"I only put it on to show you. Wasn't it good of her? 'Young people of rank ought to wear nice things,' she said, as she gave it me. Wasn't it an odd thing for her to say? and yet I understood her." Lord George frowned, thinking that he also understood the old woman's words, and reminding himself that the ladies of rank at Manor Cross never did wear nice things. "Don't you think it was nice?"
"Of course she is entitled to make you a present if she pleases."
"It pleased me, George."
"I dare say, and as it doesn't displease me all is well. You, however, have quite sense enough to understand, that in this house more is thought of—of—of—" he would have said blood, but that he did not wish to hurt her,—"more is thought of personal good conduct than of rings and jewels."
"Rings and jewels, and—personal conduct may go together; mayn't they?"
"Of course they may."
"And very often do. You won't think my—personal conduct—will be injured because I wear my aunt's ring?"
When Lord George made his allusion to personal conduct one of
her two hands dropped from his arm, and now, as she repeated the words, there was a little sting of sarcasm in her voice.
"I was intending to answer your aunt's opinion that young people ought to wear nice things. No doubt there is at present a great rage for rich ornaments and costly dress, and it was of these she was thinking when she spoke of nice things. When I spoke of personal conduct being more thought of here, I intended to imply that you had come into a family not given to rich ornaments and costly dress. My sisters feel that their portion in this world is assured to them without such outward badges, and wish that you should share the feeling."