A Fair Fraud — page 101: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

90 A Fair Fraud new development which he had been sharp enough to divine —a sensation, too, of un- pleasant disturbance within him, which was entirely a new thing to him; he could not indeed make it out at all. Marion continued to play for a few moments in silence. When she spoke again she had thought out and battled out a great many - conflicting emotions within herself. ‘I certainly have Kenneth’s interests at heart, Mr Naylor, and—I—am very fond of him. But for that very reason I cannot help taking a totally different view of the case to what you do. I think, to b:-gin with, you are very unjust towards Hester Lane—let us con- tinue to call her so, please. She, at least, cannot have been mixed up in her father’s crime and her mother’s deceptions, if she knows of them they are probably a grief and a pain to her. At twenty a girl cannot possibly be a hardened criminal. If she loves my cousin and he loves her, then I swear to you that I will be no party to a scheme for ruining their happiness! ’ Edgar Naylor looked at her earnestly and intently. Here was a woman who had not only brains but also a heart, and a good heart too! ‘You would rather see your cousin—whom you say you are fond of—married to an ad- GOMMGIOO SS} uu (GO)