As all the world knows she came from one of the
oldest Commoner's families in the West of England, and is,
moreover, a handsome young woman, only twenty-seven years of age.
Lady Penwether thinks that she is the very woman to be mistress of
Rufford, and I do not know that Miss Penge herself is averse to the
idea. Lord Rufford has been too lately wounded to rise at the bait
quite immediately; but his sister knows that her brother is
impressionable and that a little patience will go a long way. They
have, however, all agreed at the hall that Arabella's name shall
not again be mentioned.
CHAPTER XV
Scrobby's Trial
Rufford was a good deal moved as to the trial of Mr Scrobby. Mr.
Scrobby was a man who not long since had held his head up in
Rufford and had the reputation of a well-to-do tradesman. Enemies
had perhaps doubted his probity; but he had gone on and prospered,
and, two or three years before the events which are now chronicled,
had retired on a competence. He had then taken a house with a few
acres of land, lying between Rufford and Rufford Hall, the property
of Lord Rufford, and had commenced genteel life. Many in the
neighbourhood had been astonished that such a man should have been
accepted as a tenant in such a house; and it was generally
understood that Lord Rufford himself had been very angry with his
agent.
Pages:
677
678
679
680
681
682
683
684
685
686
687
688
689
690
691
692
693
694
695
696
697
698
699
700
701