CHAPTER XXXI. - LYDIA'S WEDDING.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume L, Issue 9003, 27 January 1906, Page 6

CHAPTER XXXI. - LYDIA'S WEDDING.

« The next few days were very lively ones for the squire, and he enjoyed himself exceedingly. His mind was relieved about Jack's health, who, though he continued very weak and languid, was now able to go downstairs, and the London doctor gave every hope of his 6peedy recovery. Therefore, Mr Selby thought he might as well take the full advantage of his visit to town. He escorted Mrs Curzan to the picture galleries, andi he went to the theatres, and sat smiling and looking at the pretty women, •convinced that his own appearance was almost irresistible. Lydia Jones was, of course, very much occupied during these last few days of her unwedded life. Mrs Curzan did what she could to help her, but in hex own limited establishment her two guests, of course, required some looking after. As the Seibys were with her, Mrs Cttraan could not keep her promise and entertain the two young gii3s, whom 6tte had invited to stay wi£h Her, and act as Lydia's bridesmaids.

But Lydia managed all this. The Masses Ramsay were to stay at Western Lodge, and they might stay there for a few days after the wedding was over, Lydia told her friend, if Mrs Curzan would chaperone them.

Kind Mtsj. Curzan was very glad to promise to do this, as she knew how disappointed these poor girls would have been not to have had their promised visit to town. Thus Lydia, between her dresses and her ipiepaTations and her expected gueste, had very little time to itm across, as was her wont, to talk to her neighbors in Mortimer road. But on Tuesday even-ing-—the wedding was to be on Thursday — Mrs CuTzan got a Ktflei note from her. "Frederick has come," she iwrote. "He has brought me such lovely things from abroad." But I'm. s» vexed — his great friend, the French count, who was to be his best man, is laid up with fever in Italy, and we'll just have to get someone else. I- suppose Major Selby would not be well enough? It he can't officiate, I must ask thai litCle goose, Peter Goldbeax. You Tememßer him — Sir Peter's son? But I am awfully put out aSout it. — Lydia." ' "Poor Lydia! and she talked so mucli about her French count!" smiled Mrs Curzan. "But I daresay young Ml? Goldbeax will do quits as well. I suppose it's useless to ask you, Jack?" Jack shook his head and said nothing. Ho was, indeed, only waiting for Lydia's wedding to be over, when he presumed his father would go back to Northumberland, to Teturn himself to Tethame. Day and night he still thought of the unfortunate woman whom he believed lay there in her last long sleep. But he rarely, even to Mrs Curzan, mow mentioned Isabel's name, and both his fatEer and Mrs Curzan were very careful not to mention it to him. They hoped ho would gradually forget and throw off this sad episode of his life j and tlie squire openly regretted to Mrs Cuttsan that Lydia Jones had not been Jack's cnoice. '"'l Here's a nice girl, too, down in Northumberland — May Graham — that I hoped at one time he would have taken a fancy to ; but there it is I One never can arrange these things. I'm beginning to believe in fate about marriages, I declare. Mm Curzan P" 1 and the squire gave a little laugh. "It is very 6trange, certainly," said Mrs Curzan. But almost while she was speaking, her young friends, Patty and Flora Ramsay, arrived 1 , as it had been settled that they were in the first instance to come to Mrs Curzan's House, who then- had to take them across to Western Lodge to intro- j duce them to tEeir young hostess, the future bride. After these two lively girls came there was much mirth, and laughter went on j continually at Lydia's ; but the Ramsays confided to Mrs Curzan that the proposed bridegroom seemed "a very grave maai," and Miss Jones had told tliem he was vexed to have so gay a wedding. Mr Barrett could indeed hardly restrain his anger when his handsome Lydia informed him she expected fifty guests at the wedding breakfast. "Shall I read my list to you?" asked Lydia. "And add any friends of you»?' T "My dear Lydia," replied the bridegroom, "spare me your list, and as for my people, as I told you before, they have a stuplid prejudice' to the idea of my marrying the daughter of anyone who has been in business ; so I determined to show them that I was indifferent to their oldfashioned opinions, but a® my wife I know they will gladly receive you. This is why I do not care for all this, gaiety until tEe marriage is over." "Well, it will have to be gone through now," said Lydia, witti at£er a disconcerted little laugh"; and Mr Barrett also

saw there was no help for it. The wedding guests ware invited, the wedding presents were standing in rows, and, therefore, it behoved the bridegroom at leaet to try to look .pleasant aSout it. - And he did try. Bu% it is difficult to appear happy with a heart ill at ea.se. And Mr Barrett looked ill. He had had a touch of fever in Italy, Tie told LyiifLa, and that might, perhaps, account for the lines on his face, which had deepened considerably since his young - betrothed ,had seen him. v . Ha only arrived in town on Tuesday, and Thursday was to be bis wedding day. Thus neit&er' the squire' nor Mia Curzon caw him iutts_ the wedding-breakfast, as >J?s Curas hhd declineS to go to church

with the bridal party. But they watched it 6tart from the- windows of Mortimer road, and the bride and her eight fair bridesmaids were a pretty sight.

