What is it to her whether I am married or not ?" "Where have you been living all these years, if you do not know that the very first thing a woman wants to do when she has made a good match is to make ones for all her spinster friends.

Jane does not mean any harm.
She does it out of pure benevolence." "I do not need Jane's benevolence." "Neither do I; but it doesn't do any harm, and she is welcome to amuse herself by trotting out her male acquaintances for my approval.

Hush! Here she comes." Gertrude subsided.

She could not quarrel with Lady Brandon without leaving the house, and she could not leave the house without returning to her home.

But she privately resolved to discourage the attentions of Erskine, suspecting that instead of being in love with her as he pretended, he had merely been recommended by Jane to marry her.
Chichester Erskine had made sketches in Palestine with Sir Charles, and had tramped with him through many European picture galleries.