The Young Duchess; or, Memoirs of a Lady of Quality — page 133: what you’re looking at

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

THE YOUNG DUCHESS; OR, MEMOIRS OF A LADY OF QUALITY. 119 But if, on the other hand, I find that I am de- ceived, I shall simply return to tell you that if you dare utter a whisper injurious to the charac- ter of the Duchess of Ardleigh, I will find means to punish you.” ‘““T am perfectly willing to let the matter stand upon that basis,” rejoined Kingston. The Duke then took his departure : but instead of driving over to the abode of Mrs. Grills in Lambeth, he returned at once to Ardleigh House. Lavinia had already arrived, and had quite be- wildered and astonished her mistress by tell; ing her how she had been followed and inter cepted by the Duke. The Duchess was in her boudoir, pondering in perplexity the intelligence which. she had re- ceived, when the Duke made his appearance. . My dear Mary,” he at once said, “I told you this morning that I would be your friend—and I am acting in that capacity.” ‘‘ What! to interfere in my affairs ” exclaimed the Duchess, “after everything that has taken place between wa!” ‘You interfered in mine, when you went dis- guised in male attire into Kent——” ‘*¢ And then I afterwards served you, by the ad- vice I gave you when [ told you to go to South- dale.” ‘And I have now penetrated into your affairs, merely with a view of serving you likewise. You told me that you required the sum of twenty thousand pounds to silence a villain who had you in his power.. The amount seemed enormous ; and it also occurred to me that if you once yielded to such an extortioner, you would be con- stantly laying yourself open to demands that would impoverish my purse and harass you into the very grave itself. I saw that you would not enter into details with me: I was resolved to take stealthy measures in order to serve you.. You told me that at four o’clock the cheque should reach the hand of the person_ for whom it was destined.- I watched and followed Lavinia—she has told you how I obtained the letter from her——’ “ And now that you have gone so far with your interference, Herbert,” said the Duchess, ‘“ be pleased to tell me with what result ?” ‘Tell me, Mary, first of all, whether the villain spoke truly when’ he said that on the evening of the 8th of this month ‘‘Ah, I know what you mean! I know what he has told you!’—and the countenance of the Duchess became scarlet. ‘‘Go to that house if you will—you will find that I was carried off by mistake. It was a young man of the name of Casey who had hired some ruffians for the abduc- tion of the actress Mademoiselle Imogene——” “And how came you, Mary, to be in a position to be carried off instead of the actress ?” The Duchess averted her countenance for a mo- ment: then again turning towards her husband, she said in a low deep voice, ‘‘ My child is there. I went secretly and in disguise to the house—I * had a thick veil over my countenance—and IJ was taken for the actress. Now I have told you every- thing.” The Duke took his wife’s hand; and looking her in the face, he said, ‘“‘It is because you be- haved generously towards me in reference to. Ethel, that I have endeavoured to behave gene- rously towards you. You know me too well to suppose it was for the sake of these twenty thou- sand pounds. And'then too, Mary, I was touched by your conduct in destroying that paper this morning, as well as by those assurances, evidently so Sincere and so genuine, that you were deter- mined to resist temptation and remain in the path of. virtue. Believe me, therefore, I have. acted only as your friend. And now, if you think that cixcumstances will not enable you to set this vil- lain. Kingston at defiancé——” “Tf he were to proclaimn that he saw me at such a house——” “ Not a soul in the world would believe him!” ejaculated the Duke vehemently. “ It would be too monstrous — too preposterous ! — indéed the statement would be deemed too outrageous for even the wildest romance! Unless indeed—and here it is that the point is important,—aunless. in- deed, I repeat, there be any corroborative evi- dence——” “Tf the matter were investigated,” said the Duchess,—“ if the woman of the housé were con- fronted with me——Oh! I fear that the villain Kingston may.prove bitterly vindictive and ter- ribly persevering! He may follow up the clue! —he already knows that I was carried off in mis- take for Mademoiselle Imogene—he may proceed to inquire how I happened to be in or near Made- moiselle Imogene’s abode at all and then—and then he may be led on to fathom the dreadful secret which I would sooner die than have known —the secret of my dishonour before I was a wife! 5 bd “Tf ‘you dread all this, Mary,” interjectéd. the young Duke, “I must go and give the villain Kingston the amount which you have promised. But I fear that by thus -yielding in this instance we shall only lay ourselves open to future extor- tionate demands. The same circumstance which now places you in his power, will avail for his. benefit in a month—a year—or five years: - deed periodically and frequently! But I will think over the matter for an hour or two—there is no particular hurry—and jn one way or another the business shall be settled this evening.” “JT am glad that you have taken it up, Her- bert,” said the Duchess. ‘‘ You are indeed acting a most friendly: part! Ah, if we were only to confide a. little more in each other !—But no! that is impossible !”—and she turned aside. The Duke lingered for a moment, as if he were about to say something: but he probably altered his mind—for he somewhat abruptly quitted the boudoir. . It was about nine o’clock when the Duke of Ardleigh returned to Spring Gardens. After due deliberation he had made up his mind to bestow the cheque upon Sir Abel Kingston. On knock- ing at the door, he was informed by the servant who answered the summons that Sir Abel had company. “But perhaps your Grace would walk up?” added the domestic. ‘ There's only Colonel Bulder, Captain Cauliflower, Mr. Tiffany, and young Mr. Casey.” The Duke had been on the point of declining to walk up, when the sudden mention of this last name made him alter his resolve. He wanted to form Sylvester's acquaintance, for the purpose of ascertaining whether he knew, as well as the Ba- oO COMO Colin