Penny Blood Serial Fiction — page 181: what you’re looking at

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

164 REYNOLDS’ WORKS who should have looked after your welfare, who should not have left you both so completely at the mercy of those men— But no matter; the past cannot be recalled. In ~ respect to you yourself, Elizabeth, there is at least one cause for rejoicing, that as a woman you have not fallen, you have not disgraced yourself. And now show me once more that letter which you received from the Marquis of Villebelle when he was at Dover. You showed it to me yesterday. I wish to look at it again.” ‘‘ Certainly,’’ responded Lady Bess, and she hastened to produce from her writing-desk the epistle which Mr. Gun- thorpe asked for. Its contents were as follows: ‘“ ADMIRAL’S Heap, DOVER, July 12, 1844. “T have not hitherto had an opportunity of express- ing my sincerest and most heartfelt thanks for the generous conduct you have observed toward me in respect to that strange transaction which took place in Paris five years back, and to which I need not more particularly allude. It is evident that Miss Marshall, the eldest daughter of the landlord of this inn, is to a certain extent your confidante, and she has this day rendered me a most signal service, the nature of which she will no doubt explain to you. I naturally conjecture that were it not for certain revelations which you must have at some time or another made to her, she would not have had it in her power to render me that service. | “T must now explain my principal object in penning these few lines; and being unacquainted with your address, I shall entrust the letter to Miss Marshall, that she may forward it. I just now had occasion to call at the residence of Sir John Marston, who is dwelling in this town. During his momentary absence from the room where he received me, I happened to glance at a paper which lay open upon his desk. It was a letter addressed to him, and bearing the. signature of a certain Louisa Lloyd, doubtless that same Mrs. Lloyd who was present at the transaction in Paris to which I have above alluded. In that letter my eye caught the names of Elizabeth and Francis Paton, and then im- mediately followed these words: ‘I hope and trust there is no possible chance of their discovering that their father Gomiecbooks (E(0)