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King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 607, 1 October 1913, Page 6

IBHS^fflßfrthSßpKhor of Bondage," "Two Keys," ■MB'Stella." "The Untnown |BBr Bridegroom," &c, ■HK'act. is, I have called respecting BKady living here in Oarsbrook. L Hlude," lie continued, ''to my wile, R:e Countess fit Gothwic." They looked at each other in dismay. (\iiiU he be mad, this pleasant, handsome nobleman ? "We have no lady of that name living near us," .-said the rector. "I did not even know your lordship was married." He smiled, a painful, constrained smile. "Ah, yes," he said, "I have been married many years. I married, I may say, without egotism, the most > ifted and the most beautiful wo* man in England." He looked round and saw that ?very eye was fixed upon him in earnest attention. "Soon after my marriage," he continned, "circumstances happened in my family which compelled my dear wife and myself to live apart. What those circumstances were matters to no ciic living but myself. They do not reflect upon her. She is peerless in lirr perfect virtue, as in her perfect beauty. That long separation is ended now, and I am here to take my v,-:fc and child home with me, when due arrangements can be rnr.de." He paused for one moment, and they looked at each other in breathIres surprise. Who was it ? "Who was living amongst them unknown and jnhonourcd ? Strange to say, never a thought flew to Mrs. Morton. "I must speak plainly," continued Ihc earl. '"I come to entreat my wife and child once more to take their proper places in the world, and I find -what do I Ond ?" The smile left his face, which grew dark and stern.

'■' l find that scandal and calumny lave been busy with the two whom I love and revere most. I find that ignorant and narrow-minded people have dared to insult my wife and laughter. I call upon you, sir, as lead of this parish, as the minister Df God, to stop this scandal at once, and to see that the fair fame of two pure, innocent ladies is no longer :alled into question." "I will do all in my poweri," said Dr. Tate ; "but you forget, my lord, ,ve rre working quite in the dark. I aavc not the honour of knowing Lady Gotuv.-ic. May I ask under ivhnt name she is passing. The faces of the ladies present at that momentous interview were in that nement a study. '' She— my wife — calls herself Mrs. Morton !" he replied. It was wonderful to note the effect ?f thoee few words. The rector fell cac.c in his chair ; Mrs. Tate turned .rime-on ; Tdrs. Poyntz felt that the ivorld had indeed come to an end ; the tv. o girls looked at each other In unutterable dismay. '"I do not know all," he said : "I rnly know that Lady Gothwic and Lady Gertrude Noel have been the subject for vulgar gossip. and scandal, which I call upon you, sir, to do your 1. est to stop." A gn.sping sound, that was not speech, passed the lips of Mrs. E'oynt::. Good heavens, was it possible ? She herself had insulted Lady Gertrude Noel and had desired that all acquaintance between her and her daughters should end ! Who could have for;~ce:n this? "Of coarse," continued the earl, with a lordly air, "I know that in a small place like this there must be scandal to amuse the vulgar ; but that one so retiring, so gifted,' so i-.oole as Lady Gothwic should be the Bi;;ect of it, I must confess, surpri cj me." CHAPTER LXII. Dr. Tate murmured a few words that v."':2 not very distinct,' and the carl f It that his mission was accon.p'i'bed. There was no mistaking ihe faces of those women —the news spread like wildfire. He ro.-;e then, and bade the rector a iro-t courteous adieu.

"Lady Gothwic and Lady Gertrude j wili remain at Carsbrook some short j time longer," he said, "while proper j arrangements are made for their re- > ception at Towers. I shall ask you, Dr. Tate; to see that they are not annoyed in this way again. T will bring the terrors of the law to bear upon those who insult my wife !"

Then he most gracefully bade the ladies adieu. There was no resisting that gay, debonair, charming manner ; they were delighted with him, yet frightened at him. It was impossible for him to see Mrs. Poyntz's consternation ; there was guilt on every feature oi her face.

"That old woman has been rhe riny-leader of the mischief," he sab to himself ; but., none the less be bade her a must courteous good moraine:. The rector acoanpaniei: his honoured guest to the door, leaving' ihe ladies alone. Mr:-, Tate raised her hands anc eyes. "Did you ever inoff anything like this ':" she cried. "It seems 'ike s dream. Mrs. Poyntz, I shall nevei forget it '. " But Mrs. Poyntz was far too ill tc be able to sympathise with any oik else. .She felt that, above all others she had been .guilty of that scandal she bad boasted everywhere of the insult she had offered to Mabel Morion, lu all companies she had. pursed up her lips in a most contemp-

