United States or Bangladesh ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
On one of the last and hottest days in August, a grand garden-party was given at the Manor. All the county people were invited, and they came eagerly, though, before Thelma's social successes in London, they had been reluctant to meet her.
"By the gods!" he exclaimed, turning to the astonished Philip, "this is a strange thing! Where can the girls be? I have never known both of them to be absent from the house at the same time. Go down to the shore, my lad, and see if Thelma's boat is missing, while I search the garden." Errington obeyed hurrying off on his errand with a heart beating fast from sudden fear and anxiety.
It had grown customary for the young men to spend that part of the day which, in spite of persistent sunshine, they still called evening, in the comfortable, quaint parlor of the old farmhouse, looking at the view through the rose-wreathed windows, listening to the fantastic legends of Norway as told by Olaf Gueldmar, or watching Thelma's picturesque figure, as she sat pensively apart in her shadowed corner spinning.
How cosy and comfortable a home-nest it looked! a small fire glowed warmly in the grate, and Britta, whose duty it was to keep this particular room in order, had lit the lamp, a rosy globe supported by a laughing cupid, and had drawn the velvet curtains close at the window to keep out the fog and chilly air there were fragrant flowers on the table, Thelma's own favorite lounge was drawn up to the fender in readiness for her, opposite to it stood the deep, old-fashioned easy chair in which Philip always sat.
"I would not give that little person for all the grandes dames here to-day! She is charming and she is true! Ma foi! to be true to any one is a virtue in this age! I tell you, my good boy, there is something sorrowful heavy on la belle Thelma's mind and Britta, who sees her always, feels it but she cannot speak. One thing I will tell you it is a pity she is so fond of Miladi Winsleigh."
With a faint shriek of terror, Thelma's blue eyes turned toward the shadowy water, as she looked, a long up-twisting snake of fire appeared to leap from the perishing Valkyrie, a snake that twined its glittering coils rapidly round and round on the wind, and as rapidly sank down down to one glimmering spark which glowed redly like a floating lamp for a brief space, and was then quenched for ever!
Now, here was a great lady almost apologizing for asking him to play, lest it should take him away from his "friends"! His heart swelled with emotion and gratitude the poor fellow had no "friends" in London, except Beau Lovelace, who was kind to him, but who had no power in the musical world, and, as Thelma's gentle voice addressed him, he could have knelt and kissed her little shoe for her sweet courtesy and kindness.
He could think of no reason for Thelma's unexpected appearance at the Altenfjord he had forgotten all about the letter that had come from her to her father, the letter which was still in the house, unopened. "Well, well! It is very strange!" Ulrika sighed resignedly. "But it is the Lord's will and we must do our best for her, that's all."
Her companion eyed her pale face compassionately, and taking up her sleeping baby from the shawl on which she had laid it while ministering to Thelma's needs, began to rock it slowly to and fro. Thelma, meanwhile, became sensible of the rapid movement of the train. "We have left London?" she asked with an air of surprise. "Nearly half an hour ago, my dear."
And though she felt herself to be playing a vile part, she could not resist the temptation of trying what the effect would be of this compromising document on Thelma's trusting mind. It was undoubtedly a very incriminating epistle any lawyer would have said as much, while blandly pocketing his fee for saying it. It was written off in evident haste, and ran as follows: