He did not in the least degree despair of over-coming all
Capitola's dislike to his person and inspiring her with a passion
equal to his own.
He knew well that he dared not present himself at Hurricane Hall,
but he resolved to waylay her in her rides and there to press his
suit. To this he was urged by another motive almost as strong as
love--namely, avarice.
He had gathered thus much from his father, that Capitola Black was
supposed to be Capitola Le Noir, the rightful heiress of all that
vast property in land, houses, iron and coal mines, foundries and
furnaces, railway shares, etc., and bank stocks, from which his
father drew the princely revenue that supported them both in their
lavish extravagance of living.
As the heiress--or, rather, the rightful owner--of all this vast
fortune. Capitola was a much greater "catch" than poor Clara, with
her modest estate, had been. And Mr. Craven Le Noir was quite
willing to turn the tables on his father by running off with the
great heiress, and step from his irksome position of dependent upon
Colonel Le Noir's often ungracious bounty to that of the husband of
the heiress and the master of the property. Added to that was
another favorable circumstance--namely, whereas he had had a strong
personal antipathy to Clara he had as strong an attraction to
Capitola, which would make his course of courtship all the
pleasanter.
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