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Chapter 1 MORTLAKE HALL.

Word Count: 2163    |    Released on: 06/12/2017

e family of Arden, once distinguished in the Northumbrian counties. About fifty acres of ground, rich with noble clumps and masses of old timber, surround

us of Inigo Jones, to whom it is ascribed, with the shadows of ancestral trees and the stains of two centuries upon it, and a va

level beams, through tall drawing-room windows, ruddily upon the Dutch tapestry on

abstraction, too forgetful for a time of her company, leaning upon the slender hand she has placed under her cheek. How silken and golden-tinted the dark brown hair that grows so near her brows, making her forehead low, and marking with its broad line t

h some of her tints and outlines translated into masculine beauty,

seem to light up, but maintain their dismal darkness while his pale lips smile? Those eyes are fixed on the pretty face of Alice Arden, as she talks to Lady May, with a strangely intense gaze. His eyebrows rise a little, like those of Mephistoph

fling kindness, and another of holding fast his advantage, and, without seeming to push, or ever appearing to flatter, of maintaining the acquaintance he had once founded. He looked about eight-and-thirty: he was really

greeable, obliging, and gentlemanlike person. It was a pity that more was not known about him. The man had enemies, no doubt, and from the sort of reserve that enveloped h

in-lipped smile, was overlooking this little company, his shoulder leaning against the

dy May-"is there still any hope of that poor child's recovering-I mean the one in th

gcluse

r Edwin Dudley that very question through his carriage window, and he said that he had j

they say can have been t

say; or else t

ope he is. But they should take ca

y on it; that's a

o was garrulous, "that murders interest people s

our family, you know,

er voice and dropping her eyes, with a side glance at Alice,

aid Richard; and slipping into the chair beside Lady May, he laid h

o thoughtful; it

of tender admiration, on those of fat Lady May, who simpered with effusion, and d

e was very rich also, and, it was said by people who love news and satire, had long been willing to share her gold

aris or Vienna? Paris it was. I recollect it all now, for my purse was stolen by the very man who made his escape-Mace

ore, of course," said

me time to hear all about i

said Richard, "w

know, had roses and lilies to give away at discretion, in their paint-boxes, and were courtiers," remarked Mr. Longcluse, "who dealt sometimes in the old-fashioned business of ma

s rather sweet. He looked as he spoke at Miss Arden

aid!" applauded

ruelly, at this moment, "how the pretty little Ita

for a drive to-day, poor dear little Pepsie! but that I

ps a l

nst the wall and sighed, with a pained smile, th

hings but in wealth? Of course he did, perfectly. But that wealth was said to be enormous. There were Jews, who ought to know, who said he

affect to believe them, and quote the old saw, "There is never smoke without fire;" but dare one of them utter a word of the kind aloud? Did they stand the test of five minutes' in

, if he let him slip through his fingers, som

love-well, perhaps, that he did not app

inald at present?

swered Richard. "My father does

at miserable quarr

ce at present; at Vichy-ain't

ing to talk, said

a little longer. And I think you neglect her a little, don't you? You oug

. Nothing, you know, would give me

e'll expect you

s vexed with his sister; she was, he

gcluse? And was his father, the most despotic and violent of baronets, and very much dipt, likely to listen to sentimental twaddle pleading against a hund

his she sits there, thinking, I

ichard Arden. The secrecy of thought is a pleasant privilege to t

hine through, and the confluence of figures and phantoms that cross and march

alking and comparing notes a

y May in a rapture. "I'm sure I hope mine may turn out half as pretty. I wa

s time for them to ord

his trap there, to carry them into town when their hour comes. They can only put the ladies in

