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Mason, A. E. W. (Alfred Edward Woodley), 1865-1948

"Clementina"


"Quick, Jenny," said Wogan, "to bed with you!"
He pointed to the door which led to the Princess's bedroom.
"Now you must write a letter," he added to Clementina, in a low voice,
as soon as the door was shut upon Jenny. "A letter to your mother,
relieving her of all complicity in your escape. Her Highness will find
it to-morrow night slipped under the cover of her toilette."
Clementina ran to a table, and taking up a pen, "You think of
everything," she said. "Perhaps you have written the letter."
Wogan pulled a sheet of paper from his fob.
"I scribbled down a few dutiful sentiments," said he, "as we drove down
from Nazareth, thinking it might save time."
"Mother," exclaimed Clementina, "not content with contriving my escape,
he will write my letters to you. Well, sir, let us hear what you have
made of it."
Wogan dictated a most beautiful letter, in which a mother's claims for
obedience were strongly set out--as a justification, one must suppose,
for a daughter's disobedience. But Clementina was betrothed to his
Majesty King James, and that engagement must be ever the highest
consideration with her, on pain of forfeiting her honour.


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