Out of her sphere - University Library

UNL UCKY A UDLEY DALE. 85
new dresses, to be seen on either, and no
other excitement to be looked for than
that of being blown oif their feet, or de-
luged with the salt spray, that at every-
gust came dashing in.
Nobody met him to see how miserable
he was ; but indeed he was too miserable
even to be glad of that. What did it all
mean—this foolish woman's talk ? Was
she really in earnest ? Could any scandg^l
possibly have arisen from the frank, open,
friendship which had subsisted between
Mrs. Thornton and himself? The whole
thing seemed so utterly absurd. On his
part there had never been even that sem-
blance of passion which induces a flirtation.
Even if Milly had not been in the case,
Mrs. Thornton was the last woman he woiild
ever have fallen in love with. He liked
her so much that anything else was out of
the question. How could this ridiculous
story have arisen ? Had Clare set it on