not have
begun to think seriously of marriage, she had been told rather than
asked to give herself to her cousin Mountjoy. She was too firm of
character to accede at once--to deliver herself over body and soul to
the tender mercies of one, in truth, unknown. But she had been unable to
interpose any reason that was valid, and had contented herself by
demanding time. Since that there had been moments in which she had
almost yielded. Mountjoy Scarborough had been so represented to her that
she had considered it to be almost a duty to yield. More than once the
word had been all but spoken; but the word had never been spoken. She
had been subjected to what might be called cruel pressure. In season and
out of season her mother had represented as a duty this marriage with
her cousin. Why should she not marry her cousin? It must be understood
that these questions had been asked before any of the terrible facts of
Captain Scarborough's life had been made known to her. Because, it may
be said, she did not love him. But in these days she had loved no man,
and was inclined to think so little of herself as to make her want of
love no necessary bar to the accomplishment of the wish of others. By
degrees she was spoken of among their acquaintance as the promised bride
of Mountjoy Scarborough, and though she ever denied the imputation,
there came over her girl's heart a feeling,--very sad and very solemn,
but still all but accepted,--that so it must be. Then Harry Annesley had
crossed her path, and the question had been at last nearly answered, and
the doubts nearly decided. She did not quite know at first that she
loved Harry Annesley, but was almost sure that it was impossible for her
to become the wife of Mountjoy Scarborough.

Then there came nearly twelve months of most painful uncertainty in her
life. It is very hard for a young girl to have to be firm with her
mother in declining a proposed marriage, when all circumstances of the
connection are recommended to her as being peculiarly alluring. And
there was nothing in the personal manners of her cousin which seemed to
justify her in declaring her abhorrence. He was a dark, handsome,
military-looking man, whose chief sin it was in the eyes of his cousin
that he seemed to demand from her affection, worship, and obedience. She
did not analyse his character, but she felt it. And when it came to
pass that tidings of his debts at last reached her, she felt that she
was glad of an excu