She had not been trained to earn her own living, and she lacked the means to obtain a training.

Her father, she knew, would not hear of such a thing, nor would he relinquish the only means he possessed of controlling her actions.

She believed that privately he did not wish to part with her, though her presence was a very obvious drawback to his comfort.

He never took her part, but also he never threw his weight into the balance against her.

He merely, with considerable surliness, looked on.
And so the cruel struggle went on till it seemed to Sylvia that her physical strength was ultimately beginning to fail.