Search -
Margaret Percival, by the Author of 'amy Herbert', Ed. by W. Sewell
Margaret Percival by the Author of 'amy Herbert' Ed by W Sewell Author:Elizabeth Missing Sewell General Books publication date: 2009 Original publication date: 1858 Notes: This is a black and white OCR reprint of the original. It has no illustrations and there may be typos or missing text. When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can select from more than a million book... more »s for free. Excerpt: CHAPTER IX. Mrs. St. Aubyn was during this week more constant than ever in her visits to the Grove ; and notwithstanding Margaret's weariness in her society, she could not be insensible to her kindness. If however she had been envious, her bad feelings would have been easily awakened; for whatever attentions were bestowed, Agatha was clearly their origin and object. Her taste was consulted, her opinion required; and Margaret, though listened to politely, was placed completely in the back-ground. Colonel Clive frequently accompanied his sister, and there could be no doubt of the attraction; but Margaret was still unsuspicious. His manners were stiff, and his irritability scarcely hidden by his marked preference of everything with which Agatha was connected. He was a man grown prematurely old -- without occupation, and having no taste for literature, and subject in consequence to perpetual fits of ennui. He had sold out of the army, and, not understanding country pursuits, entrusted the care of his property to a bailiff; contented in the mean time to enjoy the rental, and spend his time in driving about Staunton, and paying visits with his sister. His great talent lay in finding fault, and this, with his defect of temper, made his society so unpleasant, that Margaret's delight even in her French journey was occasionally damped by knowing that he would be of the party. She was obliged frequently to remind herself that the plan was of his contriving, and that it was ungrateful to wish him away ; but Agatha required no reminding. A curious blindness appeared suddenly to have affected her mental perception...« less