A Heart's Bitterness — page 22: what you’re looking at

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

bold A HEART'S BITTERNESS. . hardly sleep nights for fear the darling girl should makea bad match. Lord Leigh is such an admirable match, every way. Histitle, family, great fortune, manners—a - jittle cold and sad—but amiable, honorable, unblemished reputation. Why,” cried Mrs. Ainslie, warming with her _ - gubject, he is the great match of the season; every-one ~ wanted him!’ } - Lady Burton smiled a little at that way of putting it. ‘«*But, Mrs. Ainslie, while I know all this is true, if she does not really love him, what comfort in marriage?” ‘< Love, my dear Lady Burton, for her it will come in its _ day. She knows no more of it now than a vestal, and she never will until she is married. She is a victim of a mania about fortune-hunters.” ‘She lacks vanity—a consciousness of her own desert— and I think you have all contributed to this idea.” PrN Sat eee a <a Peat as Rk et ~<¥" eS Se eA te lo all : «‘ Well, I really believe she loves Lord Leigh, and that he loves her. Why not?” -*€T don’t see-how he could help it, truly.” ‘“Do, Lady Burton, peep into the conservatory. Is it not exquisite? Well, just there, on that seat, under the _ orange tree in bloom, he proposed. I came in after a few - minutes. [admit I was distracted to know if she would do what was for her happiness; and he said, ‘Mrs. Ainslie, Violet has done me the honor to accept me.” Think if I _ was glad!” «Still, I wish they would wait a vear to consider.” — *€Qh, Lady Burton, a year! Why, she wanted to wait - _ three months, and he was so desperate for an immediate _ marriage that finally she yielded. And for me it comes just right.. I expect to have the two elder girls introduced . - next season, and I shall take the whole family to the Con- _ tinent as soon as Violet is off my hands. The girls need _ six months there to finish up their French and German. Dear things, I can now give up all my time to them. Only think, how dangerously Violet would have been in their i. way, and now she will help them on. With Lady Leigh 7, - _ they can go everywhere. It will relieve me of half my cares.” ‘¢T see: but in this marriage Violet is the one to consider.” ‘But I do consider. Think if I am not proud and glad to restore her to the position her grandmother Montressor - occupied—an earl’s wife. Violet will be a sweet countess.” “Comicbooks (E(0)