lfare--topics on which she conceived that good manners
required her to enter. Meantime, Mr Enderby had been saying to Hester:

"You will excuse the offer of my good wishes on your settlement here
being briefly and hastily made; but I am at this moment in great
anxiety. Is Hope at home?"

"No: he is some miles off in the country."

"Then I must charge you with a message to him. I think my mother very
ill; and I find it is some time since Hope has seen her. Will you beg
him to come to her without loss of time, when he returns?"

"Certainly; he will be home within two or three hours, I have no doubt."

"And then ask him whether he will not prescribe a visit from you to my
mother. It will do her good, I am confident. You know she is all alone
now with her maid."

"I am aware of that. It is not from negligence or disinclination, I
assure you, that we have seen so little of Mrs Enderby for some time
past."

"I know it, I know it," said he, shaking his head. Then, after a
pause--"Shall you be at home this evening?"

"Yes."

"And alone?"

"Yes. Will you come?"

"Thank you; I will come in for an hour. I shall then hear Hope's report
of my mother; and--between ourselves--I want a few words with your
sister. Can you manage this for me?"

"No doubt."

He was gone in another moment, with a bow to the whole party.

"Gone!" cried Mrs Grey; "and I have not said a word to him about his
engagement and Miss Bruce! How very odd he must think us, Sophia!"

"There will be plenty of time for all we have to say," observed Hester.
"He is so uneasy about his mother, I see, that he will not leave her yet
awhile."

Margaret was sure she perceived in her sister's beautiful eye and lip
the subtle expression of amusement that they bore when a gay thought was
in her mind, or when her neighbours were setting off in speculation on a
wrong scent.

"But half the grace of one's good wishes is in their being offered
readily," said Mrs Grey, "as I was saying to Sophia, the other day,
when we were considering whether Mr Grey should not write to Mr
Enderby with our congratulations. _We_ should not like to appear
backward on such an occasion, for many reasons. Well now, my dears; one
thing more. You must come to tea with us this evening. It will be a
mild evening, I have no doubt; and I have sent to Miss Young, to say
that my sedan will bring her at six o'clock. We have quite set our
hearts upon having you for a sociable