One Hour of Madness

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a BY THE SAME AUTHOR FOR GOOD OR EVIL Two Vols., Crown 8vo, 21s. 'The story is graceful and touching. The whole book is full of pathos and power. We heartily commend it to all those who like good and wholesome fiction. Pansy Bruce is a very well drawn character, and so is her wilful cousin. The love story is pleasantly thought out, and the scenes at Baden are especially good. Miss Lyon writes with conviction, and aspires to a high ideal.' — Family Churchman. 'Young ladies inclined to be indiscreet in their pursuit of amusement cannot do better than take to heart the counsels given by Pansy Bruce to the frivolous Zelia, while there is something touching in the affection that exists between these two girls of such dissimilar minds. The novel points an excellent moral without being prosy.' — Morning Post. ' For " Good or Evil " is quite readable.'— Spec tator. ' Let it be said that there is a great simplicity of singleness of purpose about " For Good or Evil." . . .

Some of the situations are good, and the characterisation is successful.' — Academy. 'It is a rare thing in fiction to find lovers more concerned about the happiness of others than of themselves. Such is, however, the case in " For Good or Evil." ... A prettily told story.' — Scotsman. 'An interesting story, and one that will command the suffrages of readers.' — Lady. BY THE SAME AUTHOR ABSENT YET PRESENT ' Miss Lyon has shown in this book a decided advance upon her previous work, the characters are clearer drawn, the dialogue is brisker, and the plot more thoroughly worked out. We can recommend this book. A good, wholesome novel written in a straightforward manner.' — Family Churchman. ' Some of the situations are very rich in genuine pathos.' — Liverpool Post. ' The author has a knack of fluent writing, and at times rises to a quite unexpected level of restrained dramatic vigour.' — Westminster Review. ' The story is told with a good deal of vivacity, and several of the scenes are described with considerable pathos.' — Scots/nan.

DIGBY, LONG & CO., PUBLISHERS, LONDON. BY GILBERTA M. F. LYON AUTHOR OF 'FOR GOOD OR EVIL,' AND ' A-SEIJ-Y-ET present' LONDON DIGBY, LONG & CO., PUBLISHERS j$ BOUVERIE STREET, FLEET STREET, E.C. DIGBY'S POPULAR NOVEL SERIES Crown 8.0, handsome cloth, price 2S. 6_. per Vol. Each Book contains about 320 pp., and is printed on superior paper from new type. Those marked * may be had in Picture Boards at __ THE BEAUTIFUL SOUL. By FLORENCE MARRYAT. Author of ' A Fatal Silence,' &c. YJust Published. THE OTHER BOND. By DORA RUSSELL. Author of ' A Hidden Chain,' &c. YJust Published. A LIFE FOR A LOVE. By L. T. MEADE. Author of ' The Medicine Lady,' &c. {Just Published. FALSE PRETENCES. By ANNIE THOMAS (Mrs Pender Cudlip). Author of ' A Girl's Folly,' ' A Lover of the Day,' &c. [fust Published. HER LOVING SLAVE.

Chapter I Lord Malreward

' YOU must marry for money. I can see no other way of saving the property.' ' What do you think I am made of. Do you imagine I will ask any girl to marry me, simply to save my property ? I am not quite such a cad.' This was said in a stern manner. ' You must, and so you had better do it quickly,' said the old family lawyer in his calm, even voice. ' Damn if I will ! ' was the answer. ' Lord Angus, I have known you ever since you were born. I know your proud nature. Can you stand by and see the home of your ancestors sold ? Will it not be preferable to marry a girl with the money to save it ? ' ' Curtis, I daresay you are trying to advise me for the best, but just fancy marrying some girl who has got her money from black lead, mustard, or some such A thing, and she would always be saying I had married her for her money — I know the sort of young woman.

Fancy putting one of that sort in my mother's place — Mistress of Invercraig. What think you of that ? Nice and charming ! Another old family going down the hill. Think what her family would be like. Such people would never keep in the background. I could hardly say no to them, for the Malreward's property would be retrieved by their money' Lord Malreward ceased speaking, for want of breath. His temper was rapidly getting the better of him. He was tall, rather over six feet ; his face was spoilt by its satirical expression, his brow was low and broad, his eyes brown, which, more often than not, seemed to flash fire, so terribly passionate was his nature, but at times they looked dreamy and even sad. He had regular features ; the mouth was very resolute and veiled by a brown moustache ; his chin showed a strong will ; he was aristocratic looking, but how could he be otherwise, for the Malreward family dated back to the Normans ; certainly no family in Scotland had more blue blood in their veins than the Malrewards, and Angus had hitherto been proud of his race.

