Penny Blood Serial Fiction — page 77: what you’re looking at

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

60 REYNOLDS’ WORKS he added, looking archly at Henrietta, ‘‘ will be anxious to know the result of my interview.” Thus speaking, Mr. GuntHorpe quitted the room, ala was hurrying forth to his carriage, when he recollected that he was not exactly acquainted with the whereabouts of the cottage to which he was about to proceed. He therefore returned for the requisite explanation, which Henrietta speedily gave him. He then entered his vehicle, having directed- the coachman whither to proceed. The distance was not long, a2d in a short time the equipage drove up to the front of Lady Bess’s picturesque cottage. We should here remind the reader that Henrietta had not informed either her mother or Mr. Gunthorpe of the one incident on that memorable night of her release from Beech- tree. Lodge which had for the time being filled her bosom with injurious suspicions against Lady Bess, whom she only knew as Mrs. Chandos. Consequently Mr. Gunthorpe was unacquainted with anything to the prejudice of this Amazonian heroine. And the reader must likewise recollect that Lady Bess had, by her sophistry, explained away those suspicions from Henrietta’s mind, on the first occasion when the young girl called at the cottage. But to continue our tale. When Mr. Gunthorpe’s carriage drove up to the’ door, Rosa, the servant-woman, immediately came forth, and on the old gentleman giving his name, he was at once introduced into the tastefully furnished little parlour, for that name was known at the cottage, and honourably known, too, on account of all that Henrietta Leyden had said in connection with it. Elizabeth Chandos and her brother Francis Paton were alone together in the parlour at the time when Mr. Gunthorpe was thus introduced. They rose to receive him, but they were struck by the singular - degree of interest with which he surveyed them. He did not speak a word; his lips moved; it was evident that something Siispoken was wavering upon them, but to which be could not give utterance. To their further sur- prise, mingled with alarm, he tottered to a seat, and sank upon it, saying, “‘ A glass of water — give me a glass of water — I am ill.”’ There was a decanter on the little sideboard, and Lady Bess, hastening to fill a tumbler, presented it to Mr. Gun- thorpe, who merely drank a few drops, and then, speedily Eomicbooks (E(0)