The Widowed Bride — page 32: what you’re looking at

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

THE WIDOWED BRIDE. : 23 ‘Fortunately not,” he answered: ‘‘and, if it is nothing more than the old lodge, I shall not regr et it ver y much; it has long been a blur on the beauty of the landscape, and nothing save the old associations connected with the place have prevented me from pulling it down.” “Yes, I know,” said the countess, softly; ‘but, since those days She stopped, checked by the gloom which seemed sud- denly to enwrap her husband’s face, and at the same mo- ment Boylsford knocked once more at the door of the outer vestibule. — “My lord, pardon me for disturbing you again, but Park- ins has just come up from the fire. It’s the old lodge, my lord—burned to the ground?” “Then there is no great harm done. But how did it take > fire?” «That's what I can’t justly make out, my lord. Maybe *twas them botherin’ hop-pickers coming home late with their lighted pipes. Maybe *twas a_ spark from old Gaffer Jones’s kitchen chimbly; he’s up early gettin’ breakfast for the hop hands, and his cottage ain’t no great distance from the lodge. Any way, my lord, there ain’t no reason for you to disturb yourself, and P’m only sorry Linley hadn’t got wit enough to keep himself to himself, instead of goin’ racketin’ about the house.” And old Boylsford withdrew, PWeoree to himself as he went. Lord Glenhampton let the curtains fall once more. “Go back to bed, Edith,” he said to the countess, who stood beside him, shivering shghtly in the raw morning chill. “Presently,” she answered. ‘‘I must go first to see that the children have not been disturbed.” ‘Call Marienne.” — ‘‘As if any eye but the mother’s could satisfy the moth- er’s heart!” she answered, smiling, as she drew the cash- mere robe closer about her queenly form, and vanished through the purple velvet draperies that concealed the arched door-way. The nursery at Glenhampton Castle was wacntad from the apartments of the earl and countess by a corridor, and the rooms devoted to Miss Clive’s occupancy. A single glance at the two rosewood couches, vailed in embroidered laces, told the countess that little Ernest and Blanche were mn comicbooks (E(e)