The Escape of the Notorious Sir William Heans by William Gosse Hay

As they descended in the carriage, over the quiver and shriek of the heavy break, with now a splash of sleety rain and once a boom of thunder, a tragic idea came to Matilda, that if she could manage it, she would speak with sympathetic Lady Franklin about Sir William Heans, and see if some organising secretaryship or honorary post could not be obtained for him by which he would be bound among a better set, and the suffrages of "one side" of Hobarton society be gradually opened to him. She put it to herself as "one side." There was another side of Hobarton society over which she was aware the Governor's wife had less power, and with whom a prisoner had less chance: that of the old families, led by Mr. Montague, the Colonial Secretary, whose famous quarrel with Sir John Franklin was already simmering above the surface. [Note 5. See end of this para.] Matilda, though she disliked her pretty ladyship's stern and masculine attitude, her ill advised and too forcible championing of her husband, yet believed her at bottom a kindhearted, sensible personage, and like many another distracted woman, determined to penetrate the attitude and besiege the good for her purpose.

[Note 5.--As early as 1830 Lieut. Breton, R. N., writes that Hobarton society was more exclusive than that of "an English town." "If, however, a person can obtain one or two good letters of introduction he may get on well enough with both the aristocracy and the merchants, though decidedly better with the last."]