cations are
always thrown away.

The first point different from usual was that Arthur Tremayne began to
drop in continually at Enville Court. Lady Enville was gratified, for
she thought her neat little arrangement was taking effect; and it would
be a comfort, she said to herself, to have Clare off her hands. She
said this one day to Rachel: but though, she knew that worthy spinster's
opinion of matrimony, yet she was hardly prepared for the diatribe which
she received in answer. Rachel had lately, and with much annoyance,
began to perceive--what she had never seen so clearly before--that Lady
Enville cared very little for her elder daughter. And of all the four
girls, Clare was Rachel's darling. She was prepared to do battle in her
cause to a greater extent than she herself knew. So, having received
this hint, Rachel set herself to watch Arthur, and see that he behaved
properly.

It was not easy to guess Arthur's motive in coming. He usually sat
between Clare and Blanche when he was present at supper; and just now
that was pretty often. But either of the two might be the attraction.
In other respects, his courtesies were evenly divided among the four,
and were not pointed to any.

Meanwhile, Clare was honestly trying to do the work set her well, and to
be contented with it. She often carried her troubles to Mrs Tremayne,
and sought advice or cheering at her hands: nor was she ever sent away
unsatisfied. Rachel was delighted with Clare's steady and cheerful
help, and complacently thought that the parsonage had done her good.

So the summer drew on, and Margaret was married to Harry Travis, and
went to live in another part of the county.

On a late afternoon in autumn, Clare stood in the arbour, tying up
bouquets. An old friend of Sir Thomas was expected on a visit, and was
likely to arrive that evening. This was Sir Piers Feversham,
[fictitious person] a Norfolk knight, of Lancashire extraction on his
mother's side, who had not seen Sir Thomas Enville since both had been
young squires together in the household of the Earl of Derby. His
nephew and heir presumptive, John Feversham, [fictitious person] was
coming with him. There was little presumption, to all appearance, about
the heirship, for Sir Piers bore the character of a confirmed old
bachelor, and was now upwards of sixty.

Clare's bouquets were nearly all tied up, and ready to be carried to the
hall, which was to be decorated in honour of the g