Mrs.Yorke, being daughterless, had no temptation to commit this latter crime, but she was not displeased to imagine her Richard a man of gallantry; he would in that case be less likely to fall a victim to undowered charms.

"It is not your man-about-town who sacrifices his future in a love-match," was her reflection.

On the other hand, no one knew better than herself what an easy prey to woman's wiles is a young gentleman without experience.

It was for this reason, as well as because she loved to have her boy about her, that she had opposed Richard's going to Midlandshire.

She knew Carew too well to hope that he would ever take into favor a son of hers, and she distrusted the country, with its opportunities for ensnaring youth into matrimonial engagements.
Thirty years ago, in a fortnight of village life together, she would have backed herself to have got a promise of marriage out of the Pope; and she did not believe this to be one of the lost arts among young persons of her sex.
Thus Mrs.Yorke had strained every nerve to get the necessary funds to make town-life pleasant to her son, and yet she had not succeeded.