But what can a man do?
Girls won't marry this man or that because they're told." Fletcher did speak to Emily's father, and learned more from him than had been told him by Sir Alured.

Indeed he learned the whole truth.
Lopez had been twice with the father pressing his suit and had been twice repulsed, with as absolute denial as words could convey.

Emily, however, had declared her own feeling openly, expressing her wish to marry the odious man, promising not to do so without her father's consent, but evidently feeling that that consent ought not to be withheld from her.

All this Mr.Wharton told very plainly, walking with Arthur a little before dinner along a shaded, lonely path, which for half a mile ran along the very marge of the Wye at the bottom of the park.

And then he went on to speak other words which seemed to rob his young friend of all hope.