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Rh 'I suppose it's all for the best.'

'I hope it is,' said Madeline. What could she do but hope so?

'Your papa understands everything so very well that I am sure he would not let him come if it were not proper.'

'I suppose not,' said Madeline.

'And now I look upon the matter as all settled.'

'What matter, mamma?'

'That he—that he is to come here as your lover.'

'Oh, no, mamma. Pray don't imagine that. It is not so at all. What should I do if you were to say anything to make him think so?'

'But you told me that you loved him.'

'So I do, mamma.'

'And he told your papa that he was desperately in love with you.'

'I don't know, mamma.'

'But he did;—your papa told me so, and that's why he asked him to come down here again. He never would have done it without.'

Madeline had her own idea about this, believing that her father had thought more of her wants in the matter than he had of those of Felix Graham; but as to this she said nothing. 'Nevertheless, mamma, you must not say that to any one,' she answered. 'Mr. Graham has never spoken to me,—not a word. I should of course have told you had he done so.'

'Yes, I am sure of that. But, Madeline, I suppose it's all the same. He asked papa for permission to speak to you, and your papa has given it.'

'I'm sure I don't know, mamma.'

It was a quarter of an hour after that when Lady Staveley again returned to the subject. 'I am sure Mr. Graham is very clever, and all that.'

'Papa says that he is very clever indeed.'

'I'm quite sure he is, and he makes himself very nice in the house, always talking when there are people to dinner. Mr. Arbuthnot has got a very nice place in Warwickshire, and they say he'll come in for the county some day.'

'Of course, mamma, if there should be anything of that sort, we should not be rich people, like Isabella and Mr. Arbuthnot.'

'Not at first, dear.'

'Neither first nor last. But I don't care about that. If you and papa will like him, and—and—if it should come to that!—Oh, mamma, he is so good, and so clever, and he understands things, and talks about things as though he knew how to make himself master of them. And he is honest and proud. Oh, mamma, if it should be so, I do hope you will love him.'