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The Hoyden

The Hoyden

Author: Duchess
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Chapter 1 HOW DIAMOND CUT DIAMOND, AND HOW THE SPARKS FLEW.

Word Count: 2341    |    Released on: 01/12/2017

the seringas from the shrubbery beyond, mingled with all the lesser but more delicate delights of the garden bene

s in revolt, leans back against the cushions of her lounging chair, her

e will marry

about it. I tell you he must marry her. It has come to the very las

ands abroad, as if in eloquent des

t laughing. She can al

ry," says she; "you have an only

Lady Rylton, with a click of he

mensions could settle itself comfortably between her eyes. Still, as a frown, it is worth a good deal! It has cowed a good many people in its day, and had,

ie"-she is Lady Rylton's niece, but Lady Rylton objects to bei

says Lady Rylton w

nce again unfurling the huge black

th a gaze that never wavers. The two poses are in their way perfect

preserved that at forty-six she might easily be called thirty-five. If it were not for her one child, the present Sir Maurice Rylton, this fallacy might have been carrie

hands and feet are as tiny now as when years ago they called all London town to look at them on her presenta

ladylike sort of way destroys the one it fastens upon. Yet she is a dainty creature; fragile, fair, and pretty, ev

elf round her shapely head, and adds another lustre to the exquisite purity of her skin. Her eyes have a good deal of red in them, too, mixed with a warm brown-wonderful eyes that hold you when they catch you, and are difficult to forget. So

r mouth is curious, large and full, but not easily to be understood. Her eyes may speak, but her mouth is a sphinx. Yet it is a lovely mouth, and the little teeth behind it shine like pearls. For the rest, she is a widow. She married very badly; went abroad with her husba

ands she now gaily, s

and fastens them behind her hea

e that I have been blind to the fact that you

suggests Mrs.

ard, her soft curved ch

says Lady Rylton, fanning herself petu

back in her chair, and laughs aloud

her is lighting the splendid masses of her red hair, a

little stiffly; "even to mention su

oes on again. "After all, why shouldn't I be immoral?" says she. Once again she flings her arms above her head so th

laughing. "I always say you are the one creature who amuses me," cries she, leaning back, and giving full play to her mirth. "I nev

as reached a truth in spite of he

extreme hatred in it. It is gone, however, as soon as

y. "I dare say a perpetual riddle is

read you." She could as easily have read a page of Sanscrit. "It is your originality I like. I have never, in spite

e looks swe

a home!"

graciously. "But to return to Maurice. I shal

ural

, as a matter of course," with a shrug of her dainty shoulders, "lets the near

ly teeth. "And this girl? She has been here a week

and herself. "It was the most providential thing," she says; "I was staying at the Warburtons' last month, and one day when driving their abominable ponies along the road, suddenly the little beasts took f

Warbu

nies; don't

a re

r exquisite little hands-"how inadequate these would be to deal with the Warburton ponies.

Miss B

s-they were almost powerless from the strain, but that girl! her wrists seemed made of iron

e of iron. Her people

or buttons

t. Two hundred thousand pounds, the Warburtons told me afterwards; even allowing for exa

riddle?" asks

e inquiries. It appeared that she lived with her uncle. Her father had died early, when she was quite young. Her mother was dead too; this last was a great comfort. And the uncle had kept her in secl

id you ask

xclusive-so that when I did arrive, I was received with open arms. I was charming to the old uncle, a frosty sort of person, but not objectionable in any way, and I at once asked the niece to pay me a visit. They were flattered, the uncle especially so; I expect he had been wanting to get into Society-and as for

on. Fancy her saying she would be glad to

s little sarcasm has been lost upon her. "And now, how to use her? M

e i

is not what I would have chosen for him, I admit that; but

ngs," says Mrs. Be

to the point? He is so very difficult. Y

I

hers always; she moves towards the window. There is no hur

s Lady Rylton peevishly.

