Thread: fair patronesses

Hola. ¿Qué significa "fair patronesses" en el siguiente texto?: Nevertheless, occasionally I coquette with the Money Market to the extent of a few hundreds. To please fair patronesses I buy a lottery-ticket now and then; and for the sake of times long past, I take a little trouble about such a place as Crow Hall, for instance.
Gracias por vuestra ayuda.

Hola, me parece que se refiere a "mecenas" de algún tipo.