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Braddon, M. E. (Mary Elizabeth), 1835-1915

"Phantom Fortune, a Novel"

To Mary, who so loved the hills
and the streams, the sun and the wind, this imprisonment seemed
unspeakable woe. In her pity for such a martyrdom she would have done
anything to give pleasure or solace to her grandmother. Unhappily there
was very little Mary could do to increase the invalid's sum of pleasure.
Lady Maulevrier was a woman of strong feeling, not capable of loving
many people. She had concentrated her affection upon Lesbia: and she
could not open her heart to Mary all at once because Lesbia was out of
the way.
'If I had a dog I loved, and he were to die, I would never have another
in his place,' Lady Maulevrier said once; and that speech was the
keynote of her character.
She was very courteous to Mary, and seemed grateful for her attentions;
but she did not cultivate the girl's society. Mary wrote all her letters
in a fine bold hand, and with a rapid pen; but when the letter-writing
was over Lady Maulevrier always dismissed her.
'My dear, you want to be out in the air, riding your pony, or
scampering about with your dogs,' she said, kindly.


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