not utilise her best
qualities. She would be simply wasted on him. She has got to mother
her husband, you see, and that is what Mr. Alwyn wants his wife to do.
Leave them alone, they will soon find out their need of each other.
And then they will settle matters. And for pity's sake, Olive, don't
you try and put a spoke in their wheel." But Olivia, who was a little
huffy on the subject, refused to say another word.

"It was no business of hers or anyone's," she said, pointedly, "whom
Alwyn Gaythorne chose to marry, but in her opinion it was always a pity
to couple names together beforehand," and with this virtuous snub she
rose to take her leave, but Mrs. Broderick only indulged in one of her
hearty laughs.

"Livy, I do declare you are actually cross with me,--well, there, I
will not say another word; don't look as though I have been talking
treason. I quite allow your Greta is too good for any ordinary faulty
man, and that even my young friend is not worthy of her," and at this
admission Olivia's brow cleared.

"Thank you for saying that, Aunt Madge. I know we do not really
differ, only--only," with a little laugh, "you are always so ready for
a love-story."

"Yes, I love a lover," returned Mrs. Broderick, playfully, and then her
manner changed. "No, I will not jest about it; life and death and love
are no subjects for jests,--they are three splendid realities. Yes, my
dear Olive, you are right, and love-stories, even the poorest, interest
me. Haven't I lived mine? Do I not know how it glorifies life? but
we can only read the first chapters here,--there is eternity for us
presently. 'The many mansions,' I think I love those words more than
any in the Bible; they always make me think that even there there will
be a special home for Fergus and me and our boy."

Olivia certainly found it difficult to satisfy the various claims on
her; her household tasks occupied most of the morning; as long as
Martha remained their sole domestic, it was necessary for the mistress
to superintend the cooking. To look after Marcus's comfort was her
first and paramount duty, and it was seldom that she found herself at
leisure until the afternoon, and then she and Greta were generally
together, either at Brunswick Place or Galvaston Terrace.

Sometimes she would combine her duties by taking Greta with her when
she went to Mayfield Villas, but she never ventured to take her to
Galvaston House after her first visit, as she fo