They had always been wealthy, but the last Lord Malreward had speculated, unknown to his son. Angus was the only child — brought up without a mother's love, for Lady Malreward had died when her little boy was only five years old, so all his life he had hardly known what it was to have a mother. His father had been stern and cold, and seldom saw his son. He had sent him to Eton, then to Cambridge, where he had taken his degree ; then LORD MALREWARD 3 he had let him travel, so he had seen a considerable portion of the world. Angus had never given a thought to money. His father had supplied him with all he wanted, so he had led an idle life until he was twenty six. He was then in India, when he received a letter telling him of his father's illness, which terminated so fatally, and he had hurried home only to see his parent one hour before he breathed his last.

Lord Malreward's farewell words to his son were, — ' Never part with Invercraig. No one but Malre wards have ever lived here. Promise me, Angus, then I shall die content.' The son, knowing his father had, like all the past generations of Malrewards, lived there, thought he could do the same, so he answered in all good faith, — ' I promise, father, never to let or sell Invercraig.' He little knew what the fulfilment of that promise would entail. His father had now been dead six months, and in those months he had learnt how im possible it was for him to live at Invercraig, for the late baronet's rash speculations had left him only as many hundreds a year as he had had thousands. His father's death came just before the final crash, so he died without knowing the worst Angus was lost in thought.

He was meditating on his promise — how difficult it would be to carry out. 'Well, what do you intend doing?' asked Mr Curtis, looking at his client. 'I am tired ofthe subject. I am getting muddled with all my wretched thoughts,' replied the young man. Then he said, ' Marry, I suppose ; only it must be done as quickly as possible. I cannot part with my home, so I will marry. No doubt my title will smooth away many difficulties, with black lead or mustard,' he added, with a bitter laugh which made the old lawyer shiver. ' Do you know anyone — I mean, any young lady with enough money ? ' 'Yes; Miss Frances Smith, tall, with red hair, angular figure, ugh ! I never heard how her wealth was acquired. She is staying with Lady Torquil at present. I am going to her ball to-morrow night. She shall have the chance of a title in a few hours' time, lucky girl ! ' ' Lord Angus, do you mean this ? ' ' Of course I do.

Am I a man to say such things if I do not intend to carry them out? It is either lose my home or marry. Ah, ah ! life is queer ! I thought I was proud, but I suppose I am not if I can lower myself to this. Good-night, Curtis ; thank you for coming. I will let you know when the wedding day is fixed.' ' Good-night ; I hope you will never repent saving Invercraig.' With that the lawyer left the room. Malreward did not give himself time to reflect. He went to his club, where his friends wondered at his exuberant spirits. They little knew of the passion the man was trying to curb — how he dared not speculate on the future. What was the future he had wished ? Surely not what he was now contemplating. He had no wish to marry for years, for he had never seen the woman he would care to call wife. He hoped now never to do so.

He must be content with a loveless, LORD MALREWARD 5 mercenary marriage. But would wealth be equivalent to love in his case ? He would be able to keep Inver craig as it had never been before, improve all his pro perty and be a model landlord. Perhaps money would satisfy him after all. Anyhow, Invercraig would be safe. He could not part with the home of his ancestors. Which was better — to wed Frances Smith or lose that ? What was the use of asking himself the question? Had he not promised his father ? But it was paying a bitter price to keep it. He could not repress the satirical smile which curled his lips when he said the name of Frances Smith to himself. Angus Malreward was proud, and revolted at the very idea of bringing trade into his family. It was not that he had any particular dislike to trade.

He had friends who went into the City every day — very good, worthy men ; he even admired them for doing it, and sometimes wished he had a settled occupation himself. The idle life he led occasionally gave him a feeling of discontent, but his father never would hear of his taking up any profession, thus it came about he was compelled to marry for money. He could scarcely tolerate the thought of his home being sup ported by trade. A Malreward had never had any thing to do with commerce. He would be the first to introduce it ; that was the sting, and in thirty hours' time he would know his fate. He never had a doubt that the girl would refuse his title ; those sort of people must expect no love from such as he. If she would marry him for his title, he could marry her for her money ; they would be quits, at anyrate.

