CHAPTER LIL

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 130, 26 February 1887, Page 6

CHAPTER LIL

" OH, EDNA ! EDNA ! ARE YOU COME TO ME ?" Thl telegram which Violet sent to Edna ran thus : " Come to me at once ; Vring Kate and some clothon. £*ay not a word till you Bee me. Come to Belper In Derbythiro. Violet L." The potent message found Edna in deepest giief. The news of Violet's dis appearance had overwhelmed her with distress, which was intensified by Lord Keith's agony. Lady Burton had not yet left her room, and the horrible disappeai'ance of her beloved Violet was sedulously concealed from her. Since V iolet fled, affair? had gone thus Violet fled on Tuesday morning, and on Friday evening, about six, the despatch was handed to Edna. On Tuesday, at nine o'clock, Kate, going to her lady's room, had found her absent. This surprised her, but seeing that a simple walking suit was gone, she concluded her lady had been restless, and had taken a sudden notion to stroll in the green park. Lord Leigh breakfasted about eleven, and made no temark at not seeing Violet, as several timos of late she had taken her breakfaat in her room. Aa Violet was still absent at lunch time, Kate, though uneasy, fancied she had gone to Lady Burton, and was lunching there. But Violet was going to an afternoon tea, with Lady Grace Churchill, and as she did not return in time to dress, tho faithful maid became greatly alarmed. She wont to Lord Leigh when ho came in, and told him she did not; know where her lady was, and and was frightened He replied, roughly, "that the countess was not a babe of leading strings, and that Kate was a fool. No doubt Lady Leigh was visiting her Aunt Ainelie " The anxiou* Kate went to Mrs Ainslie's and found, from her chief friend among the footmen, that Lady Leigh had not baen there that day. She waited a while, and then in an offhand manner, while seeming to be merely on an errand among the maida at each hous**, discovered that the young counters had not been at the Coantops Montre^por's, at Lady Clare Huntington's or Lady Churchill's. Lord Leigh Bpent the evening in the Housti of Lords, and slept at hie club. Kate spent a night of aeony. and on Wednesday morning, as Violet was iedving Bedford, Kate went to Lady Bui ton's to tell her story to Miss Haviland. Up to that tune no one had a hint of tho disappearance of tho young wife. Edna, terribly alarmed, called Lord Keith to hear Kate's tale, and .Keith went off to find Lord I eiyh, whom he succeeded in reaching about noon. Leigh went into n paroxypm of fury at the story. He loudly rated nt his lady's childisht'e**, folly, melancholy, idiocy. When h.j had exhausted himself, Kenneth told him thar illnotH, accident, or strange and terrible villiuiy mupr have overtaken Lady Leigh ; and That it behoved them to seek for her promptly and quielly, and not occasion scandal *' Never a wife disappeared," said Keith, '• bat her husband was blamed for it and all hii afTjwv* aeaiched* out. Can't you ccc, Leigh, that you should be quiet and busy ?" Leigh took this hint; it touched his eelfkhneaa and his family pride. He called Adam to the conference, and Adam said tlr*t hn lady had spoken several times of Leigh Towers, and the people there, and had said she must go there and stay a day or two. " Depend upon it, she is there," said Leißft ; " let Adsm go down after her. I've promised to be in the Lords to-night, to voto on an important question. Besides, I'm .so mad at her folly I'd be ready to break her little neck if I paw her She's all right except her v, him*, Keith. Let Adam go and bring her homo " Loigh being resolute in this, nothing could be done but send Adam, who went, and returned on tho Thursday morning, at two o'clock, saying Lady Leigh had not been heard from at the Towers. When Adam returned. Lord Leigh was not at his mansion, but at a suite of chambers near the " Albany," a retreat which he had in his bachelor dayfc, and now often used during the parliamentary season. Left alono after Adam's communication, he paced up and down his sitting-room in great distress and excitement. The flight of Violet must presently be made known, and the myriad eyes of society would be turned on him. Even the detective police might be called into service—and who could tell with what results of investigation? "My lord, there'a a lady to see you. She is that Mies Hope—that—you knew in i Cornwall," said Adam, returning, '

