Year: 1879

ing here this week, and might probably
see Or meet my lord, it was better to
make all clear to you. People are sc
apt to associate wrong with things they
do not understand


'To be sure, dear. I suppose Lord
Richard and you have had little dis
agreement. Now, if I could do anything
toward a reconciliation 1 should be 50
happy, you know


mo, Selma, there has been no quar-
rel, and you can do nothing at all be-
tween us. l don't want you to try
Just be kind enough to ignore the whole
circumstance. Lord Richard and I'M
derstood each other nearly four years
ago.


But it is not four years since you
married.


Just four years-yesterday.'


And my lord has been away


Three years, eight months and eigh-
teen days. Us far as know


We'll, this is most extraordinary
thing, and very, very sad, l must say


1T might easily have been much sad
der. am going to tell you the exact
truth, and / rely upon your honor and
discretion to keep the secret inviolable.


MY dear Kate, would not name it
for WOrias.


listen, then. One night, when l was
scarcely seventeen years old, my father
sent for me to his study. had known
for months that he was dying. He was
the only creature that / had to love, and
+ loved him very tenderly. I must add,
also, for it partly explains my conduct,
that the idea of disobeying him i'll any
thing had never presented itself to me
as u possibility. This night l found
with him his lifelong friel.d, the late
Lord Talbot, and also the present lord,
my husband. l was a shy, shrinking
girl, without any knowledge of dress or
society, and very timid and embarrassed
in my manners. Then my father told
me that it was necessary for the good of
both houses that Richard Talbot and l
should marry; that Richard had con-
sented, and that. must meet few
friends in our private chapel at seven
o'clock in the morning a week afterward.
OF course these things were told me in
very gentle and considerate manner,
and my dear father, with many loving
kisses. begged me as last favor to him
to make no objections


'And what did Lord Richard say?


i glanced up at him. He stood near
a window looking out over our fine old
park, and when lie felt my glance he
colored deeply and bowed. Lord Talbot
said, rather angrily, Richard, Miss
Esher waits for You to speak. Then
Lord Richard turned toward me and said
something, but in such low voice that
did not catch its meaning. MY son
says you do him great honor-dnd
pleasure, explained Lord Talbot, and
he kissed me and led me toward the un-
willing bridegroom.


OF course | ought to have hated him,
Selma, but / did not. On the contrary,
fell desperately in love with him. Per-
hnps it would have been better for me if
| had not. Richard read my heart in
my face, and despised his easy conquest.
As for me, suffered in that week all
the torturing suspense of timid school
girl in love. dressed myself in the
best of my plain, unbecomlng, childish
toilets, and watched YEARLY every day
for visit from my promised husband;
but saw no more of him until our we'd
ding morning. BY this time some very
rich clothing had arrived for me, and
also London maid; and think, even
then, my appearance was fair enough to
have somewhat conciliated Richard Tai
bot. But he scarcely looked at me-
The ceremony was scrupulously and
coldly performed, my father, aunt and
governess being present on my side, and
on Richards his father and his three
maiden sisters.


Il never saw my father alive again; he
died the following week, and the mock
cry of our marriage festivities at Talbot
castle was suspended at once in defer
ence to my grief. Then we came to
London, and my lord selected for his own
use the left wing of this house, and po-
litely placed at my entire disposal all
the remaining apartments. considered
this as an intimation that was not ex
pected to intrude upon his quarters, and
scrupulously avoided every approach
to them. knew from the first that all
attempts to win him would be useless,
and indeed 1 felt too sorrowful and hu-
inflated to try. During the few weeks
we remained under one roof we seldom
met, and | am afraid 1 did not make
those rare interviews at all pleasant. l
felt wronged and miserable, and my wan
face and heavy eyes were only re.
proach to him..


'Oh, what monster, Katel


Not quite that, Selma. There were
many excuses for him. One day saw
paragraph in the Times saying that
Lord Richard Talbot intended to accom-
pany scientific exploring party whose
destination was Central Asia. l INSTANTLY
sent and asked my husband for an inter-
view. had intended dressing myself
with care for the meeting, and making
one last effort to win the kindly regard,
at least, of one whom L still could not
help loving. But some unfortunate
fatality always attended our meetings,
and / never could do myself justice in
his presence. He answered my request
at once. I suppose he did so out of
respect and kindness; but the conse-
quence was, he found me in an unbe-
coming dishabille, and with my face and
eyes red and swollen with weeping.


Il felt mortified at prompt attention
so mal-apropos, and my manner, instead
of being winning and conciliating, was
cold and unprepossessing. l did not
rise from the sofa on which had been
sobbing, and he made no attempt to sit