Well, the only thing to do was to face it out
and take her chance. On one point she was, however, quite clear; she
would _not_ marry Owen Davies. She might be a fool for her pains, but
she would not do it. She respected herself too much to marry a man
she did not love; a man whom she positively disliked. "No, never!" she
exclaimed aloud, stamping her foot upon the shingle.
"Never what?" said a voice, within two yards of her.
She started violently, and looked round. There, his back resting against
a rock, a pipe in his mouth, an open letter on his knee, and his hat
drawn down almost over his eyes, sat Geoffrey. He had left Effie to go
home with Mr. Granger, and climbing down a sloping place in the cliff,
had strolled along the beach. The letter on his knee was one from his
wife. It was short, and there was nothing particular in it. Effie's name
was not even mentioned. It was to see if he had not overlooked it that
he was reading the note through again. No, it merely related to Lady
Honoria's safe arrival, gave a list of the people staying at the Hall--a
fast lot, Geoffrey noticed, a certain Mr.
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