Lilian Dale, asking herself sundry questions, with an idea of being
high-principled as to her duty in that respect. Was she wrong in
taking Mr Crosbie away from Lilian Dale? In answer to these questions
she was able to assure herself comfortably that she was not wrong.
Mr Crosbie would not, under any circumstances, marry Lilian Dale.
He had told her so more than once, and that in a solemn way. She
could therefore be doing no harm to Lilian Dale. If she entertained
any inner feeling that Crosbie's fault in jilting Lilian Dale was
less than it would have been had she herself not been an earl's
daughter,--that her own rank did in some degree extenuate her lover's
falseness,--she did not express it in words even to herself.

She did not get very much sympathy from her own family. "I'm afraid
he does not think much of his religious duties. I'm told that young
men of that sort seldom do," said Rosina. "I don't say you're wrong,"
said Margaretta. "By no means. Indeed I think less of it now than I
did when Amelia did the same thing. I shouldn't do it myself, that's
all." Her father told her that he supposed she knew her own mind. Her
mother, who endeavoured to comfort and in some sort to congratulate
her, nevertheless, harped constantly on the fact that she
was marrying a man without rank and without a fortune. Her
congratulations were apologetic, and her comfortings took the guise
of consolation. "Of course you won't be rich, my dear; but I really
think you'll do very well. Mr Crosbie may be received anywhere, and
you never need be ashamed of him." By which the countess implied that
her elder married daughter was occasionally called on to be ashamed
of her husband. "I wish he could keep a carriage for you, but perhaps
that will come some day." Upon the whole Alexandrina did not repent,
and stoutly told her father that she did know her own mind.

During all this time Lily Dale was as yet perfect in her happiness.
That delay of a day or two in the receipt of the expected letter from
her lover had not disquieted her. She had promised him that she would
not distrust him, and she was firmly minded to keep her promises.
Indeed no idea of breaking it came to her at this time. She was
disappointed when the postman would come and bring no letter for
her,--disappointed, as the husbandman when the longed-for rain does
not come to refresh the parched earth; but she was in no degree
angry. "He will explain it," she said to herself. And