LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2427, 16 January 1882, Page 4

LITERATURE.

LOVE IN A CASTLE. ( Concluded.) ' I'm glad to meet you again, Miss Caroline ; It is quite a long time since I've seen you,' and then addressed his conversation to her so entirely that Prince Leopold had to stand there like a Gold or Silverstiok-in-Waiting. He could not leave them alone, and yet he felt it not a proper situation for a prince of the royal blood to be placed in. Mr Heneage now appeared on the scene, and was dumbfounded at seeing Lord Tom conversing easily with Miss Oadogan, and the Prince completely left out in the cold. ' I made a most unfortunate mistake, Heneage,'ssid the mendaoions Lord' Tom; ' I mistook his Royal Highness for yon, and slapped him on the shoulder.' The Prinoe made no movement of assent, and there was an awkward silence; but Lord 'lorn was imperturbable. He suddenly addressed Mr Heneage—- ' Did you fiod my cigarette-case ?' ' No,' was the reply. ' Dear me, I wonder where I could have left it ?'

Lord Tom bad hla cigarette-case safely in his pocket.

Prince Leopold, prlggiah as he was, had J the instincts of a gentleman; he at once [ pulled out his cigarette case and offered its , contents to lord Tom, who gracefully took one, and, after obtaining permission from Miss Oadogan to smoke, lit it. Prince Leopold then talked to Mr Heneage. They moved further along the Terrace, and left Lord Tom master of the held. The victor was determined to make tho moat of his opportnuitv. * My darling Carry,’ he said tenderly; 1 they have kept me so long from you 1 thought I should never seen you again. Why did yon not answer my letters 1’ * Papa said I mm n’t. But you got my reply to your note ?’ ‘ I did, and I could scarcely make out what it meant. Bnt tell me, you are not happy here ? ’ * Why do yon say that? ’ ‘ I know it, Carry; I overheard what passed between you and the Prince.’ * I must go back to the Qaeen,’ she said quickly ; * it is not right for me to be

hfre.’ ‘ No, Carry ; you shall not go yet, until yon promise to marry me.’ Miss Cadogan felt that her great affection for him was fast gaining the upper hand, her resolutions were momentarily growing weaker; but womanlike, she still trilled with his passion. •l cannot promise ; my family are opposed to the match. My father would never give his consent ; besides, he would never forgive mo if 1 were to give up my position as Maid-of-Honor. He thinks so much of it.’ * Carry, I care not for your father or anybody else. (There Is nothing to be said against my character. I have never done anything dishonorable. I cannot understand his prejudice, Caroline, leave this place with me at once ; we will get married in spite of the world. Otherwise, we may be lost to each other for ever.’ ' Do yon mean an elopement P ' said she, as if such an idea had never struck her before. ‘ Call it what you please.’ She turned pale as tte Interview was interrupted by » footman, who announced that Her Majesty desired the presence of Miss Cadogan. 4 Good-night, ’ she said ; ‘ I will let you know,’ and she went along the Terrace. Lord Tom was somewhat Hushed and excited, He looked around for Henerge. but ho was gone. Lord Tom was alone. He lit a cigar, and resolved to take it coolly and review what had taken place. He soon found himself in the Flower garden, and sat down under the statute of a Bacchante. He might have sat there for another hoar, bad not Mr Heneage suddenly tonohed him on the shoulder. 4 A re you going to stay here all night?' ‘ No ; I do think it is time to go to bed.’ 4 Well,’ said Heneage, as they walked to his room; 4 you had a long talk with Miss Cadogan. I hope It was a pleasant one.’

