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FOUR

Author: Astha
last update Last Updated: 2021-08-05 18:46:42

He smiled. "No such thing, ma'am. We cannot tell but what if my room should properly be yours? My friend and I..." he made a sight gesture as though to indicate someone in the group behind him "... have acquaintance in the neighborhood, and may readily command a lodging at Hungertown Lodge. I - rather I should say we - are happy to be of service".

There was nothing to do but thank him, and accept his offer. He vowed again, and withdrew to rejoin his friends. The landlord, relieved to have been rescued from a difficult situation, led the way out of the coffee room, and delivered his new guests into the care of a chamber maid. In a very little time they found themselves in possession of two respectable apartments on the first floor, and had nothing further to do than to await the arrival of their lugages. 

It was one of Miss Elizabeth's first concern to discover the name of her unknown benefactor, but by the time she had seen her baggage bestowed, and arranged for a truckle bed to be set up in the room for her maid, he had left the inn. The landlord did not know him, he had arrived only a few minutes before themselves, he was not a regular traveler upon that road. 

Elizabeth was disappointed, but had to be satisfied. There was no finding out in the crowd flocking to Florence who one individual might be. She found herself pleased with him. He had a well-bred air, the delicacy with which he had managed the whole business, his withdrawing just when he ought, all impressed her in his favor. She would not be sorry to make his better acquaintance. 

Patrick agreed to his being a civil fellow, owned himself much beholden to him, would be glad to meet him again, thought it odd that they must run across each other in the town, but was now immediately concerned with the means of getting to the scene of the fight the next day. It was to be at Coverciano Gap, some eight or more miles to the south west of Florence. A conveyance must be found, he would not go in his chais, that was unthinkable. A curricle must be hired, or a gig, and before he could sit down to have his dinner. He must be off to see whether he could come by one. 

It was four o'clock, and Miss. Tellaro had not been used to fashionable hours. She would dine at once, and in her room. Sir. Patrick patted her shoulder, and said she would be more comfortable in her own room. 

Elizabeth curled her lip at him. "Well, you like to think so, my dear". 

"You couldn't dine in the coffee room", he assured her. "It may do very well for me, but for you it won't answer". 

"Go and find your curricle", said Elizabeth, between amusement and exasperation. 

He needed no further encouragement, he was gone in a flash, nor did he return until after five o'clock. He came in then, highly elated, full of his good fortune. There was no coming by a curricle - no gentleman's carriage to be had at all, but he had heard of a gig owned by some farmer, a shabby affair, there is not an inch of paint on it, but it would serve. He had been off immediately to drive the bargain. The long and short of it was he had driven the gig back, and was ready now to do all that a brother should for his sister's entertainment in taking her out to see ruins, or whatever else she chose. Dinner? Oh, he had eaten a tight little beefsteak in the coffee room, and was entirely at her disposal. 

Miss. Tellaro could not but feel that with the town seetting with sporting company, it was hardly the moment for an expedition, but she was heartily sick of her own room, and agreed to the scheme. 

The gig was found upon inspection to be not quite so bad as Patrick had described, but still, a shabby affair. Miss Tellaro grimaced at it. "My dear Parte, I had rather walk!" 

"Walk? Oh, lord, I have had enough of that, I can tell you! I must have tramped a good mile already. Don't be so nice, Liz! It ain't what I'd choose, but no one knows us here". 

"You had better let me drive", she remarked. 

But that, of course, would not do. If she thought she could drive better than he, she much mistook the matter. The brute was hard mouthed, not a sweet goer by any means, no case for a lady. 

They went down the main street at a sober pace, but once clear of the town, Sir Patrick let his hands drop, and they jolted away at a great rate, but even in the best style, bumping over every inequality in the road, and lurching round the corners. 

"Parte, this is unsupportable", Elizabeth said at last. "Every tooth rattles in my head! You will run into something. Do, I beg of you, remember that you are to take me to see the Roman castle! I am persuaded you are on the wrong road". 

"Oh, I had forgotten about that cursed castle!" he said ruefully. "I was meaning to see which road I must take tomorrow - to Coverciano Gap, you know. Very well, very well, I'll turn, and go back!" He reined in the horse as he spoke, and began at once to turn, quite neglecting the narrowness of the road at this point, and the close proximity of the a particular sharp bend in it. 

"Good God, what will you do next?" exclaimed Elizabeth. "If anything were to come round the corner! I wish you would give me the reins!" 

She spoke too late. He had the gig all across the road, and seemed in danger of running unto the ditch if his attention were distracted. She heard the sound of horses traveling fast and made a snatch at the reins. 

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  • DELICIA - DELIGHT -    SIX

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  • DELICIA - DELIGHT -    SEVEN

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  • DELICIA - DELIGHT -    EIGHT

    Patrick drank it all in, feeling very humble and ignorant. In La Spezia he had been used to know everyone and he known everywhere, but it was evident that in Rome circles it was different. Tellaro and the Tellaro fortune counted for nothing. He was only an unknown provincial here. Mr Fritzwa produced an enormous turnip watch from his pocket and consulted it. "It's after twelve", he announced. "If the magistrates have got wind of this and mean to stop it, it will be a damn hum!" But just at the moment some cheering, not unmixed with catcalls and a few derisive shouts, was set up, and Steve Angelo, accompanied by his seconds, Faruk Lacesh, the Black, and Sancho Riclux, arbiter of sport, came up to the ring. "He looks like a strong fellow", said Patrick, anxiously scrutinizing as much as he could see of the Negro for the enveloping folds of his great coat. "Weighs something between thirteen and fourteen stone", said Mr Fritzwa knowledgeably. "They say he loses his temper. You weren't a

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  • DELICIA - DELIGHT -    NINE

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  • DELICIA - DELIGHT -    TEN

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  • DELICIA - DELIGHT -    ELEVEN

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  • DELICIA - DELIGHT -    TWELVE

    "Eh?" said Lord Garbatela. "Did you say you were Clements' ward?" The gentleman in the great coat gave Patrick back his card. "So you are my Lord Clements' ward!" he said. "Dear me! And - er - are you at all acquainted with your guardian?" "That, sir, has nothing to do with you! We are on our way to visit his lordship now". "Well", said the gentleman softly, "you must present my compliments to him when you see him. Don't forget". "This is not to the point!" exclaimed Patrick. "I have challenged you to fight, sir!" "I don't think your guardian would advise you to press your challenge", replied the gentleman with a slight smile. Elizabeth laid a hand on her brother's arm, and said coldly, "you have not told us yet by what name we may describe you to Lord Clements". His smile lingered. "I think you will find that his lordship will know who I am", he said, and took Lord Garbatela's arm, and strolled with him into the coffee room. * * * It was with difficulty that M

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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

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  • 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

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