The House by the Churchyard Chapter 31

In which the household at Belmont becomes the theatre of a subtle yet earnest contention, as Aunt Rebecca, undeterred by opposition, ardently champions the suit of Mr. Dangerfield while her niece, Gertrude, displays a resolute spirit against such designs, sparking a series of domestic skirmishes coloured by familial duty and personal pride. Meanwhile, the air is tinged with a mysterious sombre influence surrounding certain individuals, and surveillance and suspicion gently close in upon Gertrude, who, chafing under such scrutiny, retreats into a solitude marked by silence and sulks.