no inf

ou will marry him yourself, that perhaps his uncle will die and leave him once more a rich man-the

her beautiful figure is drawn

Let him marry-let him marry--" She pauses as if choking, but goes on again:

e-n

, as if desirous of letting Lady Rylton hear the opi

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Open
1 Chapter 1 HOW DIAMOND CUT DIAMOND, AND HOW THE SPARKS FLEW.2 Chapter 2 HOW MARGARET PLEADS FOR THE LITTLE HOYDEN, AND WITH WHAT ILL-SUCCESS.3 Chapter 3 HOW LADY RYLTON SAYS A FEW THINGS THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER LEFT UNSAID. HOW THE SCHEME IS LAID BEFORE SIR MAURICE, AND HOW HE REFUSES TO HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT.4 Chapter 4 HOW THE HEART OF MAURICE GREW HOT WITHIN HIM, AND HOW HE PUT THE QUESTION TO THE TOUCH, AND HOW HE NEITHER LOST NOR WON.5 Chapter 5 SHOWING HOW, WHEN PEOPLE DO CONGREGATE TOGETHER, MUCH KNOWLEDGE MAY BE FOUND, AND HOW THE LITTLE HOYDEN HAD SOME KIND THINGS SAID ABOUT HER.6 Chapter 6 HOW GAMES WERE PLAYED, OF SORTS ; AND HOW TITA WAS MUCH HARRIED, BUT HOW SHE BORE HERSELF VALIANTLY, AND HOW, NOT KNOWING OF HER VICTORIES, SHE WON ALL THROUGH.7 Chapter 7 HOW THE ARGUMENT GROWS HIGHER; AND HOW MARIAN LOSES HER TEMPER, AND HOW MARGARET OBJECTS TO THE RUIN OF ONE YOUNG LIFE.8 Chapter 8 HOW A STORM RAGED; AND HOW, WHEN A MAN AND WOMAN MET FACE TO FACE, THE VICTORY-FOR A WONDER-WENT TO THE MAN.9 Chapter 9 HOW MAURICE PLACES HIS LIFE IN THE HANDS OF THE HOYDEN, AND HOW SHE TELLS HIM MANY THINGS, AND DESIRES MANY THINGS OF HIM.10 Chapter 10 HOW MAURICE GIVES WAY TO TEMPER, AND HOW LADY RYLTON PLANTS A SHAFT OR TWO. AND HOW MARGARET SAYS A WORD IN SEASON, AND HOW IN RETURN COLONEL NEILSON SAYS A WORD TO HER.11 Chapter 11 HOW THE LAST DAY COMES, AND HOW SOME STRANGE WORDS ARE SAID BEFORE THE MARRIAGE IS ACCOMPLISHED; AND HOW MARION BETHUNE SCORES A POINT.12 Chapter 12 HOW TITA COMES BACK FROM HER HONEYMOON, AND HOW HER HUSBAND'S MOTHER TELLS HER OF CERTAIN THINGS THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN LEFT UNTOLD.13 Chapter 13 HOW A YOUNG AND LOVELY NATURE TAKES A SHOCK MOST CRUELLY ADMINISTERED. AND HOW A DOWAGER TAKES A NEW NAME AS A DIRECT INSULT. AND HOW TITA DECLINES TO PROMISE ANYTHING.14 Chapter 14 HOW TITA COMES TO OAKDEAN, AND IS GLAD. AND HOW MAURICE CALLS TO HER, AND SHE PERFORMS AN ACROBATIC FEAT. AND HOW A DISCUSSION ARISES.15 Chapter 15 HOW TITA TELLS OF TWO STRANGE DREAMS, AND OF HOW THEY MOVED HER. AND HOW MAURICE SETS HIS SOUL ON ASKING A GUEST TO OAKDEAN; AND