‘ Yes,’ answered Tom, dreamily. * It was an odd mistake yon made with regard to Prince Leopold.’ ‘ Yes ; it iwas rather,’ said Tom sententiously, and they went to bed. Lord Tom, the next morning, was np betimes, and had an early interview with the magnificent creature to whom he had given the sovereigns the night before. Mr Hcneaga remarked, when he found Lord Tom already dressed, that he could not heve slept well j to which Lord Tom replied that he never oonld sleep well in strange beds. The magnificent creature had already handed to Lord Tom that morning a note in a delieate handwriting. He concluded not to go to the Chapel, After breakfast, Lord Tom thanked Mr Heneage for all his kindness ; and, making a short call to his frier d, Captain Legge, left the Castle for town. The Queen, with the Princess Beatrice and Prince Leopold, breakfasted in the Oak Chamber, the Prince of Wales having gone Marlborough House the night before. ‘Leopold,’ said Her Majesty to her son ; ‘ I think your attention to Miss Cadogan is mnoh too marked, I like you to be polite to all the members of the household ; bnt it is quite out of place for yon to be running after her all the time.' ‘ I admire her, mother. ’ ‘That’s all nonsense,’ said the Queen testily ; ‘ you can't marry her, you know. I should think that we had had enough of this kind of thing in the family.' ‘I like Miss Cadogan,’ Interrupted Beatrice. ‘ I did like her,’ continued the Queen ; ‘ but her behaviour on the Terrace was abominable. What right had she to wander away with that Lord Thomas Beaumont ? 1 intend to reprimand her severely, and I will give Mr Heneage to understand that I will not allow him to entertain visitors in my house without my permission. * Don’t be too harsh, mother,’ murmured Prince Leopold.’ * I require no advice from you, sir,’ returned the Queen. During the remainder of the meal Prince Leopold kept his eye fixed on the Gobelin tapestries. Her Majesty’s personal servant, John Brown, here entered : ‘The Earl of Beaconsfield solicits an audience with Your Majesty,’he announced, in measured tones. ‘This is an early visit; but, John, show him into the Green Drawing room. He will lunch with us, of couraa ; and inform Mias Cadogan that 1 wish her to attend me this afternoon, and I desire to speak with her before my drive. ’ Lord Beaconsfield had a long audience with Her Majesty on affairs of state, and Prices Leopold, after bis maternal snubbing, wandered about the Castle and strolled toward Mr Heneage’s apartments. Mr Heneage always felt honored with the attention of royalty. ‘lt is very strange, sir,’ said he to the Prince ; ‘ but you know the tall footman, Barnes, that has been here so long in the Castle, and' often attends on me ?—well, he is nowhere to be found. He has not been seen since last night. He has evidently taken nothing away with him. Lord Tom Beaumont gave him a sovereign yesterday to carry— ’ Mr Heneage stopped ; ho was about to betray, by the merest slip of the tongue, his friend Lord Tom. 1 To carry what ?’ asked the Prince. The question was equivalent to a command ; he was obliged to answer it. * To carry a letter to Mias Cadogan.’ The Prince said nothing, but saw plainly that he had been a ridiculous catspaw the previous night. He learned that Mias Cadogan had pleaded a headache, and did not think she would be able to attend her Majesty on that day. * There is something In the wind,’ mused the Prince ; ‘ I will find out what it is. I believe they are going to get married, and I will, if possible, prevent it.’ He went to the South-western Kailway Station and took the first train to London, and hastily made hla way to the Vicar General’s office for granting marriage licenses, Bell Yard, Doctor’s Commons. Even Princes have ordinary shrewdness sometimes. He found that Lord Tom Beaumont had already procured a special license. What was to be done ? Was the woman he adored to be carried off, right under his very nose ? Be was not magnanimous. He would call on her father, Viscount Chelsea, and tell him all about It. Viscount Chelsea was not at Belgrave Square. He had gone to Wimbledon, and would not be back until quite late in the afternoon It would not only be mean, but It would be useless to telegraph to the Queen, because Miss Cadogan was a free agent, and no one could legally interfere with her liberty. It was seven o’clock when Viscount Chelsea returned. He was furious, dashed down to the railway station and engaged a special train for Windsor. Prince Leopold accompanied him. The Honorable Caroline Cadogan, meanwhile was too ill to received the reprimand from her Majesty or to accompany that lady driving. When her Majesty, before dinner, again sent for Mias Cadogan, Miss Cadogan was not to be found. She bad quietly slipped out of the Castle, and had gone to the house of the magnificent creature and there awaited Lord Tom Beaumont with his special license, He came at last. Then the lovers went to the parish ohnroh which Is dedicated to St. John the Baptist, and they were married. The bride had no bridesmaid, and the only friend present was Captain Legge, of the Coldstream Guards. The family of the magnificent creature did all the rest. Just when the ceremony was over, a fly came dashing np to the door with Viscount Chelsea; the Prince did not come with him. «it is too late, my Lord,’ said Lord Tom,

coolly; ' yon had better kiss your daughter and congratulate her,' The Viscount could say nothing Captain Legge endeavored to smooth matters over. The Queen waß a little surprised whei she read in the " Morning Post " the day following the marriage as followß : «' On July Bth, at the Parish Church of St. John, Windsor, by the Reverend Vincent Utterton, M.A.., Lord Thomas Beaumont, son of the Marquis of Birmingham, to the Honorable Caroline Cadogan, eldest daughter of Viscount Chelsea." The happiest couple in the world are Lord and Lady Thomas Beaumont, and the magnificent oreature is now their bntlor.