ence;--but yet he felt that he had been wrong in contradicting
his wife so peremptorily. He was a just man, and he would apologise
for his fault; but he was an austere man, and would take back the
value of his apology in additional austerity. He did not see his wife
for some hours after the conversation which has been narrated, but
when he did meet her his mind was still full of the subject. "Laura",
he said, "I am sorry that I contradicted you."

"I am quite used to it, Robert."

"No;--you are not used to it." She smiled and bowed her head. "You
wrong me by saying that you are used to it." Then he paused a moment,
but she said not a word,--only smiled and bowed her head again. "I
remember," he continued, "that something was said in my presence to
Miss Effingham about her coming here at Christmas. It was so slight,
however, that it had passed out of my memory till recalled by an
effort. I beg your pardon."

"That is unnecessary, Robert."

"It is, dear."

"And do you wish that I should put her off,--or put Oswald off,--or
both? My brother never yet has seen me in your house."

"And whose fault has that been?"

"I have said nothing about anybody's fault, Robert. I merely
mentioned a fact. Will you let me know whether I shall bid him stay
away?"

"He is welcome to come,--only I do not like assignations for
love-making."

"Assignations!"

"Clandestine meetings. Lady Baldock would not wish it."

"Lady Baldock! Do you think that Violet would exercise any secrecy in
the matter,--or that she will not tell Lady Baldock that Oswald will
be here,--as soon as she knows it herself?"

"That has nothing to do with it."

"Surely, Robert, it must have much to do with it. And why should not
these two young people meet? The acknowledged wish of all the family
is that they should marry each other. And in this matter, at any
rate, my brother has behaved extremely well." Mr. Kennedy said
nothing further at the time, and it became an understanding that
Violet Effingham was to be a month at Loughlinter, staying from the
20th of December to the 20th of January, and that Lord Chiltern was
to come there for Christmas,--which with him would probably mean
three days.

Before Christmas came, however, there were various other sources of
uneasiness at Loughlinter. There had been, as a matter of course,
great anxiety as to the elections. With Lady Laura this anxiety had
been very strong, and even Mr. Kennedy had been warmed with som