Weaker than a Woman — page 69: what you’re looking at

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

60 WEAKER THAN A WOMAN. him?” And she smiled a well-satisfied smile when she saw the vicar’s wife deliver her message. “You wished to speak to me?” said Sir Owen, approach- ing Lady Rolfe, with an air of ill-concealed impatience. She saw that he looked annoyed, and had recourse to-her favorite weapon—flattery. “Tf it is permitted to an elderly lady like myself to feel jealous I certainly am jealous. We are old friends of nearly two months’ standing, yet you have not spent five minutes with me. Sit down here, and give me your views about the fete.” Ungraciously enough he took a seat by her side. She saw him look with angry eyes at Felix and Violet; but Lady Rolfe was a woman with a purpose. It: took much to daunt her. “T have no views,” he declared, angrily. “I am quite tired of people with views.” “Clever men are all alike,” remarked her ladyship, and his face softened a little at the words. “At least we have had a beautiful day,” she said, “and beautiful music.” . He could not deny it, or he would have done SO. She continued : “This is the first time that you have met your new > friends and neighbors together. Do you like them ?” “They are very much like other people,’’ he sneered. “You are sarcastic,” cried her ladyship. “It is very wrong, but I really adore sarcasm.” His face relaxed just a trifle more. She watched him in- tently. He was worth some trouble; for as soon as he had entered the neighborhood she had resolved upon marrying : her daughter to him. ‘There are some nice girls here,” said her ladyship— ‘some very pretty girls—Violet Haye for one.” Then his face brightened. She had touched on a happy theme at last. “Violet Haye is quite the queen of the fete,” she con- tinued. “There are few, if any, who can compare with her.” “There is not one,” he said, and in her heart her lady- ship disliked him for the words. * Perhaps you are right,” she allowed, calmly. “I do not know who could really be said to be like her. She is a fortunate girl, too. She has no great fortune, and no con- nections, yet she is engaged to be married to that handsome young Mr. Lonsdale.” “ Engaged to marry him!” cried Sir Owen, with an angry | |