Mr Glascock remained with her for some time, but made no opportunity for giving that invitation to Monkhams of which Caroline had spoken.  As he said afterwards, he found it impossible to expect her to attend to any subject so trivial; and when, afterwards, Caroline told him, with some slight mirth, the capability of which on such a subject was coming to her with her new ideas of life, that, though he was partly saved as a man and a brother, still he was partly the reverse as a feudal lord, he began to reflect that Wallachia Petrie would be a guest with whom he would find it very difficult to make things go pleasantly at Monkhams.

‘Does she not bully you horribly?’ he asked.

‘Of course she bullies me,’ Caroline answered; ’and I cannot expect you to understand as yet how it is that I love her and like her; but I do.  If I were in distress tomorrow, she would give everything she has in the world to put me right.’

‘So would I,’ said he.

’Ah, you, that is a matter of course.  That is your business now.  And she would give everything she has in the world to set the world right.  Would you do that?’

’It would depend on the amount of my faith.  If I could believe in the result, I suppose I should do it.’

’She would do it on the slightest hope that such giving would have any tendency that way.  Her philanthropy is all real.  Of course she is a bore to you.’

‘I am very patient.’

’I hope I shall find you so always.  And, of course, she is ridiculous in your eyes.  I have learned to see it, and to regret it; but I shall never cease to love her.’

’I have not the slightest objection.  Her lessons will come from over the water, and mine will come from where shall I say? over the table.  If I can’t talk her down with so much advantage on my side, I ought to be made a woman’s-right man myself.’

Poor Lady Rowley had watched Miss Petrie and Mr Glascock during those moments that they had been together, and had half believed the rumour, and had half doubted, thinking in the moments of her belief that Mr Glascock must be mad, and in the moments of unbelief that the rumours had been set afloat by the English Minister’s wife with the express intention of turning Mr Glascock into ridicule.  It had never occurred to her to doubt that Wallachia was the eldest of that family of nieces.  Could it be possible that a man who had known her Nora, who had undoubtedly loved her Nora, who had travelled all the way from London to Nuncombe Putney to ask Nora to be his wife, should within twelve months of that time have resolved to marry a woman whom he must have selected simply as being the most opposite to Nora of any female human being that he could find?  It was not credible to her; and if it were not true, there might still be a hope.  Nora had met him, and had spoken to him, and it had seemed that for a moment or two they had spoken as friends.  Lady Rowley, when talking to Mrs Spalding, had watched them closely; and she had seen that Nora’s eyes had been bright, and that there had been something between them which was pleasant.  Suddenly she found herself close to Wallachia, and thought that she would trust herself to a word.