She would not have denied herself of his company now for any foolish pretext of convention.

In that hurried summary of himself and his affairs, proving himself by it, without any pride and conceit, to be a man of very different stamp and interest to Mr.Arthur Montagu, he had marked her in her flight for liberty.

Nothing was binding her--no interest in life but to be loved.

Had there been any such bond--the prospect of an engagement which was not distasteful to her--he would have found it no easy matter to win her to interest then.

But she was free, in the midst of her flight, and he had marked her.