No, Miss Carmichael declined, and the Squire was inwardly wroth.  Mrs. Carmichael took the place offered to her daughter, and Marjorie Thomas and Mr. Terry volunteered to make up the required number.  It seemed such a long time till Saturday morning, but Marjorie tried to shorten it, by running everywhere and telling everybody that Eugene was coming.  The whole house caught the infection.  Tryphena and Tryphosa were kept busy, preparing already for a late six o’clock dinner on the morrow.  There was a putting of rooms in order for the coming guests, during which Miss Carmichael, conscience stricken, returned the lawyer’s verses to the leaves of Browning.  She dreaded meeting the author of them, and found comfort in the fact that he was not coming alone.  If she had not been, in her own estimation, such a coward, she would have gone on a visit to Fanny, but she dared not thus offend her uncle and aunt, and desert her mother and Cecile.  What was he coming for?  She had not sent for him.  Why did she not want him to come?  She did not know, and it was the right of nobody to question her on the subject.  She only knew that she was very unhappy, and hoped she would not act stupidly before the stranger from Edinburgh.

That night the Squire received a letter from Coristine, written on Thursday, saying that Mr. Douglas had arrived, and was a very fine fellow; and that, as soon as he had made up his mind to go to Bridesdale, a telegram would be sent.  He also requested Mr. Carruthers, if it was not trespassing too far upon his kindness, to secure the rooms, which the postmistress had told him she had to let, for Miss Graves, a young lady in his firm’s offices, who needed complete rest and change of scene, and who would either go up by the stage on Saturday or accompany Mr. Douglas and him at a later date.  The letter was read at the tea table, and Miss Du Plessis said she knew Marion Graves very well, and was glad to think she would be so near, as she was a lovely girl; but what a strange thing for Mr. Coristine to recommend her to come to Flanders!  “Oi’m thinkin’,” remarked Mr. Terry, “that av the young lady in dilikit loike, it ’ud be a marcy to kape her aff that rough stage; so, iv yer willin’, Squoire, I’ll shtay at home an’ lave my place to put the poor lady in inshtid av me.”  Mrs. Carruthers would not hear of the veteran’s losing the drive, and resigned her seat.  Honoria would probably want her at any rate, so it was very foolish and selfish in her to have thought of going.  “There maun be some one o’ the female persuasion, as good old Newberry calls it, to invite Miss Graves and to keep her company, especially if she’s an invalid,” said the Squire.  “I will go, uncle,” said Miss Carmichael, quietly.  The uncle was amazed at this new turn things were taking, and arranged in his mind to have Miss Graves and Mr. Douglas with him in the front seat, and Coristine between the two Marjories behind.  After tea, Timotheus and Maguffin were sent to invite Miss Halbert and the two clergymen to the Saturday evening dinner, but, by Mrs. Carruthers’ directions, the postmistress was not notified that her rooms were wanted.  If Miss Graves were all that Cecile said of her, she had remarked, she would be better at Bridesdale, and would also be an acceptable addition to the number of their guests.