Miss Oriel was a very pretty girl; a little older than Frank Gresham,—­perhaps a year or so.  She had dark hair, large round dark eyes, a nose a little too broad, a pretty mouth, a beautiful chin, and, as we have said before, a large fortune;—­that is, moderately large—­let us say twenty thousand pounds, there or thereabouts.  She and her brother had been living at Greshamsbury for the last two years, the living having been purchased for him—­such were Mr Gresham’s necessities—­during the lifetime of the last old incumbent.  Miss Oriel was in every respect a nice neighbour; she was good-humoured, lady-like, lively, neither too clever nor too stupid, belonging to a good family, sufficiently fond of this world’s good things, as became a pretty young lady so endowed, and sufficiently fond, also, of the other world’s good things, as became the mistress of a clergyman’s house.

‘Indeed, yes;’ said the Lady Margaretta.  ’Frank is very eloquent.  When he described our rapid journey from London, he nearly moved me to tears.  But well as he talks, I think he carves better.’

’I wish you’d had to do it, Margaretta; both the carving and the talking.’

‘Thank you, Frank; you’re very civil.’

’But there’s one comfort, Miss Oriel; it’s over now, and done.  A fellow can’t be made to come of age twice.’

’But you’ll take your degree, Mr Gresham; and then, of course, there’ll be another speech; and then you’ll get married, and there will be two or three more.’

‘I’ll speak at your wedding, Miss Oriel, before I do at my own.’

’I shall not have the slightest objection.  It will be so kind of you to patronize my husband.’

’But, by Jove, will he patronize me?  I know you’ll marry some awful bigwig, or some terribly clever fellow; won’t she, Margaretta?’

‘Miss Oriel was saying so much in praise of you before you came out,’ said Margaretta, ’that I began to think that her mind was intent at remaining at Greshamsbury all her life.’

Frank blushed, and Patience laughed.  There was but a year’s difference in their age; but Frank, however, was still a boy, though Patience was fully a woman.

‘I am ambitious, Lady Margaretta,’ said she.  ’I own it; but I am moderate in my ambition.  I do love Greshamsbury, and if Mr Gresham had a younger brother, perhaps, you know—­’

‘Another just like myself, I suppose,’ said Frank.

‘Oh, yes.  I could not possibly wish for any change.’

‘Just as eloquent as you are, Frank,’ said the Lady Margaretta.

‘And as good a carver,’ said Patience.

’Miss Bateson has lost her heart to him for ever, because of his carving,’ said the Lady Margaretta.

‘But perfection never repeats itself,’ said Patience.

‘Well, you see, I have not got any brothers,’ said Frank; ’so all I can do is to sacrifice myself.’

’Upon my word, Mr Gresham, I am under more than ordinary obligations to you; I am indeed,’ said Miss Oriel, stood still in the path, and made a very graceful curtsy.  ’Dear me! only think, Lady Margaretta, that I should be honoured with an offer from the heir the very moment he is legally entitled to make one.’