That was not a long day.  It was only too short, though Mr. and Mrs. Kendal stayed three hours longer than on the last occasion.  Mr. Kendal faced Mary Reid without flinching, and she, having been previously informed that Albinia’s husband was the most silent and shy man in existence, began to doubt her sister’s veracity.  And Albinia, instead of dealing out a shower of fireworks, to hide what, if not gloom, was at least twilight, was now ‘temperately bright,’ talking naturally of what most concerned her with the sprightliness of her happy temper, but without effort; and gratifying Winifred by a great deal more notice of the new niece and namesake than she had ever bestowed on either of her predecessors in their infant days.  Moreover, Lucy’s two long visits had made Mrs. Ferrars feel a strong interest in her, and, with a sort of maternal affection, she inquired after the cuttings of the myrtle which she had given her.

‘Ah!’ said Albinia, ‘I never honoured gardening so much.’

‘I know you would never respect it in me.’

’As you know, I love a walk with an object, and never could abide breaking my back, pottering over a pink with a stem that wont support it, and a calyx that wont hold it.’

‘And Lucy converted you when I could not!’

’If you had known my longing for some wholesome occupation for her, such as could hurt neither herself nor any one else, and the pleasure of seeing her engrossed by anything innocent, making it so easy to gratify her.  Why, a new geranium is a constant fund of ecstasy, and I do not believe she was ever so grateful to her father in her life as when he gave her a forcing-frame.  Anything is a blessing that makes people contented at home, and takes them out of themselves.’

’Lucy is a very nice, pleasant inmate; her ready obligingness and facility of adapting herself make her very agreeable.’

‘Yes,’ said Albinia, ’she is the “very woman,” taking her complexion from things around, and so she will go smoothly through the world, and be always preferred to my poor turbid, deep-souled Sophy.’

‘Are you going to be very angry with me?’

’Ah! you do not know Sophy!  Poor, dear child!  I do so long that she could have—­if it were but one day, one hour, of real, free, glowing happiness!  I think it would sweeten and open her heart wonderfully just to have known it!  If I could but see any chance of it, but I am afraid her health will always be against her, and oh! that dreadful sense of depression!  Do you know, Winifred, I do think love would be the best chance.  Now, don’t laugh; I do assure you there is no reason Sophy should not be very handsome.’

‘Quite as handsome as the owl’s children, my dear.’

’Well, the owls are the only young birds fit to be seen.  But I tell you, Sophy’s profile is as regular as her father’s, and animation makes her eyes beautiful, and she has grown immensely since she has been lying down, so that she will come out without that disproportioned look.  If her eyebrows were rather less marked, and her complexion—­but that will clear.’