The Marriage of Felicity

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10647, 31 May 1912, Page 2

The Marriage of Felicity

OUR BERJAS..

BY ALAN ADAIR. Author of "The Earl's '"Vile," "The Pride of Join Middleham," "His Fther's Son," "Bertra m's 'Folly," etc.

CHAPTER XVI--Contimicd. <i It was not unnatural, therefore, that she should confront him with unconcealed .animosity. "What have you done to my mistress?" slio demanded. Mark was genuinely taken aback. | "What do you mean?" lie asked furiously. "I mean," said the girl doggedly, "that you and my mistress went out together, that you wero caught in 1a ] storm and that you only return. I lovo my mistress, and if she is dead 1 will know tho cause." Mark would no doubt have blazed out at tho woman's accusation had he not realised that there was some foundation for the attitude tihe woman had taken. I "You do well to love her," he said. "The boat capsized and we were both thrown into the water. The men. who i came to our help got us both out. ; You know how weak her lungs are. Wo can only liope for the best." Sine still looked at him suspiciously. "That is all, we can do. Is she still unconscious?' 'she asked. ; | "I am going down to see," Mark replied. "If you really want to serve.' her, see that oveiyt-hing is ready foilier reception—that .is, if she is alive." He made his way to the cottage, and scarcely dared to breathe or to put the question that was to decide everything for Ihim. He waited for almost an hour, straining his ears to catch every sound, while the storm outside died away slowly. "I will not touch a penny of her money if she dies,' 'he said, to himself. "And in that case my career is ended. I shall never go back to Eng'land."

(No tidings of recovery, no word of j her condition reached ihim. He touched I > ! the. lowest depths of shame as ho sat ! * in the outer room of the little cottage. Evening shadows deepened ' into the gloom o'f ;a inpi i;i ! is. nigh'% and. lie could only .sit helpless, feeling that he deserved all •that might' be;metcd out to him. He was a murderer in anticipation if ,not in deed. " Then, when the voice of aecusingcon- : science became almost more than he „ could bear, the inner door opened and I a soft light shone into the room. The -doctor placed 'his hand on Mark's shoulder. "Take courage, my friend —she will live!" he said. CHAPTER XVII. Felicity had shown signs of Hfe, but that was all. She was quite unconscious when they took her to the hotel and wrapped her in warm blankets. When she woke to the knowledge that she was still alive and Mark was by her sideshewas in her own room. Then her weakness was so'great'that it seemed as though she was incapable of making any effort to live. If it •had not been for the love and agony in Mark's eyes, she might even then have resigned herself to death. But as the hours went on the probI ulu'ny of her recovery became "greater, and Mark fervently thanked heavI en that his wife had been spared to lliiia. r ,

Wnik he sat watching her he aimost marie up hit mind that he would tell her all—tell her that,-sure in,the knowledge that .her life was the briefest, he had married her for the money that lit and the woman ho really loved might live happily on it. It would have-been an enormous relief to have git- the story off his conscience, to begin life free from this great shame. But other considerations forbade it. Fo-icily was scarcely strong enough to hear what would inevitably shock her; further, he might make a quarrel with f-sobe! that would ruin the future for th'> lot'of them.

Felicity's recovery from a disaster, the-shock .of which" might have been enough to kill a robust woman, showed conclusively that Dr. Mackarness's diagnosis had been wrong. Mark no longer",doubted that it was so. She was still too weak to 'be moved, I but every day she was taken out on the b.ucony overlooking tho lake, and this ?.a*e her intense happiness. It was still beautifully mild sand warm on 4 ho border of the Like, although it v-v* the beginning oi Octo ber, but the doctor would not hear of Felicity's departure. One bright, sunny day there catie an imperative summons to Mark, the house was sitting, ; an important question was to be dissented, and the party had need of Ihim. " lam .not going!" declared Mark decisively. "Dearest, you must!" Felicity urged. "I shall follow you in about threo weeks' time. You know what v good traveller my maid 's." "I s.haii 1101 have a minutes' yoace away fron. you," he .said stut.Ny. "And yet',' continued Felicity, "you must .go—it is your duty." "I know you would say that," ho remarked lightly. "Whenever a woman wants a man to do something repellant to him she clinches the matter by telling him that it is his duty. Why'should I leave you and 'happineiss?" "You will not leave happiness for Ion" We shall only be separated for only .a little while. I shall feel your | absence acutely, but there will be the Reunion." " lam not so sure of that, said Mark, "I feel as if at any moment I might have tho agony of hearing that T 'had lost you." "What would you do their, Mark?' she said, half jestingly, half seriously. "Marry again?"

