Mrs. Dorriman, Volume 3 of 3

nts, nothing is likely to arise in a journey between the north of Sc

ot very far off, happiness for Margaret. She grew more fond of her husband each day, in return for the

ppiness lay in that fact. If it grew larger it might mar her happiness to a cert

had had a good deal to do to bring herself to think happily about his being Grace's husband; then, on further acquaintance, she grew not only to li

her husband aspired to nothing very great in the way of intellect or sentiment, but that he had quite enough for this work-a-day world, and more than enough for her. It was a daily surprise to her, therefore, to find that, even in little things, her husband had a very much higher standard than she had. This discover

eems to me that, as poor Margaret married the man, s

are not in earnest). I should never have been able to thin

orribly and behaved like an angel. W

fathom her motives: but the way I read the story of her life is, that she was, for some reason, anxious to make a home for you-so you have told me-rushed into the scrape, and has repented ever since. Girls ar

asked Grace, horribly conscious, and feeling most uncomfortable; "sup

ch a thing. Can you not see that, in one sense, in a sort of way, it is almost like blood-money? Imagin

hat her husband might find out, and she knew that the loss of his esteem woul

a year, and the six hundred a year she ha

there was this one constant weight upon her mind, and the strange thing to herself was, that now she began to see a little as he did, and sh

he small fortune had been a joyful surprise. How she wi

he spoke to Margaret, Margaret would do without things and h

she was tired, and was full of affectionate solicitude. Every attentio

e had always to be careful, and within an hou

vestments or something that might lead her husband to make inquiry. She could only answer by speaking the truth. To her imm

round she poured out her trouble with a rapidity and vehemence that aston

ht; I should have the same

"but perhaps you have never had my temptation; you we

no!" he answered, "since I

d Grace, "and that was never thought of; but I wish-

be productive of much good, and my advice to you is not to hide your trouble from your husband; le

ce, "but I have behaved very badly to Mr

ever grudges money, and he can but say he can do nothing. I hope you left al

my sister," laughed Grace, rallying the

meet Mr. Sandford; there is still s

t say something for me? Could you

s only one way in which he can help you. If he chooses to pay you your income out of his own pocket, or to pay fifteen thousa

exclaimed Grace, and she leaned

de of the question; there is no use in my going to a man like Mr. Sandford and when he p

nd pounds, it is impossible!" said Grace fl

erally does; leave the sum to him, but you must understand when you use th

e, whose hopes were no

"Supposing you spoke to Mrs. Dorriman, she can say many thin

odd tone, "I agree with you, s

o you g

. Lyons, before we part let me kno

u write

ut this it seems to me that my writing to you upon business matters-now h

o fifteen thousand pounds; he was very much surprised and pleased, I suppose, but there the matter dropped. Mr.

ou have no power to give up money sett

e has a great opinion of you, and, if you put t

"remember every day's delay makes confession more difficult

nce again entreated Mr. Stevens to speak to Mrs. Dorriman, and as Paul got into

ch time Paul returned, when he had been out alone, her expression, when he ap

f me," he said one day; "when I come home no

ease do not take fan

ic than you were a little while ago. The way you stick to my mother is very unlike you. I am awfu

ring from irritability produced by anxiety. She was essentially

rised him. He looked at her attentively, and that seemed to displease her still more. To his unbounded astonishment

mething wrong, you are not yourself. Who can you turn to if you have any w

bbed, "you only

so much by her words as by

n was in, and Grace snatched her hand from Paul, and rushed out

cover what was the matter with his wife, and he was so absorbed that his mother told him a fact very intere

at length, "you are not

mother, I think I

he docto

nswered, trying to

ll have to get anothe

d thing, I

inent medical man is not

ead. Who is

u said you heard wha

not think I ever heard Doc

her hands; "he was the only man-the only

ve been no better and no worse ever since I can remember anything. Woul

and went to

rself, and reproached

up and down. I am like a shuttlecock, and sometimes, Pa

xation. "What discoveries will you make next? In what way am I your inferi

n passion; "I feel beneath you in all

her face wit

this means leave it alone. But my hope was that you had learned to confide in me, and I am

