What a hopeless entanglement, what a dismal
mistake, her existence was! Had she sold herself for these things--for
Arden Court and a town house, and unlimited millinery? No; again and again
she told herself she had married Daniel Granger for her father's sake, and
perhaps a little from a desire to keep faith with Lady Laura.
This marriage had seemed to her the only perfect fulfilment of her promise
that nothing should induce her to marry George Fairfax. But the sacrifice
had been useless, since he had broken his engagement to Geraldine
Challoner.
Sophia Granger's lynx eyes perceived a change in her step mother about this
time. Clarissa had never appeared especially enraptured by the gaieties
of fashionable London; but then had come upon her of late a languor and
weariness of spirit which she tried in vain to disguise by an assumed air
of enjoyment. That simulated gaiety deluded her husband, but it could not
deceive Miss Granger.
"She's getting tired of her life already, even here where we have a
perpetual round of amusements," Sophia said to herself. "What will she be
when we go back to Yorkshire?"
The time was close at hand for the return to Arden, when the thing which
Clarissa had feared came to pass, and the hazard of London life brought her
face to face with George Fairfax.
* * * * *
CHAPTER XXVIII.
MR. WOOSTER.
The season was at its height, and the Grangers found every available hour
of their existence engaged in visiting and receiving visitors.
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