“What! in the paper? Well, I must say they are rushing things.”
She held out her hand for the sheet, an evil smile on her thin lips, as she imagined something of the chagrin and disappointment that Mrs. Alexander would experience upon reading an account of Sir William Heath’s approaching marriage.
There was quite an extended paragraph regarding it, considerable being said about the late Lord Norton and his recent death; mention being made of his having left the whole of his large property to a niece; while the fact that Sir William Heath was contemplating matrimony with the “beautiful heiress,” gave rise to some pleasantry, since the “distinguished baronet having for so many years resisted Cupid’s most artful endeavors to lead him to Hymen’s altar, his friends and well-wishers had begun to fear that he was hopelessly invulnerable.”
“Mamma, what will become of us when Uncle Will brings his wife home?” Lillian asked, somewhat anxiously, as Lady Linton laid down the paper.
The same question had been agitating her ladyship’s mind.
They could not well go to Linton Grange, for Percy was making extensive improvements in view of his own approaching marriage; they had no home of their own—in fact they were wholly dependent upon Sir William, and Lady Linton felt that no place but Heathdale would ever be like home to her.
“We will not borrow trouble about that, Lillian,” she answered, “this Miss Norton may be very young and inexperienced; in that case she would need some older person, like myself, to advise and assist her; so I imagine that we shall still be welcome in your uncle’s household.”
That evening, at a dinner-party, Lady Linton was besieged by numerous friends with questions regarding her brother’s engagement.
She looked wise, and appeared as if she had been in the secret for some time but had not been allowed to divulge anything.
It was true, she admitted, that the marriage was rather a sudden one; but of course it could not have occurred before, because of Lord Norton’s critical condition, and there was no reason now why it should not take place, except for etiquette’s sake, and her brother did not propose to defer their happiness simply to observe a law of fashion. They would not, however, appear in society at present, she affirmed, but remain quietly at Heathdale, perhaps until another season, while there would only be an informal reception of their oldest friends, at their home-coming, and to arrange for this she was herself going to Heathdale.