Major Pendennis openly expressed his disappointment; and, I believe, the Divine himself was ill pleased at not being able to jack a hole in poor Miss Fotheringay's reputation.
Even about Pen himself, Mrs.Creed's reports were desperately favourable.

"Whenever he come," Mrs.Creed said, "She always have me or one of the children with her.

And Mrs.Creed, marm, says she, if you please, marm, you'll on no account leave the room when that young gentleman's here.

And many's the time I've seen him a lookin' as if he wished I was away, poor young man: and he took to coming in service-time, when I wasn't at home, of course: but she always had one of the boys up if her Pa wasn't at home, or old Mr.Bowser with her a teaching of her her lesson, or one of the young ladies of the theayter." It was all true: whatever encouragements might have been given him before he avowed his passion, the prudence of Miss Emily was prodigious after Pen had declared himself: and the poor fellow chafed against her hopeless reserve, which maintained his ardour as it excited his anger.
The Major surveyed the state of things with a sigh.

"If it were but a temporary liaison," the excellent man said, "one could bear it.