Page:Lady Anne Granard 2.pdf/292

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290
LADY ANNE GRANARD.

shall, Count;" and taking Lady Anne's hand, she, with great respect, stooped to kiss it, and then hurried out of the room, taking the Count with her the moment he had performed the same devoir.

"How glad I am they are gone!" said Lady Anne to Helen, as she returned into the room. "Louisa is so healthy, she is quite vulgar-looking! By the way, I have never seen her child; remember that it is brought to me early in the morning. The Count is unquestionably become a Methodist, or something of that kind. How shocking! so very well looking a man as he is!"

"He is very handsome, for his years; and so good and kind!"

"His years!—Years! One would really think you were all gone mad together! What extraordinary words have I heard the chimes rung on this day! Danger!—conscience!—consumption!—years! You must all have a passion like the king in the play, for 'skulls and epitaphs and graves.' You look like a corpse yourself, that's certain; so I shall send you to Rotheles Castle, and get something better to look at."

"Send me away!" said Helen, with a face of great dismay.

"I shall set out for London the day after tomorrow, and soon after that, you will be exchanged for Georgiana. Lord Rotheles will contrive about