But when Ellinor named it to her father, he rather hastily replied that it was all very well for women to ride out whenever they liked—­men had something else to do; and then, as he saw her look grave and puzzled, he softened down his abrupt saying by adding that Dunster had been making a fuss about his partner’s non-attendance, and altogether taking a good deal upon himself in a very offensive way, so that he thought it better to go pretty regularly to the office, in order to show him who was master—­senior partner, and head of the business, at any rate.

Ellinor sighed a little over her disappointment at her father’s preoccupation, and then forgot her own little regret in anger at Mr. Dunster, who had seemed all along to be a thorn in her father’s side, and had latterly gained some power and authority over him, the exercise of which, Ellinor could not help thinking, was a very impertinent line of conduct from a junior partner, so lately only a paid clerk, to his superior.  There was a sense of something wrong in the Ford Bank household for many weeks about this time.  Mr. Wilkins was not like himself, and his cheerful ways and careless genial speeches were missed, even on the days when he was not irritable, and evidently uneasy with himself and all about him.  The spring was late in coming, and cold rain and sleet made any kind of out-door exercise a trouble and discomfort rather than a bright natural event in the course of the day.  All sound of winter gaieties, of assemblies and meets, and jovial dinners, had died away, and the summer pleasures were as yet unthought of.  Still Ellinor had a secret perennial source of sunshine in her heart; whenever she thought of Ralph she could not feel much oppression from the present unspoken and indistinct gloom.  He loved her; and oh, how she loved him! and perhaps this very next autumn—­but that depended on his own success in his profession.  After all, if it was not this autumn it would be the next; and with the letters that she received weekly, and the occasional visits that her lover ran down to Hamley to pay Mr. Ness, Ellinor felt as if she would almost prefer the delay of the time when she must leave her father’s for a husband’s roof.

CHAPTER VI.

At Easter—­just when the heavens and earth were looking their dreariest, for Easter fell very early this year—­Mr. Corbet came down.  Mr. Wilkins was too busy to see much of him; they were together even less than usual, although not less friendly when they did meet.  But to Ellinor the visit was one of unmixed happiness.  Hitherto she had always had a little fear mingled up with her love of Mr. Corbet; but his manners were softened, his opinions less decided and abrupt, and his whole treatment of her showed such tenderness, that the young girl basked and revelled in it.  One or two of their conversations had reference to their future married life in London; and she then perceived, although it did not jar against her, that her lover had not forgotten his ambition in his love.  He tried to inoculate her with something of his own craving for success in life; but it was all in vain:  she nestled to him, and told him she did not care to be the Lord Chancellor’s wife—­wigs and wool-sacks were not in her line; only if he wished it, she would wish it.