ewillingthatalltheworldshouldseethem.“Goodafternoon,Arthur!”shecalledout,astheyouthapproached.
“Oh!isityou,Bertha?Hulloa,Craddock!”HelookedatEdward,wonderingwhathedidtherewithMissLey.
“We’vejustbeenwalkingintoLeanham,andIwastired.”
“Oh!”YoungBrandertonthoughtitqueerthatBerthashouldtakewalkswithCraddock.
Berthaburstoutlaughing.“Oh,hedoesn’tknow,Edward!He’stheonlypersoninthecountywhohasn’theardthenews.”
“Whatnews?”askedBranderton.“I’vebeeninYorkshireforthelastweekatmybrother-in-law’s.”
“Mr.CraddockandIaregoingtobemarried.”
“Areyou,byJove!”criedBrandertonhelookedatCraddockandthen,awkwardly,offeredhiscongratulations.Theycouldnothelpseeinghisastonishment,andCraddockflushed,knowingitduetothefactthatBerthahadconsentedtomarryapennilessbeggarlikehimself,amanofnofamily.“Ihopeyou’llinvitemetothewedding,”saidtheyoungmantocoverhisconfusion.“Oh,it’sgoingtobeveryquiet—therewillonlybeourselves,Dr.Ramsay,myaunt,andEdward’sbestman.”
“Thenmayn’tIcome?”askedBranderton.
BerthalookedquicklyatEdwardithadcausedhersomeuneasinesstothinkthathemightbesupportedbyapersonofnogreatconsequenceintheplace.AfterallshewasMissLeyandshehadalreadydiscoveredthatsomeofherlover’sfriendswerenottoodesirable.Chanceofferedhermeansofsurmountingthedifficulty.
“I’mafraidit’simpossible,”shesaid,inanswertoBranderton’sappeal,“unlessyoucangetEdwardtoofferyoutheimportantpostofbestman.”
Shesucceededinmakingthepairthoroughlyuncomfortable.BrandertonhadnogreatwishtoperformthatofficeforEdward—“ofcourse,Craddockisaverygoodfellow,andafinesportsman,butnotthesortofchapyou’dexpectagirllikeBerthaLeytomarry.”AndEdward,understandingtheyoungerman’sfeelings,wassilent.
ButBrandertonhadsomeknowledgeofpolitesociety,andbrokethemomentarypause.
“Who