The Widowed Bride — page 133: what you’re looking at

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

124 | _ THE WIDOWED BRIDE. — CHAPTER XVII. MISS PERCIVAL GOES TO LONDON. Alice Percival would indeed have sufficiently compre- hended the wide contrast between her sister’s life and her own, couldshe have seen Rena on this lovely September afternoon, sitting on one of the carved rustic chairs under the spreading boughs of an ancient beech tree, whose um- brageous foliage formed a complete canopy overhead, with Lord Vere ‘lemple lying on the grass at her feet, Captain Evelyn leaning against the trunk of the tree, and Mr. Poy- nings close by. Lady Blanche Arden sat at no great distance, with Mr. Alkenard sketching the opposite scene for her benefit; but Lady Blanche was evidently quite a secondary personage in the animated little drama of real life now being enacted at Glenhampton. From the windows of her own boudoir, Lady Glenhamp- ton watched the scene witha sensation of angry uneasiness at her heart. ‘‘Blanche,” she had said that morning to her daughter, ‘9s not your friend, Miss Percival, a good deal of a flirt?” Blanche opened wide her innocent dark eyes. “Oh, no, mamma. What can make you think so?” ‘‘Her own conduct, my dear. Don’t you see how she attracts our gentleman visitors?” “‘But, mamma, it is because she cannot help it. It is not her fault that she is beautiful and fascinating. I am sure Vere and Ernest cannot admire her any more than I do. Rena always attracted people around her, as if she had been an enchantress.” : Lady Glenhampton shook her head, unconvinced. ‘1 don’t like having these enchantresses in my house, Blanche. Iam almost sorry you invited her here.” “Mamma!” ‘‘And I sincerely hope,” went on Lady Glenhampton, “that she will have the good sense not to prolong her stay much further than its appointed time.” ‘‘Mamma, you are ungenerous now,” pleaded Blanche, every impulse of her noble nature roused in behalf of her comicbooks — A = . 1," . * (eco) a ce. 7 =~ = -- - ~ <> at ~e — ae = : a. > 4