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

Patea Mail, Volume III, Issue 235, 11 July 1877, Page 4

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

fßv Mrs. Harriet Lewis.]

CHAPTER XVII. Continued. A STRANOK ALLIANCE. “Nonsense, Mr Grafton. Is it ‘ treachery’ to save him from an unsuitable uilianci ? No, it is rather the work of a true and noble friend. This girl is not suitable to be your wife : bow much less is she suitable to the Earl of Glenham 'and future Marquis of bt. Leonards ? The men of our family hja w c always married rank, I cannot bear that my sou should insult me so cruelly as to give me this creature as my daugl.tw-iu-law. 1 feel the disgrace the more keenly, because 1 know that lie will repent the misalliance as Lord Harry Kavensdalc repented his. But you have no title to sustain, no friends to consult. You can marry the girl, if you choose, Mr Grafton,” “ bhe does not love me. She does love the earl—”

“ You mean she loves his rank and wealth. Have you ever asked her to be your wife ?” “ Never, madam. I could not be so treacherous to my friend.” “ I thought 1 had disposed of that idea of treachery., I should consider you a good friend to my son, if yon would marry Miss Rosse yourself. Listen to mo, Mr Grafton. There is scarcely anything 1 would not do to gave him from tins marriage. If you will persuade Miss Rosse to marry yon, I will settle an income of four hundred a year upon her for life. That amount, added to your own income, will render you independent, especially as yon have a handsome countryhouse.”

Grafton’s heart gave a quick bound. The offer was very tempting. He loved Cecil with a consuming passion. The mystery regarding her origin did not tend in the faintest degree to check the ardour of his pursuit. He could afford to gratify his own wishes lie had no lofty rank to maintain, no relatives to consult. Ho regarded the countess keenly and furtively, while he hesitated.

“ I cannot offer you a bribe, Sir Grafton,” said Lady Glenhain, marking Lis hesitation, “ and you must not coi - eider my offer to portion Miss Rosse in the light of a bribe. It would only be an offering of gratitude. I should be happy to receive your wife on equal terms upon all occasions, and I should never cease to be grateful to you.” “ The earl would never forgive mo.”

“Ho would in time. He will marry another lady after his first anger against yon and Miss Rosse had ceased, and years from now will laugh to think how he was outgeueralled in his first love affair. Suppose he does not forgive you ? Will not the lady bo sufficient recompense for the loss of his friendship ?” “ Now we return to our first difficulty. I cannot hope that she will marry me, after loving the earl.”

“ If she wore to know her love for him lo be hopeless, she would marry you, I am sure. Has she pride ?” “ As much as yourself, Countess.” “That is strange. I might go to her and tell her that I would never consent to receive her as ray son’s wife. 1 might set the matter before her in such a light that, if she has the prido of a true woman, she would rather die than enter a family whore she would be unwelcome and despised. I think I might have managed the case better. I wiU consent to see Miss Rosso. My sou shall take me to Zorlita next month !”

Grafton was well aware that if the earl and countess should visit Zorlitz, his own recent visit to the same place would be detected, but it was not yet fine for him to confess it. Ho therefore kept his own counsel.

“ You have not yet given me your answer to my proposition, Mr Grafton,” said Lady Glenham. “If I assure you that iu marrying Miss Rosse you do my son a great service, you can no longer hesitate. You love this girl, and I will help yon to win her. Shall not this be a compact between us ?” Grafton held out his hand.

“ You persuade me against myself, against my friendship te your son, against my very principles 1” he exclaimed, with a fine assumption of superior virtue. “ I love Miss Rosse with all my soul The dower you would give her would render my income ample for our wants. And as you think I would be doing right, I will enter the lists as her suitor.”

Lady Glenham grasped his hand in unaffected fervour of gratitude. In her desire to save her son from a marriage she loathed and detested, her naturally fine sense of honor was blunted, and she failed to see her share of the compact in its true light. “ I thank you I ” she ejaculated, with tears in her eyes, her haughty lips quivering. “ I shall bless you while you live if you succeed. And you must succeed. Miss Rosse must be made to understand that the earl cannot make her bis wife. I can help you in this, and I will.”

“ We will talk further upon the subject,” remarked Grafton, as she arose and he followed her example. “ Rest assured, if I can win Miss Rosse I will lose no time in doing so.” “ I wish you would go -to Zorlitz before we do, but perhaps it will be best

that you should wait until after I see her. Do not be too precipitate, lest you ruin everything. Hark! is not that the earl’s voice ? i must go.” She composed her features and swept out of the room, while Grafton relighted his cigar, resuming his seat. In the great hall Lady Glenhnm encountered her son.

“Is anything wrong, Gordon, that you are home so early?” she asked, with quick anxiety, “ Nothing, except that I became separated from tiic others, bagged a quantity of game, m l decided to return to the Lodge,” said Lord Glenhain, putting his arm around his mother’s waist and leading her into the morningroom. “ I thought that Grafton might have returned. What has happened, mother? You look happier than I have seen you of late ! ” “Mr Grafton has returned, Gordon—”

“ And those smiles are for him ? Why, I thought you did not like him overmuch ! ”

“ People make mistakes sometimes, Gordon. I like Mr Grafton very well indeed. But the smiles are not on account of his return. I have just had some conversation with him. I asked him about Miss Rosse. I could never bear to speak to him of her before.” “ You asked him—what ?” “ About her beauty, goodness, and talent.” “ And he said ?—”

“ That she was beautiful ns an angel, lovely, sweet, and good,” sighed Lady Glenhain. “He can hardly find words enough to praise her.” The carl’s blonde and noble face glowed. “ I could not have expected him to say loss,” he exclaimed. “He is a good and true friend, mother, God bless him ! ”

The countess winced. She had as high a love of truthfulness as any one; she detested a falsehood in whatever shape •, she scorned a liar and a traitor. She had excused the part she had taken during her conversation with Grafton, saying to herself that “ all was fair in love and war,” and that she was justified iu opposing secretly her son’s wishes and s homing to circumvent them. But now, looking into those honest gray eyes, so warm and loving, so truthful and tender, she hated herself and the part she had undertaken. Better, a thousand times better, the part of open enemy, than that of secret ti’aitor. But she said to herself that she could not turn back in the course on which she had entered. She had made her son’s friend her confederate and fellowtraitor, nothing remained but to go on in her distasteful work.

“ I must tell you, Gordon, that all Mr Grafton said, or could say,” she exclaimed, hastily, “ does not affect my decision never to receive Miss Rosse as my danghter-iu-law. She may not be an adventuress. She may be good and honest, but none the less is she unfit to be your wife. I cannot forgot her origin. I think you foolish, mad even, in your love for her. But we won’t go over the old ground again. You have heard my arguments until you know them by heart. I only wish to say,” and the proud, gray head dropped and the stern and haughty face ay as averted, “ that I consent to your visit to Zorlitz next month.” “ Mother—”

“ And I will go with yon, Gordon !” said the countess, more firmly. “ I will see this girl for myself!” “ My dear mother !” cried the carl, enraptured. “ I knew your love for me and your good souse would triumph over your prejudices. You will see Cecil, and you will love her. She will find her way straight to your heart!” He kissed her in a transport of loving gratitude. “ What would he say,” thought the conscience-stricken mother, “ if he knew that I am going with him to Zorlitz only the better to separate him from Miss Rosso ? What would he say if he knew that no amount of beauty or goodness could penetrate the prejudice I have conceived against her ? And what would he say if he knew that both his mother and his friend were leagued together to betray him ? Yet, if I can save him from this marriage he contemplates, I shall be glad I betrayed him for his good !” j*TO BE CONTINUED.]