But seeing that Norman was Gertrude's lover, was it not natural that Alaric should be hers?
And then, though Harry was the handsomer and the richer, she liked Alaric so much the better of the two.

But now that Alaric was alone with her, the only subject he could think to talk of was Gertrude's beauty! It must not be supposed that these thoughts in their plainly-developed form passed through Linda's mind.

It was not that she thought all this, but that she felt it.

Such feelings are quite involuntary, whereas one's thoughts are more or less under command.

Linda would not have allowed herself to think in this way for worlds; but she could not control her feelings.
They walked on side by side, perfectly silent for a minute or two, and an ill-natured tear was gathering itself in the corner of Linda's eye: she was afraid even to raise her hand to brush it away, for fear Alaric should see her, and thus it went on gathering till it was like to fall.
'How singular it is,' said Alaric--'how very singular, the way in which I find myself living with you all! such a perfect stranger as I am.' 'A perfect stranger!' said Linda, who, having remembered Alaric since the days of her short frocks and lessons, looked on him as a very old friend indeed.
'Yes, a perfect stranger, if you think of it.