The Marriage of Felicity

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10638, 17 May 1912, Page 2

The Marriage of Felicity

OUR SERIAL.

BY ALAN ADAIR, Author of "The Idyl's Wife," "The Pride of John Middlehcns," "His Fth:-r's Sen," "Bertram's Folly," c j .j.

CHAPTER Vll—Continued, - Mark Lcighton, sitting downs Lairs in ' the study, wondered how she was ! bearing it. If lie gave one .thought lo ihi<; victory i,t was with the thought of this —that he ought to have insisted ' • on Skelton leaving Ettringham before tlio whirl of the election. "Ho would not have gone," lie then said to himself. "He would have said j i that he would he failing his party, i : he failing me. He lias paid the peni>lty of "his loyalty . It is 'hardly happy .augury that ray first triumph towards winning Isobel fbpuldbe ovet Lb:) dead body of another man." He covered his face- with his :bands. i How much power had Edward Sk&lte:i p;'tlnh;r; hands? Felicity! What would be the bast thing for her? He ,-anlcl not) go buck to London on the Monday; Hie'could" not leave till the interment had taken place. He would Keek out Mrs Mount joy or one of her daughters to-come and.stay with. Eel- j icity till after the funeral, 'and in J . duo t.:ir.'s -Then- why should ,sho not j go to Isobel ? Mrs He-weft would be J glad of her, and if Fdicity took up her abode with her it would be sure to help Mrs Hewett's income, which ; Marie knew was .not of the largest. It -would 'be a plan that would suit everyone. "It is a selfish plan," admitted the young man, "for then I could .always seo Isobel when I went to see my ward. Isabel could secretly tell her of'our relationship toward each other. Felicity will have to go away ,and she would rather have Isobel than anyone. This ia'wihat I propose. Really, T think the plan feasible, hut of course it must ho left to Felicity.' ' And then hi.-:; thoughts went to the beautiful woman who he adored, and w'ho he hoped before long to make ibis wife. "lb may bo ,an cvii augury?' he said, raising his head. "1 would 'have sooner lost the seat than this had happened, y/i—l ihnve ivffn! It would have happened if I 'had lost it. But I am fh« victor, and Isobel will be my wife —soon!" CHAPTER VII. j More than a month elapsed- after Edward Ske-l ton's tragic death before | Felicity was well enough to join the . Hewetts. They were waiting in London to take her .away. ' She "had kept up wonderfully till the day of thefuneral , .and toad afterwards broken down so completely that iher life was dn danger for many days. Her 'heart was brave, 'but she was •terribly weak. When she fought her way back to life again, it seemed to | Mrs Mount joy that her girlhood had | gone—that .she toad become a woman. Once on the road to recovery, she soon made rapid progress. Mrs Mountjoy recognised Mat the potent factor had been the frequent visits v of Mark Leightori. 'He found it necessary to coma frequently to Ettringtoam. He had taken his seat -and had been 'entrusted wlith one or two important 'briefs. To Felicity the'sight' of him was like rain to a parched flower. He w!as all she toad in the world,' and there grew in the girl's heart so deep , a love .for the man w'ho showed nothing for flier but kindness. The sight ' of Mark toad been the real reason for her wishing to Live. Mark was not altogether ignorant of the fact that die cared for him, but he had not the remotest idea of how much he was I to her. . When sfe told him that she . longed for his coming 'and that he gave her now life he thought it very ] agreeable of her to be fond of him. j He was very fond of her, too, but was I so absorbed by his great love for Isobel that he regarded Felicity as a child who 'had to bo tended and looked after as a little sister for whom he was responsible: Skelton gave him full powers, making him executor and one- of .his- trustees. Ho had mado him the guardian of Felicity and toad left him the sum of one thousand .pounds as recompense for trouble entailed. The money had been very welcome, and as Felicity's affairs would mean; a good deal of "work-, he had no scrapie in taking the legacy. 'When. Felicity was sufficiently recovered to enter into a discussion of her .plans for the future, Mark broached the'idea that she should live with the Hewetts. "You could letthis big house for a few years and stay with friends until you marry," toe explained. He noticed that .she 'blushed at the j mention of marriage, and toe was am-' usecL "Bo there is someone of whom the girl is fond beside me," he said to toimself. "Well, I must not ibe too stern a guardian. Poor Skelton said ■that- he only wanted an honest man for her. I am glad that I told him tilmt I loved another woman. It might have made things awkward if the child 'had.not known." It had not entered his mind that Skelton had not thoughtit advisable to mention the matter to Felicity . ' \ "I shall be very pleased to stay with Mrs Hewiett," answered Felicity, ".and perhaps —as they are not so well off, you know; I should like, if I stay there, to contribute to their expenses, too." "How much would you like to give I them?" lie .asked. He was not dis--1 .posed to check her desires in this matter. Tt would mean easier times for Isobel. "Would fifteen hundred pounds a year bo ttoe right amount?" ventured Felicity. "I think it would be very generous," said Mark. "Of course I must see that you 'have your own carriages

