The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-02-15
CHAPTER VI.
A FIRST GRIEF.

To Roche's surprise and annoyance Helen
did not take her usual place at the dinner
table,
"Whsre is Helenr' asked Lord Ennis
more, noting this.
"She has a headache, and Is not able to
come down, y answered Lady Ennismore,
gravely, and this reply did not add to
Francis Roche's contentment.
In fact as he sat eating his dinner he be-
gan to feel very angry with his hostess.
What right has Lady Ennismore to inter
fere and lecture him, and, probably, the
poor girl,n he was thinking. "If her lady
ship supposes she is going to have all her
own way she is mistaken" decided the
young soldier, and a certain resolute hard
ness crept over the expression of his face as
he made this decision.
Then, when he returned to the drawing
room, he found that Helen still was absent,
though Miss Sinclair and Julia Bingham
were there. Lady Ennismore had also dis
appeared, and SO Roche went up to Miss
Sinclair to inquire after Helen.
"How is Miss DrummondP' he said 81
she not we'll enough to come down stairs7n
Miss Drummond," answered Miss Sim
clair, in her usual unruffied way, "has one
Of those convenient illnesses headache
And Miss Sinclair smiled
"a convenient headacheP' repeated
Roche. THAT means, suppose, that Lady
Ennismore-" and then Roche suddenly
paused and left his sentence uncompleted.
for he remembered that he did not know
how much Miss Sinclair knew.
Again the goverDess smiled her placid
self-satisfied smile, while Julia Bingham's
delicate skin flushed, and her sensitive lips
quivered.
"Where is your fair friendgp said Walter
Curzon, at this moment also approaching
Miss Sinclair aud Julia, but addressing his
question to Julia.
The young girl turned her small, lovely
face round, and looked at Curzon with q
smile as she answered him,
Walter Curzon was more calculating
and cold~hearted man than Francis Roche.
But be was not SO good-looking. His ex-
treme paleness, and his almost colorless
hair, were scarcely redeemed by bis regu-
lar features and a certain grace of manner
which he undoubtedly possessed. But he
had dissatisfied spirit lurking In his breast.
and was very much inclined TO be at war
with fortune, which had placed him in the
somewhat trying position Of the younger
son of poor peer.
Since he had been at Brackenford. and
had seen on all sides the evidence of the
great wealth which Lady Ennismore had 80
unexpectedly inherited from the rich Maid
ems, he had thought several times very seri-
ously Of Julia Bingham. True there was
In the family, the girls, no doubt, would
have large fortunes as well. Curzon had
listened with a suppressed sigh while the
frank genial Lord Ennismore bad told them
on the moors Of the vast revenue which the
coal mines, the ironworks, and the land,
that had once been the Malden's, now
yearly brought in. The once poor Trishman
was apparently estonished sthl at his own
good fortune, and never wearied Of talking
about his Wife's wealth
And whenever he bad the opportunity
Walter Curzon had In consequence of this
wealth done his best to charm fair Julia
Bingham. Miss Sinclair's vanity had
given him more chance of doing this than
any one in the house supposed. Tne good
looking govsrness had meant on Curzon's
first arrival at Brackenford quietly to ignore
certain love passages which had taken place
between herself aud Walter Curzon at
Utterly ball two years ago, for the very
sufficient reason chat she now intended to
marry the Rev. Peter Prescott.
But when the Rev. Peter drew back, and
was no longer to be met in the walks round
Mo-tonbury and Brackenford, the gov erness
finding 1t very dull, once more began TO
smile on Curzon.
Carzon Immediately took advantage Of
these smiles. The attractive woman, so we'll
satisfied with her own attractions, never
dreamped that mere child, chit, as she
mentally called Julia, conld have any
charm for young man OF Curzon's age,
and she therefore took Julia with her
when she walked with aud talked to Cur
zon.
Ia few words, with laugh and shrug,
Walter Curzon soon let Julia know who
was bis real attraction. Hiss Sinclair was
called one day suddenly away, aud for 1--we
minutes or so the two young people wero
alone. These five minutes were Curzon's
opportunity.