You are an angel!--and angels are not to be worried by
solicitors."
The first part of which remark referred to a certain morning after
Hugh's announcement of his appointment to the Nigerian expedition, when
Diana had shown the old people a sweet and daughter-like sympathy, which
had entirely won whatever portion of their hearts remained still to
be captured.
Hugh, meanwhile, was not yet gone, though he was within a fortnight of
departure. He was coming to luncheon, with his parents, in order to
support Diana. The family had seen Miss Merton some two or three times,
and were all strongly of opinion that Diana very much wanted supporting.
"Why should one be civil to one's cousin?" Dr. Roughsedge inquired of
his wife. "If they are nice, let them stand on their own merits. If
not, they are disagreeable people who know a deal too much about you.
Miss Diana should have consulted me!"
The Roughsedges arrived early, and found Diana alone in the
drawing-room. Again Captain Roughsedge thought her pale, and was even
sure that she had lost flesh. This time it was hardly possible to put
these symptoms down to Marsham's account. He chafed under the thought
that he should be no longer there in case a league, offensive and
defensive, had in the end to be made with Mrs.
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