She found her maid in a state of ecstacy over a very handsome dark, plum-coloured silk, very fashionably though quietly made, bonnet and mantle to match, "With Grace's love" on the top of it. "Oh, my dear, how lovely! I am so sorry I said that about a corner. Corner, indeed! how kind, how very thoughtful of you! I cannot bear taking such a handsome present from you." "You must learn to take many presents from your new daughter," said Grace, but something in her tone struck Lady Lyons. "You have been crying," she exclaimed; "what is it, my dear? what has happened?" "Nothing has happened, but I have a letter from Margaret, a most dear letter, and I could not help contrasting my marriage with hers, for I love Paul, Lady Lyons, and all is different." "Very different," said Lady Lyons, and she sighed sympathetically; "and Mr. Drayton had no position, my dear; he was only a manufacturer." "Oh, Lady Lyons, how absurd you are!" said Grace, the tears still standing in her eyes, though she laughed heartily; "fancy, in these days, talking like that! Why, all our leading spirits in Parliament and out of it are 'only' manufacturers; they have the ball at their feet now." "My dear, you have a way of putting things I never can follow," said poor Lady Lyons; "now you are talking about a ball, it is really very puzzling." "Well then, I beg your pardon over and over and over again," said Grace, "and I will try not to say puzzling things." "Thank you, my dear," said Lady Lyons, very heartily, who considered this a great concession. "Now I am to be your daughter," said the girl, with the natural wish of having a little affection and kindness shown to her just now, "you will try and like me--love me a little bit." She looked wistfully at Lady Lyons, who was touched and quite melted by this appeal. "I suppose," she said very naïvely to Grace, who had turned round to leave the room, "that I also have things about me, peculiarities that require indulgence." "You are very good," said Grace, evading the question, "and I mean to be a good wife to Paul, you believe that?" "Oh, yes, my dear, indeed, you put that very prettily; I used to wish it was Margaret, but now I think you will like to know, that I am quite reconciled--then there is the Duchess, and my new dress!" Grace laughed a little and left her. She locked her door and once again read Margaret's affectionate, earnest letter. After discussing the news of her marriage she said, "Now, Grace, my darling, I want you to think, think more prayerfully than I did, about this. If you do not love Paul Lyons, do not mind the disagreeable speeches that may be made, but do not go on with it. Far better to bear angry words now than to marry without love. I would come to you, darling, at a moment's notice, and I could make a home for you somewhere, only do not do this. Had I had so solemn a warning I might have been saved."