Penny Blood Serial Fiction — page 308: what you’re looking at

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

THE AMAZON AND TIM MEAGLES 291 ‘“ Yes, he looks upon me as a mere tool; but he shall find that he cannot play tricks with me,’ returned Tim, his usually frank and open countenance becoming sombre and menacing. ‘I have got him in my power, and [ shall not easily resign my hold upon him. In the caprice of a moment he is capable of discarding me — ”’ ‘Or rather of attempting to do so,’’ interrupted Letitia. “Yes, that is what I meant,” said Meagles; ‘‘ because the instant that he seeks to make me the victim of his heart- lessness, I proclaim my independence, I threaten him with exposure, I wring from him all that I choose to demand! Do you think that a peerage and a good pension for life would be too much for my services, Letitia? ’’ demanded Tim, his countenance expanding into a smile of mingled triumph and satisfaction. “Not a whit!’ was the energetic reply ‘ And remem- ber,’ added the huntress, fixing her wanton looks upon him, “ when Sir John Lade dies — ”’ “ I know what you mean, my beauty,” exclaimed Meagles; “ there is no necessity to remind me of our bargain. It shall be a marriage partnership, and instead of a baronet’s wife, you shall become a peeress. Yes, this I can safely promise,”’ he continued, in a musing tone; “ for, possessed as i am of those documents, our royal friend would not dare to refuse me even the title of a duke in order to purchase their resto- ration.”’ “ You have examined them attentively?’’ asked Lady Letitia. . ‘Since they came into my hands the other day I have read and reread them a dozen times,’’ responded Meagles. “ They fully prove all that we had long suspected in reference to the nature of his connection with Mrs. Fitzherbert; and, as luck would have it, the packet contained a certain httle fragment which I never anticipated to find amongst those papers.”’ ‘“ What! you do not mean the half of the certificate re- lating to the prince’s father and Hannah Lightfoot?” ex- claimed the Amazon. ‘““T mean nothing else, I can assure you, my beauty,” answered Tim, chuckling with satisfaction. ‘‘ And what is more, we will renew our negotiations with that fellow Warren — the Magsman, as he is called — respecting the ) GOMmiiGcdooks (E(©)