The Argosy — page 20: what you’re looking at

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

Lady Grace. 7 pained, envious look; for her, the sunshine of the afternoon had gone out. Miss Dane did not like these visits of his to Avon House, and he seemed to be often going there on one plea or another. There, he was surrounded by all the glory and pomp of stately life, and that is apt to tell upon a man’s heart ; Grace Carmel, too, was more beauti- ful than she, and singularly attractive. Not that Edith did, or could, suppose there was any real danger: the difference in their social positions barred that. Some cloud, unexplained, and nearly forgotten now, had over- shadowed Lady Avon’s later life. It had occurred, whatever it was, during the lifetime of her lord. She had chosen ever since to live at Avon House in retirement. An inward complaint, real or fancied, had set in, and the Countess thought herself unable to move to London. Lady Grace had been presented by her aunt, and passed one season in town : then she had returned to her mother, to share perforce in her retirement, at which she inwardly rebelled. Over and over again did Grace wish her brother would marry and come home; for the place was his, and it would oblige her mother to quit it. But Lord Avon preferred his town house to his country one, and told his mother she was heartily welcome to stay init. He liked a gay life better than a dull one: as all the world had known when he was young Viscount Standish. It is just possible that the ennui of Grace’s monotonous life at Avon had led to her falling in love with Mr. Baumgarten. ‘That she had done so, that she loved him, with a strong and irrepressible passion, was certain: and she did not try to overcome it, but rather fostered it, seeking his society, dwelling upon his image. Had it occurred to her to fear that she might find a dangerous rival in Edith Dane? No; for she cherished the notion that Mr. Baumgarten was attached to herself, and Edith was supposed to be engaged to a distant cousin ; a young man who had been reading with her father during the last year of his life. The young fellow Zad wanted Edith ; he asked her parents for her, he implored her to wait until he should be ordained. Edith had only laughed at him; but the report, that they were engaged, had in some way got about; and Lady Grace never thought to doubt it. No; strange though it may seem, to those who understand the exacting and jealous nature of love, Lady Grace never had cast a fear to Edith’s being her rival. This evening was but another of those Mr. Baumgarten sometimes spent at Avon House, feeding the flame of her ill-starred passion. His manner to women was naturally tender, and to Grace, with her fascinations brought unconsciously to bear upon him, dangerously warm. That he never for one moment had outstepped the bounds of friendly intercourse, Grace attributed entirely to the self-restraint imposed by his inferior position ; but she did not doubt he loved her in secret. GOMIGIOOKSAGO