ABSTRACT
And now Philip seemed as prosperous as his heart could desire. The business flourished, and money beyond his moderate wants came in. As for himself he required very little; but he had always looked forward to placing his idol in a befitting shrine; and means for this were now furnished to him. The dress, the comforts, the position he had desired for Sylvia were all hers. She did not need to do a stroke of household work if she preferred to ‘sit in her parlour and sew up a seam.’ 272 Indeed Phoebe resented any interference in the domestic labour, which she had performed so long, that she looked upon the kitchen as a private empire of her own. ‘Mrs. Hepburn’ (as Sylvia was now termed) had a good dark silk gown-piece in her drawers, as well as the poor dove-coloured, b against the day when she chose to leave off mourning; and stuff for either gray or scarlet cloaks was hers at her bidding.