"Felicity!" he said sternly. "Never speak like that again. I cannot bear it." As he .turned from her side she was touched by seeing his lips tremble. "Dear," she said very gently. "J am sorry." Oh, if you knew what I felt wlie.i: I saw you apaprently lifeless!" he exclaimed. "If I had lost you I should never have gone back to England." "I understand," sho whispered, and her lips quivered as she looked across tho table. "Of what are you thinking?' he ■asked, after a few moments' silence " lam thinking that, after all, I am very much obliged to that storm," she I said, blushing a little. "Why? 1 he asked in surprise. "It- has revealed two things to me —one thing that lam stronger than I thought, and the other, that you love me morethan leveir dared to hope." i "Did you ever doubt my love:- 1 " j "Sometimes before our marriage 1 used to think your conduct curiously j cool, and I—l was sorry : that-it was I so. Oil, Mark if only father could j have lived to see us together, as we I now are!" "Why?" he asked, for .he did not share her feeling, for he remembered that her father knew .that he loved another woman. "Because he trusted you, and he was always fearing that men would want to marry me for my money—so many of them did, you know—and he was always so pleased that I did not want any of them." "I suppose many of them did want to marry you for your money," he said. "I am glad I never met any of

I them." | "That sounds like jealousy,' she said laughing.. "Now, I.should be intensely jealous of any woman you had ever ) loved, even if before you met me." "Would you?' ha said. "Well, Felicity, I never /thought thai of'you!*' And no*vl suppose -.you -want me : to send off the: fateful wire to say that lam starting for Westminster.'.' - "Yes, dear," she said meekly. Ho was almost at the door when she calipee? him back. "Mark!" ! "What is it, dear?" "You won't think it .foolish of me, I will you, but I don't want you to go I into the new houso without me." [ "Do you think I should dream of such a thing. Of course not I' 'ho said. ''l shall go to my chambers." Wbei. through' her Winding'tears IVJicity saw Mark ' disappear round ( the lake she had a strange sense of lon~ : liness come over her, and she was sorely tempted to go after him. "But that would he acting like a child/' she said to herself.. "If I Rave strength enough to .remain here without him I shall be so much ibetiter j through the winter. I really do believe I shall ibecome a strong woman." Mark found October in London was not in a pleasant mood; damp and fog were predominant everywhere.. Nothing could have been more depressing to a man who had just left sunshine and happiness aaid delightful air behind him than, these dismal conditions. He drove straight to the House, where he was welcomed effusi ively before he commenced the cares of business. .= . It was when he returned to Jns chambers for the night that he missed Felicity. He smoked his pipe and tried to forget haunting thoughts of Isobel. She would prove the rock ahead, ;ho knew that well enough. When, he was with Felicity he had been aible to • keep himself from thinking of her, | but here, back in the old surroundings, 1 she made Iher way into his memory. She wu?. a cruel woman, and his happiness, Felicity's happiness, nay, her life itself—might he in her hands. _ As he : <sat there smoking his pipe his thoughts went back to the past, Mid he wondered more and more at the mad infatuation 'that had forced him into such a grim compact. ] ' " Then ho began to ponder on the best >our«e to pursue. The time had gone past when he could have confessed everything to Felicity. Her words on the balcony en trie last afternoon had revealed to him a very real Felicity—a Felicity with longings and desires -a Felicity with jealousies—a Felicity who would .suffer if she knew oi his past love for Isobel. Well, there was only one thing to do -that was not cowardly; he would go to Isobel and put -lliis case plainly before her. She iiiight have discovered that she could live without him. There mightbe a spark of real generosity in her strange, passionate nature. It was three""o'clock an the morning when he wrote this note: "BEAR ISOBEL: Can you see., me alone for a few minutes this afternoon? Yours, MARK." - (To be opntinueu.,