The Widowed Bride — page 174: what you’re looking at

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

THE WIDOWED BRIDE. 165 “But Lady Glenhampton always keeps the keys in her own possession,” said Rena. “We will get them from her; she never refuses anything to me.’ CHAPTER XXIII. “NEVER.” If Rena Percival supposed that by any reserve or seclusion on her own part she could interpose a barrier between _her- self and Lord Balfour’s evidently increasing admiration she judged on very insufficient premises. Love was a late-grow- - Ing plant in the marquis’ life; nor had he any idea that it should be ruthlessly blasted in the bud without his + <DOWEE why. George Wargran, the Marquis of Balfour, was one whose existence had been comparatively valueless to him up to the present time. It was true that he possessed wealth and rank. It was also true that he bore one of the oldest names in the kingdom, and was heir-apparent to the noble duke- dom of St. Burgoyne, with its estates, residences, and hered- itary privileges; but these, to a person of his peculiar tem- perament, were not sufficient in themselves. His life as a boy and a youth had not been over pleasant; for, although his mother was one of Nature’s noble women, and one whom he could love and respect with all the force of his enthusias- tic nature, his other parent had fallen far short in his esti- mation of a man’s true position. ‘the present Duke of St. Burgoyne was a petty tyrant—a man of violent passions, alous suspicion, and repulsive manners. He had hated his son becaiise Lord Balfour was frank, true and noble—in every respect a contrast to himself. He disliked his wife because he was never able to comprehend the loftiness of her nature as compared to his own; and it was a relief to both the duchess and her son when Lord St. Bur goyne de- mn comicboo “S