A Struggle for a Ring — page 74: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

70 WELCOMING A SON-IN-LAW. ‘“You are not angry with me, mamma?” said Alice, flinging her arms round her mother’s neck. Angry, indeed, with that beautiful, elegantly dressed lady! Mrs. Derwent quite shuddered at the thought. She Aad prepared a little lecture on filial duty; but who dare lecture the wife of that superb-looking man? ‘‘T am not angry, my dear, only anxious,” she replied, desirous of conciliating her son-in-law. ‘‘ You are very young to be married.” ‘‘Gentlemen like young wives,” interrupted Hettie, while John Derwent held out his hand to Lord Carsdale. It was not a very clean hand, nor were the nails very dain- tily trimmed. ‘¢You are kindly welcome, sir,” he said, ‘‘and I hope my daughter makes a good wife.” The speech was not a very eloquent one, but it was honest, and its earnest tone pleased Lord Carsdale. He shook hands with the dancing-master, who, having seen a very superb diamond ring on the finger of his son-in-law, collapsed and said no more. Then Mrs. Derwent came forward; something of her old manner returned to her when she found herself again in the presence of a gentle- man. Alice was pleased; her mother spoke nicely, and he@vhorror that had gathered on her husband’s face left it. hen there came a pause—horrible while it lasted; a feeling of wretchedness and constraint came over them all. Mrs. Derwent broke it by suggesting a cup of tea. Lord Carsdale looked helplessly around. The bare idea of eating or drinking there! His notion of picturesque poverty had died at once; the idea of patronage did not long survive it. Who could patronize such a man as the dancing-master? John Derwent took heart of grace, m comicbooks.co