Lady Ushant yielded and returned
once again to her old home, the house in which she had been born,--
and gave up her lodgings at Cheltenham. The word that he said about
his possible marriage set her mind at work, and induced her to put
sundry questions to him. "Of course you will marry?" she said.
"Men who have property to leave behind them usually do marry, and
as I am not wiser than others, I probably may do so. But I will not
admit that it is a matter of course. I may escape yet"
"I do hope you will marry. I hope it may be before I die, so that I
may see her."
"And disapprove of her, ten to one."
"Certainly I shall not if you tell me that you love her."
"Then I will tell you so, to prevent disagreeable results."
"I am quite sure there must be somebody that you like, Reginald,"
she said after a pause.
"Are you? I don't know that I have shown any very strong
preference. I am not disposed to praise myself for many things, but
I really do think that I have been as undemonstrative as most men
of my age."
"Still I did hope--"
"What did you hope?"
"I won't mention any name. I don't think it is right. I have
observed that more harm than good comes of such talking, and I have
determined always to avoid it. But--" Then there was another pause.
"Remember how old I am, Reginald, and when it is to be done give me
at any rate the pleasure of knowing it" Of course he knew to whom
she alluded, and of course he laughed at her feeble caution.
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