Chapter XXXIX. At the Palmer House - Page 2

Brent, will you accompany us?"

"With pleasure, Mr. Granville," answered that lady. "It is not dull here for me, still I shall no doubt enjoy a little excitement. At any rate, I shall be best pleased to be where you and your son are."

"Then so let it be. We will go to-morrow."

One secret wish and scheme of Mrs. Brent has not been referred to. She felt that her present position was a precarious one. She might at any time be found out, and then farewell to wealth and luxury! But if she could induce Mr. Granville to marry her, she would then be secure, even if found out, and Jonas would be the son of Mr. Granville, though detected as a usurper. She, therefore, made herself as agreeable as possible to Mr. Granville, anticipated his every wish, and assumed the character, which she did not possess, of a gracious and feminine woman of unruffled good humor and sweetness of disposition.

"I say, ma," Jonas observed on one occasion, "you've improved ever so much since you came here. You're a good deal better natured than you were."

Mrs. Brent smiled, but she did not care to take her son into her confidence.

"Here I have no cares to trouble me," she said. "I live here in a way that suits me."

But when they were about starting for Chicago, Mrs. Brent felt herself becoming unaccountably depressed.

"Jonas," she said, "I am sorry we are going to Chicago."

"Why, ma? We'll have a splendid time."

"I feel as if some misfortune were impending over us," said his mother, and she shivered apprehensively.

But it was too late to recede. Besides, Jonas wished to go, and she had no good reason to allege for breaking the arrangement.