But was it
not clear to all who knew anything of such matters that Mr Francis
Tregear should not have dared even to think of marrying the
daughter of the Duke of Omnium?
Who should be the happy man? There were so many who evidently
were unfit. Young Lord Percival was heir to a ruined estate and
beggared peerage. Lord Glasslough was odious to all men. There
were three or four others of whom he thought that he knew some
fatal objection. But when he remembered Lord Popplecourt there
seemed to be no objection which need be fatal.
Lord Popplecourt was a young peer whose father had died two years
since and whose estates were large and unembarrassed. The late
lord, who had been a Whig of the old fashion, had been the Duke's
friend. They had been at Oxford and in the House of Commons
together, and Lord Popplecourt had always been true to his party.
As to the son, the Duke remembered to have heard lately that he
was not given to waste his money. He drove about London a good
deal, but had as yet not done anything very foolish. He had taken
his degree at Oxford, taken his seat in the House of Lords and had
once opened his mouth.
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