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
"That's because I have a good memory," said Lady Bell, smiling down at
him. "I shall take care to have plenty of curries at Earl's Court. And,
by the way, will you choose a paper for the smoking-room down there? I
have told them that they must do it at once."
Jack rose without a word; he had been choosing papers and decorations
for a week past, and it did not seem strange. Luncheon was announced
while they were discussing the paper, and Jack gave her his arm. Mrs.
Fellowes was the only other person present, and she sat reading a novel,
deaf and blind to all else. Not but what she might have heard every
word, for the young people talked of the most commonplace subjects, and
Jack was very absent-minded, thinking of Una, and quite unconscious of
the light which beamed in Lady Bell's eyes when they rested on him.
Then they rode in the Row; he could do no less than offer to accompany
her, and Mrs. Fellowes wanted to see a piece at one of the theaters, and
Jack went to book seats, and took one for himself, and sat staring at
the stage and thinking of Una; but he sat behind Lady Bell's chair, and
spoke to her occasionally, and Lady Bell was content.
Hetley and Arkroyd were in the stalls, and saw him.
"Jack's making the running," said Lord Dalrymple, eying the box through
his opera glass. "He's the winning horse, and we, the field, are
nowhere."
And not only those two, but many others, remarked on Jack's close
attendance on the great heiress, and not a few who would have gone to
the box if he had not been there, kept away.
Meanwhile, Jack, simple, unsuspecting Jack, was bestowing scarcely a
thought on the beautiful woman by his side, and thinking of Una miles
away.
The theater over, and Lady Bell put into the carriage, he looked in at
the club, sauntered into the card-room, smoked a cigar in the
smoking-room, and then went home to Spider Court.
Much to his surprise he found Leonard up, not only up, but pacing the
room, his face flushed and agitated.
"Hallo!" exclaimed Jack, "what's the matter? And where on earth have you
been?"
"Jack, I have found her!"
"That's just what I said some months ago!"
"Yes, I know. I have been thinking how strangely alike our love affairs
have been. It is my turn now. I have found her!"
"What, this young lady, Laura Treherne?"
"Yes," said Leonard, with a long breath.
"Tell me all about it," said Jack. "Hold hard a minute, till I get
something to drink. Now, fire away."
"Well," said Leonard, still pacing up and down, and seeming scarcely
conscious of Jack's presence, "I was walking in the park. You know the
place, that quiet walk under the beeches. I was thinking of you and your
love affairs, when I saw, sitting under a tree, a figure that I knew at
once. For a moment I could not move, and scarcely think; then I wondered
how I should get to speak to her; but presently, when I had pulled
myself together, I saw that she had dropped her handkerchief, and I went
and picked it up and took it to her."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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