and waited, and some were pleased to say that the
reason he waited was because the young lady herself contrived that he
should, it being her desire to make an open conquest of Sir John Oxon,
and show him to the world as her slave, before she made up her mind to
make even a much greater match. Some hinted that for all her
disdainfulness and haughty pride she would marry Sir John if he asked
her, but that he being as brilliant a beau as she a beauty, he was too
fond of his pleasures and his gay town life to give them up even to a
goddess who had no fortune. His own had not been a great one, and he had
squandered it magnificently, his extravagances being renowned in the
world of fashion, and having indeed founded for him his reputation.

It was, however, still his way to accept frequent hospitalities from his
kinsman Eldershawe, and Sir Jeoffry was always rejoiced enough to secure
him as his companion for a few days when he could lure him from the
dissipation of the town. At such times it never failed that Mistress
Wimpole and poor Anne kept their guard. Clorinda never allowed them to
relax their vigilance, and Mistress Wimpole ceased to feel afraid, and
became accustomed to her duties, but Anne never did so. She looked
always her palest and ugliest when Sir John was in the house, and she
would glance with sad wonder and timid adoration from him to Clorinda;
but sometimes when she looked at Sir John her plain face would grow
crimson, and once or twice he caught her at the folly, and when she
dropped her eyes overwhelmed with shame, he faintly smiled to himself,
seeing in her a new though humble conquest.

There came a day when in the hunting-field there passed from mouth to
mouth a rumour, and Sir Jeoffry, hearing it, came pounding over on his
big black horse to his daughter and told it to her in great spirits.

"He is a sly dog, John Oxon," he said, a broad grin on his rubicund face.
"This very week he comes to us, and he and I are cronies, yet he has
blabbed nothing of what is being buzzed about by all the world."

"He has learned how to keep a closed mouth," said Mistress Clorinda,
without asking a question.

"But 'tis marriage he is so mum about, bless ye!" said Sir Jeoffry. "And
that is not a thing to be hid long. He is to be shortly married, they
say. My lady, his mother, has found him a great fortune in a new beauty
but just come to town. She hath great estates in the West Indies, as
well as a fine fort