The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 79: what you’re looking at

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

CHAPTER VIII A SINGULAR PROPOSAL In the afternoon of the following day, just as the Marquis of Leveson was sitting down to lunch, a carriage drove up to the door of his mansion in Albemarle Street. Glancing forth from the window, he observed that it was Lady Sack- ville’s equipage, and in less than a minute after the loud double knock had been given, one of his domestics entered to announce that her ladyship requested to speak to him for a single moment at her carriage window. The marquis, instantaneously suspecting that his functions of self-constituted banker were about to be put into req- uisitlon again, chuckled within himself as he sped forth in compliance with the message he had just received, and assuming his most courteous demeanour, he approached the carriage. Now, as a tall powdered lackey, who had descended from behind the vehicle the moment it stopped, was stationed so close that he could overhear whatever took place between his mistress and the marquis, she was of course compelled to be upon her guard. Accordingly, placing a small packet in the nobleman’s hand, she said, “‘ Sackville desired me to stop at your lordship’s door, as I passed this way in the carriage, and deliver this packet into your own hand. {f believe it is something valuable,” she added, flinging a rapid and significant look upon the marquis, “ and, by the bye, I think he told me there might be something to come back.” | “Yes, a letter of acknowledgments and thanks for what his lordship has thus sent me,’’ responded the marquis, “and which is doubly acceptable on account of being delivered by your ladyship’s own fair hands. I will not 62 GOMIGDoOoks (E(0) m