"What does Sir William say?" asked the rector, who, in spite of his disapproval of all that Sir William had done, felt that the Solicitor-General was the man whose influence in the matter would really prevail. "He has said nothing as yet. He is out of town." "Ten thousand a year! Who was it made the offer?" "She made it herself." "Lady Anna?" "Yes;--Lady Anna. It is a noble offer." "Yes, indeed. But then if she has no right to any of it, what does it amount to?" "But she has a right to all of it;--she and her mother between them." "I shall never believe it, Frederic--never; and not the less so because they now want to bind you to them by such a compromise as this." "I think you look at it in a wrong light, uncle Charles." "Well;--well. I will say nothing more about it. I don't see why you shouldn't take it,--I don't indeed. It ought all to have been yours. Everybody says that. You'll have to buy land, and it won't give you nearly so much then. I hope you'll buy land all the same, and I do hope it will be properly settled when you marry. As to marrying, you will be able to do much better than what you used to think of." "We won't talk about that, uncle Charles," said the Earl. As far as the rector's opinion went, it was clear that the offer might be accepted; but yet it was felt that very much must depend on what the Solicitor-General might say. Then Miss Lovel gave her opinion on the matter, which did not altogether agree with that of her brother. She believed in Lady Anna, whereas the rector professed that he did not. The rector and Lady Fitzwarren were perhaps the only two persons who, after all that had been said and done, still maintained that the Countess was an impostor, and that Lady Anna would only be Anna Murray, if everybody had his due. Miss Lovel was quite as anxious on behalf of the Earl as was her brother, but she clung to the hope of a marriage. "I still think it might all come right, if you would only wait," said aunt Julia. "It's all very well talking of waiting, but how am I to live?" "You could live here, Frederic. There is nothing my brother would like so much. I thought he would break his heart when the horses were taken away. It would only be for a year." "What would come of it?" "At the end of the year she would be your wife." "Never!" said the Earl. "Young men are so impatient." "Never, under any circumstances, would I ask her again. You may make your mind up to that. As sure as you stand there, she will marry Daniel Thwaite, if she lives another twelvemonth." "You really think so, Frederic?" "I am sure of it. After what she said to me, it would be impossible I should doubt it."