The Marriage of Felicity

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10648, 1 June 1912, Page 2

The Marriage of Felicity

f OUR SERIAL. | I

BY ALAN ADAIR. V Author of "The Earl's "The Pride of John Middleham," "His £ Ftb&r's Son," "Bertra m's Folly," ©to.

CHAPTER XVll—Continued. ~*j He signed himself thus after much J cogitation. Ho wanted to take her I ' )>y surprise, -as it were —not to let her guess that his feelings toward her I had undergone any change. That - ' might set her against him, .and damage .his case from the very beginning. t On the other hand, the note was nottoo affectionate. He had already dispatched a letter , to Felicity—a> letter in which he had poured out all his love .for her, and . his desire to have-her with him again. "I miss my little wife,' he said, "at every hour of the day. I miss her even i:i the midst of my work. Twenty days have to. pass, and then I shall lie waiting for you at the Victoria Station —waiting to take you home." Tine letter .revealed his love to her, and-when it reached Felicity she knew, that at last Mark had found his pen a re.ady and abki servant. 1 soli el had lived through a very, unpleasant month. She had been conscious that'her unexpected appearance ■ at oil the.wedding da.y had ' •failed in its purpose. iShe had not. impressed Mark as she thought she » would impress him. Once or twice before she had failed to make .him see with her, although she had induced him to do what she wanted. It was only because of the great 'power of her beauty that he had come back to her | bondage. But on his wedding day she ought not to have failed. Isobel never made the mista.ke of undervaluing other people's charms; she recognised the charm and distinction that placed Felicity above mere prettiness. She knew that Mark's wife was both charming ;a>nd dignified on her wedding day. Isobel realised that this made it more I unfortunate that she did not create a beter impression on the bridegroom. * But .all that was past now, and there was Mark's return to look forward to. Isobel had always pictured Felicity as so dull that Marw. would be bored, counting the days until his return. Her love for 'himburned as fiercely now as it did when' she had " plotted on his marrying Felicity. She f only became more and more impatient —more anxious, if possible, to meet anyone , who had seen the ,newly-mar-ried couple. She wanted to know how Mark was, how he was looking, and whether he was happy or unhappy, or merely indifferent. Even when he was in South Africa she had felt so far away from him; then there was no woman whom ho called wife. It had been latrying time for her, 'and now and again she was iaf.raid lest Dr. Mackarness had made a mistake. On the eve of her departure with her husband Felicity had looked anything but a dying girl. No .news reached her. until the ticlings of the laccident reached England. a£ first Isobel thought that her waiting timo would he considerably abridged. For a few days the wo.rld looked quite rosy again. She found herself soaniiing the papers . for further references to the accident o,n the ■\ lake, but-the days passed .without ad-, d'itional intelligence. ' . Three weeks had elapsed, then she suddenly learned that Mark would I have to come back before the next important measure was introduced into the House. It was her brother-in- ' law wSio spoke of it. ■

