The strongest and most soothing part of his influence over her was his exceeding silence.

He had never troubled her with any great demonstrations, nor frightened her with questionings.

From the time of their engagement he had seemed to take every thing for granted, and to treat her tenderly, almost reverently, without fuss or parade, yet with the consideration due from a man to his future wife; so much so that she had hardly missed, what, indeed, in her simplicity she hardly expected, the attention usually paid to an affianced bride from the relatives of her intended.

Dr.Grey had only two, his own sister and his late wife's.

These ladies, Miss Gascoigne and Miss Grey, had neither called upon nor taken the least notice of Miss Oakley.