Produced by Daniel Fromont. HTML version by Al Haines. COLLECTION OF BRITISH AUTHORS TAUCHNITZ EDITION. VOL. 1810. VIXEN BY M. E. BRADDON IN THREE VOLUMES. VOL. II. VIXEN A NOVEL BY M. E. BRADDON, AUTHOR OF "LADY AUDLEY'S SECRET," ETC. ETC. _COPYRIGHT EDITION_. IN THREE VOLUMES. VOL. II. LEIPZIG BERNHARD TAUCHNITZ 1879. _The Right of Translation is reserved_. CONTENTS OF VOLUME II. CHAPTER I. "Shall I tell you the Secret?" CHAPTER II. Wedding Garments CHAPTER III. "I shall look like the wicked Fairy" CHAPTER IV. The Vow is vowed CHAPTER V. War to the Knife CHAPTER VI. At the Kennels CHAPTER VII. A bad Beginning CHAPTER VIII. On Half Rations CHAPTER IX. The Owner of Bullfinch CHAPTER X. Something like a Ride CHAPTER XI. Rorie objects to Duets CHAPTER XII. "Fading in Music" CHAPTER XIII. Crying for the Moon CHAPTER XIV. "Kurz ist der Schmerz und ewig ist die Freude" CHAPTER XV. A Midsummer Night's Dream CHAPTER XVI. "That must end at once" VIXEN. CHAPTER I. "Shall I tell you the Secret?" For the rest of the way Violet walked with Mrs. Scobel, and at the garden-gate of the Vicarage Roderick Vawdrey wished them both good-night, and tramped off, with his basket on his back and his rod on his shoulder, for the long walk to Briarwood. Here the children separated, and ran off to their scattered homes, dropping grateful bob-curtsies to the last--"louting," as they called it in their Forest dialect. "You must come in and have some tea, Violet," said Mrs. Scobel. "You must be very tired." "I am rather tired; but I think it's too late for tea. I had better get home at once." "Ignatius shall see you home, my dear," cried Mrs. Scobel. At which the indefatigable Vicar, who had shouted himself hoarse in leading his choir, protested himself delighted to escort Miss Tempest. The church clock struck ten as they went along the narrow forest-path between Beechdale and the Abbey House. "Oh," cried Vixen, "I do hope mamma's people will have gone home." A carriage rolled past them as they came out into the road. "That's Mrs. Carteret's landau," said Vixen. "I breathe more freely. And there goes Mrs. Horwood's brougham; so I suppose everything is over. How nice it is when one's friends are so unanimous in their leave-taking." "I shall try to remember that the next time I dine at the Abbey House," said Mr. Scobel laughing. "Oh, please don't!" cried Violet. "You and Mrs. Scobel are different. I don't mind you; but those dreadful stiff old ladies mamma cultivates, who think of nothing but their dress and their own importance--a little of them goes a very long way." "But, my dear Miss Tempest, the Carterets and the Horwoods are some of the best people in the neighbourhood."