‘How marvellously your bride has changed since she has been here,’ said Mrs MacHugh to Miss Stanbury.  ’We thought she couldn’t say boo to a goose at first; but she holds her own now among the best of ’em.’

’Of course she does; why shouldn’t she?  I never knew a Stanbury yet that was a fool.’

They are a wonderful family, of course,’ said Mrs MacHugh; ’but I think that of all of them she is the most wonderful.  Old Barty said something to her at my house yesterday that wasn’t intended to be kind.’

‘When did he ever intend to be kind?’

’But he got no change out of her.  “The Burgesses have been in Exeter a long time,” she said, “and I don’t see why we should not get on at any rate as well as those before us.”  Barty grunted and growled and slunk away.  He thought she would shake in her shoes when he spoke to her.’

‘He has never been able to make a Stanbury shake in her shoes yet,’ said the old lady.

Early in September, Dorothy went to Nuncombe Putney to spend a week with her mother and sister at the cottage.  She had insisted on this, though Priscilla had hinted, somewhat unnecessarily, that Dorothy, with her past comforts and her future prospects, would find the accommodation at the cottage very limited.  ’I suppose you and I, Pris, can sleep in the same bed, as we always did,’ she said, with a tear in each eye.  Then Priscilla had felt ashamed of herself, and had bade her come.

‘The truth is, Dolly,’ said the elder sister, ’that we feel so unlike marrying and giving in marriage at Nuncombe, that I’m afraid you’ll lose your brightness and become dowdy, and grim, and misanthropic, as we are.  When mamma and I sit down to what we call dinner, I always feel that there is a grace hovering in the air different to that which she says.’

‘And what is it, Pris?’

’"Pray, God, don’t quite starve us, and let everybody else have indigestion.”  We don’t say it out loud, but there it is; and the spirit of it might damp the orange blossoms.’

She went of course, and the orange blossoms were not damped.  She had long walks with her sister round by Niddon and Ridleigh, and even as far distant as Cockchaffington, where much was said about that wicked Colonel as they stood looking at the porch of the church.  ’I shall be so happy,’ said Dorothy, ’when you and mother come to us.  It will be such a joy to me that you should be my guests.’

‘But we shall not come.’

‘Why not, Priscilla?’

‘I know it will be so.  Mamma will not care for going, if I do not go.’

‘And why should you not come?’

’For a hundred reasons, all of which you know, Dolly.  I am stiff, impracticable, ill-conditioned, and very bad at going about visiting.  I am always thinking that other people ought to have indigestion, and perhaps I might come to have some such feeling about you and Brooke.’

‘I should not be at all afraid of that.’