A Terrible Temptation

A Terrible Temptation

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Title: A Terrible Temptation A Story of To-Day
Author: Charles Reade
Release Date: April, 2005 [EBook #7895] [Yes, we are more than one
year ahead of schedule] [This file was first posted on May 31, 2003]
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A Terrible Temptation
A Story of To-Day
by
Charles Reade

CHAPTER I
.
THE morning-room of a large house in Portman Square, London.
A gentleman in the prime of life stood with his elbow on the broad
mantel-piece, and made himself agreeable to a young lady, seated a
little way off, playing at work.
To the ear he was only conversing, but his eyes dwelt on her with
loving admiration all the time. Her posture was favorable to this furtive
inspection, for she leaned her fair head over her work with a pretty,
modest, demure air, that seemed to say, "I suspect I am being admired:
I will not look to see: I might have to check it."
The gentleman's features were ordinary, except his brow--that had
power in it--but he had the beauty of color; his sunburned features
glowed with health, and his eye was bright. On the whole, rather
good-looking when he smiled, but ugly when he frowned; for his frown
was a scowl, and betrayed a remarkable power of hating.
Miss Arabella Bruce was a beauty. She had glorious masses of dark red
hair, and a dazzling white neck to set it off; large, dove-like eyes, and a
blooming oval face, which would have been classical if her lips had
been thin and finely chiseled; but here came in her Anglo-Saxon breed,
and spared society a Minerva by giving her two full and rosy lips. They

made a smallish mouth at rest, but parted ever so wide when they
smiled, and ravished the beholder with long, even rows of dazzling
white teeth.
Her figure was tall and rather slim, but not at all commanding. There
are people whose very bodies express character; and this tall, supple,
graceful frame of Bella Bruce breathed womanly subservience; so did
her gestures. She would take up or put down her own scissors half
timidly, and look around before threading her needle, as if to see
whether any soul objected. Her favorite word was "May I?" with a
stress on the "May," and she used it where most girls would say "I
will," or nothing, and do it.
Mr. Richard Bassett was in love with her, and also conscious that her
fifteen thousand pounds would be a fine addition to his present income,
which was small, though his distant expectations were great. As he had
known her but one month, and she seemed rather amiable than
inflammable, he had the prudence to proceed by degrees; and that is
why, though his eyes gloated on her, he merely regaled her with the
gossip of the day, not worth recording here. But when he had actually
taken his hat to go, Bella Bruce put him a question that had been on her
mind the whole time, for which reason she had reserved it to the very
last moment.
"Is Sir Charles Bassett in town?" said she, mighty carelessly, but
bending a little lower over her embroidery.
"Don't know," said Richard Bassett, with such a sudden brevity and
asperity that Miss Bruce looked up and opened her lovely eyes. Mr.
Richard Bassett replied to this mute inquiry, "We don't speak." Then,
after a pause, "He has robbed me of my inheritance."
"Oh, Mr. Bassett!"
"Yes, Miss Bruce, the Bassett and Huntercombe estates were mine by
right of birth. My father was the eldest son, and they were entailed on
him. But Sir Charles's father persuaded my old, doting grandfather to