The Planter's Northern Bride 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. A Very unexpected visiter interrupted the monotony of Eulalia's life, during the absence of Moreland. She was sitting one morning alone, in the parlour, practising her last music lesson with all the assiduity of a school-girl, wishing to surprise her husband with her proficiency, on his return, when the door opened and a lady entered, unannounced. The music drowned the sound of her entrance, and Eulalia's first consciousness of her presence was so startling that it made her spring from her seat, as if penetrated by an electric shock. She heard no step, and yet, an inexplicable sensation induced her to turn, and close to the instrument she beheld the haughty, yet graceful figure, whose lineaments, once seen, could never be forgotten. There were the large, black, resplendent, yet repelling eyes, that were for ever haunting her,?the red lips of scorn, the pale olive cheek, the bold, yet classic brow?all the features daguerreotyped on her memory. They stood for several moments without speaking, gazing at each other,?the repudiated wife and Northern bride of Moreland,?two of the most striking images that womanhood can present, of material beauty and spiritual loveliness. They were both young, both beautiful, but evil passions had darkened and marred the brilliant face of the one, while purity, goodness, truth, and love had imparted to the other an almost celestial charm. " And you are now mistress here!" exclaimed the lady, sweeping her proud, bright glance round the apartment, her lip curling and quivering with undefinable emotion. "I am," replied Eulalia, her self-possession returning as the voice of the stranger broke the spell which seemed thrown around them both. Her tone was cold and unnatural. She paused, as if waiting an explanation of this unexpecte...Read More