Miss
Penge understood the matter thoroughly, and would not herself have
made the slightest allusion to the other young lady. Had the
Senator not been there the two gentlemen would have been allowed to
take their places without a word on the subject. But the Senator
had a marvellous gift of saying awkward things and would never be
reticent. He stood for a while at the window in the drawing-room
before he went across the hall, and even took up a pair of
field-glasses to scrutinise the lady; and when they were all present
he asked whether that was not Miss Trefoil whom he had seen down by
the new fence. Lady Penwether, without seeming to look about her,
did look about her for a few seconds to see whether the question
might be allowed to die away unanswered. She perceived, from the
Senator's face, that he intended to have an answer.
"Yes," she said, "that was Miss Trefoil. I am very glad that she is
not coming in to disturb us."
"A great blessing," said Miss Penge.
"Where is she staying?" asked the Senator.
"I think she drove over from Rufford," said the elder lady.
"Poor young lady! She was engaged to marry my friend, Mr. John
Morton. She must have felt his death very bitterly. He was an
excellent young man; rather opinionated and perhaps too much wedded
to the traditions of his own country; but, nevertheless, a
painstaking, excellent young man.
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