The Lady of Lyndon Author:Blake Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER III. TT7INNIE was standing much where she had entered, close by the window, for she had not made many steps into the room, when this shadow caught h... more »er eye, and ere she could turn to inquire whence it came, the shadow was closely followed by a substance, and Winnie felt herself in the grasp of two powerful arms belonging to a tall though slight figure, surmounted by a head of which the distinguishing characteristic was an ample dark beard, which seemed to obscure every feature of the face; and, to Winnie's horror, this dark-bearded face was in a moment closely pressed to hers, and bestowing a shower of kisses, against which she was struggling in vain. In a moment or two she was set at liberty, whilst her stifled cry of " How dare you 1 Go away! I don't know you!" was met with a burst of laughter, as the young man took up his position at a little distance from the panting, ruflled little beauty, who, her indignation choked with tears, appealed to her aunts to turn out the intruder. To her surprise, however, they both laughed also, and held out hands and faces to be shaken and kissed at the pleasure of the bearded youth. Then in a moment came a flash of recollection, and dimples and smiles chased the passion and tears, as Winnie in her turn came forward with, " Oh ! Fitz, how could you serve me so ? How could I guess it was you, so altered with that dreadful beard?" " I am sorry, my darling little sister, you think it so dreadful, for I have been pleasing myself with the idea that it is a very handsome beard." " Oh, Fitz, dear, I don't know—it may be— but it alters you so; but now you speak, I Vol. i. n begin to see and feel it is you. Oh ! Fitz, darling, it is your own dear self at last!" "Indeed it is myself, and no other; so now will you venture to give...« less