But in these days she had loved no man, and was inclined to think so little of herself as to make her want of love no necessary bar to the accomplishment of the wish of others.

By degrees she was spoken of among their acquaintance as the promised bride of Mountjoy Scarborough, and though she ever denied the imputation, there came over her girl's heart a feeling,--very sad and very solemn, but still all but accepted,--that so it must be.

Then Harry Annesley had crossed her path, and the question had been at last nearly answered, and the doubts nearly decided.

She did not quite know at first that she loved Harry Annesley, but was almost sure that it was impossible for her to become the wife of Mountjoy Scarborough.
Then there came nearly twelve months of most painful uncertainty in her life.

It is very hard for a young girl to have to be firm with her mother in declining a proposed marriage, when all circumstances of the connection are recommended to her as being peculiarly alluring.