This was a little sermon which Mary was quite contented to endure in silence.  She was, in truth, fond of the young American beauty, and had felt a pleasure in the intimacy which the girl had proposed to her.  But she thought it inexpedient that Miss Boncassen, Lady Mabel, and Silverbridge, should be at Matching together.  Therefore she made a reply to her father’s sermon which hardly seemed to go to the point at issue.  ‘She is so beautiful!’ she said.

‘Very beautiful,’ said the Duke.  ’But what has that to do with it?  My girl need not be jealous of any girl’s beauty.’  Mary laughed and shook her head.  ‘What is it then?’

‘Perhaps Silverbridge might admire her.’

’I have no doubt he would,—­or does, for I am aware that they have met.  But why should he not admire her?’

‘I don’t know,’ said Lady Mary sheepishly.

’I fancy there is no danger in that direction.  I think Silverbridge understands what is expected from him.’  Had not Silverbridge plainly shown that he had understood what was expected from him when he selected Lady Mabel?  Nothing could have been more proper, and the Duke had been altogether satisfied.  That in such a matter there should have been a change in so short a time did not occur to him.  Poor Mary was now completely silenced.  She had been told that Silverbridge understood what was expected from him; and of course could not fail to carry home to herself an accusation that she failed to understand what was expected from her.

She had written her letters, but had not yet sent them.  Those to Mrs Finn and the two younger ladies had been easy enough.  Could Mr and Mrs Finn come to Matching on the twentieth of November?  ’Papa says that you promised to return, and thinks this time will perhaps suit you.’  And then to Lady Mabel:  ’Do come if you can; and papa particularly says that he hopes Miss Cassewary will come also.’  To Miss Boncassen she had written a long letter, but that too had been written very easily.  ’I write to you instead of your mamma because I know you.  You must tell her that, and then she will not be angry.  I am only papa’s messenger, and I am to say how much he hopes that you will come on the twentieth.  Mr Boncassen is to bring the whole British Museum if he wishes.’  Then there was a little postscript which showed that there was already considerable intimacy between the two young ladies:  ’We won’t have either Mr L or Lord P.’  Not a word was said about Lord Silverbridge.  There was not even an initial to indicate his name.

But the letter to her brother was more difficult.  In her epistles to those others she had so framed her words as if possible to bring them to Matching.  But in writing to her brother, she was anxious to write as to deter him from coming.  She was bound to obey her father’s commands.  He had desired that Silverbridge should be asked to come,—­and he was asked to come.  But she craftily endeavoured