’That’s what he never would do.  He cannot talk to a young lady.  Why he admires Lucy a great deal more than Sophy!’

’Well, judging by the recent brides, I think if it had been me, I should have gone in search of Mrs. Ulick O’More’s younger sister.’

’Ah!  I wanted particularly to hear of your visit at the bank.  You had luncheon there, I think.  How do they get on?’

’It is the most charming menage in the world.  She looks very graceful and elegant, and keeps him in great order, and is just the wife he wanted—­a little sauciness and piquancy to spur him up at one time, and restrain him at another, with the real ballast that both have, makes such a perfect compound, that it is only too delightful to see anything so happy and so good in this world.  They both seem to have such vivid enjoyment of life.’

’Pray, has any one called on Genevieve? though she could dispense with it.’

’Oh, yes; Bryan O’More spent a fortnight there.  And see what a moustache will do!  The Osbornes, Drurys, Wolfes, and Co., all dubbed themselves dear Mrs. O’More’s dearest friends.  I found a circle of them round her, and when I observed that Bryan was not half such a handsome fellow as his brother, you should see how I was scorned.’

’I hope Bryan may not play his father’s game again.  Do you know how she was received in Ireland?’

’The whole clan adore her!  Ulick, with, his Anglo-Saxon truthfulness, got into serious scrapes for endeavouring to disabuse them of the notion that she was sole heiress of the ancient marquisate of Durant.  I believe Connel was ready to call Ulick out for disrespect to his own wife.’

‘And was she happy there!’

’Very much amused, and treated like a queen; charmed with his mother, and great friends with Rose.  They have brought Redmond home to lick him into shape, and I believe Rose is to come and be tamed.’

‘Always Ulick’s wish,’ said Albinia, as her eye fixed upon Sophy.

And her brother, with perhaps too obvious a connexion of ideas, said, ‘Is she quite strong?’

‘Very well,’ said Albinia.  ’I am glad we brought her.  The sight of beauty has been like a new existence.  I saw it on her brow, in calmness and rest, the first evening of the Bay of Naples.  It has seemed to soothe and elevate her, though all in her own silent way; but watch her as she sits with her face to those mountains, hear her voice, and you will feel that the presence of grandeur and beauty is repose and happiness to her; and I think the remembrance will always be so, even in work-a-day Bayford.’

’Yes, because remembrance of such glory connects with hope of future glory.’

’And it is a rest from human frets and passions.  She has taken to botany, too, and I am glad, for I think those studies that draw one off from men’s works and thoughts, do most good to the weary, self-occupied brain.  And the children are a delight to her!’