Venetia eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 593 pages of information about Venetia.

Venetia eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 593 pages of information about Venetia.
been invited to dine with them on the next day, and meet his old friends from the country.  Cadurcis was previously engaged, but hesitated not a moment in accepting the invitation.  The Monteagle party now passed by; the lady looked a little surprised at the company in which she found her favourite, and not a little mortified by his neglect.  What business had Cadurcis to be speaking to that Miss Herbert?  Was it not enough that the whole day not another name had scarcely crossed her ear, but the night must even witness the conquest of Lord Cadurcis by the new beauty?  It was such bad ton, it was so unlike him, it was so underbred, for a person of his position immediately to bow before the new idol of the hour, and a Tory girl too!  It was the last thing she could have expected from him.  She should, on the contrary, have thought that the universal admiration which this Miss Herbert commanded, would have been exactly the reason why a man like Cadurcis would have seemed almost unconscious of her existence.  She determined to remonstrate with him; and she was sure of a speedy opportunity, for he was to dine with her on the morrow.

CHAPTER X.

Notwithstanding Lady Annabel’s reserved demeanour, Lord Cadurcis, supported by the presence of his cousin, whom he had discovered to be a favourite of that lady, ventured to call upon her the next day, but she was out.  They were to meet, however, at dinner, where Cadurcis determined to omit no opportunity to propitiate her.  The Countess had a great deal of tact, and she contrived to make up a party to receive him, in which there were several of his friends, among them his cousin and the Bishop of——­, and no strangers who were not, like herself, his great admirers; but if she had known more, she need not have given herself this trouble, for there was a charm among her guests of which she was ignorant, and Cadurcis went determined to please and to be pleased.

At dinner he was seated next to Lady Annabel, and it was impossible for any person to be more deferential, soft, and insinuating.  He spoke of old days with emotion which he did not attempt to suppress; he alluded to the present with infinite delicacy.  But it was very difficult to make way.  Lady Annabel was courteous, but she was reserved.  His lively reminiscences elicited from her no corresponding sentiment; and no art would induce her to dwell upon the present.  If she only would have condescended to compliment him, it would have given him an opportunity of expressing his distaste of the life which he now led, and a description of the only life which he wished to lead; but Lady Annabel studiously avoided affording him any opening of the kind.  She treated him like a stranger.  She impressed upon him without effort that she would only consider him an acquaintance.  How Cadurcis, satiated with the incense of the whole world, sighed for one single congratulation from Lady Annabel!  Nothing could move her.

Copyrights
Project Gutenberg
Venetia from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.