r husband. It was to her that Mrs. Parker's appeal
had been made, and with a direct request from the poor woman that it
should be repeated to her husband's partner.

She found that she could not do it on the journey home from
Dovercourt, nor yet on that evening. Mrs. Dick Roby, who had come
back from a sojourn at Boulogne, was with them in the Square, and
brought her dear friend Mrs. Leslie with her, and also Lady Eustace.
The reader may remember that Mr. Wharton had met these ladies at
Mrs. Dick's house some months before his daughter's marriage, but he
certainly had never asked them into his own. On this occasion Emily
had given them no invitation, but had been told by her husband that
her aunt would probably bring them in with her. "Mrs. Leslie and Lady
Eustace!" she exclaimed with a little shudder. "I suppose your aunt
may bring a couple of friends with her to see you, though it is your
father's house?" he had replied. She had said no more, not daring to
have a fight on that subject at present, while the other matter was
pressing on her mind. The evening had passed away pleasantly enough,
she thought, to all except herself. Mrs. Leslie and Lady Eustace
had talked a great deal, and her husband had borne himself quite
as though he had been a wealthy man and the owner of the house in
Manchester Square. In the course of the evening Dick Roby came in and
Major Pountney, who since the late affairs at Silverbridge had become
intimate with Lopez. So that there was quite a party; and Emily was
astonished to hear her husband declare that he was only watching the
opportunity of another vacancy in order that he might get into the
House, and expose the miserable duplicity of the Duke of Omnium. And
yet this man, within the last month, had taken away her subscription
at Mudie's, and told her that she shouldn't wear things that wanted
washing! But he was able to say ever so many pretty little things to
Lady Eustace, and had given a new fan to Mrs. Dick, and talked of
taking a box for Mrs. Leslie at The Gaiety.

But on the next morning before breakfast she began. "Ferdinand," she
said, "while I was at Dovercourt I saw a good deal of Mrs. Parker."

"I could not help that. Or rather you might have helped it if you
pleased. It was necessary that you should meet, but I didn't tell you
that you were to see a great deal of her."

"I liked her very much."

"Then I must say you've got a very odd taste. Did you like him?"

"No. I did