Cousin Stella (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. 1859 edition. Excerpt: ... chapter xv. spring buds open. Mb. Gautier had been six weeks an inmate of Waterloo Cottage when Stella waved before his eyes, as banners of joy, the two Jamaica letters. The address on the one was written by feeble, uncertain fingers; on the other, every letter was clear and firm as print, yet delicate and minute: you would have said at once that it had been a labour of love. Stella had admired this writing, wondered over it, and then contrasted it with her own miserable, rough, unshapely penmanship. She had taken possession of the letters, her cousin having gone out earlier than usual to wait on an influential M. P. believed to favour tho West Indian interest. Stella had been busy and preoccupied with these letters all day: first, she placed them conspicuously on the head of the bronze statuette paper-weight on Mr. Gautier's writing-table, going in and out of the room to make sure of the striking effect of her arrangement. She knew how these letters had been longed for, so much so, that she had often lately felt, when fancying her cousin more than usually dull and depressed, that she would have braved fire and water to bring back cheerfulness to his eyes. The more cousin Stella sympathized, the less, however, could cousin Louis divine the strength of her sympathy, for it made her as brooding and silent as himself. On the contrary, he set down this change in her spirits, this shade on her brow, this abstraction in her manner, to Mr. Smythe's account. Mr. Gautier was sorry to think this, nay, he was grieved; there was a feeling also of disappointment in his mind Under his taciturnity lay a heroic, chivalrous nature, which had instinctively recognised a counterpart in young Stella Joddrell and he had dwelt on the discovery with an emotion...