Lucy Bertram, with some hesitation, accepted the invitation to reside a few weeks with Miss Mannering.

She felt too well that, however the Colonel's delicacy might disguise the truth, his principal motive was a generous desire to afford her his countenance and protection, which his high connexions, and higher character, were likely to render influential in the neighbourhood.
About the same time the orphan girl received a letter from Mrs.Bertram, the relation to whom she had written, as cold and comfortless as could well be imagined.

It inclosed, indeed, a small sum of money, but strongly recommended economy, and that Miss Bertram should board herself in some quiet family, either at Kippletringan or in the neighbourhood, assuring her that, though her own income was very scanty, she would not see her kinswoman want.

Miss Bertram shed some natural tears over this cold-hearted epistle; for in her mother's time this good lady had been a guest at Ellangowan for nearly three years, and it was only upon succeeding to a property of about L400 a year that she had taken farewell of that hospitable mansion, which otherwise might have had the honour of sheltering her until the death of its owner.

Lucy was strongly inclined to return the paltry donation, which, after some struggles with avarice, pride had extorted from the old lady.