ished to
retain, when it was once gained.

The pleasure of rivalling and mortifying Maurice had been, at first, one
of Percy's strongest incentives in his attentions to Lucia; and as he
found that, do what he could, it was impossible to force "that young
Leigh" to _show_ either jealousy or mortification, he began to hate him.
He had enough sense and tact not to betray this feeling either to Mrs.
Costello or Lucia, but it only grew stronger for being repressed. Mr.
Bellairs, for some reason, said nothing to his cousin of the telegram he
received from Maurice at the town where they spent the last night of
their tour; it was, therefore, without any idea of what had really
happened that he perceived the father and son standing together on the
wharf as the boat drew towards it. But as soon as he understood the
cause of their being there, it occurred to him that this chance
interview would be useful to him at the Cottage; he knew enough of women
to guess that the smallest scrap of information about the traveller,
even to be able to say, "I saw him on board the boat," would make him
additionally welcome to them. Accordingly, he spoke to Maurice with more
civility than usual, inquired to what part of England he was going, and
gave him, in his usual lazy fashion, some information about railways and
hotels which was likely to be useful to a stranger in the country.
Having thus not only done himself good, but as he felt, displayed a most
courteous and charitable spirit, he left Mr. Bellairs with the Leighs
and walked up to the house, where Bella's bridal preparations had been
going on vigorously during his absence.

These preparations were nearly finished, for only three days remained
before that fixed for the wedding; and all had gone on smoothly, until
the sudden news of Maurice's summons to England deranged the bridal
party, and threw the bride into a fit of ill-humour from which Doctor
Morton was the greatest sufferer. She would not be satisfied with any
substitute either he or her sister could propose, and was the more
unreasonable because she knew that when her brother-in-law (of whom she
had really some little awe) should arrive, she would have to lay aside
her whims, and consent to accept whoever could be found to take the
office of groomsman at so short a notice. When he came, accordingly,
she was quite silent and submissive--a short consultation ended in what
she had expected; and Mr. Percy took Maurice's place in the p