Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-07-06

| 'Anu what ulu LORD hlcHuru SAY
81 glanced up at him. He stood near
q window looking out over our fine old
park, and when he felt my glance lie col
ored deeply and bowed. Lord Talbot
said, rather angrily, "llichard, Miss Esli.
er waits for you to speak. Then Lord
Richard turned toward me and said some
thing, but in such low voice that | did
not catch its meaning. my son says you
do him great honor-and pleasure" ex-
planned Lord Talbot, and he kissed me
and led me toward the unwilling bride
groom.
Selma, but did not. On the contrary,
fell desperately in love with him. Per-
haps it would have been better for me if
face, and despised his easy conquest. As
for me- ! suffered in that week all the tor
turing suspense of timid schoolgirl in
love. l dressed myself in the bos of my
plain, unbecoming, childish toilets. and
watched YEARLY every day for a visit from
my promised husband but / saw no
more of him until our wedding morning
By this time some very rich clothing had
arrived for me and also n London maid,
and think, even then, my appearance
|
ciliated Richard Talbot. But he scarcely
looked at me. The ceremony was scrupu-
lousy and coldly performed, my father,
aunt and governess being present on my
side, and on Richards his father and his
three maiden sisters
II never saw my father alive again he
died the following week, and the mockery
of our marriage festivities at Talbot Cas-
tie was suspended at once in Difference to
my grief. Then we came to London, and
my lord selected for his own use the left
wing OF this house. and politely placed
at my disposal all the remaining apart
ments. l considered this as an intima-
ton that was not expected to intrude
upon his quarters, and l scrupulously
avoided every approach to them. knew
from the first that all attempts to win him
would be useless, and indeed I felt too
sorrowful and Inundated to try. Dur.
ing the few weeks we remained under the
same roof we seldom met, and lam afraid
/ did not make these rare interviews at all
pleasant. / felt wronged aud miserable,
and my wan face and heavy eyes were only
Il reprJach TO him.
| "Oh, what monster, Kate I"
| "Not quite that, Selma. There were
many excuses for him. One day | saw q
paragraph in the Times saying that Lord
Richard Talbot intended to accompany /,
scientific exploring party whose destina-
ton was Central Asia, / instantly sent
and asked my husband for an interview.
! bad intended dressing myself with care
for the meeting, and making one last eff
fort 10 win the kindly regard, at least, of
one whom / still codld not help loving.
But some unfortunate fatality always at
tended our meeting, and never could do
| myself justice Ill his presence. He an
swered my request at once. ] suppose he
did SO ont of respect and kindness, but
the consequence was, he found me in an
Iunbecoming dishabillc, and with my face
and eyes red and swollen with weeping
81 felt mortified at prompt attention
SO malapropos, and my manner, instead
of being winning and conciliating, was
cold, unprepossessing. ] did not rise
from the sofa on which had been sob
bling, and he made no attempt to sit down
beside me or to comfort Inc.
81 pointed to the paragraph and asked
if it was true.
50 Yes, Lady Talbot he said, little
sadly and proudly Il shall relieve YOU
of my presence in few days. l intended
Writwell to call on you to-day with a
draft of the provisions have made for
your comfort"
81 could make no answer. had
thought of many kind things to say, but
now in his presence, was almost fretful
and dumb. He looked at me almost with
pity, and said, in a low voice. Kate, we
have both been sacrificed to necessity
involving many besides ourselves. lam
trying to make what PREPARATION is posi-
Bile. l shall leave you unrestricted use
of three-fourths of my income. desire
you to make your life as gay and pleas
ant as you possible can. / have no fear
for the honor of our name in your hands,
and trust it and all else to you without
doubt If You would try and learn to
make some excuse for my position, Ishall
be grateful ; perhaps when you are not
IN constant fear of meeting me, this les
son may not be SO hard
"And could not say Il word in reply.
Just lay sobbing like child among the
cushions. Then he lifted my hand and
kissed it, anu j knew he was gone"
| And now Kate, that you have become
the most brilliant woman in England,
what do you intend to do?'
"Who knows? / have such contrary
|
thing i do not want to do"
| Certainly it seemed like it for, in
spite of her confession, when Lord Tai
bot sent, the next morning, to request an
interview, Kate regretted that she had n
prior engagement, but hoped to meet
Lord Talbot at the Duchess of Clifford's
that night.
My lord bit his lips angrily, but never
theieGs he had been 80 struck with his
wiie's brilliant beauty that he determined
to keep the engagement.
| She did not meet him with sobs this
time. The centre of an admiring throng,
she spoke to him with an ease and non.
chalance that would have indicated TO II
stranger the most usual and common
plac" of acquaintanceships He tried to
draw her into confidential mood, but
she said, smilingly, "My lord, the world
supposes us to have already congratula-
ted each other we need not undeeeive
it,"
He was dreadfully piqued, and the
pique kept the cause OF it continually in
his mind. Indeed, unless he left London,
he could hardly avoid constant meetings,
which We're constant aggravations. My
lady went everywhere. Her beauty, her
wit, her splendid toilets. He had to en-
dure extravagant comments on them.
Friends told him that Lady Talbot had
never been 20 brilliant and so bewitching
as since his return. He was congratu-
? lricd On his influence over her.
( la the meantime she kept strictly at the