Over him she had exercised but little influence. He had been brought
up like the sons of other native princes, and, save for his somewhat
light complexion, the English blood in his veins would never have been
suspected.
Margaret, on the other hand, had been under her mother's care, and as
the latter had always hoped that the girl would, at any rate for a
time, go to her family in England, she had always conversed with her
in that language, and had, until her decreasing strength rendered it
no longer possible, given her an English education.
In complexion and appearance, she took far more after her English
mother than the boy had done; and, save for her soft, dark eyes, and
glossy, jet-black hair, might have passed as of pure English blood.
When she sailed, it was with the intention of returning to India, in
the course of a few years; but this arrangement was overthrown by the
fact that on the voyage, John Holland, the handsome young first mate
of the Indiaman, completely won her heart, and they were married a
fortnight after the vessel came up the Thames.
The matter would not have been so hurried had not a letter she posted
on landing, to her mother's sister, who had promised her a home,
received an answer written in a strain which determined her to yield,
at once, to John Holland's pressing entreaties that they should be
married without delay.
Pages:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25