Page:Authors daughter v1.djvu/295

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AN INVITATION FROM A BROTHER.
291

supposed. Edith was proud of the connection with the Darlington family, and with the Gowers and Pemberleys; but Anthony was painfully sensitive with regard to the hasty and indecorous second marriage. He had some recollection of his mother, and he had never got over the feelings of deep injury which her leaving him had awakened in his heart. This feeling had been kept alive by his grandfather, whose resentment had been strong and deep. When the announcement of Lady Eveline's death arrived Anthony Derrick was young certainly, but quite capable of judging for himself; and he had considered his grandfather quite right in taking no notice of it, and not communicating in any way with the low fellow who had sunk his titled mother into nobody. Of course Mr. Staunton should provide for his own daughter; it was no business of Mr. Derrick's, or of Anthony's.

Recently, indeed since his grandfather's death, he had seen some cause to modify his opinion. In looking over the papers of the deceased, he had come upon a letter or two of his mother's, enquiring as to her children, and the communication as to her death, not marked, as Mr. Derrick's other letters generally were, with the large "A" for "Answered." He wished to make some enquiries and yet shrunk from telling what connection he