The Hampstead Mystery.
A Novel.
BY
FLORENCE MARRYAT,
AUTHOR OF ‘LOVE’S CONFLICT,’ ‘VÉRONIQUE,’ ‘MY OWN
CHILD,’ ‘MY SISTER THE ACTRESS,’ ‘HOW LIKE
A WOMAN,’ ‘PARSON JONES,’ ETC., ETC.
IN THREE VOLUMES.
VOL. III.
LONDON:
F. V. WHITE & CO.,
14 BEDFORD STREET, STRAND, W.C.
1894.
CONTENTS.
| PAGE | |
| CHAPTER I., | 1 |
| CHAPTER II., | 24 |
| CHAPTER III., | 46 |
| CHAPTER IV., | 67 |
| CHAPTER V., | 91 |
| CHAPTER VI., | 114 |
| CHAPTER VII., | 138 |
| CHAPTER VIII., | 163 |
| CHAPTER IX., | 184 |
| CHAPTER X., | 208 |
The Hampstead Mystery.
[Pg 1]
CHAPTER I.
Hannah Hindes did not know what answerto make to this direct appeal. Shewas an honest woman, to whom a lie wasan abhorrence, but she was also a womanwho held her husband’s reputation, perhapshis life, in her hands. She hesitated sovisibly, that Captain Hindes began to thinkhis brother’s disorder must be such as shefound it impossible to speak to him upon.
‘Well, never mind,’ he said presently,‘I see you are unwilling to mention it, butI shall soon get it out of old Hal. Butyou make me feel rather anxious, Hannah.If my brother has not consulted a doctor,I must make him do so. His health is too[Pg 2]valuable to you and the children to betrifled with. By the way, talking of children,what induced you to send those twolittle fairies, Elsie and Laurie, away fromhome to be educated? I thought that wasaltogether against your principles, Hannah.Edith says she remembers your giving hera long lecture on the subject when Fannywas born, and cautioning her never to leta daughter be educated anywhere but athome. She has dinned it into my earswhenever I have hinted the young ladywas old enough to go to school.’
‘Yes!’ replied Hannah, with a sigh.‘Those have always been my sentiments,Arthur, and are so still. But Henry hasgrown so irritable of late, that the noiseof the children playing about The Halldisturbed him, so I thought it best tolet them go. They are with an oldfriend of mine, where I can see themalmost every day. I daresay,’ she continued,timidly, ‘that you thought itvery strange that we could not receiveyou at The Old H