‘Thank God that’s over,’ May whispered to Alice; ’but what were we talking about?’

‘I think you were making out a list of the Galway spinsters,’ said Alice, who could not help feeling a little amused, though she was sorry for Mrs. Gould.

‘So we were,’ cried May; ’we were speaking of the Brennans.  Do you know their friends the Duffys?  There are five of them.  That’s a nice little covey of love-birds; I don’t think they would fly away if they saw a sportsman coming into the field.’

‘I never heard a girl talk like that,’ murmured Mrs. Gould, without raising her face from the fire, ’that wasn’t punished for it.  Perhaps, my lady, you will find it hard enough to suit yourself.  Wait until you have done two or three Castle seasons.  We’ll see how you’ll speak then.’

Without paying any attention to these maternal forebodings, May continued: 

’Then there are Lord Rosshill’s seven daughters; they are all maidens, and are likely to remain so.’

‘Are they all unmarried?’ asked Alice.

‘Of course they are!’ exclaimed Mrs. Gould; ’how could they be anything else?  Didn’t they all want to marry people in their father’s position?  And that wasn’t possible.  There’re seven Honourable Miss Gores, and one Lord Rosshill—­so they all remained in single blessedness.’

‘Who’s making ill-natured remarks now?’ exclaimed May triumphantly.

’I am not making ill-natured remarks; I am only saying what’s true.  My advice to young girls is that they should be glad to have those who will take them.  If they can’t make a good marriage let them make a bad marriage; for, believe me, it is far better to be minding your own children than your sister’s or your brother’s children.  And I can assure you, in these days of competition, it is no easy matter to get settled.’

’It is the same now as ever it was, and there are plenty of nice young men.  It doesn’t prove, because a whole lot of old sticks of things can’t get married, that I shan’t.’

’I didn’t say you wouldn’t get married, May; I am sure that any man would be only too glad to have you; but what I say is that these grand matches that girls dream of aren’t possible nowadays.  Nice young men!  I dare say; and plenty of them, I know them; young scamps without a shilling, who amuse themselves with a girl until they are tired of her, and then, off they go.  Now, then, let’s count up the good matches that are going in the county—­’

At this moment the servant was heard at the door bringing in the tea.

‘Oh! bother!’ exclaimed Mrs. Gould, settling her dress hurriedly.  The interval was full of secret irritation; and the three women watched the methodical butler place the urn on the table, turn up the lamp that was burning low, and bring chairs forward from the farthest corners.

‘On your side of the county,’ said Mrs. Gould, as soon as the door was closed, ’there is our brace of baronets, as they are called.  But poor Sir Richard—­I am afraid he is a bad case—­and yet he never took to drink until he was five-and-thirty; and as for Sir Charles—­of course there are great advantages, he has a very fine property; but still many girls might—­and I can quite understand their not liking to marry him.’