THE DOUBLE SECRET.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9629, 22 October 1909, Page 2

THE DOUBLE SECRET.

CHAPTER Vlll.—Contii:ued,

"And, Cousin Hooper, is this you. And, Lucy, how you have grown! And tell Ted to have me a boquet tor dinner. And, Pauline, mv stattJy darling, take me right up to your room, .while Rivers unpacks my boxes, for I've no end of talking to do And vou see I've brought my \aut Vilthorpe; I hope her room is miles from mine. So come, Pauline, for I want you all to myself.' Thus Lady Lina rattled on, breathless, in the maddest spirits. Pauline delayed, to greet Mrs Vilthorpe, and request Mrs Hooper to accompany npr to her room, and asked most anxiously for ner health, and had she anv commands, for Pauline was the soul of courtesy, and not even Lina's tagging at her hand, and whisper, "Let Aunt V. look oat tor herself— slip was born ages before you were,' - diverted her attention, until all the compliments of the occasion had been paid. But no courtesies could conciliate Mrs Vilthorpe; she knew her false hair was crooked, that her rouge was hardly rubbed off, and that her padding cried aloud that h was padding. She called har maid slow and clumsy as she gathered up shawl ntraps and bags, and that unlucky functionary trembled as she faced (he prospect of m'akirg up Mrs Vilthorpe for the day. Lady Lina and Pauline were flying along the corridors to Pauline's room, and Lina'* voice ringing sweetly back, "Rivers get all my things ready, and don't hurry your self, and then come for me to Miss Percy's rooms," filled the soul of the Vilthorpe's maid with a gnawing envy.

Mrs Viltiwipe timed her ascent oi the main staircase to a grumble in Mrs Hooper's ears: "This Miss Perry gives her orders, and makes herself at home very coolly. The idea of her choosing my room!" '•But if she had not chosen a room for you the apartment wo.ld not be in readines?, nor would there have been a fire, and then she is at the head of the household here, so far .-s I know."

"Fancy ! Surely she sets herself up as the mistress of the establishment remarkably early Does Lord Harcourt write to her, do you know?" "Really, I do not know," said Dame Hooper, surprised. ' '"And has he visited her this winter? He has been away from London several times', Mrs Hooper."

"He has not been here," said Mrs Hooper. "Not that you know of, you mean. Men do many curious things." "But what, is there anytl ing between his lordship and Miss Percy" Mrs ViU)iorpe looked inexpressibly wise.

"He paid her remarkable attention last summer and autumn at the Towers, Mrs Hooper, you owe it to the family to watch this eftVir closely." "I owe it to my own interest," thought Dame Hooper, ''if this is so, to pay very particular attention to Miss Percy" Meanwhile Pauline and the Lady Lina, holding each other's hands, had ascended the stairs and turned down the upper corridor, at the end of which a grand oriel window let in a flood of warm spring light, oomingd own the hall was Mrs Bemis in a white morning dress, with a cluster of ivy leaves at her throat. The corridor was narrow, and she stopped full before them. "Have you any orderr, Miss Percy?" Pauline had never seen the woman look so handsome and so young. "There are no orders," she replied "Lady Lina, this is Mrs Bern is."

Lina, with her usual warmhearted frankness, held out her hand, and then looking steadily into Mrs Bemis' eyes, for the two werf about the same height, she added-: "I feel sure 1 have seen you before."

"That can hardly be," said Pauline, and they passed on. "Who is that'charming lady?" asked Lady Lina, as sne entered Pauline's room, and Lucy began to remove her hat and wrappings. "A widow who is helping me with Lady Aetraea's cabinets and papers. I never saw her dressed as she was jußt now, or looking so beautiful. Do you know I am perplexed about what to do with her?, We have lived so simply here, that as she seemed not the sort of person to send to the servants' hall, I have had her at table with us, and to sit with us; it suited very well, for Mrs hooper is Lady Astraea's poor relation, and I am herjladyalup's secretary " "Oh, Miss Pride!" laughed Lina; "but what is wrong now?" "Why, now that you and your aunt have come, how can I bring Mrs Bemis to the table, and how can I tell her not to come, even by the delicate fashion oi sending her meals to her room?" { "Let her continue to do as she has done," replied Lina, drooping into an easy chair. "Lucy, put off my boots, and run for my slippers Let the person continue to do as she has done. As for Aunt Vnthorpe, I'd just love to vex her What busine.-s has she to come here? She has been the sword of Damocles over my head ever sines I saw you. 1 know it was her portrait that '?raqq <

BY DUNCAN McQKEGOR Author of "Kennedy's Foe," '•lshiaael Kefornje "A Game of Three," "Edna's Peril." Etc., etc.

Minerva's shield, striking terror to beholders. Let Mrs Bemis come, I don't mind one penny whom I eat with."

"But we must not infringe on your aunt's ideas of propriety," "See now, Miss Pauline Percy!" cried Lady Lina, stamping her pretty foot, "I fancy Lord Harcourt'a daughter lias a right to give some orders in Marke Holme Castle. I say this Mrs Bemis shall be une ; of the family. I like her. I fell in love with her at first sight. I mean to cultivate her acquaintance; let Aunt V. say what ahe chooses." Pauline had her doubts as to the expediency otf the quix.itic friendship which Lady Lina pioposed. She made haste to turn the enversation. "Dear Lady Lina, what brought vou out of London at thi3 season? L,ady Astraea did not explain." "I did not choose to go to London this year. I said so before we went. Lord Thomas had as good as promised to take me to Italy. He changed his mind and refused me point blank. He never before refused rre what I had set my heart on. Then he has made up his mind to get me married, and I won't be married, not until I choose. London was wet and bleak and humdrum. Never In my life did I see such a detestable j place. Th2y wou'd keep me there, while I was thinking of lovely Italy, and Dugald in his letters begging us to come. Then I concluded to alarm my father into going to Italy; sol began to flirt most dreadfully with Cornet Campbell, a giandsnn of the Earl of Glencomb, by a fourth son. the cornet is distractingly handsome, but has not one shilling. My good father and the Cornet's grandfather got frantic. "One evening we were at Lady Forbey's nail, and having danced until we were tired, the cornet and I withdrew from public life behind a love|y batik of ferns and cameilas, and Gloire de Dijon roses. As fate would have it, close beside this screen i"to a clear space came Lord Thomas and the Earl of Glencomb. 1 Says the earl:

"'Lord Harcourt, our young people are vastly well matched in point of appearance, and seem wonderfully taken with each other, but my grandson has not a pound, and we had designed to marry him to the daughter of Hertford Powell, the Oxford street banker."

"'My lord,' replied my beloved parent, 'your words meat my views exactly. My estates, as you know, are all entailed, and my daughter's portion is a mere trifle, and it is the chief desire of my heart to marry her to, Probyn, my beirat-law.' '"Just hear how they are plotting to v brjak our hearts,' says t' t e cornet. _> "'They shall not break mine,' Said '"Ah, you angel,' said he, 'let us end all our miseries by eloping out of hand.' '"End them? Begin them, you mean,' cried I. 'My hssty young friend, my little portion will no more than keep me in bonbons, bonnets and gloves, and a box at the opera, and you need your pay for a valet, your club and a rose Now between those satisfied whims on each sidp yawns an awful chasm of servants*' wages, taxes, li'ir, butcheis, tailors, mantle mak r , and Covent Garden market men known in the total as "housekeeping expenses," and how should tiny be met.!" I TO BE CONTINUED, i