The Lovels of Arden

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Lovels of Arden , The

The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Lovels of Arden, by M. E. Braddon #5 in our series by M. E. Braddon
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Title: The Lovels of Arden
Author: M. E. Braddon
Release Date: December, 2005 [EBook #9475] [Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] [This file was first posted on October 4, 2003]
Edition: 10
Language: English
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[Illustration: Henry French, del.
E. Evans, sc.
"Mr. Granger seated himself by his wife's side and bent down to kiss hisson without waking him."]
THE
LOVELS OF ARDEN
BY THE AUTHOR OF
"LADY AUDLEY'S SECRET," "AURORA FLOYD," "VIXEN," "ISHMAEL," ETC., ETC., ETC.
CHEAP UNIFORM EDITION OF MISS BRADDON'S NOVELS.
_Price 2s. picture boards; 2s. 6d. cloth gilt; 3s. 6d. half parchment or half morocco; postage 4d._
MISS BRADDON'S NOVELS
INCLUDING
"LADY AUDLEY'S SECRET," "VIXEN," "ISHMAEL," ETC.
"No one can be dull who has a novel by Miss Braddon in hand. The most tiresome journey is beguiled, and the most wearisome illness is brightened, by any one of her books."
"Miss Braddon is the Queen of the circulating libraries."--_The World._
N.B.--There are now 43 Novels always in print. For full list see back of cover, or apply for a Catalogue, to be sent (post free).

CONTENTS
CHAP.
I. COMING HOME II. BEGINNING THE WORLD III. FATHER AND DAUGHTER IV. CLARISSA IS "TAKEN UP" V. AT HALE CASTLE VI. AND THIS IS GEORGE FAIRFAX VII. DANGEROUS GROUND VIII. SMOULDERING FIRES IX. LADY LAURA DIPLOMATISES X. LADY LAURA'S PREPARATIONS XI. DANIEL GRANGER XII. MR. GRANGER IS INTERESTED XIII. OPEN TREASON XIV. THE MORNING AFTER XV. CHIEFLY PATERNAL XVI. LORD CHALDERWOOD IS THE CAUSE OF INCONVENIENCE XVII. "'TIS DEEPEST WINTER IN LORD TIMON'S PURSE" XVIII. SOMETHING FATAL XIX. MR. GRANGER IS PRECIPITATE XX. MODEL VILLAGERS XXI. VERY FAR GONE XXII. TAKING THE PLEDGE XXIII. "HE'S SWEETEST FRIEND, OR HARDEST FOE" XXIV. "IT MEANS ARDEN COURT" XXV. WEDDING BELLS XXVI. COMING HOME XXVII. IN THE SEASON XXVIII. MR. WOOSTER XXIX. "IF I SHOULD MEET THEE--" XXX. THE HEIR OF ARDEN XXXI. THE NEAREST WAY TO CARLSRUHE XXXII. AUSTIN XXXIII. ONLY A PORTRAIT-PAINTER XXXIV. AUSTIN'S PROSPECTS XXXV. SISTERS-IN-LAW XXXVI. "AND THROUGH THE LIFE HAVE I NOT WRIT MY NAME?" XXXVII. STOLEN HOURS XXXVIII. "FROM CLARISSA" XXXIX. THAT IS WHAT LOVE MEANS XL. LYING IN WAIT XLI. MR. GRANGER'S WELCOME HOME XLII. CAUGHT IN A TRAP XLIII. CLARISSA'S ELOPEMENT XLIV. UNDER THE SHADOW OF ST. GUDULE XLV. TEMPTATION XLVI. ON THE WING XLVII. IN TIME OF NEED XLVIII. "STRANGERS YET" XLIX. BEGINNING AGAIN L. HOW SUCH THINGS END
CHAPTER I.
COMING HOME.
The lamps of the Great Northern Terminus at King's Cross had not long been lighted, when a cab deposited a young lady and her luggage at the departure platform. It was an October twilight, cold and gray, and the place had a cheerless and dismal aspect to that solitary young traveller, to whom English life and an English atmosphere were somewhat strange.
She had been seven years abroad, in a school near Paris; rather an expensive seminary, where the number of pupils was limited, the masters and mistresses, learned in divers modern accomplishments, numerous, and the dietary of foreign slops and messes without stint.
Dull and gray as the English sky seemed to her, and dreary as was the aspect of London in October, this girl was glad to return to her native land. She had felt herself very lonely in the French school, forgotten and deserted by her own kindred, a creature to be pitied; and hers was a nature to which pity was a torture. Other girls had gone home to England for their holidays; but vacation after vacation went by, and every occasion brought Clarissa Lovel the same coldly worded letter from her father, telling her that it was not convenient for him to receive her at home, that he had heard with pleasure of her progress, and that experienced people with whom he had conferred, had agreed with him that any interruption to the regular course of her