“That is high praise from a British member of Parliament.  I owe him something for that.  But did you see Peggy before you left?”

“Yes; we went up to bid her good-bye.  I think she will not be long in joining us,” said Jane.

“Well,” said Grant, who, as well as Harriett, felt that Miss Melville was receiving more than her fair share of Brandon’s conversation, “you have not given at all a satisfactory account of yourself.  You have been figuring away in Adelaide, I suppose, and enjoying yourself, and leaving your own affairs and Mr. Phillips’s affairs to mind themselves.”

“And you have been figuring away in Melbourne, Dr. Grant,” said Emily—­she could not bear any aspersion to be cast on her friend, Brandon—­“and then you brought Aunt Harriett away; so you leave no one with poor mamma but Alice.  I am wearying so to see mamma and the baby boy.”

“Suppose you go with me,” said Brandon; “for I am going to Melbourne to-morrow to see them, and I have some business there besides.”

“Oh! that would be delightful.  Miss Melville, may I go?”

“I think not, Emily,” said Jane.  “Your mamma will be soon here, and your papa will be disappointed to find you gone when he comes here.  I should not wonder that he will take you with him when he goes himself, and that would be better, I think.”

“Much better,” said Miss Phillips.  “I wonder that you could think of such a thing as troubling Mr. Brandon to take care of you all that long way.”

Emily made rather a pertinent remark as to her aunt showing her the example, at which Miss Phillips blushed, and Grant looked conscious but delighted.  He could not conceive what was taking Brandon to Melbourne immediately on his return from Adelaide; he did not believe his assertion that he had business to attend to there.  It was another sign of his being spoiled by his visit to England—­it had completely unsettled him.

Now that Brandon had heard that his letter had never reached Elsie, and consequently that he had not been treated by her with discourtesy or unkindness, he felt relieved; but, at the same time, a little sorry that all his trouble had been wasted, and that it was all to do over again.  A few months ago he had lamented that he could not have it out by word of mouth; but now he regretted this letter had not, at least, broken the ice, and inclined her to listen to his suit.  However, things had come to such a pass that he could not wait an indefinite time; he must go to Melbourne and learn his fate without delay.  He left Edgar at Wiriwilta, where Emily thought him very much improved, and where the boy was exceedingly happy.  He took a great fancy to Miss Melville, who was very different from the fond anxious women who had brought him up, but whose experiences with the Lowries had given her great interest in boys of that age, and who knew so much on all subjects that she never failed to win upon them, if they were tolerably intelligent and well disposed.