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

Patea Mail, Volume III, Issue 241, 1 August 1877, Page 4

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

o [By Mus. llakriet Lewis.] CHAPTER XXI. KMRAKKED. Lady Trevor wrote a letter, which Mr Pnlford dictated, expressing to Mbs Rosse her gratification at her acceptance of her. ladyship’s offer of employment, and requesting her to arrive at Imly Trevor’s house in a cab, with her luggage and servant, upon the afternoon of the next day, at five o'clock. This letter was despatched by a special messenger, Cecil’s address having been given inker letter, and an answer was returned, saying that Miss Russo would keep the appointment, Mr Pul font wont assiduously to work to curry out the nefarious scheme he, with Lady Trevor’s able assistance, had concocted. While the unscrupulous pair were thus employed, Cecil Rosso summoned her landlady to an interview, and informed her of her proposed change of residence. Mrs Thomas’s surprise was very great. “ It’s a magnificent chance tor yon, Miss Rosso,” she exclaimed. “ A hundred pounds, and board and lodging for yourself and Crctchcu thrown in, for a winter’s woik ! Them rich nobility don’t really know what to do with their money. A hundred pounds above all expenses for just silting like a lady at your embroidery ! I shall bo sorry to loose you, Miss. A more quiet lodger, nor a truer lady, I never see. Rut it’s for your good, so I won't say one word against your going.”

“ Y our house seems a second home to me, Mis Thomas,” said Cecil. “ 1 do not like to leave it, yet 1 feel a.s if I ought to do the best I can for myself and Grotchen, I shall come back to you when my work for Lady Trevor is finished. I hope you will always have a room for us.”

“ I’ll always make room fer yon, Miss Rosso,” exclaimed the landlady energetically. “ You’ll always be as welcome hero as flowers in Spring.” Mrs Thomas was presently summoned from the room.

“ And now,” said Cecil, I will write a note to Madame Lange, to bo sent to her to-morrow, .Shehas been very kind to me, and 1 cannot leave her without a Avon!.”

(She sat down at her little dispatchbox and wrote a graceful little letter to the fancy-work dealer, stating that Lady Trevor desired her to repair some valuable old tapestry-work at her ladyship’s country-house, and that she had accepted the commission. While Cecil was engaged with this note, old Gretehen, in her old bedroom, was laboriously composing a letter to Maldred Grafton, who would soon present himself again at Queen’s Crescent, she well knew.

Tin's letter was written in Gorman, illspelled, and execrably penned. It stated that Miss Cecil was going to Lady Trevor’s country-house in Yorkshire lor the winter, to repair her ladyship's tapestryhangings, and if Mr Crafton would call upon Miss Cecil in that remote region she would undoubtedly be glad to see him.

“ My young lady knows that Lady Trevor is the betrothed of Lord denham,” the letter concluded ; but she will never see his lordship. She would have refused the engagement but for my persuasions, but 1 can see that she is pining on account of his treachery to her, and I know a winter in the country, with long walks and fine scenery, would be good for her. She grows paler and thinner every day. lam alarmed about her. So I have urged her to go to this great house in Yorkshire for a complete change. After a month or so 1 hope that she will bo herself again. If it seems strange to yon, sir, that she should go to the house of Lord Glonham’s betrothed, blame me and not her.” And the letter concluded with protestations of the writer's good faith and sincere homage.

This letter Gretehen deposited in Mrs Thomas’s keeping the next day, with directions that it should bo delivered to Mr Grafton upon the occasion of his next visit to the house.

The next day, also, Cecil despatched her missive through Ihe post to Madame

Lange. Then the task of packing was entered upon. Cecil’s possessions numbered two trunks. Gretchcu owned a portmanteau. One of the trunks contained Miss liosse’s small wardrobe, the other was filled with the choicest books that had belonged to the old pastor of Zorlitz, two or three pictures that had hung on the parsonage walls, and a few additional articles which derived their chief value from ancient associations. This trunk Cecil decided to leave in the care of Mrs Thomas, Dinner was served at three o’clock in the girl’s sitting-room, and soon after four a cab was brought to the door, and Cecil and Gretehen took their departure from Queen’s Crescent. As the young girl looked back at the dingy brick dwelling, and at her landlady in the open doorway with a handkerchief at her eyes, her heart suddenly sank within her. “ I’ve a good mind not to go, alter all,” she exclaimed, impulsively. “ But it is too late to change your mind, Mies ' Cecil,” cried Gretehen,

