CHAPTER IV. THE TERRIBLE TRUTH.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 182, 11 December 1886, Page 6

CHAPTER IV. THE TERRIBLE TRUTH.

What had smitten hope, courage, happine?s out of the bride of an hour? What had stopped the bounding pulses of her sweet young life, and laid her cold, silent, proBtrate, as one dead ? ( These are not Borgia or do Medici times, when one sends poison in a bouquet. It was not her bridal flowers, nor even Lady Clare Montressor's tuberose that had sealed her fate. No. Upon her untried, innocent, Unsuspecting ear has fallen the unaccuatomed voice of truth ; and oh, how chilling, how cruel, how teirible, how fatal truth can sometimes be ! The naked truth is sometimes as deadly and unsparing as a naked sword. When Mra Ainslio, full of pride, joy, benevolence *o all the world, threw open the door of her boudoir to her new and titled nephew, to put him face to face with this charming white-veiled, innocent creature, whose life hud just been indissolubly bound to his own. and instead of blu«hing cheeks and smiling eyes, saw prostration, rigidity, unconsciousness, she gave a wild cry : *• She i 3 dead ! she is dead !" Lord Leigh, with a look of terror, bent Over hiB fallen bride. The treasure he bad won with a ewift gaod fortune that surprised himself, was it to be lost as soon a? won ? Then he felt life still fluttering in the tender frame, and lecalled that the house was full of guests. He was one who lived in careful regard of public opinion, concealing nil that might arou;o remark. "Itis a fainting attack," he ea«d. " Give me your vinagrette. Call Sir lic^er Parker, please; he 13 below; and Bring a maid, Airs Ainslie ; but do not seem alarmed."' His composed manner had neither the ardour nor anxiety of a devoted young lover trembling for hi? idol; but its calm practicality restored Mra Ainslie'q courage. Left alone for an instant with his insensible bride, Ljrd Leigh, while endeavouring to restore her, had his eyes fixed rather on the room than on Violet He scanned every corner. It was a room without any concealments —no closets, no heavy draperies. "If that demon has done thi=>," he said betweenhis set teeth, his usually indiflerent, grave face contracting in a look of rage, *' 1 would feel equal to something desperate. But no I She cannot have been here,'' " What is thi3 ?" cried a voice at his side. 41 Oh, I knew something would happen." It was Lady Burton. Mr 3 Ainslie's cry had reached an ear alert for sounds of woe. All that brilliant wedding-day Lr.dy Button had been haunted by anxiety, and when that one scream came to her, as she stood with come of the ladj'c- maids in Violet's boudoir waiting to -cc the bride dressed in her travelling costume, she felt the shrill cry a confirmation of her fear?, and hastened to the room where was the new-made Countess of Leigh.

14 This ia not an ordinary fainting fit," said Lady Burton, as Sir Roger Parker bent over the still form, and Mr and Mis Ainslie anxiously awaited his verdict. "It looke like a severe and sudden nervous shock," paid the couit phj-idan ; " yet that is quite impossible. " "Certainly it is impo=?ib!e ' P&id Lord Leigh. "She is all health a rtv\ happiness, and has not been alone live minuter today." She had been alone fiftsen— a fatal fifteen. " She is reviving," eaid Mrs Ainslie, presently, and stole away to still any rumours that might arise amon>< her guests. " Shortly life came back in tremulous thrill to that prostrate form; the delicate colour atole into the round cheeks ; the pearly throat began to flutter with returning respiration, and then the eweet brown eyes opened wide. Sir Roger naturally thought that the face of the young husband would be the most comforting eight for those lovely eyes, and stepped back to place to his lordship, who be"t over h'n bride with a look of aseured possession. Violet met that look with a gaze of horror and intenee aversion. Then the dainty form shook from head to foot, entire consciousness had come with a weight of woe ; her hand, that soft little baud, whereon shone the diamond half-circle of their en-gagement-ring, and the plain thick circle given that morning at the sacred altar, •was laid upon her bridegroom'a breast, aa with all her little strength she pushed him from her. Then Bhe turned, threw her arm about Lady Burton's neck, hid her face on her bosom, and burst into teara. " I think we will do well to leave your countess alone for a time with Lady Burton," said Sir Roger, calmly. "What do you think of her? What does this mean ?" asked Lord Leigh, as he loft the room with the physician. "Simply terror, excitement, a sudden ▼ague alarm," said Sir Roger, quietly. * c The feelings of young girls have very singular developments. 1 am auprlsed at nothing. In a little time she will recover herself."

