Nothing was more probable than that he should have gone ashore that morning, fresh from his victory, to put the question to her, and his speedy return and his order to make sail as soon as he got on deck certainly pointed to the fact that she had refused him.
A load of care seemed to be lifted from Frank's mind.

From the first, when he had found that Carthew was a visitor at Lady Greendale's, he had been uncomfortable.

He knew the man's persevering nature, and recognised his power of pleasing when he desired to do so.

He was satisfied that, when he himself was refused, the reason Bertha gave him was, as far as she knew, the true one; but he had since thought that possibly she might then, although unsuspected by herself, have been to some extent under the spell of Carthew's influence.

When she had declined two unexceptional offers, he had been almost convinced that Carthew, when the time came, would receive a more favourable answer.