boy plunged into the fly, their thoughts for the moment were full of each other--so full that neither could understand the sudden distinct recognition of this first touch of fate. “No; mamma was quite right,” said Agnes; “we cannot be great friends nor very happy with people so different from ourselves.” And the girls sighed. They were pleased, yet they were disappointed. It was impossible to deny that the reality was as far different from the imagination as anything could be; and really nobody had been in the smallest degree concerned about the author of _Hope Hazlewood_. Even Marian was compelled to acknowledge that. “But then,” cried this eager young apologist, “they were not literary people; they were not good judges; they were common people, like what you might see anywhere, though they might be great ladies and fine gentlemen; it was easy to see _we_ were not very great, and they did not understand _you_.” “Hush,” said Agnes quickly; “they were rather kind, I think--especially Mr Agar; but they did not care at all for us: and why should they, after all?” “So it was a failure,” said Charlie. “I say, who was that man--that fellow at the door?” “Oh, Charlie, you dreadful boy! that was Lord Winterbourne,” cried Marian. “Mr Agar told us who he was.” “Who’s Mr Agar?” asked Charlie. “And so that’s him--that’s the man that will take the Old Wood Lodge! I wish he would. I knew I owed him something. I’d like to see him try!” “And Mrs Edgerley is his daughter,” said Agnes. “Is it not strange? And I suppose we shall all be neighbours in the country. But Mr Endicott said quite loud, so that everybody could hear, that papa was a friend of Lord Winterbourne’s. I do not like people to slight us; but I don’t like to deceive them either. There was _that_ gentleman--that Sir Langham. I suppose he thought _we_ were great people, Marian, like the rest of the people there.” In the darkness Marian pouted, frowned, and laughed within herself. “I don’t think it matters much what Sir Langham thought,” said Marian; for already the young beauty began to feel her “greatness,” and smiled at her own power. CHAPTER XXIX. FAMILY SENTIMENTS.