the disappearing carriage, and sighs deeply. He has forgotten all for the mome

and a talk. I have a box of Manillas that I think you will

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1 Chapter 1 MORTLAKE HALL.2 Chapter 2 MARTHA TANSEY.3 Chapter 3 MR. LONGCLUSE OPENS HIS HEART.4 Chapter 4 MONSIEUR LEBAS.5 Chapter 5 A CATASTROPHE.6 Chapter 6 TO BED.7 Chapter 7 FAST FRIENDS.8 Chapter 8 CONCERNING A BOOT.9 Chapter 9 THE MAN WITHOUT A NAME.10 Chapter 10 THE ROYAL OAK.11 Chapter 11 THE TELEGRAM ARRIVES.12 Chapter 12 SIR REGINALD ARDEN.13 Chapter 13 ON THE ROAD.14 Chapter 14 MR. LONGCLUSE'S BOOT FINDS A TEMPORARY ASYLUM.15 Chapter 15 FATHER AND SON.16 Chapter 16 A MIDNIGHT MEETING.17 Chapter 17 MR. LONGCLUSE AT MORTLAKE HALL.18 Chapter 18 THE PARTY IN THE DINING-ROOM.19 Chapter 19 IN MRS. TANSEY'S ROOM.20 Chapter 20 MRS. TANSEY'S STORY.21 Chapter 21 A WALK BY MOONLIGHT.22 Chapter 22 MR. LONGCLUSE MAKES AN ODD CONFIDENCE.23 Chapter 23 THE MEETING.24 Chapter 24 MR. LONGCLUSE FOLLOWS A SHADOW.25 Chapter 25 A TETE-A-TETE.26 Chapter 26 THE GARDEN AT MORTLAKE.27 Chapter 27 WINGED WORDS.28 Chapter 28 STORIES ABOUT MR. LONGCLUSE.29 Chapter 29 THE GARDEN PARTY.30 Chapter 30 HE SEES HER.31 Chapter 31 ABOUT THE GROUNDS.32 Chapter 32 UNDER THE LIME-TREES.33 Chapter 33 THE DERBY.34 Chapter 34 A SHARP COLLOQUY.35 Chapter 35 DINNER AT MORTLAKE.36 Chapter 36 MR. LONGCLUSE SEES A LADY'S NOTE.37 Chapter 37 WHAT ALICE COULD SAY.38 Chapter 38 GENTLEMEN IN TROUBLE.39 Chapter 39 BETWEEN FRIENDS.40 Chapter 40 AN INTERVIEW IN THE STUDY.41 Chapter 41 VAN APPOINTS HIMSELF TO A DIPLOMATIC POST.42 Chapter 42 DIPLOMACY.43 Chapter 43 A LETTER AND A SUMMONS.44 Chapter 44 THE REASON OF ALICE'S NOTE.45 Chapter 45 COLLISION.46 Chapter 46 AN UNKNOWN FRIEND.47 Chapter 47 BY THE RIVER.48 Chapter 48 SUDDEN NEWS.49 Chapter 49 VOWS FOR THE FUTURE.50 Chapter 50 UNCLE DAVID'S SUSPICIONS.51 Chapter 51 THE SILHOUETTE.52 Chapter 52 MR. LONGCLUSE EMPLOYED.53 Chapter 53 THE NIGHT OF THE FUNERAL.54 Chapter 54 AMONG THE TREES.55 Chapter 55 MR. LONGCLUSE SEES A FRIEND.56 Chapter 56 A HOPE EXPIRES.57 Chapter 57 LEVI'S APOLOGUE.58 Chapter 58 THE BARON COMES TO TOWN.59 Chapter 59 TWO OLD FRIENDS MEET AND PART.60 Chapter 60 "SAUL."61 Chapter 61 A WAKING DREAM.62 Chapter 62 LOVE AND PLAY.63 Chapter 63 PLANS.64 Chapter 64 FROM FLOWER TO FLOWER.65 Chapter 65 BEHIND THE ARRAS.66 Chapter 66 A BUBBLE BROKEN.67 Chapter 67 BOND AND DEED.68 Chapter 68 SIR RICHARD'S RESOLUTION.69 Chapter 69 THE MEETING. No.6970 Chapter 70 MR. LONGCLUSE PROPOSES.71 Chapter 71 NIGHT.72 Chapter 72 MEASURES.73 Chapter 73 AT THE BAR OF THE "GUY OF WARWICK."74 Chapter 74 A LETTER.75 Chapter 75 BLIGHT AND CHANGE.76 Chapter 76 PH BE CHIFFINCH.77 Chapter 77 MORE NEWS OF PAUL DAVIES.78 Chapter 78 THE CATACOMBS.79 Chapter 79 RESURRECTIONS.80 Chapter 80 ANOTHER.81 Chapter 81 BROKEN.82 Chapter 82 DOPPELGANGER.83 Chapter 83 A SHORT PARTING.84 Chapter 84 AT MORTLAKE.85 Chapter 85 THE CRISIS.86 Chapter 86 PURSUIT.87 Chapter 87 CONCLUSION.88 Chapter 88 No.8889 Chapter 89 No.89