"She gave him none. She feels quite strongly that it is altogether impossible. What would Lord Bracy say?"
"If Carstairs were but three or four years older," said the Doctor, proudly, "Lord Bracy would have much to be thankful for in the attachment on the part of his son, if it were met by a return of affection on the part of my daughter. What better could he want?"
"But he is only a boy," said Mrs. Wortle.
"No; that's where it is. And Mary was quite right to tell him that it is impossible. It is impossible. And I trust, for her sake, that his words have not touched her young heart."
"Oh, no," said Mrs. Wortle.
"Had it been otherwise how could we have been angry with the child?"
Now this did seem to the mother to be very much in contradiction to that which the Doctor had himself said when she had whispered to him that Lord Carstairs's coming might be dangerous. "I was afraid of it, as you know," said she.
"His character has altered during the last twelve months."
"I suppose when boys grow into men it is so with them."
"Not so quickly," said the Doctor. "A boy when he leaves Eton is not generally thinking of these things."