and horses, and everything for your comfort." "Yon are taking too much trouble for me," said Felicity gratefully. "I do not know how to thank you." "You must not try," ho said gravely. "Ilernember, you have been left in my charge. Ishall look after you as long as I live" "Do you?" she .asked. She turned her head away. iShe would not let him see her face. "Thou I can make arrangements for you to go to Mrs Hcwe.tt,' he said. He was just preparing to go. "Please," said the girl, "if you will be so good, when shall I see you < again?" "You will see me in London. I must get a 'holiday somehow. lam not suro whether I cam manage it." Felicity looked at him siyvly. "Would it not be possible for you to come with us?" she asked. "I should ho very glad." "And I should like it, too," he cried impulsively, "But I think that perhaps it would be better if I did o't. You will probably 'hear from Mrs Hewctt to-morrow. The sooner you leave Ettringham the better it will ibe for yourself." "Will it?" she asked wistfully. "Will it? Y r ou know I have had a very nappy life. Father was always bo careful of me, and mow I am to leave* Shim here." "You will not ileave ihim here," Mark answered gently. He was always touched when she spoke of her father.. "I know that, : but I am loath to leave even, the things that lie used to touch." "I think I understand," he said. "All the same a change of scene would do you good." \ A week later' Felicity arrived at the Hewetts', very tired, very frail, but distinguished-looking in her black dress. She felt the heat, but it had given her a colour, and Mrs Hewett's first impression of her was that she was not so delicate as when she had first met her in the south, of France. .She hurried forward to meet her guest, meeting her with a profusion of kind words. Isobel was not so effusive, hut she took %er hand and pressed it gently. ; "Why, you are a woman!" she exclaimed. "I had been picturing you as avlittle girl.',' "Yes, I am a woman," replied Felicity. "I shall never feiel young again Imo-w, Isobel." "You say that because you are crushed down hy your recent loss, but there are brighter days an store for you. When did you see Mr Leighton last?" She (had intentionally coupled Mark Leighton's name with the mention of "brighter days." She watched Felic--: ity"s face ns'she spoke. The girl col-' on red slightly. "I have not seen him for some time now," she answered .readily. "Does he come here of ten?" "Ho used to attend our 'At Homes.' Then when there was ■the question 1 of your being here he had several interviews with mother. I have not ■ seen him for a long time—l have had such, a full season." She spoke carelessly, • as if it were of no consequence to her whether she saw Mark or not. Both she and her mother had welcomed the suggestion ■of ;Felicity coming to live with them for a while. But for different reasons. ) Mrs Hewett found satisfaction in tl« arrangement heeause it Increased the: I household revenue by fifteen' hundred pounds a year, while Isobel looked; ' upon the fact that ihe same roof shel~. tering her and Felicity would help on her schemes. As Felicity looked at Isabel a keen, sense of disappointment 'assailed her. Isobel was no less 'beautiful than shehad ever been, hut there was something lacking. It -was a pleasure Uf look at the glorious eyes, that satinskin, the luxuriant hair, that grace-; fulness of movement—a pleasure to: admire her as.. a- beautiful work of art. But there Felicity's pleasure ended. There seemed something cold, artificial about Isobel. . "Is Mr Leigh-ton fond of society? asked the visitor. • "I am sure I do not know," Isobel replied coldly. "I meet him sometimes, but I am hound to confess not at the hest houses," "II is their loss," Felicity remarked shortly. N Isobel laughed. * "What iß' ready partisan yon are! ,;... she saicO "No one was attacking Mr Leighton." ) , "They would not do it twice bo fore me," retorted Felicity. "No, I suppose not. I must he careful what I say .about him to you." (To he continued.)