The Highland Castle, and the Lowland Cottage (1820) Book

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER III. " Twist ye, twine ye?even sa, Mingle shades of grief and woe, Hope and fcnr, and pence and strife, In the thread of human life." In a state of mind bordering on distraction, the abused and credulous fair one reached her own mansion. She observed lights in a front drawing-room, and rushing hastily up stairs, threw open the door of the apartment, and was successively clasped to the bosom of her father and her uncle. As soon as her agitation would permit her to listen to an explanation, Mary informed her that the two gentlemen had arrived about half an hour after her departure to Mrs. Lessington's, but that all her entreaties to be permitted to apprise her ladyship of the joyful news had been negatived by her uncle. " And has sir Theodosius not been at home in the course of the evening?" questioned Henrietta, the warning of the seer rushing to her memory. " What should lead you to suppose so ?" inquired Mary, in reply, somewhat surprised at the manner in which the question was put. " I thought he purposed to be your protector through the evening ?" " But I was separated from him in the crowd," rejoined her ladyship, "and? - But no matter, he will be here presently, I dare say," she added carelessly, and again placed herself betwixt her father and uncle. At the termination of an hour, sir Theodosius entered the apartment. His manner was grave and dignified as he approached to welcome the father and uncle of his wife. Then turning to lady Beaumont, he said, ? " When you reluc- c 5 tantlytantly drew from me a consent to mingle in the motley groups this night assembled at Mrs. Lessington's, it was granted on the express condition that you should never quit my side. Yet no sooner was I unavoidably separated from you by the pressure of the crowd, than you...Read More