Explore "A Tragedy of Love and Hate" by Bertha M. Clay on Textopian. Read with annotations and highlights.
It is seldom that a tragedy happens all at once; there are circumstances that lead up to it. These circumstances are seldom as exciting as the tragedy itself. The details of what happened before the strange, sad story of Lady Alden's death thrilled all England, are necessary, though not exciting, in order to make other events understood.
Sir Ronald decided upon writing to Lady Hermione. He made one last effort; he rode over to Leeholme one beautiful August morning, when the golden corn stood in huge sheafs in the meadows, and the fruit hung ripe on the orchard walls. It was just as usual. Lady Hermione was in the grounds with a party of young people. Lady Lorriston told him, and he could not do better than join them; they were planning a visit to the Holy Well at Longston. Sir Ronald went out into the pleasure grounds, and there, under the spreading, fragrant shade of a large cedar, he saw a group that would have charmed Watteau -- fair-faced girls with their lovers, beautiful women over whose stately heads more summer suns had shone, and, in the midst of all, Lady Hermione.