- of a hansom pulling up outside, Isobel had worked 'herself up to a state of ' great nervousness. i She could barely wait for the servant to a-n.Ho.uncd the visitor. I "I did not know how much I loved Hiim," she said to herself. As she stood opposite to Mark, she could barely find words of greeting. When tine door had closed behind the maid she sprang up -and held her hand out to him. "At last! At last!" .she cried. He took her hand hi his, pressed it, «nd then let go. She had guessed t'bat he would not kiss her. As long as his wife was alive 'he would not touch her lips with ihi-s. ' She looked .at him intently. He appeared very grav'e, very handsome, and younger than, he had looked on his> wedding day. Isobel decided that Felicity im list ho very ill, and she did him the justice to believe that his gravity was not feigned. She knew she had .alienated him a little by her heartlessness; now she must be sympathetic. .; He displayed an embarrassment for which she could not account. But she felt secure in the great beauty that had always moved him so powerfully. To-day he seemed to scan her more critically than 'before; she fan.cied he was appraising her with his eyes, and that what he saw left liira cold". Instantly she rose to the occasion. Her beauty was her chief weapon , once that gam© failed she was lost. She smiiled up at ihLm with tender eves. When she spoke her voice was low and sweet. "Well, Mark, and how do you find me?" "If anything, more beautiful than ever," he said. "Your beauty always comes to roe'as a surprise, Isobel." "Does it?" she said, with a show of pleasure that [heightened her loveliness. "Yes," he answered. "I have a great deal to say to you." He drew a chair forward. "WiLl you s;t down while we talk?" I "And I have a great deal to ask of i I you," she asked eagerly. "You can't ; 1 imagine how dreary these last two | months have been, how leaden tihose j last four 'hours. I have waited and ■ I waited, not at all patiently, I assure you. And you? Have you anything ' ■' definite to "tell me?" i ) He had something definite,''but ,not [the something she expected. Yet—--1 and he w;as 110 coward —'he hesitated, j To him it seemed a most unchivalrous I thing to te.II a woman Whom he would . Lhave hfeen willing to give liis life for ■ a couple of months ago, that he had i | ceased to love iher. "Anything definite?" asked. "Concern,fng what and whom?" ! "Mark," s'he said, "don't put me . off--on account of your absurd eon- ■ Hjkre ive are} face to ,face, • man and woman, who have loved each i other long! Tell me, are we near the I 'goal foi; which we have' striven ?" She • 'paused, intent on his pale, unhappy > face. "I cannot understand you,l" she - cried. •''Are you afraid of words ? It spems that deeds do not frighten you, > hut you are weak when deeds are I put into words. Is your wife dying, ; jor will she linger a little longer?" "Felicity is better," lie said shortly.

It, i i impossible!" ■ j "It is true. lam thankful to say that J)r. Mackat-ness must have.made ! a mistake." ; "You m.re thankful to sayr" she repeated. "You are thankful? You do not want her to die?" I ",G:re.at heavens, Want her ■to die? Why the thought of it is maddening!" he exclaimed. 1 She rose from her chair, her fac:o : very white. " Ido not quite understand, she said in a strange repressed voice—"l do not understand your thankfulness. You married Felicity with the one thought, the one hope that she would die, and that you and I. would be happy with her money. You married her because we both thought she "u as drying. Is that -true-or>,is it not t ■ | "It is perfectly true," he replied, i)ut—'...< . She interrupted him. • i ''And now that she is not dying, you say that even the immersion in, the lake did notinjure her " "No. On the other hand it showed me conclusively two things—one that {.She must be much stronger than we I Iliad both thought; the other that it. she died I should not have had a mo-, ment's peace if -I had touched a penny of her money. Isobel you cannot j tell what remorse I have Je It foi that I horrible compact of ours." j (lo toe contvnaea.. I 1 """"

"Is his wite betterr uui sua wnvc-i. now ?" Mrs Palfreman .asked. '"'l believe that has been the trouble of it," Ralph answered, "but if sfhe is aiio't strong enough now lie will liave to oome without lief. He knows more about the subject than anyone else in: the party, and lie must ,not tail them now." t ~, 'lsobel was unusually silent, and Mrs Palfreman, watching 'her ,wondered why there had been no sequel to the scene sho had witnessed. "Isobel is jiotthe woman to . give ,her kisses readily to any man,' she ruminated. She had never .again referred to the matter to her , who had .110 doubt -concluded that she had exaggerated the whole affair. _ "But I did see it—l did see it. said Beryl to herself. . So she watched her sister through the period of relic-it-v's engagement. Probably, sue would have been the only person who would have understood Isobel's plans ifr the plans had worked as Isobel intended. If Felicity had died a few months after Mark had married 'her, she would have understood the scheme. *ow she was at a disadvantage. She saw Isobel apparently indifferent to the facthat Felicity was gaining health and ! strength, although not well enough to travel. But Isobel felt that matters were coming to a crisis. One or two more davs at the utmost and she would see Mark, andhear how she stood wifli IUI "He is too soft-hearted,' 'she said to herself. "I always knew he would not like it when Felicity gre^ I must feign an interest. 111 en if Ido not feel it." _ } , At length, one morning, Mark s note came. Isobel felt that success was in sight. Mark had written to her immediately on arrival, as she had expected him to do, and everything would bo alright. To-day, tins very day, she was to see him, and fortunately , I her mother was away. Events w cte | shaping themselves as she desired. CHAPTER XVIII. How slowly the afternoon passed! It seemed as'if the bands of the clock took a spiteful pleasure in passing as slowly as they could. When at length she heard the sound