’If you are driving into Hollingford, Harriet, perhaps you will take these books to Miss Kirkpatrick,’ said Lady Cumnor, after she had sealed her note with all the straightness and correctness befitting a countess of her immaculate character.  ’I understand they are all going up to London to-morrow for this wedding, in spite of what I said to Clare of the duty of being married in one’s own parish-church.  She told me at the time that she entirely agreed with me, but that her husband had such a strong wish for a visit to London, that she did not know how she could oppose him consistently with her wifely duty.  I advised her to repeat to him my reasons for thinking that they would be ill-advised to have the marriage in town; but I am afraid she has been overruled.  That was her one great fault when she lived with us; she was always so yielding, and never knew how to say “No."’

‘Mamma!’ said Lady Harriet, with a little sly coaxing in her tone.  ’Do you think you would have been so fond of her, if she had opposed you, and said, “No,” when you wished her to say, “Yes?"’

’To be sure I should, my dear.  I like everybody to have an opinion of their own; only when my opinions are based on thought and experience, which few people have had equal opportunities of acquiring, I think it is but proper deference in others to allow themselves to be convinced.  In fact, I think it is only obstinacy which keeps them from acknowledging that they are.  I am not a despot, I hope?’ she asked, with some anxiety.

‘If you are, dear mamma,’ said Lady Harriet, kissing the stern uplifted face very fondly, ’I like a despotism better than a republic, and I must be very despotic over my ponies, for it is already getting very late for my drive round by Ash-holt.’  But when she arrived at the Gibsons’, she was detained so long there by the state of the family, that she had to give up her going to Ash-holt.

Molly was sitting in the drawing-room pale and trembling, and keeping herself quiet only by a strong effort.  She was the only person there when Lady Harriet entered; the room was all in disorder, strewed with presents and paper, and pasteboard boxes, and half-displayed articles of finery.

’You look like Marius sitting amidst the ruins of Carthage, my dear!  What’s the matter?  Why have you got on that woe-begone face?  This marriage is not broken off, is it?  Though nothing would surprise me where the beautiful Cynthia is concerned.’

’Oh, no! that’s all right.  But I have caught a fresh cold, and papa says he thinks I had better not go to the wedding.’

‘Poor little one!  And it’s the first visit to London too!’