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The Marriage of Felicity

9UR SERIAL.

BY ALAN ADAIR. Author of "The IWs Wife," "The Pride of .John Middleham," "His Ether's Sen," "Bertxa m ' 6 Folly," etc.

CHAPTER XXl—Continued. For a long time she hesitated tn seed the letter, ultimately posting it herself on her way to Ettringiutm, where she thought of spcr.dhig a few weeks. But when she reached,., her Louse in the Xorth e.ho could not settle down, and ab the end of the week she was back in London in search of tho peace eke could .not find. >, It was ton days sines she -had parted from Mark, e.ixl ho was probably now in mid-ocean. She tried not to think of him. Finding it impossible/to face tho cvoning alone in the lonely house, she made up her mind to order the carriage and go to a theatre. "If I can only forget my wretched griefs for one evening," she said to her self, "it will bo some gain." So she dined a.nd went to the theatre, where she saw several whom she knew. They asked if she had Lad news from Mark,

"Just ono mote brought by a Lomevessel," she replied. She was surprised to find herself answering quite nraturally. "After all, it is easy to deceive people," she said to herself. "No wonder Mark could deceive me."

In a box opposite -to her sat Isobei, the cynosure of all eyes, and a man no longer in his first youth, whom she guessed must bo Sir Edwiu' Grant.: Felicity, looking at the 'woman who had done her so great an injury, saw that her face had no expression of happiness, and realised that the magnificent jewels with which she was bedecked must seem like so many heavy weights. Felicity felt a reluctant admiration for Isobei-'s beauty. Of course Mark must love her! Felicity, who had intended to watch the play with interest, thought of nothing but Isobei. Mrs Pelham-Hewett was also in the box, but both she and Sir Edwin looked very pleased with themselves. When the curtain had fallen after the first act Felicity knew that Isobei had caught a glimpse of her. Sho did not, however, point herMrtit to either her mother or Sir Edwin. v She had to wait some little time for her carriage, and it was then that Mrs Pelham-Hewett saw her a.nd nodded to her pleasantly. Isobei's progress was like a triumphal march, people pressing round to see her as she passed. Felicity sank into her carriage, feeling rather exhausted. 'She hated these drives 'home alone. On the way home ■she observed that there was some excitement on foot, that the newspaper \ vendors were very busy. She decided | tha nothing important had occurred lin the House, 'and thought no more iof the matter. Politics meant nothing to her now. . .

A, cheerful fire gave an air of comfort to her beautiful room. She sank into an armchair and rang the bell for her maid to bring her some chocolate. She had scarcely put it to her lips when the door was violently pushed open, and Isobei Pelham-Hewett stood before her!

CHAPTER XXII. Tho sudden appearance of Miss Psl-harn-Hewett wearing iaai elaborate dress, sent a thrill of dread through Mark Leighton's wife. "What is it?" she murmured. "Then you have not heard?" asked Isobel harshly. "Have not heard what? Is is Mark?" ' ' m ''Mark! Of course it is Mark! Who else is there in the world but Mark?"/ "What has 'happened to him?" "Have you not seen the, papers? Have you not heard? Do you go about with your eyes and ears shut?"

"I heard them crying out soniething in the streets," said Felicity, "but I paid mo heed to it." "You paid no head to what they were saying, and Oh, ean't you see—can't you guess? Your husband, tho man I loved, is—dead!" Felicity's face became deathly'pale. ' ... -' , , "There was a fog—a collision. \ steamer, the Morel!a, went down with all on board. We must wait for details." Isobel threw herself down on- the couch and hid her face. Felicity stood still, iapparently incapable of movement or speech. For a few moments no sound v, as heard in the room except Isobel's .agonised moaning and the crackle of the logs on the fire. At length Felicity came forward and put heAiand on Isobel's shoulder. "Isobel!" she whispered. ■ "What is it?" asked Isobel, looking up anxiously. /. "I suppose you feel this more than < I do," replied Felicity. "I lost him ten davs ago, you know, when you told me than he had never loved mb. I think Imm rather glad—that he wi.l neve*-—come back. He would never have come back to me." "Glad that Mark is dead! You—you say that! Think of him, Felicity, as we knew him—young, strong, full of vitality—and now dead!"- . "Yes," said Felicity quietly. It is difficult to think of him as dead." . Isobel aose from her couch. "You, at lease," she cried, may mourn for him. But I—l am preparing for raj- wedding, writing out invitations, and receiving congratulations think of it—Felicity. It drives me mad." "I do not think I can mourn more than I have done —he has been dead to mo when you told mo he had never loved me.' ' "Felicity!" cried Isobel. "Don t V

speak like Mint! It is horrible. T can't listen to it.' You —you are his widow."

"I war; hi. l ; wife, yes. I was the eneurdKTance lie had to take with the property. 11l ho had loved me ever so little iu would have been different." Isobel came forward slowly. "Felicity," s'ho said, holding out her hands, "forgive-me! I lied to you." "You lied to mo? What do you mean? Was ho not the man you loved? Was he not the man who married me to obtain a fortune so that he might win you?"

"He was the man who was bethrotni'd. to me, who loved me up to the time of your marriage with him. Yet I lh;d to you Felicity. I told you be loved me still, and that is a lie—a]jl his love, a deeper, timer, more worthy love than ho ever gave me, to you." <iS'' "Isobel!" ...Dj It was a whisper —a whisper orJQj and gratitude. "It is true. Heaven knows it Is true. I would not .lie to you now. Mark always liked yon, but when you became his wife the liking was strengthened into a pure, intense love. He was nearly mad when you were so dangerously ill. His conscience gave him no peace." "Isobel! How do you know all this?"

"I knew it from him. When he came over to England leaving you behind, he made an appointment with me. I was overjoyed. I thought that you must be dying, and that the end that I wished "for so long had come. But the aim of his visit was to tell mo that he bad fallen in love with you, that if you died lie would not touch a penny of your money. All he wanted was you! Judge, then, how I hated you.'' l

"Yes," said Felicity, "I can understand that."

"He begged me to be merciful, to leave you in ignorance of the past. But I'wanted my revenge. I could ■not bear that he should cease to love me. I could have tolerated your continued existence, when- wo both wished you to die if he had gone on, loving me. Do you know that even now it seems impossible to me that he should ever have ceased caring for me?"

"But he did?" "Oh, yes, he did! I could have killed him, and you, too." "Oh!" cried Felicity. "If you knew what I have suffered you would pity me! I thought I had lost him for'ever, and now-—now I have regained him!" She stretched out her arms with an eloquent gesture. Isobel looked at her, understanding what she left. (To be Continued.)

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WAG19120610.2.3

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10655, 10 June 1912, Page 2

Word count
Tapeke kupu
1,321

The Marriage of Felicity Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10655, 10 June 1912, Page 2

The Marriage of Felicity Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10655, 10 June 1912, Page 2

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