The verdure of summer still
lingered on the trees; the sky, if not so cloudless, was almost as
refulgent as Italy; and the pigeons, bright and glancing, clustered on
the roof of the hall of Cherbury. The steward was in attendance; the
household, all in deep mourning, were assembled; everything was in
readiness for the immediate arrival of Lady Annabel Herbert.
''Tis nearly four years come Martinmas,' said the grey-headed butler,
'since my lady left us.'
'And no good has come of it,' said the housekeeper. 'And for my part I
never heard of good coming from going to foreign parts.'
'I shall like to see Miss Venetia again,' said a housemaid. 'Bless her
sweet face.'
'I never expected to see her Miss Venetia again from all we heard,'
said a footman.
'God's will be done!' said the grey-headed butler; 'but I hope she
will find happiness at home. 'Tis nigh on twenty years since I first
nursed her in these arms.'
'I wonder if there is any new Lord Cadurcis,' said the footman. 'I
think he was the last of the line.'
'It would have been a happy day if I had lived to have seen the poor
young lord marry Miss Venetia,' said the housekeeper. 'I always
thought that match was made in heaven.'
'He was a sweet-spoken young gentleman,' said the housemaid.
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