ent did not wish to say so. "I maintain that her conduct is
altogether irreproachable; and as for my own, I feel that I am entitled
to your warmest thanks for what I have done. I must desire you to
understand that we will neither of us submit to blame."

Nothing had been arranged when Lord George left the deanery. The
husband could not bring himself to say a harsh word to his wife. When
she begged him to promise that he would come over to the deanery, he
shook his head. Then she shed a tear, but as she did it she kissed him,
and he could not answer her love by any rough word. So he rode back to
Cross Hall, feeling that the difficulties of his position were almost
insuperable.

On the next morning Mr. Price came to him. Mr. Price was the farmer who
had formerly lived at Cross Hall, who had given his house up to the
Dowager, and who had in consequence been told that he must quit the
land at the expiration of his present term. "So, my lord, his lordship
ain't going to stay very long after all," said Mr. Price.

"I don't quite know as yet," said Lord George.

"I have had Mr. Knox with me this morning, saying that I may go back to
the Hall whenever I please. He took me so much by surprise, I didn't
know what I was doing."

"My mother is still there, Mr. Price."

"In course she is, my lord. But Mr. Knox was saying that she is going
to move back at once to the old house. It's very kind of his lordship,
I'm sure, to let bygones be bygones." Lord George could only say that
nothing was as yet settled, but that Mr. Price would be, of course,
welcome to Cross Hall, should the family go back to Manor Cross.

This took place about the 10th of June, and for a fortnight after that
no change took place in any of their circumstances. Lady Alice
Holdenough called upon Lady George, and, with her husband, dined at the
deanery; but Mary saw nothing else of any of the ladies of the family.
No letter came from either of her sisters-in-law congratulating her as
to her new hopes, and the Manor Cross carriage never stopped at the
Dean's door. The sisters came to see Lady Alice, who lived also in the
Close, but they never even asked for Lady George. All this made the
Dean very angry, so that he declared that his daughter should under no
circumstances be the first to give way. As she had not offended, she
should never be driven to ask for pardon. During this time Lord George
more than once saw his wife, but he had no further interview with t