Fair Mystery

M. Brame Charlotte

Description

Looking for a romance tale that offers more than lingering glances and chest-heaving sighs? Dig into "A Fair Mystery" by prolific Victorian-era scribe Charlotte M. Brame. This engaging tale offers the best of both worlds: blossoming romance that buds against the unlikely backdrop of a confounding mystery. Whether you're a mystery maven, a romance fan, or a little of both, this page-turner is sure to please.

Sujets

• Romance

Informations

• Publié par: The Floating Press
• Date de parution: 01 mars 2013
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781775562078
• Langue: English

Extrait

A FAIR MYSTERY
THE STORY OF A COQUETTE
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CHARLOTTE M. BRAME
 
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A Fair Mystery The Story of a Coquette First published in 1885 ISBN 978-1-77556-207-8 © 2013 The Floating Press and its licensors. All rights reserved. While every effort has been used to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information contained in The Floating Press edition of this book, The Floating Press does not assume liability or responsibility for any errors or omissions in this book. The Floating Press does not accept responsibility for loss suffered as a result of reliance upon the accuracy or currency of information contained in this book. Do not use while operating a motor vehicle or heavy equipment. Many suitcases look alike. Visit www.thefloatingpress.com
Contents
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Chapter I - A Voice and a Face in the Night Chapter II - A Fairy Changeling Chapter III - A Daughter of Patricians Chapter IV - The Marble Psyche Chapter V - "I Want to Be Just Like You" Chapter VI - Faithless and Debonair Chapter VII - All, All is Vanity Chapter VIII - The Young Coquette Chapter IX - Poet and Gentleman Chapter X - A Wasted Warning Chapter XI - The Foster-Sisters Chapter XII - Beauty Becomes Immortal Chapter XIII - "Faithless and Debonair" Chapter XIV Chapter XV - "I Will Be True—Forever" Chapter XVI - A Betrothal Day Chapter XVII - A Shining Memory Chapter XVIII - A Woman Averse to Marriage Chapter XIX - A Prospective Pleasure for Doris Chapter XX - "They Tell Me, Child, that You are Really Promised in Marriage" Chapter XXI - Her Eyes Invited Him Chapter XXII - "I Shall Never Be a Model Woman" Chapter XXIII - The Coquette and the Man of the World Chapter XXIV - An Impassioned Wooing Chapter XXV - The False Lips of Woman Chapter XXVI - The Last Happy Day of His Life Chapter XXVII - How She was Tempted Chapter XXVIII - A Woman Resolved Chapter XXIX - The Flight at Midnight Chapter XXX - A Thorn in the Garden of Roses Chapter XXXI - "I Could Sooner Plunge a Dagger in His Heart" Chapter XXXII - "I Am a Man, and I Will Have Justice" Chapter XXXIII - There is No True Love Except the Love of a Mother Chapter XXXIV - "After so Many Years of Dread Has it Come at Last?" Chapter XXXV - "I Must Tell You My Secret" Chapter XXXVI - Lady Estelle's Story Chapter XXXVII - "He Made Me Believe that I was the Whole World to Him!" Chapter XXXVIII - The Punishment of Folly Chapter XXXIX - A Mother's Confession Chapter XL - A Clew at Last Chapter XLI - "I Claim You as My Own; I Will Never Release You!" Chapter XLII - "This is Your Revenge—To Humiliate Me" Chapter XLIII - The Coquette's Blandishments Chapter XLIV - The Nobleman's Oath Chapter XLV - An Appeal for Forgiveness Chapter XLVI - A Thunderbolt in a Ducal Palace Chapter XLVII - The Duke's Plan Chapter XLVIII - An Important Letter Chapter XLIX - "Welcome, My Daughter, to Your Father's Heart" Chapter L - "Only One Other Person Knows My Secret" Chapter LI - A Nobleman's Generosity Chapter LII - "Be Kind to Her, as Though You Were Her Own Child" Chapter LIII - A Young Lady Pleasantly Occupied Chapter LIV - "I Must Bear it for His Sake" Chapter LV - "My Queen Rose of the Rosebuds" Chapter LVI - "When She was Young, Perhaps She Loved Some One Like Me" Chapter LVII - The Yearnings of a Mother's Heart Chapter LVIII - Before the Queen Chapter LIX - The New Beauty Discussed Chapter LX - Doris Affects a Little Curiosity Chapter LXI - "I Might Have Been so Happy, but for this!" Chapter LXII - "I Have Seen Some One Like Her" Chapter LXIII - Lord Vivianne Perplexed Chapter LXIV - A Terrible Trial Chapter LXV - "If She Refuses, Let Her Beware!" Chapter LXVI - A Little Artifice Chapter LXVII - A Quiet Wedding Advocated Chapter LXVIII - A Clew at Last Chapter LXIX - Lord Vivianne Proposes a Little Discussion Chapter LXX - The Price of a Secret Chapter LXXI - The Coward's Threat Chapter LXXII - The Earl Reluctantly Assents Chapter LXXIII - The Countess Becomes Curious Chapter LXXIV - A Last Vain Appeal Chapter LXXV - "Heaven Save Earle!" Chapter LXXVI - "I Shall Wake Up and Find it a Dream" Chapter LXXVII - Trying on the Wedding-Dress Chapter LXXVIII - A Midnight Visitor Chapter LXXIX - Why He Suspected Chapter LXXX - What Happened After Midnight Chapter LXXXI - The Silent Bride Chapter LXXXII - How the News was Told Chapter LXXXIII - The Captain Asks Strange Questions Chapter LXXXIV - A Mother's Anguish Chapter LXXXV - A Surprise for Lord Linleigh Chapter LXXXVI - Haunted by a Dead Face Chapter LXXXVII - Silent Love Rewarded
Chapter I - A Voice and a Face in the Night
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"Hush! For the love of mercy, hush, I cannot bear it!"
