A Fair Fraud — page 183: what you’re looking at

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

172 A Fair Fraud you an offer of marriage; and it is your clear duty, both to yourself and to us, to accept it.’ A little cold shock went through the girl’s heart at the last words. ‘You want to get rid of me, then! Is that why my uncle spoke to Mr Naylor? But what could you do without me, aunt? Who would see to all the little things you depend on me for?’ ‘Well, my dear, I will be quite open with you. Of course we don’t want to get rid of you—is it likely ?—but it is never wise to ignore the future; and I have been having along talk this evening with dear Mrs Lane, and, though I confess it was a great surprise to me to hear what she confided to me, yet I cannot shut my eyes to the probability that Hester may very likely soon become dear Kenneth’s wife.’ Marion was startled. ‘ But she has refused him, has she not?’ ‘Now, I wonder how you know that, you little witch! Well, yes, the dear girl was so afraid that she might be accused of mercenary motives that she has given a sort of refusal, I understand, to Kenneth’s first advances; but, my dear Marion, what does such a refusal _ amount to when a girl’s heart is touched ? Abso- lutely nothing. Mrs Lane tells me that Hester cried her eyes out after her interview with ECOMicoOo KS.Conn \