is putting it off?"

Alice was silent for a moment, during which Lady Macleod's face
assumed a look of almost tragic horror. Was there something wrong on
Mr Grey's side of which she was altogether unaware? Alice, though for
a second or two she had been guilty of a slight playful deceit, was
too honest to allow the impression to remain. "No, aunt," she said;
"Mr Grey is not putting it off. It has been left to me to fix the
time."

"And why don't you fix it?"

"It is such a serious thing! After all it is not more than four
months yet since I--I accepted him. I don't know that there has been
any delay."

"But you might fix the time now, if he wishes it."

"Well, perhaps I shall,--some day, aunt. I'm going to think about it,
and you mustn't drive me."

"But you should have some one to advise you, Alice."

"Ah! that's just it. People always do seem to think it so terrible
that a girl should have her own way in anything. She mustn't like any
one at first; and then, when she does like some one, she must marry
him directly she's bidden. I haven't much of my own way at present;
but you see, when I'm married I shan't have it at all. You can't
wonder that I shouldn't be in a hurry."

"I am not advocating anything like hurry, my dear. But, goodness
gracious me! I've been here twenty-eight minutes, and that horrid
man will impose upon me. Good-bye; God bless you! Mind you write."
And Lady Macleod hurried out of the room more intent at the present
moment upon saving her sixpence than she was on any other matter
whatsoever.

And then John Grey came up to town, arriving a day or two after the
time that he had fixed. It is not, perhaps, improbable that Alice
had used some diplomatic skill in preventing a meeting between Lady
Macleod and her lover. They both were very anxious to obtain the same
object, and Alice was to some extent opposed to their views. Had Lady
Macleod and John Grey put their forces together she might have found
herself unable to resist their joint endeavours. She was resolved
that she would not at any rate name any day for her marriage before
her return from Switzerland; and she may therefore have thought it
wise to keep Mr Grey in the country till after Lady Macleod had gone,
even though she thereby cut down the time of his sojourn in London
to four days. On the occasion of that visit Mr Vavasor did a very
memorable thing. He dined at home with the view of welcoming his
future son-in-law. He dined at hom