The Woman I Loved and the Woman Who Loved Me; A Tuscan Wedding (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1872 edition. Excerpt: ...enjoy a positive monopoly of beauty at Speynings. It is not fair at all to the rest of England. First, there is Mrs. Spencer. Consider that I cry 'chapeau bas' when I name her. Then, Mrs. Maynard, who has the blackest hair, parted on the whitest forehead I have ever seen in woman. Then, lastly--by no means least--Miss Egerton: what a fine young woman " "Not exactly a fine young woman, Mannering; she is so very small." "Yes, I know she is; but there is a manner, a pose of the head, nevertheless, that is very fine. There is something so frank and true in her expression; and you remember those lines, 'And truth might for its mirror hold That eye of matchless blue. ' " "No." "I dare say not; Scott is not appreciated as he was in my days. Well, as I said before, it isn't fair; and were I a younger man, I think I should try to carry off the single lady at all events. What say you, Lascelles?" "I beg your pardon; I did not hear you. What were you talking about?" "Miss Egerton's beauty." "Ah " Mannering looked at him with surprise at the listless "Ah " and then shrugged his shoulders, and muttering something which sounded like "soft in the head," went on with me. We were now on the grounds of Speynings, and saw that some of the ladies had come out to meet us. We had to undergo a storm of questioning and congratulation and expostulation before we were allowed to dismount. At last we did so, and I went in. I did not see Marian. I was told she and Nina were on the terrace. I was glad to be alone for a few minutes. I threw myself on a chair, and buried my face in my hands. I had been interested and...