When his lordship took up his quarters in his town residence he left his daughter at the old ancestral home, where, during his absence, she reigned supreme. This just suited her, for, like her father, she was immensely fond of having her own way.
With all his intellect and acquirements, how blind was the haughty nobleman to the common affairs of life—how little did he reckon upon the danger which beset his daughter’s path at this time!
An Italian professor taught her music and singing. He was, as many Italians are, a remarkably handsome young man, and he had a voice which was simply magnificent.
Bending over the piano, and turning over the leaves of the music, he had ample opportunity afforded him of coming in close contact with his fair pupil.
His visits—or lessons would be the more correct term—were much more frequent during his lordship’s absence than they were when he was residing at Broxbridge; even the servants could not help noticing this.
A thought came into the head of the music-master—indeed, it had been there for a very long time; it was this—
“What a grand future I shall make for myself,” he murmured, “if I woo and win the Honourable Miss Ethalwood!”
To do the Italian professor justice, he was really not actuated by mercenary motives. He had conceived a passion for his pupil, and, as a natural consequence, she became aware of this without his uttering a word relative to so important a subject.
The professor had all the qualities to captivate one of the opposite sex.
He was light-hearted, animated, had no inconsiderable amount of passionate eloquence, and was, in short, a very dangerous man to hover about a thoughtless and inexperienced girl.