The Lady of Lynn Read online

  "GRATITUDE, MY LORD, TO YOU," HE REPLIED.]

  THE LADY OF LYNN

  by

  SIR WALTER BESANT

  Author of "All Sorts and Conditions of Men,""The Orange Girl," Etc.

  With Illustrations

  New York . Dodd, Meadand Company . . . 1901

  Copyright, 1900By Sir Walter Besant

  The Caxton PressNew York.

  Contents

  CHAP. PAGE

  PROLOGUE 1

  I. MY LORD'S LEVEE 15

  II. THE LADY ANASTASIA 29

  III. THE "SOCIETY" OF LYNN 34

  IV. THE GRAND DISCOVERY 42

  V. THE PORT OF LYNN 48

  VI. THE MAID OF LYNN 55

  VII. THE POET 64

  VIII. THE OPENING OF THE SPA 70

  IX. SENT TO THE SPA 83

  X. "OF THE NICEST HONOUR" 97

  XI. THE HUMOURS OF THE SPA 104

  XII. THE CAPTAIN'S AMBITION 112

  XIII. MOLLY'S FIRST MINUET 120

  XIV. MOLLY'S COUNTRY DANCE 127

  XV. THE CARD ROOM 133

  XVI. HIS LORDSHIP'S INTENTIONS 141

  XVII. "IN THE LISBON TRADE" 147

  XVIII. THE WITCH 157

  XIX. A TRUE FRIEND 163

  XX. FIVE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING 172

  XXI. MOLLY'S SECOND APPEARANCE 178

  XXII. THE ABDUCTION 185

  XXIII. WHICH WAY TO FOLLOW? 196

  XXIV. THE PUNISHMENT 201

  XXV. A GRATEFUL MIND 209

  XXVI. THE LAST STEP BUT ONE 217

  XXVII. THE EXPECTED BLOW 224

  XXVIII. WARNING 231

  XXIX. THE ARDENT LOVER 238

  XXX. THE SECRET 246

  XXXI. THE "SOCIETY" AGAIN 254

  XXXII. A RESPITE 262

  XXXIII. A WEDDING 270

  XXXIV. A NEW COMPACT 278

  XXXV. WHAT DOES IT MEAN? 287

  XXXVI. THE DAY OF FATE 293

  XXXVII. THE BUBBLE AND THE SKY ROCKET 306

  XXXVIII. THE OPINION OF COUNSEL 312

  XXXIX. THE FRUITS OF SUBMISSION 320

  XL. ON MY RETURN 332

  XLI. THE FIRST AND THE SECOND CONFEDERATE 345

  XLII. THE THIRD AND THE FOURTH CONFEDERATE 355

  XLIII. THE FIFTH AND LAST CONFEDERATE 361