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Mistress Clorinda's fortunes the gentry of the neighbourhood
discussed with growing interest and curiosity. What was like to
become of her great gifts and powers in the end, if she could never
show them to the great world, and have the chance to carry her
splendid wares to the fashionable market where there were men of
quality and wealth who would be like to bid for them. She had not
chosen to accept any of those who had offered themselves so far, and
it was believed that for some reason she had held off my lord of
Dunstanwolde in his suit. 'Twas evident that he admired her
greatly, and why he had not already made her his countess was a sort
of mystery which was productive of many discussions and bore much
talking over. Some said that, with all her beauty and his
admiration, he was wary and waited, and some were pleased to say
that the reason he waited was because the young lady herself
contrived that he should, it being her desire to make an open
conquest of Sir John Oxon, and show him to the world as her slave,
before she made up her mind to make even a much greater match. Some
hinted that for all her disdainfulness and haughty pride she would
marry Sir John if he asked her, but that he being as brilliant a
beau as she a beauty, he was too fond of his pleasures and his gay
town life to give them up even to a goddess who had no fortune. His
own had not been a great one, and he had squandered it
magnificently, his extravagances being renowned in the world of
fashion, and having indeed founded for him his reputation.
It was, however, still his way to accept frequent hospitalities from
his kinsman Eldershawe, and Sir Jeoffry was always rejoiced enough
to secure him as his companion for a few days when he could lure him
from the dissipation of the town. At such times it never failed
that Mistress Wimpole and poor Anne kept their guard. Clorinda
never allowed them to relax their vigilance, and Mistress Wimpole
ceased to feel afraid, and became accustomed to her duties, but Anne
never did so. She looked always her palest and ugliest when Sir
John was in the house, and she would glance with sad wonder and
timid adoration from him to Clorinda; but sometimes when she looked
at Sir John her plain face would grow crimson, and once or twice he
caught her at the folly, and when she dropped her eyes overwhelmed
with shame, he faintly smiled to himself, seeing in her a new though
humble conquest.
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