HOW HE GAINS HIS DESIRE.16 Chapter 16 HOW A DULL MORNING GIVES BIRTH TO A STRANGE AFTERNOON. AND HOW RYLTON'S EYES ARE WIDENED BY A FRIEND.17 Chapter 17 HOW TITA SUGGESTS A GAME OF BLIND MAN'S BUFF, AND WHAT COMES OF IT.18 Chapter 18 HOW TITA GETS A SCOLDING, AND HOW SHE REBELS AND ACCUSES SIR MAURICE OF BREACH OF CONTRACT.19 Chapter 19 HOW RYLTON'S HEART CONDEMNS HIM. AND HOW, AS HE WALKS, A SERPENT STINGS HIM. AND HOW HE IS RECOVERED OF HIS WOUND. AND HOW THE LITTLE RIFT IS MENDED-BUT WITH TOO FINE THREAD.20 Chapter 20 HOW TITA TAKES HIGH GROUND, AND HOW SHE BRINGS HER HUSBAND, OF ALL PEOPLE, TO HER FEET.21 Chapter 21 HOW EVERYONE GOES TO LADY WARBECK'S DANCE, AND HELPS TO MAKE IT A SUCCESS; AND HOW MANY CURIOUS THINGS ARE SAID AND DONE THERE.22 Chapter 22 HOW RYLTON ASKS HIS WIFE TO TREAD A MEASURE WITH HIM, AND HOW THE FATES WEAVE A LITTLE MESH FOR TITA'S PRETTY FEET.23 Chapter 23 HOW MARIAN FIGHTS FOR MASTERY; AND HOW THE BATTLE GOES; AND HOW CHANCE BEFRIENDS THE ENEMY.24 Chapter 24 HOW RYLTON MAKES A MOST DISHONOURABLE BET, AND HOW HE REPENTS OF IT; AND HOW, THOUGH HE WOULD HAVE WITHDRAWN FROM IT, HE FINDS HE CANNOT.25 Chapter 25 HOW TITA TOLD A SECRET TO TOM HESCOTT IN THE MOONLIGHT; AND HOW HE SOUGHT TO DISCOVER MANY THINGS, AND HOW HE WAS MOST INNOCENTLY BAFFLED.26 Chapter 26 HOW TITA LOOKS AT HERSELF IN THE GLASS AND WONDERS; AND HOW SHE DOES HER HAIR IN QUITE A NEW STYLE, AND GOES TO ASK SIR MAURICE WHAT HE THINKS OF IT; AND HOW HE ANSWERS HER.27 Chapter 27 No.2728 Chapter 28 No.2829 Chapter 29 No.2930 Chapter 30 No.3031 Chapter 31 No.3132 Chapter 32 No.3233 Chapter 33 No.3334 Chapter 34 No.3435 Chapter 35 No.3536 Chapter 36 No.3637 Chapter 37 No.3738 Chapter 38 No.3839 Chapter 39 No.3940 Chapter 40 No.4041 Chapter 41 No.4142 Chapter 42 No.4243 Chapter 43 No.4344 Chapter 44 No.4445 Chapter 45 No.4546 Chapter 46 No.4647 Chapter 47 No.4748 Chapter 48 No.4849 Chapter 49 No.4950 Chapter 50 No.5051 Chapter 51 No.5152 Chapter 52 No.5253 Chapter 53 No.5354 Chapter 54 No.5455 Chapter 55 HOW MINNIE HESCOTT GIVES TITA A HINT; AND LEARNS THAT HINTS MAY BE THROWN AWAY; AND HOW MARGARET'S SOUL IS GRIEVED.56 Chapter 56 HOW TITA COMMITS A GREAT FOLLY, THOUGH LITTLE IS THE SIN THAT LIES THEREIN. AND HOW MARGARET TRIES TO MAKE PEACE, AND WHAT COMES OF IT.57 Chapter 57 HOW MR. GOWER GROWS DARKLY MYSTERIOUS; AND HOW TITA HEARS OF THE ARRIVAL OF ANOTHER GUEST.58 Chapter 58 HOW TITA'S SOUL AT LAST IS STIRRED; AND HOW HER HAPPINESS IS THREATENED AND HERSELF SET AT NAUGHT; AND HOW MINNIE HESCOTT SPEAKS.