"Only fancy, mamma." said Helen, i maliciously, "what we have lost ! i If some fairy had but told us the ! InN'h, we might, yon know. have I aeon the chosen friends of Lady < Gertrude Noel. What' a beautiful [ .mme it is—Lady Gertrude Noel ! What will Mrs. Leonard Ainsleigh say when she hears it ?" ".I shall never forgive All's. Ainsieigh for having so cruelly deceived me," said Mrs. Poyntz, solemnly. "1 .ised to be very fond of Lady Gertrude, as I suppose we must call her. As for the countess, I always thought ic-r a most beautiful, amiable, and lifted woman. I must really write to her, and explain the dreadful mistake that Mrs. Ainsleigh led me into." "I think you had better not." said Mrs. Tate. "We have all been wrong, and no one would see more juickly through anything of that dnd than Mrs. Morton." "I shall never forgive myself," said Mrs. Poyntz. Mr. Poyntz waited long for his fanner that day, for his wife called on every dear friend she had, and under promise of secrecy, told the aews. CHAPTER LXIII. Once more Lord Gothwic stood before his wife and child. "I have not come to ask for your decision, Evelyn," he said, sadly ; "you shall have plenty of time to think whether it must be yes or no. t will not hurry you. I have only :alled to tell yo'n that, there will be ao more scandal in Carsbrook about pou. I have stopped it for ever." Evelyn —whom we may call by her name, Lady Gothwic—made no reply. The voice of the, man she had once so passionately loved filled her heart svith a strange, sad pain. It was Lady Gertrude who spoke. "Will you tell us what you have lone, Lord Gothwic?" asked Gertie, with the gleam of a smile. "I will describe the whole scene if fou will call me by the same name jrou did years ago. Call me papa." " The temptation was very great. S'o one knew better than Lady Gercrude the intense love of the CarsDrook people for anything that savoured of nobility. "'Do tell us, papa," she said, halfshyly, her sweet face flaming as she spoke. He looked delighted. Lord Gothwic aad a rare gift of sketching graphically, and he gave a brilliant description of the scene at the rectory—'. Mrs. Tate's surprise, the consternation of Mrs. Poyntz. "By this time," he said, " half Carsbrook has heard the news ; and [ dare bet you a pearl bracelet, 3ertie, that Mrs. Poyntz will be the iirst to write or call." "It is very probable," said Lady Gertrude. Lord Gothwic had seized on the aumour of the scene so adroitly that, as he described it, his wife could not refrain from a smile, and that smile sent him wild with hope. It svas impossible for that gay, debonair nature to remain long under a doud. Sorrow always seemed to (all from him. '■' You have smiled, Evelyn, at last," he said ; "now I shall go away happy, taking the memory of that smile with me. Let me tell you what I am going to do. Your decision as to whether I am ever to be happy again will not affect my resolve. You must not deny me this happiness of atonement, Evelyn."

"I will not," she replied, " for Gertie's sake. lam willing now that you should tell my story and hers to all the world, if it will but choose to listen."

He knelt down with the grace of one of the courtiers of olden time and kissed her hand.

"I am going to London," he said. "I shall go first to my lawyers and tell them this, the story of my hidden marriage ; then I shall write such an account of it as I wish to go forth to the Press. Can you not fancy it, Evelyn ? 'Romance in High Life.' Then I shall make my will. To you, my dearest, long-lost wife, I shall leave a fortune that you will grace. You, Gertie, are my heiress, and will succeed me. You will become Countess ot Gothwic. Are you tired of listening, or may I tell you more ?" "Tell us all, papa," said Gertie.

"I shall go to Floreuce Ralstou, who, next to you, Evelyn, is the noblest woman I have ever met. Rumour has told you that. 1 loved her ; she shall tell you the truth. You will like her, Gertie : and Evelyn, my wife, perhaps you will believe from her lips what you do not believe from mine." "After that, papa '■:"

"After that, my darling Gertie. 1 shall have Gothwic Towers madeready for your mother and you. If I may never j<un you there. T must live on my bachelor's life in London. Perhaps in time. Evelyn, you may relent. f shall live in hope—there is nothing like hope."

"How little you are altered. !" said Lady Gothwic to iiim. "You are as

sanguine, as gay, as full of spirits as you were twenty years ago. Yov will always be half a boy, Clive."

The name had escaped her lips lv fore sh-e was aware of it. tie looked up at her with a, flush of delight "I shall go to London with thaJ word in my ears." he said. '''lt wea: like music, Evelyn ; uu one ever ha< a voice like yours. And now 1 must go. Gertie, my iirst, visit will hi

