Book-bot.com - read famous books online for free

My Novel — Volume 10 by Baron Edward Bulwer Lytton Lytton
page 51 of 149 (34%)
"And I," said L'Estrange, calmly, "tell you already that I fear you no
more." He bowed, and passed through the crowd to rejoin Audley, who was
seated in a corner whispering with some of his political colleagues.
Before Harley reached the minister, he found himself close to Randal and
young Hazeldean.

He bowed to the first, and extended his hand to the last. Randal felt
the distinction, and his sullen, bitter pride was deeply galled,--a
feeling of hate towards Harley passed into his mind. He was pleased to
see the cold hesitation with which Frank just touched the hand offered to
him. But Randal had not been the only person whose watch upon Beatrice
the keen-eyed Harley had noticed. Harley had seen the angry looks of
Frank Hazeldean, and divined the cause. So he smiled forgivingly at the
slight he had received. "You are like me, Mr. Hazeldean," said he. "You
think something of the heart should go with all courtesy that bespeaks
friendship--

"'The hand of Douglas is his own.'"

Here Harley drew aside Randal. "Mr. Leslie, a word with you. If I
wished to know the retreat of Dr. Riccabocca, in order to render him a
great service, would you confide to me that secret?"

"That woman has let out her suspicions that I know the exile's retreat,"
thought Randal; and with quick presence of mind, he replied at once,

"My Lord, yonder stands a connection of Dr. Riccabocca's. Mr. Hazeldean
is surely the person to whom you should address this inquiry."

"Not so, Mr. Leslie; for I suspect that he cannot answer it, and that you
DigitalOcean Referral Badge