Mr. Ingram, who was one of Beatrice’s guardians, and from whose house the wedding was to take place, had insisted on all his parishioners being invited.  Both rich and poor were to partake of the good things of life at the Rectory on that auspicious day, and Mrs. Bertram, whether she liked it or not, must sit down to her son’s wedding-breakfast in the presence of Mrs. Gorman Stanley, Mrs. Morris, Mrs. Butler, Miss Peters, and the other despised Northbury folk.

“Your son is marrying into one of the Northbury families,” the rector had said, when the proud lady had frowned a little over this.  “Beatrice must and shall have her friends round her when she gives herself to Bertram.  Your son is making an excellent match from a money point of view and from all other points of view, and if there is a bitter with the sweet, he must learn to swallow it with a good grace.”

When the rector had mentioned “from a money point of view” Mrs. Bertram had forced herself to clear her brows, and smile amiably.  After all, beside this great and important question of money what were these small worries but pinpricks.

The pin-prick, however, was capable of going somewhat deeper, when Catherine informed her mother that Beatrice particularly wished to have her friends, the Bells, and Daisy Jenkins as bride’s-maids at her wedding.

“No, no, impossible,” burst from Mrs. Bertram’s lips.

But in the end she had to yield this point also, for what will not a woman do who is hard beset and pressed into a corner to set herself free from so humiliating and torturing a position.

Thus everything was getting ready for the great event.  The bride’s trousseau was the wonder of all beholders.  The subject of Beatrice’s wedding was the only one on the tapis, and no one saw a little cloud in the sky, nor guessed at even the possibility of trouble ahead.

CHAPTER XXV.

WEDDING PRESENTS.

Notwithstanding her crushing disappointment Matty Bell did not sink into an early grave.  That report which had got into the country with regard to her funeral and tombstone began to be very flatly contradicted.  It was now whispered on the breeze that Matty was not only in a fair state of recovery but also that a substantial means of consolation had been opportunely found her.

Not only was Gus Jenkins very much to Matty’s taste, but she proved, which, perhaps, was more to the point, to suit him exactly.  This hero, who was doing a thriving trade in the oil business in London, delighted in laughing, merry, giggling girls, and surely where could he find another to equal Matty in that respect.  Whenever he looked at her she laughed, whenever he spoke to her she blushed and giggled.  He began to consider himself a wonder of wit and fascination.  Really it was no trouble at all to entertain a nice, little, soft, round thing like Matty Bell.  He pronounced the shot silk a splendid robe, and asked Matty pointedly what place of amusement she would like best to see in London, and in whose presence she would most happily enjoy it.