Once for all, it is a settled thing between your son and myself that we remain, for the rest of our lives, cousins and nothing more.

Is that plain enough ?" The tone in which she said those words made it impossible, even for old Mr.Ablewhite, to mistake her any longer.

His thermometer went up another degree, and his voice when he next spoke, ceased to be the voice which is appropriate to a notoriously good-natured man.
"I am to understand, then," he said, "that your marriage engagement is broken off ?" "You are to understand that, Mr.Ablewhite, if you please." "I am also to take it as a matter of fact that the proposal to withdraw from the engagement came, in the first instance, from YOU ?" "It came, in the first instance, from me.

And it met, as I have told you, with your son's consent and approval." The thermometer went up to the top of the register.

I mean, the pink changed suddenly to scarlet.
"My son is a mean-spirited hound!" cried this furious old worldling.
"In justice to myself as his father--not in justice to HIM--I beg to ask you, Miss Verinder, what complaint you have to make of Mr.Godfrey Ablewhite ?" Here Mr.Bruff interfered for the first time.
"You are not bound to answer that question," he said to Rachel.
Old Mr.Ablewhite fastened on him instantly.
"Don't forget, sir," he said, "that you are a self-invited guest here.
Your interference would have come with a better grace if you had waited until it was asked for." Mr.Bruff took no notice.