Penny Blood Serial Fiction — page 115: what you’re looking at

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98 REYNOLDS’ WORKS all attention toward him, but he suddenly fell into a fit of ~ coughing so as to cover the abrupt paroxysm of grief and rage into which that eulogy upon Lord Petersfield had thrown him. “Yes, Edmund,” continued Lady Macdonald, “‘ you will do well to proceed to the Continent. But the decision which you have heard pronounced is irrevocable, and from this moment you must look upon Florina only as a mere acquaint- ance. I shall to-morrow write to Lady Saxondale to inform her that the engagement is broken off.” Edmund turned abruptly away, muttered some threaten- ing words to Mr. Gunthorpe, who heeded them ‘not, and flung himself out of the room, banging the door violently behind him. A few minutes afterward Mr. Gunthorpe himself took his departure, and entering his carriage, ordered it to drive to William Deveril’s villa near the Regent’s Park. He found our young hero and Angela walking together in their little garden. The beautiful maiden was now fully acquainted with her brother’s love for Florina, and we need scarcely say that she entertained the most fervent hope it would be crowned with happiness. They knew that Mr. Gunthorpe had written to Lady Macdonald at Saxondale Castle, knew also that in this letter he had made an appoint- ment to call upon her at her own house in Cavendish Square on that particular afternoon of which we are speaking, and they therefore expected that he would call at their villa on his way back to Stamford Hill. Nor were they disap- pointed, for at about five o’clock in the evening, their worthy old friend made his appearance. Most cordial was the ereeting he received from the brother and sister; they con- ducted him into their tastefully furnished parlour, and he gladly accepted of some refreshments, for he had taken nothing since he left his own house in the morning. Not a single word to William and Angela did Mr. Gun- thorpe breathe of the circumstances which had so deeply saddened him that day, but when he had taken a glass of wine and a mouthful of food, he proceeded to speak upon the sub- ject for which he had specially called on the present oc¢asion. “JT told you, my dear young friends,” he said, “ that I wrote four days back to Lady Macdonald at Saxondale Castle, explaining to her sufficient to make her comprehend the necessity of withdrawing herself and her niece at once Gomicbooks:. co