are," he said, "that I have no business to trouble you with an
affair that is so exclusively our own; but I have a wish, which
perhaps you may understand, that there should be no secret about it.
I think it better, for her sake, that it should be known. If the
connection can be of any service to her, she should reap that benefit
now, when some people are treating her name with a barbarity which
I believe to be almost unparalleled in this country." In answer to
this Lady Staveley was of course obliged to congratulate him, and she
did so with the best grace in her power; but it was not easy to say
much that was cordial, and as she drove back with Mrs. Arbuthnot to
Noningsby the words which were said between them as to Lady Mason
were not so kindly meant towards that lady as their remarks on their
journey to The Cleeve.

Lady Staveley had hoped,--though she had hardly expressed her hope
even to herself, and certainly had not spoken of it to any one
else,--that she might have been able to say a word or two to Mrs.
Orme about young Peregrine, a word or two that would have shown her
own good feeling towards the young man,--her own regard, and almost
affection for him, even though this might have been done without
any mention of Madeline's name. She might have learned in this way
whether young Orme had made known at home what had been his hopes and
what his disappointments, and might have formed some opinion whether
or no he would renew his suit. She would not have been the first to
mention her daughter's name; but if Mrs. Orme should speak of it,
then the subject would be free for her, and she could let it be known
that the heir of The Cleeve should at any rate have her sanction and
good will. What happiness could be so great for her as that of having
a daughter so settled, within eight miles of her? And then it was not
only that a marriage between her daughter and Peregrine Orme would be
an event so fortunate, but also that those feelings with reference
to Felix Graham were so unfortunate! That young heart, she thought,
could not as yet be heavy laden, and it might be possible that the
whole affair should be made to run in the proper course,--if only
it could be done at once. But now, that tale which Sir Peregrine
had told her respecting himself and Lady Mason had made it quite
impossible that anything should be said on the other subject. And
then again, if it was decreed that the Noningsby family and the
family of The Clee