_He_ is in love with her too.
Marry her to the blackguard, and then you will be sure to kill Sir
Charles." Having delivered this with such volubility that the words
pattered out like a roll of musketry, she flounced out, with red cheeks
and wet eyes, rushed down the stairs, and sprang into her carriage,
whipped the ponies, and away at a pace that made the spectators stare.
Mr. Oldfield muttered some excuses, and retired more sedately.
All this set Bella Bruce trembling and weeping, and her father was some
time before he could bring her to anything like composure. Her first
words, when she could find breath, were, "He is innocent; he is
unhappy. Oh, that I could fly to him!"
"Innocent! What proof?"
"That brave lady said so."
"Brave lady! A bold hussy. Most likely a friend of the woman Somerset,
and a bird of the same feather. Sir Charles has done himself no good
with me by sending such an emissary."
"No, papa; it was the lawyer brought her, and then her own good heart
_made her burst out._ Ah! she is not like me: she has courage. What a
noble thing courage is, especially in a woman!"
"Pray did you hear the language of this noble lady?"
"Every word nearly; and I shall never forget them. They were diamonds
and pearls."
"Of the sort you can pick up at Billingsgate.
Pages:
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90