Within the Maze: A Novel, Vol. 1 (of 2)Wood, Henry, Mrs.
General
Within the Maze: A Novel, Vol. 1 (of 2)
Wood, Henry, Mrs.
English fiction -- 19th century
"Oh, Lucy, my dear, forgive me!" cried Miss Blake. "Perhaps I have
been wrong to tell you; but I cannot bear that you should be so
deceived. I went up to London myself this morning after some
embroidery silks that I could not get at Basham. Sir Karl and she were
in the same train. I saw them get out together at the terminus."
It was cruel to hear and to have to bear; but Lucy said never a word.
Her tell-tale face had betrayed her emotion, but she would not let
anything else betray it.
"Perhaps both happened to have business in London," she quietly said,
when she could trust her voice to be steady. "I am sure Karl went up
to go to Plunkett and Plunkett's."
And not another allusion did she make to it. Ringing for Hewitt, she
calmly told him his master would not be home: and after that talked
cheerfully to Theresa until the evening was over. Miss Blake wondered
at her.
Calm before _her_ and the world. But when she got upstairs and was
alone in her chamber, all the pent-up anguish broke forth. Her heart
seemed breaking; her sense of wrong well nigh overmastered her.
"And it was only on Saturday he vowed to me the sin was all of the
past!" she cried. And she lay in torment through the live-long
summer's night.
CHAPTER XX.
Only one Fly at the Station.
The railway station at Basham seemed to be never free from bustle.
Besides pertaining to Basham proper, it was the junction for other
places. Various lines crossed each other; empty carriages and trolleys
of coal stood near; porters and others were always running about.
Four o'clock on the Tuesday afternoon, and the train momentarily
expected in from London. A few people had collected on the platform:
waiting for friends who were coming by it, or else intending to go on
by it themselves. Amidst them was a young and lovely lady, who
attracted some attention. Strangers wondered who she was: one or two
knew her for the lady of Foxwood Court, wife of Sir Karl Andinnian.
There had been a flower-show at Basham that day: and Lady Andinnian,
as may be remembered, had promised to attend it with the family of
General Lloyd, taking luncheon with them first. But when the morning
came, she heartily wished she had not made the engagement. Sir Karl
had not returned to accompany her. Miss Blake declared that she could
not spare the time for it: for it happened to be a Saint's Day, and
services prevailed at St. Jerome's. Another check arose: news was
brought in from the coachman that one of the horses had been slightly
hurt in shoeing, and the carriage could not be used that day.
Upon that, Lady Andinnian said she must go by train: for it would
never have occurred to her to break her promise.
"I think, Theresa, you might manage to go with me," she said.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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