"She only came for a morning call," said Lord Rufford.
"Poor young woman. She has lost her husband, and, I am afraid, now
has lost her friends also. I am told that she is not well off;--and
from what I see and hear, I fancy that here in England a young lady
without a dowry cannot easily replace a lover. I suppose, too, Miss
Trefoil is not quite in her first youth."
"If you have done, Caroline," said Lady Penwether to Miss Penge, "I
think we'll go into the other room."
That afternoon Sir George asked the Senator to accompany him for a
walk. Sir George was held to be responsible for the Senator's
presence, and was told by the ladies that he must do something with
him. The next day, which was Friday, would be occupied by the
affairs of Scrobby and Goarly, and on the Saturday he was to return
to town. The two started about three with the object of walking
round the park and the home farm--the Senator intent on his duty of
examining the ways of English life to the very bottom. "I hope I
did not say anything amiss about Miss Trefoil," he remarked, as
they passed through a shrubbery gate into the park.
"No; I think not"
"I thought your good lady looked as though she did not like the
subject"
"I am not sure that Miss Trefoil is very popular with the ladies up
there."
"She's a handsome young woman and clever, though, as I said before,
given to melancholy, and sometimes fastidious.
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