Warm with hope, he returned with a lover's haste to Devonshire,
where he gained the approval of the earl and countess, won the hand and
seemingly the heart of their beautiful daughter, and was speedily united
to the lady of his love, and became for the time being the happiest man
in England.
But before the honey-moon was well over, the faithless friend and
subject realized that he had a difficult and dangerous part to play. He
did not dare let Edgar see his wife, for fear of the instant detection
of his artifice, and he employed every pretence to keep her in the
country. His duties at the court brought him frequently to London, but
with the skill at excuses he had formerly shown he contrived to satisfy
for the time the queries of the king and the importunities of his wife,
who had a natural desire to visit the capital and to shine at the king's
court.
Athelwold was sailing between Scylla and Charybdis. He could scarcely
escape being wrecked on the rocks of his own falsehood. The enemies who
always surround a royal favorite were not long in surmising the truth,
and lost no time in acquainting Edgar with their suspicions.
Confirmation was not wanting. There were those in London who had seen
Elfrida.
Pages:
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48