[Scarhaven Keep by J. S. Fletcher]@TWC D-Link book
Scarhaven Keep

CHAPTER V
15/19

The three sons were all different in their tastes and ideas; the eldest, Stephen John, who came into the estates on his father's death, was a real home bird--he never left Scarhaven for more than a day or two at a time all his life.
And he never married--he was a real old bachelor, almost a woman-hater.
The next one, Marcus, went out to America and settled there--he was the father of this present Squire, Mr.Marston Greyle.

Then there was the third son, Valentine--he went to live in London.

And years after he came back here, very poor, and settled down in a little house near Scarhaven Church with his wife and daughter--that was the daughter you met this afternoon, Miss Audrey.

I don't know why, and nobody else knows, either, but the last Squire, Stephen John, never had anything to do with Valentine and his family; what's more, when Valentine died and left the widow and daughter very poorly off, Stephen John did nothing for them.
But he himself died very soon after Valentine, and then of course, as Marcus had already died in America, everything came to this Mr.Marston.
And, as I said, he's a stranger to Scarhaven folk and Scarhaven ways.
Indeed, you might say to England and English ways, for I understand he'd never been in England until he came to take up the family property." "Is he more friendly with the mother and daughter than the last Squire was ?" asked Copplestone, who had been much interested in this chapter of family history.
Mrs.Wooler made several stitches in her sewing before she answered this direct question, and when, she spoke it was in lower tones and with a glance of caution.
"He would be, if he could!" she said.

"There are those in the village who say that he wants to marry his cousin.


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