“What am I to urge in reply to these very weighty objections, my dear Lilla?” replied Mrs. Hamilton.  “In the first place, your father shall know that every conquest you make is for his sake; he shall not think you were forced to submission.  In the next, compulsion is not in my friend’s system, and as I am very intimate with Mrs. Douglas, I shall very often come and see you when I am in town, your midsummer holidays will also occur during that time:  and, lastly, if your papa and mamma will consent, you shall see Moorlands every year; for I shall ask Mr. Grahame to bring you with him in his annual Christmas visit to his estate, and petition that he will leave you behind him to spend the whole of your winter vacation with me and Ellen at Oakwood.  Now, are all objections waived, or has my very determined opponent any more to bring forward?”

Lilla did not answer, but she raised her head from her kind friend’s shoulder, and pushing back the disordered locks of her bright hair, looked up in her face as if no more sorrow could be her portion.

“Oh, I would remain at school a whole year together, if I might spend my vacation at Oakwood with you, and Ellen, and Emmeline, and all!” she exclaimed, with a glee as wild and childish as all her former emotion had been.  Lady Helen at that instant entered, and after languidly greeting Mrs. Hamilton and Ellen, exclaimed—­

“For heaven’s sake, Lilla, go away! your appearance is enough to frighten any one.  I should be absolutely ashamed of you, if any friend were to come in unexpectedly.  Perhaps you may choose to obey me now that Mrs. Hamilton is present; she little knows what a trouble you are at home,” she continued, languidly.

The flush of passion again mounted to Lilla’s cheek, but Ellen, taking her arm, entreated to go with her, and they left the room together, while Lady Helen amused her friend by a long account of her domestic misfortunes, the insolence of her upper domestics, the heedlessness of her elder, and the fearful passions of her younger daughter, even the carelessness of her husband’s manner towards her, notwithstanding her evidently declining health, all these and similar sorrows were poured into the sympathising ear of Mrs. Hamilton, and giving clearer and clearer evidence of Lady Helen’s extreme and increasing weakness of mind and character.

Great, indeed, was the astonishment of this indolent mother when Mrs. Hamilton urged the necessity of sending Lilla to school.  Without accusing Miss Malison of any want of judgment, she was yet enabled to work on Lady Augusta Denhain’s words, and prove the good effects that a removal from home for a few years might produce on Lilla’s character.

Lady Augusta’s advice had been merely remembered during that lady’s presence, but seconded as it now was by the earnest pleadings of Mrs. Hamilton, she determined on rousing herself sufficiently to put it in force, if her husband consented; but to obtain his approbation was a task too terrible for her nerves, and she entreated Mrs. Hamilton to speak with him on the subject.  Willingly she consented, only requesting that Lady Helen would not mention her intentions either to Annie or Miss Malison till her husband had been consulted, and to this Lady Helen willingly consented, for in secret she dreaded Miss Malison’s lamentations and reproaches, when this arrangement should be known.