The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 287: what you’re looking at

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

270 THE COURT OF LONDON as she desired change of scene, he had visited the adjacent village to purchase or hire a country residence which he might fit up for her accommodation. He went on to state how he had met Loftus there, how the young man had that same evening rescued Mrs. Roberts from a watery grave, and how he had become an inmate of his house. Then he detailed the particulars of the scene which had taken place between himself and Loftus, and how he had revealed all he knew concerning the incidents of the villa, and hkewise Kmma Owen’s episoaical adventure with the police. He next proceeded to describe how, late on the preceding night, Loftus had brought home the corpse of the child, how he had discovered the initials on the flannel wrapper and the cambric handkerchief, and how he had deposited the body in the dissecting-room. Mrs. Ranger was appalled at the narrative now revealed to her, and which showed how far advanced Jocelyn Loftus was in following up the clue that he was evidently pursuing to the unravelment of the whole complicated affair relative to the birth of the child. But composing her harrowed feelings, and recalling to her aid that more than feminine and even more than masculine resolution with which in her own criminal designs she had previously armed herself, she reflected profoundly for upwards of a minute upon all she had just heard. “Do you know what this self-styled Mrs. Roberts real name is? ’’ she inquired, at length. “No,” replied Maravelli, ‘“* but she has told me that she is a lady of rank, and that she until recently held a situation at the English court. She is a fine, HE woman, ae months advanced in pregnancy — ”’ “ Ah! then it is evidently Lady Prescott,’’ said Mrs. Ranger. ‘“‘ Though I have never seen her ladyship, yet, all things considered, she it must be. Did you notice whether she has been out this morning? ”’ Yes, she woe absent for upwards of an hour,’’ answered the doctor. “and she had not returned more Cheat twenty minutes aoe your note was delivered at my house. She looked agitated — ”’ ‘Ah! it is the same, then,” ejaculated Mrs. Ranger. “ A deep, mysterious understanding exists between her and Jocelyn Loftus.” ECORNICLIOO KS (E(0) / im