Much as he loved her, dear as her presence to him always was, he hardly wished to have her at Carbury unless she would come with a resolution to be its future mistress.

In one respect he did Lady Carbury an injustice.

He knew that she was anxious to forward his suit, and he thought that Henrietta was being brought to his house with that object.

He had not heard that the great heiress was coming into his neighbourhood, and therefore knew nothing of Lady Carbury's scheme in that direction.

He was, too, disgusted by the ill-founded pride which the mother expressed at her son's position as a director.