The Widowed Bride — page 208: what you’re looking at

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

THE WIDOWED BRIDE 199 CHAPTER XXVIII. RENA MAKES A DISCOVERY. Renal Percival, all unawares of the ghostly fingers of Fate that were slowly but surely unraveling the mystery of her own life, was sitting at her window, one cheek resting on her hands, and her eyes fixed with an absent look on the distant deer which browsed contentedly on the sunny slopes of Glenhampton Park, when a knock sounded at her door. She started, as if it had been a peal of artillery, for at that moment her thoughts were far away from all surrounding objects. ‘“‘Come in!” she said, almost dreading to see any one appear just. at that moment. — But it was neither Lady Blanche, full of her happy love, nor Georgine Cardiff, hopelessly in despair as to whether she should wear blue or pink that evening at dinner, that appeared—it was Antonia Clive. ‘Will you go with me to visit the unused rooms in the Haunted ‘l'ower this evening, Miss Percival?” she asked. ‘‘Certainly—at any time!” Rena answered, glad to escape from the melancholy society of her own thoughts for even a brief hour. ‘‘Have you got the keys?” ‘‘No, but Mrs. Wadesleigh has gone for them.” She sat down by the open window and looked dreamily out upon the glowing summer landscape. Mrs. Wadesleigh entered the room soon after. ‘‘My lady is with Mr. Poynings in the blue drawing-room and it sounds like they was ’avin’ “igh words together, Miss Clive, and I daren’t make bold to hask her for the keys,” she said smoothing her apron, apologetically. ‘Nonsense! I will go myself then,” said Antonia, rising impatiently. ‘<I know where she keeps them, and she has never refused me anything yet!” Mrs. Wadesleigh looked after Miss Clive with mingled admiration and apprehension at her courage. “To be sure,” she said, ‘‘Miss Clive’s a favorite with my lady, but I would never dare to go against her most particu- lar horders, as long as I valleyed my situation!” “Why?” asked Rena, carelessly. ‘‘What difference does it make?” Eomicbooks.co nm