"I should be sorry to lower you in his esteem," said Parker,
maliciously. "Good-bye, Alice." Uttering the last words in a
careless tone, he again pulled up the white horse's head, raised his
hat, and sped away. It was not true that he was in the habit of
riding in the park every season. He had learned from Janet that
Alice was accustomed to ride there in the forenoon; and he had hired
the white horse in order to meet her on equal terms, feeling that a
gentleman on horseback in the road by the Serpentine could be at no
social disadvantage with any lady, however exalted her associates.
As for Alice, she went home with his reminder that Miss Carew was
her patron rankling in her. The necessity for securing an
independent position seemed to press imminently upon her. And as the
sole way of achieving this was by marriage, she felt for the time
willing to marry any man, without regard to his person, age, or
disposition, if only he could give her a place equal to that of Miss
Carew in the world, of which she had lately acquired the manners and
customs.