to smile on; again, a great beau and female conqueror, it being argued
that, having made her first marriage for rank and wealth, and being a
passionate and fantastic beauty, she would this time allow herself to be
ruled by her caprice, and wed for love; again, a certain marquis was
named, and after him a young earl renowned for both beauty and wealth;
but though each and all of those selected were known to have laid
themselves at her feet, none of them seemed to have met with the favour
they besought for.

There were two men, however, who were more spoken of than all the rest,
and whose court awakened a more lively interest; indeed, 'twas an
interest which was lively enough at times to become almost a matter of
contention, for those who upheld the cause of the one man would not hear
of the success of the other, the claims of each being considered of such
different nature. These two men were the Duke of Osmonde and Sir John
Oxon. 'Twas the soberer and more dignified who were sure his Grace had
but to proffer his suit to gain it, and their sole wonder lay in that he
did not speak more quickly.

"But being a man of such noble mind, it may be that he would leave her to
her freedom yet a few months, because, despite her stateliness, she is
but young, and 'twould be like his honourableness to wish that she should
see many men while she is free to choose, as she has never been before.
For these days she is not a poor beauty as she was when she took
Dunstanwolde."

The less serious, or less worldly, especially the sentimental spinsters
and matrons and romantic young, who had heard and enjoyed the rumours of
Mistress Clorinda Wildairs' strange early days, were prone to build much
upon a certain story of that time.