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EIGHTY ONE
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2021-09-25 18:00:00When Miss Tellaro at last succeeded in passing it, the reason for its odd progress was explained, for she saw that it was being driven by a rakish young Corinthian, who had bribed the coach man to give up his place for a stage, and was tooling the coach along at a great rate, with all the reins clubbed in his hand. It seemed probable that at the first corner the Corinthian would overset the equipment - a not uncommon ending to this particular pastime. Miss Tellaro felt sorry for the other passengers, and especially for a thin, unhappy looking man immediately behind the box seat, who sat in imminent danger of having his hat whisked off by the Corinthian's unruly whiplash.
Once past the stage no further check was experienced, but Miss Tellaro knew that she had lost valuable time, and could only hope that Patrick would be similarly unfortunate. But a few hundred yards short of Foxboro Hatch he came into sight, and caught his sister up at the tollgate, where she was being detaiRelated chapters
DELICIA - DELIGHT - EIGHTY TWO
Elizabeth had sent to procure a glass of lemonade, but finding herself the object of so much interest, she was sorry to have done so, and would have preferred to drive on with a parched throat than to have been obliged to stay in the yard to be impertinently scrutinized. She began to feel uncomfortable, to wish that she had not embarked on such an adventure, and for the first time to realize the impropriety of being upon the box of a gentleman's curricle, unattended except for her groom, and upon the busiest turnpike road in the whole South country.A very small tiger, who seemed to belong to an elegant tilbury drawn by match-greys, and with its owner's scarlet lined driving coat hanging negligently over one of the panels, looked her over with an expression of strong derision, openly nudged one is the ostlers, said something behind his hand, and sniggered. But just at that moment a lean, saturnine gentleman with a club foot came out of the inn, and the grin was promptly w
Last Updated : 2021-09-26DELICIA - DELIGHT - EIGHTY THREE
Miss Tellaro gave a short laugh, and set her horses at a dangerous gallop down the hill. "I don't mean to let him come up with me. He has to pay his reckoning before he can start. If I can reach Cockfield and be away with a fresh team before he catches me...""But, Miss Elizabeth, you can't race those chestnuts!" cried the groom, aghast."We will see, we don't know when they were taken care of after all"."For God's sake, miss, don't take them down the hill at the gallop! You'll have us overturned!"She said coolly, "I am driving this curricle, Judson. Confine your attention to the view, if you please. I do not know when I have seen finer bursts of country than on this road".The vale which was opening out before them as they raced down the hill was indeed beautiful, with its copses, and winding roads, and glimpses of warm-tiled roofs amongst the trees, but Judson, clinging to his seat, hoped fervently that his mistress would not permit to distract her atten
Last Updated : 2021-09-27DELICIA - DELIGHT - EIGHTY FOUR
"You will finish your journey by post chaise, Miss Tellaro. I have hired one for you, and it should be ready in a very few minutes".Her eyes flashed, she exclaimed, "how dare you? How dare you? I shall finish as I began! This interference in the way I choose to travel passes all bounds!""Miss Tellaro", said the Earl, "I shall not remind you that you are my ward, for it is a fact you must be well aware of, but I shall give you a warning that may not come amiss. While I hold the reins you will run as I choose, and by God! ma'am, if you try to take the bit between your teeth it will be very much the worse for you!"This way of putting the matter was scarcely calculated to mollify Miss Tellaro, nor did the consciousness of being in the wrong act on her temper as it should. She was white with anger, her lips tightly compressed. She heard the Earl in quick breathing silence, and when he had done talking, said in a low, trembling voice, "I admit no right in you
Last Updated : 2021-09-27DELICIA - DELIGHT - EIGHTY FIVE
