Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-03-14
A NOTE OF INTERROGATION.

~roSe-scented Mayfair draWing-room
the absorption of a creamy chiffon
frock in a dark blue serge embrace
the JuNtapoSition of two pretty heads
n copper red and the other soft
brown, made up in Lord Treganna's
memory the general effect of the meet
ing between Lady Christine Mainwar
ing and her daughter, Christabel
After a moment the copper and the
chiffon frock resumed a separate ex.
istence, and Lady Christine Mainwar
ing, a little flushed and disturbed
from her usual serenity, turned to the
privileged witness of the scene.
Lord ~Tre@enna, you must forgive
me, but l have not seen my daughter
for a very long time" She took the
young girls long, slender fingers in
her W small, white hand.
Let me present you, my little girl. >
Miss Christabel Mainwaring deigned
his lordship the slightest and shyest
of bows, then turned to her pretty
mother, and, holding her at arms
length, cried, Little girl! Why, dear.
I'm head and shoulders taller than you
are, and you're so lovely and so wee
you make me feel quite old"
Lady Christine raised her fingers
and patted her daughters cheek.
Nonsense, you foolish child. Now
run upstairs. Henrietta viii show YOU
your room and unpack for YOU. I
Will come to you directly"
From her slender height the girl
dropped a kiss upon her mothers
brow, then left the room.
"What did you think of herr were
Lady Christine's first words as rhe
door closed.
Lord Tregenna picked up his hat and
gloves before he answered: "She is
very lovely"
''She is not like ne. eh?"
He let his eyes-big, gray, rather
cold eyes-wander over the mignonne
form before him. During all her fiji
teen years undisputed position as a
leading beauty Lady Christine had
never looked so lovely as at that mo-
ment, with her bosom throbbing be-
Meath her perfumed laces, her sweet,
red lips apart, her sapphire eyes aglOw
with excitement and curiosity.
Lord Tregenna looked a second time.
"No. Miss Mainwaring is not like you.
But l must be going. You will want
to go to your daughter"
eau revoir. then, till this evening.
You will come to the OPERA"
sfTf ra1I will Cra Nd ~ 1,ocp;+a1i+- fD,.
the second act of Romeo I shall be
delighted.
She waved him an airy acquieScance
and moved to the door by his side.
Yet. after Lord Tregenna had left the
house. Lady Christine seemed in no
great hurry to join her daughter, She
sank into a low chair and drew her
penciled br0ws together in an mae
cuStomed effort of serious Thought.
From her Goth birthday, when Marina
duke Mainwaring had left her q
widow. the whole world had ~cOnspired
to take all need of thought or car
from her baby-dimpled hands and
curly, auburn hair. Relations quickly
decided that her only child could be
we'll educated in a foreign convent;
and society, finding her beautiful.
Sweet-natured and very wealthy, at
once cast her for the role of beauty
and feted her accordingly. Life ran
on very we'll for Lady Christine Main
waring, and she did not permit even
her lovers to trouble her. Scores of
men burned incense at her dainty
shrine and SWOre ardent VOWS at her
arched feet. Some loved her for her
beauty, others desired her for her
wealth. But she had neither taste
nor sympathy for either one of them.
A Thousand times she had protested
that neither her position nor fortune
could be bettered by a second mar
riage, and unlike most women under
identical circumstances, she had really
meant what She said.
But lately, after fifteen years of
adultation and conquest, when a IL
year-old daughter was looming in the
horizon of her career little Lady
Christine sometimes caught herself
watching for a certain handsome face
ait the opera, waiting for a particular
tall, square-shouldered figure in the
park, longing for the tone OF a deep
voice at routs and balls. She grew
as c~apricfous as a spOilt baby, ridi-
culously CHEEKY one hour, absurdly de-
pressed the next. She would laugh at
nothing, but twice within the week
that preceded her daughters return
she had caught herself in tears.
A vague fear. an unfounded appre-
hension was driving a tiny lump into
her white throat now. as she sat mus
ing over Lord Tregenna's words, "She
is very lovely: she is not Like YOU
What did he mean? Christabel was
young and slender. and had great
dovelike eyes. Il wonder which of
us he will prefer" Then she laid her
cool hands against her burning cheeks.
What a fool I am to eve dream such
things. l have been spOilt. l think
every man must be in love with me
if he carries my prayer-boOk two Sun
| days running at church parade or
| comes to my opera-box once a week.
Chris must have her chance. and if he
-o
Then her thoughts trailed away into
vague imaginings TIL a low voice mur
INJURED, Mother. may l come in"
"Of course, dear. Ring for tea
| Now sit down here and tell me al
| about everything till it ONE time tc
| dress for dinner.
When Lord Tregenna went round
| TO Lady Christine Mainwaring's opera.