“Adolphus! why it’s not a month since he was here.”

“And he’s not coming only for a visit; he’s coming to stay here; from what your father says, I suppose he’ll stay here the greater part of the summer.”

“What, stay at Grey Abbey all May and June?” said Lady Selina, evidently discrediting so unlikely a story, and thinking it all but impossible that her brother should immure himself at Grey Abbey during the London season.

“It’s true, my lady,” said Griffiths, oracularly; as if her word were necessary to place the countess’s statement beyond doubt.

“Yes,” continued Lady Cashel; “and he has given up all his establishment in London—­his horses, and clubs, and the opera, and all that.  He’ll go into Parliament, I dare say, now, for the county; at any rate he’s coming to live at home here for the summer.”

“And has he sold all his horses?” asked Lady Selina.

“If he’s not done it, he’s doing it,” said the countess.  “I declare I’m delighted with him; it shows such proper feeling.  I always knew he would; I was sure that when the time came for doing it, Adolphus would not forget what was due to himself and to his family.”

“If what you say is true, mamma, he’s going to be married.”

“That’s just what I was thinking, my lady,” said Griffiths.  “When her ladyship first told me all about it,—­how his lordship was coming down to live regular and decorous among his own people, and that he was turning his back upon his pleasures and iniquities, thinks I to myself there’ll be wedding favours coming soon to Grey Abbey.”

“If it is so, Selina, your father didn’t say anything to me about it,” said the countess, somewhat additionally flustered by the importance of the last suggestion; “and if he’d even guessed such a thing, I’m sure he’d have mentioned it.”

“It mightn’t be quite fixed, you know, mamma:  but if Adolphus is doing as you say, you may be sure he’s either engaged, or thinking of becoming so.”

“Well, my dear, I’m sure I wish it may be so; only I own I’d like to know, because it makes a difference, as to the people he’d like to meet, you know.  I’m sure nothing would delight me so much as to receive Adolphus’s wife.  Of course she’d always be welcome to lie in here—­indeed it’d be the fittest place.  But we should be dreadfully put about, eh, Griffiths?”

“Why, we should, my lady; but, to my mind, this would be the only most proper place for my lord’s heir to be born in.  If the mother and child couldn’t have the best of minding here, where could they?”

“Of course, Griffiths; and we wouldn’t mind the trouble, on such an occasion.  I think the south room would be the best, because of the dressing-room being such a good size, and neither of the fireplaces smoking, you know.”

“Well, I don’t doubt but it would, my lady; only the blue room is nearer to your ladyship here, and in course your ladyship would choose to be in and out.”