“And I assure you, that many things might make me regret we have that money, if it comes.�
“Pshaw—a woman!�
“It may be that only parsons, boys, and women are indifferent to money; but if my son showed—as I hope he would—the same jealous solicitude for his honour and mine that Lewis Pryor does for his and his mother’s, I should indeed be proud of him. Fancy,� she said, raising herself and looking at Blair with luminous eyes, “the bribe of a great fortune being offered to Hilary if he would cast shame on his mother! And would I not rather see him dead before my eyes than yielding?�
Blair mumbled something about not being parallel cases.
“Then imagine yourself—all Richard Skelton’s fortune yours�—Elizabeth waved her hands expressively—“all—all, if you will only agree that your mother was an unworthy woman.�
Blair remained silent. Elizabeth was too acute for him then.
“Of course,� he said after a moment, “I respect the boy for the spirit Bulstrode says he has shown, and I hope he’ll stick to it. I hope he’ll make a fight for it and come out ahead, and prosper, and have all the money that’s good for him. Skelton has got a very handsome estate of his own to give him; and he may be master of Deerchase yet.�
“And our little Mary may be mistress of Deerchase,� said Elizabeth, who had a truly feminine propensity for concocting marriages for her children from their cradles.
“Never!� Blair brought his fist down on the arm of his chair. “She shall marry respectably or not at all; and though I like money, my daughter shall never marry any man who has no name to give her.�
“Perhaps they may run away,� remarked Mrs. Blair demurely, at which they both laughed a little, and Blair kissed his wife. But there was still battle between them. Mrs. Blair wanted the matter to rest; Blair wanted to agitate it immediately.