She had sacrificed her natural reserve, which he could see was great; she had even set good taste at defiance to defend Hester Gresley's book.

Hugh had shuddered as he heard her speak.

He felt that he could not have obtruded himself on so mixed an assembly.

Yet he saw that it had cost her more to do so than it would have cost him.
He began to remember having heard people speak of an iron-master's daughter, whose father had failed and died, and who, after several years of dire poverty, had lately inherited a vast fortune from her father's partner.

It had been talked about at the time, a few months ago.