“Yes, and she has consented to have me.”

“Well, she is a good girl,” said Mrs. Phillips, “and I am sure I wish you happy with her.  I know you will get on better with her than with Harriett, for she is always so much taken up with herself, and never thinks about other people.  The way she treated me when I was left here with her was shameful; but I’ll not tell Stanley about it if I can help it, for I have got enough to vex him about without grumbling at his sister that he thinks so much of.  But I like both of the Melvilles, and they were both very good to my poor little baby as died in scarlet fever, you know.  We’ll never get a husband for Miss Melville, for the gentlemen are all frightened of her; but it is just as well, for she is a capital governess, Stanley says, and the children like her—­but they like Alice best.”

“And Miss Phillips and Dr. Grant appear to be making it up as fast as possible,” said Brandon, “if I may judge from what I saw and heard at Wiriwilta.”

“I am sure, Mr. Brandon, you never saw such goings on all the time he was in town.  They were together continually, and when he left Melbourne, she said she would like to go up the country too.  I really don’t think Stanley would have liked it.”

“Perhaps they are engaged,” suggested Brandon.

“Perhaps they were; but I think Harriett would have told me that, for she’d have been so proud of it, and I really think it was my dues to hear the first thing besides.”

“I have told you the first thing,” said Brandon.  “I have not been more than half an hour accepted.”

“Well, I am glad you have told me.  I will miss Alice dreadfully, though.  I suppose it will be soon?” said Mrs. Phillips.

“As soon as I can persuade her to take me for better for worse,” said Brandon.

“Oh, she won’t need much persuading, such a good marriage for her as it is,” said Mrs. Phillips, who fancied she knew something of human nature.  “Emily will want to be bridesmaid, she is so fond of both Alice and you.”

“Of course she will wish it, and of course she will have her own way, as usual; but with regard to Mrs. Peck, will you or shall I tell Alice the relation between you and her?  I should like you to be justified to her.”

“Oh, I’ll tell her:  I must wish her joy, and then I will tell her.  And, Mr. Brandon, will you be good enough to stay in the house as much as you can till Stanley comes down from Wiriwilta, and then you will be able to send Mrs. Peck away, for I am too frightened of her to do it myself.  I’ll go and speak to Alice now.”

“Do; and send her in to speak to me, for I have got some business of hers that I must attend to, and I must have some directions from her.”

“Business!” said Mrs. Phillips, incredulously; “I dare say you have got plenty to say to her, but I don’t think as it’s business.”

At the sight of Alice, Mrs. Phillips’s tears burst forth afresh, and for the second time in her life (the first was on the occasion of Eva’s death, when she had felt Alice so very kind), she threw her arms round one of her own sex for sympathy and consolation.