to you, papa?” “ Where have you been?” he sternly demanded. “In the abbey woods.” “Doing what?” “You are angry with me, papa; will you not tell me why ?” said Violet, witha sweet dignity. “Yes, but tell me first what you were doing in the abbey woods.” “Sketching the abbey—part of the time.” “ And the other part ?” Violet flushed at the tone, but answered, slowly : “Talking with Lord Darlington. r “And may I ask,” he said, with a fury hardly concealed under an elaborate attempt at irony, “how long-you have known Lord Darlington, and what you talk about? [am only your father, but I would like to know.” The little tremor of dismay which Violet had felt at first had: passed away now, and she found herself wonder- ing at her own calmness. | “T have known Lord Darlington a little more than three weeks.” . “And what is it that you talk of together ?” “Papa,” she said, with gentle deprecation, “please do not speak to me in that way; please do not be angry.” “Angry!” he repeated. “I wonder that I can restrain myself at all. Is it really true, then, that my daughter has brought such a shame and disgrace upon the name she bears ?” “ Papa!” she cried, in a sort of horror. “How can you say such athing. How can you think it?” “How can I say it, miserable girl! Isit not true that you have clandestinely met this Lord Darlington these past three weeks—Heaven knows how often ?” “It is true, papa,” replied Violet, with exquisite dig- ah ue and it is also true that I have promised to be his wile GEomicbooks:Gco