The Squire Makes a Visit to the Small House Mrs Dale acknowledged to herself that she had not much ground for hoping that she should ever find in Crosbie's house much personal happiness for her future life.

She did not dislike Mr Crosbie, nor in any great degree mistrust him; but she had seen enough of him to make her certain that Lily's future home in London could not be a home for her.

He was worldly, or, at least, a man of the world.

He would be anxious to make the most of his income, and his life would be one long struggle, not perhaps for money, but for those things which money only can give.

There are men to whom eight hundred a year is great wealth, and houses to which it brings all the comforts that life requires.