The Widowed Bride — page 90: what you’re looking at

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

THE WIDOWED BRIDE. 81 grew stony, her lips fell apart. If Rena had told her she did not wish to go to heaven, she could scarcely have been more astonished. ‘‘Rena, my dear, I don’t think you know what you are saying.” “Yes, Ido,” asserted Rena, with quiet fixedness of pur- pe “I do not wish to be a governess—at present, at east.” ‘But, Rena, you know that your term of tuition expires here to-morrow?” ‘I am aware of it.” ‘-Have you any idea what you are to do? Whither you are to go?” | . “Yes,” said Rena, calmly. ‘‘Lady Blanche Arden has been kind enough to invite me to go home with her to Glen- hampton Castle, to spend a few weeks, and I have accepted the invitation.” , “Rena,” murmured Alice, in accents of tender reproach, ‘‘vou never told me this!” | ‘‘Because I did not quite know whether my decision was, or was not, final; but my mind is made up now to go.” ‘IT cannot say that I think yon have decided wisely, Rena,” said Miss Hartford. ‘‘But if you are disinclined to accept the position, I suppose it would be useless for me to urge it upon you.” ‘‘Quite useless, ma'am.” , ‘‘And I may as well write to the Esketts to look elsewhere for a governess for those poor little girls?” As far as I am concerned, yes, ma’am.” ‘Stop a moment, Miss Hartford!’ said Alice, who had hitherto sat quite silent. ‘‘Since Rena is resolved not to accept this situation, do you think that I could give satis- faction to your friends?” ‘“My dear,” said Miss Hartford, dropping the gold eye- elasses on the floor in her astonishment, ‘‘I never once thought of you!’ Alice stooped to pick up the glasses. “tT would do my very best,” she said, wistfully. ‘I am not so brilliant as Rena, but I believe that I have thoroughly mastered all the branches to which I have applied myself, and I think I could teach three little girls.” ‘“‘Of course you could,” said Miss Hartford; ‘‘and I dare say Mr. Eskett would be very glad to have you. But I had Gomicboo cS (Ele) m