Her first youth is gone and she is practically alone in the world.

This new love that has come into her life seems such a wonderful thing to her that I think she hardly dares believe in its permanence.

When her marriage had to be put off she was quite in despair--though it certainly wasn't Mr.Grant's fault.
There were complications in the settlement of his father's estate--his father died last winter--and he could not marry till the tangles were unravelled.

But I think Gertrude felt it was a bad omen and that her happiness would somehow elude her yet." "It does not do, Mrs.Dr.dear, to set your affections too much on a man," remarked Susan solemnly.
"Mr.Grant is quite as much in love with Gertrude as she is with him, Susan.

It is not he whom she distrusts--it is fate.