to Lady Mackin ; :ihc has boon Kinc

shaft 'near your WRK", if htvomcs public. Vou •<. rciiViio with your •■':('■■. i should prefer it ; she will Want in;'.'' "Mind, Genie. yen must plead for r.u«. I U'iivo my nitir-v m your hands, jv, vour lies; for me. darling, will you not v.-cnf in; io bis wife. ••Kwiyn." In 1 said. "I have a longii,_- !(H- ilutf F cannot explain —a. !, ,11 s 1 !1:: to 1»:t W* one kind word. Wili you rive ii me ? Will yon S; >y. • Go,! !«!••>.; you. I 'live ?' " Ii was luu in human nature to rev ill!' .. ili I: f of t!1; i 1 handsome face. ~r iin- rich, lovin:; voice. ••Cod Mes.- yti. Clive !" she said; and ihe simple words brought tears to his eyes. "Will yon go to the station with me, Cert ie ?" be asked. "You would enjoy the drive this tine morning." Mat Lady Gertrude could not leave her mother ; she knew bow much she would he needed after he was gone. She went with him to the gate, and they stood there for some little time. "In your own heart, Gertie," he asked, "do you think me a villain ?" "I think you were weak, false, and cowardly," she replied ; "but I hope —oh, how much I hope ! —mamma will forget it all." Then he felt sure he was leaving an able advocate behind him. "Gertie." he said, gently,, "take this cheque, darling. Remember, all I have is yours, and see that your mother has every luxury that she needs. Now, good-bye. Promise to write and tell me wbo wins the wager—you or I." He kissed her most lovingly, and went away. Lady Gertrude stood for a few minutes watching the tall, aristocratic figure, as it disappeared under the spreading boughs of the trees. It. seemed like a dream to lur, this sudden discovery. "1 liked him," she thought, "the first moment I saw him. Oh, if mamma can but forget, how happy we shall be !" When she returned to the room she saw traces of tears on Lady Gothic's face. "Oh, mamma!" she cried, "how will it end ? It was a cruel wrong, but you are so generous, so noble. Vou will forgive, I am sure." Lady Gothwic sighed wearily. "No one seems to understand, Gertie," she said, gently. "I forgave it all from the depths of my heart Fears ago. I have not one unkind 'bought—sorrow, love,, and anger all lied in my heart —nothing has lived n it but my lcrve for you." Lady Gertrude looked puzzled. "Then if you forgive, mamma, why lot make him happy, as he asks V' "Ah, Gertie, I do not think that :an ever be, child. I never heard of a dead love coming to life. ,Yoa see, it is not dormant or sleeping, nit dead. My love was killed by a sharp, sudden blow." "I have a strong presentiment on lie," continued Lady Gothwic, with i shudder," that tbe union broteen >y my husband's own act can never ?xist again. It was a tsagedy, Ger:ie. Who ever heard of a happy Hiding to a tragedy ?" "You are nervous, mamma —over?xeited and nervous. You shall lie iown and rest while I read to you. Oh, mamma, I had almost forgotten. Bee, papa gave me this." Lady Gertrude opened the thin slip af pink paper. It was a cheque for six hundred pounds. "We will'send this to the bank, namma, and I will provide a feast or you. You cannot refuse ;it was ?iveu to me—not to you." Lady Gothwic did not refuse; she ivas thankful to lay her head down ind close her eyes to think. "VbsA presentiment was so strong upon her, :he happiness he , had flung away :ould. never be theirs again—the ties ae had broken could never be made whole. She tried to calm herself and remember that it was ail in Hod's bands, not hers, and the thought brought rest with it. "Mamma, darling," said LadytGo trude, "are you asleep ?" "No, not asleep—only resting and chinking." "We have had very little amusement in our lives," continned the young girl, "but I believe we are going to laugh. Can you imagine ft'ho is coming across the lawn.?" "No," said Lady Gothwic, " nor can yon surprise me, Gertie. I am past all wonder." "ft is Mrs. Poyntz's footman," said Lady Gertrude, "and he has a Letter in his bands. You see, papa guessed correctly." A loud knock and ring ; then.Susan came in with the letter. When .she had gone Gertie C£>nne to her mother's side. Now mamma, you shall hear every word of tin's delicious epistle. It is addressed to 'The Right Hounourable the Countess Gothwic'—that is very prei.iy. It. is written on the thickest .>f cream laid, with a flourishing monogram : " 'Mrs. Covin:', presents her compliments I, i,a.iy Gothwic. at id begs very earnestly i bar. Lady I Sothwic will lavour her with an interview. Mrs. I'oyni > cuvedingly d. JsiriotlS oi e:<"uia,inin:: to i.;»dv Go! hw ie the very sad errnr ml,, which si 10 was led the niner day while speak to Lady Gertrude Xorl. Mrs. Poyntz had heen niosi cruHiy misled,' " "! will aiis wi ■ r i i> ; .j . Gertie," said Lady Gothwic. Tin' answer was brief and to the purpose : "Lady Gotiiwic, in, declininir the interview Mrs. I'oyni/; -solicits, fx-yg.s to assure her I lint Lady Gertrude Noel has no wish to chanse the., decision made by Mrs. I 'oyrv..'.." (To ba Couiiiuiod)..