Weaker than a Woman — page 185: what you’re looking at

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

176 WEAKER THAN A WOMAN, he has "Noe quite forgiven me about you—eh, Violet st though he did not seem to care about it.” “He has forgotten all that nonsense,” said Violet. “I dd not believe he remembers even that we were friends.” “So much the better. I shall call to-day and see them. If young Lonsdale consents, I will make him come and dine with us. He dines often enough at Bramber Towers. _Lhope he will consent. I thought of traveling next year, and I should enjoy my tour much better if I left him in command.” ‘“T hope you will succeed,” she replied, and she did hope so; she would have been glad of anything that would have forced Felix into her society. She was lonely in spite of all her grandeur, and there were times when she was dread- fully tired. It was hard work to live with Sir Owen; she had to watch him incessantly to study his humors, to obey him readily; she had less real liberty than the wife of many a poor peasant. She would be so pleased and so content if she wanted any allusion even to their former acquaintance, but she never knew what that sweet sunny presence of his had been to her life until it had passed out of it. If they could meet sometimes, and laugh as they used to laugh over all. the little comic scenes and sensations Lilford afforded, if she could talk to him of some of the thoughts and ideas that began to crowd upon her mind and brain, she would be well pleased; there was always a sense of something wanting, something missing, in her life. So she hoped that he would consent to act as Sir Owen’s agent. Surely she should see him occasionally. Her husband was not a pleasant companion, and at times, when her nerves and patience were overtaxed, she would go to her mother with a long list of complaints. But Mrs. Haye was always diplomatic. She would listen with every appearance of sympathy; she would condole with her daughter, and then she would say, ‘Every wife, my dear, has a great deal to undergo; the foolish ones talk about their trouble, the wise ones keep it to themselves. After all, you must expect some little drawbacks. You have wealth, title, grandeur, diamonds, carriages, servants; the only drawback is your husband, and you must study to bear with him as well as you can.’ That was all the comfort that Lady Chevenix ever had from her mother. Francis Haye would say to her at times: Eomicbooks.com —