The Widowed Bride — page 121: what you’re looking at

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

1a ‘THE WIDOWED BRIDE. with a pretty assumption of candor; “‘but—but it 7s hard to be excluded from the pleasures in which all others par- ticipate. I dare say I shall get used to it in time, how- ever.” 7 And she sighed—a sigh as soft and low as the echo of a rose-freighted zephyr, and let her lovely eyes droop a trifle 2 more. . a ‘‘But Blanche? Surely she——” ‘‘Blanche was anxious that I should go. Blanche is all kindness and generosity. She has not yet learned the world’s hollow lesson of expediency; but I could not go on her invitation. Nay,” she added, with a smile, ‘‘do not look so annoyed, or I shall be sorry I told you. Iam not an earl’s daughter, and perhaps it is better that I should ences at once the place | am destined to occupy in the world.” The role of gentle resignation was infinitely becoming to Miss Percival, and Lord Vere ’emple being a man with mortal susceptibilities and sensations, could not help think- ing how wondrously pretty this injured beauty was. ‘“T can’t understand Lady Glenhampton’s policy.” he said, after a moment’s silence, “‘but I, at least, onght to be very thankful for any circumstance that has procured me the _ pleasure of companionship like yours.” And Miss Percival, as she could do whenever she chose to attempt it, made herself an exceedingly charming com- - panion, so much so that the hours crept away without Lord Vere being aware of the progress of time, and when, just at nightfall, Lady Glenhampton, who was the first of the returned party to seek out the invalid of the morning, en- tered the library, she was struck dumb with astonishment and indignation to see him comfortably seated on the sofa, with a volume of engravings in his lap, on which were drooping the dark curls of Miss Rena Percival. comicbooks