She began to talk eagerly.
'Of course I shall just go back to tell mother, but we are going to
be married in three weeks. He has already decided upon a house; we
went to see it this morning. I didn't like to tell you, but I met
him for the first time a week ago--quite by chance.'
'I'm afraid your mother will be lonely,' Adela said.
'Not she! She'd far rather live alone than go anywhere else. And now
I shall be able to send her money. It isn't fair for you to have to
find everything.'
'I have wanted to ask you,' Adela said presently, 'do you ever hear
of Harry?'
Alice shook her head.
'The less we hear the better,' she replied. 'He's gone to the bad,
and there's no help for it.'
It was true; unfortunate victim of prosperity.
Next morning Adela and Alice travelled to town together. The former
did not go to Wilton Square. On the occasion of Richard's death she
had met Mrs. Mutimer, but the interview had been an extremely
difficult one, in spite of the old woman's endeavour to be
courteous. Adela felt herself to be an object of insuperable
prejudice. Once again she was bidden sound the depth of the gulf
which lies between the educated and the uneducated. The old woman
would not give her hand, but made an old-fashioned curtsey, which
Adela felt to be half ironical.
Pages:
789
790
791
792
793
794
795
796
797
798
799
800
801
802
803
804
805
806
807
808
809
810
811
812
813