Page:The Cottagers of Glenburnie - Hamilton (1808).djvu/125

 funds. Lady Charlotte, upon her marriage, presented me with fifty more, and promised to give me twenty pounds a year, until her own brother, Mr Meriton, should come of age. I would have refused the annuity, but she insisted on it, saying, she was ashamed it was so little; but that Lord Longland's taking advantage of a clause in her mother's settlement, had refused paying her fortune till her brother Edward was of age: and then," said she, "Mrs Mason," throwing her arms affectionately round my neck, "then we may all be happy." She had written to her brothers she said; for I forgot to mention, that they had the year before been sent abroad to their travels with their tutor, and are now, I believe, in Switserland [sic], where Lady Charlotte and Sir William are to see them in their way to Italy. They pressed me to accompany them; but my lameness was such an obstacle, that I could not think of going to be a burthen to them; and while I hoped that