“Poor child,” said Jane, “she looks like a flower; one is sorry it should be meddled with.”

“So did my sister Stella, and there, contrary to all our fears, the course of true love did run smooth.”

“If it depended entirely on Rotherwood himself, I think it would,” said Jane, “but-—” She paused and went on, “Ivinghoe is, I fear, really volage, and he is the mark of a good many London mammas.”

“Is it true about Mrs. Henderson’s sister?”

“There’s nothing in it.  I believe he danced with her a few times, and the silly little thing put her own construction on it, but her sister made her confess that he had never said a word to her, nor made love in any sense.  Indeed, my sister Adeline would never have consented to her coming here if she had believed in it, but Maura has a Greek nature and turns the Whites round her fingers.  Well, I hope all will go well with your pretty Franceska.  I should not like her lovely bloom to be faded by Ivinghoe.  He is Rotherwood’s own boy, though rather a prig, and a man in London.  Oh, you know what that means!”

“We have done notre possible to keep our interpretation from the poor child, or any hint of it from reaching her mother.”

“That’s right.  Poor Rowena, I hope the spark will be blown out, or remain only a pleasant recollection.  As to little Maura, she had her lesson when she was reduced to hanging on Captain Henderson’s other arm!  She is off to-day to meet Mr. White in London.  That purpose has been served.”

“And have you not a nearer interest?”

“Oh, Gillian!  Well, Captain Armytage did get hold of her, in what we must now call the Lover’s Walk!  Yes, she has yielded, to her father’s great satisfaction and perhaps to her mother’s, for she will be more comfortable in looking forward to a commonplace life for her than in the dread of modern aberrations.  But Gillian is very funny, very much ashamed of having given in, and perfectly determined to go to her college and finish her education, which she may as well do while the Sparrow Hawk is at sea.  He is off to-day, and she says she is very glad to be rid of him.  She sat down at once to her dynamite, as Primrose calls it, having bound over Mysie and Valetta never to mention the subject!  I tell them that to obey in silence is the way to serve the poor man best.”

Miss Mohun was interrupted by the announcement of Lady Flight and Mr. Flight, who came equally eager with delight and gratitude to thank the House of Underwood for the triumph.  The rest of the clergy of Rockquay and half the ladies might be expected, and in despair at last of a “lucid interval,” Geraldine ordered the carriage for a long drive into the country, so as to escape all visitors.  Even then, they could not got up the hill without being stopped four or five times to receive the thanks and compliments which nearly drove Gerald crazy, so much did he want to hear what his family had to say to his plans, that he had actually consented to partake of a dowager-drive in a landau!