aghast. “ What would Madame Lang-, say ? What would Mrs Thomas say ?' “ Yes, it is too late !” sighed Cecil. “ I must go now. Yet such a strange fear crime upon me at that moment, Grctchen, such an awful dread, as if J were going straight to my death !” She looked at her old servant with wild and frightened eyes and a pallor like that of the (haul. “ Nonsense, Miss Cecil,” responded the old woman, shivering in spite of her air of rebuke and disbelief. “ The tea was too strong for yon, that is what ails yon.” Cecil shook her head and sank back upon her cushions. “ If it’s a presentiment,” said Grctehen, who was at heart superstitious and a believer in signs and omens, “ it must be a warning against your going to Yorkshire by rail as you’d intended doing. There’s lots of accidents by rail, more than by water. We had better go in her ladyship's yacht, Miss Cecil.” “ 1 cannot understand this strange depression. I wish I had refused to go to Yorkshire. How foolish I am, Gretchen. This is all nonsense, as you say. I must conquer it.” The girl sat in silence throughout their drive to Lady Tievor’s resilience. When the cabman opened the door and the two alighted, Gretehcu noticed that the hand of her young mistress was cold as ice. “ Are you going 1o ho ill, Miss Cecil ?” she whispered, anxiously. “No. It’s over now. 1 am myself again. We—l—must enter the house. Lady Trevor has some last instructions to give me.” Grctchen followed her young mistress up the steps and rang the knocker. A footman in livery opened the door, “ Will you inform Lady Trevor that Miss Rosse is here ? ” said the young lady. Her ladyship said you were to be shown into the morning-room,” replied the footman. “ Her ladyship will see you directly.” He Hung open the door of the morning-room, and Cecil and Grctchen passed in. The room was unoccupied. The two wore kept waiting for some minutes, when the sound of wheels caused Gretelieu to approach the window. “ Our cub is gone, Miss Cecil ! ” slio cried, in alarm. “ Our luggage is stolen—” She way about to rush to the door in a panic, when Air .Pnlford, suave and bland, made bis appearance. “Good-morning, Miss Rosse,” lie said, bowing courteously. “ L have taken the liberty to pay and discharge your cabman, as he says his horse is too tired to carry you the further distance to Gravesend. The luggage is in the hall, and another cab has boon sent for. Lady Trevor will be with you directly,” Cecil inclined her head gravely. “ 1 know nothing about Gravesend,” she said. “ Are we to go there ? ”

“ it’s a suburb where vessels lie,” declared Mr Pnlford. “ Lady Trevor’s yacht is there. You will have a delightful sail in her, Aiiss Rosse. The weather is fine and you will have a quick trip to Yorkshire, it will ho far pleasanter than by rail, and, as the yacht is oblig'd! to go, the trip will cost you nothing.” “ Lady Trevor is very kind and thoughtful,” remarked Cecil. “ I have never been on the water except when crossing the channel, but I think I should enjoy the sail.” At this juncture Lady Trevor entered the room. She looked somewhat worn and troubled, despite the rouge and pearl powder that artistically ornamented Iter countenance. Her eyes were haggard, and there were dark circles below them. An uneasy conscience and a deep and terrible anxiety lest her wicked plans should miscarry had rendered her wakeful during the night, and now tortured her beyond expression. She feared, too, lest Lord St. Leonards or the Earl of Glenham might visit her unexpectedly while Cecil was in her house. The feeling that she was fighting fate was strong upon her. She was playing a bold game, and its issue seemed to her just now more than doubtful—so many were her guilty fears. She greeted Cecil with a pleasant smile.

“ You arc punctual, I see, Miss Rosse,” she exclaimed. “ I like that. I will not detain you long, as you arc to go to Gravesend. By the way, have you informed your friends of your engagement with me ?”

“ I have not many friends, madame,” replied Cecil. “ I told my landlady, and I wrote to Madame Lange, who has been kind to me, that I should spend the winter in working embroidery at your ladyship’s country-house in Yorkshire.” Lady Trevor pulled at her bracelets nervously. Mr Pulford’s florid face darkened. “ That was cpiite right and proper,” said the widow, after a minute’s silence. “ Did you tell them by what route you intended going ?” “ No madam. In truth, I had decided to go by rail rather than by boat,” said Cecil, frankly, “so of course I did not mention the yacht.” Lady Trevor and her ally looked relieved, “ Of course,” said the widow, “ you must suit yourself, Miss liosse, If you prefer to go by rail, do not hesitate to say so. But the house is several miles from any station and there would be no

one to meet you, while if you go in the yacht, which is obliged to make the voyage, you save yourself expense and latigue, have a far pleasanter journey, and will be met at the landing. 1 sent a letter to my old housekeeper yesterday to send a carriage to the harbour to meet you,” f'J’O HR CONTINUED. J