Penny Blood Serial Fiction — page 91: what you’re looking at

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

74 REYNOLDS’ WORKS mistaken, she at the present moment bears the name of Mrs. Chandos.”’ | “ You are right, Sir John, you are right. Lady Saxondale and Marlow both told me the other day that Frank Paton, whom I placed with her ladyship, had found a sister in that woman. But do you know — ”’ ‘““T know that she is a female highwayman,” interrupted the baronet. “ It is a most extraordinary thing that I should be staying at Dover when her adventure at the-Admiral’s Head took place. J heard something of it at the time, but little thought that Mrs. Chandos — the heroine of that adventure — and our Elizabeth Paton were one and the same person. I do not read the local newspaper habitually, and therefore the account, which gave a full description of her personal appearance, escaped my notice. But yesterday I accidentally lighted upon the particular number of the Dover newspaper containing that report, and as I read on, I was struck with the conviction that Elizabeth Paton is Mrs. Chandos.’ ‘‘ And you are right,’ responded Petersfield. ‘“‘ I have been told that she is Frank’s sister. But what of it? And what connection have her misdoings with any clue — ”’ ‘““Who said that there was a connection?’”’ interrupted the baronet. ‘‘ I tell you that she does possess a clue. You know that Villebelle has married Constance Farefield.” “Yes, | am aware of it,’’ answered Lord Petersfield. ‘* In- deed, to tell you the truth, I delicately dropped to Lady Saxondale a hint, many months ago, that the marquis had a wife living. Of course I did not say how I knew it; I pretended to have heard some such thing rumoured when I was in Paris —’’ ‘Well, but you see the marriage has taken place,” con- tinued Sir John Marston. “ Elizabeth released Villebelle from all engagement toward her, from all bonds or ties — that is to say, so far as she was able. I should have stopped the marriage most effectually, had not Villebelle, when at Dover, whispered in my ear a certain name, which convinced me with startling effect that Elizabeth does possess a clue to past events that may prove dangerous enough for us ) ) y] “And that clue?” asked Lord Petersfield, all his diplo- matic reserve having given place to intense anxiety. Eomiechbooks (E(0)