"I will say what I have to say to you later", replied Clements, unpleasantly. "Miss Tellaro, I am waiting to hand you into your chaise!""You may continue your journey", she said. "When my brother is with me I need no protection but his"."As we have seen", he remarked sardonically. "Well, I warned you, Miss Tellaro, that I should compel your obedience".He came forward, but Patrick stepped quickly between them with his fists up, and said sharply, "and I will warn you, sir, to leave my sister alone!""I am afraid that noble gesture is wasted on me", said Clements. "Console yourself with the reflection that if I did hit you, you would be more than sorry to have provoked me to it".Miss Tellaro pushed by her brother. "Do not make a scene, Parte, I beg of you! I am ready to go with you, Lord Clements".He bowed, she went past him out of the room, and a couple of minutes later she was being handed up into the waiting chai
Last Updated : 2021-09-28DELICIA - DELIGHT - EIGHTY SIX
Five minutes walk along the sea front brought them to the southern end of the Steyne, and a view, though not the best, of the Pavilion was at once obtained. They bent their steps inland, and began to walk up the glazed red brick pavement of the Steyne, past the neat gardens laid out in geometrical designs, past Darlington's Circulating Library, until Pavillion Parade was reached, and they stood immediately before the gleaming and costly edifice itself.The Pavilion, which had been built for the Prince Regent by Mr Hervey Roland, occupied a frontage of four hundred and eighty feet, and stood in ten acres of land. It had been design in accordance with a vague idea conceived by the Prince upon being sent a present of some Chinese Wallpaper, and startling and original was the result. At first glance the sight seeing visitors might well imagine themselves to have strayed into some land of make believe, so gorgeous and unconventional was the palace. The Greek, the Moorish, and the Russ
Last Updated : 2021-09-28DELICIA - DELIGHT - EIGHTY SEVEN
Mrs Andromeda exclaimed at him, and abused him roundly for being an odious, vulgar boy, but as the summer was not yet far enough advanced to tempt ladies to indulge in sea bathing, he was able to refute all her accusations, and offer her the telescope, so that she might see with her own eyes that the only object of interest in the shore was a stout gentleman in a scarlet suit, cautiously dipping one foot into the water. She indignantly declined taking a peep through the telescope, and removing it from his grasp, shut it up, and inexorably drove him down to the dining parlor, where a cold luncheon was set out upon the table.The question to occupy their thoughts during lunch was what was to be done with the rest of the day. It was Wednesday, and no ball offered. These took place at the Castle Inn and the Old Ship alternately. Wednesdays and Fridays were devoted to card assemblies, and although Mrs Andromeda would have been very happy to spend the evening playing Commerce o
Last Updated : 2021-09-29DELICIA - DELIGHT - EIGHTY EIGHT
Soon after he proposed escorting her for a stroll, to see Rossi's statue of the Regent, which was placed in front of Royal Cresent, and upon her agreeing readily to the expedition, it was not long before they had left the house, and were walking up the parade, enjoying on the one side the majestic grandeur of the sea, and on the other the rows of elegant habitations, adorned with columns, plasters, and entablature of the Corinthian order, which had been erected during the past dozen years. There was nothing to offend wherever the eye might chance to light, all was in the neatest style, and a series of well kept squares and crescents saved the parade from too uniform an appearance, and relieved the eye with their welcome patches of verdure.Mrs Andromeda met them upon their return to the house, and having exclaimed at seeing her young cousin - whom she had not expected to be in Romanina for some days, extended a cordial invitation to him to accompany them to the play that
Last Updated : 2021-09-29DELICIA - DELIGHT - EIGHTY NINE
The rooms were full, and a large part of the gathering was composed of officers, with whom, from the circumstance of a Calvary barracks being situated a little way out of the town on the Lewes road, Romanina always teemed. The master of ceremonies presented several of the younger ones to Miss Tellaro, but she stood up for the first two dances with Captain Richard.It might have been her fancy, but she thought that she could detect a shade of reserve in his manner, a grave look in his usually merry eyes. After a little while she said as lightly as she could, "I daresay you have heard by this time of my shocking conduct, Captain Richard. Are you disgusted? Do you think you should stand up with such a sad character as myself?""You refer to your drive from town, I collect. I should not have described it in such terms"."But you do not approve of it. I can see that you think ill of me for having done it".He smiled. "My countenance most be singularly deceptive, then.
