"
"Were you?" said she, quietly. "Married to whom?"
"I said as good as married, Maude. You know I have been engaged for years
to Miss Ashton; otherwise I would have _knelt_ to ask you to become my
wife, so earnestly should I desire it."
Her calm imperturbability presented a curious contrast to his agitation.
She was regarding him with an amused smile.
"And, Maude, I have come now to ask you to release me. Indeed, I--"
"What's all this about?" broke in the countess-dowager, darting upon
the conference, her face flushed and her head-dress awry. "Are you two
quarrelling?"
"Val was attempting to explain something about Miss Ashton," answered
Maude, rising from the sofa, and drawing herself up to her stately
height. "He had better do it to you instead, mamma; I don't understand
it."
She stood up by the mantelpiece, in the ray of the lustres. They fell
across her dark, smooth hair, her flushed cheeks, her exquisite features.
Her dress was of flowing white crepe, with jet ornaments; and Lord
Hartledon, even in the midst of his perplexity, thought how beautiful she
was, and what a sad thing it was to lose her. The truth was, his senses
had been caught by the girl's beauty although his heart was elsewhere.
It is a very common case.
"The fact is, ma'am," he stammered, turning to the dowager in his
desperation, "I have been behaving very foolishly of late, and am asking
your daughter's pardon.
Pages:
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250