ly
lady, slow in her movements and careful in her speech, so that the
girls were at first very glad that they had valiantly worked up their
finery before her coming. But Mary was by no means stately; she was
younger than them, very willing to be pleased, with pleasant round
eager eyes, and a kindly voice. Before she had been three hours in
the house Cherry had claimed Mary for her own, had told her all about
the party, all about the dresses, all about Mrs. Butler Cornbury and
the Miss Fawcetts, and a word or two also about Rachel Ray. "I can
tell you somebody that's almost in love with her." "You don't mean
Luke?" said Mary. "Yes, but I do," said Cherry; "but of course I'm
only in fun." On the Saturday Mary was hard at work herself assisting
in the decoration of the drawing-room, and before the all-important
Tuesday came even Mrs. Rowan and Mrs. Tappitt were confidential. Mrs.
Rowan perceived at once that Mrs. Tappitt was provincial,--as she
told her son, but she was a good motherly woman, and on the whole,
Mrs. Rowan condescended to be gracious to her.

At Bragg's End the preparations for the party required almost as much
thought as did those at the brewery, and involved perhaps deeper
care. It may be remembered that Mrs. Prime, when her ears were first
astounded by that unexpected revelation, wiped the crumbs from out of
her lap and walked off, wounded in spirit, to her own room. On that
evening Rachel saw no more of her sister. Mrs. Ray went up to her
daughter's bedroom, but stayed there only a minute or two. "What does
she say?" asked Rachel, almost in a whisper. "She is very unhappy.
She says that unless I can be made to think better of this she must
leave the cottage. I told her what Mr. Comfort says, but she only
sneers at Mr. Comfort. I'm sure I'm endeavouring to do the best I
can."

"It wouldn't do, mamma, to say that she should manage everything,
otherwise I'm sure I'd give up the party."

"No, my dear; I don't want you to do that,--not after what Mr.
Comfort says." Mrs. Ray had in truth gone to the clergyman feeling
sure that he would have given his word against the party, and that,
so strengthened, she could have taken a course that would have been
offensive to neither of her daughters. She had expected, too, that
she would have returned home armed with such clerical thunders
against the young man as would have quieted Rachel and have
satisfied Dorothea. But in all this she had been,--I may hardly
say d