only prove notable and economical, nothing will be wanted to render the young Baroness of Dumbledore the envy of all married dames, but due attention to the buttermilk and the cream cheeses." "You must not make me laugh, indeed you must not," said Constance, laughing at the vision of domestic felicity in store for Alice Windermere. "It cannot be true-it is not true it is impossible!" "And why impossible?" inquired Lord Percy, smiling. "Alice the young, the beautiful, the accomplished, polite Alice Windermere "As good-hearted, honourable, and sterling a man as lives," said Lord Percy, concluding the unfinished sentence. "Oh, I grant it-I grant it all!" said "Nay, you must not say any thing to detract from the good old man, Miss Grey," interrupted Lord Percy, playfully; "he is, you know, a pet of mine, and a real favourite with yourself." "But so perfectly unsuited to Alice. It cannot be it will not be!" answered Constance. 66 Lady Windermere, however, on dit, deems him, of all men, best suited to her daughter," replied his lordship. "Sir Reginald, on dit, agrees with his mamma; and, on dit, Miss Windermere herself thinks it quite suitable for the wealthy Lord Dumbledore, before his age is further advanced, to sign jointures and settlements." "For shame, my lord! now, that is unworthy of you!" said Constance Grey; and yet she felt that the supposition had been placed in the only light in which it could be possible. "Pardon me, if I have offended you, Miss Grey," replied Lord Percy. "You know you commanded me to retail the idle gossip of the neighbourhood." "I will not hear it," responded Constance. "Alice Windermere cannot be so mercenary; she is too high, too noble! We will speak no more of her. Some other subject—any other." "There is another' on dit' of another friend of ours," said Lord Percy," one of Colonel Scruple's tenants-Jennings!' "Jennings!" replied Constance; "he is too humble an object, I should have considered, for scandal to adopt as a plaything." "Not if he chooses to be ambitious, and to encroach upon the privileges of the aristocracy, by indulging in their foibles," rejoined Lord Percy Huron. My lord, you are in a bantering humour," said Constance, gravely; "I assure you I am quite unequal to the task of encouraging it today." But Constance was rescued from further conversation, for Grey at that moment returned. His errand had been fruitless-Jennings was away from the cottage. He had seen Mary had been painfully struck with the pale and haggard countenance, and had, with reluctance, turned his footsteps away from the farmer's dwelling, at the hurried and wild entreaties of the young wife. "There is some mystery which I cannot solve," continued Albert Grey, musing, after he had detailed the unexpected repulse which he had met. "I should not allow the day to pass without an explanation of all his troubles from Jennings, who probably conceals them from a feeling of a too sensitive gratitude. But a request has come from Sir Reginald for an interview with him at the Abbey. The old subject, no doubt; his copper mines in Cornwall, or his expected coal - fields. Reginald certainly condescends to make free use of me when he can find me serviceable," continued Grey, smiling. Sir Lord Percy Huron and Grey took leave of Constance, and, in a few minutes, were on the road leading to Windersleigh Abbey. CHAPTER XII. "All my fond love thus do I blow to heaven: Arise, black Vengeance, from thy hollow cell; SHAKESPEARE. "I AM strongly inclined to defer the affairs of Sir Reginald Windermere until I have fully satisfied myself on the much more important subject of Jennings's misfortunes,” said Grey to Lord Percy, as they proceeded along the high road. "He has the prior claim upon me; and, moreover, a détour to the cottage again will give me more of your company.' "It will be at the risk, then, of putting yourself for ever out of the pale of the baronet's esteem," replied Lord Percy. |