Only one love : $b or, Who was the heirGarvice, Charles
General
Only one love : $b or, Who was the heir
Garvice, Charles
Dime novels; English fiction
Una flushed and trembled. She went over the names of some of the great
people, but she said nothing of Jack. She could not bring her trembling
lips to frame his name.
"All the best people in town," said Mrs. Davenant, with a smile. "You
will be a fashionable young lady before long, Una."
"Oh, no, no!" breathed Una, with a sudden pallor. "Perhaps I shall never
go again."
Mrs. Davenant looked at her curiously, and relapsed into silence until
they reached home.
Then, as they entered the drawing-room, she said, with a little nervous
smile:
"I have heard from my son Stephen, Una."
"From your son?"
"Yes," said Mrs. Davenant. "It is good news. He has become very rich.
His uncle, Squire Davenant, has left him everything he possessed."
Una started and turned pale. Then Jack had been left nothing! That was
why he had looked so grave and troubled.
"Everything?" she asked.
"Everything," said Mrs. Davenant, with a sigh: "the Hurst and the
estate, and all the money, and he is very rich--very rich indeed."
Una looked before her dreamily. She could not say, "I am very glad."
Mrs. Davenant waited a moment.
"There is a message for you, my dear," she said timidly, fingering the
letter.
"For me!" said Una, looking up with a start.
"Yes; Stephen is so thoughtful! He never forgets others even in the
midst of his great prosperity. He sends his kind regards, and trusts
that you do not miss Warden, and that you will not find our quiet life
too dull. He little thinks how we have plunged into gayety already. He
would be surprised if he knew it."
Indeed Stephen would, with a vengeance!
"It is very kind of him," said Una, in a low voice.
Mrs. Davenant sighed.
"He is always kind and thoughtful. He tells me that he will not be able
to come home just yet awhile. It seems that there is a great deal to see
to. The estate was greatly neglected, and there's some business to be
done with the lawyers; that keeps him there. But he says he will come as
soon as he can, and, meanwhile, I am to make you as happy as I can. I
hope I have done that already, dear," she added, with simple affection.
Una rose and kissed her.
"Indeed, yes; I am very happy."
Then she turned her face away to hide her tears.
"Come, you must go to bed," said Mrs. Davenant, "or you will lose all
your fresh roses."
And she put her candle in her hand, and kissed her tenderly.
It was some time before Una fell asleep. The events of the night flitted
like phantom visions across her eyes, and Jack's face rose to haunt her,
with its tender, troubled look in the dark eyes.
The squire had willed all to Stephen then, and Jack was poor and
forgotten.
The sun was high in the heavens when she awoke, and breakfast was on the
table by the time she had got down.
Mrs. Davenant looked up with a smile.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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