Rising from his chair, he began to pace the large
room. The immaculate butler came in, made up the fire, and placed the
tea: domestic and comfortable rites, in grim contrast with the story
that held the minds of Lady Lucy and her guest. She sat motionless
meanwhile; the butler withdrew, and the tea remained untouched.
"Sir Francis and Lady Wing--the two fiends who got possession of
her--had been settled at Brighton for about a year. Their debts had
obliged them to leave London, and they had not yet piled up a sufficient
mountain of fresh ones to drive them out of Brighton. The man was the
disreputable son of a rich and hard-working father who, in the usual
way, had damned his son by removing all incentives to work, and turning
him loose with a pile of money. He had married an adventuress--a girl
with a music-hall history, some beauty, plenty of vicious ability, and
no more conscience than a stone. They were the centre of a gambling and
racing set; but Lady Wing was also a very fine musician, and it was
through this talent of hers that she and Juliet Sparling became
acquainted. They met, first, at a charity concert! Mrs. Sparling had a
fine voice, Lady Wing accompanied her.
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