"I explained to you my wishes about this house, and you disregarded them altogether." The old lady looked up at her eldest daughter as though to say, "There,--that was your sin." "I knew what was better for you and better for me. It is impossible that there should be pleasant intercourse between you and my wife, and I recommended you to go elsewhere. If you had done so I would have taken care that you were comfortable." Again the Marchioness looked at Lady Sarah with bitter reproaches in her eyes. "What interest in life would we have had in a distant home?" said Lady Sarah. "Why not you as well as other people?" "Because, unlike other people, we have become devoted to one spot. The property belongs to you." "I hope so." "But the obligations of the property have been, at any rate, as near to us as to you. Society, I suppose, may be found in a new place, but we do not care much for society." "Then it would have been so much the easier." "But it would have been impossible for us to find new duties." "Nonsense," said the Marquis, "humbug; d----d trash." "If you cannot speak otherwise than like that before your mother, Brotherton, I think you had better leave her," said Lady Sarah, bravely. "Don't, Sarah,--don't!" said the Marchioness. "It is trash and nonsense, and humbug. I told you that you were better away, and you determined to stay. I knew what was best for you, but you chose to be obstinate. I have not the slightest doubt as to who did it." "We were all of the same mind," said Lady Susanna. "Alice said it would be quite cruel that mamma should be moved." Alice was now the wife of Canon Holdenough. "It would have been very bad for us all to go away," said Lady Amelia. "George was altogether against it," said Lady Susanna. "And the Dean," said Lady Amelia, indiscreetly. "The Dean!" exclaimed the Marquis. "Do you mean to say that that stable boy has been consulted about my affairs? I should have thought that not one of you would have spoken to George after he had disgraced himself by such a marriage." "There was no need to consult any one," said Lady Sarah. "And we do not think George's marriage at all disgraceful." "Mary is a very nice young person," said the Marchioness. "I dare say. Whether she is nice or not is very little to me. She has got some fortune, and I suppose that was what he wanted. As you are all of you fixed here now, and seem to have spent a lot of money, I suppose you will have to remain. You have turned my tenant out----" "Mr. Price was quite willing to go," said Lady Susanna. "I dare say. I trust he may be as willing to give up the land when his lease is out. I have been told that he is a sporting friend of the Dean's. It seems to me that you have, all of you, got into a nice mess here by yourselves. All I want you to understand is that I cannot now trouble myself about you." "You don't mean to give us up," said the afflicted mother. "You'll come and see me sometimes, won't you?"