They live in a little cottage with one maid-servant, almost upon the cliffs, and nobody knows anything about them except the priest.

If he should be seduced into a marriage, nothing could be more unfortunate." Lady Mary probably intended to insinuate that were young Neville prudently to get out of the adventure, simply leaving the girl behind him blasted, ruined, and destroyed, the matter no doubt would be bad; but in that case the great misfortune would have been avoided.

She could not quite say this in plain words; but she felt, no doubt, that Lady Scroope would understand her.

Then Lady Mary went on to assure her friend that though she and her father and sisters very greatly regretted that Mr.Neville had not again given them the pleasure of seeing him at Castle Quin, no feeling of injury on that score had induced her to write so strongly as she had done.

She had been prompted to do so simply by her desire to prevent _a most ruinous alliance_.
Lady Scroope acknowledged entirely the truth of these last words.