No doubt there would be scenes,—­and his heart quailed as he remembered certain glances which had flashed upon him from the eyes of Mrs. O’Hara.  But was he not offering to give up everything for his love?  His Kate should be his wife after some Roman Catholic fashion in some Roman Catholic country.  Of course there would be difficulties,—­the least of which would not be those glances from the angry mother; but it would be his business to overcome difficulties.  There were always difficulties in the way of any man who chose to leave the common grooves of life and to make a separate way for himself.  There were always difficulties in the way of adventures.  Dear Kate!  He would never desert his Kate.  But his Kate must do as much as this for him.  Did he not intend that, whatever good things the world might have in store for him, his Kate should share them all?

His ideas were very hazy, and he knew himself that he was ignorant of the laws respecting marriage.  It occurred to him, therefore, that he had better consult his brother, and confide everything to him.  That Jack was wiser than he, he was always willing to allow; and although he did in some sort look down upon Jack as a plodding fellow, who shot no seals and cared nothing for adventure, still he felt it to be almost a pity that Jack should not be the future Earl.  So he told his aunt that he proposed to ask his brother to come to Scroope for a day or two before he returned to Ireland.  Had his aunt, or would his uncle have, any objection?  Lady Scroope did not dare to object.  She by no means wished that her younger nephew should again be brought within the influence of Miss Mellerby’s charms; but it would not suit her purpose to give offence to the heir by refusing so reasonable request.  He would have been off to join his brother at Woolwich immediately.  So the invitation was sent, and Jack Neville promised that he would come.

Fred knew nothing of the offer that had been made to Miss Mellerby, though he had been sharp enough to discern his brother’s feelings.  “My brother is coming here to-morrow,” he said one morning to Miss Mellerby when they were alone together.

“So Lady Scroope has told me.  I don’t wonder that you should wish to see him.”

“I hope everybody will be glad to see him.  Jack is just about the very best fellow in the world;—­and he’s one of the cleverest too.”

“It is so nice to hear one brother speak in that way of another.”

“I swear by Jack.  He ought to have been the elder brother;—­that’s the truth.  Don’t you like him?”

“Who;—­I.  Oh, yes, indeed.  What I saw of him I liked very much.”

“Isn’t it a pity that he shouldn’t have been the elder?”

“I can’t say that, Mr. Neville.”

“No.  It wouldn’t be just civil to me.  But I can say it.  When we were here last winter I thought that my brother was—­”

“Was what, Mr Neville?”

“Was getting to be very fond of you.  Perhaps I ought not to say so.”