THE NOVELIST. The Goldies of Golden Terrace.

Otago Witness, Issue 1555, 27 August 1881, Page 23

THE NOVELIST. The Goldies of Golden Terrace.

BY E. HUDSON.

Chapter XXXIV.

ÜBS STBVBNS AT DINNER. Thou hast made me giddy With these ill iidinri.

—King John,

ORD and Lady Beltower returned from their honeymoon for the London season. Laura was presented at Court, and she soon became quite *the fashion.' Men talked about and toasted the brilliant dark little beauty ; Lady

Beltower's receptions and Lady Beltowera costumes were all duly chronicled in society journals ; and her picture hung in the Royal Academy. Not even in her wildest dreams of Laura's future had Mrs Stevens imagined anything so brilliant as the reality. Surely, having succeeded so far beyond her ambition, Mary was a happy woman now. Yet she did not look like one that evening, sitting in dreary state at her solitary dinner table. She had lost her daughter so completely. The old dream of sharing her married home was destroyed. Laura did not want her mother, and showed it only too plainly. She was jealous of the least interference, and would hardly brook even a word of advice. In the whirl of the last few months Mary had Been almost nothing of her, and then she and her husband went down to their country-seat for the winter, and were entertaining a crowd of visitors —Herr Hallenstein and several other notables amongst them. And Laura had never asked her mother to come down — even for the shortest visit. Mary was deeply wounded, but she would not blame Laura ; it waa the Earl, no doubt, who had forbidden her to invite her plebeian mother. And certainly the wife of plain Mark Stevens, merchant, would nave been at a disadvantage amidst that aristocratic gathering. After all, Bhe was better at home. So she argued, trying to cheat herself into the belief that Laura had not wilfully forgotten her. And Mrs Stevens had another trouble to vex her. Beady money was becoming very scarce, and credit a little hard to obtain. Mary had applied several times to her agent, but he could not give that which he had not, and she was beginning

to think of writing to Mark herself. She knew very little of his business, but since they separated he had never once enjoined economy, and she had spent with a free hand. But it had been all for Laura. The pleasure of spending was gone now. Yet money must be bad— and Mary thought of the pile of bills in her desk., , ■ She was rising from her untasted dessert, when the footman entered with a card. ' Mrs Stevens glanced at it, and aaw that it bore the name of her husband's agent. , < Show him into the library, Willis. And the man disappeared. 'The Indian mail is m, I suppose, thought Mary, slowly following. 'It is to be hoped Mark has placed a good sum at my disposal.' And sweeping in her rich dress across the hall, she entered the library. Her visitor was standing upon the he&rth-rug ; a thin little man, with a keen hatchet face, bearing just now, a stiange scared expression, which even Mrs Stevens noticed. She bade him good evening in her condescending way, remarking, as she seated herself that he was not looking very well. * No,' he said, * I— l have had a shock.' 'A shock?' repeated Mary, questioningly. 'Yes, bad news,' blurted out Mr Totter, wishing himself a hundred miles away. Mrs Stevens, looking keenly at him, noted how his eyes avoided hero. Suddenly her heart stood still. * Bad, news ;' she gasped j ' does it concern my daughter V ' Oh, dear no,' said Mr Totter, hastily. ' I hope her ladyship is well. It is Indian news.' ' Yes V Mary stood expectant. Laura was safe —she could bear anything now ; or so at least she thought. But when she comprehended the full meaning of the awful news which Mr Totter gradually unfolded to her, she sank upon her ohair sick and trembling with horror and dismay.