His face glowed with satisfaction as he expressed his
thanks.
'You will like my dear mother so much, Mary, and Louise will be a
delightful companion for you, darling. She is such a sweet, sensible
girl, and a prodigious housekeeper. You will learn a great deal from
her.'
'I have no doubt I shall like your mother,' says Mary, not very
enthusiastically, it must be confessed.
Tom's face falls.
'And Limeton, Mary; it's such a splendid city--quite different from
this place.'
Mary fancies she detects a slight deprecatory tone in the way he
says 'this place.'
'Yes, I suppose it is very different. Horridly dirty, isn't it?
'Not more dirty than a prosperous manufacturing city must inevitably
be, and within a mile all round there is the loveliest scenery you
can imagine. Our place is about a mile from the city, so the dirt
will not annoy you; and you will meet such pleasant people there that
you will not mind the smoke. I am sure, Mary, you will come away
quite in love with Limeton, and prefer it to this prim old place.'
'Prefer it to Mapleton? Never.'
'Well, well, we'll see;' and in his proud confidence he kissed her
and left her.
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