On the whole, my mother really thought that the best way
to regain my favour or even toleration, would be to accept M. de
Lamont with a good grace, since he was certainly distractedly in love
with me, and if I fell into disgrace with the authorities, I might
have my son and the administration of his property taken away from me
in a still more distressing manner, whereas it would only depend on
myself to rule M. de Lamont.
'I have only to say,' observed Annora, 'that if she were to do such a
thing I should never speak to her again.'
Whereupon my mother severely reproved my sister, declaring that it
was all her fault, and that she had gone beyond all bounds when left
to herself, and would be a disgrace to the family.
Annora coloured furiously, and said she did not know what might be
esteemed a disgrace in France, but she should certainly do nothing
that would disgrace her English name. Then it flashed on me that
what had passed in the carriage had been a reality, and I saw what
she meant.
Of course, however, I did not betray my perception. Disputes between
my mother and sister were what we all chiefly dreaded; it was so
impossible to make them see anything from the same point of view, so
I thought it best to turn the conversation back to my own affairs, by
saying that I thought that to marry M. de Lamont would only make
matters worse, and that no loss of favour or any other misfortune
could be equal to that of being bound to such a husband as he had
shown himself.
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