‘No,’ said Mrs. Plowden, ‘I don’t think she will marry again--now. I did once hope she would; for, though rank is nice, a good husband who would have looked after her and her little girl would have been nicer: while the late Lord William, as I have heard----’ Mrs. Swinford made a little movement of impatience. ‘Have the family,’ she said, ‘taken any notice of Emily--or the little girl?’ ‘It is very funny,’ said Florence, ‘to hear Mab, who has such a character of her own, spoken of as the little girl.’ ‘Oh, Florry, hold your tongue, you are always making remarks. The family, Mrs. Swinford?’ ‘Poor little thing, poor little thing,’ said Mrs. Swinford, ‘I think you were very wise, my dear Mrs. Plowden, in advising your sister-in-law to marry again. What a thing it would be if after all it was found that nothing could be done for the little girl!’ ‘They have their little annuity,’ said Mrs. Plowden, startled; ‘there has never been anything said of taking it away. And I could not make such a statement as that I advised her to marry, for there has really been no one that she could have married except----, and he was quite an old gentleman. Not to say that Emily ever thought of such a thing. She was not so happy the first time as to have any wish----’ Mrs. Swinford’s attention had once more flagged, and here she interposed with her usual calm bearing, addressing Emmy. ‘I thought you had a brother,’ she said. Emmy coloured high, being thus suddenly spoken to. ‘Oh yes.’ ‘Yes, indeed,’ cried Mrs. Plowden, recovering herself the more easily that this new subject was one on which she could be eloquent. ‘He has a bad cold, poor boy, or he would have been here at once to pay his respects. Is that you, James? Mrs. Swinford is making such kind inquiries.’ The great lady held out her hand. ‘You have not taken the trouble to come and see me,’ she said. The Rector had come in much against his will. He made a bow which had not his usual ease. ‘I must beg your pardon,’ he said very gravely. ‘I am aware that I have been negligent.’ ‘Ah,’ she said, ‘you did not want to come? but I supposed when your excellent wife did me so much honour, that bygones were to be bygones; and Emily----’ ‘My sister acts for herself; I do not try to influence her; and my wife thinks she knows what is best for her----’ ‘Her family, of course; good woman. She thought it would be a wrong thing to neglect opportunities, and so did your father, as you may recollect.’ ‘I prefer not to recollect, any more than I can help,’ said the Rector. ‘Which? that Emily has come to great promotion, very high promotion, as all those ladies think--while she was in my house? There would have been no title in the case--a title such as it is!--but for my house.’ ‘The less that is said on that subject, I think, the better,’ said the Rector, standing bolt upright before the fire. ‘Oh, James,’ said his wife, ‘when Mrs. Swinford is so kind----’