"That has all gone by. Other arms will be open to receive her." As the tailor said this he remembered how his boy used to take the little child out to the mountain side, and how the two would ramble away together through the long summer evenings; and he reflected that the memory of those days was no doubt still strong in the heart of his son. Some shadow of the grief which would surely fall upon the young man now fell upon the father, and caused him almost to repent of the work of his life. "Tailors should consort with tailors," he said, "and lords and ladies should consort together."
Something of the same feeling struck the Countess also. If it were not for the son, the father, after all that he had done for them, might be almost as near and as dear to them as ever. He might have called the Lady Anna by her Christian name, at any rate till she had been carried away as a bride by the Earl. But, though all this was so exquisitely painful, it had been absolutely necessary to check the son. "Ah, well," she said; "it is hardly to be hoped that so many crooked things should be made straight without much pain. If you knew, Mr. Thwaite, how little it is that I expect for myself!"
"It is because I have known it that I am here."
"It will be well for her,—will it not,—to be the wife of her cousin?"
"If he be a good man. A woman will not always make herself happy by marrying an Earl."
"How many daggers you can use, Mr. Thwaite! But this young man is good. You yourself have said that you have heard so."
"I have heard nothing to the contrary, my lady."
"And what shall I do?"
"Just explain it all to Lady Anna. I think it will be clear then."
"You believe that she will be so easily pleased?"