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Updated: June 29, 2025
At that instant Leta passed through the room bowing low as she moved before her mistress, and throwing out toward Cleotos from the corner of her dark eye one of those aggravating looks in which friendly interest in him and pleasure at his sight were mingled with a certain cruel warning against any renewal of past memories.
"Uncle Paul!" Leta was looking her sweetest when she tripped into my room next morning. "I've news for you. She," pointing a delicate forefinger in the direction of the corridor, "is going! Her Bokums have reached Paris at last, and sent for her to join them at the Grand Hotel." I was thunderstruck.
"I beg your pardon family interests? I don't understand." "If my daughter is childless, her next of kin is poor Marmaduke Panton, who is dying at Cannes, not married, or likely to marry; and failing him, your nephew, Sir Thomas Acton, succeeds." My nephew Tom! Leta, or Leta's baby, might come to be the possible inheritor of the great Valdez sapphire!
The bishop made no sign of ridding me of my unwelcome charge, and the thought of what might happen in a case of burglary fire earthquake made me start and tremble at all sorts of inopportune moments. I kept faith with Leta, and reluctantly produced my beautiful rubies on the night of her dinner party. Emerging from my room I came full upon Lady Carwitchet in the corridor.
One morning they paid a cousinly visit a triple call. "And, by Jove!" thought Ross as he watched her haughty little face and nonchalant manner, "she's no milk-and-water nature, though she's always so sweet-tempered with me. She's got all the temper a true nature ought to have." "To think of your ever getting married, Percy, and to Mr. Norval, of all men!" said Miss Leta Wilber.
In consequence of these notes, when Ross led his wife into the room, arrayed in a crimson cloud of his choosing, which made even her brown face a picture, all her bronze hair, her husband's glory, floating round her far below her waist, confined lightly here and there by diamond clusters, which sparkled like stars amidst its creped luxuriance "Daring to dress in the very height of the fashion," said Leta, "and all those diamonds on her his mother's, of course;" and of course they were the consequence, I say, was, that first one distinguished man and then another met her with a warm greeting "deucedly warm," thought the jealous fellow, who was so uncertain of her yet, and wanted all of her and were introduced to "my husband."
"Peace and blessing rest upon this house!" stammered Henry, whereupon the old man sighed deeply but without returning the salutation. "Is your reverence the pastor of Great Leta?" It was the first time he had addressed Henry. His voice was deep and sonorous as if it proceeded from a bronze statue, his whole body seemed to reëcho the sound. "I have been elected the successor of the late pastor.
After dinner there was great talk about getting up a party to go on General Fairford's drag. Lady Carwitchet was in ecstasies and tried to coax me into joining. Leta declined positively. Tom accepted sulkily. The look in Lord Carwitchet's eye returned to my mind as I locked up my rubies that night. It made him look so like his mother! I went round my fastenings with unusual care.
Leta kept her word, and neither accepted nor gave invitations all that time. We were cut off from all society but that of old General Fairford, who would go anywhere and meet anyone to get a rubber after dinner; the doctor, a sporting widower; and the Duberlys, a giddy, rather rackety young, couple who had taken the Dower House for a year. Lady Carwitchet seemed perfectly content.
The events of the evening had flurried and confused me. I wished to think them over in quiet. I would go to bed. My rooms at the Manor are the best in the house. Leta will have it so. I must explain their position for a reason to be understood later.
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