Chapter 1

Summary

“Oh!” in a half-satisfied tone was the only answer Charles made and the evening passed off as usual. Alixe took her guittar [sic] and sang her prettiest airs, Charles occasionally singing second to those he knew, or occupied in watching the beautiful laughing mouth and dark blue eyes of the fair songstress, while Lady St Clair, whose health was by no means good, reclined on the sofa.

In this happy manner some days and weeks past [sic] till the time drew near for the annual visit to town. Alixe prepared for this with great alacrity and Charles more than once caught her at the glass, balancing between two colours or hesitating whether a chaplet of pink or white roses became her best. This was a great matter of amusement and “Oh Alixe! fie how vain you grow” and “Yes, but dear Charles which shall I take?” were repeated I will not say how many times.

A few days before the departure Alixe, rising with her guittar in her hand, dropped some trinket which was suspended to a gold chain around her neck. Charles stepped hastily forward to prevent its fall, but it had reached the ground and his foot was on it before he was aware where it had fallen. Alixe clasped her hands as he drew his foot away. “Oh my harp, my poor little harp,” said she. And stooping, she picked it up, gazed on it a moment and to Charles's astonishment actually burst into tears.

He stood petrified, and at length, gently taking it out of her hand, said, – “I dare say it can be mended. Do not cry, pray do not dearest. Any jeweller can do it. I could do it myself. I am very sorry indeed, it was great awkwardness.”

“Oh no, dear,” said Alixe who had recovered and was apparently rather ashamed of having wept for a trinket. “You could not help it. It cannot be mended, it need not be mended. Indeed, I do not care about it.”

She extended her hand eagerly for the trinket, but Charles smiled and put it in his pocket. “No, no, as I did the mischief, I will endeavour to remedy it. And as you do not care for it, why the attempt, if it fail, can do no harm.” Alixe made no answer and they soon after separated for the night.