Morton when she
came to Rufford."
"It was all at an end before that."
"At any rate you both came from his house."
"Where he had been staying with Mrs. Morton."
"And where she has been since,--without Mrs. Morton."
"Lady Ushant was there, Lord Rufford."
"But she has been staying at the house of this gentleman to whom
you admit that she was engaged a short time before she came to us."
"He is on his death-bed, and he thought that he had behaved badly
to her. She did go to Bragton the other day, at his request,--
merely that she might say that she forgave him."
"I only hope that she will forgive me too. There is really nothing
else to be said. If there were anything I could do to atone to her
for this--trouble."
"If you only could know the brightness of the hopes you have
shattered,--and the purity of that girl's affection for yourself!"
It was then that an idea--a low-minded idea occurred to Lord
Rufford. While all this was going on he had of course made various
inquiries about this branch of the Trefoil family and had learned
that Arabella was altogether portionless. He was told too that Lady
Augustus was much harassed by impecuniosity. Might it be possible
to offer a recompense? "If I could do anything else, Lady Augustus;
but really I am not a marrying man." Then Lady Augustus wept
bitterly; but while she was weeping, a low-minded idea occurred to
her also.
Pages:
603
604
605
606
607
608
609
610
611
612
613
614
615
616
617
618
619
620
621
622
623
624
625
626
627