Isabel’s wedding was declared by the newspapers to have been one of the most brilliant remembered in the metropolis.  There were six bridesmaids, of whom of course Mary was one,—­and of whom poor Lady Mabel Grex was equally of course not another.  Poor Lady Mabel was at this time with Miss Cassewary at Grex, paying what she believed would be a last visit to the old family home.  Among the others were two American girls, brought into that august society for the sake of courtesy rather than of personal love.  And there were two other Palliser girls and a Scotch McCloskie cousin.  The breakfast was of course given by Mr Boncassen at his home in Brook Street, where the bridal presents were displayed.  And not only were they displayed; but a list of them, with an approximate statement as to their value, appeared in one or two of the next day’s newspapers;—­ as to which terrible sin against good taste neither was Mr or Mrs Boncassen guilty.  But in these days, in which such splendid things were done on so very splendid a scale, a young lady cannot herself lay out her friends’ gifts so as to be properly seen by her friends.  Some well-skilled, well-paid hand is needed even for that, and hence comes this public information on affairs which should surely be private.  In our grandmothers’ time the happy bride’s happy mother herself compounded the cake;—­or at any rate the trusted housekeeper.  But we all know that terrible tower of silver which now stands niddle-noddling with its appendages of flags and spears on the modern wedding breakfast-table.  It will come to pass with some of us soon that we must deny ourselves the pleasure of having young friends, because their marriage presents are so costly.

Poor Mrs Boncassen had not perhaps a happy time with her august guests on that morning; but when she retired to give Isabel her last kiss in privacy she did feel proud to think that her daughter would some day be an English Duchess.

CHAPTER 80

The Second Wedding

November is not altogether an hymeneal month, but it was not till November that Lady Mary Palliser became the wife of Frank Tregear.  It was postponed a little perhaps, in order that the Silverbridges,—­as they were now called,—­might be present.  The Silverbridges, who were now quite Darby and Joan, had gone to the States when the Session had been brought to a close early in August, and had remained there nearly three months.  Isabel had taken infinite pleasure in showing her English husband to her American friends, and the American friends had not doubt taken pride in seeing so glorious a British husband in the hands of an American wife.  Everything was new to Silverbridge, and he was happy in his new possession.  She too enjoyed it infinitely, and so it happened that they were unwilling to curtail their sojourn.  But in November they had to return, because Mary had declared that her marriage should be postponed till it could be graced by the presence of her elder brother.