Lovers All Untrue, Part III

Mr Draper is furious with Marion, blaming her for the accident and for Johnny being there. He hardly speaks to his daughter until they go back to Bereham. Marion realises how selfish Johnny is, and when she meets him again, she knows that she wont go back to him. But she begins to plot against her father, wanting to free her sister and mother from his domination. She asks Johnny if he can get her some arsenic so she can whiten her hands. He is half suspicious as to why she really wants it, but agrees to try and get it. Mr Draper decides that he will send her to a nursing home, in the country which has a slightly sinister reputation..The matron was reputed to be unkind at times, and he hopes that this will make her realise that she is under his control and must remain so. He writes to Miss Rose, the matron and owner, and in the meantime he has a dinner party for business friends, including a Mr Horridge, who is very wealthy, a self made man who now owns an estate near the nursing home. Horridge falls in love with Marion and is surprised to see that the Drapers dont seem to be seeking husbands for their 2 girls. He finds that she is being sent to Heatherton which is next door to his estate. She goes to the nursing home, and finds that Miss Rose is amusing and kindly, and seems to get on with her. Mr Horridge calls and they get to know each other, but Marion realises that no news has come from home to say that Papa has died. He had noticed that his decanter of claret looked cloudy, and had it thrown out. Marion decides that she must try and manage another plan for escape for herself and her mother and Ellen. Mr Horridge is a middle aged man but he is kindly and seems to be in love with her Marion thinks that if she marries him, she would be able to at least invite Ellen and her mother for visits. She is not in love with Mr Horridge but she likes him. He goes to her father to tell him that he wants to marry Marion and Mr Draper refuses permission. Horridge tells him that he will use his wealth to ruin him in business unless he gets his way. .