He may have gone then to see his mother, but I know sister used to think he went to see the relations of that wretched woman, his first wife.

Who shall say now ?" And then he sat down and thought and thought, but nothing came of his thinking.

Peter Melcombe, so far as he knew, was perfectly well; that was a comfort.

Valentine was very docile; that was also a comfort; and considering that what his father had wished for him nearly four years ago was actually coming to pass, and everything was in train for his going to one of the very best and healthiest of our colonies, there seemed little danger that even if Melcombe fell to him he should find the putting it from him a great act of self-denial.
And what a strange thing it was, Brandon thought, that through the force of circumstances he himself should have been made to bring about such an unlikely thing! That so young a man should want to marry was strange enough.

It was more strange that he should have fixed on the only woman in the world that his brother wanted.