Lydia had a fin© day for her wedding, and the sun shone on her Bright face as she entered the carriage leaning on the arm of Sir Peter Goldßear, who, as her late father's oldest friend, vfas to give her away.

The bridegroom was to join them at the church, accompanied by Peter Goldbear, junior, who had consented in the unavoidable absence of tEe Count de Charon, to act as best man. And the sun snone still when Lydia Jones knelt before the altar, &nd plighted her faith to Frederick" Barrett, **lill deatE us do part;" it shone oa the bridegroom's pale, handsome, twitching face; on thle bride's fresh, smiling one. Lydia looked very pretty on her wedding-day, but tEe pale bridegroom by her side ecaopcely looked at .her. He was gnawing his tremulous lips under his heavy moustache, and thoughts dark and terrible were in his heart.

But they did not) interrupt the ceremony; nothing interrupted it. Mr Barrett breathed a little sigh -of relief when it was all over, and Sit Peter Goldb'ear was kissing his bride. Then Ec, too, kissed her, and his chill lips felt like ice against Lydia's rosy cheeks.

The bride and bridegroom 'returned in a carriage together to Western Lodge, and even amid her own excitement Lydia noticed how pale Mir Barrett was, and the extreme coldness of his hands.

"Are you not feeling very well, Frederick?" slie asked, tenderly.

"The church was chill, wasn't it?" answered Frederick, with a- shudder.

"Was it? I didn't feel it. I wonder if my dress looked well?" said Lydia, with unconscious vanity.

"Your mind may be at xest on that point; it is charming," replied Mr Barrett; and this compliment made Lydia quite happy.

They had not a long drive from the church, and the carriage scon stopped before Lydia's house, the test of the marriage party quickly following tEem. Mr BaTrett led Lydia upstairs, and then left her for a few moments and her blooming bridesmaids, going himself into the breakfast room and ordering one of the servants to bring him some brandy.

When lie returned to Ihe drawing

room, Lydia. was standing, smiling and blushing, receiving 'the gueste invited to

the wedding breakfast. The brandy had given him courage. He went to hex side,

and stood tfiere, also receiving her friends, and Lydia looked with some pride on her handsome bridegroom.

By this time our friend, the squire, was in a perfect fidget to join the party. Mis Curzan had gone upstairs to dress rather late, but the squire, arrayed in his white waistcoat, his Xavender kid gloves, and his new, shiny .hat, was waiting for hex impatiently in> tEe hall. '

He had also, the .day before, paid, another visit to the perfumer in New. Bond street, and his whiskers were absolutely radiant — brown, and curled, and glossy — and he felt perfectly satisfied with himself and them. At last Mrs Curzan appeared on the 6tairs, and the squire went towards "her and gallantly offered hia aim. "Come, my dear madam, or I fear we shall be late," he said. "The people are arriving opposite as fast as they can arrive."

The two elderly people then crossed the road togetfier, and were speedily ■ushered into Lydia's already crowded drawingroom. The bride was standing in the centre of a large group of friends, but the squire effusively pushed his way through these and warmly shook her hand congratulating her in his old-fashioned manner.

"But where is the happy man?" fie asked. "I am most anxious to see him."

Mr Barrett happened at this moment to be at the othet end of the room, but

Lydia pointed him out with a pleasant air. ' • •

"There he is," she said; "the tall, dark man talking toj,he lady in blue."

There was a great crowd, ana Lydia never noticed the -effect of her simple words on the squixe'a face.' Mt Selby stared' af the "tall dark man" Lydia had indicated, rubbed his eyes, gasped, and then actually grew pale.

At this minute, however, breakfast was announced; and the bridegroom approached the bride and offered his arm, and led her through the crowd, and as Lydia passed, she nodded her head to Mr Selby with a gay smile.

They passed <61£e squire closely, and He distinotfy. saw Mr Barrett's face, and knew for a certainty as he did so thai this man was no other 1 than J. Winton Brooke, his late tenant at North Hall.

(To be continued.)

A correspondent of the London Daily Express, perplexed regarding the pronun ciation of Trafalgar, wTobe to Earl of Nelson, and received . the .reply that "the proper pronunciation of the word Trafalgar is Trafalgar. 'The death of Nelson' song is the origin of the wrong pro nunciation of the word — 'Tvras in Trafalgar Bay.' In a little book published by Sir Robert Peel's sailor son, he writes foxwn Egypt • T have just discovered the meaning of Trafalgar. Ifc consists of three Moorish words meaning; '"Cape of Laurel?'