"Oh, they have been all their childhood together," replied Henry Woodhall; "Ralph is as much her brother, in all our eyes, as I am."
"I almost fancied it was something more than brotherly love," said Hortensia, in a low voice.
"Pooh! nothing of the kind," replied Henry Woodhall, in his gay, light tone. "Margaret is to be married to my cousin Robert, by the act in that case made and provided for
"'Uniting lands and money
In the holy estate of matrimony.'"
"But now tell me, beautiful lady," he continued, "will you dance with me?"
"Poor girl!" said Lady Danvers, with a sigh, not heeding his request at all.
"Why do you say poor girl?" asked Henry Woodhall.
"Because she ought to be a poor girl to marry your cousin Robert," replied Lady Danvers, bluntly, "and because she will be a poor girl if she does marry him."
"Marry him she will, assuredly," replied Henry. "These things always come to pass when the old people arrange them; and they do very well after all. You would be obliged to marry me, if your great-great-grandfather had arranged it with my great-great-grandmother."
"That I would not," replied Lady Danvers, "if all our ancestors had arranged it from Adam downward."