’But, Dr Thorne, I did look for a kinder answer from you, considering all that you so often say about your great friendship with my father.  I did think you’d at any rate answer me when I asked you a question.’

But the doctor did not want to answer that special question.  Could it be possible that Mary should wish to marry this odious man, could such a state of things be imagined to be the case, he would not refuse his consent, infinitely as he would be disgusted by her choice.  But he would not give Sir Louis any excuse of telling Mary that her uncle approved of so odious a match.

’I cannot say that in case I would approve of such a marriage, Sir Louis.  I cannot bring myself to say so; for I know it would make you both miserable.  But on that matter my niece will choose wholly for herself.’

‘And about money, doctor?’

’If you marry a decent woman you shall not want the means of supporting her decently,’ and so saying the doctor walked away, leaving Sir Louis to his meditations.

CHAPTER XXIX

THE DONKEY RIDE

Sir Louis, when left to himself, was slightly dismayed and somewhat discouraged; but he was not induced to give up his object.  The first effort of his mind was made in conjecturing what private motive Dr Thorne could possibly have in wishing to debar his niece from marrying a rich young baronet.  That the objection was personal to himself, Sir Louis did not for a moment imagine.  Could it be that the doctor did not wish that his niece should be richer, and grander, and altogether bigger than himself?  Or was it possible that his guardian was anxious to prevent him from marrying from some view of the reversion of the large fortune?  That there was some such reason, Sir Louis was well sure; but let it be what it might, he would get the better of the doctor.  ‘He knew so,’ so he said to himself, ’what stuff girls were made of.  Baronets did not grow like blackberries.’  And so, assuring himself with such philosophy, he determined to make his offer.

The time he selected for doing this was the hour before dinner; but on the day on which his conversation with the doctor had taken place, he was deterred by the presence of a strange visitor.  To account for this strange visit it will be necessary that we should return to Greshamsbury for a few minutes.

Frank, when he returned home for his summer vacation, found that Mary had again flown; and the very fact of her absence added fuel to the fire of his love, more perhaps then even her presence might have done.  For the flight of the quarry ever adds eagerness to the pursuit of the huntsman.  Lady Arabella, moreover, had a bitter enemy; a foe, utterly opposed to her side in the contest, where she had once fondly looked for her staunchest ally.  Frank was now in the habit of corresponding with Miss Dunstable, and received from her most energetic admonitions to be true to the love which he had sworn.  True to it he resolved to be; and, therefore, when he found that Mary was flown, he resolved to fly after her.