' She smiled sadly.
'Poor mother! she is so humble and so good. I do hope that father
will be kinder to her. But there's no telling yet what the result
of this may be. I feel guilty when I stand before him.'
'But he must feel glad that you have five thousand pounds.'
Marian delayed her reply for a moment, her eyes down.
'Yes, perhaps he is glad of that.'
'Perhaps!'
'He can't help thinking, Dora, what use he could have made of it.
It has always been his greatest wish to have a literary paper of
his own--like The Study, you know. He would have used the money
in that way, I am sure.'
'But, all the same, he ought to feel pleasure in your good
fortune.'
Marian turned to another subject.
'Think of the Reardons; what a change all at once! What will they
do, I wonder? Surely they won't continue to live apart?'
'We shall hear from Jasper.'
Whilst they were discussing the affairs of that branch of the
family, Maud returned. There was ill-humour on her handsome face,
and she greeted Marian but coldly. Throwing off her hat and
gloves and mantle she listened to the repeated story of John
Yule's bequests.
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