Penny Blood Serial Fiction — page 45: what you’re looking at

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

28 THE COURT OF LONDON which put the young ladies into a very good humour with Mr. Harley, and another interchange of glances convinced each sister that they were both animated with the same inclination to render all possible service to a gentleman who had suffered so cruelly in aiding a friend. Octavia accord- ingly expressed the pleasure they felt in being able to afford him a refuge, and concluded a few brief and modestly de- livered observations by offering him some refreshment, at the same time apologizing for the frugal nature of their fare. Mr. Harley, who, as a man of tne world, saw that the acceptance of the proposal would naturally place him upon a more friendly footing with the sisters, responded in the affirmative; and now, while Octavia hastened to arrange a knife and fork and clean plate for the guest, Pauline tripped lightly down into the kitchen, returning presently with a jug of foaming table-ale, which she placed on the board. Mr. Harley apologized for giving so much trouble, whereupon Octavia informed him, with a modest dignity truly captivat- ing, that they were accustomed to wait upon themselves, as their circumstances did not permit them to keep a servant, and they could therefore well attend upon their guests. This avowal was turned to advantage by Mr. Harley, who paid the sisters a flattering but delicate compliment upon the praise- worthy qualities which were thus revealed to him, and he dexterously suffered them to understand that he himself was a stranger to the happiness of a sweet domesticity, being as yet unmarried. As the conversation progressed, he learned that the sisters were alone together in the house, and that their father had gone into Derbyshire. They also, in the artlessness of their character, made him acquainted with the reasons of this visit and the hopes that were entertained of their parent being able to effect a reconciliation with his noble relative. Mr. Harley expressed an earnest desire that the journey might be crowned with success; and in all he said there was an apparent sincerity which still further increased the favour- able opinion already formed of him by his beautiful hostesses. Indeed, an hour had passed away so pleasantly that the young ladies had not once thought of the lapse of time, until the clock in the passage proclaimed midnight; and then, sud- denly made aware how late it was, they glanced somewhat uneasily at each other. Mr. Harley rose immediately from GOmMmicdooks (E(@)