Birds of Prey

Birds of Prey

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Title: Birds of Prey
Author: M.E. Braddon
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BIRDS OF PREY
BY
M.E. BRADDON

[Illustration: "Be good enough to take me straight to her," said the
Captain, "I am her father."]

CONTENTS:
Book the First.
FATAL FRIENDSHIP.
I. THE HOUSE IN BLOOMSBURY II. PHILIP SHELDON READS
THE "LANCET" III. MR. AND MRS. HALLIDAY IV. A
PERPLEXING ILLNESS V. THE LETTER FROM THE
"ALLIANCE" OFFICE VI. MR. BURKHAM'S UNCERTAINTIES
Book the Second.
THE TWO MACAIRES.
I. A GOLDEN TEMPLE II. THE EASY DESCENT III. "HEART
BARE, HEART HUNGRY, VERY POOR"
Book the Third.
HEAPING UP RICHES.
I. A FORTUNATE MARRIAGE II. CHARLOTTE III. GEORGE
SHELDON'S PROSPECTS IV. DIANA FINDS A NEW HOME V.
AT THE LAWN VI. THE COMPACT OF GRAY'S INN VII. AUNT
SARAH VIII. CHARLOTTE PROPHESIES RAIN IX. MR.
SHELDON ON THE WATCH
Book the Fourth.

VALENTINE HAWKEHURST'S RECORD.
I. THE OLDEST INHABITANT II. MATTHEW HAYGARTH'S
RESTING-PLACE III. MR. GOODGE'S WISDOM
Book the Fifth.
RELICS OF THE DEAD.
I. BETRAYED BY A BLOTTING-PAD II. VALENTINE INVOKES
THE PHANTOMS OF THE PAST III. HUNTING THE JUDSONS IV.
GLIMPSES OF A BYGONE LIFE
Book the Sixth.
THE HEIRESS OF THE HAYGARTHS.
I. DISAPPOINTMENT II. VALENTINE'S RECORD CONTINUED
III. ARCADIA IV. IN PARADISE V. TOO FAIR TO LAST VI.
FOUND IN THE BIBLE
Book the Seventh.
CHARLOTTE'S ENGAGEMENT.
I. "IN YOUR PATIENCE YE ARE STRONG" II. MRS. SHELDON
ACCEPTS HER DESTINY III. MR. HAWKEHURST AND MR.
GEORGE SHELDON COME TO AN UNDERSTANDING IV. MR.
SHELDON IS PROPITIOUS V. MR. SHELDON IS BENEVOLENT
VI. RIDING THE HIGH HORSE VII. MR. SHELDON IS PRUDENT
VIII. CHRISTMAS PEACE

BIRDS OF PREY
BOOK THE FIRST.
FATAL FRIENDSHIP.

CHAPTER I.
THE HOUSE IN BLOOMSBURY.
"What about?" There are some houses whereof the outward aspect is
sealed with the seal of respectability--houses which inspire confidence
in the minds of the most sceptical of butchers and bakers--houses at
whose area-gates the tradesman delivers his goods undoubtingly, and
from whose spotless door-steps the vagabond children of the
neighbourhood recoil as from a shrine too sacred for their gambols.

Such a house made its presence obvious, some years ago, in one of the
smaller streets of that west-central region which lies between Holborn
and St. Pancras Church. It is perhaps the nature of ultra-respectability
to be disagreeably conspicuous. The unsullied brightness of No. 14
Fitzgeorge-street was a standing reproach to every other house in the
dingy thorough-fare. That one spot of cleanliness made the surrounding
dirt cruelly palpable. The muslin curtains in the parlour windows of No.
15 would not have appeared of such a smoky yellow if the curtains of
No. 14 had not been of such a pharisaical whiteness. Mrs. Magson, at
No. 13, was a humble letter of lodgings, always more or less in arrear
with the demands of quarter-day; and it seemed a hard thing that her
door-steps, whereon were expended much labour and hearthstone--not
to mention house-flannel, which was in itself no unimportant item in
the annual expenses--should be always thrown in the shade by the
surpassing purity of the steps before No. 14.
Not satisfied with being the very pink and pattern of respectability, the
objectionable house even aspired to a kind of prettiness. It was as
bright, and pleasant, and rural of aspect as any house within earshot of
the roar and rattle of Holborn can be. There were flowers in the
windows; gaudy scarlet geraniums, which seemed to enjoy an
immunity from all the ills to which geraniums are subject,