CHAPTER LV.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 295, 1 September 1888, Page 5

CHAPTER LV.

THE WEDDING-DAY. Lady IST kville tapped softly at the door o* the countess's dressing-room, about noon, on tho day following the ball. She was up, and wrapped in a purple velvet gown, and seated in an immense arm-chair, with a silver mug of strong coffee before her. ' Come in/ she growled, and Lady Neville

entered, with her handsome mouth looking very decided and determined. 'I beg your ladyship's pardon,' she said blandly, ' for this untimely intrupion ; but I am just on my way from the earl's aparfcment, and I thought I would drop in and tell you what he said.' The dowager nodded, and sipped her coffee. Lady Neville seated herself on an ottoman. 'I spoke to him,' she went on, 'of our conversation yesterday, and repeated your proposition in regard to Marguerite's marriage, and he feels about it just as I supposed he would.' The countess merely inclined her turbaned head, still sipping her coffee. A faint flush — whether of anger or embarrassment, it would be difficult to say — rose to Lady Neville's cheek, but she continued, in the same bland and even tones : ' He objects to any interference on Marguerite's account, and desires the engagement to stand. In regaid to a speedy marriage, he thinks it very desirable, for two reasons. Marguerite is young 1 and thoughtless, and will fare better as a good man's wife than exposed to temptation ; and,' she added, a trifle hesitatingly, 4 I dislike to refer to the matter, but I hinted to your ladyship before what a wretched state of mind the earl was in. He has j taken a fancy to have his late countess, who is buried somewhere at an insane asylum — a poor, wild, wretched creature she was ! Well, as 1 was saying, he has made up his mind to have her remains disinterred and taken 'o Strathspey Towers for reburial ; and all I can say ' 'He's right — Sti'athspey's right,' interrupted the countess. Lady Neville opened her blue eyes in amazem nt, but she was too well bred to descend to an argument. c Well,' she continued, after a short silence, 'opinions differ about that. He thinks it is his duty, and he is a very determined man — he'll do it. So you see, if this poor woman, who, most unfortunately, is Marguerite's mother, is reburied at the Towers in September, it would be uttei'ly out of the question to have a great wedding-feast at the same place a month later. Consequently, the eai-1 thinks, and I think, that Marguerite had better be married here and at once.' 'Very well,' replied the countess, 'I'll order the trouspoau this morning, and you can see about the tirrangements at once. We'il have the wedding-feast here, and you must superintend, and spare neither pains nor money to have things as they should be.' Lady Neville arose, with a graceful bow, and taking the hand of the countess, carried it to her lips. ' And I am so glad, so much relieved,' she said } 1 1 trust that Marguerite will be a comfort to your lady&hip, and in some measure reward you for all your kindness.' {'To be Continued.)