‘No; that engagement has been hanging on far too long.’
A slight pause, and then, leaning confidentially forward, the first speaker said—
‘Somebody else doesn’t seem to get married, either.’
A sort of smile went round. Then Lord Charles, with the rash candour of youth, made the remark aloud which every one else had been making in his own mind.
‘I wonder if Michael Langstroth knows that every one says Otho Askam is sweet upon his intended?’
One man shrugged his shoulders.
‘If he did know, what could he do, or say?’
‘I don’t know what he could say, I’m sure; but what he could do would be to get married to her at once.’
Here a rather timid-looking young man, who had hitherto taken no part in the conversation, joined in, with a slight stammer—
‘If he had to marry her like that, it would be all spoiled for him. He t-trusts her.’