As never before , she realized that this girl was her own and her husband 's child , a living bond between them wherein their conflicting natures mingled and were reconciled . She realized too , that Rachel , so long sweetly meek and obedient , meant to have her own way in this case -- and would have it . `` I must say that I ca n't see why you are so set on having your father see you married , '' she said with a bitter sneer . `` HE has never remembered that he is your father . He cares nothing about you -- never did care . '' Rachel took no notice of this taunt . It had no power to hurt her , its venom being neutralized by a secret knowledge of her own in which her mother had no share . `` Either I shall invite my father to my wedding , or I shall not have a wedding , '' she repeated steadily , adopting her mother 's own effective tactics of repetition undistracted by argument . `` Invite him then , '' snapped Mrs. Spencer , with the ungraceful anger of a woman , long accustomed to having her own way , compelled for once to yield . `` It 'll be like chips in porridge anyhow -- neither good nor harm . He wo n't come . '' Rachel made no response . Now that the battle was over , and the victory won , she found herself tremulously on the verge of tears . She rose quickly and went upstairs to her own room , a dim little place shadowed by the white birches growing thickly outside -- a virginal room , where everything bespoke the maiden . She lay down on the blue and white patchwork quilt on her bed , and cried softly and bitterly . Her heart , at this crisis in her life , yearned for her father , who was almost a stranger to her . She knew that her mother had probably spoken the truth when she said that he would not come . Rachel felt that her marriage vows would be lacking in some indefinable sacredness if her father were not by to hear them spoken . Twenty-five years before this , David Spencer and Isabella Chiswick had been married . Spiteful people said there could be no doubt that Isabella had married David for love , since he had neither lands nor money to tempt her into a match of bargain and sale .
David was a handsome fellow , XXXXX the blood of a seafaring race in his veins .
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