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TWENTY SIX
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2021-08-23 04:00:00On her mettle, Miss Tellaro guided the team down the street at a brisk trot, driving them well up to their bits. She had fine light hands, knew how to point her leaders, and soon showed the Earl that she was sufficiently expert enough in the use of the whip. She flicked the leader, and caught the thong again with a slight turn of her wrist that sent it soundlessly up the stick. She drove his lordship into Lake Park without the least mishap, and twice round it. Forgetting for the moment to be coldly formal, she said impulsively, "I was used to drive all my father's horses, but I never handled a team so light mouthed as these, sir". "I am thought to be something of a judge of horse flesh, Miss Tellaro", said the Earl. Strolling along the promenade with his arm in the Honorable Fredrick Bush's, Sir Howard Jones gave a gasp, and exclaimed, "Good God, Pascal, look! Curricle Clements!" "So it is", agreed Mr Pascal, continuing to ogle a party of young ladies. "But with a female driving his
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DELICIA - DELIGHT - TWENTY SEVEN
He took sparring lessons at Jackson's Saloon; shot at Mangro's Galleries; fenced at Angelo's; drank Blue Ruin in Boa's Parlor; drove to races in his own tilbury, and generally behaved very much as any other young gentleman of fortune did, who fancied himself as a fashionable buck. His conversation became interlaced with scanty expressions; he lost a great deal of money playing at Manio, or laying bets with his friends; drank rather too much; and began to cause his sister a good deal of alarm. When she confronted him, he merely laughed, assured her he might be trusted to keep the line, went off to join a party of sporting gentlemen, and returned in the small hours considerably intoxicated, or - as he himself phrased it - a trifle above par.Elizabeth turned to her cousin for advice. With the Admiral she could never be upon intimate terms, but Bartholomew Tellaro had very soon become a close friend.He listened to her gravely. He agreed with her that Patrick was livi
Last Updated : 2021-08-23DELICIA - DELIGHT - TWENTY EIGHT
"Oh, no!" she said, with strong revulsion. "You are mistaken. Such a notion is unthinkable".He made a movement as though he would have taken her hand, but controlled it, and said with an earnest look, "I am glad"."You have something against him?" she said quickly."Nothing. If I was afraid - if I disliked the thought that there might be some partiality, you must forgive me. I could not help myself. But I have said too much. Speak to Lord Clements about Parte. Surely he cannot want him to be growing wild!"She was a good deal stirred by this speech, and by the look that went with it. She was not in the least displeased. She liked him too well, but she wished him to say no more. A declaration seemed to be imminent. She was thankful that he did not make it, she did not know her own heart.His advice was too sensible to be lightly ignored. She thought about it, realized the justice of what he had said, and went to call on Clements
Last Updated : 2021-08-24DELICIA - DELIGHT - TWENTY NINE
"Yes", said Miss Tellaro, with emphasis. "I have noticed it. Your anxiety is kept for whatever it is that you are so busy with"."Very true", he agreed. "I am mixing snuff - an anxious business, Miss Tellaro".She was momentarily diverted. "Snuff! Do all those jars contain snuff?""All of them".She cast an amazing, rather scornful glance round the shelves. "You have made it a life study, I suppose"."Very nearly. But these are not all for my own use. Come here".She came reluctantly. He led her round the room, pointing out jars and bottles to her notice. "That is Spanish Bran - It is generally the most popular. This is Moucuba, a very strongly scented snuff, for flavoring only. This is Peru, a large grained snuff of a fine, though perhaps too powerful flavor. I use it merely to give tone to my mixture. In that bottle is the Regent's own mixture. It is scented with Otto of Roses. Beside it is a snuff I keep for your g
Last Updated : 2021-08-24DELICIA - DELIGHT - THIRTY
