able. My lady, after a warm embrace and six
words to Elizabeth, said, "You will dine with me--we are all dining
together this evening;" and she communicated her commands to one of the
attendants. It was exactly as at home: my lady took the lead, and
everybody was under her orders. Bessie liked it for old custom's sake;
Mrs. Cecil Burleigh stood a little at a loss, and asked, "What are we to
do?"

The Cecil Burleighs were not staying at the Villa Giulia--they were at
another hotel on the hill above--and the Lucases, abroad on their
wedding-tour, were at a villa on the edge of the lake. They had been
making a picnic with Lady Latimer and her party that day, and were just
returning when the young Musgraves appeared. The dinner was served in a
room looking upon the garden, and afterward the company walked out upon
the terraces, fell into groups and exchanged news. My lady had already
enjoyed long conversations with Mr. Cecil Burleigh and Sir Edward Lucas,
and she now took Mr. Harry Musgrave to talk to. Harry slipped his hand
within his wife's arm to make her a third in the chat, but as it was
information on Roman politics and social reforms my lady chiefly wanted,
Bessie presently released herself and joined the wistful Dora, who was
longing to give her a brief history of her own wooing and wedding.
Before the tale was told Sir Edward joined them in the rose-bower
whither they had retreated, and contributed some general news from
Norminster and Abbotsmead and the neighborhood. Lady Angleby had adopted
another niece for spaniel, _vice_ Mrs Forbes promoted to Kirkham
vicarage, and her favorite clergyman, Mr. Jones, had been made rural
dean; Mrs Stokes had a little girl; Mrs. Chiverton was carrying on a
hundred beneficent projects to the Woldshire world's wonder and
admiration: she had even prevailed against Morte.

"And I believe she would have prevailed had poor Gifford lived; she is a
most energetic woman," Sir Edward said. Bessie looked up inquiringly.
"Mr. Gifford died of malignant fever last autumn," Sir Edward told her.
"He went to Morte in pursuit of some incorrigible poacher when fever was
raging there, and took it in its most virulent form; his death proved an
irresistible argument against the place, and Blagg made a virtue of
necessity and razed his hovels."

Bessie heard further that her uncle Laurence Fairfax had announced the
principle that it is unwise for landowners to expect a direct profit
from the cottage