Miss Langley's Will; A Tale Volume 2 (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. 1869 edition. Excerpt: ... Naval Service cannot be entered in the summary manner here proposed, without previous training, the author must observe that the date of the story is not precisely that of the present day. At a period not yet very remote the commander of a vessel certainly did possess the privilege here ascribed to him. CHAPTER XX. MISS LANGLEY, though she continued to declare that London did not agree with her, took a house for the remainder of the season in Park Lane. The young husband and wife soon found that they must not expect to enjoy her favour free of charge. Not content with assuming it to be her right to "come in in a friendly way" at all hours of the day, she was immoderately anxious to accompany them into society. The fact was, that in the decline of her naturally boisterous gaiety factitious pleasures had become essential to her being. Hitherto she had never spent much time in London: not liking to find herself but one among the wealthy classes, she soon returned with eagerness to queen it at her fine estate. But she now expected to find in a total change of habits the renovation of her decaying sense of enjoyment. To be admitted to share in the dissipations of the highest circles, and dazzle them with her magnificence, would, she imagined, supply the void of which she was conscious without knowing the cause. This novel passion was somewhat inconvenient to those on whom she depended for introduction. Lord Henry, having by no means forgotten the serious embarrassments from which her partiality had relieved him, was prepared to bear all such exactions philosophically; but Lady Emma would now and then indulge in a little complaint. "Really," said she to Catherine. "this insatiable ardour for fetes is most unfortunate; every...