CHAPTER LXXXVIII.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 205, 28 May 1887, Page 6 (Supplement)

CHAPTER LXXXVIII.

" BOUQUETS OF WHITE ROSES." s Till] loud peal of the bull roused these lovers from their whispered confidences. "The second bell— the bell for dinner!" cried Edna, starting up; "and look at me !" " Perfectly fascinating !" quoth Alwold. "But hoie am 1, in my travelling garb." " Still, you look very well," admitted Edna. " Thank yon for that even," said Alwold laughing. "Let us put a very hra>e face on it," said Edna, \nliantly. '• 1 know Violet and Lady Button me uniting' in the drawingroom : lei u^ go in boldly, as it we thought we were in full dinner-toilet. It is all Violet V fault, anyway. Why did she send you in there, a^ she did ?'' " For my endless and complete happiness:-!," said the marqui.-. ''Come, Edna, le-t us co to tin 1 drawinq-ioom with the best grace we can." Ah soon a.s they had crossed the draw-ing-room threshold, Alwold mischievously took Edna's hand. At the other side of the room Lady Burton stood waiting, in her fa\oimfcu dVe^s of dark purple velvet, and tlte Counter ot Leigh in her heavy j black crape. Alwold led Edna toward her friends, and said : "Heie i- a fair maiden all forlorn, whom I found w ithout legal or natuial guardians, andwhoui ] besought to take me in the phec of both. And now, dear Lady Burton find Counters of Leigh, as you are her nearest and tenderest friends, we come to you foi hie— ing and congratulation ; also," with a glance at their drc^fe, ''for compliments on our appearance. '" " My darling, may Heaven's best blessing always be upon you !"' said Lady Burton, feiventlv , diav, ing Edna to her and kissing her lovely, blushing face. Although Violet's expedience of married life had been -o evil, she had not lost faith in happiness. Hei unselfish heart could joy in the joy of her friend ; and as she whi^peied her congratulations, a bliss long a stranger to her sad heart lighted her face as she fotcca.st happy days for her beloved Edna. Indeed, that was a delightful evening at Leigh Towers. Years and years had it been since so much pure, unselfish happiness had shed its l.ulianee there. As they lose irom their places before the fire in the wide hall, where, according to custom, the "yule-log" had been lighted, Lord Alwold drew Edna toward him, and takiii2 her white hand in his, .said : "This little hand is my beautiful and treasuied Christmas gift. Take, then, my Edna, this ring in token of our love and faith,' and ho slipped a diamond half-cirelo on her lender finger. "And," he added, in flower whisper, "be very merciful to me," and give me soon permission to guard it with another plainer but more potent ring, at St. (ieorge's." Who -will doubt that when the three ladies went upstairs, and were comfortably arranged in dressing-gown*-, they gathered in EdWv boudoir to '• talk it over?" Cut very early in the talk the little earl, who had i-lrong will and strong lungs of his own, .-el up such a lusty shout for his mamma that Violet, perforce, bade her fiiends -'good-night.'' saying, " I must go to my naughty boy. " Lady Burton looked after her as she mo\ cd away, so gentle and graceful in every fiction. " That darling child grows sweeter and sweeter every day," she said to Edna. " Do you know, since Violet was a very little creatuie, in her mother's arms, looking at me with tho»e sweet, wistful, changeable brown eyes I hoped she would one day be the wife of my Kenneth. Ido not think it well to ur^e young inclinations, and Violet was kept, by her grandmother, in strict seclusion. Before 1 could bring my boy and Violet to an acquaintance, he in<-i»te'd on a long tour, and before he came back Violet had suddenly married Lord Leigh. I know both Violet and Kenneth have told you the sad httle story, how they bad met, and loved, and the hard old giandmother had parted them. Alas ! she hid not parted their hearts, and when they met again, with Violet's marriage us a fatal barrier between them, they found that still thej loved. I will not conceal from you, Edna, that when first I knew you, I hoped it might be yours to heal the wounds of Kenneth's heart. But J .soon saw that your affections would turn to another, and that nothing would ever divide my son's love from Violet. You know, as well as I do, what scrupulous honour, what self restraint, and noble saciif'ce. and matchless confidence, has been botw een those two ! I know that you, as well as I, have thought that now the fatal and wretched chains that bound Violet haAC been loosed by the only Hand which righteously could loose them, in time u he mkrht find her consolation in the heart that has been so nobly faithful." " Yes, and 1 am sure that it was for this that Lord Keith went on this journey, so that Violet might pas° her widowhood in peace and quiet, without an envious tongue to stir her calm." "It has been wisely done; and when he returns, if he can win her hand, it will be a bride well worth the winning, a heart of matchless nobleness. Formerly, dear Violet was hasty and jealous, and occasionally wilful. From extreme indulgence she was something selfish. Her faults had none of them a serious growth, and were always counterbalanced by her virtues. But look at Violet now. How wise, calm, gentle, self-sacrificing, sweetly unselfish, and wholly unjealous she is. She is an embodied benevolence. How precious in her has been the ministry of sorrow ! Under j such bitter trials some hearts grow bitter and hard ; others, like hers, more gracious daily." While thus her friends praised her, the little countess had dropped into tranquil slumber, with her child on her arm. A light snow had fallen when they woke on Christmas Day. It lay a fleecy veil over .shrub and tree, and glittered like countless gems in the sun, as thelittle a fmily from the Toweis set out to walk to the church for the Christmas service. Earl Rupert, in Jenny's arms, shouted for joy at the Bight ; for Violet, to the amusement of her friends, had insisted on Rupert's being taken to church. "'lie irunst begin good habits young," said Viole,t, " and he is always to go with me to church on Christmas Day. If Jie cries, Jenny can carry him out." But Rupert did not cry; he behaved to the edification of everybody, though it must be confessed he had the watch of his guardian, Lord Alwold, for a plaything. There wore no festivities at the Towers so lately bereaved, but there was an immense giving away of presents in the great hall.

and all tho children of the tenants got" acquainted with their little earl, as he was> carried laughing and crowing among them. And a very democratic little lard he showed himself to be, so that Alwold prophesied his ward would grow up a Liberal. Edna for some days insisted upon delaying her marriage until Violet's first year of mourning should have passed r and she could pub on a lavender gown and come to- tho wedding. But Violet joined her entreaties to those of tho marquis to combat this resolve, and finally Edna yielded, and the marriage was sei for rosy June. A very beautiful marriage-day it was, with no ill-omens ; and though Violet could not appear at it, she kept the day in her heart, and had the gardener bring for her room and for the dinner-table bouquets of white roses.