A Struggle for a Ring — page 94: what you’re looking at

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

90 - THE PARTING. bered it; she never said to herself that she should be mis- tress of Roseneath Abbey—that she should have jewels, carriages, horses, all that wealth could purchase and luxury invent; she only thought of the time when she should win his love—when he should go to her and say: ‘‘I married you, dear, for honor’s sake; I love you for your own.” God speed the time, for she loved him very. dearly—loved him so well it was hard to be parted from him. ‘‘Tt was so strange,” she thought to herself, ‘‘that he should never suspect her great love for him.” He never appeared to think that it was in the bounds of possibility for any love to enter into the matter. She would hope, and wait, and pray. ‘* Wives have prayed for many things,” she said. ‘It will not, surely, seem strange if one prays for her hus- - band’s love.” Lord Carsdale felt inexpressibly thank ful to leave Rudes- well and its associations behind. He had done his duty— - carried it, perhaps, a little to excess; but then every man does that, or should doit. The glow of satisfaction that comes from duties done was still warm within him, yet the relief was great. Ailie, in her way, was graceful and refined, beautiful and clever; she was ignorant of many things—the little niceties of etiquette, the great charm that arises from a perfect knowledge of society, were want- - ing; but she was never vulgar—her words and actions did not jar upon him as Hettie’s did; besides which, he had really a good-tempered, kindly liking for her, as people often have for those whom they have saved from great dangers. The rest of the family were intolerable; it was certainly a relief to get away, to leave the gloomy atmosphere and return to the scenes long familiar to him,- Every mile \ ' ; Eomicbhoo KS.