Last Updated : 2021-09-30
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DELICIA - DELIGHT - THE END
"Now do you know why I am glad to be rid of my ward?" demanded the Earl."Oh", said Miss Tellaro foolishly, "I was afraid you meant me to marry your brother!""Were you indeed? And was all the determined flirting I have been watching between you merely to show me how willing you were to oblige me? Nonsensical child! I have been in love with you almost from the first moment of setting eyes on you"."Oh, this is dreadful!" said Miss Tellaro, shaken by remorse. "I disliked you amazingly for weeks!"The Earl kissed her again. "You are wholly adorable", he said."No, I am not", replied Miss Tellaro, a soon as she was able. "I am as disagreeable as you are. You would like to beat me. You said you would once, and I believe you meant it!""If I only said it once I am astonished at my own forbearance. I have wanted to beat you at least a dozen times, and came very near to doing it once - at Cockfield. But I still think you ado
DELICIA - DELIGHT - HUN-TWENTY
"You can have a dozen yachts", replied the Earl, "if only you will go away!" "I was sure you would agree!" declared Patrick radiantly. "I could not conceive of any reason why you should not! And do you think Evans' cousin..." "Yes", said the Earl. "I am persuaded Evans' cousin will be the very man for you. You had better go and talk it over with Evans before he leaves Romanina". Patrick was a good deal struck by this suggestion. "Upon my word, that is a capital notion! I believe I will do it at once, if you don't mind my leaving you?" "I can bear it", said the Earl. "Let me advice you not to lose any time in setting out". "Well, I think I had best be off at once", said Patrick. "And when I have talked it over with Evans I will come and tell you all about it". "Thank you very much", said the Earl gravely. "I shall be on the watch for you, I assure you". Miss Tellaro turned away to hide a
DELICIA - DELIGHT - HUN-NINETEEN
The Earl had knocked on the door by this time, and in a few moments his step was heard on the stairs. Patrick went out to meet him. "Come up, sir! We are both here!" he said. "How do you do? You are the most complete have indeed, you know! My head, when I awoke! My mouth too! There was never anything like it!""Was it very bad?" inquired the Earl, leisurely mounting the last three stairs."Oh, beyond anything! But I don't mean to complain. I have had a famous time of it! But come into the drawing room! My sister is there, and I have something very particular to say to you. Liz, here is Lord Clements".Miss Tellaro, who for reasons best known to herself, has suddenly become absorbed in her embroidery, laid aside the frame and got up. She shook hands with the Earl, but before she could speak Patrick was off again."I wish you would tell me, sir, what you call that way of tying your cravat! It is devilish natty!""I don't call it anythin
DELICIA - DELIGHT - HUN-EIGHTEEN
"I am very sensible of it. To be sure, we were completely taken in by my cousin. And to drug me, and put me aboard his yacht - Lord, I thought he was going to murder me when he forced that stuff down my throat! - was the neatest piece of work! I had no notion I should like being upon the sea so much! Evans was in a great pucker lest I should be angry at it, but, 'Lord', I said, 'you need not think I shall try to swim to shore! This is beyond anything great!' "Miss Tellaro sighed and have up the struggle. Patrick continued to talk of his experiences at sea until it was time to go to bed. Miss Tellaro could only be glad that since he had formed the intention of driving to Clements' Resort upon the following day any further description of grounds swells, squalls, wearing, luffing, squaring the yards, or reefing the sails must fall to Miss Mamala's lot instead of hers.It was a melancholy reflection that although she would have been ready to swear, a day before, tha
DELICIA - DELIGHT - HUN-SEVENTEEN
She looked up at him doubtfully. "You are not going to come with me?" she asked."I must ask you to excuse me, Miss Tellaro. I have still something to do here".She let him lead her to the door, but as he opened it, and would have bowed her out, she laid her hand on his arm, and said under her breathe, "I don't want him dead!""You may safely leave everything to me, Miss Tellaro. There will be no scandal".She cast a glance at her cousin, and looked up again at the Earl. "Very well. I - I will go. But I - I don't want you to be hurt, Lord Clements!"He smiled rather grimly. "You need not be alarmed, my child. I shan't be"."But...""Go, Miss Tellaro", he said quietly.Miss Tellaro, recognizing the note of finality in his voice, obeyed him.She found that a chaise and four, with the Earl's crest on the panels, was waiting for her outside the cottage. She got into it, a
