sing-room, was in fact a separate sitting-room devoted to
her exclusive use. Sir Peregrine would not for worlds have entered it
without sending up his name beforehand, and this he did on only very
rare occasions. But Lady Mason had of late been admitted here, and
Mrs. Orme now knew that it was her knock.

"Open the door, Perry," she said; "it is Lady Mason." He did open the
door, and Lady Mason entered.

"Oh, Mr. Orme, I did not know that you were here."

"I am just off. Good night, mother."

"But I am disturbing you."

"No, we had done;" and he stooped down and kissed his mother. "Good
night, Lady Mason. Hadn't I better put some coals on for you, or the
fire will be out?" He did put on the coals, and then he went his way.

Lady Mason while he was doing this had sat down on the sofa, close
to Mrs. Orme; but when the door was closed Mrs. Orme was the first
to speak. "Well, dear," she said, putting her hand caressingly on
the other's arm. I am inclined to think that had there been no one
whom Mrs. Orme was bound to consult but herself, she would have
wished that this marriage should have gone on. To her it would have
been altogether pleasant to have had Lady Mason ever with her in
the house; and she had none of those fears as to future family
retrospections respecting which Lord Alston had spoken with so much
knowledge of the world. As it was, her manner was so caressing and
affectionate to her guest, that she did much more to promote Sir
Peregrine's wishes than to oppose them. "Well, dear," she said, with
her sweetest smile.

"I am so sorry that I have driven your son away."

"He was going. Besides, it would make no matter; he would stay here
all night sometimes, if I didn't drive him away myself. He comes here
and writes his letters at the most unconscionable hours, and uses up
all my note-paper in telling some horsekeeper what is to be done with
his mare."

"Ah, how happy you must be to have him!"

"Well, I suppose I am," she said, as a tear came into her eyes.
"We are so hard to please. I am all anxiety now that he should be
married; and if he were married, then I suppose I should grumble
because I did not see so much of him. He would be more settled if he
would marry, I think. For myself I approve of early marriages for
young men." And then she thought of her own husband whom she had
loved so well and lost so soon. And so they sat silent for a while,
each thinking of her own lot in life.

"But I must n