PRIMROSE DELORAINE
OUR SERIAL.
THE MISER'S DAUGHTER.
By MAISIE PENDENNIS, Author of "Sir Reginald's Whim," "The Forgotten Heir," "Rival Beauties,' 'etc,
CHAPTER XL—Continued,
As she rose she. stopped suddenly, and drew a sharp, startled breath. Her quick eyes had caught,sight of something that looked like the figure i of a man. As she watched, all at once, j the moon came out from behind a ! bank of clouds, and shone full on the | garden, bathing it in a flood of silver, \ and then she saw that it was a man who lurked under the shadow of the | tree. As the moonlight shone; on his face Primrose saw that it was the face of the man whom she had seen only that morniDg hiding behind the bushes in the park. There he stood, gazing, so it seemed, straight at her window. Why was he there, and at that time? Why was he watching first Eversdene Castle and Lesbie Manor? What did it mean? she asked herself, shivering suddenly. A vague fear stole aver her, and clutched at her heart like the touch M an icy hand. A dim premonition of evil :o come. x
speak, and her soft voice broke the eloquent silence musically. "You silly boy," she said, and patted his arm with her slim hand. "You more than silly boy!" And then she peeped up at him through her curling lashes. "You don't seem in a great hurry to tell me your news, after all," 'she added demurely. i Sir Gerard laughed rather ruefully. "When I am with you I forget just about everything," he said, "except that lam with you. I think you must be a witch, Valerie." Mrs Vivian laughed too, and shook her head. . "I am nothing half so interesting, I assure you," she answered lightly. "Now, stop talking nonsense at once, j Gerard, and tell me your news. lam simply dying to hear it. What is lt^ j Who is it about?"
JDHAPTERXI. PRIMROSE HAS A PROPOSAL
"It is about Eversdene," Sir Gerard said. "You know I told you yesterday that there was a rumour that he was coming back, and that I was going to send over to ask the housekeeper if it was true? You remember, don't you?" Mrs Vivian nodded impatiently-
Sir Gerard Lesbie walked unceremoniously into the drawing room at Lesbie Manor, where Mrs Vivian, in a morning gown of softest, palest, most seductive gray, was writing letters.
"Yes, yes, of course," she answered breathlessly. "Of course I remember. Go on, Gerard."
"I have got a piece of news for you, Valerie," he said. Mrs Vivian lifted her dainty, roseflushed face, and passed her small, jewelled fingers over her. hair with the prettiest gesture of bewilderment and despair imaginable. "Oh, dear," she said, in her childish, frivolous way, "I wish you wouldn't be. so unexpected, Gerard! You gave me quite a shock, coming in like that, and now I, shall have to write this letter over again, because there's a huge blot on it! And I do hate rewriting letters!" she ended plaintively. . . . V : ; ■■ \ Sir Gerard laughed, and laid his hand on her sleeve as he answered, his whole being thrilling swiftly at the touch of' her warm skin through the transparent chiffon and lace. "Never mind!" <h£ said consolingly. "Forget aIF about your letters for the moment, Valerie. I have got a piece of news for you."
"Well," Sir Gerard went on, "I sent over to the Castle this afternoon, l N and the housekeeper said it was quite true, and that Eversdene is expected to-night." He stopped abruptly. "That's news, anyway, isn't it," he added triumphantly. Mrs Vivian's long, curling lashos dropped swiftly over her eyes, hiding the sudden light that had sprung into them, and she bent her head so that he could not see the tide of colour that flamed hotly in her cheeks. "Yes," she said, very low. "That is news, indeed. Real news, after all."
Sir Gerard was .too much occupied with his own reflections to-notice the curious ring in her voice, "and he went on talking. .
Mrs Vivian allowed herself to be drawn from 'the writing table, and placed in a delightful nest of silken cushions by the fire, and she nestled -iu them with a sigh of relief, - *" "What sojj*|s of news?", she asked lazily. "Lhaveh't much faith in you, Gerard. You have had a good many pieces of news to'tell me lately, and, somehow, they have always turned out to be a.ruse to,lure me from my work and talk,to yp.u."
