It was to her advantage that she knew that he despised her; it was to his disadvantage that he knew she had always liked him after a manner of her own, and doubtless liked him now despite the things he had said to her.

She had liked him from his boyhood days when report had it that he was to be the sole heir to his grandfather's millions, and she had liked him, no doubt, quite as sincerely, after the old man had declared that he did not intend to ruin a brilliant career by leaving a lot of uninspiring money to his ambitious grandson.
In so many words, old Templeton Thorpe had said, not two months before, that he intended to leave practically all of his money to charity! All except the two millions he stood ready to settle upon his bride the day she married him! Possibly Mrs.Tresslyn liked the grandson all the more for the treasures that he had lost, or was about to lose.

It is easy to like a man who will not be pitied.

At any rate, she did not consider it worth while to despise him, now that he had only a profession to offer in exchange for her daughter's hand.
"Of course, Mrs.Tresslyn, I know that Anne loves me," he said, with forced calmness.

"She doesn't love my grandfather.