was something
of a thorn in this to Sir Thomas, as it had become apparent at last
that Mr. Traffick himself did not purpose to add anything from his
own resources to the income on which he intended to live with his
wife. Lord Boardotrade had been obliged to do so much for his eldest
son that there appeared to be nothing left for the member for Port
Glasgow. Sir Thomas was prepared with his L120,000, and did not
perhaps mind this very much. But a man, when he pays his money, likes
to have some return for it, and he did not quite like the tone with
which the old nobleman, not possessed of very old standing in the
peerage, seemed to imply that he, like a noble old Providence, had
enveloped the whole Tringle family in the mantle of his noble blood.
He combined the jocose and the paternal in the manner appropriate to
such occasions; but there did run through Sir Thomas's mind as he
heard him an idea that L120,000 was a sufficient sum to pay, and that
it might be necessary to make Mr. Traffick understand that out of the
income thenceforth coming he must provide a house for himself and his
wife. It had been already arranged that he was to return to Queen's
Gate with his wife for the period between Easter and Whitsuntide.
It had lately,--quite lately,--been hinted to Sir Thomas that the
married pair would run up again after the second holidays. Mr.
Septimus Traffick had once spoken of Glenbogie as almost all his own,
and Augusta had, in her father's hearing, said a word intended to be
very affectionate about "dear Merle Park." Sir Thomas was a father
all over, with all a father's feelings; but even a father does not
like to be done. Mr. Traffick, no doubt, was a member of Parliament
and son of a peer;--but there might be a question whether even Mr.
Traffick had not been purchased at quite his full value.

Nevertheless the marriage was pronounced to have been a success.
Immediately after it,--early, indeed, on the following morning,--Sir
Thomas inquired when Ayala was coming to Queen's Gate. "Is it
necessary that she should come quite at present?" asked Lady Tringle.

"I thought it was all settled," said Sir Thomas, angrily. This had
been said in the privacy of his own dressing-room, but downstairs
at the breakfast-table, in the presence of Gertrude and Lucy, he
returned to the subject. Tom, who did not live in the house, was
not there. "I suppose we might as well have Ayala now," he said,
addressing himself chiefly to Lucy.