Hopes and Fears: or, scenes from the life of a spinsterYonge, Charlotte M. (Charlotte Mary)
General
Hopes and Fears: or, scenes from the life of a spinster
Yonge, Charlotte M. (Charlotte Mary)
England -- Social conditions -- 19th century -- Fiction; Single women -- Fiction
He went on to tell her that he had made Mr. Saville his executor. Mr.
Saville had been for many years before leaving Oxford bursar of his
college, and was a thorough man of business whom Humfrey had fixed upon
as the person best qualified to be an adviser and assistant to Honora,
and he only wished to know whether she wished for any other selection,
but this was nearly overpowering her again, for since her father's death
she had leant on no one but Humfrey himself.
One thing more he had to say. 'You know, Honor, this place will be
entirely your own. You and I seem to be the last of the Charlecotes, and
even if we were not, there is no entail. You may found orphan asylums
with it, or leave it to poor Sandbrook's children, just as you please.'
'Oh, I could not do that,' cried Honor, with a sudden revulsion. Love
them as she might, Owen Sandbrook's children must not step into Humfrey
Charlecote's place. 'And, besides,' she added, 'I want my little Owen to
be a clergyman; I think he can be what his father missed.'
'Well, you can do exactly as you think fit. Only what I wanted to tell
you is, that there may be another branch, elder than our own. Not that
this need make the least difference, for the Holt is legally ours. It
seems that our great grandfather had an elder son--a wild sort of
fellow--the old people used to tell stories of him. He went on, in
short, till he was disinherited, and went off to America. What became of
him afterwards I never could make out; but I have sometimes questioned
how I should receive any of his heirs if they should turn up some day.
Mind you, you need not have the slightest scruple in holding your own.
It was made over to my grandfather by will, as I have made it sure for
you; but I do think that when you come to think how to dispose of it, the
possibility of the existence of these Charlecotes might be taken into
consideration.'
'Yankee Charlecotes!' she said.
'Never mind; most likely nothing of the kind will ever come in your way,
and they have not the slightest claim on you. I only threw it out,
because I thought it right just to speak of it.'
After this commencement, Humfrey, on this and the ensuing days, made it
his business to make his cousin acquainted with the details of the
management of the estate. He took such pleasure in doing so, and was so
anxious she should comprehend, that she was forced to give her whole
attention; and, putting all else aside, was tranquilly happy in thus
gratifying him. Those orderly ranges of conscientious accounts were no
small testimony to the steady, earnest manner in which Humfrey had set
himself to his duty from his early youth, and to a degree they were his
honest pride too--he liked to show how good years had made up for bad
years, and there was a tenderness in the way he patted their red leather
backs to make them even on their shelves, as if they had been good
friends to him. No, they must not run into confusion.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account