ell, no, not exactly. I believe he does not think it right till he
has done preparing for priest's orders. He's ever so strict, you know,
and he hasn't got much either; but he means it. Lucy, his sister, you
know, told me all about it, and that altogether the elders had settled
it was better for both that he should attend to his preparation, and
May should not bind herself, though they really understand one another,
and so she won't come to London.'

'Oh, that's very good of her!' cried Nuttie; 'but why won't they let
them settle their minds and be engaged?'

'People are always tiresome,' said Blanche; 'and I do believe the
living is at the bottom of it, at least Lucy thought so. I mean
everybody wants to wait--all the old ones, I mean--not Hugh or May, of
course--to know whether Mark will stick to the umbrellas, or turn back
and be a clergyman, because, then, of course, he would have the living;
and if he doesn't, they want to be certain whether Uncle Alwyn, or you,
Nuttie, would promise it to Hugh if he married May!'

'Me!' exclaimed Nuttie.

'My dear, I don't like to hear you talk of such things,' said Mrs.
Egremont gently.

'Oh yes, I know--it's all very dreadful. I was only telling you what
is in the old people's heads, and what would settle it, and make it all
right with them.'

'And how is Mark? Is Miss Ruthven in London?' asked Mrs. Egremont,
glad to turn away the conversation from the contingencies of which
Blanche spoke with the hardness of youth, as yet not realising sorrow.

'I daresay you know nearly as much of Mark as we do, now the Kirkaldys
are up here. All his letters go to Lescombe. Oh no, Annaple is not in
London. The Delmars can't afford it, you know, though I believe my
lady would have made a stretch if Annaple hadn't been bespoke--but now
she reserves herself for Muriel.'

Alice looked with some discomfort at the soft fair-haired creature who
was uttering all this worldly jargon in a tone that would have been
flippant if it had not been so childish. She asked if Lord. Ronnisglen
had written.

'Oh yes, long ago. Lady Delmar had tried to make him nasty about it,
but he wouldn't be, so that's all right; and Mark seems to get on very
well, though it must be horridly dull for him now the Kirkaldys are
away, and he can't spend all his Sundays at Monks Horton.'

'He will get more into the spirit of the place,' said Nuttie, whereat
Blanche shrugged her shoulders a little, and exclaim