o'clock on the following day. Lord George said
that he would, and was again at Scumberg's Hotel at three o'clock on
the next afternoon.

CHAPTER XXXII.

LORD GEORGE IS TROUBLED.

This was a day of no little importance to Lord George; so much so, that
one or two circumstances which occurred before he saw his brother at
the hotel must be explained. On that day there had come to him from the
Dean a letter written in the Dean's best humour. When the house had
been taken in Munster Court there had been a certain understanding,
hardly quite a fixed assurance, that it was to be occupied up to the
end of June, and that then Lord George and his wife should go into
Brothershire. There had been a feeling ever since the marriage that
while Mary preferred London, Lord George was wedded to the country.
They had on the whole behaved well to each other in the matter. The
husband, though he feared that his wife was surrounded by dangers, and
was well aware that he himself was dallying on the brink of a terrible
pitfall, would not urge a retreat before the time that had been named.
And she, though she had ever before her eyes the fear of the dullness
of Cross Hall, would not ask to have the time postponed. It was now the
end of May, and a certain early day in July had been fixed for their
retreat from London. Lord George had, with a good grace, promised to
spend a few days at the deanery before he went to Cross Hall, and had
given Mary permission to remain there for some little time afterwards.
Now there had come a letter from the Dean full of smiles and
pleasantness about this visit. There were tidings in it about Mary's
horse, which was still kept at the deanery, and comfortable assurances
of sweetest welcome. Not a word had been said in this letter about the
terrible family matter. Lord George, though he was at the present
moment not disposed to think in the most kindly manner of his
father-in-law, appreciated this, and had read the letter aloud to his
wife at the breakfast table with pleasant approbation. As he left the
house to go to his brother, he told her that she had better answer her
father's letter, and had explained to her where she would find it in
his dressing room.

But on the previous afternoon he had received at his club another
letter, the nature of which was not so agreeable. This letter had not
been pleasant even to himself, and certainly was not adapted to give
pleasure to his wife. After receiving it h