Penny Blood Serial Fiction — page 82: what you’re looking at

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

j MR. GUNTHORPE’S VISITS 65 “ that necessity shall be respected by me. I am a man of honour.”’ “ Oh, you need not give me this assurance,’ exclaimed Lady Bess; ‘‘ your conduct to Henrietta and her mother made me esteem you before I knew you. And now there is something which impels me to give you my confidence and to reply to all your questions. If I chose to assume the title,’ she added, after another brief pause, “‘ I could call myself the Marchioness of Villebelle.”’ ‘“ Villebelle? ’’ ejaculated Mr. Gunthorpe. ‘ Ah, I com- prehend. He eloped some short time back with the Honour- able Miss Constance Farefield, Lady Saxondale’s daughter.”’ ‘““ And he has married her,’’ rejoined Lady Bess. “Married her?” cried Mr. Gunthorpe, in astonishment. “‘ But if he were previously married to you? ”’ ‘He was,” she observed, “ but I released him. I never loved him — I cared not for him. I have never known what love is,’ she added, in a soiter and gentler voice. *‘* But if he loved, I could pity him. And he did love. I met him a few weeks ago, after a long, long separation. J had never seen him since the day which united our hands at the altar. How could I consider that mock ceremony binding? It was a marriage and no marriage. Well, sir, we met, as I have already told you, and it was a few weeks back. He unbosomed all his secrets to me, and I voluntarily offered to place in his hands whatsoever papers existed in mine as the proofs of our marriage.”’ ‘ And you did so?” said Mr. Gunthorpe. “ Yes. But I did not choose to meet him again; I there- fore gave him an appointment for a particular night and ata particular place. ‘This was at King’s Cross, and I despatched to him a messenger with the papers of which I have spoken. ) He has married Lady Saxondale’s younger daughter. They have gone to Madrid, and I hope that they will be happy.” ‘“ But this is wonderful as a romance,” said Mr. Gunthorpe. “ You are a singular being, Elizabeth. I have not been quite an hour yet in your society, and I have discovered many excellent traits in your character,’ and he spoke with a sin- cerity and an earnestness that showed how deeply interested he really was in the object of his eulogies. “ Accept my gratitude, dear sir,’ she answered, “ for the kind language you address to me.” EORVICLOOC <S (EO)