“She does not romp. Her eyes are full and bright.”
“Yes, yes! You weren't severe on her for that escapade--I mean, when she ran away from Lady Gosstre's?”
“We scarcely alluded to the subject, or permitted her to.”
“Or permitted her to!” Wilfrid echoed, with a grimace. “And she's cheerful now?”
Cornelia had been too hard-pressed to have suspicion the questions were an immense relief.
Wilfrid mused gloomily. Cornelia spoke further of Emilia, and her delight in the visits of Mr. Powys, who spent hours with her, like a man fascinated. She flowed on, little aware that she was fast restoring to Wilfrid all his judicial severity.
He said, at last: “I suppose there's no engagement existing?”
“You have not, what they call, plighted your troth to the man?”
Cornelia struggled for evasion. She recognized the fruitlessness of the effort, and abandoning it stood up.
“Well, I should hope not,” said Wilfrid. “An engagement might be broken.”
“It might, is all that I say. A romantic sentiment is tougher. Now, I have been straightforward with you: will you be with me? I shall not hurt the man, or wound his feelings.”
He paused; but it was to find that no admission of the truth, save what oozed out in absence of speech, was to be expected. She seemed, after the fashion of women, to have got accustomed to the new atmosphere into which he had dragged her, without any conception of a forward movement.
“I see I must explain to you how we are situated,” said Wilfrid. “We are in a serious plight. You should be civil to this woman for several reasons--for your father's sake and your own. She is very rich.”
“Well, I find money well thought of everywhere.”
“Has your late school been good for you?”
“This woman, I repeat, is rich, and we want money. Oh! not the ordinary notion of wanting money, but the more we have the more power we have. Our position depends on it.”
“Yes, if we can be tempted to think so,” flashed Cornelia.
“Our position depends on it. If you posture, and are poor, you provoke ridicule: and to think of scorning money, is a piece of folly no girls of condition are guilty of. Now, you know I am fond of you; so I'll tell you this: you have a chance; don't miss it. Something unpleasant is threatening; but you may escape it. It would be madness to throw such a chance away, and it is your duty to take advantage of it. What is there plainer? You are engaged to no one.”