ude, and could find, moreover,
no interest in the torn peerage which was her father's Bible, or in the
genealogical research and jargon about the nebuly coat which formed the
staple of his conversation. Later on, when he came back for the last
time, her sense of duty enabled her to tend and nurse him with exemplary
patience, and to fulfil all those offices of affection which even the
most tender filial devotion could have suggested. She tried to believe
that his death brought her sorrow and not relief, and succeeded so well
that her aunt had no doubts at all upon the subject.

Martin Joliffe's illness and death had added to Anastasia's experience
of life by bringing her into contact with doctors and clergymen; and it
was no doubt this training, and the association with the superior
classes afforded by Mrs Howard's academy, that enabled her to stand the
shock of Lord Blandamer's announcement without giving any more
perceptible token of embarrassment than a very slight blush.

"Oh, of course there is no objection," she said, "to your writing in Mr
Westray's room. I will show you the way to it."

She accompanied him to the room, and having provided writing materials,
left him comfortably ensconced in Mr Westray's chair. As she pulled
the door to behind her in going out, something prompted her to look
round--perhaps it was merely a girl's light fancy, perhaps it was that
indefinite fascination which the consciousness that we are being looked
at sometimes exercises over us; but as she looked back her eyes met
those of Lord Blandamer, and she shut the door sharply, being annoyed at
her own foolishness.

She went back to the kitchen, for the kitchen of the Hand of God was so
large that Miss Joliffe and Anastasia used part of it for their
sitting-room, took the pencil out of "Northanger Abbey," and tried to
transport herself to Bath. Five minutes ago she had been in the Grand
Pump Room herself, and knew exactly where Mrs Allen and Isabella Thorpe
and Edward Morland were sitting; where Catherine was standing, and what
John Thorpe was saying to her when Tilney walked up. But alas!
Anastasia found no re-admission; the lights were put out, the Pump Room
was in darkness. A sad change to have happened in five minutes; but no
doubt the charmed circle had dispersed in a huff on finding that they no
longer occupied the first place in Miss Anastasia Joliffe's interest.
And, indeed, she missed them the less because she had disco