He was sitting one evening with his cousin in the drawing-room in Queen Anne Street, waiting for Kate, who was to join him there before going to some party.

I wonder whether Kate had had a hint from her brother to be late! At any rate, the two were together for an hour, and the talk had been all about himself.

He had congratulated her on her engagement with Mr Grey, which had just become known to him, and had then spoken of his own last intended marriage.
"I grieved for her," he said, "greatly." "I'm sure you did, George." "Yes, I did;--for her, herself.

Of course the world has given me credit for lamenting the loss of her money.

But the truth is, that as regards both herself and her money, it is much better for me that we were never married." "Do you mean even though she should have lived ?" "Yes;--even had she lived." "And why so?
If you liked her, her money was surely no drawback." "No; not if I had liked her." "And did you not like her ?" "No." "Oh, George!" "I did not love her as a man should love his wife, if you mean that.
As for my liking her, I did like her.