Her stepmother and she cannot agree on a certain point. I
dare say you know what it is, Mr. Morton?"
"In regard, I suppose, to Mr. Twentyman?"
"Just that. Mrs. Masters thinks that Mr. Twentyman would make an
excellent husband. And so do I. There's nothing in the world
against him, and as compared with me he's a rich man. I couldn't
give the poor girl any fortune, and he wouldn't want any. But money
isn't everything."
"No indeed."
"He's an industrious steady young man too, and he has had my word
with him all through. But I can't compel my girl to marry him if
she don't like him. I can't even try to compel her. She's as good a
girl as ever stirred about a house."
"I can well believe that"
"And nothing would take such a load off me as to know that she was
going to be well married. But as she don't like the young man well
enough, I won't have her hardly used."
"Mrs. Masters perhaps is hard to her."
"God forbid I should say anything against my wife. I never did, and
I won't now. But Mary will be better away; and if Lady Ushant will
be good enough to take her, she shall go."
"When will she be ready, Mr. Masters?"
"I must ask her about that;--in a week perhaps, or ten days."
"She is quite decided against the young man?"
"Quite. At the bidding of all of us she said she'd take two months
to think of it.
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