She was afraid of Mr.
Pendennis, to the last moment of his life.

And it was only when her husband was gone that Helen dared openly to indulge in the tenderness which she felt for the little girl.
Thus it was that Laura Bell became Mrs.Pendennis's daughter.

Neither her husband nor that gentleman's brother, the Major, viewed her with very favourable eyes.

She reminded the first of circumstances in his wife's life which he was forced to accept, but would have forgotten much more willingly and as for the second, how could he regard her?
She was neither related to his own family of Pendennis, nor to any nobleman in this empire, and she had but a couple of thousand pounds for her fortune.
And now let Mr.Pen come in, who has been waiting all this while.
Having strung up his nerves, and prepared himself, without at the door, for the meeting, he came to it, determined to face the awful uncle.

He had settled in his mind that the encounter was to be a fierce one, and was resolved on bearing it through with all the courage and dignity of the famous family which he represented.