CHAPTER XXI

MR MOFFAT FALLS INTO TROUBLE

We will now, with the reader’s kind permission, skip over some months in our narrative.  Frank returned from Courcy Castle to Greshamsbury, and having communicated to his mother—­much in the same manner as he had to the countess—­the fact that his mission had been unsuccessful, he went up after a day or two to Cambridge.  During his short stay at Greshamsbury he did not even catch a glimpse of Mary.  He asked for her, of course, and was told that it was not likely that she would be at the house just at present.  He called at the doctor’s, but she was denied to him there; ‘she was out,’ Janet said,—­’probably with Miss Oriel.’  He went to the parsonage and found Miss Oriel at home; but Mary had not been seen that morning.  He then returned to the house; and, having come to the conclusion that she had not thus vanished into air, otherwise than by preconcerted arrangement, he boldly taxed Beatrice on the subject.

Beatrice looked very demure; declared that no one in the house had quarrelled with Mary; confessed that it had been thought prudent that she should for a while stay away from Greshamsbury; and, of course, ended by telling her brother everything, including all the scenes that had passed between Mary and herself.

‘It is out of the question your thinking of marrying her, Frank,’ said she.  ’You must know that nobody feels it more strongly than poor Mary herself;’ and Beatrice looked the very personification of domestic prudence.

‘I know nothing of the kind,’ said he, with the headlong imperative air that was usual with him in discussing matters with his sisters.  ’I know nothing of the kind.  Of course I cannot say what Mary’s feelings may be:  a pretty life she must have had of it among you.  But you may be sure of this, Beatrice, and so may my mother, that nothing on earth shall make me give her up—­nothing.’  And Frank, as he made this protestation, strengthened his own resolution by thinking of all the counsel that Miss Dunstable had given him.

The brother and sister could hardly agree, as Beatrice was dead against the match.  Not that she would not have liked Mary Thorne for a sister-in-law, but that she shared to a certain degree the feeling which was now common to all the Greshams—­that Frank must marry money.  It seemed, at any rate, to be imperative that he should either do that or not marry at all.  Poor Beatrice was not very mercenary in her views:  she had no wish to sacrifice her brother to any Miss Dunstable; but yet she felt, as they all felt—­Mary Thorne included—­that such as a match as that, of the young heir with the doctor’s niece, was not to be thought of;—­not to be spoken of as a thing that was in any way possible.  Therefore, Beatrice, though she was Mary’s great friend, though she was her brother’s favourite sister, could give Frank no encouragement.  Poor Frank! circumstances had made but one bride possible to him:  he must marry money.