The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 345: what you’re looking at

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

o14 THE COURT OF LONDON earnestly significant, as if to warn him that danger was nigh and that he was compromising her. ‘‘ Yes, I know,” she continued, still in that jocular tone which she had previously _assumed, “that you are kneeling here to beg pardon for having partaken too generously of my husband’s punch. | But as I am every moment expecting a visit — from his Royal Highness — ”’ The earl started to his feet; and without uttering a word, he pressed Venetia’s hand tenderly, darted upon her a look of mingled tenderness and deep meaning, and then hurried from the room. An immense weight was now suddenly lifted from Venetia’s mind, and she breathed freely once more. Her object was gained, her purpose was won; she had not only prevented the earl from addressing her in a manner which would betray their amour, but she had likewise kept Huntingdon behind the screen so that he did not observe that Curzon had on the dressing-gown. ‘Now you can come forth again, my dear Douglas,” she said, starting from her seat and looking gaily and rogu- ishly at him over the screen as he rose to his feet. ‘‘ To tell you the truth,’’ she continued, “‘ as you were behind the screen at the moment the door opened, I thought it best for you to remain there; hence the sudden sign which I made you to keep concealed, for had you come forth as the earl entered the room, he might have fancied that it was a lover startled from his hiding-place.”’ ‘ And am I not a lover? ’’ asked Sir Douglas Huntingdon, tenderly, as he embraced Venetia over the screen, for she gave him those explanations with an air of such artless candour that he did not for an instant suspect her sincerity; and, indeed, as he had not observed that the earl was clad in a dressing-gown, he of course saw nothing more in his visit than the interpretation which Venetia had so artfully put upon it at the time, namely, that he had come to bid her ‘‘ good morning ”’ and apologize with good-humoured gallantry for having committed such a solecism in good manners as to drink too much punch. ‘Yes, you are indeed my lover, and a beloved one also,’’ said Venetia, in reply to the baronet’s question. ‘* And now come forth from behind that screen, and bring me the jewel-case.”’ (COUN () LOOK KS (E(0)