This was fiction; she wanted Bess to see Richard, of whom she was privily proud.
The Marklins lived across the street from the Harley house.

Mother Marklin was an invalid and seldom out of her own room.

Father Marklin was dead, and had been these five years.

When the situation promoted her to be the head of the Marklin household, Bess had taken on a quiet, grave atmosphere of authority that was ten years older than her age.
The Marklins were fair rich.

Father Marklin had been a physician whose patients were women of fashion; and that makes a practice wherein your doctor may know less medicine and make more money than in any other walk of drugs.