"My dear daughter can perhaps receive me now," said Lady Wetheral, rising. "I am anxious to see her." "Your dear daughter is fast asleep, and so is her infant." Lady Wetheral reseated herself. "A few minutes may find her awake. I may be fortunate enough to remain till she wakes." "I don't think you will. Anna Maria has fallen into her first sleep to-day, and I hope it will last. The child is asleep with her, and Tom watches over them." "Her sleep is quiet and refreshing, I hope?" "We take great care of our invalids at Hatton. We don't leave them a fortnight to be nursed by other people." Lady Wetheral affected innocence of all covert meanings. She addressed Sir John Spottiswoode.-- "My daughter tells me you saw the Ennismore party at Florence. Did you see my daughter, Lady Ennismore, to speak? Did she trouble you with any letters or messages for her friends?" "I saw Lady Ennismore--your Lady Ennismore--twice; each time she was accompanied by the Countess and Colonel Neville, and our interview was short. Lady Ennismore was looking very lovely." "You mentioned your intended return to England to her." "I did; but no letters were consigned to my care by her ladyship." "It is very strange," returned Lady Wetheral, "that only one letter has reached us from Italy within twelve months!" "Every body expected it!" said Mrs. Pynsent. "I do not understand--I cannot quite comprehend your remark," replied her ladyship, bending gently forward, and sinking gracefully into her first attitude. "Every body knew you had given your daughter to a weak man, governed by his mother; and every body expected the poor girl would be carried from her friends. Who ever heard of the old Lady Ennismore, and did not learn that she was a tartar!" Lady Wetheral changed the subject. "You have probably brought some beautiful specimens of the different arts, Sir John? Italy is full of rare antiquities." "I have brought home a few things--a few pictures, and so forth, as all travellers are expected to do," replied Sir John Spottiswoode. "I hope Miss Wetheral will accept a little drawing of Naples, which I mean to present on one knee." Lady Wetheral smiled. "My dear Bell will receive your polite offering, with a determination to persevere in drawing, I am sure, Sir John." "And our friend, Sir Jacky, is upon sale too," cried Mrs. Pynsent. "Here he stands, framed and glazed, for manœuvring mothers to contemplate!" "Sir John Spottiswoode is worthy many manœuvres," answered her ladyship. "Every lady will be forgiven for wishing her daughter happily engaged to worth and high principle." Sir John bowed low, and looked gratified by the compliment. Certainly Lady Wetheral ably sustained her claims to good generalship. She addressed Mrs. Pynsent. "Perhaps my daughter may be awake; may I be allowed to enter her room?" "No one enters her room but Tom. She is not awake: I hope she will not think of it these two hours."