“My dear, if you want Henry and me to stand on our heads we will attempt it with pleasure.  You are an angel!—­and angels are not to be worried by solicitors.”

The first part of which remark referred to a certain morning after Hugh’s announcement of his appointment to the Nigerian expedition, when Diana had shown the old people a sweet and daughter-like sympathy, which had entirely won whatever portion of their hearts remained still to be captured.

Hugh, meanwhile, was not yet gone, though he was within a fortnight of departure.  He was coming to luncheon, with his parents, in order to support Diana.  The family had seen Miss Merton some two or three times, and were all strongly of opinion that Diana very much wanted supporting.  “Why should one be civil to one’s cousin?” Dr. Roughsedge inquired of his wife.  “If they are nice, let them stand on their own merits.  If not, they are disagreeable people who know a deal too much about you.  Miss Diana should have consulted me!”

The Roughsedges arrived early, and found Diana alone in the drawing-room.  Again Captain Roughsedge thought her pale, and was even sure that she had lost flesh.  This time it was hardly possible to put these symptoms down to Marsham’s account.  He chafed under the thought that he should be no longer there in case a league, offensive and defensive, had in the end to be made with Mrs. Colwood for the handling of cousins.  It was quite clear that Miss Fanny was a vulgar little minx, and that Beechcote would have no peace till it was rid of her.  Meanwhile, the indefinable change which had come over his mother’s face, during the preceding week, had escaped even the quick eyes of an affectionate son.  Alas! for mothers—­when Lalage appears!

Mr. Birch arrived to the minute, and when he was engaged in affable conversation with Diana, Fanny, last of the party—­the door being ceremoniously thrown open by the butler—­entered, with an air.  Mr. Birch sprang effusively to his feet, and there was a noisy greeting between him and his travelling companion.  The young man was slim, and effeminately good-looking.  His frock-coat and gray trousers were new and immaculate; his small feet were encased in shining patent-leather boots, and his blue eyes gave the impression of having been carefully matched with his tie.  He was evidently delighted to find himself at Beechcote, and it might have been divined that there was a spice of malice in his pleasure.  The Vavasours had always snubbed him; Miss Mallory herself had not been over-polite to him on one or two occasions; but her cousin was a “stunner,” and, secure in Fanny’s exuberant favor, he made himself quite at home.  Placed on Diana’s left at table, he gave her much voluble information about her neighbors, mostly ill-natured; he spoke familiarly of “that clever chap Marsham,” as of a politician who owed his election for the division entirely to the good offices of Mr. Fred Birch’s firm, and described Lady