Part 11 (2/2)

”I am glad to hear it, Leone,” he replied. ”For my own part, I think you very much better than myself. I have no fear, if my father sees you first, and that is why I have telegraphed to him to meet us at Dunmore House.”

”But,” she insisted, ”suppose that he does not like me--what shall we do then?”

”Why,” he replied, ”the right and proper thing for me to do then will be to try to love you, if possible, even better than I do now. Leone, the first thing we must do is to drive to one of the court milliners; no matter what follows, your dress must be attended to at once--first impressions are everything. You look royally beautiful in all that you wear, but I would much rather that my father saw you in a proper costume. Suppose we drive to a milliner's first, and choose a handsome dress, and all things suitable, then we can go to the Queen's Hotel; the trunks can be sent after us. We can dine there; and when you have dressed _a la_ Lady Chandos, we will go to Dunmore House, and carry everything before us.”

He did as he had said. They drove first to Madame Caroline's. Lord Chandos was accustomed to the princely style of doing things. He sent for madame, who looked up in wonder at his fair young face.

”This is my wife,” he said, ”Lady Chandos. We have been in the country and she wants everything new, in your best style.”

It seemed to him hours had pa.s.sed when madame reappeared. Certainly he hardly knew the superbly beautiful girl with her. Was it possible that after all the poets had said about ”beauty unadorned” that dress made such a difference? It had changed his beautiful Leone into a beautiful empress. Madame looked at him for approval.

”I hope your lords.h.i.+p is satisfied,” she said; with the usual quickness of her nation, she had detected the fact that this had been a runaway marriage.

”I am more than satisfied,” he replied.

Before him stood a tall, slender girl, whose superb figure was seen to advantage in one of Worth's most fas.h.i.+onable dresses--trailing silk and rich velvet, so skillfully intermixed with the most exquisite taste; a lace bonnet that seemed to crown the rippling hair; pearl-gray gloves that might have grown on the white hands. Her dress was simply perfect; it was at once elegant and ladylike, rich and costly.

”I shall not be afraid to face my father now,” he said, ”I have a talisman.”

Yet his fair young face grew paler as they reached Dunmore House. It was a terrible risk, and he knew it--a terrible ordeal. He realized what he had done when the housekeeper told him the earl awaited him in the dining-room. A decided sensation of nervousness came over him, and he looked at the fresh, proud, glowing beauty of his young wife to rea.s.sure himself. She was perfect, he felt that, and he was satisfied.

”Give me your hand, Leone,” he said, and the touch of that little hand gave him new courage.

He went in leading her, and the earl sprung from his seat in startling amaze. Lord Chandos went boldly up to him.

”Father,” he said, ”allow me to introduce to you my wife, Leone, Lady Chandos.”

The earl gave a terrified glance at the beautiful southern face, but made no answer.

”I have to ask your forgiveness,” continued the young lordling, ”for having married without your consent; but I knew, under the circ.u.mstances, it was useless to ask it, so I married without.”

Still the same terrified look and utter silence.

”Father,” cried Lord Chandos, ”why do you not welcome my young wife home?”

Then Lord Lanswell tried to smile--a dreadful, ghastly smile.

”My dear boy,” he said, ”you are jesting; I am quite sure you are jesting. It cannot be real; you would not be so cruel!”

”Father,” repeated the young lord, in an imperative voice, ”will you bid my wife welcome home?”

”No,” said the earl stoutly, ”I will not. The young lady will excuse me if I decline to bid her welcome to a home that can never be hers.”

”Father,” cried the young man, reproachfully, ”I did not expect this from you.”

”I do not understand what else you could expect,” cried the earl, angrily. ”Do you mean to tell me that it is true that this person is your wife?”

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