James.
Lady Caroline St. Maurice was nearly of the same age as her cousin, the
young Duke. They had been play-fellows since his emancipation from
the dungeons of Castle Dacre, and every means had been adopted by her
judicious parents to foster and to confirm the kind feelings which had
been first engendered by being partners in the same toys and sharing
the same sports. At eight years old the little Duke was taught to call
Caroline his 'wife;' and as his Grace grew in years, and could better
appreciate the qualities of his sweet and gentle cousin, he was not
disposed to retract the title. When George rejoined the courtly Coronet,
Caroline invariably mingled her tears with those of her sorrowing
spouse; and when the time at length arrived for his departure for Eton,
Caroline knitted him a purse and presented him with a watch-ribbon. At
the last moment she besought her brother, who was two years older, to
watch over him, and soothed the moment of final agony by a promise to
correspond. Had the innocent and soft-hearted girl been acquainted with,
or been able to comprehend, the purposes of her crafty parents, she
could not have adopted means more calculated to accomplish them.
Pages:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25