last day or two her aunt's acerbity towards her
had been much diminished. Lady Tringle had known that her husband
intended to do something by which the Hamel marriage would be
rendered possible; and she, though she altogether disapproved of
the Hamel marriage, would be obliged to accede to it if Sir Thomas
acceded to it and encouraged it by his money. Let them be married,
and then, as far as the Tringles were concerned, let there be an end
of these Dormer troubles for ever. To that idea Lady Tringle had
reconciled herself as soon as Sir Thomas had declared his purpose,
but now,--as she declared to herself,--"all the fat was again in the
fire." She received Lucy's salutations on that morning with a very
bad grace.

But she had been desired to give no message, and therefore she was
silent on the subject to Lucy. To the Honourable Mrs. Traffick she
said a few words. "After all Ayala was not half as bad as Lucy," said
Lady Tringle.

"There, mamma, I think you are wrong," said the Honourable Mrs.
Traffick. "Of all the upsetting things I ever knew Ayala was the
worst. Think of her conduct with Septimus." Lady Tringle made a
little grimace, which, however, her daughter did not see. "And then
with that Marchesa!"

"That was the Marchesa's fault."

"And with Tom!"

"I don't think she was so much to blame with Tom. If she were, why
doesn't she take him now she can have him? He is just as foolish
about her as ever. Upon my word I think Tom will make himself ill
about it."

"You haven't heard it all, mamma."

"What haven't I heard?"

"Ayala has been down with the Alburys at Stalham."

"I did hear that."

"And another man has turned up. What on earth they see in her is what
I can't understand."

"Another man has offered to her! Who is he?"

"There was a Colonel Stubbs down there. Septimus heard it all from
young Batsby at the club. She got this man to ride about the country
with her everywhere, going to the meets with him and coming home. And
in this way she got him to propose to her. I don't suppose he means
anything; but that is why she won't have anything to do with Tom now.
Do you mean to say she didn't do all she could to catch Tom down at
Glenbogie, and then at Rome? Everybody saw it. I don't think Lucy has
ever been so bad as that."

"It's quite different, my dear."

"She has come from a low father," said the Honourable Mrs. Traffick,
proudly, "and therefore she has naturally attached herself to a low
yo