The Widowed Bride — page 226: what you’re looking at

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

aoe THER WIDOWED BEKIDE. 017 ‘¢Vere will not care for me now,” she had told herself, in an agony of tears when first the terrible truth burst upon her. ‘‘I must write to him at once and tell him that I shall not expect him to be bound by the engagement formed under such different circumstances.” ‘If he is the noble gentleman I have heretofore believed him to be,” returned Rena—somehow the name of ‘‘Lady Katherine” did not suit her half so well as the pretty dimin- utive by which they still continued to call her—‘‘these sad occurrences will make no difference to his loyalty to you, Blanche, darling.” “Do you really think so?” asked the girl, lifting her swollen eyes to the lovely face of her comforter. ‘‘Oh, Rena, what should I do without you to uphold my fainting heart? I have leaned unconsciously on you always, never dreaming it was a sister’s love that was so precious to me. But at least I ought to give Vere Temple the alternative of withdrawing from our engagement if it seem proper to him.” ““Ves,” answered Rena, “I should do that; but I do not think you need have any fears for the result, Blanche.” And the sequel proved Rena to have been in the right. Lord Vere 'l'emple’s answer was too bulky to be put in the post—in fact, it came in an open barouche, and consisted of himself, very indignant at the idea that Blanche could ever dream of dissolving their troth. ‘‘And if I hadn’t been in the south of France, hunting up avilla for our honey-moon in a secluded vale where tourists are unknown and couriers can be left behind, I - should have been here long ago,” he said, in an injured voice. ‘‘Blanche, Blanche! do you think I would willingly give up the wearing of such a white pearl as you are upon my heart!” ‘But things are so different now, Vere,” faltered the pale little bride-elect. a : ‘“Not to me, darling,” the young man answered, en- thusiastically. ‘We shall have to wait a little longer, that is all. Now tell me the whole story. So far I have heard only disjointed rumors and exaggerated reports.” And in her lovers hearty sympathy and generous partisanship, Lady Blanche Arden began to. believe that the world might yet be bright to her when this blackness of darkness had vanished away into the past, ECOMIEcHDOOKS (E(e) mn