Miss Finlayson then turned to Mr. Wallowby, enquired the length of his stay in the neighbourhood, and expressed Lady Caroline's regret that she had not seen him at dinner the day he shot with Captain John, and mentioned the many interesting things they had been disappointed of showing him. Mr. Wallowby was a radical, and therefore enjoyed the idea of having excited interest in a titled lady--all democrats like distinguished company. The American variety live, when possible, exclusively among Colonels and Judges; but in England where these are few, a lord or a lady is a being whom it is happiness to have spoken to. He expressed his wish to call before leaving the neighbourhood, and she, by enumerating the real or imaginary engagements of her ladyship for all the days but one, secured that if the visit were made it should be on a day when the gentlemen would be absent. She dared not inflict a distasteful guest upon them, but she knew she could coax Lady Caroline into complaisance for one afternoon. She also produced a few of her best smiles and pretty speeches, and offered them tentatively to the gentleman, who rose to them freely; and, to change the metaphor, was indeed in very high feather. When the visit came to an end, he manifested considerably more _empressement_ in seeing the lady to her carriage than Mrs. Sangster thought was at all called for, and she went up stairs at once to her daughter's room to see if she could not be brought down, and make a little way with him in his present lively mood, or show at least how much handsomer she was than the agreeable young person who had just driven away. Alas! poor Sophia's cold in the head was too severe, her face was swollen and flushed, her eyes were watery, and several letters of the alphabet were beyond her power of speech. The mother sighed, but had the wisdom to admit she was best in her own room. Wallowby went up to see Peter, who was trying to deaden his pains with tobacco, to tell what a remarkably fine girl had just left the house. Peter would not admit the fineness, but he mentioned what told more strongly in her favour-her relationship to the noble family of Pitthevlis. 'Really aristocratic!' said Wallowby. 'I knew it, the moment I saw her. A most elegant person, and she seems to know a well-looking Englishman when she sees one. Most remarkable, Peter, how well we got on together!--seemed to understand each other from the very first. You know I am rather a stiff and reserved fellow in general, with perhaps just a shade of hauteur. But somehow, we just dropped into each other's way at once. Most remarkable!' Somehow he forgot to say anything about the intended visit to Inchbracken. In fact he meant to make that alone, and he trusted to Peter's rheumatism lasting long enough to prevent his wishing to accompany him. CHAPTER XVII. _RODERICK_.