The Whitehaven News September 7, 1905 The Lordship of Love

The Lordship of Love

The Whitehaven News - September 7, 1905

Article Index The Lordship of Love Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 1 of 4 PUBLISHED BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT.                      ___________               THE LORDSHIP OF                         LOVE.               By Florence HOPE, Author of "A Merciless Woman," "The Trials of Madge Moberley,"                "Tangled Threads"                      &c., &c.                       _____                    {Copyright}                       _____                     Part One.                    Chapter XI        Love took up the harp of life, and smote on all the chords that might.        "Where does that little staircase lead?" asked Ina, pointing with her taper finger to the iron railed stone steps that led to the secretary's suite of rooms. She with her fiance, Carlyon and Flora were in the garden, having strolled out after dinner in the fragrant twilight.        "It leads to Bluebeards Chambers," replied Carlyon, watching the effect of his words on the two girls.        "A mystery! A mystery! Ah, I knew there was something of the sort," said Flora clapping her hands.        "What does he mean?" inquired Ina of Hatherly.        "There is no mystery or secret at all," said Hugh, with a tinge of annoyance. "Those rooms belong to Mr. Chester, my secretary and amanuensis.        "And doesn't he ever show himself?" demanded Flora, with her inquisitive face turned towards the upper rooms, from which there glared the red light of a shaded lamp.        "Never," said Carlyon. "He is a recluse, a man who ..."        "Shut up Cyril. Because a fellow does not care for society and prefers  to remain in his own rooms is no reason for imagining a lot of romantic nonsense about him. Mr. Chester is an admirable secretary, and suits my requirements exactly. He can do as he chooses about joining the circle downstairs, or remaining in his own suite of apartments," said Hatherley. Then, drawing Ina aside, he led her down a shadowy path that was dark and overhanging trees meeting and interlacing their branches above their heads.        "Ina, you do not know all you are to me, but I want you to understand that I love you as no other man will ever love you, and I believe that the very strength of my love will in time win yours. I am going to be patient and wait for this greatest of gifts."        Hugh spoke in a  low passionate voice, that vibrated with feeling, and touched a chord in the girl's half awakened heart. She leaned a little nearer to him till her shoulder touched his, the breath from her parted lips was on his cheek, and she responded with a caressing tone in her low sweet voice.        "I - I think I can almost love you - now." He caught her hands, clasped them against his breast, and looked long and earnestly into her eyes that were half veiled by the curtain of lashes so thick and dark.        "Almost," he whispered. "Ah, my dearest, almost. Do you know you have never given me a kiss of your own accord. I have never yet felt your lips press against mine."        She looked waveringly up into his passionate face, half bent towards him; then as if frightened by the passion in his eyes and quivering lips, drew back.        "Not yet," she cried; "not yet," and drawing her hands from his clasp, slipped away from him in the darkness.        "Yet I love him," she whispered to herself; "Yes, I love him."        She was in a tremor of love and longing that was mixed strangely with maidenly shyness and reserve. Love was so new to her; she was afraid of it, and wanted it to come slowly, gradually and gently into her life. Then when once she met it with her throbbing heart, Ina would give all that would satisfy the most passionately exacting of men.        Coming out the other end of the leafy walk, she came upon Carlyon - alone. She always took care to avoid him, for she could not forget the shameful advantage he had taken of her innocent adventure in the streets of London, and was about to pass him quickly, when he stopped her with a touch of his hand on her bare arm.        "Not so fast, not so fast," he murmured. "I never get a word with you now, and remember I have never yet exacted my quid pro quo that I promised myself. Miss Ina Chisholme, you have done remarkably well for yourself, and I hope when you are Hatherley's wife that you will give a helping hand to his friend. Let me say what I want - it is this: You have come between me and Hatherley - you first, this confounded secretary next, the two of you have done me incalculable harm, I can tell you. I was his sole companion, his adviser in everything, his confidential friend till you and that man" - with a glance up at the lamp lit chamber - "crossed his path. Now it is no longer Cyril Carlyon, but Bert Chester and Ina Chisholme. I hate you both - hate you, do you hear. And I swear I'll not be thrust aside, turned out of my rightful place by either you or him."        Carlyon for once had lost control over himself. It was as if the anger had been supressed for so long had now burst forth in a fury, and he could no longer hold it in.       His hand that gripped the girl's arm left a red mark on the white tender flesh and made her cry out in pain...... to be continued.... Prev - Next >>

 

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