The Marriage of Felicity

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10649, 4 June 1912, Page 2

The Marriage of Felicity

SUn 3EHiAL*

BY ALAN ADAIR. Author of ' "The Earl's iVife," ".The Pride of Jolm Middleham," "His ' Fthsr's Sen," "Bertra m's Folly," ©to.

CHAPTER XVlll—Continued. "You have felt remorse?" she asked mpti:o;'siy. "Then you are, a—a weak fool!" "Perhaps; but I «in human. To see that child suffer lias made me feel cue of the vilest creatures on earth." "Does siic suffer now?"

"iVo, thank .heaven," he cried, and there was no mistaking the sincerity of his tone.

"Then," she said, speaking very slowly, "our plot has failed. She will live with you as your wife, and you will lie saddled with la woman whom von do Jiot love."

She had not put it in the form of a question, hut Mark knew it to he 'one. Isobel was determined to wring iiiie truth from him, to know exactly where she stood, and where Felicity ! stood. I Mark looked directly at her. He shrank from hurting a woman, but .lie | would not deny his love. "No," lie said firmly. " Jam not saddled with a woman Ido not love. Isobel, it wfes the glamour of your beauty that'held me. I know now that I lo'vo Felicity with a love that I could noverhaVo given you." i The declaration of tho -truth brought him .an immediate sense of relief, although it had bean a great effort to speak.

She .gave a mirthless little laugh. "Well," -she said, "I do not see why I should r:ot many a man of wealth and position, but, at the same time I want my revenge. J certainly intend to enlighten Felicity." "What will you gain 'by it? Even if she dies lwill not marry you, and would not touch a penny of her money." "J should enjoy some satisfaction. I am not a woman to be jilted with impunity. "1 have not jilted you. I t was yom own plan that I carried out. Even if J did not love her, she would still be .alive."

His words were followed by a dead silence. Then Isobel, white to the lips, turnecnier face to'him, and very quietly, in a voice that was strained to breaking point, demanded : "Does this mean that you have fallen in love with Felicity—that you have ceased to lovo me?"

It was impossible to evade so direct c. question. "It certainly means that I love my wife," Mark sraid. "Do you .remember mo telling you that 1 could never forgive you for that?"

"Quito well," said Mark. "You said "it, believing, as I did, that love was of the .sort that lasts, .and it might have done if it had not been fortius infamous scheme of yours." "You call it infamous," she cnicd —'"you have gained a wife and fortune through it."

"It was infamous! I -am not defending myself. I fell in with it —'how unwillingly you know yourself. You drove me into it. Then I began to regard you critically; before that time ad been a blind worshipper. lam speaking plainly, because I realise the need of plain speaking. " Yjou wanted, too much, Isobel, and you have lost all. If you bad been content to take me, poor and unknown, I believe I should have loved you till the :eind of my days. When I grew to know Felicity better, and I knew her sweetness and " "You may spare me lier praises," said Isobel quietly. Bub .her eyes were gleaming. "It is sufficient for you to be able to say you fell in love with one of t!he wealthiest women in England." . •'• • • Mark disregarded the menace of her attitude. "Isobel," lie said solemnly, "I assure you her money had nothing whatever to do with it. I should have grown to love Hier even if she .had not had a penny." Again Isobel interrupted him. Every word the said emphasised the fact that he had ceased to love her. "What does the cause matter?" she said. "What difference do you think it will make to me, whether it 'was flier loveliness of face or character P The one thing tihat is plain is this—you have ceased to love me! I believed in yon, and you have failed. It seems to me that both of you have gained >all ! you want —but what comfort is there for me?" "What can I say? It is the old story of two women and one man, which-means suffering'far one, I know. You will 'be generous, Isobel, you will not destroy our 'happiness?" "And I—am lof 110 account at all?" ' "Isobel," he said,, after <a few moments' (hesitation,- "I thought you loved me." ~ ..... " ! "Well?" she asked.

