the use of repeating that so often? I don't know that the Post Office is worse than anything else. Of course it can't be allowed;—and having said so, the best thing will be to go on just as though nothing had happened."
"And let her do just what she pleases?"
"Who's going to let her do anything? She said she wouldn't write, and she hasn't written. We must just take her back to Trafford, and let her forget him as soon as she can."
The Marchioness was by no means satisfied, though she did not know what measure of special severity to recommend. There was once a time—a very good time, as Lady Kingsbury thought now—in which a young lady could be locked up in a convent, or perhaps in a prison, or absolutely forced to marry some suitor whom her parents should find for her. But those comfortable days were past. In a prison Lady Frances was detained now; but it was a prison of which the Marchioness was forced to make herself the gaoler, and in which her darlings were made to be fellow-prisoners with their wicked sister. She herself was anxious to get back to Trafford and the comforts of her own home. The beauties of Königsgraaf were not lovely to her in her present frame of mind. But how would it be if Lady Frances should jump out of the window at Trafford and run away with George Roden? The windows at Königsgraaf were certainly much higher than those at Trafford.
They had made up their mind to return early in September, and the excitement of packing up had almost commenced among them when Lord Hampstead suddenly appeared on the scene. He had had enough of yachting, and had grown tired of books and gardening at Hendon. Something must be done before the hunting began, and so, without notice, he appeared one day at Königsgraaf. This was to the intense delight of his brothers, over whose doings he assumed a power which their mother was unable to withstand. They were made to gallop on ponies on which they had only walked before; they were bathed in the river, and taken to the top of the Castle, and shut up in the dungeon after a fashion which was within the reach of no one but Hampstead. Jack was Jack, and all was delight, as far as the children were concerned; but the Marchioness was not so well pleased with the arrival. A few days after his coming a conversation arose as to Lady Frances which Lady Kingsbury would have avoided had it been possible, but it was forced upon her by her stepson.
"I don't think that Fanny ought to be bullied," said her stepson.
"Hampstead, I wish you would understand that I do not understand strong language."
"Teased, tormented, and made wretched."
"If she be wretched she has brought it on herself."
"But she is not to be treated as though she had disgraced herself."
"She has disgraced herself."
"I deny it. I will not hear such a word said of her even by you." The Marchioness drew herself up as though she had been insulted. "If there is to be such a feeling about her in your house I must ask my father to have her removed, and I will make a home for her. I will not see her broken-hearted by cruel treatment. I am sure that he would not wish it."
"You have no right to speak to me in this manner."
"I surely have a right to protect my sister, and I will exercise it."
"You have brought most improperly a young man into the house—"
"I have brought into the house a young man whom I am proud to call my friend."
"And now you mean to assist him in destroying your sister."
"You are very wrong to say so. They both know, Roden and my sister also, that I disapprove of this marriage. If Fanny were with me I should not think it right to ask Roden into the house. They would both understand that. But it does not follow that she should be cruelly used."
"No one has been cruel to her but she herself."
"It is easy enough to perceive what is going on. It will be much better that Fanny should remain with the family; but you may be sure of this—that I will not see her tortured." Then he took himself off, and on the next day he had left Königsgraaf. It may be understood that the Marchioness was not reconciled to her radical stepson by such language as he had used to her. About a week afterwards the whole family returned to England and to Trafford.
CHAPTER X.
"NOBLESSE OBLIGE."
"I quite agree," said Hampstead, endeavouring to discuss the matter rationally with his sister, "that her ladyship should not be allowed to torment you."
"She does torment me. You cannot perceive what my life was at Königsgraaf! There is a kind of usage which would drive any girl to run away—or to drown herself. I don't suppose a man can know what it is always to be frowned at. A man has his own friends, and can go anywhere. His spirits are not broken by being isolated. He would not even see half the things which a girl is made to feel. The very servants were encouraged to treat me badly. The boys were not allowed to come near me. I never heard a word that was not intended to be severe."
"I am sure it was bad."
"And it was not made better by the conviction that she has never cared for me. It is to suffer all the authority, but to enjoy none of the love of a mother. When papa came of course it was better; but even papa cannot make her change her ways. A man is comparatively so very little in the house. If it goes on it will drive me mad."
"Of course I'll stand to you."
"Oh, John, I am sure you will."
"But it isn't altogether easy to know how to set about it. If we were to keep house together at Hendon—" As he made this proposition a look of joy came over her face, and shone amidst her tears. "There would, of course, be a difficulty."
"What difficulty?" She, however, knew well what would be the difficulty.
"George Roden would be too near to us."
"I should never see him unless you approved."
"I should not approve. That would be the difficulty. He would argue the matter with me, and I should have to tell him that I could not let him come to the house, except with my father's leave. That would be out of the question. And therefore, as I say, there would be a difficulty."
"I would never see him—except with your sanction—nor write to him—nor receive letters from him. You are not to suppose that I would give him up. I shall never do that. I shall go on and wait. When a girl has once brought herself to tell a man that she loves him, according to my idea she cannot give him up. There are things which cannot be changed. I could have lived very well without thinking of him had I not encouraged myself to love him. But I have done that, and now he must be everything to me."
"I am sorry that it should be so."
"It is so. But if you will take me to Hendon I will never see him till I have papa's leave. It is my duty to obey him—but not her."
"I am not quite clear about that."
"She has rejected me as a daughter, and therefore I reject her as a mother. She would get rid of us both if she could."
