oman to say that has been twice
married. Poor dear Sir Harry (between ourselves) thought at first to
have got more, but (with a bit of a sigh) he is gone, and we must not
find fault with the dead. Nobody could live happier together than us:
and he was a very honourable man, quite the gentleman, of ancient family;
and when he died I gave Sir Edward his gold watch.'

This was said with a look at her companion which implied its right to
produce a great impression; and seeing no rapturous astonishment in
Charlotte's countenance, she added quickly,

'He did not bequeath it to his nephew, my dear; it was no bequest; it was
not in the will. He only told me, and _that_ but _once_, that he should
wish his nephew to have his watch; but it need not have been binding, if
I had not chose it.'

'Very kind indeed, very handsome!' said Charlotte, absolutely forced to
affect admiration.

'Yes, my dear; and it is not the only kind thing I have done by him. I
have been a very liberal friend to Sir Edward; and, poor young man, he
needs it bad enough. For, though I am only the dowager, my dear, and he
is the heir, things do not stand between us in the way they usually do
between those two parties. Not a shilling do I receive from the Denham
estate. Sir Edward has no payments to make _me_. _He_ don't stand
uppermost, believe me; it is _I_ that help _him_.'

'Indeed! he is a very fine young man, and particularly elegant in his
address.'

This was said chiefly for the sake of saying something; but Charlotte
directly saw that it was laying her open to suspicion, by Lady Denham's
giving a shrewd glance at her, and replying,

'Yes, yes; he's very well to look at; and it is to be hoped that somebody
of large fortune will think so; for Sir Edward _must_ marry for money. He
and I often talk that matter over. A handsome young man like him will go
smirking and smiling about, and paying girls compliments, but he knows he
_must_ marry for money. And Sir Edward is a very steady young man, in
the main, and has got very good notions.'

'Sir Edward Denham,' said Charlotte, 'with such personal advantages, may
be almost sure of getting a woman of fortune, if he chooses it.'

This glorious sentiment seemed quite to remove suspicion.

'Aye, my dear, that is very sensibly said; and if we could but get a
young heiress to Sanditon! But heiresses are monstrous scarce! I do not
think we have had an heiress here, nor even a _Co_., since Sandit