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Chapter I. I Go to Styles
Irecalledherasanenergetic,autocraticpersonality,somewhatinclinedtocharitableandsocialnotoriety,withafondnessforopeningbazaarsandplayingtheLadyBountiful.Shewasamostgenerouswoman,andpossessedaconsiderablefortuneofherown.
Theircountry-place,StylesCourt,hadbeenpurchasedbyMr.Cavendishearlyintheirmarriedlife.Hehadbeencompletelyunderhiswife’sascendancy,somuchsothat,ondying,helefttheplacetoherforherlifetime,aswellasthelargerpartofhisincome;anarrangementthatwasdistinctlyunfairtohistwosons.Theirstep-mother,however,hadalwaysbeenmostgeneroustothem;indeed,theyweresoyoungatthetimeoftheirfather’sremarriagethattheyalwaysthoughtofherastheirownmother.
Lawrence,theyounger,hadbeenadelicateyouth.Hehadqualifiedasadoctorbutearlyrelinquishedtheprofessionofmedicine,andlivedathomewhilepursuingliteraryambitions;thoughhisversesneverhadanymarkedsuccess.
Johnpractisedforsometimeasabarrister,buthadfinallysettleddowntothemorecongeniallifeofacountrysquire.Hehadmarriedtwoyearsago,andhadtakenhiswifetoliveatStyles,thoughIentertainedashrewdsuspicionthathewouldhavepreferredhismothertoincreasehisallowance,whichwouldhaveenabledhimtohaveahomeofhisown.Mrs.Cavendish,however,wasaladywholikedtomakeherownplans,andexpectedotherpeopletofallinwiththem,andinthiscaseshecertainlyhadthewhiphand,namely:thepursestrings.
