knew her. Take care how you plead his cause
without being sure of his sentiments.'

In fact, Honor thought Cecily Raymond so infinitely above Mervyn Fulmort,
at his very best, that she could not regard the affair as hopeful under
any aspect; and the parties concerned being just at the time of life when
a woman becomes much the elder of a man of the same years, she fully
expected that Cecily's loss of bloom would entirely take away his desire
to pursue his courtship.

The next event was a diplomatic call from Mrs. Holmby, to sound Miss
Charlecote, whose name she knew as a friend both of the Fulmorts and
Moorcroft Raymonds, and who, she had feared, would use her influence
against so unequal a match for the wealthy young squire. When convinced
of her admiration of Cecily, the good aunt proceeded to condemn the
Raymond pride. They called it religion, but she was not so taken in.
What reasonable person heeded what a young man might have done when he
was sowing his wild oats? No, it was only that the Baronet blood
disdained the distillery, whereas the Fulmorts represented that good old
family, the Mervyns, and it was a very fine estate, was not it? She had
no patience with such nonsense, not she! All Sir John's doing; for,
between themselves, poor dear George Raymond had no spirit at all, and
was quite under his brother's thumb. Such a family, and such a thing as
it would be for them to have that girl so well married. _She_ would not
take her away. The place agreed with the Major, and she had told Cecily
she could not think of leaving it.

Phoebe saw how close a guard Cecily must have learnt to keep on herself,
for not a tone nor look betrayed that she was suffering unusual emotion.
She occupied herself quietly, and was most tenderly kind to Bertha and
Maria, exerting herself to converse with Bertha, and to enter into her
pursuits as cheerfully as if her mind was disengaged. Sometimes Phoebe
fancied that the exceeding gentleness of her voice indicated when she was
most tried, but she attempted no more _tete-a-tetes_, and Miss
Charlecote's conjecture that in the recesses of her heart she was
rejoiced to be detained by no fault of her own, remained unverified.
Phoebe resigned Cecily for the present to Bertha's exclusive friendship.
Competition would have been unwise, even if the forbidden subject had not
been a restraint where the secret was known, while to soothe and cherish
Bertha and settle her mind to begin lif