been at cross-purposes,
and what mamma has been thinking and saying of poor Mr. Glascock?
You mustn't repeat it, of course; but we have had such a battle here
about it. We thought that mamma had lost her eyes and her ears and
her knowledge of things in general. And now it has all come out! You
won't be angry?"

"Why should I be angry?"

"Miss Spalding," said Lady Rowley, "I am really unhappy at what has
occurred, and I hope that there may be nothing more said about it.
I am quite sure that somebody told me wrong, or I should not have
fallen into such an error. I beg your pardon,--and Mr. Glascock's!"

"Beg Mr. Glascock's pardon, certainly," said Lucy.

Miss Spalding looked very pretty, smiled very gracefully, and coming
up to Lady Rowley to say good-bye, kissed her on her cheeks. This
overcame the spirit of the disappointed mother, and Lady Rowley never
said another word against Caroline Spalding or her marriage. "Now,
mamma, what do you think of her?" said Nora, as soon as Caroline was
gone.

"Was it odd, my dear, that I should be astonished at his wanting to
marry that other woman?"

"But, mamma, when we told you that she was young and pretty and
bright!"

"I thought that you were all demented. I did indeed. I still think it
a pity that he should take an American. I think that Miss Spalding is
very nice, but there are English girls quite as nice-looking as her."
After that there was not another word said by Lady Rowley against
Caroline Spalding.

Nora, when she thought of it all that night, felt that she had hardly
spoken to Miss Spalding as she should have spoken as to the treatment
in England which would be accorded to Mr. Glascock's wife. She became
aware of the effect which her own hesitation must have had, and
thought that it was her duty to endeavour to remove it. Perhaps, too,
the conversion of her mother had some effect in making her feel that
she had been wrong in supposing that there would be any difficulty
in Caroline's position in England. She had heard so much adverse
criticism from her mother that she had doubted in spite of
her own convictions;--but now it had come to light that Lady
Rowley's criticisms had all come from a most absurd blunder. "Only
fancy;"--she said to herself;--"Miss Petrie coming out as Lady
Peterborough! Poor mamma!" And then she thought of the reception
which would be given to Caroline, and of the place the future Lady
Peterborough would fill in the world, and of the gl