‘Is that a sin?’

’Not at all in the woman who has it; but in the man who is going to marry it, yes.  Can’t you see how we have all been at cross-purposes, and what mamma has been thinking and saying of poor Mr Glascock?  You mustn’t repeat it, of course; but we have had such a battle here about it.  We thought that mamma had lost her eyes and her ears and her knowledge of things in general.  And now it has all come out!  You won’t be angry?’

‘Why should I be angry?’

‘Miss Spalding,’ said Lady Rowley, ’I am really unhappy at what has occurred, and I hope that there may be nothing more said about it.  I am quite sure that somebody told me wrong, or I should not have fallen into such an error.  I beg your pardon and Mr Glascock’s!’

‘Beg Mr Glascock’s pardon, certainly,’ said Lucy.

Miss Spalding looked very pretty, smiled very gracefully, and coming up to Lady Rowley to say good-bye, kissed her on her cheeks.  This overcame the spirit of the disappointed mother, and Lady Rowley never said another word against Caroline Spalding or her marriage.  ’Now, mamma, what do you think of her?’ said Nora, as soon as Caroline was gone.

’Was it odd, my dear, that I should be astonished at his wanting to marry that other woman?’

’But, mamma, when we told you that she was young and pretty and bright!’

’I thought that you were all demented.  I did indeed.  I still think it a pity that he should take an American.  I think that Miss Spalding is very nice, but there are English girls quite as nice-looking as her.’  After that there was not another word said by Lady Rowley against Caroline Spalding.

Nora, when she thought of it all that night, felt that she had hardly spoken to Miss Spalding as she should have spoken as to the treatment in England which would be accorded to Mr Glascock’s wife.  She became aware of the effect which her own hesitation must have had, and thought that it was her duty to endeavour to remove it.  Perhaps, too, the conversion of her mother had some effect in making her feel that she had been wrong in supposing that there would be any difficulty in Caroline’s position in England.  She had heard so much adverse criticism from her mother that she had doubted in spite of her own convictions; but now it had come to light that Lady Rowley’s criticisms had all come from a most absurd blunder.  ‘Only fancy;’ she said to herself ’Miss Petrie coming out as Lady Peterborough!  Poor mamma!’ And then she thought of the reception which would be given to Caroline, and of the place the future Lady Peterborough would fill in the world, and of the glories of Monkhams!  Resolving that she would do her best to counteract any evil which she might have done, she seated herself at her desk, and wrote the following letter to Miss Spalding: 

’My Dear Caroline,