Page:Lady Anne Granard 2.pdf/185

Rh her in a scene of temptation, no bride with a full purse can resist. She cannot be scolded in the honeymoon, you know, and it may be of use to her in after life, to prompt her to do what she will with her own money." It struck Lady Anne that this companion of her toils might be, indeed, useful, for surely any purchases made between themselves within the stand might, with little or no legerdemain, find their way into her own private purse, instead of the large business-like affairs provided by the committee for the reception of money. "It was very well to enjoy the éclat of bestowing the best contribution to the charity, and, perhaps, not amiss to have daughters so enthusiastic in the good cause, as to work themselves to death in it, but there could be no possible necessity for giving it so much actual property. She now regretted much having had the case taken to the duke's, for surely it might have been weeded to very good purpose, and no one the wiser." When reading the note, and arriving at an assurance of Helen's absence, Lady Anne had indignantly crushed it in her hand, and thrust it into her reticule, but, on her return home, whilst Fanchette was industriously employed upon her hair with the invaluable liquid dye, she drew out the rumpled paper, and read the concluding paragraph. "A parcel addressed to me, on the inner wrapper of which were these words, 'a friend to the Brighton dispensary, unable to use these materials to good