Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 197: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

ee + ee AGNES; OR, BEAUTY ANP PLEASURE. * Ob, yes!” exclaimed Cicely. outside I shall not remain absent more than a week.” On the following morning the Hon. Mrs. Hard- ress took her departure from the house at Bays- water, and was conveyed in her own carriage to the London Bridge railway-station. She on some excuse dispensed with the attendance of her lady’s- maid ; and she therefore travelled by herself in the train to Hastings, where she arrived in the afternoon. Thence she took a hackney-fly to Mowbray Villa,—which little residence was pre- cisely as she had described it to her husband Hector, and which description was in accordance with the one she had received from Luke Corbet. Although it was now the beginning of December, yet as the garden in which the villa stood was filled with evergreens, some of which had grown to a considerable height—and as there was a fine grass plat in front of the house, and the railings were painted a bright green, and there were green balconies and verandahs, besides green venetian shutters —the place had altogether a cheerful aspect. It was two o'clock in the afternoon when Cicely arrived; the day was fine—there was no bleakness in the atmosphere ; and thus all circum- stances combined to impress her with a favourable idea of Mowbray Villa. When the hackney-fly stopped at the gate, a gardener who was employed within the enclosure, hastened to attend upon the new comer; and ona bell being rung, a neatly-dressed elderly female issued forth from the villa. She was followed by a pretty and genteel-looking housemaid; and as they had no doubt that Cicely was the lady whom they expected, they curtsied, and ushered her into the drawing-room—while the gardener carried her trunk into the hall. ** Mrs. Hanbury, I presume, ma’am ?” said the elderly female, who was the housekeeper: and this question she put when the pretty maid had re- tired and she was alone with Cicely in the draw- ing-room. “Tam Mrs, Hanbury,” answered Cicely. “I suppose it is scarcely necessary to repeat the terms on which my servant engaged Mowbray Villa?” “For two months certain, ma’am—perhaps for three,” replied the housekeeper. “Terms, four puiveas a week, with all requisite attendance. You see, ma’am, Captain and Mrs. Campbell, my master and mistress, always go to London during the winter; and therefore if they can let the villa ready furnished for a few months, they have no objection.” ‘Certainly not,” rejoined Cicely. ‘‘ But I sup- pose that my servant dropped you a hint in re- ference to the actual purpose for which the villa was required for a couple of months—though of course the man could not speak to you so frankly on the subject as I myself can.” “ He said sufficient, ma’am,”’ responded the housekeeper, “to afford me an insight into the matter: but of course that’s nobody’s business ex- cept their’s whom it concerns. He paid me a month in advance—and I gave him a receipt. But if I may be so bold, ma’am,” continued the housekeeper, with a mysteriously significant air, “I would recommend Mr. Saunders—a very clever practitioner. He is an elderly gentleman—mar- oo “This is but |ried—and will keep a secret. the fifth of the month, you know; and at the very | after-life see the poor dear young lady ——— ee ee 189 If he shouid in “Mrs. Colebrook is the name she will choose to pass by,” interjected Cicely. ‘“ Well, if Mr. Saunders should meet her in after-life, either in a bye lane where there is no- body else but their two selves, or in the midst of a room crowded with people, he will not appear to recognise her—he will pass her just for all the world as if he had never in his life seen her be- fore.” “That is just the medical attendant who will suit,” said Cicely. ‘‘ He shall be engaged on your recommendation. I see that you are a woman of circumspection and prudence. This is an affair in which the dishonour of a young lady, if it should by accident transpire, would redound upon an en- tire family; and therefore we cannot be too cau- tious. But I have yet something to tell yu— something to confide to your discretion. The young lady does not know me by sight: she only knows me by name. It is through the medium of her lady’s-maid that I have become interested in the matter. The truth is But what is your name P” *“Mrs. Bulkins, ma’am, at your service,” re- plied the housekeeper. “ Well, Mrs. Bulkins,”’ continued Cicely, “the truth is, that this young lady of whom we are speaking, believes the villa to be my own—or at least my own proper habitation: and she does not know that it is merely temporarily hired for her special accommodation. She thinks that her lady’s- maid was once in my service at this very villa; and that J, not being quite so well off as I could wish, have agreed to receive the young lady during the time of her trouble. It is an innocent cheat you see, Mrs. Bulkins, and cannot make the slightest difference to you; but still it is necessarv that the tale should be consistently persevered in by all with whom the young lady may come in contact,” “Oh, I understand, ma’am!” said the house- keeper, simpering and curtseying as she received the couple of guineas which Cicely slipped into ber hand. “I will take care that if the young lady should happen to speak to the housemaid con- cerning you, there shall be no contradiction given to the tale it has pleased you to tell.” “ And Mr. Saunders likewise,” suggested Cicely. * And Mr. Saunders likewise,” added Mrs, Bul- kins. Here the colloquy terminated ; and Cicely began to roam through the villa that she might make herself acquainted with every nook and corner thereof, so that she might not seem at a loss in respect to its topography when her visitress should arrive. The house was very well furnished, and possessed every comfort for the use and accommo- dation of a genteel family ; for the Campbells wore well off, but mean to a degree; and it was there- fore their habit to make the letting of Mowbray Villa in the neighbourhood of Hastings pay for the lodgings which they occupied in the metropolis during their winter sojourn there, On the following duy, at about two o’clock, the Hon. Mrs, Hardress—now bearing fur the nonce the name of Mrs. Hanbury—was on the look-out for the expected arrival of the young lady who was to bear the name of Mrs, Colebrook, Not CoOMmiclooolks | oOim