"So, you see," he said, 'he will be here in time for the dance and the theatricals. That's good business, isn't it?". ■'•■ "Yes," Mrs Vivian answered, "he dances divinely, doesn't he? and he used to be rather good at theatricals, I remember. What excitement there will be." Sir Gerard smiled. s
- "I'don't believe you know how to .work," he retorted coolly, "and, if you do, you'rfe much too clever to be caught 'comn&fctihg such an error. But, seriously,,Valerie,'l, have news forUyou this'time—real news.. Don't ' you waxrb r tb know what it is?"
"Rather," he said, and then he looked oUt of the window. "By Jove, there's Primrose out in the park. I wonder where"she is going." "You had better go and see," Mrs Vivian retorted impatiently, "and as •you.have nothing to do you may as well propose to her. That will be a more. 1 profitable undertaking than sitting here talking to me." , "But I don't want to talk to her," Sir Gerard objected, 'and I do want to talk to you, and Why shouldn't I do what I want to do?"
Mrs Vivian nestled yet further into her -nestoorf r soft cushions, and looked up through,half-closed lids. "I don't feel as if I wanted to know | she returned, "excepo that this chair ia a dream, and the <fiYe ksavenly; and<l?m<>glaa 1 haven't- ' &o# a taste for the biting' winds, and feezing snow and reel noses,"as" Primrose seems to; have, and that in the jwinter I like<t<> v baskby the fire like After aQ,-when you come to sfink that's the .most' sensible thing* to'do." '. "Of course His," Sir Gerard agreed promptly, "and if you consider that yottr mission in life is to look pretty and nice you certainly act up to it very well." And fihen Jbis voice dropped caressing tone 'ie bent.over her. "Oh, Valerie, Valerie,whyare you so dangerously, so be.'witciingly,,so irresistibly fascinating? he .asked, and his hand closed suddenly and strongly over hers. "What V there about yoiFthat drives me mad whenever ,with you ? Whatfe there makes me feelmakes me feel " >;' He*paused, and drew^W^,,deep 1 breath. / , "' r "Therel" he said/uud laughed rather shakily. "I have broken our compact again, haven't I? I am sorry, Valerie, awfully sorry; but somehow I oan't always help myself. I—l »» He broke off again, and r there was a pause. Mrs Vivian was the first to!
"Because it isn't good for you," the frivolous woman replied. "It's never good for people to do what they want to in this world, particularly when they want to do such absurd things/' "It isn't absurd," Sir Gerard protested, "it's very sensible, and very
~. She interrupted him. . "Oh; do go I" she said, and gave '". -'fiint a push .toward the door. your own, and doing nobody any good. Now propose to Primrose, like a good boy; and then you can come back and tell me what she says; and "But I don't want her to marry me. I would much rather 6he didn't," Sir Gerard interrupted. „ Mrs Vivian gave him another push. "Oh, .you silly boy," she said, 'you really are too silly for words. Do you want Primrose to marry somebody else, and restore somebody else's private fortunes, and pay off the mortgages on. somebody else's place?" i U ' : no 1" -Sir Gerard admitted, i- come to think of: it t- don't ■ I do:";: v J/' ''■'■'' "Then go. as t I ', pro thst are. at* feast a dozen ' men ; to imarry her already, and ■ifvyou aren't field%pu will y or / w ,j ia^.. ever you sportang people call it. Any-' .way, you' know what I mean.',' v \ "But I don't want——" Sir Gerard began again. v - ;.>;;.- : ; v' ; ■ She put her hand over her mouth to silence hicn. .1 !v > (To be Continued).
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Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10287, 15 July 1911, Page 2
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1,384PRIMROSE DELORAINE Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10287, 15 July 1911, Page 2
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