The Man in Possession — page 198: what you’re looking at

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

THE MAN IN POSSESSION. 193 pointment of this discovery, and my father’s persua- sions, and Wilfred’s entreaties—and perhaps a sort of desperation on my own part—made me give in. Sir Wilfred doesn’t ask me to love him, or pretend to care about him. He's quite contented with a one- sided bargain. I told him very plainly how matters stood.... Men are very strange, it seems to me.” ‘‘They are detestable, in some ways,” said Mrs. Lafaye indignantly. ‘‘Oh, Kate, you mustn’t marry this man—you really mustn't. It’s cruel—it’s sacri- legious—it’s downright wicked. Will you trust me to try and get you out of it?” © Kate looked at her with wonder. ‘‘I don’t feel I'm acting avery creditable part,” she said. ‘‘ And I've certainly gained a very bad character for my- self here. But if I accept Sir Wilfred one day, and break off the engagement the next—well, you must confess I shall serve all the opprobrium I get.” ‘T think,” said Mrs. Lafaye slowly, ‘‘ you will be able to bear it. I concluded long ago that it wasa waste of energy to try and persuade people to believe you're different to what they say you are.” ‘‘Well, they say I’m everything that’s bad,” said Kate with a little tired sigh. She sank down on the chair again and seemed to give herself up to reflec- tion. ‘‘Two more days and all this will be over, and I shall go back to the old life and the old ways. I shall make my own gowns, and cook my father’s luncheon, and scold Biddy, the maid-of-all-work, and try if tradespeople will take promises instead of payment. And then—when I am sick and tired of it 13 ECOMNCE OOO SS) (SO