I _shall_
always feel that I have a sort of property in her, through
early associations."
"Are you going to be married shortly?" said Mrs. Treherne;
"have you anything definite to do? Where are you going to
settle?"
"Do you not know?" he answered. "Dr. Vavasour has offered me a
partnership."
"And you have accepted it?"
"Not yet. He has given me six months to think it over; so I
need not hurry my decision; and, in the meantime, I have
plenty to do with my book. In fact, I need the rest."
"It seems a pity--" began Mrs. Treherne.
"What seems a pity, Aunt Barbara?"
"That with your talents you should settle down for life in a
country village. You could surely do something better."
"I don't know," he answered with a sigh. "There is nothing
else very obvious at present, and I cannot be a rover all my
life. For one thing, my health would not allow of my taking up
that sort of thing again just at present; and then there is
Maria to be considered. She hates the idea of leaving Ashurst,
and it has been her dream for years that this partnership
should be offered me, and that I should accept it.
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