The Marriage of Felicity

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10641, 21 May 1912, Page 2

The Marriage of Felicity

OUR AERIAL.

BY ALAN ADAIR. Author of "The Earl's Wife," "The Pride of John Middleham," "His Fthc-r's Sea," "Bertra m's Folly," «t-'.

CHAPTER IX—Continued. Her honest, truthful eyes looked straight into Isohel's. For some unknown reason Isobel shrank from meeting them. ■*,: What Felicity had said was true. Mark did care for his'ward as her father had done; the girl was too simple, too childlike to realise that a man like Mark Leighton had the capacity to love passionately. "But ho has not asked you in so many .words whether vou will be his wife?' '

Felicity looked afc her reproachfully. "How eouid he with (father only just dead? And there.is one thing that I sometimes fear would hold back any such declaration. He ir, not a fortuncr hunter and lam rich. The very fact of my fortune might repel rather than attract him."

"It might if money were not so essential to his career."

"Is it essential?" asked the girl, flushing again "I am glad—ever .<> glad—even if I can only help him a little."

The carriage stopped, and Iso! el sprang out, helping Felicity, Avho was far more vigorous t-lian she had been at starting. .... • "Thank you so much for coming with me,'' she said to Isobel at .the door of her room. "I do not think"! could have survived that horrible lot of waiting if I had been alone. You aro a tower.of strength to me." . "I am glad to he of use to you,," said Isobel, and left her in the maid's charge. • > t . Then she went downstairs llowly. Sitting down at her table, «he took out a piece of paper ,and wrote a short note which she put in an envelope and addressed tp .Mavk. :..,».'--.„ , .. "CtVil you se6 'me on ia matter of. great importance? I shall he alone tomorrow, afternoon. Felicity and mother aro going to tea with Beryl, who is passing through .London."..-. - ■'■* : ,v S'lie went straight out of the door' and posted the letter: It was unsigned. She looked at her watch.

■"■lt ought, to reach him in a couple of horn-si and that -is quite long enough to postpone every engagement he may .have for the afternoon. He will manage it! Six .months! Wall, that is'better than two years!"

Isobel's thought were going ahead very rapidly.

CHAPTER X.

Peliqity was scarcely well enough to go out the next day v .and she would, 'have stayed at .home if Isobel had riot reminded her that Owen Mackarness had said that sire'was to get all the good she could out of life.

"I am sure he meant that you were not to mope at home, but to see as many people as you can,," Isobel explained to her. "The more you think of others the less you will .think of yourself and yotir ailments."

"I feel so woefully tired to-day," said Felicity. ' ' ' But Isobel had no pity. She mitsfc see .Mark alone, arid, therefore Felicity's absence-was .imperative. After Mrs Hewett and Felicity had driven away, Isobel hastened to put on her most becoming dress.

"Another woman who 'had to do what I have would put on a dress 1 did .not suit her," said Isobel, as'she looked in the glass, "but I know better." ■ ' ,

The delicate mauve of 'her dress threw out the bronze lights of her hair as welt as the beautiful tints of her wondeiful complexion. Mark -was standing at a table looking at a portrait of Isobel when she entered tho drawing room. "My darling!" he exclaimed. He kissed 'her, 'held her at arm's length, and examined her critically. "I wish I could find words to express my thoughts,' 'he said. "Why have you sent for me?"

"Come here and sit by my side dear, and I will tell yo'xi." He seated himself on the couch beside her, and took iher 'hand. "Isobel, are you going to say you will —marry me?" Hue whispered. S'ho laughed. "I am going to marry you"—she paused—"to someone else."

He released her hand. "I can't jest about a matter like that," he said sternly. "Do I look like jesting?' she asked. "What I am going to say to you will show you that lam in deadly earnest. Listen to me. I want you to marry Felicity."

"Felicity? You aro mad, Isobel. It is impossible." "I am not mad at- all. Listen t;o me. What I am going to say to yo'u may sound unpleasant, but iti is only common sense."

"Common sense is unpleasant— when it evades tlie realms of love," lie said. ; ,

"No," she answered. Her breath rtime a little quickly. "If I were a different woman, I should put >a gloss over my words, Mark, 1 should try to make their meaning different,to what it is ;but I have always been honest with you, and I mean to be honest now. I am sure I don't know why I should deal truthfully with you."

