"
"You will never ask her?"
"No, mother; had I done so, it would have been for love of you--only
for love of you."
"I would not for worlds that you should do that."
"Let her have Dumbello; she will make an excellent wife for him, just
the wife that he will want. And you, you will have been so good to
her in assisting her to such a matter."
"But, Ludovic, I am so anxious to see you settled."
"All in good time, mother!"
"Ah, but the good time is passing away. Years run so very quickly. I
hope you think about marrying, Ludovic."
"But, mother, what if I brought you a wife that you did not approve?"
"I will approve of anyone that you love; that is--"
"That is, if you love her also; eh, mother?"
"But I rely with such confidence on your taste. I know that you can
like no one that is not ladylike and good."
"Ladylike and good; will that suffice?" said he, thinking of Lucy
Robarts.
"Yes; it will suffice, if you love her. I don't want you to care for
money. Griselda will have a fortune that would have been convenient;
but I do not wish you to care for that." And thus, as they stood
together in Miss Dunstable's crowded room, the mother and son settled
between themselves that the Lufton-Grantly alliance treaty was not
to be ratified.
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