"He in sitting over there, near the piano," added Sophia; "I expected to
find you enjoying a chat with him."
"I had my chat with Purdew after luncheon," answered Mr. Granger; and
then he went on turning the leaves for Clarissa with a solemn air, and
occasionally pointing out to her some noted feature in a landscape or
city. His daughter stared at him in supreme astonishment. She had seen
him conventionally polite to young ladies before to-night, but this was
something more than conventional politeness. He kept his place all the
evening, and all that Sophia could do was to remain on guard.
When Clarissa was lighting her candle at a table in the corridor, Mr.
Fairfax came up to her for the first time since the previous night.
"I congratulate you on your conquest, Miss Lovel," he said in a low voice.
She looked up at him with a pale startled face, for she had not known
that he was near her till his voice sounded close in her ear. "I don't
understand you," she stammered.
"O, of course not; young ladies never can understand that sort of thing.
But I understand it very well, and it throws a pretty clear light upon our
interview last night. I wasn't quite prepared for such wise counsel as you
gave me then. I can see now whence came the strength of your wisdom. It is
a victory worth achieving, Miss Lovel. It means Arden Court.--Yes, that's a
very good portrait, isn't it?" he went on in a louder key, looking up at
a somewhat dingy picture, as a little cluster of ladies came towards the
table; "a genuine Sir Joshua, I believe.
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