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Updated: June 3, 2025
He wants a wife badly, if ever a man did, with all that house full of blankets and crockery. Why don't you set your cap at him, Miss Fairstairs?" "What; at a farmer!" said Charlie who was particularly anxious that her dear friend, Mrs Greenow, should not marry Mr Cheesacre, and who weakly thought to belittle him accordingly.
"I'm if she hasn't been and set up a carriage!" he said to himself one day, as standing on the pavement of Tombland, in Norwich, he saw Mrs Greenow issue forth from the Close in a private brougham, accompanied by one of the Fairstairs girls. "She's been and set up her carriage as sure as my name's Cheesacre!"
It was true that Charlie had not a shilling, and that Mr Cheesacre had set his heart on marrying an heiress. It was true that Miss Fairstairs had always stood low in the gentleman's estimation, as being connected with people who were as much without rank and fashion as they were without money, and that the gentleman loved rank and fashion dearly.
Would it not be sweet to him if he could carry off his friend's prize from under the very eaves of his friend's house? And Mrs Greenow also understood the arrangement. "Going to Oileymead; are you?" she said when Captain Bellfield came to tell her of his departure. Charlie Fairstairs was with her, so that the Captain could not utilize the moment in any special way.
Before the neighbouring clock had done striking seven, Bellfield rose from his chair to go. He first of all spoke a word of farewell to Miss Fairstairs; then he turned to his late host; "Good night, Cheesacre," he said, in the easiest tone in the world; after that he pressed the widow's hand and whispered his adieu. "I thought you were staying at Oileymead?" said Mrs Greenow.
It was thus that he took an occasion to express himself to Miss Fairstairs on that very evening. "Military rank is always recognised," Miss Fairstairs had replied, taking Mr Cheesacre's remarks as a direct slight upon herself. He had taken her down to dinner, and had then come to her complaining that he had been injured in being called upon to do so!
"I came from there this morning," said the Captain. "But he isn't going back there, I can tell you," said Mr Cheesacre. "Oh, indeed," said Mrs Greenow; "I hope there is nothing wrong." "All as right as a trivet," said the Captain; and then he was off. "I promised mamma that I would be home by seven," said Charlie Fairstairs, rising from her chair.
Before that evening was over, under the comfortable influence of a glass of hot brandy-and-water, the widow had, I think, herself mixed the second glass for Mr Cheesacre, before the influence became sufficiently comfortable, he was forced to own that he had made himself the happy possessor of Charlie Fairstairs' heart and hand.
I've detested that woman for the last ten years." Cheesacre could forgive no word of slight respecting his social position, and the idea of Miss Fairstairs having pretended to look down upon him, galled him to the quick. "You'll have to dine with her at any rate," said Bellfield, "and I always think that four are better company than three on such occasions."
It would be too long to tell now, in these last pages of our story, how Cheesacre strove to escape, and with what skill Mrs Greenow kept him to his bargain. I hope that Charlie Fairstairs was duly grateful.
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