She had seen them together and had
suspected something of the truth before it had glimmered before the
eyes of any one in Dillsborough. Had Reginald been so inclined Lady
Morton would have been very glad to see him marry Mary Masters. For
both their sakes she would have preferred such a match to one with
the owner of Chowton Farm. But she did not think that Reginald
himself was that way minded, and she fancied that poor Mary might
be throwing away her prosperity in life were she to wait for
Reginald's love. Larry Twentyman was at any rate sure;--and perhaps
it might be unwise to separate the girl from her lover.
In her doubt she determined to refer the case to Reginald himself,
and instead of writing to Mary she wrote to him. She did not send
him Mary's letter,--which would, she felt, have been a breach of
faith; nor did she mention the name of Larry Twentyman. But she
told him that Mary had proposed to come to Cheltenham for a long
visit because there were disturbances at home,--which disturbances
had arisen from her rejection of a certain suitor. Lady Ushant said
a great deal as to the inexpediency of fostering family quarrels,
and suggested that Mary might perhaps have been a little impetuous.
The presence of this lover could hardly do her much injury. These
were not days in which young women were forced to marry men.
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