could
be reached in an hour by railway, he was driven to abandon that
proposition, with a little laughter at his own absurdity.

But it was all done with a gaiety and a kindness which quite won Mrs.
Vincent's heart. She stayed considerably beyond her accustomed hour,
to the advantage of the proprietor of the "Duchess of Edinburgh,"
and at last sent Betsy down to the corner in high good humour.
"I declare, Lord Hampstead," she said, "I ought to charge you
three-and-sixpence before I go. I shall have to break into another
hour, because I have stayed talking to you. Pritchard never lets me
off if I am not back punctually by four." Then she took her
departure.

"You needn't go, Marion," said Mrs. Roden,--"unless Lord Hampstead
has something special to say to me." Lord Hampstead declared that he
had nothing special to say, and Marion did not go.

"But I have something special to say," said Hampstead, when the
elder lady was quite gone, "but Miss Fay may know it just as well as
yourself. As we were walking to Hendon on Sunday a matter came up as
to which George and I did not agree."

"There was no quarrel, I hope?" said the mother.

"Oh, dear, no;--but we weren't best pleased with each other.
Therefore I want you both to come and dine with me one day this week.
I shall be engaged on Saturday, but any day before that will do."
Mrs. Roden put on a very serious look on receiving the proposition,
having never before been invited to the house of her son's friend.
Nor, for some years past, had she dined out with any acquaintance.
And yet she could not think at the moment of any reason why she
should not do so. "I was going to ask Miss Fay to come with you."

"Oh, quite impossible," said Marion. "It is very kind, my lord; but I
never go out, do I, Mrs. Roden?"

"That seems to me a reason why you should begin. Of course, I
understand about your father. But I should be delighted to make his
acquaintance, if you would bring him."

"He rarely goes out, Lord Hampstead."

"Then he will have less power to plead that he is engaged. What do
you say, Mrs. Roden? It would give me the most unaffected pleasure.
Like your father, Miss Fay, I, too, am unaccustomed to much going
out, as you call it. I am as peculiar as he is. Let us acknowledge
that we are all peculiar people, and that therefore there is the more
reason why we should come together. Mrs. Roden, do not try to prevent
an arrangement which will give me the greatest pleasur