Penny Blood Serial Fiction — page 218: what you’re looking at

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

CHAPTER XVII THE MYSTERIOUS MISSIVE It was the forenoon of the day after the Marquis of Hagle- dean’s departure from Stamford Manor, that Elizabeth and Frank, having accompanied Adolphus in a walk as far as Mrs. Leyden’s cottage, left him there to pass an hour or two with Henrietta, and then continued their own ramble with the intention of calling for him on their way home. Elizabeth leaned upon her brother’s arm; she was ele- cantly dressed, he was handsomely apparelled, and it was a pleasing spectacle to behold that superb young woman and that beautiful youth thus linked together in the firmest bonds of fraternal affection. Elizabeth wore her raven hair in massive bands, which served as an ebon frame for her high and expansive forehead, while an exquisite French bonnet subdued the natural boldness of her features and gave to her looks a certain air of feminine delicacy. Frank — who, as the reader will remember, had been somewhat indisposed after he first left Lady Saxondale’s service — was now perfectly restored to health; and though he had never much colour upon his cheeks, yet whatsoever bloom was wont to rest thereon had come back again, appearing like the delicate vermeil upon the downy surface of the ripen- ing peach. A tight-fitting frock coat set off the lithe and slender symmetry of his form to the utmost advantage; while in respect to his sister, the dress that she wore, de- veloped, although concealing, the noble proportions of her richly modelled shape. Thus altogether they were a couple — that brother and sister — whom it was impossible to gaze upon without a feeling of interest, and they felt proud of each other. For Frank saw that his sister was a superb woman; while she, being so much older than himself, 201 CORNICLOO® <S (FO)