No one could deny that Haddo had got possession of the land he wanted;
for, when it was put up to auction, no one would bid against him, and he
bought it for a song.
As soon as he could do so naturally, Arthur asked after Margaret. The
woman shrugged her shoulders. No one knew anything about her. She never
came out of the park gates, but sometimes you could see her wandering
about inside by herself. She saw no one. Haddo had long since quarrelled
with the surrounding gentry; and though one old lady, the mother of a
neighbouring landowner, had called when Margaret first came, she had not
been admitted, and the visit was never returned.
'She'll come to no good, poor lady,' said the hostess of the inn. 'And
they do say she's a perfect picture to look at.'
Arthur went to his room. He longed for the day to come. There was no
certain means of seeing Margaret. It was useless to go to the park gates,
since even the tradesmen were obliged to leave their goods at the lodge;
but it appeared that she walked alone, morning and afternoon, and it
might be possible to see her then.
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