She maintained with Lord Cadurcis
a constant correspondence; he wrote to her every day, and although
they were separated, there was not an incident of his life, and
scarcely a thought, of which she was not cognisant. It was with great
difficulty that George could induce himself to remain in London; but
Masham, who soon obtained over him all the influence which Venetia
desired, ever opposed his return to the abbey. The good Bishop was not
unaware of the feelings with which Lord Cadurcis looked back to the
hall of Cherbury, and himself of a glad and sanguine temperament, he
indulged in a belief in the consummation of all that happiness for
which his young friend, rather sceptically, sighed. But Masham was
aware that time could alone soften the bitterness of Venetia's sorrow,
and prepare her for that change of life which he felt confident
would alone ensure the happiness both of herself and her mother. He
therefore detained Lord Cadurcis in London the whole of the sessions
that, on his return to Cherbury, his society might be esteemed a novel
and agreeable incident in the existence of its inhabitants, and not be
associated merely with their calamities.
It was therefore about a year after the catastrophe which had so
suddenly changed the whole tenor of their lives, and occasioned so
unexpected a revolution in his own position, that Lord Cadurcis
arrived at his ancestral seat, with no intention of again speedily
leaving it.
Pages:
660
661
662
663
664
665
666
667
668
669
670
671
672
673
674
675
676
677
678
679
680
681
682
683
684