aid Mrs. Houghton, who was about four years the elder, "of
course I know all about it, and so do you. You are an heiress, and
could afford to please yourself. I had nothing of my own, and should
have had to pass all my time at Manor Cross. Are you surprised?"

"Why should I be surprised?" said Lady George, who was, however, very
much surprised at this address.

"Well, you know; he is the handsomest man in England. Everybody allows
that; and, then, such a family--and such possibilities! I was very much
flattered. Of course he had not seen you then, or only seen you as a
child, or I shouldn't have had a chance. It is a great deal better as
it is,--isn't it?"

"I think so, certainly."

"I am so glad to hear that you have a house in town. We go up about the
first of April, when the hunting is over. Mr. Houghton does not ride
much, but he hunts a great deal. We live in Berkeley Square, you know;
and I do so hope we shall see ever so much of you."

"I'm sure I hope so too," said Lady George, who had never hitherto been
very fond of Miss De Baron, and had entertained a vague idea that she
ought to be a little afraid of Mrs. Houghton. But when her father's
guest was so civil to her she did not know how to be other than civil
in return.

"There is no reason why what has passed should make any
awkwardness;--is there?"

"No," said Lady George, feeling that she almost blushed at the allusion
to so delicate a subject.

"Of course not. Why should there? Lord George will soon get used to me,
just as if nothing had happened; and I shall always be ever so fond of
him,--in a way, you know. There shall be nothing to make you jealous."

"I'm not a bit afraid of that," said Lady George, almost too earnestly.

"You need not be, I'm sure. Not but what I do think he was at one time
very--very much attached to me. But it couldn't be. And what's the good
of thinking of such a thing when it can't be? I don't pretend to be
very virtuous, and I like money. Now Mr. Houghton, at any rate, has got
a large income. If I had had your fortune at my own command, I don't
say what I might not have done."

Lady George almost felt that she ought to be offended by all
this,--almost felt that she was disgusted; but, at the same time, she
did not quite understand it. Her father had made a point of asking the
Houghtons, and had told her that of course she would know the Houghtons
up in town. She had an idea that she was very ignorant of the ways of
l