But his sensibility made him restless in the thought that she was accusing him of ingratitude--perhaps of behaviour unworthy a gentleman.

Yes, there was the true sting.

Dyce Lashmar prided himself on his intellectual lucidity, but still more on his possession of the instincts, of the mental and moral tone, which are called gentlemanly.
It really hurt him to think that anyone could plausibly assail his claims in this respect.
When he had been a week at Rivenoak, he again wrote to Mrs.Woolstan.
Of her failure to answer his last letter, he said nothing.

She had of course received the _Hollingford Express_, with the report of his speech on the 20th.

How did she like it?
Could she suggest any improvement?
She knew that he valued her opinion.