I should say that it's ten to one against me.' Pulling himself away with some little roughness from his mother's hold, he made his way up to his own bedroom, occasionally stumbling against the stairs.
Then the heiress herself had accepted her son! If so, surely the thing might be done.

Lady Carbury recalled to mind her old conviction that a daughter may always succeed in beating a hard-hearted parent in a contention about marriage, if she be well in earnest.

But then the girl must be really in earnest, and her earnestness will depend on that of her lover.

In this case, however, there was as yet no reason for supposing that the great man would object.

As far as outward signs went, the great man had shown some partiality for her son.