Masters, holding up
both her hands. "Is it true, child?"
"The squire!"
"It is true, papa,--and,--and-"
"And what, my love?"
"When he comes to you, you must say I will be."
There was not much danger on that score. "Was it he that you told
me of?" said the attorney. To this she only nodded her assent. "It
was Reginald Morton all the time? Well!"
"Why shouldn't it be he?"
"Oh no, my dear! You are a most fortunate girl,--most fortunate!
But somehow I never thought of it, that a child of mine should come
to live at Bragton and have it, one may say, partly as her own! It
is odd after all that has come and gone. God bless you, my dear,
and make you happy. You are a very fortunate child."
Mrs. Masters was quite overpowered. She had thrown herself on to
the old family sofa, and was fanning herself with her handkerchief.
She had been wrong throughout, and was now completely humiliated by
the family success; and yet she was delighted, though she did not
dare to be triumphant. She had so often asked both father and
daughter what good gentlemen would do to either of them; and now
the girl was engaged to marry the richest gentleman in the
neighbourhood! In any expression of joy she would be driven to
confess how wrong she had always been. How often had she asked what
would come of Ushanting.
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