Witch Hazel; or, The Secret of the Locket — page 390: what you’re looking at

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

CHAPTER XLI. MRS. STEW ART’S FAREWELL RECEPTION TO BRIGHTON. When Mrs. Stewart, with her two companions, arrived at the residence of the duchess, she found her seated in the drawing-room with her guests. Mrs. Earlescourt was just considering the subject of her return to London on the late train, for she ex- | pected her husband home from Edinburgh that night, and did not like to be away when he should arrive. Her grace was very loth to part with Hazel. and yet she knew, of course, that her mother would wish her to return to her own home. Hazel herself favored | the proposal, and was even anxious to go, as it would | not be pleasant for her to remain where Lord Nelson's sad face would continually haunt her, while she felt sure that he would recover himself much more quickly it she were out of the way. The duchess looked up, surprised, as Mrs. Stewart entered, particularly as she came in unannounced, and greeted no one, but walked directly to Mrs. Earlescourt, whom she seized by the hand, and then, overcome by her emotion, sank upon the sofa beside her, and gave way to nervous weeping. | Every oue, save Marie and Belle, regarded her with undisguised astonishment, for they had never before | seen the stately woman of the world lose her self- possession. They all felt that she had been far Hazel, and that a little true repentance W