The difference was great. He would lower himself ; that was a bitter thought. She would have married into a good old family. Then, of course, she could not be ex pected to have the same refined feelings he had ; she must be so different to the women he had always associated with — not that he judged all women who had come by their wealth through trade, as he had her. Of course, many men had to go into business, but he could see that Miss Smith never came from the aristocracy. The next morning he awoke with the same bitter feelings, and knew such a marriage would be a degradation. He was too young to settle down, and wished to see more of life, for he would never be able to go out into society if he married Miss Smith, as he would be ashamed of her. He knew that was an unworthy thought, for she was as good as three parts of what is called the upper ten thousand.

How many of them could stand having their grandparents brought to the fore ? yes ; and even their own parents ? As yet the Malrewards were unimpeachable, but he could not part with his home. The thought that he did not love anyone was comforting, therefore he would only harm himself. Then came flashing through his brain — should he be wronging the woman he made his wife ? His conscience whispered yes ! but he would not listen to that. He was too excited at present. He must not think too much. Time enough for that when it was all settled. What his feelings would then be must be left to the future.

Chapter II Who Was Miss Smith's

FATHER? THE afternoon of the ball, Angus called on his mother's only sister, Mrs Pellam, a widow who lived in Queen's Gate, and as she had never had any children, she had always treated Lord Malreward more as a son than a nephew, and he was devoted to his aunt. In appearance she was a tall, stately woman, with pretty grey hair and kind, dark eyes. She had just returned from paying a round of calls when her nephew arrived. ' You have not been to see me for ages,' she exclaimed, in a pleased voice. ' I am sorry, Aunt Mary, but I have been so busy,' he answered, thoughtfully. Then, eagerly, he asked, ' Are you going to Lady Torquil's ball to-night ? ' ' Yes ; and I hear she has that Miss Smith staying with her again.' ' Who was Miss Smith's father, do you know ? ' he asked, in firm, even tones. ' Old Smith of Birmingham, and made pepper.

Why?' ' Is he dead ? ' asked Angus, without answering his aunt's question. 'Yes. She has cousins who live down at Wey mouth, otherwise she is alone in the world. Do you know her, Angus ? ' ' Yes.' He was trying to keep calm ; he wanted to tell her all, but it was harder to do than he had thought it would be. So he began after a few minutes in a hard voice very unlike his own. ' I saw Curtis yesterday, and I shall have to part with Invercraig unless — unless — I marry for money, and it must be done quickly. What do you think of that. So I am going to settle the matter to-night, if the lady will consent to buy my title,' he ended, with a bitter laugh. ' What do you mean, Angus ? You are surely not going to ask any girl to marry you simply for her money? ' gasped Mrs Pellam. ' That is just my intention.

I marry for money — she for a title — quits, aunt, don't you think ? ' ' Angus, do not joke on a subject of this sort,' she said, in a low, pained way. ' I do not see any joke myself,' he answered, with a slight break in his rich voice. She looked at him and saw he was in earnest. She rose and came over to where he sat and put her hand on his shoulder. ' Poor, poor boy ; is it as bad as that ? Must you part with your home ? ' ' Yes, unless I marry. I am not in love with any girl — I never have been — so what does it signify. If I loved another, that would be different. I would WHO WAS MISS SMITH'S FATHER? 9 then let my old home and try to start a new life and work for her sake. If one loved a girl, I suppose one would work rather than lose her. I know I would ; but as I do not love anyone, I mean to marry a rich girl, and live at Invercraig.

Anyhow, that will be keeping my promise to father. I often think it was cruel of him to make me promise — ' ' You will love some day. What will you do then ? ' ' Do ! I shall be married. I do not fancy it is in me to love ; anyhow, I will not ; and I intend to ask Miss Smith to-night to be my wife.' He shuddered and turned away. He could not trust himself to look into his aunt's kind and loving eyes. ' But she is not the sort the Malrewards have ever married,' said Mrs Pellam. ' No ; I know I am striking out in a different line, but I promised never to part with my home. I love it, indeed I do. And you say she has no relations but these cousins ? They must be kept away, and — and, Aunt Mary, do not make me any more wretched. I have made up my mind to do this, and you know me well enough to know I will carry it to the bitter end, and I feel it will be a terrible thing to do.' ' She may be a very nice girl, Angus.

She looks a lady, and trade must not be looked down upon. Pepper is useful,' said Mrs Pellam. ' Certainly it is, but not nice to mix it up with my pride.' ' Angus, you have always looked down upon trade, but I fancy, if it were not for trade half the good old families of England and Scotland would fare badly' ' You are right ; but as there has never been pepper in our family, why, it is very hard to have to support Invercraig on pepper tins now.' Mrs Pellam saw he was getting more and more sarcastical, so thought she had better turn the con versation. ' Do you remember my cousin who married the Earl of Morton ? ' ' Yes, by name only. Why ? ' ' The Earl is dead, and has left an only child, a girl. You know my cousin died many years ago, when Nan was quite a baby, and now his daughter is coming to live with me.

