The Young Duchess; or, Memoirs of a Lady of Quality — page 206: what you’re looking at

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

192 THE YOUNG DUCHESS; Of, MEMOIRS OF A LADY OF QUALITY. rs Pp sl He produced a billet, which he handed to the actress; and Imogen took it after a moment’s hesitation. She opened it, and read these lines :— “May 27, 1847. Dearest Imogen, “The Duke will become the bearer of this. He knows all:: he is full of generosity and kindness : he insists upon expressing his gratitude in person and displaying it substantially. , The last time we met I offered youa thousand pounds—but you refused all pecuniary succour at my hands. You will not perhaps deal with an equal rigour towards my husband; for he is anxious to place you ina position that may enable you not merely to pro- cure bread, but likewise luxuries for that little Annie to whom you are so devotedly attached. ‘* Believe me, dear Imogen, “With eternal gratitude, ‘“‘ Your sincere friend, “Mary, DucueEss or ARDLEIGH.” ‘Now do you believe that my intentions are honest and sincere?” asked the Duke. Yes,” replied Miss Hartland. _ “And you held out so long!” “Because I thought it might be asnare and that your Grace was dexterously spreading a net.” “Your conduct is admirable, Miss Hartland !” said the Duke, again addressing her with a certain degree of respectful formality, for fear lest she should fancy that he had some libertine intent when calling her by her Christian name of Imo- gen, “I have now no fear that my wife’ s secret is safe in your possession.” “T think that I should commit ‘suicide, my lord,” she answered with vehemence, ‘if through either wickedness or inadvertence I were to com- promise it irretrievably.” And you love that child?” said the Duke, again suffering his eyes to rest upon little Annie, who had once more retreated with her toys into a corner of the room. ‘‘ Yes—as if she were my own child.” *“T need not therefore ask,” continued the Duke, ‘* whether you would like the child to be removed elsewhere ?—whether by so doing, it would be re- lieving you from a burden ?” “Burden? Heaven forbid that I should re- gard Annie as such!”—and Imogen’s eyes flung looks of most undoubted affection upon the fair young creature. * And now,” said the Duke, ‘‘since you have determined to keep the child, you must permit me to fulfil the promise which I spontaneously gave to my wife. I will tell you candidly that the other day she asked for a cheque for twenty thou- sand pounds; it was about a fortnight ago—but I was enabled to save her this sum of twenty thousand pounds—or rather it has been saved to her by certain circumstances.” “Well, my lord?” said Imogen, with a look that was as much as to ask how this incident re- garded herself. a The twenty thousand pounds,” continued the Duke, ‘‘ were saved from being laid out in aman- ner but little agreeable to the Duchess or myself ; and now we purpose to lay that sum out in a manner that will be agreeable to us I mean by its bestowal upon you.” tr op ll erty Oey hen lp eR aces _ we. Imogen shook her head; and yet there was a certain expression of thoughtfulness, if not of actual hesitation, in her countenance. ““'Yes—you will accept this amount,” continued the Duke. ‘Here itisin bank-notes; and noone need know how it came into your possession, Take a handsome house—leave the stage—sur- round yourself with comforts and luxuries—buy the finest clothes for that darling object of your generous affection: ‘“*No,” said Imogen; “no!” she repeated most vehemently: “TI will not do this. The child is well dressed enough— | ‘‘ She is even beautifully dressed,” said ‘the Duke: and such was indeed the case. __ “Therefore she needs no better apparel,” re- joined Imogen. ‘As for luxuries, it were better that she should not be brought up with the know- ledge of them. As for comforts, she has all she wants. Then in reference to myself, I am con- tented with my position—at least for the present —and as long as Mes But Imogen stopped short, while a slight blush suffused her countenance. The Duke noticed it, and immediately suspected that she was making a reservation on behalf of some other person who exercised an influence over her mind. . “Well,” he hastened to exclaim, ‘if not for yourself, nor yet for that child—at least for any one else who may be dear to you, may you accept this amount. Ah, I recollect! the Duchess told me you had a brother who has gone to sea ” “And who is too high-minded,” interjected Imogen, “ to avail himself of such succour as this, unless the fullest possible explanations, word- for word and detail for detail, were given and this, my lord, could not be done, because not even to my own brother would I whisper the secret which should compromise the Duchess of Ard- leigh !” . Again the Duke gazed with respectful admira- tion upon the actress; and then he said, “ But perhaps, Miss Hartland, there may be some one in whom you are likewise interested—excuse me —but a young lady of your personal appearance must have made an impression on some heart In short, you may have an admirer—a suitor— he may perhaps be humble and struggling—he may be poor Z ‘Then if I accept your Grace’s bounty,” sud- denly ejaculated Imogen, on whose cheeks the blushes had gone on deepening and deepening while the Duke spoke,—"' if I accept this bounty on the part of your lordship and the Duchess, it is without reserve or compr omise—that I may do with it as I think fit “Precisely so,” interrupted the Duke, rejoiced at the prospect of the actress accepting his bounty at last. ‘Do with that money as you think fit! No one can ever demand an account of it; and even if a week hence you were to send to me for more, I swear to you, Miss Hartland, that neither the Duchess nor myself would pause to inquire what you had done with these bank-notes !” Imogen reflected for a few moments, and a smile of satisfaction expanded upon her beautiful face. ‘On that condition, my lord,” she said, “I accept your bounty; and I pray you give the assurance of my most heartfelt gratitude towards ' the Duchess.” ee, Connicloookks oO lee tat te 4 ” Colin