“I don’t see that at all,” said Archie.

“Julia always had a sneaking fondness for Harry, and if he had waited would have taken him now.  She was very near making a fool of herself with him once, before Lord Ongar turned up.”

To this Archie said nothing, but he changed color, and it may almost be said of him that he blushed.  Why he was affected in so singular a manner by his brother’s words will be best explained by a statement of what took place in the back drawing-room a little later in the evening.

When Harry reached the drawing-room he went up to Lady Clavering, but she said nothing to him then of especial notice.  She was talking to Mrs. Clavering while the rector was reading—­or pretending to read—­a review and the two girls were chattering together in another part of the room.  Then they had coffee, and after a while the two other men came in from their wine.  Lady Clavering did not move at once, but she took the first opportunity of doing so, when Sir Hugh came up to Mrs. Clavering and spoke a word to her.  A few minutes after that, Harry found himself closeted with Lady Clavering, in a little room detached from the others, though the doors between the two were open.

“Do you know,” said Lady Clavering, “that Sir Hugh has asked Julia to come here?” Harry paused a moment, and then acknowledged that he did know it.

“I hope you did not advise her to refuse.”

“I advise her!  Oh dear, no.  She did not ask me anything about it.”

“But she has refused.  Don’t you think she has been very wrong?”

“It is hard to say,” said Harry.  “You know I thought it very cruel that Hugh did not receive her immediately on her return.  If I had been he, I should have gone to Paris to meet her.”

“It’s no good talking of that now, Harry.  Hugh is hard, and we all know that.  Who feels it most do you think; Julia or I?  But as he has come round, what can she gain by standing off?  Will it not be the best thing for her to come here?”

“I don’t know that she has much to gain by it.”

“Harry, do you know that we have a plan?” “Who is we?” Harry asked; but she went on without noticing his question.  “I tell you, because I believe you can help us more than any one, if you will.  Only for your engagement with Miss Burton I should not mention it to you; and, but for that, the plan would, I daresay, be of no use.”

“What is the plan?” said Harry, very gravely.  A vague idea of what the plan might be had come across Harry’s mind during Lady Clavering’s last speech.

“Would it not be a good thing if Julia and Archie were to be married?” She asked the question in a quick, hesitating voice, looking at first eagerly up into his face, and then turning away her eyes, as though she were afraid of the answer she might read there.  “Of course I know that you were fond of her, but all that can be nothing now.”

“No,” said Harry, “that can be nothing now.”