But Lady
Susanna had entertained no such fear. Mary was young, and foolish, and
fond of pleasure. Hard as was this woman in her manner, and
disagreeable as she made herself, yet she could, after a fashion,
sympathise with the young wife. She had spoken of Captain De Baron with
disapprobation certainly, but had not spoken of him as a fatal danger.
And she had spoken also of the Baroness Banmann and Mary's folly in
going to the Institute. The old Marchioness had heard of these things,
and now, when she heard further of them from her son, she almost
believed all that he told her. "Don't be hard upon poor George," she
said.

"I give as I get, mother. I'm not one of those who return good for
evil. Had he left me alone, I should have left him alone. As it is, I
rather think I shall be hard upon poor George. Do you suppose that all
Brotherton hasn't heard already what they are doing;--that there is a
man or a woman in the county who doesn't know that my own brother is
questioning the legitimacy of my own son? And then you ask me not to be
hard."

"It isn't my doing, Brotherton."

"But those three girls have their hand in it. That's what they call
charity! That's what they go to church for!"

All this made the poor old Marchioness very ill. Before her son left
her she was almost prostrate; and yet, to the end, he did not spare
her. But as he left he said one word which apparently was intended to
comfort her. "Perhaps Popenjoy had better be brought here for you to
see before he is taken up to town." There had been a promise made
before that the child should be brought to the hall to bless his
grandmother. On this occasion she had been too much horrified and
overcome by what had been said to urge her request; but when the
proposition was renewed by him of course she assented.

Popenjoy's visit to Cross Hall was arranged with a good deal of state,
and was made on the following Tuesday. On the Monday there came a
message to say that the child should be brought up at twelve on the
following day. The Marquis was not coming himself, and the child would
of course be inspected by all the ladies. At noon they were assembled
in the drawing-room; but they were kept there waiting for half an hour,
during which the Marchioness repeatedly expressed her conviction that
now, at the last moment, she was to be robbed of the one great desire
of her heart. "He won't let him come because he's so angry with
George," she said, sobbing.

"He w