Writing a page or two of manuscript daily, and with several
holocausts to retard him, he had done nearly a quarter of the
story when there came a note from Jasper telling of Mrs Milvain's
death. He handed it across the breakfast-table to Amy, and
watched her as she read it.
'I suppose it doesn't alter his position,' Amy remarked, without
much interest.
'I suppose not appreciably. He told me once his mother had a
sufficient income; but whatever she leaves will go to his
sisters, I should think. He has never said much to me.'
Nearly three weeks passed before they heard anything more from
Jasper himself; then he wrote, again from the country, saying
that he purposed bringing his sisters to live in London. Another
week, and one evening he appeared at the door.
A want of heartiness in Reardon's reception of him might have
been explained as gravity natural under the circumstances. But
Jasper had before this become conscious that he was not welcomed
here quite so cheerily as in the old days. He remarked it
distinctly on that evening when he accompanied Amy home from Mrs
Yule's; since then he had allowed his pressing occupations to be
an excuse for the paucity of his visits.
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