had great hopes of me.'

The chatter was welcome, the conversation broke up. The Squire turned to
Lady Charlotte, and Rose to Langham.

'Why didn't you support Robert?' she said to him, impulsively, with a
dissatisfied face. 'He was alone, against the table!'

'What good should I have done him?' he asked, with a shrug. 'And pray,
my lady confessor, what enthusiasms do you suspect me of?'

He looked at her intently. It seemed to her they were by the gate
again--the touch of his lips on her hand. She turned from him hastily to
stoop for her fan which had slipped away. It was only Catherine who, for
her annoyance, saw the scarlet flush leap into the fair face. An instant
later Mrs. Darcy had given the signal.

CHAPTER XVIII.

After dinner, Lady Charlotte fixed herself at first on Catherine,
whose quiet dignity during the somewhat trying ordeal of the dinner had
impressed her, but a few minutes' talk produced in her the conviction
that without a good deal of pains--and why should a Londoner, accustomed
to the cream of things, take pains with a country clergyman's wife?--she
was not likely to get much out of her. Her appearance, promised more,
Lady Charlotte thought, than her conversation justified, and she looked
about for easier game.

'Are you. Mr. Elsmere's sister?' said a loud voice over Rose's head; and
Rose, who had been turning over an illustrated book, with a mind
wholly detached from it, looked up to see Lady Charlotte's massive form
standing over her.

'No, his sister-in-law,' said Rose, flushing in spite of herself, for
Lady Charlotte was distinctly formidable.

'Hum,' said her questioner, depositing herself beside her. 'I never
saw two sisters more unlike. You have got a very argumentative
brother-in-law.'

Rose said nothing, partly from awkwardness, partly from rising
antagonism.

'Did you agree with him?' asked Lady Charlotte, putting up her glass and
remorselessly studying every detail of the pink dress, its ornaments,
and the slippered feet peeping out beneath it.

'Entirely,' said Rose fearlessly, looking her full in the face.

'And what can you know about it, I wonder? However, you are on the right
side'. It is the fashion nowadays to have enthusiasms. I suppose you
muddle about among the poor like other people?'

'I know nothing about the poor,' said Rose.

'Oh, then, I suppose you feel yourself effective enough in some other
line?' said the other, coolly. 'What is it--lawn tennis,