'
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 Sanditon has
been a public place. Families come after families, but, as far as I can
learn, it is not one in a hundred of them that have any real property,
landed or funded.
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