She had been too frightened, too much of a coward to object to anything proposed to her, but still had been conscious of a desire to have some hand in her own future destiny.

Luckily for her, the first attempts at trafficking with the Nidderdales and Grassloughs had come to nothing; and at length she was picking up a little courage, and was beginning to feel that it might be possible to prevent a disposition of herself which did not suit her own tastes.

She was also beginning to think that there might be a disposition of herself which would suit her own tastes.
Felix Carbury was standing leaning against a wall, and she was seated on a chair close to him.

'I love you better than anyone in the world,' he said, speaking plainly enough for her to hear, perhaps indifferent as to the hearing of others.
'Oh, Sir Felix, pray do not talk like that.' 'You knew that before.

Now I want you to say whether you will be my wife.' 'How can I answer that myself?
Papa settles everything.' 'May I go to papa ?' 'You may if you like,' she replied in a very low whisper.