Henry Howard had thus acted for the honor of his name; but he loved
not his sister; nay, he despised her. But the Duchess of Richmond
hated her brother, because her proud heart felt humbled by him, and
under obligations of gratitude.
But their hatred and their contempt were a secret that they both
preserved in the depths of the heart, and which they scarcely dared
confess to themselves. Both had veiled this their inmost feeling
with a show of affection, and only once in a while was one betrayed
to the other by some lightly dropped word or unregarded look.
CHAPTER XXIII.
BROTHER AND SISTER.
Lightly on the tips of her toes the duchess stole toward her
brother, who did not yet observe her. The thick Turkish carpet made
her steps inaudible. She already stood behind the earl, and he had
not yet noticed her.
Now she bent over his shoulder, and fastened her sparkling eyes on
the paper in her brother's hand.
Then she read in a loud, sonorous voice the title of it: "Complaint,
because Geraldine never shows herself to her lover unless covered by
her veil." [Footnote: Sonnet by Surrey.--See Nott's Life and Works
of Surrey.] "Ah," said the duchess, laughing, "now, then, I have
spied out your secret, and you must surrender to me at discretion.
So you are in love; and Geraldine is the name of the chosen one to
whom you address your poems! I swear to you, my brother, you will
repay me dear for this secret."
"It is no secret at all, sister," said the earl, with a quiet smile,
as he rose from the divan and saluted the duchess.
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