Perhaps it was for this very reason that Mr. Mohun allowed Lily to escape with no more than a jesting reproof.  Lord Rotherwood wished to make his cousin’s hardihood and enterprise an example to his sister, and, in his droll exaggerating way, represented such walks as every-day occurrences.  This was just the contrary to what Emily wished her aunt to believe, and Claude was much diverted with the struggle between her politeness to Lord Rotherwood and her desire to maintain the credit of the family.

Lady Florence, though liking Lilias, thought this walk extravagant.  Emily feared Lilias had lost her aunt’s good opinion, and prepared herself for some hints about a governess.  It was untoward; but in the course of the evening she was a little comforted by a proposal from Lady Rotherwood to take her and Lilias to a ball at Raynham, which was to take place in January; and as soon as the gentlemen appeared, they submitted the invitation to their father, while Lady Rotherwood pressed William to accompany them, and he was refusing.

‘What are soldiers intended for but to dance!’ said Lord Rotherwood.

‘I never dance,’ said William, with a grave emphasis.

‘I am out of the scrape,’ said the Marquis.  ’I shall be gone before it takes place; I reserve all my dancing for July 30th.  Well, young ladies, is the Baron propitious?’

‘He says he will consider of it,’ said Emily.

‘Oh then, he will let you go,’ said Florence, ’people never consider when they mean no.’

‘No, Florence,’ said her brother, ’Uncle Mohun’s “consider of it” is equivalent to Le Roi’s “avisera."’

‘What is he saying?’ asked Lily, turning to listen.  ’Oh, that my wig is in no ball-going condition.’

‘A wreath would hide all deficiencies,’ said Florence; ’I am determined to have you both.’

‘I give small hopes of both,’ said Claude; ’you will only have Emily.’

‘Why do you think so, Claude?’ cried both Florence and Lilias.

‘From my own observation,’ Claude answered, gravely.

‘I am very angry with the Baron,’ said Lord Rotherwood; ’he is grown inhospitable:  he will not let me come here to-morrow—­the first Christmas these five years that I have missed paying my respects to the New Court sirloin and turkey.  It is too bad—­and the Westons dining here too.’

‘Cousin Turkey-cock, well may you be in a passion,’ muttered Claude, as if in soliloquy.

Lord Rotherwood and Lilias both caught the sound, and laughed, but Emily, unwilling that Florence should see what liberties they took with her brother, asked quickly why he was not to come.

‘I think we are much obliged to him,’ said Florence, ’it would be too bad to leave mamma and me to spend our Christmas alone, when we came to the castle on purpose to oblige him.’

’Ay, and he says he will not let me come here, because I ought to give the Hetherington people ocular demonstration that I go to church,’ said Lord Rotherwood.