Lady Trebor's Secret, OR THE MYSTERY OF CECIL ROSSE.

Patea Mail, Volume III, Issue 226, 9 June 1877, Page 4

Lady Trebor's Secret, OR THE MYSTERY OF CECIL ROSSE.

[By Mrs. Harriet Lewis.] CHAPTER XL-—Continued. Cecil averted her face. She was proud as any titled dame in England, . not with a petty and ignoble pride born of vanity, but with that pride that scorns a mean action, and compels one to preserve intact one’s self-respect. She could not permit her visitor to sec the suffering his words had caused her, but the struggle to hide her agony was something terrible. “ How soon will Lord Glenbam marry this Lady Trevor?” asked old Gretehen, to cover her mistress’s silence. “ Some time this winter. He lias a bad habit of falling in love with every pretty face he sees,” lied Grafton, boldly, “ and Lady Trevor naturally dislikes that trait of bis, so the marriage will take place soon, and she can then watch over him with wifely care. He is a noble fellow, as generous as the sun, but he is fickle and inconstant as the wind. It is not his fault. He was made so, and one cannot belie one’s own nature.” “ And he is in Scotland with her now ?” asked the old German woman. “In the same neighbourhood. They see each other every day. The Countess, Glcnham’s mother, is anxious for her eon’s marriage with Lady Trevor, and is with her son. Lord St. Lc’onards is up there too, and among them all the carl is held pretty close to his betrothal-vows. I expected to find you at Zorlitz, Miss Rosse, and Glcnham desired to be remembered to you. He told me to tell you that he should never forget your kindness to him, and that he should return to Zorlitz next summer, bringing his bride with him !” “ I—l may not be there,” said Cecil, bravely, although her lips quivered. “ But please thank him, in my name, for his remembrance of mo. And—-and convey to him my best wishes for his happiness.” “ I will do so. You look tired, Miss Ross. Permit me to cut my visit short and to call again to-morrow, I shall remain in town a day or two.” “ I shall he pleased to see you,” said Cecil, simply. “ Thanks. I will come. And now let me bid you good morning.” He moved towards the door, hut in hand. Gretehen followed to give him egress. At the outer door, lie whispered to the old servant: “ Come outside. I shall wait far you .at the corner of the Crescent. I have -something of importance ta say to you.” The old woman nodded assent and -closed the door after him. Then she returned to the parlor. Cecil was. standing near the centre of the room, every vestige of brightness and color stricken from her lovely face; her glorious young beauty overshodowed by an anguish too deep for tears. “My poor lamb ! ” cried the old woman, in a burst of pity and grief. “ Lord Glenham is a bad, bad man—” “ Hush, Gretehen,” said the girl, wearily, “ I cannot hear you speak ill of him. He is good and noble.” “ He made love to you while ho was betrothed to a lady of his own country. I liked him, but I like him no longer.” “ Oh, hush, dear Gretehen ; you hurt me most cruelly. He liked me as if he had been my brother, that is all. How could one expect a noble lord to marry one like me, a nameless thing rejected by my own kin ? ” “ He told the Herr Pastor that he loved you,” persisted Gretehen. “He said he should come again in a year to claim you. The Herr Pastor told him your history. It was that that made him give you up. If you had been wellborn, he would have broken off with his English love and married you. Fickle and faithless, you are well rid of him, Miss Cecil. Don’t fret. Don’t look like that ! Come up stairs. Mrs Thomas will return, now that Mr Craiton has gone. She will see you—” Cecil moved forward as under the sting of a spur. She hurried up stairs with swift, impetuous tread, and entered her little parlor, commencing to walk to and fro with the rapid grace of a caged leopardess. ;V . The old woman began some invective against Lord Glenham, but her young mistress stopped her by a gesture. “Do not speak of him again ! ” said the girl. “I do not blame him ; I was mot a fit mate for him. It is better that ho should marry a lady noble and rich. His mother would not have liked mo. It is better ns it is, Gretehen—only I know that he did not love me, and if he had deemed me worthy to be his wife he would have been true to me. I think, too, that he could not have been betrothed last summer, bat I do not doubt that he is now. Nothing can shake my faith in his honor, Gretehen, I hope he will be happy,” and the sweet voice broke down in a sob. u Leave me to myself for a little. I shall be right soon.” tr She went into her bedroom and’ closed her door. The old woman proceeded to her own room, put on her bonnet, and descended A to*;the .street. She found Grafton waiting impatiently for her at the corner Cof the Crescent.

