Kate was sitting, near the window, in her room, waiting until the household had sunk into silence before she laid down to sleep, when the door was softly opened by Lady Desmond, who entered, saying—
"Are you awake? Oh! you have not gone to bed."
"Dear Georgy!" exclaimed Miss Vernon, rising to meet her, "I hope you did not think me rude for running away so selfishly, but—"
"Not a word more," interrupted her cousin, passing her arm caressingly round her, "you were right to do as you felt inclined—indeed I fear I was inconsiderate in asking you to join us, nor was there anything very attractive in our guests."
There was a pause for some moments; and then, Lady Desmond, drawing Kate closer to the window, asked—
"Are you sleepy, love?"
"No, dear Georgy, not in the least."
"Then I will resume my revelations. I have not felt in the mood to do so before, and you were wise and kind not to urge me."
"Go on then, dearest," said Kate, "I long to hear your story."
"When first I met Lord Effingham at Naples," began Lady Desmond, withdrawing her arm from Kate, and resting the other against the window-frame, "I had been rather bored by the perpetual gossip about him always floating in the society there, and, at the same time, I was intensely fatigued by the utter absence of anything like interest in the world at large. I had no particular object—I was so perfectly my own mistress—I had not even the excitement of imagining what I would do if I could, for I had the power of accomplishing every rational wish. I was wearied of the excessive attentions and admiration of a dozen needy adorers, and, in short, ennuye'd. In this happy and commendable frame of mind, I dragged myself listlessly to a birthday dinner at the English Ambassador's; and accident placed me next a gentleman, so quietly distingué, that nine out of ten observers, would not have noticed him; my attention was attracted by his being a stranger in a circle where each was known to each, and I was rather surprised when Lady W—— introduced him to me as Lord Effingham. He handed me down to dinner; but if I give you all these frivolous particulars, I shall not come to the end of my story until morning. There was an indescribable fascination for me in his manner. You must have observed the sense of power it conveys—the impression that there is something ever to be revealed, which you can never fathom, while he reads all your thoughts; the constant air of cool indifference you have seen; but the occasional softness, so exquisite in its flattering suggestions, you have not. Ah, Kate, I little thought as I drove home that night, feeling life had still something left to wish for, something still to excite, that the time would come when I as ardently desired to have that passage wiped away from my existence.