Penny Blood Serial Fiction — page 198: what you’re looking at

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

LADY EVERTON 18l which he had received from Lady Everton, as I have already described them. On the following day the meeting took place between the marquis, Lord Petersfield, Mr. Everton, and Sir John Marston. Sir John was the bearer of a letter from his sister Alexandrina to the Marquis of Hagledean, and which she had left open that its contents might be seen to be only of a business character. Therein she recapitulated all the suggestions she had previously afforded, and all the apprehensions she entertained for the future welfare of the children. One passage ran somewhat to this effect: ‘ It is chiefly for our daughter Elizabeth that I tremble. Frank, when he grows up to man’s estate, will feel the want of re- lations and friends far less than his sister. Her sex naturally exposes her to other temptations and more fatal errors. It would be well if on the attainment of her majority she could be eligibly married, but without in the least degree forcing the natural bent of her affections. It may be deemed a weakness on my part, but it- will nevertheless afford me considerable satisfaction, and in after years relieve me of much of the anxiety which will otherwise harass my mind on her account, if by such marriage a real rank could be conferred upon her, so that in the possession of a titled name and an elevated social position the’ mystery of her parentage and the obscurity of her name may be lost sight of. With such a fortune as she will possess through your bounty she may well aspire to such a marriage. I do not mean that she is to be dragged to the altar and forced to wed some titled personage; no, Heaven forbid! But I should venture to recommend that if a brillant marriage in accordance with her own feelings can be effected when she attains her major- ity, her fortune should be placed at her disposal; but on no account should she be permitted to receive more than the interest of her ey until she does contract a matri- monial alliance.’ “Such were Alexandrina’s suggestions in reference to Elizabeth. Now, although the Marquis of Eagledean himself despised aristocratic titles, and cared Savhete for the one which he himself bore, he was nevertheless prepared to adopt the wishes of the unhappy Alexandrina, and to this effect did he express his intentions to Lord Petersfield, Sir John Marston, and Mr. Everton. They offered no objection, and when the meeting broke up, he repaired to his solicitor ‘Ss (FO) GOmichdoo