The Midnight Queen [79]
Leoline?"
"I know nothing of him but his name."
"Then do not seek to know," said La Masque, emphatically. "For
it is a secret you would tremble to hear. And now I must leave
you. Come with me to the door, and fasten it as soon as I go
out, lest you should forget it altogether."
Leoline, with a dazed expression, thrust the precious little
casket into the bosom of her dress, and taking up the lamp,
preceded her visitor down stairs. At the door they paused, and
La Masque, with her hand on her arm, repeated, in a low, earnest
voice
"Leoline, beware of Count L'Estrange, and become Lady Kingsley as
soon as you can."
"I will bear that name to-morrow!" thought Leoline, with a glad
little thrill at her heart, as La Masque flitted out into the
moonlight.
Leoline closed and locked the door, driving the bolts into their
sockets, and making all secure. "I defy any one to get in again
tonight!" she said, smiling at her own dexterity; and lamp in
hand, she ran lightly up stairs to read the long unsolved riddle.
So eager was she, that she had crossed the room, laid the lamp on
the table, and sat down before it, ere she became aware that she
was not alone. Some one was leaning against the mantel, his arm
on it, and his eyes do her, gazing with an air of incomparable
coolness and ease. It was a man this time - something more than
a man,- a count, and Count L'Estrange, at that!
Leoline sprang to her feet with a wild scream, a cry full of
terror, amaze, and superstitious dread; and the count raised his
band with a self-possessed smile.
"Pardon, fair Leoline, if I intrude! But have I not a right to
come at all hours and visit my bride?"
"Leoline is no bride of yours!" retorted that young lady,
passionately, her indignation overpowering both fear and
surprise. "And, what is more, never will be! Now, sir!"
"So my little bird of paradise can fire up, I see! As to your
being my bride, that remains to be seen. You promised to be
tonight, you know!"
"Then I'll recall that promise. I have changed my mind."
"Well, that's not very astonishing; it is but the privilege of
your sex! Nevertheless, I'm afraid I must insist on your
becoming Countess L'Estrange, and that immediately!"
"Never, sir! I will die first!"
"Oh, no! We could not spare such a bright little beauty out of
this ugly world! You will live, and live for me!"
"Sir!" cried Leoline, white with passion, and her black eyes
blazing with a fire that would have killed him, could fiery
glances slay! I do not know how you have entered here; but I do
know, if you are a gentleman, you will leave me instantly! Go
sir! I never wish to see you again!"
"But when I wish to see you so much, my darling Leoline," said
the count, with provoking indifference, "what does a little
reluctance on your part signify? Get your hood and mantle, my
love - my horse awaits us without - and let us fly where neither
plague nor mortal man will interrupt our nuptials!"
"Will no one take this man away?" she cried, looking helplessly
round, and wringing her hands.
"Certainly not, my dear - not even Sir Norman Kingsley! George,
I am afraid this pretty little vixen will not go peaceably; you
had better come in!"
With a smile on his face, he took a step toward her. Shrieking
wildly, she darted across the room, and made for the door, just
as somebody else was entering it. The next instant, a shawl was
thrown over her head, her cries smothered in it, and she was
lifted in a pair of strong arms, carried down stairs, and out
into the night.
CHAPTER XVI.
THE THIRD VISION.
Presentments are strange things. From the first moment Sir
Norman entered the city, and his thoughts had been able to leave
Miranda and find themselves wholly on Leoline, a heavy foreboding
of evil to her had oppressed him. Some danger,
"I know nothing of him but his name."
"Then do not seek to know," said La Masque, emphatically. "For
it is a secret you would tremble to hear. And now I must leave
you. Come with me to the door, and fasten it as soon as I go
out, lest you should forget it altogether."
Leoline, with a dazed expression, thrust the precious little
casket into the bosom of her dress, and taking up the lamp,
preceded her visitor down stairs. At the door they paused, and
La Masque, with her hand on her arm, repeated, in a low, earnest
voice
"Leoline, beware of Count L'Estrange, and become Lady Kingsley as
soon as you can."
"I will bear that name to-morrow!" thought Leoline, with a glad
little thrill at her heart, as La Masque flitted out into the
moonlight.
Leoline closed and locked the door, driving the bolts into their
sockets, and making all secure. "I defy any one to get in again
tonight!" she said, smiling at her own dexterity; and lamp in
hand, she ran lightly up stairs to read the long unsolved riddle.
So eager was she, that she had crossed the room, laid the lamp on
the table, and sat down before it, ere she became aware that she
was not alone. Some one was leaning against the mantel, his arm
on it, and his eyes do her, gazing with an air of incomparable
coolness and ease. It was a man this time - something more than
a man,- a count, and Count L'Estrange, at that!
Leoline sprang to her feet with a wild scream, a cry full of
terror, amaze, and superstitious dread; and the count raised his
band with a self-possessed smile.
"Pardon, fair Leoline, if I intrude! But have I not a right to
come at all hours and visit my bride?"
"Leoline is no bride of yours!" retorted that young lady,
passionately, her indignation overpowering both fear and
surprise. "And, what is more, never will be! Now, sir!"
"So my little bird of paradise can fire up, I see! As to your
being my bride, that remains to be seen. You promised to be
tonight, you know!"
"Then I'll recall that promise. I have changed my mind."
"Well, that's not very astonishing; it is but the privilege of
your sex! Nevertheless, I'm afraid I must insist on your
becoming Countess L'Estrange, and that immediately!"
"Never, sir! I will die first!"
"Oh, no! We could not spare such a bright little beauty out of
this ugly world! You will live, and live for me!"
"Sir!" cried Leoline, white with passion, and her black eyes
blazing with a fire that would have killed him, could fiery
glances slay! I do not know how you have entered here; but I do
know, if you are a gentleman, you will leave me instantly! Go
sir! I never wish to see you again!"
"But when I wish to see you so much, my darling Leoline," said
the count, with provoking indifference, "what does a little
reluctance on your part signify? Get your hood and mantle, my
love - my horse awaits us without - and let us fly where neither
plague nor mortal man will interrupt our nuptials!"
"Will no one take this man away?" she cried, looking helplessly
round, and wringing her hands.
"Certainly not, my dear - not even Sir Norman Kingsley! George,
I am afraid this pretty little vixen will not go peaceably; you
had better come in!"
With a smile on his face, he took a step toward her. Shrieking
wildly, she darted across the room, and made for the door, just
as somebody else was entering it. The next instant, a shawl was
thrown over her head, her cries smothered in it, and she was
lifted in a pair of strong arms, carried down stairs, and out
into the night.
CHAPTER XVI.
THE THIRD VISION.
Presentments are strange things. From the first moment Sir
Norman entered the city, and his thoughts had been able to leave
Miranda and find themselves wholly on Leoline, a heavy foreboding
of evil to her had oppressed him. Some danger,