"I hope not," said Crosbie.
"I believe she has had the use of one of the ponies here sometimes, but I hope that has not made her extravagant in her ideas. I did not think that there was anything of that nonsense about either of them."
"Nor is there,—as far as I know."
"Nothing of the sort," said Bernard.
"But the long and the short of it is this, sir!" and Crosbie, as he spoke, endeavoured to maintain his ordinary voice and usual coolness, but his heightened colour betrayed that he was nervous. "Am I to expect any accession of income with my wife?"
"I have not spoken to my sister-in-law on the subject," said the squire; "but I should fear that she cannot do much."
"As a matter of course, I would not take a shilling from her," said Crosbie.
"Then that settles it," said the squire.
Crosbie paused a moment, during which his colour became very red. He unconsciously took up an apricot and eat it, and then he spoke out. "Of course I was not alluding to Mrs. Dale's income; I would not, on any account, disturb her arrangements. But I wished to learn, sir, whether you intend to do anything for your niece."
"In the way of giving her a fortune? Nothing at all. I intend to do nothing at all."