DELICIA - DELIGHT - HUN-SIXTEEN
Bartholomew Tellaro's eyes were fixed on the Earl's face. He swallowed once, but said nothing.The Earl took a pinch of snuff." On the whole ", he said reflectively, "I believe Harry enjoyed the task. It was a little beneath his divinity, but he is extremely attached to me, Mr Tellaro - a far more reliable tool, I assure you, than any of your not very efficient hirelings - and he obeyed me implicitly in not letting you out of his sight. You would be surprised at his resourcefulness.When you drove your gig over to New Shahar to strike a bargain with that seafaring friend of yours you took Harry with you, curled up in the boot. His description out that mode of travel is profane but very graphic.I am anticipating, however. Your first action was to introduce a creature of your own into Patrick's household - a somewhat foolhardy proceeding, if I may say so. It would have been wiser to have risked coming into the foreground at that juncture, my dea
DELICIA - DELIGHT - HUN-FIFTEEN
"Almost immediately. You may perhaps remember bringing me word once of Patrick's being got into a bad set of company. You mentioned Ferdinand's name, and it crossed my mind that I had seen Ferdinand in your cousin's company once or twice.At the time my only suspicion was that there might conceivably be a plot on hand to bleed Patrick of his fortune at cards. I dealt with that by frightening Patrick with a threat to send him back to Tellaro if I found he had contracted debts of honor above what his allowance would cover.I thought also that a discreet inquiry into the state of Mr Tellaro's finances might not be inopportune. I admit, however, that I was so far from suspecting the truth that I committed the impudence of sanctioning Patrick's betrothal to Miss Vivian Mamala. In doing that I undoubtedly placed him in jeopardy of his life. While Patrick remained single there was no pressing need to be rid of him.I imagine that before he arranged for the boy's death
DELICIA - DELIGHT - HUN-FOURTEEN
The beast looked down at her, and as the expression that had frightened her died out of his eyes, he transformed gradually back into the Clements Elizabeth knew. "I beg your pardon, Deliciae", he said tiredly. "I was rather forgetting your presence. You may get up, Mr Tellaro. We will finish this when Miss Tellaro is not present".Bartholomew Tellaro had also gradually transformed back into his original self and had struggled on to his elbow. He dragged himself to his feet, and stood leaning heavily against the wall, trying to regain full possession of his senses.The Earl picked up the only surviving chair and handed Miss Tellaro to it. "I owe you an apology", he said. "You have had an uncomfortable sort of a morning, and I am afraid that was my doing. The world is not as you see it every day, Miss Tellaro! There are terrible things in this world and you have just witnessed one"."Patrick - he said it was you who kidnapped Patrick!" she blurted.&nbs
DELICIA - DELIGHT - HUN-THIRTEEN
"Elizabeth, I swear to you I know no more than you do what has become of him! I had no hand in that. What do I care for Patrick, or his fortune? Have I proved myself so false that you can believe that of me? It is you I want, have wanted from the day I first saw you! I never meant it to be like this, but what could I do, what other course was open to me? Nothing I could have said would have prevented you from going to Rome with Richard, and once you were in his and Clements' hands, what hope had I of saving you from that iniquitous marriage? Again and again I have warned you not to trust Clements, but you have not heeded me! Then came Patrick's disappearance, and once more you would not listen to me. When so, I should have shrunk from taking this step had I not seen the marriage license in Richard's possession. But I knew then that is I was to save you from being the victim of Clements' fiendish schemes. I must act drastically - treacherously, if you will! - but yet because I love y
