office to which she could betake herself.

"Yes," she said to Amelia, "it is all very nice, and I don't mind the
house being damp; but I get so tired of being alone."

"That must be the case with women who are married to men of
business."

"Oh, I don't complain. Of course I knew what I was about. I suppose
it won't be so very dull when everybody is up in London."

"I don't find the season makes much difference to us after
Christmas," said Amelia; "but no doubt London is gayer in May. You'll
find you'll like it better next year; and perhaps you'll have a baby,
you know."

"Psha!" ejaculated Lady Alexandrina; "I don't want a baby, and don't
suppose I shall have one."

"It's always something to do, you know."

Lady Alexandrina, though she was not of an energetic temperament,
could not but confess to herself that she had made a mistake. She had
been tempted to marry Crosbie because Crosbie was a man of fashion,
and now she was told that the London season would make no difference
to her,--the London season which had hitherto always brought to her
the excitement of parties, if it had not given her the satisfaction
of amusement. She had been tempted to marry because it appeared to
her that a married woman could enjoy society with less restraint than
a girl who was subject to her mother or her chaperon; that she would
have more freedom of action as a married woman; and now she was told
that she must wait for a baby before she could have anything to do.
Courcy Castle was sometimes dull, but Courcy Castle would have been
better than this.

When Crosbie returned home after this little conversation about
the baby, he was told by his wife that they were to dine with the
Gazebees on the next Sunday. On hearing this he shook his head with
vexation. He knew, however, that he had no right to make complaint,
as he had been only taken to St. John's Wood once since they had come
home from their marriage trip. There was, however, one point as to
which he could grumble. "Why, on earth, on Sunday?"

"Because Amelia asked me for Sunday. If you are asked for Sunday, you
cannot say you'll go on Monday."

"It is so terrible on a Sunday afternoon. At what hour?"

"She said half-past five."

"Heavens and earth! What are we to do all the evening?"

"It is not kind of you, Adolphus, to speak in that way of my
relations."

"Come, my love, that's a joke; as if I hadn't heard you say the same
thing twenty times. You've complained of h