Besides, though loyal to Starvecrow, Stella had always been flippant and profane on the subject of the family, and in this respect Vera was all that Peter could wish. She was evidently proud of her connection with Alard—she kept as close under its wing as Rose, and for more disinterested reasons. She had her race’s natural admiration for an ancient family and a noble estate, she felt honoured by her alliance and her privileges—she would make a splendid Lady Alard of Conster Manor, though a little unsatisfactory as Mrs. Peter Alard of Starvecrow Farm.
As part of her lien with Alard, Vera had become close friends with Jenny. It was she who told Peter that Jenny had broken off her engagement to Jim Parish.
“I didn’t know she was engaged to him.”
“Oh, Peter, they’ve been engaged more than three years.”
“Well, I never knew anything about it.”
“You must have—you all did, though you chose to ignore it.”
“I always thought it was just an understanding.”
“That’s the same thing.”
“Indeed it isn’t!”—At that rate he had been engaged to Stella and had behaved like a swine.
“Well, whatever it was, she’s through with it now.”