He was a highly educated and clever
man; he offered her a prospect of fuller life than she had yet
imagined; perhaps it was a choice between him and the ordinary
husband such as fell to Polterham girls. Yet again, if he did not
really care for her--only for her money?
She remembered Denzil Quarrier's lecture on "Woman," and all he had
said about the monstrously unfair position of girls who are asked in
marriage by men of the world. And thereupon an idea came into her
mind. Presently she had dried her tears, and in half-an-hour's time
she left the house.
Her purpose was to call upon Mrs. Quarrier, whom she had met not
long ago at Highmead. But the lady was not at home. After a moment
of indecision, she wrote on the back of her visiting card: "Will you
be so kind as to let me know when I could see you? I will come at
any hour."
It was then midday. In the afternoon she received a note,
hand-delivered. Mrs. Quarrier would be at home from ten to twelve
the next morning.
Again she called, and Lilian received her in the small drawing-room.
They locked at each other with earnest faces, Lilian wondering
whether this visit had anything to do with the election. Serena was
nervous, and could not reply composedly to the ordinary phrases of
politeness with which she was received. And yet the phrases were not
quite ordinary; whomsoever she addressed, Lilian spoke with a
softness, a kindness peculiar to herself, and chose words which
seemed to have more than the common meaning.
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