"The old General ought to have secured some controlling power for her."
"She will pauperize the village," said Silvia, who was still pretty, but had now a little discontented expression on her face, and the reason was that Captain Nichols, a young penniless officer who admired her, and whom she loved, would not come forward, as he could not make up his mind to give up his own extravagances. Without owning it to herself, Silvia was jealous of the once despised Harum Scarum. Silvia's younger sister had boldly faced poverty, and gone to be a lady nurse, but was coming for two days at Toney's special request.
"When you get a present of a sovereign, Silvia, are you pauperized?" said the Vicar smiling.
"It isn't often I do!"
"I think we may safely say Toney will not repeat this surprise."
"Of course it is easy to be generous when you have heaps of money! I wonder how much Toney has got," and Silvia heaved a little sigh.
"I rather pity her," said Mr. Hales gently. "Lady Dove never says a kind word about her, at least to me."
"I think Toney likes her inferiors best," added Silvia. "I hear Mrs. Faber has come to stay at Aldersfield. She must remember the time when she was only the poor companion."
"We none of us received her very kindly," remarked the Vicar, cutting some bread, and then Silvia gave a quick glance at her brother's face. Was it possible that he admired Toney? If he married her and her fortune, what great things might he not achieve for himself and his family! Silvia determined to say nothing more against Toney. Vague possibilities which she would have been ashamed to own aloud flitted through her mind.
"Anyhow, she is very, very generous, and I mean to enjoy the ball," she said in quite a cheerful voice.