Inspired by a new hope, communicated to his heart by his father’s fond smile and affectionate manner to him he shaped out schemes to conquer his repugnance to marriage with Lotte Clinton. What if he were to present her with the whole of the money he had brought from abroad with him? A girl with a dowry of upwards of six thousand pounds was hardly one even for his father to reject.
But would she accept it, if he offered it to her!
This sempstress, so proud, so single-minded, so clear in her perceptions, so firm in her resolves, so undeviating in her spirit of rectitude.
Well, he might bestow it upon her anonymously, and then contrive an accidental meeting with her. He might——
Hark!
Carriage-wheels rolling over the gravelled path, and stopping before the hall-door.
Mark sprang to his feet. It must be Flora returned.
It was Flora and Hal too. He met them in the hall, both entering in with grave faces and soft step.
And the temptation?
It had been triumphed over. Hal had battled with it manfully; but love and passion, and fears of losing so dear a treasure, had fastened upon honour, and all but strangled it.