She admitted the advantage; but it was plain that though Fitzpiers
exercised a certain fascination over her when he was present, or even
more, an almost psychic influence, and though his impulsive act in the
wood had stirred her feelings indescribably, she had never regarded him
in the light of a destined husband. "I don't know what to answer," she
said. "I have learned that he is very clever."
"He's all right, and he's coming here to see you."
A premonition that she could not resist him if he came strangely moved
her. "Of course, father, you remember that it is only lately that
Giles--"
"You know that you can't think of him. He has given up all claim to
you."
She could not explain the subtleties of her feeling as he could state
his opinion, even though she had skill in speech, and her father had
none. That Fitzpiers acted upon her like a dram, exciting her,
throwing her into a novel atmosphere which biassed her doings until the
influence was over, when she felt something of the nature of regret for
the mood she had experienced--still more if she reflected on the
silent, almost sarcastic, criticism apparent in Winterborne's air
towards her--could not be told to this worthy couple in words.
It so happened that on this very day Fitzpiers was called away from
Hintock by an engagement to attend some medical meetings, and his
visits, therefore, did not begin at once. A note, however, arrived
from him addressed to Grace, deploring his enforced absence. As a
material object this note was pretty and superfine, a note of a sort
that she had been unaccustomed to see since her return to Hintock,
except when a school friend wrote to her--a rare instance, for the
girls were respecters of persons, and many cooled down towards the
timber-dealer's daughter when she was out of sight. Thus the receipt
of it pleased her, and she afterwards walked about with a reflective
air.
In the evening her father, who knew that the note had come, said, "Why
be ye not sitting down to answer your letter? That's what young folks
did in my time."
She replied that it did not require an answer.
"Oh, you know best," he said. Nevertheless, he went about his business
doubting if she were right in not replying; possibly she might be so
mismanaging matters as to risk the loss of an alliance which would
bring her much happiness.
Melbury's respect for Fitzpiers was based less on his professional
position, which was not much, than on the standing of his family in the
county in by-gone days. That implicit faith in members of
long-established families, as such, irrespective of their personal
condition or character, which is still found among old-fashioned people
in the rural districts reached its full intensity in Melbury. His
daughter's suitor was descended from a family he had heard of in his
grandfather's time as being once great, a family which had conferred
its name upon a neighboring village; how, then, could anything be amiss
in this betrothal?