d to sanction the change had it not been for that promise
from Sir Thomas that he would not withdraw the provision he had made
for Ayala, and would do as much for Lucy if Lucy should become an
inmate of his family. Mrs. Dosett had certainly been glad to welcome
any change, when a change was proposed to her. There had grown up
something of affection at the last moment, but up to that time she
had certainly disliked her niece. Lucy had appeared to her to be at
first idle and then sullen. The girl had seemed to affect a higher
nature than her own, and had been wilfully indifferent to the little
things which had given to her life whatever interest it possessed.
Lucy's silence had been a reproach to her, though she herself had
been able to do so little to abolish the silence. Perhaps Ayala might
be better.

But they were both afraid of Ayala,--as they had not been afraid of
Lucy before her arrival. They made more of preparation for her in
their own minds, and, as to their own conduct, Mr. Dosett was there
himself to receive her, and was conscious in doing so that there had
been something of failure in their intercourse with Lucy. Lucy had
been allowed to come in without preparation, with an expectation that
she would fall easily into her place, and there had been failure.
There had been no regular consultation as to this new coming, but
both Mr. and Mrs. Dosett were conscious of an intended effort.

Lady Tringle and Mr. Dosett had always been Aunt Emmeline and
Uncle Reginald, by reason of the nearness of their relationship.
Circumstances of closer intercourse had caused Sir Thomas to be Uncle
Tom. But Mrs. Dosett had never become more than Aunt Dosett to either
of the girls. This in itself had been matter almost of soreness to
her, and she had intended to ask Lucy to adopt the more endearing
form of her Christian name; but there had been so little endearment
between them that the moment for doing so had never come. She was
thinking of all this up in her own room, preparatory to the reception
of this other girl, while Mr. Dosett was bidding her welcome to
Kingsbury Crescent in the drawing-room below.

Ayala had been dissolved in tears during the drive round by
Kensington to Bayswater, and was hardly able to repress her sobs as
she entered the house. "My dear," said the uncle, "we will do all
that we can to make you happy here."

"I am sure you will; but--but--it is so sad coming away from Lucy."

"Lucy I am sure will be