"Well, Beatrice—"
"But, mamma, I don't understand."
Lady Arabella had said that she could not exactly explain: but she found it necessary to attempt to do so.
"Dr Thorne has openly declared to me that a marriage between poor Frank and Mary is all he could desire for his niece. After such unparalleled audacity as that, even your father will see the necessity of breaking with him."
"Dr Thorne! Oh, mamma, you must have misunderstood him."
"My dear, I am not apt to misunderstand people; especially when I am so much in earnest as I was in talking to Dr Thorne."
"But, mamma, I know so well what Mary herself thinks about it."
"And I know what Dr Thorne thinks about it; he, at any rate, has been candid in what he said; there can be no doubt on earth that he has spoken his true thoughts; there can be no reason to doubt him: of course such a match would be all that he could wish."
"Mamma, I feel sure that there is some mistake."
"Very well, my dear. I know that you are infatuated about these people, and that you are always inclined to contradict what I say to you; but, remember, I expect that you will obey me when I tell you not to go to Dr Thorne's house any more."