Major Ashton, as already foreshadowed, had changed his plan of campaign—or, rather, he had changed the object of his campaign. Knowing that he could not secure the niece, he had come to lay siege to the aunt. He felt fortunate in having hit a time when Miss Dearborn was out.
It was rather a delicate matter to make such a sudden change, and required a good deal of tact; but Major Ashton had considerable confidence in his ability to make the transfer without exciting suspicion. He looked about the room in which he was seated, and surveyed with satisfaction the signs everywhere of opulence in the owner.
"What matter if the widow is fifteen years my senior?" he said to himself. "I am not going to marry her out of sentiment, but for solid pecuniary reasons. The older she is, the more chance there is of her leaving me my freedom with her fortune before I am an old man."
His reflections were interrupted by the entrance of Mrs. Sheldon, who advanced to meet him with a gracious smile.
"I am glad to see you, major," she said.
"Thank you, Mrs. Sheldon," he replied, in a tone and with an empressement new to him and to her.
"Poor fellow! he is in trouble," she thought, not suspecting his change of front. "He wants my assistance."
"Grace is not at home," she said, supposing this information would interest him.
"Indeed!" he returned, with languid indifference. "Out shopping, I suppose?"
"Really, major, you don't show much interest in the subject. But then that's the way with you men. You are all of you fickle and faithless."