But that which called forth this protest was only the lisping prayer ofa little child at its mother's knee.
Patty Brace lifted the white-robed figure to her lap, and rested thebrown head on her bosom.
"Mark!" she said, in mild remonstrance, looking at her husband.
"I say I cannot bear it. You have her pray, 'God bless my home.' It istoo much."
"But why not? On this wild, stormy night, when other little ones may beout in the dashing rain and moaning wind, is it not right to pray, 'Godbless our home?'"
"But how long will we have a home, Patty? Think of to-morrow! oh, Heavenhelp me to-morrow! Ruined, disgraced, going out from the home where Iwas born, and forced into exile. I cannot bear it. We shall never have ahome again, and our child will grow up homeless!"
"Dear Mark, you cannot go out disgraced when you have done no wrong; andhomeless you will not be, for home is where the heart is, and in anyland we three will be together, and Heaven over all."
"I cannot feel as you do, Patty. I am not gentle and good as you. Iblame myself that by going security for that smooth-tongued rascal, whommay a curse—"
"Hush!" said Patty, with sudden authority. "Mark, you shall not cursefriend, neighbor, nor enemy. It is not your nature; it is wrong. If youcurse any one how can you look to have prayer answered?"
"Prayer!" said Mark, bitterly. "I begin not to believe in prayer, orgoodness, or any such thing. You have prayed, and that innocent littlevictim on your bosom has prayed, in her baby way, and has Heaven heard?No! We lose our home, and I was born here!"
Heavier grew the round brown head of the two-year-old child on Patty'sbreast, the little tanned hands fell apart with a sleepy grace, and theplump, sunburnt face took the moist flush of childhood's deep rest.
Patty looked at her husband. He leaned against the wooden mantel-shelf,the ruddy light of the fire leaped across his sorrowful face, and thewife saw his bronzed cheek wet, with not unmanly tears.
Beyond him, in the range of her vision, was the window looking towardthe garden, and between the bushes of lilac and guelder-roses, Patty hada swift vision of a tall woman, robed in black, a thin white face,looking eagerly into the cheerful farm-kitchen.
She leaped to her feet. But the vision had faded; only the wind sweptthe wet lilac boughs against the pane, only the guelder-roses lookedlike tall, dark, draped forms in the stormy night.
"What is it?" said Mark, as she started.
"Nothing," said the wife; "little Mattie sleeps; I must carry her up tobed." She chided herself for her fancies.
"Nothing!" said Mark. "I have become nervous and womanish with mymisery. Do you know, Patty, even now I keep looking for some one orsomething to come and save me."
"It is never too late," said Patty. "Heaven could save you now—save youeven by so frail a thing as this baby child."
She passed to the upper room, and left Mark still in his misery hastilyretracing his past, in gloomy thought. Patty returned and stoodwistfully, her hand on his arm.
"Don't despond, Mark. We are young, strong, loving. We will give honestwork for honest bread."
"It is not right for the innocent to perish with the guilty," criedMark, vehemently; "for you and baby Mattie to perish with me."
"You are not perishing, and how have you been guilty."
"I seem to have been guilty, somehow, all along. My father left me thisfarm in fairly good order, the lease for my life and one after me. Icould not rest content. I must improve the land, and improve theoutbuildings, and improve the breed of my cattle and sheep, like afool."
"No, like neither a knave nor a fool; like an enterprising farmer,wanting to improve his prospects and grow with the age. Did not the Dukeof Downsbury say you were one of his best tenants, and that you were apattern of good farming and industry?"
"And then," said Mark, intent on saying bitter things of himself, "I hada thousand pounds, my father's savings, and instead of leaving it wherehe placed it, at safe, low interest, I must let the men of the great newBank of Downsbury persuade me to give all to them for big interest; andthat bubble burst, the bank collapsed, swindled every one, and left menothing."
"No blame to you, and you were left your good name. Are you not known,in all the country, as Honest Mark Brace?"
"I must be a scoundrel some way, Patty, to have such luck."
"Go on and tell your sins," said Patty. "You married a girl withoutmoney, Patty Leslie by name; you took care of her widowed mother tillshe died; and you were so foolish as to have a little girl-child, whocan only eat and not earn."
"Heaven bless her and you!" said Mark. "Marrying the best wife in theworld was about the only good deed I ever did—What do you start thatway for again, Patty?"
"Hark! I heard such a strange noise—a pitiful wail."
"Not further off than my heart," said Mark. "I heard nothing. Oncemarried, Patty, think how harvest after harvest has been poor, andseasons bad, so I could not lay up a penny."
"Not your fault—Mark, I know I hear a cry."
"No, no; my ears are keen; I hear nothing. It is the storm. Even thewind and rain are crying after the out-going of the Brace blood from thefarm of Brackenside. Oh, Patty, why could I not let well enough alone,and not go and sign security for that villain, Amwell?"
"You did it out of pure heart-kindness. You thought him honest and intro