Twentyman; but when the settled conviction came upon her,
after hearing Reginald Morton's words, then she was much troubled.
He stayed only a couple of days at Cheltenham and during that time
said very little to her. He certainly spoke no word which would
give her a right to think that he himself was attached to her. He
had been interested about her, as was his aunt, Lady Ushant,
because she had been known and her mother had been known by the old
Mortons. But there was nothing of love in all that. She had never
supposed that there would be; and yet there was a vague feeling in
her bosom that as he had been strong in expressing his objection to
Mr. Twentyman there might have been something more to stir him than
the memory of those old days at Bragton!
"To my thinking there is a sweetness about her which I have never
seen equalled in any young woman." This was said by Lady Ushant to
her nephew after Mary had gone to bed on the night before he left.
"One would suppose," he answered, "that you wanted me to ask her to
be my wife."
"I never want anything of that kind, Reg. I never make in such
matters,--or mar if I can help it."
"There is a man at Dillsborough wants to marry her."
"I can easily believe that there should be two or three. Who is the
man?"
"Do you remember old Twentyman of Chowton?"
"He was our near neighbour.
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