Lord Leigh looked at him narrowly. lie had eeen, and had he not comprehended, the look in Violet's eyes, the action of her hand? Evidently not. They meant much to Lord Leigh, although he could not reach their cause. Left alone with Violet, Lady Burton gently ttroked her hair, seeking to aootne her by silence and tondernoss, but full of grievous appcehen?ion. There had beori eomo terrible nervous chock, come heart shock. lady Burton could not be deceived ; and the bridegroom, with his anxiety about the effect on others rather than for hia bride — ho realised it also. " My sweet, aie you better?" said Lady Burton. " No, no, I shall nover bo bettor. Take rao away — you said you would take me away. Take me to the other side of the world. Take me as if I were your child." ; " ily darling, if you wore my own child I could not take you away now, for you are in another's keoping. Do you forget you are to stait with your husband for Dover?" "I will not take the train for. Dover !" cried Violet, sharply. "My love !It is necessary— all arrangements are made." " I will not go with that man !" cried Violet again. " Violet, what words are these ? He is your husband." " Tell me," said the poor young creature, gathering herself up, in all her pallor and wedding splendours, " have those few worde bound me to him for evor ?" " They have, indeed, made you fully his wife, till death." •' Even though now, alieady, I know that I have made a great and horrible mistake — been ciuelly deceived ''' '* If that mistake does not include a living wife for him, or husband for you, to invalidate this morning's vow, then only a teiiou?, and terrible, a disgraceful divorce suit, Violet, can break the tio you have voluntarily assumed." "Oh, why did I not take your advice? Why cannot I die? Oh, I wi&h-I wi&h," burst out Violet, wildly 4 ' Hush i my child. I oniy advi&ed a little waiting I know nothing against Lord Leigh I believe he will be a good hu&band to jou "

" He shall not be my husband," shrieked Violet. '"Iwill not have him. My uncle shall keep me from him— my friends shall protect me."' "Mydailing, you are his wife, nothing can undo that. Only the highest court can divide you two, and that only for such cause as I know cannot bo shown. Violet, whatever has clnnged jour wish and hope, trample it under jour feet, and be true to your wifely vow. 1 ' "Lady Burton,' said Violet, "I have heard you were not happy in your flrst marriage " " I married, a1?a 1 ? you have, very young, and I was very, very unhappy," " And how lon^ did it last ?" "For peven jears God enabled me to bear my sorrow?, in quiet and in faithfulness, till He sent release." "And my mother, too, was an unhappy wife ?" u She wag ; but a dutiful and honourable wife, for twelve years." "And women endure such things — such horrible h< tut btlta nus, for so long, eolong. Oh, it is cruol ' ' " Violet, v, hen all is lost except honour and doir.y duty, then the good woman live 3 for duty and honour." " Lady Burton— l hale him !" " Violet, cea&e «uch lash, wicked words " " And I shah go on dotesting him for over !" "Violet, in your mother'a name, I command jou tG aat as becomes an honourable woman. V/hatever new light may have fallen on your marriage, or on Lord Leigh, lemeaiber you freely accepted him j in a public manner you have pledged your faith ; the ciedit of tho Ainslics, the Montresaors, and the Leighs is in your keeping—hard or not, as >our fate may be, all that remains for you i= to meet it as a loyal, self-respect ing woman. £ani=h such thoughts, bury Mich words as you have spoken to me. Do not give tho public reason' to call you mad. If you make a display of theso singular feelings a blight will rest for ever on your womanly name." " There « a blight on my heart," sobbed Violet. "Then bear ifc bravely in secret. I tell you, when alii* lost except honour, one can and must live for honour." Violet lay back exhausted Dark circles were under her eye 3; her lips were blanched ; such a haggard look of woe and despair had fallen over tho sweet girlish face that Lady Burton's heart ached for her. She bent forward to bathe the girl's brow with fragrant waters, and as she did so a locket slipped from her bosom and fell against Violet's hand, opening as it fell. Violet started auddenly and cried : "Lady Burton, who ia this?" "Itia my son— Lord Kenneth Keith. It was taken several years ago." " Your son ?" said Violet, " and what is he like ? Is he good ?'' "Yes, I believe he is," said Lady Burton, returning to her corsage the picture of a youth handsome as Antinous. "Like his father, your first husband?" queried Violet "God forbid," said Lady Burton. "I can tell you what he is like," said Violet fiercely ,- "false, false as Satan -like tho reet of men,"