Page:Authors daughter v1.djvu/66

62 Darlington. Eveline is a child yet, and though a pretty one, people do not care about beauty now-a-days. And Herbert Darlington's means are very small just now."

"Small or great, he will be able to live within his means, which is what I never could do," said the Earl laughing, "so he is a richer man than me now, and he has a rich uncle besides. Oh! I should feel quite easy if Eveline was married to him; and depend upon it, when Lady Gower brings her out, that she will be the rage. She has the Darlington countenance, and the family has been noted for beauty for three centuries."

But before Lady Eveline's countenance had come to its full beauty, in fact when she was not sixteen, Mr. Herbert Darlington and his expectations were transferred elsewhere.

He married a Miss Pernnithorne, the only child of a wealthy city-man, and reputed the richest heiress of her time. Lord Darlington was furious in his rage, but he could not have the satisfaction of cutting off his heir with a shilling. He could only cut him in society, and cut down a very little more timber, and Lady Eveline's penniless condition became as great a grief to him as to his lady. The only thing that could be done under the circumstances was, to take a leaf out of Herbert's book, and ally his