When Captain Dell so opportunely--or inconveniently--knocked at the
library door, Mr. Mannering was on the point of asking his secretary
to marry him. Of that Elizabeth was sure.
She had just escaped, but the siege would be renewed. How was she
going to meet it?
Why shouldn't she marry the Squire? She was poor, but she had
qualities much more valuable to the Squire than money. She could
rescue him from debt, put his estate on a paying footing, restore
Mannering, rebuild the village, and all the time keep him happy by
her sympathy with and understanding of his classical studies and
hobbies.
And thereby she would be doing not only a private but a public
service. The Mannering estate and its owner had been an offence to
the patriotism of a whole neighbourhood. Elizabeth could and would
put an end to that. She had already done much to modify it. In her
Greek scholarship, and her ready wits, she possessed all the spells
that were wanted for the taming of the Squire.
As to the Squire himself? She examined the matter dispassionately.
Pages:
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358