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WIFE OR SLAVE? WIFE OR SLAVE ? BY MRS. ALBERT S. BRADSHAW, AUTHOR OF " A Crimson Stain," "A Noble Vengeance," " The Queen's Dtfonce," " The Young Roman," " Condemned," " Damian's Wife," &c. LONDON : HENRY AND COMPANY, 6, BOUVERIE STREET, E.C. The Author has Dedicated the present work (by hind permission) to HER GRACE THE DUCHESS OF RUTLAND, Who, by her efforts. Literary and Philanthropic, has done so much to further the interests and improve the surroundings of those less fortunately circum­ stanced than their noble benefactress. INDEX. Cliapti-r Vaye. I. At the Village School I II. The St. Kestor Inheritance 14 III. DO you Believe in Destiny... 19 IV Narrative by Hugh Penwood 28 V Conjugal Felicity 43 VI. Hugh Penwood's Narrative Con­ tinued 48 VII. Sir Peter Fairbairn, Knight 64 VIII. The Apple of Discord 72 IX. A Dangerous Guest... 81 X. A Simple Funeral ... 88 XI. Hugh Penwood makes his First Experiment in Thought Read­ ing 95 XII. Driven into Exile 106 XIII. A Mother Steals her Own Child ... 121 XIV Cruelty and Treachery 127 XV A Terrible Discovery T-^I XVI. Further Conspiracies 145 XVII. Lady St. Kestor Discovers Sir Peter's Family Skeleton 150 XVIII. Sir Hardress is Brutally Candid ... 162 XIX. Let me be Your Friend 173 11. INDEX. Chapter. Page. XX. Mathilde Offers Her Suggestion i8o XXI. I Don't Want Your Love ... i86 XXII. Hester Barnforth Plays Her Part 200 XXIII. Mary Haldane's Make-up ... 215 XXIV Hester Barnforth Overhears a Con versation 234 XXV A Threatened Storm 240 XXVI. The Storm Bursts ... 250 XXVII. Hugh Penwood's Second Exper ment 255 XXVIII. Master Dick ... 265 XXIX. Mons. Pierre's Romance 279 XXX. Ashley Dallas Pleads His Suit 294 XXXI. Sir Peter's Family Skeleton 300 XXXII. Hugh Penwood's Narrative Con eluded 309 XXXIII. So Soon 315 XXXIV Wedding Bells 319 XXXV Nil Desperandum 325 Mrs. Albert S. Bradshauj's Press /Notices "A CRIMSON STAIN." A viuorous tale of Spain in olden times.—Daily Chronicle. Readers who desire exciting literature with plenty of mystery, will find that this story more than fulfils their expectations. —Public Opinion. The tale is graphically told!—Bookseller. An extremely well-written story of a type likelj' to find favour with the public. It will certainly please the groat bulk of readers.— The Scotsman. A striking novel. The plot is a very peculiar one ; perhaps it is this which gives a certain air of unreality. We are carried on by the mystery which is indicated from the beginning, but not revealed until the interest is at its heiglit; then we ncquire a double interest in finding out how the destiny which is involved in the m)'stery is avoided. The story is well written. Mrs. Bradshaw's style is clear, nervous, and forceful; she has the art of carefully concealing mystery until the time comes for revelation. — The Glasgow Herald. To a stor\- of Spain, in the reign of Ferdinand VII., and is a thrilling narrative.—Manchester Courier. There are many travellers who will welcome such [a novel] as a companion for their journeys. The plot is not too complicated, 'but is sufiiciently uncommon to be read without the unwelcome conviction that one knows exactly what is coming.—Yorkshire Post. If it is an attraction, as we believe it is, to sustain no ordinary thrill of interest from the first to the last clause in a book, this production has a claim upon the novel reader. The reviewer, out of sheer curiosity, has read it through carefully, and can give it an unqualified word of praise. It is a remarkable story.—Sheffield Daily Telegraph. An interesting and original novel.—Sheffield Post. A narrative of Spanish revenge. The incidents have been wrought into a clever story.—I'.ristol Western Daily News. The story is thrillingly sensational, but it is remarkably weil written, and it would require a singularly unemotional reader to lay down the book now before us, without having read it to the end. It is a most remarkable romance. We shall watch the future work of the writer with more than ordinary interest. —Bristol Mercury. The opening of this remarkable story reveals to the reader one of the loveliest regions in the South of Spain. The beautiful Maria Bolurski's love for Felipe foi-ms a fine featui-e in this beautiful story.— Western Moniiny News. A work of thrilling interest. The plot is both powerfully conceived, cleverly written, and the interest fully sustained from beginning to end.—Leicester Journal. The story is worth reading, giving a truthful description of the national prejudices, on which the plot hinges. '' The sins of the father shall be visited on the children" sums up the exciting story.—New York Literary News. POEMS, &c. Mrs. Albert S. Bradshaw also recited with feeling a dramatic poem of her own, "Condemned; or, Told to the Chaplain," cast in the familiar mould of the Dagonet Ballads.