Gerard Buckland was looking intently at the photograph, which was that of a quite young woman with an oval face, delicate features, and an expression which combined vivacity with intelligence.
“She looks very clever,” he said.
“Yes, so she is—and very pretty too.”
“Yes, very, very pretty.”
He was fascinated; and when he was compelled to look at other photographs, he placed that of the girl whose story he had just heard at the side of the basket, in such a position that he could glance at it again from time to time, and amuse himself by speculating about this girl who was so handsome, so clever, and so unlucky.
Rose Aldington noticed his preoccupation with the picture, and said, with a smile—
“I see you admire her, just as everyone else does.”
“I was thinking the story a sad one,” said Gerard, rather confused at being discovered in his act of adoration.
“Oh, well, perhaps she’ll marry well, and her sister too, and then it will be all right. The sister is even better-looking than Ra—than she is, and just as nice. Only unluckily she hadn’t finished growing up when their father died, so she hasn’t had the benefit of such a good education as the elder.”
“It’s hard upon a girl, though, when she has to marry just for money,” observed Gerard.