The morning news., 1891-02-01
CHAPTER III.
AMONG THE HILLS.

The next day Lord and Lady Ennismore
left town and returned to Brackenford-to
Brackenford, lying amid the widest OF the
Northumbrian hills, whose gray, cold peaks
stood I'D dark and sombre against the sky,
and on whose rugged sides the purple
heather grew thick and strong, and the red
grouse throve and flourish.
It was a wild spot to be the favorite home
of beautiful and admired woman like
Lady Ennismore. Yet there was no place
she liked so well. Here she had spent her
early girlhood, and the fine bloom that yet
fingered on her smooth cheeks told OF the
healthful breezes forever stealing over these
northern hills.
The house at Brackenford had been
built, as she had told Roche, by her father
Mr.. Maiden had been a very wealthy man
of good family. but he had married a lady
of lower social position that his own. To
hide this perhaps she imagined) from the
world, Mrs. Maiden had been one Of the
proudest and haughtiest of women. She
had one son and one daughter-this daugh-
ter now being Lady Ennismore. Lady En-
nismore mad married young-when she was
about 1S-and she had been married now
for nearly nineteen years. Lord Ennis
more had fallen in love with her, it was
said, at country hall; and it was said also
that the proud mother had insisted on the
match, and that Katherine Maiden was not
very willing bride.
However this might be at the time Of her
marriage, during the long years of her
ID o1x
to love her husband with an abiding love.
How could she, indeed. have lived with this
man without loving him9 He was 30 un-
selfish and generous that the heart must
have been cold and hard that gave him no
return for his warm and faithful affection.
Lord Ennismore thought that there was
not another woman in the world like his
Katherine. He believed in her, admired
her, and boosted of her, with unchanpinp
fidelity. He was certainly one of the han.
piest of men, proud Of his wife and children
-proudest, perhaps, of all of the beauti-
ful boy who was born to inherit his old
name
And Lady Ennismore9 She looked very
happy, TOO this handsome lady, whose life
seemed to be so sheltered and secure. Yet
at times there was a shadow on the thought
full face, and sad look in the eyes that men
called so beautiful. But she was gentle
Of others" troubled her, for as far as the
world could see she had neither care nor
troubles of her own.
She lived very quiet life at Bracken-
lord. When she was in town she was one
OF the leaders of society, and q favored
friend OF some of the highest personages iii
the land. But at Brackenford she rarely
received guests, and lived IN as simple a
manner as it was possible for woman of
n In
her husband, for Lord Ennismore, though
very genial man, hated all sorts of fash
ionaole entertainments. He was an enthu-
slastlc sportsman, and an enthusiastic far
mer. At Brackenford he was in the midst
OF his red grouse and black game, of his
ta1 cattle and black-faced sheep, and there
lore he was happiest at Brackenford. 1t
was indeed an agreement between the hus-
oano and wife that thev were to leave the
world behind them when they went to their
WIG home among the hills. They had a
country place In Essex, and Lady Ennis
more occasionally entertained her friends
mere, and during the season the house In
otosVenor place was frequently thrown
open. But 1t was only very chosen friends
.nas Lady Ennismore invited to Bracken-
to:9. Lord Ennismore asked men there, as
he he nag asked young Curzon and Roche but
ne only asked men who cared for sport.
m, ms own place in ireland (for he was an
1rlsn peer) he rarely visited. Sometimes he
b heuS over for snipe shooting and hunting,
Sue us neart was really liz his English
none' Like his wife, he cared for no place
- much as Brackenford, but Lady Ennis
uaols tt, was too much a woman of the world
tbanlW ~ alloW him to perpetually bury himself
We must think of our girls.n she told
u'11, N and the boy"
go. mus for the sake of these girls and for
IN '49 .e 10Y, Lady Ennismore took her place
as t e.e world, and lived when she was in it
bos,sIer great ladies' do. Her wealth and
sois GiSsuVy gave her consequence, and if it were
mo1 Tau sometimes that Lord Ennismore had
or Ih,tleu hiI beneath him, this was never said
dsad nin'eo to Lady Ennismore. She was in
tbe Iavorlte in society, and held her own
S suere with a smiling stately grace that it
impossible not to admire
von',r eldest daughter was 16, and her
vSnses5 Il. These two girls and her boy
forI ner constant companions at Bracken-
stay,,.S auu sne had also one great friend who
TFSal Feu very frequently there.
Dri-us was Miss Helen Drummoud. Miss
t,rinond t,ro lived in Scotland with rela-
wbo.O VINO also was Miss Drummond, and
enfoss latner had been the vicar of Brack-
riad ~ u, Inc old man died, and his unmar-
Mis- n ghser went to live in Scotland, and
cbii5 heIen Drummond was her adopted
corr Lazy Ennismore's family had, of
msnSe' known the Drummond family for
ana years. From her early childhood
sta1.a sue was now Isl Helen Drummond had
Wa occasionally at Brackenford She
Lsdo handsome, ~ clever girl, and devoted to
ber snnnlsmore, who sincerely returned
bad "Lsetion. Yet when Lord Ennismore
wa. salo to his Katherine in his kindly
IN tAaae, why don't you give Helen a season
- '0wn; ;she's handsome enough, by Jove. !"