"I have no doubt it would."
"But the worst of it is that I don't think he ever once regarded one woman with more favour than another. In fact, I have always put him down as a man who will never marry."
"Indeed!" said Layard. "I wonder does Ray himself share that notion. If he does, he is treating Hetty badly," he thought.
"And the pity of it is, that if he would only marry he would make the best husband in England."
"It is indeed a pity," said Layard, but he did not say what constituted the pity. To himself, "I don't think anything has been said between them yet, but it seems to me Hetty or he will have some news for me very soon." He said aloud, "The little favour I told you I had to ask----"
"Of course; and I told you if it lay within my power I'd do it."
"Yes; and it does lie easily within your power, and I will take no excuse. Come over and spend an hour with us this evening."
"But I cannot!" cried Bramwell.
"But you must. We will take no excuse."
He wavered. His views of all things had greatly altered since he was first invited to Crawford's House. "Still the boy. I cannot leave him alone." He felt half inclined to go.