emotion? He meant well; he had her welfare in view; unfortunate as
was his style of discussing the means for insuring this--for he
loved her dearly, dearly!

She must never question this, although he had dealt the comfortable
persuasion a cruel blow; wounded her in a vital part by withholding
from her the circumstance of his attachment and betrothal until the
near approach of the wedding day rendered continued secrecy
inexpedient. No softening memory of his affianced had inclined him
to listen with kindly warmth to her timid avowals, or Frederic's
manly protestations of their mutual attachment. He recognized no
analogy in the two cases; stood aloof from them in the flush of his
successful love, as if he had never known the pregnant meaning of
the word. Smarting under the sense of injury to pride and affection,
her language, when she could trust her voice, was a protest that, in
Winston's judgment, ill beseemed her age and station.

"Why did you not tell me of this earlier, brother? It was unjust and
unkind to keep me in the dark until now."

"You forget yourself, Mabel. I am not under obligation to account to
you for my actions."

He said it composedly, as if stating a truth wholly disconnected
with feeling on his part or on hers.

"I have given you the information to which you refer, in season for
you to make ample preparation for my wife's reception. And, mark me,
she must see no sulkiness, no airs of strangeness or intolerance,
because I have managed a matter that concerns me chiefly, as seemed