A Fair Fraud — page 50: what you’re looking at

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

A Fair Fraud 39 breakfast. We have brought some new skates down, and we are most anxious to try them —aren’t we, Hetty?’ Marion could not help thinking that the lovely Hetty could scarcely be as wise as she was beautiful, for at this juncture she inquired of her hostess whether she was fond of skating, and Mrs Lane distinctly frowned down into her plate as she heard her ask the question. Now, as Mrs Drury was of a solid, matronly figure, and weighed probably twelve or fourtecn stone, and could not have advanced at any pace more rapid than a comfortable waddling walk to save her life, the question seemed a slightly superfluous one—neither did it please her at all to be so questioned. She lifted her eyebrows and cast a sharp glance of suspicion at her young guest, for it seemed to Mrs Drury that she was being laughed at. But the fair Hetty was smiling at her with a sweet sim- plicity of aspect which seemed to disarm all thought of ridicule. ‘Bless the girl!’ exclaimed the good lady, ‘what do you take me for? Last night you asked me if I rode a bicycle!’ ‘Mamma skates and cycles,’ replied the innocent young lady. ‘Your mamma is a very much younger worian than [ am, my dear.’ - €Qh, not so very much younger, I expect, GOMMGIOO oO C' Q)