HURST AND BLACKETT, PUBLISHERS, 13, GREAT MARLBOROUGH STREET. 1855. 249. y. 140. THE SECRET MARRIAGE. CHAPTER I. "The mind of man naturally yields to necessity, and our wishes soon subside when we see the impossibility of their being granted." "The world must be just. It always leaves every man, with profound unconcern, to set his own rate." EMERSON. WHEN Ormond returned home, he found, to his great disappointment, that Lady Lisle and Alice were engaged to spend a quiet evening with Lady Mayflower. He had scarcely a moment to say more than "I had hoped we should have been all together this evening, dear Alice," as he handed her to the carriage. VOL. III. B She turned upon him a look of inexpressible happiness; for his few kind words—lately so few-had gone straight to her heart. She could not reply at the moment-words were wanting; but often during the course of the evening, came back the sweet tones of his kind voice, his look of fondness, and a momentary feeling of long-lost delight thrilled through her. Again, and in one moment, the whole aspect of life was changed; there returned a strange misgiving, darkening all; she dared not trust herself, she had learnt so sad a lesson. Lady Mayflower had purposely kept herself disengaged this evening, in order that she might enjoy a confidential interview with Lady Lisle and Alice. In the latter she took so great an interest, that she was not a little disappointed at the failure of the schemes she had, on her first arrival in London, so charmingly concerted. "I have been so engaged, my dear Clara, that I positively have had no time for a long friendly chat; and after dinner, which will be so very cozy, we three alone, we will have our coffee in the conservatory, and discuss matters." What these "matters" were likely to be, Alice had some faint idea, having gained a tolerable insight into the kind-hearted but worldly disposition of her busy, energetic friend; but a gleam of newly-found happiness enabled her to look forward to the catechizing she felt she had to undergo, as a matter more of joke than earnest. Accordingly, the repast ended, Lady Mayflower led the way into the conservatory, which was bright with flowers, cool with fountains, comfortable with arm-chairs, and brought to mind the description of Eastern luxury, as nightingales, bullfinches, and canaries, joined their melodious voices, to welcome the approach of their mistress. Carefully shutting the glass door behind her opening into the drawing-room, Lady Mayflower began to relieve her mind of its long pent-up anxieties, as she turned a look `almost ludicrous in its earnestness on Alice, who was intent upon examining the contents of a large cage of canaries. |