I only settled it this morning. I have not seen her for some years. She is about twenty - two, comfortably off, as she has about two thousand a year. Her father sold his country seat some years ago; he could not afford to keep it up.' ' Shall you like having her ? Is she coming soon ? ' he asked. ' Next week, I think. Yes, I am looking forward to having her with me. I was so fond of her mother. We were much parted when she married. I shall love having Nan with me.' ' What an old-fashioned name. Is it short for any thing?' asked Lord Malreward. ' Lady Nan Delmere. She was christened simply Nan. It is a family name. Just "Nan." Rather pretty I call it. I wonder if she is as beautiful as her mother was. I hardly think so. Ten years ago, when I last saw her, she was a sweet-faced child, with soft brown hair, and great, grey eyes, but not beautiful.' WHO WAS MISS SMITH'S FATHER? 11 ' You must bring her with you next month when you come to Invercraig.' ' Do you really want us so soon, Angus ?

But what if you are engaged ? ' ' I shall want you more than ever to be hostess, and, aunt, you — you — must come, I shall not be able to let you play hostess for me much longer,' said Lord Malreward. ' I shall miss that, Angus, but I hope you will be happy, and that you may end by loving your wife, whoever she may be,' sighed Mrs Pellam. ' I am not going in for love. It seems to me the nicest girls are poor, and wealth goes to ugly, horrid creatures.' ' Not always. You are in one of your hard, satirical moods, Angus. Why do you give way to them ? ' ' Do I ? ' he replied, as he looked at his aunt from beneath his lowered lids, a trick he had when he thought a question not worth answering. ' Yes ; you know you do give way to satire, but not as a rule when with me,' said Mrs Pellam, fondly. ' Well, you see, I have on my best manners when with you, and you have always been so good and kind to me,' he said, in a low tone. ' I must go now, as it is late.

I shall see you at Lady Torquil's to-night, and you shall know my fate then if — ' he hesitated, with an uncertain smile. ' If the lady says yes, you want me to call on her— is that it, Angus ? ' asked the old lady, kindly. ' Yes ; but she may say no ; then — ' ' What then ? ' she asked. ' I do not happen to know another girl just at present, who is rich enough to buy Invercraig and the title,' he sneered. ' And you,' she ventured to say. ' Yes, and the owner. Well, it will be an expensive pleasure for her, and— and— ' he could not say more. He hated himself for all this, but could not draw back, his pride conquered him for the nonce. ' Good bye, aunt ; I will supply you with pepper.' He burst into a scornful laugh, then added, ' Say I am a cad, tell me so, for I feel one.' ' I cannot call you that, but I think you ought not to judge Miss Smith.

You hardly know her well enough to do so, and I think you are not yourself.' She laid her hand on his arm, and looked up into his hard but handsome face. ' Do you not think you should try and love the girl who will give her life into your care ? She will give up everything to you — her girlhood, her heart, in fact, her whole life — into your keeping,. She will love you. She could not marry you only for your title. Surely no girl could be so — so — horrid.' ' I fear you do not know the girls of the period. Some would sell their souls, I really believe, for a title and possessions. They are all more or less hollow. Indeed, they are all trying to outdo one another. I do not believe half the girls who marry ever think of love. If they did there would not be so much misery in the world. I think most men who marry fashion able girls of society are poor devils to be pitied.' ' What if men marry girls for their money, and think not of love?' asked Mrs Pellam. ' That is different.

The girl has the option of WHO WAS MISS SMITH'S FATHER? ■3 refusing if she likes ; but if a girl encourages a man, as so many can and do, how is a fellow to find out that they are false. They seldom do until too late. I know you meant that insinuation for me,' he said. ' Yes, I did.' 'Well, the cap hardly fits. You see, Miss Smith can refuse me. I do not mean to be such a beast as to make love to her. She shall accept me with her eyes open or not at all. Once more, good-bye, aunt, and do not have a worse opinion of me than you can help.' With that he left. Mrs Pellam felt very desponding ; she was deeply attached to her nephew, and now she feared he was go ing to ruin his life by a mariage de convenance. Thus her secret hopes that Angus would fall in love with Nan Delmere were undeniably out of the question. She began to take an abhorrence to Miss Smith, and everybody connected with trade. She knew it was unreasonable and unworthy of her.

