The Dickinson press., 1884-05-10

Miss Esher waits for you to speak"
Then Lord Richard turned to me and
said something, but in such a low voice
that l did not catch its meaning. "My
son says you do him agreat honor-and
| pleasure" " exclaimed Lord Talbot, and
he kissed me and led me toward the
unwilling bridegroom.
"Of course I ought to have hated him,
Selma, but I did not. On the contrary,
l fell desperately in love with him.
Perhaps it would have been better for
me if I had not. Richard read my heart
in my face, and despised his easy con-
quest. As for me, I suffered in that
weak and %torturing suspense of a timid
schoolgirl in love. I dressed myself in
the best of my plain, ~unbecoming child
ish toilet, and watched YEARLY every
day for a visit from my promised
husband; but / saw no more of him UNI
til our wedding morning. By this time
some very rich clothing had arrived for
me, and also a London maid, and I
think, even then my appearance was
fair enough ohave somewhat conciliat-
ed Richard Talbot. But he scarcely
looked at me. The cermony was scru-
pulousy and coldly performed, my fa-
Their, 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 di, d the following week, and the
mockery of our wedding festivities at
Talbot Castle was suspended at once in
Difference to my grief. Then I came to
London, and my Lord selected for his
W use the left wing of the house, and
politely placed at tiny disposal all the re-
naming apartments. I considered this
an intimation that 1 was not expected to
intrude upon his quarters, and I scrupu-
lously avoided every approach to them.
l knew from the first that all attempts
to win him would be useless, and indeed
1 felt too sorrowful and Inundated to
try. During the few weeks that we re-
manned under the same roof we seldom
met, and I am afraid 1 did not make
these rare interviews at all pleasant. I
felt wrong and miserable, and my wan
face and heavy eyes were only a re-
proach to him."
ooh, what a monster, Katew
"Not quite that, Selma, There were
many excuses for him. One day I saw
a paragraph in the times saying that
Lord Richard Talbot intended to ac-
company a scientific exploring party
whose destination was Central Asia. I
instantly sent and asked my husband
for an interview. 1 had intended
dressing myself with care for
the meeting, and making one
last effort to win the kindly regard. at
least, of n whom I could not helplov-
ing. But some unfortunate fatality al
ways attended our meeting, and [ new
er could do myself justice in his pres
He answered my request at once,
l suppose he did so out of respect and
kindness; but the consequence was he
me an unbecoming dishabille, and
with my face and eyes red and swollen
with weeping.
II felt mortified at prompt attention
malaprapos, and my manner, instead
OF being winning and concilliating, was
cold, unprepossessing. I did not rise
from the sofa on which I had been Sob
bling, and he made no attempt to sit
down beside me or to comfort me.
l pointed to the paragraph and asked
tit was true,
'"Yes; Lady Talbot lie said, a little
sadly and proudly; I shall relieve you
ofmy presence in a few days. Intend
ed Writwell to call on you to-day with
q draft of the provisions I have made
for your comfort"
II could make no answer I had
thought of a good many things to say,
o in the presence I was almost
and dumb. He looked at me al
most with pity, and said in allow voice:
Kate, we have both heen sacrifcedto a
necessity involving many besides our
selves. i am trying to make what re-
paration is possible. I shall leave you
unrestricted use of three-fourths Of my
income. I desire you to make your life
as gay unpleasant as you possibly can.
l have no fear for the honor of our
name in your hands, and I trust that
and all else to you without a doubt.
If you would try and learn to make
excuse for my position I shall be
grateful. Perhaps when Ire not in
constant fear of meeting me this lesson
may not be so hard"
"And I could not say a word in reply.
l just lay sobbing like a child among
the cushions. Then he lifted my hand
and kissed it, and I knew he was gone"
"And now, Kate, that you have be-
come the most brilliant womant in Eng
land, what do you intend todo"
"Who knows? I have such a CON
trary streak in my nature. Railways do
the thing I do not want to do"
Certainly it seemed like it, for, in spite
of her confession, when Lord Talbot
sent the next morning to request an in
terview, Kate regretted that she had a
prior engagement, but hoped to meet
Lord Talbot at the Duchess of Clifford's
night.
My Lord bit Ills lip angrily, but
nevertheless, he had been so struck
with his wife's brilliant beauty that he
determined to keep the engagement.
She did not meet him with sobs this
time. The center of an admiring throng,
she spoke to him with an ease and non
chalance that would have Indicated to a
place acquaintanceships. He tried to
draw her into a confidential mood, but
she said, smilingly, "My lord, the world
supposes us to have already congratu-
lated each other; we need not undecieye
it,"
He was dreadfully piqued, and the
pique kept the cause of It continually in
his mind. Indeed, unless he left Lon
don, he could hardly avoid constant
meetings which were constant aggra-
v%ations. Ny lady went everywhere. Her
beauty, her wealth, her splendid toilets,
her fine manners, were the universal