But he had watched them closely on the few occasions when he had seen them together in society, and, certain as he had felt at other times, he had come away somewhat puzzled, and said to himself: "She is captivated by his manner, as any girl might be, but I doubt whether she loves him." This impression, however, had always died out in a short time, and he had somehow come to accept the general opinion unquestioningly, that she would accept Carthew when he proposed.

He had been prepared to face the alternative of either suffering her to marry a scoundrel, or of taking a step more repugnant to him, which would probably end by an entire breach of his friendship with the Greendales, that of telling them this story.

He was therefore delighted to find that the difficulty had been solved by Bertha herself without his intervention, and felt absolutely grateful for the accident which had cost him the Queen's Cup, but had at the same time opened Bertha's eyes to the man's true character.

Soon after two o'clock he went ashore in the gig, and at the half hour Lady Greendale and Bertha came down.
"The Osprey looks like a bird shorn of its wings," he said, as he handed them into the boat; "and though the men have made everything as tidy as they could, the two missing spars quite spoil her appearance." "That does not matter in the least, Frank," Lady Greendale said.
"We know how she looks when she is at her best.

We shall enjoy a quiet sail in her just as much as if she were in apple-pie order." "You look fagged, Lady Greendale, though you are pretty well accustomed to gaiety in town." Lady Greendale did indeed look worn and worried.