The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 73: what you’re looking at

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06 THE COURT OF LONDON became as good friends as ever. In fact, there was a com- plete understanding established between us.” “That is to say,’ remarked Venetia, in a cold tone, but subduing her rage and vexation only with a most powerful effort, ‘‘ that 1s to say, you revealed to his lordship the object of your mission as well as the name of her who sent you, and he gave you a similar explanation. Was it not so? ”’ “It was,’ answered Malpas and now his eyes actually flamed as they dwelt devouringly and gloatingly upon the splendid person of Venetia. ‘“T ought to have foreseen that they would have thus met,” she thought within herself. ‘‘ But, after all, no harm can possibly result. from such an encounter. Curzon would not have betrayed his intimacy with me.’ Then suddenly casting her eyes upon Malpas and observing the unmistakable longings of desire that glowed in his looks, she said, with a haughty dignity, “ You will be so kind as to call upon me to-morrow at noon, and we will converse further upon these matters.”’ ‘I beg your pardon, Lady Sackville,”’ said Colonel Malpas, suddenly assuming a tone and manner of insolent assurance and dogged authority, “ there is no time like the present, for when I come to-morrow, it is just as likely as not that the hall porter will declare your ladyship to be invisible. I dare say you have five minutes to spare. In that five minutes all can be said that need be said.”’ From the first moment of Venetia entering that drawing- room upon the present occasion, her eyes had lost the amor- ous languor which was habitually wont to fill them and partially to weigh down the thickly fringed lids. But gradually as Malpas proceeded with this last speech, in which he so completely threw off the mask, and not merely hurled defiance at the lady, but seemed to feel a consciousness of power over her, the steady calmness that had displaced the languor of her gaze flamed up into a burning look which flung its vivid hghtnings upon the man who thus dared to insult her. ‘You appear more gloriously handsome than ever,’ said Colonel Malpas, wincing somewhat for a moment before that blaze. of wrathful feeling; but recollecting that, after all, it was but a woman against whom he was now waging war, he became valorous once more. ‘‘ A few minutes back,” ECORNICLIOO KS (E(0) im