At the time of the writing of the three letters, at which our story is supposed to begin, she was driven very hard for money. Sir Felix was then twenty-five, had been in a fashionable regiment for four years, had already sold out, and, to own the truth at once, had altogether wasted the property which his father had left him. So much the mother knew,--and knew, therefore, that with her limited income she must maintain not only herself and daughter, but also the baronet. She did not know, however, the amount of the baronet's obligations;--nor, indeed, did he, or any one else. A baronet, holding a commission in the Guards, and known to have had a fortune left him by his father, may go very far in getting into debt; and Sir Felix had made full use of all his privileges. His life had been in every way bad. He had become a burden on his mother so heavy,--and on his sister also,--that their life had become one of unavoidable embarrassments. But not for a moment had either of them ever quarrelled with him. Henrietta had been taught by the conduct of both father and mother that every vice might be forgiven in a man and in a son, though every virtue was expected from a woman, and especially from a daughter. The lesson had come to her so early in life that she had learned it without the feeling of any grievance. 
At the time of the writing of the three letters, she was driven very hard for money. Sir Felix was then twenty-five, had sold out from his regiment, and, to tell the truth, had altogether wasted the property which his father had left him. The mother knew that she must maintain the young baronet. She did not know, however, the amount of his debts - nor, indeed, did he. He had gone a very long way into debt; his life had been in every way bad. He had become so heavy a burden on his mother and sister that their life had become full of unavoidable embarrassments.
But neither of them ever quarrelled with Sir Felix. Henrietta had been taught by her parents' conduct that every vice might be forgiven in a man, though every virtue was expected from a woman. 