I have my plans for
Clarissa Lovel, and this hint of yours will make me more anxious to put
them into execution. As for George, it is natural to men to flirt; there's
no use in being angry with them. I'm sure that wretched Fred of mine has
flirted desperately, in his way."
Lady Geraldine gave her shoulders a contemptuous shrug, expressive of a
most profound indifference to the delinquencies of Mr. Armstrong.
"Your husband and George Fairfax are two very different people," she said.
"But you don't for a moment suppose there is anything serious in this
business?" Laura asked anxiously.
"How can I tell? I sometimes think that George has never really cared for
me; that he proposed to me because he thought his mother would like the
marriage, and because our names had often been linked together, and our
marriage was in a manner expected by people, and so on. Yes, Laura, I have
sometimes doubted if he ever loved me--I hate to talk of these things, even
to you; but there are times when one must confide in some one--and I have
been sorely tempted to break off the engagement."
She rose from her chair, and began to pace up and down the room in a quick
impatient way.
"Upon my honour, I believe it would be the happiest thing for both of us,"
she said.
Lady Laura looked at her sister with perfect consternation.
"My dearest Geraldine, you would surely never be so mad!" she exclaimed.
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