E; The Complete and Somewhat Mad History of the Family of Montague Vincent, Esq., Gent (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1914 edition. Excerpt: ...extravagant pleasures had attained the ascendency, an aristocracy dwelt in peace and dignity. Here there is still a certain sense of desertion, an absence of prying eyes, a tranquil and pervading privacy. Now the Fates were evidently specialising that day in this our history. Indeed, it seemed that the principals had risen early as if in anticipation of the extraordinary schedule of events that would not otherwise have had time to have happened. Thus Mrs. Houghton-Stowe, after a restless night, had risen that morning at seven and by seven-thirty was making herself quite miserable over a letter from Leigh's sister, whose dull-witted, selfish, incompetent, pheasant-shooting, English husband had formed a close friendship with the former Hon. Mr. Houghton-Stowe (now Lord Naverly), of whom he had already accepted the loan of several hundred pounds and whom he persisted in bringing home two or three times a week to dine en famille. Thus had Mr. Jonathan Cass been awakened from rigorous slumber that morning to read an incredible telegram announcing a strike of two-thirds of his pampered factory hands. Thus Mr. Montague Vincent had that morning arrived by the Providence Line from New York, had partaken of breakfast at eight o'clock and had gone at once to the Cass residence, where Eloise, whose dreaded interference he had hoped to avoid by calling early, was, it almost appeared, waiting for him at the door. And thus E, passing homeward through the quiet old streets, her heart filled with anguish, came suddenly face to face with Langdon Wallace himself. He wore his white serge yachting suit and a broad brimmed panama pulled down over his eyes. His face was so darkly tanned that as he smiled his teeth showed white. "E " he exclaimed, ...