She had heard of ecstatic letters from both the cousins, and Mary had been delighted to identify Miss Conway with the Isabel of whom one of her school friends spoke rapturously, but the last letter had beenfrom James to his grandmother, declaring that Lord Ormersfield was destroying the happiness of the most dutiful of sons, who was obedient even to tameness, and so absurd that there was no bearing him.  His lordship must hear reason, and learn that he was rejecting the most admirable creature in existence, her superiority of mind exceeding even her loveliness of person.  He had better beware of tyranny; it was possible to abuse submission, and who could answer for the consequences of thwarting strong affections?  All the ground Fitzjocelyn had gained in the last six weeks had been lost; and for the future, James would not predict.

‘An uncomfortable matter,’ said Mrs. Ponsonby, chiefly for the sake of reading her daughter’s feelings.  ’If it were not in poor Louis’s mind already, his father and James would plant it there by their contrary efforts.’

‘Oh!  I hope it will come right,’ said Mary.  ’Louis is too good, and his father too kind, for it not to end well.  And then, mamma, he will be able to prove, what nobody will believe—­that he is constant.’

‘You think so, do you?’ said her mother, smiling.

Mary blushed, but answered, ’where he really cared, he would be constant.  His fancy might be taken, and he might rave, but he would never really like what was not good.—­If he does think about Miss Conway, we may trust she is worthy of him.  Oh!  I should like to see her!’

Mary’s eyes lighted up with an enthusiasm that used to be a stranger to them.  It was not the over-acted indifference nor the tender generosity of disappointment:  it seemed more to partake of the fond, unselfish, elder-sisterly affection that she had always shown towards Louis, and it set her mother quite at ease.

Seeing Lord Ormersfield riding into the terrace, Mary set out for a walk, that he might have his tete-a-tete freely with her mother.  On coming home, she met him on the stairs; and he spoke with a sad softness and tone of pardon that alarmed her so much, that she hastened to ask her mother whether Louis had really avowed an attachment.

‘Oh no,’ said Mrs. Ponsonby; ’he has written a very right-minded letter, on the whole, poor boy! though he is sure the Conways have only to be known to be appreciated.  Rather too true!  It is in his Miss Fanny hand, stiff and dispirited; and his father has worked himself into such a state of uneasiness, that I think it will end in his going to Ebbscreek at once.’

‘O mamma, you won’t let him go and torment Louis?’

’Why, Mary, have you been learning of James?  Perhaps he would torment him more from a distance; and besides, I doubt what sort of counsellor James is likely to make in his present mood.’

‘I never could see that James made any difference to Louis,’ said Mary.  ’I know people think he does, because Louis gives up wishes and plans to him; but he is not led in opinions or principles, as far as I can see.’