



Produced by Roger Frank and the Online Distributed
Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net





THE LADY OF THE FOREST.

A STORY FOR GIRLS.

By L. T. MEADE

    Author of "The Little Princess of Tower Hill,"
    "A Sweet Girl Graduate," "The Palace Beautiful,"
    "Polly," "A World of Girls," etc., etc.

    "Tyde what may betyde,
    Lovel shall dwell at Avonsyde."

ILLUSTRATED EDITION.

A. L. BURT COMPANY, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK.




CONTENTS

    CHAPTER I.--FAIR LITTLE MAIDS.
    CHAPTER II.--MAKING TERMS.
    CHAPTER III.--PREPARING FOR THE HEIR
    CHAPTER IV.--A SPARTAN BOY.
    CHAPTER V.--IN THE FOREST.
    CHAPTER VI.--THE TOWER BEDROOM.
    CHAPTER VII.--"BETYDE WHAT MAY."
    CHAPTER VIII.--THE SACRED CUPBOARD.
    CHAPTER IX.--A TRYSTING-PLACE.
    CHAPTER X.--PROOFS.
    CHAPTER XI.--THE LADY WHO CAME WITH A GIFT.
    CHAPTER XII.--LOST IN THE NEW FOREST.
    CHAPTER XIII.--ONE MORE SECRET.
    CHAPTER XIV.--THE AUSTRALIANS.
    CHAPTER XV.--WAS HE ACTING?
    CHAPTER XVI.--LOST.
    CHAPTER XVII.--LOOKING FOR THE TANKARD.
    CHAPTER XVIII.--THE MARMADUKES.
    CHAPTER XIX.--A TENDER HEART.
    CHAPTER XX.--PUNISHED.
    CHAPTER XXI.--WHAT THE HEIR OUGHT TO BE.
    CHAPTER XXII.--RIGHT IS RIGHT.
    CHAPTER XXIII.--FOREST LIFE.
    CHAPTER XXIV.--A GREAT ALARM.
    CHAPTER XXV.--A DREAM WITH A MEANING.
    CHAPTER XXVI.--LOVE VERSUS GOLD.
    CHAPTER XXVII.--TWO MOTHERS.
    CHAPTER XXVIII.--THE LADY WHO CAME WITH A GIFT.




THE LADY OF THE FOREST.

    "Tyde what may betyde
    Lovel shall dwell at Avonsyde."




CHAPTER I.--FAIR LITTLE MAIDS.


"And then," said Rachel, throwing up her hands and raising her
eyebrows--"and then, when they got into the heart of the forest itself,
just where the shade was greenest and the trees thickest, they saw the
lady coming to meet them. She, too, was all in green, and she came on
and on, and----"

"Hush, Rachel!" exclaimed Kitty; "here comes Aunt Grizel."

The girls, aged respectively twelve and nine, were seated, one on a
rustic stile, the other on the grass at her feet; a background of
splendid forest trees threw their slight and childish figures into
strong relief. Rachel's hat was tossed on the ground and Kitty's parasol
lay unopened by her side. The sun was sending slanting rays through the
trees, and some of these rays fell on Kitty's bright hair and lit up
Rachel's dark little gypsy face.

"Aunt Grizel is coming," said Kitty, and immediately she put on a proper
and demure expression. Rachel, drawn up short in the midst of a very
exciting narrative, looked slightly defiant and began to whistle in a
boyish manner.

Aunt Griselda was seen approaching down a long straight avenue
overshadowed by forest trees of beech and oak; she held her parasol well
up, and her face was further protected from any passing gleams of
sunlight by a large poke-bonnet. She was a slender old lady, with a
graceful and dignified appearance. Aunt Griselda would have compelled
respect from any one, and as she approached the two girls they both
started to their feet and ran to meet her.

"Your music-master has been waiting for you for half an hour, Rachel.
Kitty, I am going into the forest; you can come with me if you choose."

Rachel did not attempt to offer any excuse for being late; with an
expressive glance at Kitty she walked off soberly to the house, and the
younger girl, picking up her hat, followed Aunt Griselda, sighing
slightly as she did so.

Kitty was an affectionate child, the kind of child who likes everybody,
and she would have tolerated Aunt Griselda--who was not particularly
affectionate nor particularly sympathetic--if she had not disturbed her
just at the moment when she was listening with breathless interest to a
wonderful romance.

Kitty adored fairy tales, and Rachel had a great gift in that direction.
She was very fond of prefacing her stories with some such words as the
following:

"Understand now, Kitty, that this fairy story is absolutely true; the
fairy was seen by our great-great-grandmother;" or "Our great-uncle
Jonas declares that he saw that brownie himself as he was going through
the forest in the dusk;" then Kitty's pretty blue eyes would open wide
and she would lose herself in an enchanted world. It was very trying to
be brought back to the ordinary everyday earth by Aunt Griselda, and on
the present occasion the little girl felt unusually annoyed.

Miss Griselda Lovel, or "Aunt Grizel" as her nieces called her, was a
taciturn old lady, and by no means remarked Kitty's silence. There were
many little paths through the forest, and the two soon found themselves
in comparative night. Miss Lovel walked quickly, and Kitty almost panted
as she kept up with her. Her head was so full of Rachel's fairy tale
that at last some unexpected words burst from her lips. They were
passing under a splendid forest tree, when Kitty suddenly clutched Aunt
Grizel's thin hand.

"Aunt Grizel--is it--is it about here that the lady lives?"

"What lady, child?" asked Miss Lovel.

"Oh, you know--the lady of the forest."

Aunt Grizel dropped Kitty's hand and laughed.

"What a foolish little girl you are, Kitty! Who has been putting such
nonsense into your head? See, my dear, I will wait for you here; run
down this straight path to the Eyres' cottage, and bring Mrs. Eyre back
with you--I want to speak to her. I have had a letter, my dear, and your
little cousin Philip Lovel is coming to Avonsyde to-morrow."

                *       *       *       *       *

Avonsyde was one of the oldest places in the country; it was not
particularly large