This eBook was produced by David Widger
We left Jasper Losely resting for the night at the small town nearFawley. The next morning he walked on to the old Manor-house. It wasthe same morning in which Lady Montfort had held her painful interviewwith Darrell; and just when Losely neared the gate that led into thesmall park, he saw her re-enter the hired vehicle in waiting for her. Asthe carriage rapidly drove past the miscreant, Lady Montfort looked forthfrom the window to snatch a last look at the scenes still so clear toher, through eyes blinded by despairing tears. Jasper thus caught sightof her countenance, and recognised her, though she did not even noticehim. Surprised at the sight, he halted by the palings. What could havebrought Lady Montfort there? Could the intimacy his fraud had broken offso many years ago be renewed? If so, why the extreme sadness on the faceof which he had caught but a hurried, rapid glance? Be that as it might,it was no longer of the interest to him it had once been; and afterpondering on the circumstance a minute or two, he advanced to the gate.But while his hand was on the latch, he again paused; how should heobtain admission to Darrell?—how announce himself? If in his own name,would not exclusion be certain?—if as a stranger on business, wouldDarrell be sure to receive him? As he was thus cogitating, his ear,which, with all his other organs of sense, was constitutionally fine as asavage's, caught sound of a faint rustle among the boughs of a thickcopse which covered a part of the little park, terminating at its pales.The rustle came nearer and nearer; the branches were rudely displaced;and in a few moments more Guy Darrell himself came out from the copse,close by the gate, and opening it quickly, stood face to face with hisabhorrent son-in-law. Jasper was startled, but the opportunity was notto be lost. "Mr. Darrell," he said, "I come here again to see you;vouchsafe me, this time, a calmer hearing." So changed was Losely, soabsorbed in his own emotions Darrell, that the words did not at oncewaken up remembrance. "Another time," said Darrell, hastily moving oninto the road; "I am not at leisure now." "Pardon me, NOW," said Losely,unconsciously bringing himself back to the tones and bearing of hisearlier and more civilised years. "You do not remember me, sir; nowonder. But my name is Jasper Losely."
Darrell halted; then, as if spellbound, looked fixedly at the broad-shouldered burly frame before him, cased in its coarse pea-jacket, and inthat rude form, and that defeatured, bloated face, detected, though withstrong effort, the wrecks of the masculine beauty which had ensnared hisdeceitful daughter. Jasper could not have selected a more unpropitiousmoment for his cause. Darrell was still too much under the influence ofrecent excitement and immense sorrow for that supremacy of prudence overpassion which could alone have made him a willing listener to overturesfrom Jasper Losely. And about the man whose connection with himself wasa thought of such bitter shame, there was now so unmistakably the air ofsettled degradation, that all Darrell's instincts of gentleman wererevolted—just at the very time, too, when his pride had been most chafedand assailed by the obtrusion of all that rendered most galling to himthe very name of Jasper Losely. What! Was it that man's asserted childwhom Lionel Haughton desired as a wife?—was the alliance with that manto be thus renewed and strengthened?—that man have another claim to himand his in right of parentage to the bride of his nearest kinsman? What!was it that man's child whom he was asked to recognise as of his ownflesh and bloo