for popular view he cared not
one doit, if her own had the courage and the will to go against it. For
years he had sternly resisted all temptation of second marriage, toward
which shrewd mothers and nice maidens had labored in vain to lead him.
But the bitter disappointment about his son, and that long illness, and
the tender nursing (added to the tenderness of his own sides, from
lying upon them, with a hard dry cough), had opened some parts of his
constitution to matrimonial propensities. Miss Upround was of a playful
nature, and teased everybody she cared about; and although Sir Duncan
was a great hero to her, she treated him sometimes as if he were her
doll. Being a grave man, he liked this, within the bounds of good taste
and manners; and the young lady always knew where to stop. From being
amused with her, he began to like her; and from liking her, he went on
to miss her; and from missing her to wanting her was no long step.

However, Sir Duncan was not at all inclined to make a fool of himself
herein. He liked the lady very much, and saw that she would suit him,
and help him well in the life to which he was thinking of returning. For
within the last fortnight a very high post at Calcutta had been offered
to him by the powers in Leadenhall Street, upon condition of sailing at
once, and foregoing the residue of his leave. If matters had been to his
liking in England, he certainly would have declined it; but after his
sad disappointment, and the serious blow to his health, he resolved to
accept it, and set forth speedily. The time was an interlude of the war,
and ships need not wait for convoy.

This had induced him to take his Yorkshire affairs (which Mordacks had
been forced to intermit during his Derbyshire campaign) into his own
hands, and speed the issue, as above related. And part of his plan was
to quit all claim to present possession of Scargate; that if the young
lady should accept his suit, it might not in any way be for the sake of
the landed interest. As it happened, he had gone much further than this,
and cast away his claim entirely, to save his sister from disgrace and
the family property from lawyers. And now having sought Dr. Upround's
leave (which used to be thought the proper thing to do), he asked
Janetta whether she would have him, and she said, "No, but he might have
her." Upon this he begged permission to set the many drawbacks before
her, and she nodded her head, and told him to begin.

"I