Explore "Gathered In" by Catherine Helen Spence on Textopian. Read with annotations and highlights.
On the occasion of his visit to Mrs. Ellerton, at Castlehurst, it had indeed been tantalizing to Mr. Oswald to see how very superior in every way Miss Gray was to her friend. He took stock of her from head to foot, and found her up to the mark on all points. As he listened to the talk of the young women, and occasionally joined in it, he came to the conclusion that William Gray's daughter was the handsomer, the cleverer, as well as the richer of the two, and yet that perverse son of his was infatuated with the inferior article, and had thrust his neck into the noose of hopeless or sinful love; whereas the other girl might be had without sin or shame, and with infinite honour and advantage.
They were both polite to him, but Edith was more than polite. She felt for the old man so cruelly disappointed in his son, so poorly companioned by his wife, with only his grateful and generous nephew to give him loyal service.