Chapter III

I SHALL TAKE SOCIETY BY STORM It was the day of the ball, and all the preparations were finished. Lady Torquil and Miss Smith were in the former's boudoir, having their tea alone, and gossip ing in the way which women love. Lady Torquil was a handsome woman, and although she was nearer forty than thirty, she did not appear so. She devoted hours to her dress and was carefully preserved — consequently fancied she could pass for ten years younger than her real age. Miss Smith had been educated with her, but Lady Torquil left school years before she did, and married old Sir George Torquil. She had always kept up her intimacy with Frances Smith, and now anticipated getting her friend married, and thought Lord Malreward would suit her admir ably. He was younger than Frances, but what did that signify ?

It was a title her friend coveted. Lady Torquil was not the type of woman who would marry for love, being cold and shallow by nature ; she had never loved and probably never would. As she was pouring out a cup of tea, she could not '/ SHALL TAKE SOCIETY BY STORM' 15 help remarking to her friend in a lazy voice, which had a disagreeable, harsh ring in it, — 'What are you going to wear this evening, Frances?' ' Cream satin. Why do you ask ? ' ' Because you must look your very best, as Lord Malreward will be here, and, if report speaks truly, he must marry a girl with money or lose " Invercraig ; " and — well — you have the money, and he has the title, and I know you are determined to win a title ; and if love fails, you will use your wealth as a substitute,' laughed Lady Torquil. ' Explain, Lucy, what you mean, for I fail to understand you,' asked Miss Smith, in a freezing tone. ' Do you not ?

Ah, Frances, it is no use trying to deceive me. You mean to try your utmost to make Lord Malreward propose to-night. Ah, ah ! ' and Lady Torquil went off into peals of laughter. ' How vulgar you are, Lucy. I am surprised at you. If Lord Malreward asks me to be his wife, I may say yes, but possibly he will not. I daresay there are many others who will be willing to marry me.' ' No doubt, for wealth can buy everything but love, if judiciously used,' cried her friend, significantly. ' How silly you are. I think, at your age, you might give up these frivolous jokes; they are such bad form.' ' Dear me, yes ! I am thirty-seven, and you — you are thirty-two. Not so very, very young, dear, and you look your age.' ' I am sure I do not, and I think you are positively odious to persist in reminding me of my age.

At anyrate, Lord Malreward thinks me younger.' ' How do you know, Frances ? ' asked Lady Torquil. 'One night at a ball I asked him what age he thought I was. He replied quite gravely, "About twenty." I said " Yes ; " so you see, Lucy, you are not always right,' answered Miss Smith, seriously. ' Oh ! you dear creature, and did you believe him. Why, he is so fearfully satirical, it is just the sort of speech he would make to a girl at a ball, and to think you believed him. What a joke ! ' ' He would not make fun of me. Anyhow, we always get on remarkably well together. I think I will now go to my room and rest a little.' ' Yes, do. You seem tired, and that makes one look old. This age, why does it come so quickly ? I advise you to settle your future to-night, Frances.' With this she turned away, took up a novel and settled herself in her easy-chair, so did not see Miss Smith leave the room, with anything but a pleasant expression on her face.

Frances was annoyed. It had never entered her head that Lord Malreward had been making fun of her, such is the conceit of women of her type. Now she began to recall the past. She remembered the satirical expression in his eyes when he had looked at her from under his lowered lids. She felt afraid of him now, and would never be sure again if he were in earnest or not ; but it was of no consequence, for to-night she would force him to ask her to be Lady Malreward. She was certainly getting old, but she would never confess it to anyone. She scarcely owned it to herself. To-night must 'I SHALL TAKE SOCLETY BY STORM' 17 decide her future. She did not love ; but what did that signify. If it came, so much the better? if not, she could do without it. She had once long ago loved a cousin, but could not marry him, for, with her fortune, she ought, of course, to marry into the aristocracy.

She would obliterate the past. Perhaps, after all, it had not been love. Lucy Torquil was, or appeared to be, very happy, and Frances knew she hated her old husband, yet she seemed quite content. She then drove away her thoughts, settled down on a sofa and took up the last society novel. She wished to look her best for this one night. She was decidedly vain, and thought it would be quite easy to bring Lord Angus to her feet. She did not care if he married her only for her money. It would be a splendid marriage for her, and her ambition would be grptified. She took great pains over her toilet for the ball. Her maid seemed unable to please, but, eventually, she was dressed. She gave a final glance at herself in her mirror, then proceeded to the ballroom which was large and magnificent. The guests soon began to assemble, and Miss Smith quickly got engaged for most of the dances, keeping several free for Lord Malreward.