All Chapters of DELICIA - DELIGHT - : Chapter 81 - Chapter 90

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

"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

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

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

Patrick had driven out to Clement's Resort earlier in the day, and was not yet back, but both the ladies were at home, and while Mrs Andromeda was engaged with the Admiral, Elizabeth was able to take her cousin apart, and pour into his ears an account of her disgrace and its cause.He listened to her with an expression of concern, and twice pressed her hand with a look of such sympathetic understanding that she was hard put to it not to burst into tears of self pity. The relief of being able to unburden her heart was great, and the knowledge that there was one at least who did not condemn her, induced her to show a more marked degree of preference for her cousin than she was aware of doing."You see how bad I have been", she said with a trembling smile. "But I should never have done it if Lord Clements had not laid it down so positively that I was not to go with Parte"."The impropriety of your behavior is nothing when compared with the total want of delicacy he has s