Bertha had shown that she
would not marry for position only, and that she would be likely to
take her own way entirely in the matter; and, although this was a
downfall to the hopes that she had once entertained, Lady Greendale
was herself very fond of Frank, and it was at any rate better than
having Bertha marry a man of whose real means she was ignorant, and
who, as everyone knew, bet heavily on the turf. These ideas flashed
rapidly through her mind, and holding out one hand to each, she
said:
"There is no one to whom I could more confidently entrust her
happiness, Frank. God bless you both."
Then she betook herself to her pocket handkerchief, for her tears
came easily, and on this occasion she herself could hardly have
said whether they were the result of pleasure in Bertha's
happiness, or regret at the downfall of the air castles she had
once built.
"I think, Bertha, our best plan will be to go below now," Frank
suggested, quietly.
"What for?" Bertha asked, shyly.
The thing had been done. She felt radiantly happy, but more shocked
at her own boldness than she had been when she perpetrated it.
"Well, my dear, I thought that perhaps you would rather not kiss me
in sight of the whole crew, and certainly I shan't be able to
restrain myself much longer.
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