“No;—but I meant to tell him.
I determined that I would tell him had he lived.
When he sent for me I swore that I would tell him.
If he is dying,—how can I say it?”
Lady Ushant sat bewildered, thinking over it, understanding
nothing of the world in which this girl had lived,
and not knowing now how things could have been as
she described them. It was not as yet three months
since, to her knowledge, this young woman had been
staying at Bragton as the affianced bride of the owner
of the house,—staying there with her own
mother and his grandmother,—and now she
declared that since that time she had become engaged
to another man and that that other man had already
jilted her! And yet she was here that she might
make a deathbed parting with the man who regarded himself
as her affianced husband. “If I were sure
that he were dying, why should I trouble him?”
she said again.
Lady Ushant found herself utterly unable to give any
counsel to such a condition of circumstances.
Why should she be asked? This young woman had
her mother with her. Did her mother know all this,
and nevertheless bring her daughter to the house of
a man who had been so treated! “I really
do not know what to say,” she replied at last.
“But I was determined that I would tell some
one. I thought that Mrs. Morton would have been
here.” Lady Ushant shook her head.
“I am glad she is not, because she was not civil
to me when I was here before. She would have
said hard things to me,—though not perhaps
harder than I have deserved. I suppose I may still
see him to-morrow.”
“Oh yes; he expects it”
“I shall not tell him now. I could not
tell him if I thought he were dying. If he gets
better you must tell him all.”
“I don’t think I could do that, Miss Trefoil.”
“Pray do;—pray do. I call upon
you to tell him everything.”
“Tell him that you will be married to Lord Rufford?”
“No;—not that. If Mr. Morton
were well to-morrow I would have him,—if
he chose after what I have told you.”
“You do love him then?”
“At any rate I like no one better.”
“Not the young lord?”
“No! why should I like him? He does not
love me. I hate him. I would marry Mr. Morton
tomorrow, and go with him to Patagonia, or anywhere
else,—if he would have me after hearing
what I have done.” Then she rose from her
chair; but before she left the room she said a word
further. “Do not speak a word to my mother
about this. Mamma knows nothing of my purpose.
Mamma only wants me to marry Lord Rufford, and to
throw Mr. Morton over. Do not tell anyone else,
Lady Ushant; but if he is ever well enough then you
must tell him.” After that she went, leaving
Lady Ushant in the room astounded by the story she
had heard.
VOLUME III
CHAPTER I
“I have told him Everything.”
Copyrights
The American Senator from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.