“ You wished to see me, sir ? she said, with bitterness. “ Well, I am here ! ”

“ So I sec,” was the cool response, “ I wanted to speak to you about your mistress, Gretehen. Lord Glcnham hud quarrelled with Ids betrothed last summer, and was in a mood to marry some one else in haste. He conceived an infatuation for Miss Rosse, and would have married her but that In* suspected a mystery concerning her birth— ’ “He knew of the mystery. The Herr Pastor told him all.”

“ Yes, I know,” said Grafton, lying. “ And that levelatiou quenched his love. He couldn’t marry a nameless girl, you understand, and took to flight. Since his return he has become reconciled to Lady Trevor, and their marriage will bo hurried forward. He is good and noble, and be is sadly troubled about bis little flirtation of last summer. He fears that he won Miss Rosso’s heart—”

“ Ho need not fear it,” cried the old woman, angrily. “ I’ll tell her what you say. And you may tell him that Miss Rosso will be quite able to survive his loss. Ob, to think be should turn out like this, and he so handsome, so gentle, so courteous even to the lowest. Why, we thought him perfect.” “No one is that; but lie has very few faults, Gretehen, very few. But I did not ask you to meet mo here to talk of him. Miss Rosse is friendless, with the exception of me. I would die to serve her, I desire to place my purse in your hands. Yon need not tell her, you know, and I cannot bear that she should, know what privation is.”

“ You arc kind, sir, but we have plenty of money and plenty of -work.”

“ She work ! That peerless creature ! I cannot boar llmt she should toil while I have so much. Take my purse, Gretehen—”

“ I thank yon, sir,” responded the old woman, firmly, “ but I cannot take one penny from you. But I appreciate your kindness, and am grateful tor it. Work will not hurt my little lady. But for work she might brood over her troubles—”

“ But if you ever need help of a friend, yon will send to me i Promise me, Gretehen.”

“ 1 do promise. You arc our best friend—hers, I mean,” said the old woman. “ And if she needs friendship, 1 will come or send to yon.”

“ And I shall come often to see her. You must have read my secret, Gretehen. I loved Miss Cecil—l love her now with all my soul. If she would but let me shelter her from the world, care tor her, and minister to her, I should be the happiest of men. 1 have an elegant home to offer her. I have an independent fortune. And you should never be separated from her, but should live like a lady for the vest of your days. Do yon think I have no chance with her, Gretehen ? lam not rich, like the carl; I am not a lord, nor so handsome, as he, but 1 have a warm, true heart that worships her. Do you think I might hope to win her ? ” The old woman surveyed him with keen scrutiny. His swartby’faco and glowing black eyes showed how deeply he was in earnest. She could not doubt the truth of his professions of love for her young mistress, and in spite of previous aversion to him, her heart vrarmed towards him.

“ After a little, Miss Cecil may be willing to listen to yon, sir,” she said. “ I will use my influence and I have a great deal, with her. We are two lone women in a strange country. If anything were to happen me—and I am growing old now—she would be left alone. She is beautiful, innocent, and so very young, little more than a child. If I could see her a happy wife, the mistress of a pleasant home, I could be content. Only have patience, sir and all will be well.”

“Iwill be patient, I can wait. I love her, and the faintest hope of winning her will sustain me through months of suspense. I will not detain you longer, Gretehen. I will call upon Miss Rosse to-morrow. Remember your promise.” He wrung her hand and hurried away, mattering exultantly ;

“So far well. What a streak of luck I’ve had this morning. First, the meeting with her. That was unexpected to me—a regular fatality ! Then my lies about Glenbam. They were clever, for impromptu efforts, I flatter myself. That girl is proud enough. How she held control of herself! She believed me, of course, and is now crying her eyes out, I dont doubt. I wonder wbat Glenham would say to my little fiction. The result will confirm my story. Between them all, Lady Trevor, Lady Glcnham, and Lord St. Leonards, he’ll be forced into an engagement of marriage with the handsome ■widow, or I am no judge of the strength of will ot his opponents. I shall keep my knowledge of Cecil’s whereabouts to myself, and win and many her before he knows that she has left Zorlitz. I believe,” and he smiled grimly, “ that I am master of the situation !” Gretehen returned home, saying to herself.

“ How we misjudged Hen* Grafton ! We took the glitter for refined gold and threw aside the gold as dross. He is noble and good. I shall use all my influence with Miss Cecil to induce her to marry him. And, after a little, I think I can persuade her to accept him. I shall not rest until she is his wife !”

PTO BE CONTINUED.]