Ellsworthy or Miss Martineau. Mr. Danesfield had said to her: "My
dear, you and your sisters are in some particulars in a very unique
and unfortunate position. You are all three very young, yet you are
absolutely your own mistresses. No one in all the world has any real
control over you. If you ask me for your money, I cannot refuse you--I
have absolutely no choice in the matter; the money is yours, and when
you want it you must have it. Now I tell you plainly that Mrs.
Ellsworthy and Miss Martineau are dreadfully shocked with your scheme.
I may be wrong, but I confess I am not shocked. I fancy that you are
the kind of girls who will come out victorious, and that though you
will have rather a hard struggle, you will not be beaten; but there is
one thing I am most anxious to do for you, and that is to keep part of
your money. You have exactly two hundred pounds. How much of this
little capital do you propose to spend a year?"
"As little as ever we can," answered Primrose.
"Yes, my dear young lady, but you must have some sort of idea with
regard to your expenses. I would counsel you on no account to spend
more of your capital than seventy pounds a year; by restricting
yourselves to this sum you will have a very tiny but certain, income
for two years, and will have something to fall back on even in the
third year, if you are not then earning enough.
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