The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 286: what you’re looking at

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

MOTHER AND SON 269 might have to apprehend. In the morning her ladyship told her maid, when the latter knocked at the door, that she could dispense with her services for the occasion, and thus Lord Harold’s presence there remained unsuspected. His pea-coat and glazed hat were carefully locked up in a cup- board, and Lady Saxondale, watching an opportunity when no one was upon the stairs, conducted him down to the breakfast-parlour, so that when a servant entered it might appear as if he had just arrived to pay this early visit. She was compelled to leave to chance any suspicions which might be entertained as to the real truth of the proceeding, and any inquiries which the footman might put to the hall porter as to whether the young nobleman had indeed come that morning, or whether he had been several hours con- cealed beneath that roof. Edmund remained in bed until a late hour, and it was not until Lady Saxondale and Lord Harold had finished their breakfast that he made his appearance in the parlour. He was glad to see the young nobleman. He wanted society, and the presence of Staunton there seemed to promise a re- newal of their former intimacy. He could not, however, prevent himself from smiling significantly at her ladyship, as much as to intimate that he understood very well upon what terms she was with Staunton; but the depraved and unprincipled young man-—so deeply criminal, too — was inspired by no loathing or disgust at the thought of sitting down to table with his mother’s paramour, for that she was really his mother, he of course believed, though the reader 1s now aware of the contrary. It was about eleven o’clock in the forenoon that a footman entered the parlour where they were all three seated, and informed Lady Saxondale that Mr. Deveril requested an immediate audience. , “Let him be shown to the drawing-room,” replied her Jadyship, without losing her self-possession, but she glanced significantly at Lord Harold, as much as to say that now the worst was likely to be known. “Ah, William Deveril!’’ ejaculated Edmund, as the footman retired. “ I wonder at his impudence in coming to the house.’’ ‘Trouble yourself not with him or his concerns,” said Lady Saxondale, in a severe tone; and as she had regained CONnNIEDOOKS (S(O) -_—