The Exclusives (vol. 3 of 3)Bury, Charlotte Campbell, Lady
General
The Exclusives (vol. 3 of 3)
Bury, Charlotte Campbell, Lady
Great Britain -- Social life and customs -- Fiction
Lady Glenmore certainly did feel that there were circumstances
attendant on her _séjour_ at Paris and at Spa which she would not
relate to her husband; and she was happy to think Lord Albert's
constant presence afforded a check to any but general allusions on the
subject of her tour. Had Lord Glenmore been unoccupied with public
affairs, or had he _not_ been one whose own uprightness of heart and
conduct shut out all suspicion of others, he might have observed that
something of _gêne_ in Lady Glenmore's manner rendered her different
from what she had been. But, delighted to be once more with his wife;
happy in her presence, and in the joyousness which her renovated health
and beauty diffused around him; and frequently absorbed, besides, in
those cares which abstract a man from many of those minute perceptions
that idle people are alive to, he observed not the alteration in her
manner.
Three days, however, after her return, a case addressed to Lord
Glenmore at his office in Downing-street was forwarded from the
custom-house at Dover. On the box being opened, it was found to
contain a _porte-feuille_ resembling those in which public papers
are transmitted between official personages, and was stamped with
a coronet, and with the initials G. G. The box itself was not
fastened, and was accompanied by a note from one of the heads of
the custom-house, stating, that it had been left at Dover some days
back; and, from all accounts, by one of his lordship's servants
in the hurry of departure, the initials on the box seeming to
authorize the supposition. On the note being handed to Lord Glenmore
by his secretary, he desired him to inspect the contents of the
_porte-feuille_; and when informed that it seemed to contain papers
of a private nature, Lord Glenmore desired to see it himself. He
found it filled with letters addressed to Lady Glenmore, and amongst
others, some which he recognised as being his own; and he was about
to give orders that it should be sent to his house, concluding it was
a mistake, when, on removing some of the letters, and lifting them up
for the purpose of shutting the box, a miniature portrait attracted his
eye. He thought he recognised the features. He paused for a moment,
still gazing at it. At last he exclaimed, "Why! this is surely Leslie
Winyard's portrait! How came it here? This must be a mistake!" Again he
looked at the letters, but there was no mistake. The letters were all
addressed to Lady Glenmore, and some of them were his own.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account