" Away with her ! I won't see her 1" cried Leigh, furiously. "My lord, she says it is important, She may bring you word of my lady." "She! How could she? Lady Leigh did not know her." "If you please, my lord, she is Mrß Aioslie's governess, and has often brought the little miases to see my lady." •♦Send her in," ciied Lord Leigh; and dropping on a divan, he put hie elbows on his knees, and his face in his hands. Seme one sat dowa by him and tried to draw away his hands. JSelen Hope's voice whispered : "Norman, Norman, speak to me. I have com c. Your wife has left you - but lam here ." "And I would you were anywhere else," retorted Loigh. " Who aßked you here ? Why do you haunt; me ?" " Because I am resolved that you shall fulfil your old promise, and marry me . You promised, on the cliff in Cornwall." "I did not. If I did, I jested. Marry you ! Woman, I have a wife." 41 But she baa left you She is either dead, or gone with a lover. In either case you are free. If ehe has fled, you must divorce her. What matter ? You do not love her." " But, fiend, if I am indifferent to her, I hate, abhor you !" "You call me names ; you loathe me ; and yet the more I love you," said Helen, madly. " Such love as mine must create love. Oh, Norman, you are free of her. Give me one word of love, of hope." " Helen, you are insane ! If I were free —asl am not— to choose a wife, you know well where my heart would be laid." " Before Edna Ambrose ? Too late ! She is betrothed to the Marquis of Allwold. He offered himeelf at the Duchees of Grafton'a ball, Tuesday night Mra Ainelie told me. She saw them in the conservatory together. She said she knew all." Leigh rose to his feet, livid with jealous rage, He quivered as in a strong agony. " He shall not have her— never, never ! I W in » "Kill him too A second murder?" hissed Helen. " Murder ! Woman !" He reeled back from her. " Where u the man that came to yow, with fatal proof, in the Earl's Folly?" said Helen, iv a deep, low tone. "That man? He is nothing to me. Where should he be ?" "Norman Leigh, you know where he is!" "Never, never!" said Lord Leigh, passionately. " I never laid a finger on him, as Heaven is my witness !" "Perjurer! false, fora worn — murderer ! And yet I love you. I only will stand by you~a?itf help you hide yonr crime !" " There is no crime to hide," protested 1 eigh, cold beada running over his contorted face. "Heave you— l wait," said Helen, and glided away. She was scarcely gone when Lord Keith came in. Be was distracted by Leigh's indifference in regard to the search for hia wife. " I warn you, Leigh," he said, "that as an Englishman and a peer, it will be my duty to notify the police if Lady Leigh is not found within a week." "1 am going to Sussex myself to look for her," said Leigh. Edna passed the time in self-reproach, finding the cause of Violet's flight in her own concealed name. Then in the depths of her despair, she received the despatch, and telliner Lady Burten that she had been called to a friend in distress, bade her " goodbye for a day or two." Her preparations were swift and simple Then she wrote a note to Keith, and gave it to his valet to hand him as soon as he returned, about midnight, as he had promised. The note ran thuo : "My Friend and Brother : Stop your search, and ktep silencw until you hoar ft orn tte, wiihin twenty -four hours. I think light has come and all will be well. " Edna." She sent for a cab, so that her movements should not be known in the house, and going to Lord Leigh's, found that he was in Sussex. This suited her, for shy had no idea of explaining to him ; but taking Kate into her confidence, she explained as far as Bhe could, and they packed a portmanteau of clothes, and Violet's dressing ca?e. Again in a cab, they went to King's Cross Station, and with hearts divided between hope and fear, the loving frieud and the faithful maid rode northward through the brief summer night. Mistress Rogere, calculating the time of trains carefully, was pure Mica Ambrose would reach Belper early in the morning, and had instructed her triend, the Station master, to have a gi£" in readiness to take her *o the cottage. When Edna and Kate alighted from the train, they were met by an elderly man, Saving : "•• If you ura Mi*s Ambrose, there is a gig waiting for you." The May morning was sweet, and bright the birds sang, the flowers were all abloom. Dame Rogere'e cottage, with it 3 heavy stretch, whore the buttercups and daisies were blooming high in air, the drapery of vine?, the golden frame of nasturtium flowerd, made n protty pictuie of peace. The tail old dam^, clean and smiling, stood in the door way, bur Edna, with not a look at her, sprang into the room, and toward the bed, wheie eager arms were held out to her, and a lovttd voice cried : "Oh, Edna, dear, darlinjr Edna, have you come to take care of me ?"