o?"

There were two things that Lady Desmond noticed in this: first, that
her daughter should have called young Mr. Fitzgerald by his Christian
name; and secondly, that it should have come to that with them, that
a Fitzgerald should send a vehicle for a Desmond, seeing that the
Desmond could no longer provide a vehicle for herself.

"You could have had the pony-chair, my dear."

"Oh, no, mamma; I would not do that." The pony was now the only
quadruped kept for the countess's own behoof; and the young earl's
hunter was the only other horse in the Desmond Court stables. "I
wouldn't do that, mamma; Mary and Emmeline will not mind coming
round."

"But they will have to come round again to bring you back."

"Yes, mamma. Herbert said they wouldn't mind it. We want to see how
they are managing at the new soup kitchen they have there. That one
at Clady is very bad. The boiler won't boil at all."

"Very well, my dear; only mind you wrap yourself up."

"Oh, yes; I always do."

"But, Clara--" and Lady Desmond put on her sweetest, smoothest smile
as she spoke to her daughter.

"Yes, mamma."

"How long have you taken to call young Mr. Fitzgerald by his
Christian name?"

"Oh, I never do, mamma," said Clara, with a blush all over her face;
"not to himself, I mean. You see, Mary and Emmeline are always
talking about him."

"And therefore you mean always to talk about him also."

"No, mamma. But one can't help talking about him; he is doing so much
for these poor people. I don't think he ever thinks about anything
else from morning to night. Emmeline says he always goes to it again
after dinner. Don't you think he is very good about it, mamma?"

"Yes, my dear; very good indeed; almost good enough to be called
Herbert."

"But I don't call him so; you know I don't," protested Clara, very
energetically.

"He is very good," continued the countess; "very good indeed. I don't
know what on earth we should do without him. If he were my own son,
he could hardly be more attentive to me."

"Then I may go with the girls to that place? I always forget the
name."

"Gortnaclough, you mean."

"Yes, mamma. It is all Sir Thomas's property there; and they have got
a regular kitchen, beautifully built, Her--Mr. Fitzgerald says, with
a regular cook. I do wish we could have one at Clady."

"Mr. Fitzgerald will be here to-morrow morning, and I will talk to
him about it. I fear we have not sufficient funds there."

"No; that's jus