Elsie s marriage gave to her sister great and unmixed pleasure. It took
place very shortly after Brandon had obtained her consent, and Emily
and Jane went to Melbourne to act as bridesmaids; and Edgar, too, was
needed on such an occasion as this. Although there were twenty miles
between Wiriwilta and Barragong, the sisters contrived to see a good
deal of each other. Mrs. Phillips was kinder and more cordial to the
Melvilles than before; and now that Elsie had an ascertained position
as Brandon's wife, even Miss Phillips could not condescend quite so
much to her.

During Brandon's honeymoon, Dr. Grant had got matters in such excellent
train that he made his proposal in due form, and was accepted; but
there could not be such promptitude in carrying it out as in Brandon's
case, for he could never think of taking a lady of Miss Phillips's
pretensions to Ben More without making considerable additions and
improvements on it, and the masons and carpenters were very slow about
their work. The pangs occasioned by delay were sweetened by frequent
and long visits; and the plan of his house, and of the garden which he
was laying out and planting, was constantly in the hands of the
betrothed lovers for mutual suggestions and admiration. At last the day
was fixed, and it was to be a very grand affair. There was to be a
special licence, and she was to be married from her brother's house, as
there was no English church within reasonable distance. The Lord Bishop
of Melbourne was to come out to perform the ceremony, and all the
neighbours from far and near were invited;--the Ballantynes and some of
their town acquaintance besides. There were to be thirty-five at
breakfast; and little or nothing could be had from town, so there was
an extraordinary amount of cooking going on at Wiriwilta. Mrs. Bennett,
who was worth any two of the women servants in the house, was going
hither and thither, and surpassing herself in her culinary successes.
Emily was instructing Harriett how she was to behave on the following
day as bridesmaid, for the two little girls were to support their aunt
on the trying occasion; and after officiating in that capacity at the
marriage of her favourites, Brandon and Alice, Emily felt quite
experienced on the subject. Their dresses were very pretty; and as for
Miss Phillips's, it was magnificent, for she thought, if there ever was
an occasion on which one should be richly dressed, it was on an
occasion like this. Mrs.