Hester smiled. "You forget," she said, "that I lived all my life among similar people, and am of them. You can't expect me to admit that they are dreadful." "O, I know all that; you need not talk like that to me, Hester, or pretend that you ever were like the Thacker girls. They are like human peonies. I shall never forget Rebecca's parasol, with a pink-coral handle, and her opera-cloak with amber buttons." "They are very fond of bright colours and jewelry, certainly. I don't dispute that, or hope to correct it; but they are old friends, and I am very constant to them." "So you are to all friends, Hester, and in that wonderfully unlike most women of the world; and you know the world as well as any one, I think. But talking of old friends and constancy, what about that silly girl Streightley's sister, that Katharine, and you too, Hester, bored one to death with last year?" "She is coming to me shortly, to stay with me while Gordon goes to the Scotch moors; and I shall keep her until we go to town. Then she is to be married early in the winter." "Indeed!" said Lady Henmarsh in a dissatisfied tone, which referred to the earlier portion of the reply. "I wonder her brother likes her coming here; it must be rather awkward for her, and for him too." "O no, I think not," replied Hester quickly, and with a slight change of colour. "She does not mind, I am sure." "That's well," said Lady Henmarsh. "Do you see much of poor Streightley? I have not heard of him for an age. I never can get over his unfeeling conduct to poor Ned Guyon. I know all about it, you know; for Ned wrote me every thing--refusing him money when he was on the brink of ruin; horrid, wasn't it? So I really know nothing of him. I suppose, nothing has been heard of that unfortunate mad woman?" "Mad woman! Why do you call Mrs. Streightley a mad woman, Lady Henmarsh?" asked Hester with surprise. Lady Henmarsh was rather confused. She felt she must make some reply, and she did not know exactly how to make a judicious one, for she had forgotten for a moment the strange complication in the position of the woman she was speaking of, and that of the woman she was speaking to. "Well, really," she answered awkwardly, "you have only to look round you and out of window for an answer. No sane woman would run away from such a home as this, I presume." "But she could not have remained here," said Hester; "Mr. Streightley's affairs were embarrassed before she went away."