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Updated: June 29, 2025
In spite of his knowledge that this would be her attitude and he need not expect anything different Tristram's heart began to sink down into his boots, by the time they reached the house, and Francis Markrute whispered to his niece as they came up the steps: "I beg of you to be a little more gracious the man has some spirit, you know!"
Francis Markrute asked. "Probably, but I have never been really in love; have you? It is all story-book stuff that almighty passion, I expect. They none of them matter very much after a while, do they, old boy?" "I have understood it is possible for a woman to matter," the financier said and he drew in his lips.
She was already dressed in a sapphire-blue velvet masterpiece of simplicity. The Tancred presents of sapphires and diamonds lay in their open cases on the table with the splendid Markrute yards of pearls. She was standing looking down at them, the strangest expression of cynical resignation upon her face. "Your gift is magnificent, Uncle Francis," she said, without thanking him.
She supposed that the entire family were aware of the circumstances, and were willing to accept her only for her uncle's wealth she already hated and despised them all. Her idea was, "noblesse oblige," and that a great and ancient house should never stoop to such depths. Francis Markrute looked at her when she said, "I suppose we shall have to go down," with that icy calm. He felt faintly uneasy.
Francis Markrute seemed perfectly happy his manner as a host left nothing to be desired; he did not neglect the uninteresting aunt, who formed golden opinions of him; but he contrived to make Lady Ethelrida feel that he wished only to talk to her; not because she was an attractive, young woman, but because he was impressed with her intelligence, in the abstract. It made things very easy.
She was always extremely difficult to deal with, on account of these silences of hers. She helped no one out. Francis Markrute knew the method himself and admired it; it always made the other person state his case. "You saw Lord Tancred last night. You can have no objection to him on the ground of his person, and he is a very great gentleman, my niece, as you will find." Still silence.
"If it means exactly what we agreed upon, Uncle Francis, I will sign it," she said, "that is that Mirko shall be cared for and have plenty of money for life." And Francis Markrute replied, "That is what is meant." And then she had gone to her room, and spent the night before her wedding alone. She had steadily read one of her favorite books: she could not permit herself for a moment to think.
Markrute," she said, "on the 2nd of November. Tristram says he hopes they will be back from the honeymoon in time to join us, too." "I shall be delighted, and my niece will be delighted at your kindness in calling so soon."
And she quivered suddenly and caught in her breath with the horror of this thought. And who was Cyril? Zara had no knowledge of Cyril, any more than of Wrayth! But she did not ask. If Francis Markrute had heard this conversation he would have been very much annoyed with himself, and would have blamed himself for stupidity.
"An extraordinary and beautiful woman your niece eh, my dear Markrute?" he heard one of the pompous gentlemen say, as he returned to the group by the fire, and it angered him he could not have told why.
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