d had never felt that her daughters
had any claim on that score. It was a well-understood thing in the
family that the senior male Dale should have all the Dale property
and all the Dale money. She fully recognised even the propriety of
such an arrangement. But it seemed to her that the squire was almost
guilty of hypocrisy in naming his nephew and his two nieces together,
as though they were the joint heirs of his love. Bernard was his
adopted son, and no one had begrudged to the uncle the right of
making such adoption. Bernard was everything to him, and as being his
heir was bound to obey him in many things. But her daughters were no
more to him than any nieces might be to any uncle. He had nothing
to do with their disposal in marriage; and the mother's spirit
was already up in arms and prepared to do battle for her own
independence, and for that of her children. "If Bernard would
marry well," said she, "I have no doubt it would be a comfort to
you,"--meaning to imply thereby that the squire had no right to
trouble himself about any other marriage.

"That's just it," said the squire. "It would be a great comfort to
me. And if he and Bell could make up their minds together, it would,
I should think, be a great comfort to you also."

"Bernard and Bell!" exclaimed Mrs Dale. No idea of such a union had
ever yet come upon her, and now in her surprise she sat silent.
She had always liked Bernard Dale, having felt for him more family
affection than for any other of the Dale family beyond her own
hearth. He had been very intimate in her house, having made himself
almost as a brother to her girls. But she had never thought of him as
a husband for either of them.

"Then Bell has not spoken to you about it," said the squire.

"Never a word."

"And you had never thought about it?"

"Certainly not."

"I have thought about it a great deal. For some years I have always
been thinking of it. I have set my heart upon it, and shall be very
unhappy if it cannot be brought about. They are both very dear to
me,--dearer than anybody else. If I could see them man and wife, I
should not much care then how soon I left the old place to them."

There was a purer touch of feeling in this than the squire had ever
before shown in his sister-in-law's presence, and more heartiness
than she had given him the credit of possessing. And she could not
but acknowledge to herself that her own child was included in this
unexpected warmth of love,