The Maiden Wife Or, the Heiress of de Courcey (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1813 Excerpt: ... returned. The good woman hurried back with the account that the bag would be closed in two hours. Ellen was obliged to go into the city, and get a bill for the money she wished to inclose. She wrote, therefore, but a few lines, informing him how she was situated, and how much she lamented she could not send him more. She then hastened into the city, and got a bill, which she enclosed, and went to the office to pay the demand for postage. As she stood before the window, waiting for change, an officer, who stood reading the paper, had rivetted his eyes upon he; and greatly confused, she saw the people smiling. However she walked away as quick as she could; but recollecting it was the same" person she saw at the pastry-cook's, was a little alarmed before she got b.ck, by fancying she saw him following her; but he was not the object of her particular dread; and in more serious reflections, she at length forgot the circumstance. She had just finished her solitary dinner, when the woman of the house came in, with affected politeness, but a very forward manner, (which Ellen observed she had assumed of late, ) to request the honour of her company to tea. Ellen had repressed, as much as possible every attempt at freedom. Now, the increasing difficulties of her situation led her almost to fear offending this woman, who she knew to be violent and vulgar, beyond all bounds; and therefore yielded a reluctant consent to drink tea with the family; which consisted of the mistress of the house, her sister, and their niece, a girl of about fourteen years of age. Just as tea was ready, a loud knocking at the street door annouuced the arrival of some-visitor; and from the bustle they all looked in, Ellen concluding it was some company they had expected, rose, saying, if they we...