CHAPTER CXXVI.
FURTHER ENTANGLEMENTS.
Lord Ethalwood, at this particular period of his career, stood a fair chance of getting himself into a scrape. His conduct, albeit that of a gentleman, could not, taking the most favourable view of it, be deemed prudent. He was enamoured of his hostess’s charming daughter, but at the same time carried on a flirtation with the maid, which, as discreet persons would say, was in every way reprehensible.
It would have been well for him if he had taken the advice of Agatha, whose acute perceptive faculties enabled her to see the coming storm, which might probably overwhelm more than one of the inmates of Madame Trieste’s establishment.
After the girl’s departure his reflections were by no means of an agreeable character, for at this time the idea of marriage was the very last thing that occurred to him.
He was embued with much of the aristocratic prejudice which formed so strong an element in the character of his ancestor, the late earl, who before his death had made his great grandson promise—nay, indeed, swear—that he would never contract a marriage with any lady who was not nobly born, and it was therefore impossible for him to give his name to a girl of humble and obscure origin.
He had not duly considered this when he first suffered himself to be allured and fascinated by the beautious and susceptible French maiden.
He was not singular in this respect, for hundreds, and indeed thousands, have been equally reckless both before and since.
His mother all this time was in entire ignorance of the course which was being pursued by her erratic son. She suspected something was amiss, perhaps, but then she argued that all members of the aristocracy must have their private amours—it was but in the natural order of things that such should be the case.
Lord Ethalwood came to the conclusion that he had been both unwise and indiscreet, and the only course open to him was flight; he therefore on the following day intimated to Madame Trieste that he intended to return to his own chateau, and much to his surprise the widow did not make any objection to this, but upon the face of her daughter sat an expression of sadness and almost despair. She, however, did not make any observation.