"Would she have lived without your ' love? J doubt it!" "Life and death are not in our hands," said Mark quietly. She looked at him with disdain, and. said nothing. But she pressed her hands tightly together, as if to keeg down Tin expression of \ ain. Mark stood up. He felt he must know something iyore; he must know where she would strike. "You are quite resolved to enlighten Felicity?" "Quite. Every woman should know the sort of man she has married." "And if I deny it all?" "I will show her the letter you wrote to mo in. which you said you' did not like the plan, hut "would carry it through in order to win me." "You have no such letter!" "Pardon me. I have every letter you have written to inc. They would be proof, if any proof were needed. But it will not be —Felicity will believe me. She would believe me if you deny it over and over again." "I shall not deny it. I shall throw myself on her mercy." "Women, understand women far better than men do. 1 understand Fel-i' icity. When I have told her all, 'her, lovo will die. Even if she remains under your roof, her love will leave you." "Felicity will never leave me; she, will forgive," said Mark. "Her lips may forgive, hut her heart —never. She will be jealous of me as long as she lives." Mark turned awav wearily. Ther3 ( was nothing to be gained by prolonging the interview, as Isobel evidently , intended to show no mercy to the woman who had supplanted her love. He stepped to the door, hoping nothing, expecting nothing. He turned ;to w?sh her good-bye. Isobel had sunk to the sofa, covering her face with her hands. Her evident misery touched Mark as nothing else had during the whole of the interview. Isobel was not one to wear her heart on her sleeve. The. proud, beautiful woman could not bear humiliation and defeat. v

As she hesitated she raised her head and saw, him. She sprang to her feet in anger. < . '! "Why don't you go?" she exclaimed "Do you still hope to gam .anything' by staying? Nothing you can say ; nothing you can do, will shake my resolve. Go!" ' . : CHAPTER XIX. i The weather had .improved, consider-, ably before Felicity started on heiv homeward journey, and the day slio■ arrived in London was sunny and very; bright. She regarded it as a good' omen. She was feeling much stronger. Mark's letters had p,iven her a great deal of joy, but she felt that she. could not live muc J h longer without, him. "It is only half a life without you,'; she had written. "I am quite itronf; now, but I want you." When the steamer reached the pier at Dover, Miark was there to meet her.

"Surely, if you loved me, you could only wish for-my happiness!" She laughed "contemptuously. "Mark," she said, "I have only myself and you. I have purposelyput myself first.. Even though J maylove you, I love myself better." "Well, let us have the whole truth. It is possible that you will let Felicity know the wholp truth?" "Yes," she said, "that as my intention." • • . "And regardless of the fact tiuiit may kill lier?" "She seems made of tougher ho re than we imagined. It will not kill her ;it amay put an end to the .relationship in w'liiclh you now stand toward her, and that is precisely what my aim would be. Ido .not see why she should enjoy the happiness that is tie nied to me." . . , , •, "Simply because she is a tender and loving woman and you are not. t "If our plan had been successful I should have ibeen 'happy enough, she answered. He shook his head. ; "We should not liave been happy for very long." " I think we should. But now that is'all past, what do you oxpect me to do?" . "I expect you," .he answered, ; to marry a. man of wealth and position, and who could satisfy your highest ■aspirations." "You want me to do that?" "Yes—vou wero iborn for that life."

"Yon look splendid, Felicity," he said, after examining her critically—"quite strong." "But you are pale," she said, regarding him anxiously. "You have been working, 'and sitting up late, and worrying over things. Am I not quite right?",. .> She had taken his -arm, and her eyes were filled with the radiance of love •as she spoke. : Mark pressedlier arm 'but made no verbal .answer. "Promise me thai; you will never leave me behind again!" she demand©d "It is not fair to make me promise that," he said. "I did i,iot leave you willingly. You made me go, if you remember, l.itt-1© woman. "It was your duty to go, and you went," sho said, laughingly ;• "but I . hope the necessity will not often oo'cur." I (Io be continuous