—Stage. Mrs. Albert S. Bradshaw recited a poem of her own, entitled, "Condemned," with good facial expression and ajsprDpriate gestures. .—Society. Mrs. Albert S. Bradshaw recited " Condemned," a powerful story of retributive justice, of which she is the authoress.—Islington (Ja:etie. Amongst the conspicuous items of the progi-ammn was the recital by Mrs. Al'bert S. Bradshaw of her own poem, " Condemned.—London. The capabilities of Mrs. Albert S. Bradshaw as an able writer and an extremely-gifted elocutionist were fully displayed in her rendering of the pieces " Condemned" and " Idalia," which are her own compo­ sition. Mrs. Bradshaw's forcible and skilful pourtrayal of the alter­ nating feelings of sorrow, pain, and vengeful declamation expressed in the two selections, withi the interesting nature of the narratives themselves, combined to excite and sustain the attention of the audience throughout from beginning to end ; and the lady s efforts were thoroughlj' recognised as among the most pleasui-able items of the programme and were heartily applauded.—Middlesex County Times. Mrs. Albert S. Bradshaw recited "Condemned; or, Told to the Chaplain," in most effectivi' style.—Nottingham Daily Express. Mrs. Albert S. Bradshaw recited a poem of her own, much alter the style of Mr. Geo. R. Sims, entitled, "Condemned." Mrs. Bradshaw was sympathetically received, and both the pathos and passion of the poem, and the method of its presentation, were thoroughly appreciated. —Nottinyham Daily Guardian. Mrs. Albert S. Bradshaw made her second appearance at Long Eaton. She recited two pieces of her own composition, entitled, " The Y^oung Roman " and " Condemned," and the hearty re-call she received must have assured her the audience highly appreciated her elocutionary ability. " Condemned" has plenty of room for dramstic delineation, and it is little enough to say that Mrs. Bradshaw's intellectual inter­ pretation of it was quite natural and evidently enjoyed, her hearers being spell-bound to the last.—Long Eaton Adcerliser. Of a totally different character was the strong pnem " Condemned," the fruit of her own pen, in which jMrs Bradshaw delineated a striking hero of seventeen, and held the sympathetic attention of all. The burst of applause which greeted the conclusion of this long dramatic effort must have assured the talented lady that her work, literary and dramatic, has merit.—Aljreton Journal. " Idalia" is full of pathetic and tragic interest, and Mrs. Albert S. Bradshaw, who, besides being an authoress, is a trained and polished elocutionist, was loudly and deservedly applauded for the taste and intellect she brought to bear in it>. interpretation.—Dramatic Review. Among the principal items was the recital by Mrs. Albert S. Bradshaw of her own poem, "Idalia." The piece is full of pathetic and tragic interest, to which Mrs. Bradshaw did full justice.— The Star. Mrs. Albert S. Bradshaw is a novelist and a lady of unusual Ul. accomplishments, both as a writer and an elocutionist. Delighted the audience with "Idalia."—Newark Advertiser. Mrs. Albert S. Bradshaw recited " Dick," a touching narrative of the evil effects of drink, with much pathos, which elicited loud applause.—The People. Mrs. Albert S. Bradshaw appeared in her monologue, entitled, " Cousin Tom," which was amusing, and, in the course of it, she sang " Annie Laurie," in a sweet and sympathetic voice, fully deserving the basket of flowers which was handed to her.—Nottingham Guardian. Mrs. Albert S. Bradshaw appeared in a mouDlogue sketch as a petulant school-girl, with a hatred for her governess, whom she dubbed "the cat," a dislike for her books, and a decided preference for her " Cousin Tom," with whom she was desirous of eloping.— The Stage. WIEE OR SLAVE? CHAPTER I. AT THE VILLAGE SCHOOL. jT was the month of August in the year i8— The heat had been more than usually intense, and the long Devonshire lanes seemed at one and the same time to scorch the feet of the pedestrian, and almost to blind him with their dazzling whiteness. But the occupants of a hand­ some barouche, which came bowling along between the hedges abounding with great clusters of large tempting blackberries, failed to discover such little discomforts, as they lounged luxuriously back upon the cushions beneath shady umbrellas and fanciful sunshades. To them the drowsy hum of insect life was but a fitting accompaniment to their own pleasurable idleness. The sky overhead was one broad expanse of unsullied blue. Not a leaf stirred, and not even a bird could be seen on the wing. All nature seemed to be under the spell of some soporific influence. B 2 WIFE OR SLAVE ? A sudden turn in the lane revealed the upper portion of the village of St.

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