She could once have felt affection for her brother-in-law,--affection, and close, careful, sisterly friendship; but she could not do so now.

He had been cold to her, and had with perseverance rejected her advances.

That was now seven years since; and during those years Mrs Dale had been, at any rate, as cold to him as he had been to her.
But all this was very hard to bear.

That her daughters should love their uncle was not only reasonable, but in every way desirable.

He was not cold to them.