Vera Nevill Or, Poor Wisdom's Chance   By: H. Lovett Cameron

OR, POOR WISDOM'S CHANCE.

A NOVEL .

BY MRS. H. LOVETT CAMERON

Author of "Pure Gold," "In a Grass Country," etc., etc.

PHILADELPHIA: J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY. 1893.

"No. Vain, alas! th' endeavour From bonds so sweet to sever. Poor Wisdom's Chance Against a glance Is now as weak as ever."

Moore's Melodies .

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I. The Vicar's Family

CHAPTER II. Kynaston Hall

CHAPTER III. Fanning Dead Ashes

CHAPTER IV. The Lay Rector

CHAPTER V. "Little Pitchers"

CHAPTER VI. A Soirée at Walpole Lodge

CHAPTER VII. Evening Reveries

CHAPTER VIII. The Member for Meadowshire

CHAPTER IX. Engaged

CHAPTER X. A Meeting on the Stairs

CHAPTER XI. An Idle Morning

CHAPTER XII. The Meet at Shadonake

CHAPTER XIII. Peacock's Feathers

CHAPTER XIV. Her Wedding Dress

CHAPTER XV. Vera's Message

CHAPTER XVI. "Poor Wisdom"

CHAPTER XVII. An Unlucky Love Letter

CHAPTER XVIII. Lady Kynaston's Plans

CHAPTER XIX. What She Waited For

CHAPTER XX. A Morning Walk

CHAPTER XXI. Maurice's Intercession

CHAPTER XXII. Mr. Pryme's Visitors

CHAPTER XXIII. A White Sunshade

CHAPTER XXIV. Her Son's Secret

CHAPTER XXV. St. Paul's, Knightsbridge

CHAPTER XXVI. The Russia Leather Case

CHAPTER XXVII. Dinner at Ranelagh

CHAPTER XXVIII. Mrs. Hazeldine's "Long Eliza"

CHAPTER XXIX. A Wedding Tour

CHAPTER XXX. "If I could Die!"

CHAPTER XXXI. An Eventful Drive

CHAPTER XXXII. By the Vicarage Gate

CHAPTER XXXIII. Denis Wilde's Love

CHAPTER XXXIV. A Garden Party

CHAPTER XXXV. Shadonake Bath

CHAPTER XXXVI. At Peace

VERA NEVILL

OR

POOR WISDOM'S CHANCE.

CHAPTER I.

THE VICAR'S FAMILY.

With that regal indolent air she had So confident of her charm.

Owen Meredith.

Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear.

Shakespeare.

Amongst the divers domestic complications into which short sighted man is prone to fall there is none which has been more conclusively proved to be an utter and egregious failure than that family arrangement which, for lack of a better name, I will call a "composite household."

No one could have spoken upon this subject with greater warmth of feeling, nor out of the depths of a more painful experience, than could the Rev. Eustace Daintree, sometime vicar of the parish of Sutton in the Wold.

Mr. Daintree's family circle consisted of himself, his mother, his wife, and his wife's sister, and I should like to know how a man could expect to lead a life of peace and tranquillity with such a combination of inharmonious feminine elements!

There were two children also, who were a fruitful source of discord and disunion. It is certain that, had he chosen to do so, the Rev. Eustace might have made many heart rending and harrowing revelations concerning the private life and customs of the inhabitants of his vicarage. It is equally certain, however, that he would not have chosen to do so, for he was emphatically a man of peace and gentleness, kind hearted and given to good works; and was, moreover, sincerely anxious to do his duty impartially to those whom Providence or fate, or a combination of chances and changes, had somehow contrived to bring together under his roof.