'Then I am under great obligations to him?' said Sir Edward. 'I could also tell of what only came to my knowledge many years later, and not through himself, of attempts made to tamper with his integrity, and gain private information from him which he had steadily baffled.' 'There must be much in him,' said Lady Kenton, 'if only he is not spoilt!' 'I am afraid he is heavily weighted,' said Mr. Burford. 'His brother's widow and children are almost entirely dependent on him, more so, in my opinion, than he should have allowed.' 'Exactly what I should expect from such a sheep,' said George Kenton. 'There is this advantage,' said the lawyer, 'it has prevented his marrying.' 'At least that fatal step has been averted,' said the lady, smiling. 'But unluckily there is an entanglement, an endless engagement to a governess at Miss Lang's.' 'Oh,' cried Freda, who once, during a long absence of the family abroad, had been disposed of at Miss Lang's, 'there was always a kind of whisper among us that Miss Marshall was engaged, though it was high treason to be supposed to know.' 'Was that the one you called Creepmouse?' asked her brother. 'George, you should not bring up old misdeeds! She was a harmless old thing. I believe the tinies were very fond of her, but we elders had not much to do with her, only we used to think her horridly particular.' 'Does that mean conscientious?' asked her father. 'Perhaps it does; and though I was rather a goose then, I really believe she was very kind, and did not want to be tiresome.' 'A lady?' asked her mother. 'I suppose so, but she was so awfully quiet there was no knowing.' 'Poor thing!' observed Lady Kenton, in a tone of commiseration. 'I think Morton told me that she was a clergy-orphan,' said Mr. Burford, 'and considered her as rather above him, for his father was a ruined farmer and horse-breeder, and I only took him into my office out of respect for his mother, though I never had a better bargain in my life. Of course, however, this unlucky engagement cannot stand.' 'Indeed!' said the Baronet drily. 'Would you have him begin his career with an act of baseness?' 'No--no, Sir Edward, I did not mean--' said Mr. Burford, rather abashed; 'but the lady might be worked on to resign her pretensions, since persistence might not be for the happiness of either party; and he really ought to marry a lady of fortune, say his cousin, Miss Morton, for I understand that the Northmoor property was never considerable. The late Mr. Morton was very extravagant, and there are heavy burthens on the estate, by the settlement on his widow, Lady Adela, and on the late Lord's daughter. Miss Lang tells me likewise that Miss Marshall is full of doubts and scruples, and is almost persuaded that it is incumbent on her to drop the engagement at any cost to herself. She is very conscientious!' 'Poor thing!' sighed more than one voice.