THE BARONET'S DAUGHTER. 461 



" Very good," said his master, as he arose and paced the room 

 anxiously. 



"This is the young woman," said the servant, re-entering and 

 leading in a girl about twenty years of age. 



"Come hither, chlid," said the baronet, when the servant had 

 retired, " take this seat. I wish to ask you a few questions relative 

 to the late Mrs. Willoughby. You accompanied her, I think, to the 

 continent?" 



" I did, Sir Robert." 



" Did you observe any alteration of behaviour on the part of Mr. 

 Willoughby towards his wife during the time they were abroad? 

 Take time to answer me. Was Mr. Willoughby at any period kind 

 and attentive to his wife and was he ever otherwise ?" 



" When we first left London," replied the girl, " and for some 

 time afterwards, my master and mistress appeared to live in the 

 utmost harmony. No man could be more kind and attentive than 

 Mr. Willoughby ; but after we had been some time at Rome, where 

 we stayed several months, his conduct altered very much." 

 " Have you any idea of the cause ?" enquired Sir Robert. 

 " None, Sir." 



" Was any violence ever used towards Mrs. Willoughby, that you 

 are aware of?" 



The girl hesitated. " Upon two occasions," she said slowly, " Mr. 

 Willoughby, I believe, struck my mistress. She told me so ; and we 

 could see that his temper was much changed two months before. He 

 was very violent and hasty." 



" Whom do you mean by ' we ?' " asked the baronet. 

 " Myself and my fellow -servants, Sir Robert." 



* *' Aye, aye. Now tell me," continued the baronet earnestly, "do 

 you know, or was there any conjecture amongst you, as to the cause 

 of this behaviour?" 



" We thought, Sir," replied the girl, " that Mr. Willoughby might 

 have been rather gay, for he was frequently from home ; and that 

 my mistress, perhaps, had remonstrated with him." 



" To be sure," said the baronet. "By heaven! the most probable 

 conjecture ; but tell me, child, how did these scenes end, these two 

 occasions of which you spoke, did not your mistress attempt to leave 

 him ?" 



" I believe she did," answered the young woman, " for one of the 

 servants overheard my master in very high words with the Marquis 

 Riccardi, and we supposed that it was Mrs. Willoughby's intention to 

 place herself under the protection of his family." 



" And who is the Marquis Riccardi ?" enquired the baronet. 

 " A young Italian nobleman, Sir, with whose family Mr. and Mrs. 

 Willoughby had been very intimate." 



" A young Italian nobleman," repeated the baronet, " well, girl, 

 and did your mistress succeed in leaving the house ?" 



" She did not, Sir. Mr. Willoughby locked her in her own room ; 

 and we left Rome on the next day. It was said that a duel had taken 

 place, and that my master had killed the marquis, but of this we are 



