"
"But you have always avoided any acquaintance with the Grangers, papa,"
Clarissa said wonderingly.
"Yes, yes, naturally. I have shrunk from knowing people who have turned me
out of house and home, as it were. But that sort of thing must come to an
end sooner or later. I don't want to appear prejudiced or churlish; and in
short, though I may never care to cross that threshold, there is no reason
Miss Granger and you should not be friendly. You have no one at Arden of
your own age to associate with, and a companion of that kind might be
useful. Has the girl much influence with her father, do you think?"
"She is not a girl, papa, she is a young woman. I don't suppose she is more
than two or three-and-twenty, but no one would ever think of calling Miss
Granger a girl."
"You haven't answered my question."
"I scarcely know how to answer it. Mr. Granger seems kind to his daughter,
and she talks as if she had a great deal of influence over him; but one
does not see much of people's real feelings in a great house like this. It
is 'company' all day long. I daresay Mr. and Miss Granger are very fond of
one another, but--but--they are not so much to each other as I should like
you and me to be, papa," Clarissa added with a sudden boldness.
Mr. Lovel coughed, as if something had stuck in his throat.
"My dear child, I have every wish to treat you fairly--affectionately, that
is to say," he replied, after that little nervous cough; "but I am not a
man given to sentiment, you see, and there are circumstances in my life
which go far to excuse a certain coldness.
Pages:
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221