"I don't blame Reggie for borrowing if he was hard up, but knew he
could pay. But most men are deceitful creatures, anyway. Don't let
Aunt Ella write to father. He was always sore about her influence
over Quincy, and he mustn't think Aunt Ella made this match. If the
Countess would write him, puffing up Reggie's ancestors, and his blue
blood and ancestral home, and a hint (I hope it is so) that the
Hornaby's are a very wealthy family and related (distantly of course)
to royalty, Pater may say 'yes,' and give you his blessing. I do, if
that will help any. Your loving sister,
"MAUDE."
* * * * * * *
Florence had to make confidantes of Aunt Ella and Alice. She repeated
her conversation with Reginald and allowed them to read Maude's
letter.
"Maude has a level head," was Aunt Ella's comment. "I'll go and have
a talk with Linda. If she will write your father in the Captain's
behalf, I think things will come out all right."
Linda was not only willing to assure the Hon. Nathaniel Adams Sawyer
that Capt. Hornaby belonged to an old and honourable family, but also
that he did not seek his daughter's hand because her father was a
wealthy man, for the Hornaby estate was a large one, and the rentals
sufficient to allow the Captain an adequate income, although there
were other brothers to share the patrimony.
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