"But if it is so, she believes herself his wife, and she is pure, good, innocent; it is written in her face."
"My poor child?" again ejaculated the father.
How long they sat sorrowing silence they heeded not. Each felt that whichever hypothesis were true, married or not married, there was bitterness enough. At length the sound of voices in the hall warned Adelaide to seek her own apartment. Mr. Godfrey went immediately to the duke.
"My daughter has been with me this morning, your grace," said he, in solemn, deliberate tones.
"Ah yes! Well—Mr. Godfrey—well—your daughter is not quite well, I fear."
"She is seriously unhappy, I am sorry to inform you, my lord duke."
"Unhappy!—ah!—well, well; she has taken a youthful in discretion of mine somewhat too sorely to heart; but you, Mr. Godfrey, know that those little affairs are common enough to men of the world."
"My daughter speaks of a previous marriage, your grace."
"Pshaw! some few words she heard have been made to signify too much. Adelaide is my wife, my duchess. Let her be satisfied on that point."
"It is just on that point she is not satisfied—it is just on that point that I now require to be satisfied."