Before she had reached
Cheltenham the chapter of accidents had done much. When Reginald
Morton told her that he could not have congratulated her on such
prospects, and had explained to her why in truth he had been angry
at the bridge,--how he had been anxious to be alone with her that
he might learn whether she were really engaged to this man,--then
she had known that her answer to Larry Twentyman at the end of the
two months must be a positive refusal.
But as she became aware of this a new trouble arose and harassed
her very soul. When she had asked for the six months she had not at
the moment been aware, she had not then felt, that a girl who asks
for time is supposed to have already surrendered. But since she had
made that unhappy request the conviction had grown upon her. She
had read it in every word her stepmother said to her and in her
father's manner. The very winks and hints and little jokes which
fell from her younger sisters told her that it was so. She could
see around her the satisfaction which had come from the settlement
of that difficult question,--a satisfaction which was perhaps more
apparent with her father than even with the others. Then she knew
what she had done, and remembered to have heard that a girl who
expresses a doubt is supposed to have gone beyond doubting. While
she was still at Dillsborough there was a feeling that no evil
would arise from this if she could at last make up her mind to be
Mrs.
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