“But you cannot accept them from him, dear father,” cried Dinah, raising her head, and looking at him anxiously.
“No, my darling, I told him so; that it would be a cruel humiliation; and that I would never accept them.”
“Yes; that was quite right, dearest,” said Dinah, with her eyes flashing.
“But he said—”
“Yes, what did he say?”
“That I was foolishly punctilious, that I was going to give him something of more value than all the riches in the world, and that I refused to take a fitting present from him.”
The warm blood glowed in Dinah’s cheeks, and there was a look of pride and happiness in her eyes which were gradually softened by the gathering tears.
“Yes, but you cannot take this, father dear!” she said softly. “It would be humiliation to us both. If we are very poor, and Clive loves me, he will love my dear father too. You must not take this, dear. It would be doubly painful after mistrusting him as you did.”
“Then I have done right,” cried the Major cheerfully.
“You have refused.”