The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 221: what you’re looking at

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

192 THE COURT OF LONDON testable service when it was proposed to her, it is for this reason that she is hated by her mother, rendered homeless, and made dependent on the generosity of that Miss Louisa Stanley whose name I have already mentioned. Oh, you perceive, my dear aunt, that this morning has been fraught with terrible revelations for me. And can you wonder if I ere now expressed a doubt whether I would ever return to Windsor again, or whether I would not quit England, repair to Italy, and not only warn my beloved mother of the perils which surround her, but likewise remain with her henceforth to soothe and solace her? ”’ ‘No, you must not leave England, my dear niece,” said the Princess Sophia. ‘‘ Such a course could only lead to a scandal and an exposure that might involve the whole royal family in utter ruin. You have sought my advice, and you shall have it. You shall have my best assistance also, but believe me, the utmost caution and circumspec- tion must be used. Tell me, however, whether anything further took place between Mrs. Owen and my mother this morning, and how their interview terminated.” ‘““ Mrs. Owen reminded her Majesty, as I just now said,” resumed the Princess Charlotte, ‘‘ of the circumstance that the young gentleman whom they spoke of as Jocelyn Loftus was engaged to be married to that Miss Louisa Stanley with whom Mary Owen is staying at Canterbury. Mrs. Owen therefore suggested that it was very probable Jocelyn Loftus, on his escape from the hands of the French authori- ties, would fly back to England and hasten to convince his beloved Louisa of his safety. That he would take this step instead of hurrying on to Italy, Mrs. Owen suggested as more than probable, and the queen appeared to fall into the same view of the matter. They therefore buoyed themselves up with this hope; and from some further remarks which they made, it seems as if they cared not if Jocelyn Loftus should content himself with merely writing a warning letter to my dear mother in Italy, inasmuch as my mother is so com- pletely surrounded by the creatures and tools of the con- spirators that the correspondence addressed to her is sub- jected to the most rigid scrutiny, and all letters calculated to open her eyes to the dangers of her position are carefully suppressed.” “T could not have believed my mother capable of such Gomicbdooks (E(0)