During Brandon’s honeymoon, Dr. Grant had got matters in such excellent train that he made his proposal in due form, and was accepted; but there could not be such promptitude in carrying it out as in Brandon’s case, for he could never think of taking a lady of Miss Phillips’s pretensions to Ben More without making considerable additions and improvements on it, and the masons and carpenters were very slow about their work.  The pangs occasioned by delay were sweetened by frequent and long visits; and the plan of his house, and of the garden which he was laying out and planting, was constantly in the hands of the betrothed lovers for mutual suggestions and admiration.  At last the day was fixed, and it was to be a very grand affair.  There was to be a special licence, and she was to be married from her brother’s house, as there was no English church within reasonable distance.  The Lord Bishop of Melbourne was to come out to perform the ceremony, and all the neighbours from far and near were invited;—­the Ballantynes and some of their town acquaintance besides.  There were to be thirty-five at breakfast; and little or nothing could be had from town, so there was an extraordinary amount of cooking going on at Wiriwilta.  Mrs. Bennett, who was worth any two of the women servants in the house, was going hither and thither, and surpassing herself in her culinary successes.  Emily was instructing Harriett how she was to behave on the following day as bridesmaid, for the two little girls were to support their aunt on the trying occasion; and after officiating in that capacity at the marriage of her favourites, Brandon and Alice, Emily felt quite experienced on the subject.  Their dresses were very pretty; and as for Miss Phillips’s, it was magnificent, for she thought, if there ever was an occasion on which one should be richly dressed, it was on an occasion like this.  Mrs. Phillips had been persuaded for once to allow her sister-in-law to outshine her, at least so far as she could do so.  Jane was as busy in the kitchen as any one; when she was called away by Miss Phillips, to be consulted as to how her veil should be disposed of, for Mrs. Phillips had declined to give an opinion—­and there were two modes of arranging it that she was doubtful about.  Could not Miss Melville settle that knotty point?

“I really cannot say; one seems to me to look as well as the other,” said Jane.

“That is very unsatisfactory,” said Harriett.  “I know they are not equally becoming.”

“Elsie will be here this evening,” said Jane, “or early to-morrow morning; and I am sure she will be most happy to give the last touches to your dress.  Her taste is good, and you know how wretched mine is.”

“Well, I suppose I must trust to that; but I should prefer to have everything settled to-day, so that my mind might be quite easy.  I should not like to look flurried to-morrow.  I must ask Dr. Grant when he comes in.  Perhaps he will give me an idea.  Your sister’s dress was very simple, she told me; but then the affair was so hurried—­there was no time to make preparations.  We have not that excuse, thanks to those tiresome tradespeople.  But Alice and Brandon seem to get on pretty comfortably.”