:". "You're honest with me because you love me," he said, bending toward her.

"I am not so sure about that," she answered .'steadily. "I could tove -you with all my heart, and yet I could lie to you—that is, if I had any reasonable hope that you would believe me. But now to my story." "Then _ there is a story?' he asked. '"All this Juis arisen from a definite

j happening.' I "Yes, it happened yesterday. At her request I went with Felicity to see Dr. Mackarness. She did not tell ' me why. she wanted to see him, but I I knew she wanted to satisfy herself ■ she was a woman to whom marriage j was not prohibited by reason of a frail i hold on life.' ' "Well?" "Well, he forbade her nothing. He fold.her thai there was no necessity for her to go abroad, and she was satisfied." "That is good news, Isobel," Mark replied warmly. "I am glad." Isobel looked at him curiously. J "You are a strange creature," she ' said. "I suppose it is because you have an affectionate disposition. There is but one person in this world whose existence makes any difference to me. I need not tell you who that is." "Do not exaggerate your want of tenderness. You surely are pleased for Felicity's sake." ! "I am pleased," said Isobel candidly, "that she is not going to live. I'l went back and saw. the doctor privatelyand he gives her a life not exceeding six months, and that length of time only if she is happy and cheerful . He is not sending her abroad because he says it would he cruel for her to die in a foreign land." 7 "Good heavens!" Mark sprang up from his chair with a look of pain on his face. j "What? You cannot mean that, I Isobel ? You could mot speak so calmly I as> that if you really meant it!" !" He looked down on her from his superior height, trying to read the expression of her unfathomable eyes. "It cannot be true, it cannot be true,"_ho murmured. . - ""But it is true!" she said firmly. t "It.is true, Mark; she cannot live!" j '-"Why not? Are her lungs affeet<*P" ' ", -,.....'(■ ..-. ■. •J}.? J., ■■, .•' ■■■''■■: i "It£s ■her great general weakness/-' '.'l tion't believe .-'it word of it!" Ho still looked into her eyes, but she did not flinch. -'■■ I "You must" Mark," sho said, speaking more gently. "When we left the doctor's the poor girl was happy, and ,of course I left her in ignorance. It would.kill her, the doctor said, if she I were to be unhappy, at once." "Of course you kept it from her," said Mark. "The doctor knew that you are to be trusted, Isobel." "We. passed through the park, and there saw a little girl who had fallen, and a man who had stopped to help and cheer her." .- ".You saw me?'-'asked Mark, surprised. " l'did not see you, dear," he added, regretfully. "We both.saw you, and the sight brought a flush of colour to Feliciy's cheeks. I accused her of not being able to keep a secret." "What made you do that?" ."/ "My dear man, she gloried in it! She would have proclaimed .it-to the world, and when I .rallied her about it i she said there was no shame in making public a thing that "was mutual." "Mutual? What do you mean? Do you mean to tell me that you have not enlightened her-as to our relations?" "I told you I had no intention of doing so. She loves you, and believes that you love her. And she has no thought as to our relations. ■• I rather .think she has the idea .that I don't like you." ■ "'Then you must have led her to believe so!" "Nothing of the kind. I have simply allowed her to rest in her belief." "You must tell her now!" Isobel smiled. "As you will," she said. "Bub if I do, it will kill her!" . Mark begaM to pace the room. His agitation-" .was too great . Isobel sat still for she intended that he should speak first. Ho stopped suddenly before her. - "Why did you send for me?' he asked angrily. '; The moment had come and Isobel was prepared for it. "My darling," she said, and her voice shook as ishe realised how much deuended on the next few moments. Again the term of endearment soft, enecfhiim. He came and sat down besidf her, and pushed tho hair from his "I was afraid you intended to ask me to do something impossible," he said. ~ .„ ... , "No," she said gently, "I will ask you to'do nothing impossible. I want you to marry Felicity." "You cannot ask me to do thatr 1 ho said. ~..■» "But I can—l do!" she insisted very fivrniy. ! (Xo be continued.;