s of her rural
sojourn; and, when she began by assuring her sister-in-law that she
made the journey with no object but that of coming to Kingsbury
Crescent, Mrs. Dosett was aware that something very important was
to be communicated. Mrs. Dosett and Ayala were together in the
dining-room when Lady Tringle appeared, and the embracings were very
affectionate. They were particularly affectionate towards Ayala, who
was kissed as though nothing had ever happened to interfere with
the perfect love existing between the aunt and the niece. They were
more than friendly, almost sisterly, towards Mrs. Dosett, whom in
truth Lady Tringle met hardly more than once in a year. It was very
manifest that Aunt Emmeline wanted to have something done. "Now, my
darling," she said, turning to Ayala, "if you would not mind going
away for ten minutes, I could say a few words on very particular
business to your aunt." Then she gave her niece a tender little
squeeze and assumed her sweetest smile.

It will be as well to go back a little and tell the cause which had
produced this unexpected visit. There had been very much of real
trouble at Merle Park. Everything was troublesome. Gertrude had
received her final letter from her lover, had declared herself to be
broken-hearted, and was evincing her sorrow by lying in bed half the
day, abstaining from her meals, and relieving herself from famine by
sly visits to the larder. It was supposed that her object was to bend
the stony heart of her father, but the process added an additional
trouble to her mother. Then the Trafficks were a sore vexation. It
was now nearly the end of January and they were still at Merle Park.
There had been a scene in which Sir Thomas had been very harsh. "My
dear," he had said to his wife, "I find that something must be done
to the chimney of the north room. The workmen must be in it by the
first of February. See and have all the furniture taken out before
they come." Now the north room was the chamber in which the Trafficks
slept, and the Trafficks were present when the order was given.
No one believed the story of the chimney. This was the mode of
expulsion which Sir Thomas had chosen on the spur of the moment. Mr.
Traffick said not a word, but in the course of the morning Augusta
expostulated with her mother. This was also disagreeable. Then the
condition of Tom was truly pitiable. All his trust in champagne, all
his bellicose humour, had deserted him. He moped about the p