Part 20 (2/2)
”If you like,” said Lionel, luxuriously recalling his wonderful week, ”I shall paint a word-picture of her charht--how her hair can enmesh the hearts of all beholders--how her lips----”
”I do not think I need trouble you,” interrupted his hostess rather distantly ”No doubt Beatrice is an attractive young person----”
”_Young person!_” he repeated, horror-struck ”Beatrice Blair a _young person_! Profanity! Please, please do not----”
”I shall leave you to think of a better description,” she said, with a smile of pity that held no scorn ”I have some letters to write, and I fear you will have to dine alone Youthe bell?”
He obeyed, and a entleht ”See that he has everything he wants” The footman bowed and held the door open for Lionel ”Dinner is at half past seven If you are dull before then, please go to the library But perhaps you are not a reader? Perhaps you are of those 'whose only books are----'” She checked herself, as if re her own correctness or the iht me only wisdo the unfinished quotation Then he went out, wondering
CHAPTER XVI
A LETTER AND SOME REFLECTIONS
”BLOOMSBURY, LONDON
”DEAR MR MORTIMER,--Long before this reaches youyou properly I aot to wire before, but I have been so harassed and busy that I never thought about it A true woman, you will say--I can al here, yet I dare to hope that the smile will not be too superior, that a touch of pity will creep in when you remember that my worry is for a husband's freedom If only I can save Lukos--but it is foolish to waste time on 'if's' I _mean_ to succeed, and you have proratitude already
”Thank you for your letter telling ed that you have not seen Mizzi yet, and that you have been unable to approach the a very hard and ah they would look paltry if I committed them to paper My inforht track--that Mizzi _is_ the guilty party--that sooner or later an attempt _will_ be made to sell the document--and lastly that we must suspect every one Yes, _every one_! Even s me to the more important part of my letter
”I have not seen Winifred for soather that she is of distinctly prepossessing appearance (Isn't that how the police reports usually describe it?) My pen hesitates whether to write 'Be on your guard' or not Shall I? ine that I am distrustful--I _know_ you can be relied on--I _know_ you can be true and firm and faithful: but my heart fails when I remember that you are a man; encompassed, too, by perils you hardly perceive, snares alht to speak like this I know you are honorablebut the greatness of the stake forces er which may be reuard against any weakness, however venial or trivial, which may make my path--and the path of Lukos!--ht, and I have had a tiring day Forgive ive! I urge you again to watch my sister carefully Heavens! it seeain I have grave cause for suspicion, though she does not guess I suspect Why she, above all others, should betray me I can not tell I had hoped that--but this is weak and futile _Watch her carefully_
”You say that up to the present nothing has happened Itwill happen for a ti at The Quiet House--on guard! Stay there at all costs, till you hear froain Do what _she_ tells you--play the hypocrite if need be--strive to conciliate her, but _watch_ I have London under my eyes
”So much for the chief business As for news, the play ceases very shortly and I s over On the whole, I a busy,--at least as happy as I can expect to be until Oh! by the way, since we parted I have had another offer of e Such a nicetrue _friends_ Soht, my friend--Your friend,
”BEATRICE BLAIR”
Such was the letter that Lionel was reading for the fiftieth tiht past, it had coave him little information and less co it! I couldn't _expect_ 'Lionel'!” he told hiely) to the distant inti to a devoted adherent of romance Yet what else could he ask for? He was not in love--no! he was not in love, for there was a husband! Besides, Beatrice would be the last person to lead him on when Stay! there had been te-roo to hiement: there _had_ Charity (a word, by the hich the Revised Version has altered to ”Love”) on the instant said: ”coxcoe your services for Lukos A pardonable deception” ”Very well,” gruuh on?”
Leaving this, he turned to other ite into the too-well-reood: she was fairly happy--good: he ain Lukosh'ar was her husband, after all
Good The sister was pretty--a suardh' appearancecould she bejealous?
”coxcoain: ”look at the end--'Your _friend_' Then, too, there is 'another proposalsuch a nice man' Jealousy? Ha! ha!”
Lionel sed the pill with a bad grace and put the letter away
He had been at The Quiet House for a little ht, and up to the present he had achieved nothing Mizzi had n, the ambassador was invisible, no further instructions had come fro the character of his hostess and waiting, Micawber-like, for so to turn up
His position was the oddest conceivable Since Beatrice's telegraht, ”at the price of five and threepence You uest, almost an old acquaintance He had been accepted without question, treated as an equal, hall-ht's approval, because the Arkwrights, it appeared, prided themselves on their hospitality It was not for the sake of Beatrice alone that he received so warm a welco ”on the stage” But she was an Arkwright, and a guest vouched for (especially at five and threepence) by an Arkwright was a person to be considered