Martin was declaring
rather aggressively; and Miss Peach glanced helplessly at her sister.

"What shall I do, Toby?" she murmured anxiously. "Of course they're
cheap already, but still I suppose they won't last----"

"Oh, nonsense, Toby," whispered Mollie vigorously. "If she doesn't buy
them heaps of people will." Aloud she said firmly--"I'm afraid we can't
take less, Lady Martin. The Duchess bought two bunches of the same
roses, and she didn't think them dear."

Lady Martin paused, inherent meanness struggling with a snobbish desire
to emulate the Duchess; and finally she gave in with a bad grace.

As she took the roses her eyes fell on Toni, at that moment intent on
her conversation with Mrs. Anstey; and her ladyship's ill-humour was not
lessened by noticing the friendly glances which passed between them.

She bore down upon them accordingly with outstretched hand.

"Dear Mrs. Anstey, it is ages since we met!" Her piercing tones, likened
by the Tobies to those of a macaw, strove in vain for suavity. "So good
of you to come to this affair--such a distance for you, too!"

"Oh, I always try to come when I am at home," said Mrs. Anstey gently.
"I like to support Mr. Madgwick's parish, though I'm afraid I don't
spend a great deal of money! Really the flowers and the home-made cakes
are the only things that tempt me."

"And surely you have plenty of flowers at home!" Lady Martin glanced
with a disparaging little laugh at the stall before her. "I don't know
where these came from, but they look sadly wilted already."

"I'm afraid I can't agree with you there," said Mrs. Anstey, with a
little smile. "I think the flowers are charming, especially those sent
by Mrs. Rose's kindness from Greenriver."

She indicated Toni with a friendly little gesture, and Lady Martin
condescended, unwillingly, to acknowledge the girl's greeting. To tell
the truth, Lady Martin had no desire to better her acquaintance with
Toni. She had long ago intended the owner of Greenriver for her
son-in-law; and to find this little nobody, with her provincial ways and
her foreign-looking eyes, acting as _chatelaine_ of the beautiful old
house in her daughter's place had an irritating effect.

To make matters worse, several people had known of her matrimonial
designs; and since the disappointment of one's friends is frequently a
source of mirth, she had been annoyed by several tactless allusions,
made presumably in jest, to her daughter's disappoint