Page:Eliot - Daniel Deronda, vol. I, 1876.djvu/142

 her uncle, that he might see how well justified she had been in acting against his advice; and the prudential Rector did feel himself in a slight difficulty, for at that moment he was particularly sensible that it was his niece’s serious interest to be well regarded by the Brackenshaws, and their opinion as to her following the hounds really touched the essence of his objection. However, he was not obliged to say anything immediately, for Mrs Davilow followed up Gwendolen’s brief triumphant phrases with—

"Still, I do hope you will not do it again, Gwendolen. I should never have a moment's quiet. Her father died by an accident, you know."

Here Mrs Davilow had turned away from Gwendolen, and looked at Mr Gascoigne.

"Mamma dear," said Gwendolen, kissing her merrily, and passing over the question of the fears which Mrs Davilow had meant to account for, "children don’t take after their parents in broken legs."

Not one word had yet been said about Rex. In fact there had been no anxiety about him at Offendene. Gwendolen had observed to her mamma, "Oh, he must have been left far behind, and gone home in despair," and it could not be denied that