The lady at last wrote to Richard. She said: "Come instantly, and come
alone." Then Richard, against his judgment, gave way. "My father is not
the man I thought him!" he exclaimed sadly, and Lucy felt his eyes saying
to her: "And you, too, are not the woman I thought you." Nothing could
the poor little heart reply but strain to his bosom and sleeplessly pray
in his arms all the night.




CHAPTER XXXV


Three weeks after Richard arrived in town, his cousin Clare was married,
under the blessings of her energetic mother, and with the approbation of
her kinsfolk, to the husband that had been expeditiously chosen for her.
The gentleman, though something more than twice the age of his bride, had
no idea of approaching senility for many long connubial years to come.
Backed by his tailor and his hairdresser, he presented no such bad figure
at the altar, and none would have thought that he was an ancient admirer
of his bride's mama, as certainly none knew he had lately proposed for
Mrs. Doria before there was any question of her daughter. These things
were secrets; and the elastic and happy appearance of Mr. John Todhunter
did not betray them at the altar. Perhaps he would rather have married
the mother. He was a man of property, well born, tolerably well
educated, and had, when Mrs. Doria rejected him for the first time, the
reputation of being a fool--which a wealthy man may have in his youth;
but as he lived on, and did not squander his money--amassed it, on the
contrary, and did not seek to go into Parliament, and did other negative