She looked up, and saw bending over her, with eyes full of
admiration and surprise, Harry Lawleigh. Gradually as she
looked, his features assumed a different expression, his voice
also altered its tone.
"You are weeping, Lady Alice," he said--"I scarcely expected to
find you in so melancholy a mood, after the joyous intelligence
I heard to-day."
"Joyous!" repeated Alice, without seeming to comprehend the
meaning of the word. "What intelligence do you allude to?"
"Intelligence which I only shared with the whole party at
Rosley Castle. There was no secret made of the happy event."
"I really can't understand you. What is it you mean? who
communicated the news?"
"The fortunate victor announced his conquest himself. Sir
Stratford received the congratulations of every one from the
duke down to--to--myself."
"I will not pretend to misunderstand you," said Lady Alice--"my
mother, but a few minutes ago, conveyed to me the purport of
Sir Stratford's visit." She paused and sighed.
"And you replied?" enquired Lawleigh.
"I gave no reply. I was never consulted on the subject. I know
not in what words my mother conveyed her answer."
"The _words_ are of no great importance," said Lawleigh; "the
fact seems sufficiently clear; and as I gave Sir Stratford my
congratulations on his happiness, I must now offer them to you,
on the brightness of your prospects, and the shortness of your
memory."
"Few can appreciate the value of the latter quality so well as
yourself--your congratulations on the other subject are as
uncalled for as your taunts--I must return home." She rose to
depart, and her face and figure had resumed all the grace and
dignity which had formerly characterized her beauty.
"One word, Lady Alice!" said Lawleigh; "look round--it was
here--one little year ago, that I believed myself the happiest,
and felt myself the most fortunate, of men. This spot was the
witness of vows--sincerer on one side than any ever registered
in heaven--on another, of vows more fleeting than the shadows
of the leaves that danced on the greensward that calm evening
in June, when first I told you that I loved you: the leaves
have fallen--the vows are broken. Alice!--may you be
happy--farewell!"
"If you desire it, be it so--but before we part, it is right
you should know all. Whatever answer my mother may have given
to Sir Stratford Manvers, to that answer I am no party. I do
not love him: and shall never marry him. Your congratulations,
therefore, to both of us, were premature, and I trust the same
description will not apply to those I now offer to Mr Lawleigh
and Lady Mary Rosley."
"To me?--to Lady Mary?--what does this mean?"
"It means that your confidential friend, Sir Stratford, has
betrayed your secret--that I know your duplicity, and admire
the art with which you conceal your unfaithfulness by an
attempt to cast the blame of it on me."
"As I live----Alice! Alice! hear me," cried Lawleigh, stepping
after the retreating girl; "I will explain--you are imposed
on."