The day after he had politely refused his consent to the third aspirant, Miss Tellaro recieved a letter by the Twopenny post. It was quite short."The Earl of Clements presents his compliments to Miss Tellaro and begs to inform her that he would be obliged if she would assure any gentleman aspiring to her hand that there is no possibility of his lordship consenting to her marriage within the period of his guardianship".Justly incensed, Miss Tellaro sat herself down at her elegant little tambour-top writing table and dashed off an impetuous note, requesting the favor of a visit from his lordship in the immediate future. This she had sent off by hand. A reply in Mr Kingsley's neat fist informed her that his lordship being upon the point of setting out to spend the weekend at Garbatela he was commissioned to tell her that his lordship would do himself the honor of calling in Spear Street some time during the following week.Miss Tellaro tore this civil
Last Updated : 2021-08-25DELICIA - DELIGHT - THIRTY ONE
"I shall be honored sir", she said formally, and signaled to the groom to get down.The Duke climbed up beside her, saying, "oh, that's nonsense - never stand in ceremony. Look, there goes my cousin Tufello. I daresay he envies me perched up here beside you. What do you say?"Miss Tellaro laughed. "Nothing, sir, how can I? If I agree, I must be odious conceited, which I hope I am not; and if I demure you will think me to be asking for reassurance".He seemed to be much struck by the frankness of this lady, laughed very heartily, and declared they should get along famously together.He was not all difficult to talk to, and they had not driven more than halfway round the Park before Miss Tellaro discovered him to have been a firm friend of Lord and Admiral Nelson. She was in a glow at once, he was very ready to talk to her of the admiral, and in this way they drove twice around the Park, extremely well pleased with each other. When Miss Tell
Last Updated : 2021-08-25DELICIA - DELIGHT - THIRTY TWO
Mrs Andromeda turned a surprised, inquiring look upon Elizabeth. "You never told me you had invited Clements, my dear?""I did request Lord Clements to call here", said Miss Tellaro, carefully choosing another length of embroidery silk. "I did not, however, mention any particular day or hour"."True", said the Earl. "I had had the intention of calling on you this morning, Miss Tellaro, but - er - circumstances intervened"."It was fortunate, sir. I was not at home this morning". She raised her eyes momentarily from her work to find that he was regarding her with a look of so much sarcastic amusement that the unwelcome suspicion crossed her mind that he must have seen her drive out, and changed his own plans immediate."This morning!" ejaculated Mrs Andromeda, with a strong shudder. "Pray do not be talking of it! Three hours - I am persuaded it was no less - at the Botanic Gardens, and I not having the least notion that you cared a rap for
Last Updated : 2021-08-26DELICIA - DELIGHT - THIRTY THREE
"Ah!" said Elizabeth, "I beg to understand"."I should be happy if I thought you did", he replied, "but I feel it to be extremely doubtful. You have a considerable fortune in your own right. More important than this is the fact that under your father's Will you are heiress to as much of your brother's property as is unentailed"."Well?" said Elizabeth."That being so", said Clements, shutting his snuff box with a snap and restoring it to his pocket, "there is little likelihood of gaining my consent to your marriage with anyone whom I can at the moment call to mind"."Except", said Miss Tellaro through her teeth, "yourself!""Except, of course, myself", he agreed suavely."And do you suppose, Lord Clements, that there is any great likelihood of my marrying you?" inquired Elizabeth in a sleek, deceptive voice.He raised his brows. "Until I ask you to marry me, Miss Tellaro, not the least likelihood", he repli
Last Updated : 2021-08-26DELICIA - DELIGHT - THIRTY FOUR
"In a word, cousin, he is a dandy", Elizabeth said."More than that. He is of the Bow window set, I grant, but not of the Unique Four. That is composed, as you know, of only your complete Dandies - Alexandra, Alvana, Michale, and Pietropot. Clements has other interests, even more expensive"."So has Lord Alvana", she interposed."Very true. Lord Alvana hunts, for instance, but he does not, I believe, aspire to be first in so many fields as Clements. You may hardly go to a race meeting but you are sure to find Clements has a horse running, while his curricle races, the teams he drives, are notorious"."It is the only thing I know of that is to his advantage", Elizabeth said. "I will admit him to be an excellent whip. But for the rest I find him a mere fop, a creature of affections, tricked out in modish clothes, thinking snuff to be of more moment than events of real importance. He is proud, he can be insolent. There is a reserve, a lack of
Last Updated : 2021-08-26
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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
