With the thaw there came a groom every afternoon with a sleek and
beautiful mare in case Miss McIntyre should care to ride. Everything
went to show that she had made a conquest of the recluse of the New
Hall.
And she on her side played her part admirably. With female adaptiveness
she fell in with his humour, and looked at the world through his eyes.
Her talk was of almshouses and free libraries, of charities and of
improvements. He had never a scheme to which she could not add some
detail making it more complete and more effective. To Haw it seemed
that at last he had met a mind which was in absolute affinity with his
own. Here was a help-mate, who could not only follow, but even lead him
in the path which he had chosen.
Neither Robert nor his father could fail to see what was going forward,
but to the latter nothing could possibly be more acceptable than a
family tie which should connect him, however indirectly, with a man of
vast fortune. The glamour of the gold bags had crept over Robert
also, and froze the remonstrance upon his lips. It was very pleasant to
have the handling of all this wealth, even as a mere agent. Why should
he do or say what might disturb their present happy relations? It was
his sister's business, not his; and as to Hector Spurling, he must take
his chance as other men did.
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