nitence at once. "Go to your mother, Paul; I am sorry you said any

fied, but knowing it was us

in a way Grace thought nearly intolerable, and which in days n

Lady Lyons she had known and laughed at in the old days

h those subdued feelings genera

d annoyed with herself for having given way as she had done; while Paul, while trying to converse

s, feeling that subtle constraint that somehow had arisen between husband and

e up here I went to see the grave of your little niece. I

"I never saw the poor little thing, and everything connected w

e ungrateful, my dear? And he deser

l for to that unhappy man?" asked

ar, the fortune;

rom my sister," sa

r she could not have given it to you!" said Lady Lyons

she did not dare look at Paul.

taking money from my sister a

ul, in a cold hard tone she ha

l will perhaps convince you-si

t alone, Lady Lyons-

s is only a whim. I am quit

Lyons, utterly unconscious of how she had managed to make th

as she was with the anxiety this very subject had given her, and she rose, tried to move to the d

s. He had seen her suffer, but he had

; but when she came round again Grace saw that she had fallen in

resentful, and it was not in him to see any circumstances in extenuation. If she thought it right to benefit by this man's money, why not h

t they would be so much poorer than he had imagined, because, of course, the money s

t intentions, drove him

ell-meaning people possess when they are endowed

t between the two who, up till now, had been so h

air, looking pale and weary,

looked up and

money must

nd he thought he h

aid, trying to subdue his feelings

aul, do you remember your being so violent-speaking so strongly about it. It to

the first?" he asked, always trying to contr

irst instance, left to Margaret); it saved explanations, and I did not care for her to know. You never inquired how

fference," h

s all the more annoyed because he was conscious that the increase to his in

tment was not enough, and out of that even he had given his mother something. If he now explained to her how

To him it was the price of Margaret's happiness, and he now turned over in his mind how he co

m his wife, and once again h

ey must

t in all important things she would be the guiding star. He was slow in thought, and she valued her own quickness over-much; that position of being a sort of "Triton among minnows" at a second-class school influenced her fa

make his mother understand, without explanations, that his promise of help

certain irritation against him for havi

id, helplessly; "and now I must se

very s

said nothing about it: then, you quite understand, Pa

club and entering it with that sense of leaving domestic and other trou

family of a mutual friend. Paul was obliged to say, with great reluctance, that he found, on reconsideration, he could not do

he fact so stated would have been held sufficient excuse; but Paul Lyons was not clever, and he hesitat

speaks more pl

e lost its charm now this unex

ne when he was younger, came before him. What right had he to judge his wife so severely? His temptations and hers were different; was his standard so much higher than hers because he had not known the want of money as she had? He began to feel that he had behaved unkind

other, in a state of abject despair, her face blu

d to get Lady Lyons to tell him, in rational

in a confusion from which she could not extricate herself; and her son, accustomed as he was to sift h

e here

t quite sure, and I do not want to assert anythi

a third person be sent for by his wife? What bu

is self-reproach of an hour ago s

say to Sir Albert, 'You will escort me,' and he said he w

r me?" said Paul, with rising anger, not yet

a note for you, or a letter-let me see was it a le

to me?" asked Paul with

ther, as she sought in her pockets, one after another, and then looked under

etting it that I put it inside one of your slippers, Paul, and I knew that you were quite sure

had left

s, he felt he loved her very dearly. She had gone to Rich

if you can forgive me, then

re about that third person intervening. He was on

n, she was ready to promise everything. The

ked Grace, who, now, with that weight removed from her mind, and

ng about him. What

ife enligh

ret when I thought it would not hu

en you think he is i

t, I know," she a

ady at the Brook Street Ho

ver," said Lady Lyons, "only t

ated, then the door opened, and Grace