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and while treated most affectionately； never admitted within her
barrier of reserve。
〃If I could see poor Flora comforted； or if even she would only let
me enter into her troubles；〃 Margaret said； sighing； 〃I should be
content。〃
The consecration day came near； and the travellers began to return。
Meta was in a state of restlessness； which in her was very pretty；
under the disguise of a great desire to be useful。 She fluttered
about the house； visited Margaret； played with Gertrude； set the
drawing…room ornaments to rightsa task which Ethel was very glad to
depute to her； and made a great many expeditions into the garden to
put together autumn nosegays for the vasesfinally discovering that
Ethel's potichomanie vases on the staircase window must have some red
and brown leaves。
She did not come back quite so soon with them； and Mrs。 Arnott； slyly
looking out of window； reported； 〃Ha！ he is come then！ At least； I
see the little thing has found〃
〃Something extremely unlike itself；〃 said Dr。 May； laughing。
〃Something I could easily set down as a student at Edinburgh； thirty
years ago。 That's the very smile！ I remember dear Maggie being more
angry than I ever saw her before； because Mr。 Fleet said that you
smiled to show your white teeth。〃
〃That is the best shadow of Maggie I ever saw；〃 said Dr。 May。 〃She
has taught the lad to smile。 That is what I call a pretty sight！〃
〃Come； Richard； it is a shame for old folks like us to stand spying
them！〃
〃They care very little for me；〃 said Dr。 May； 〃but I shall have them
in。 Cold winds blowing about that little head！ Ah！ here they are。
Fine leaves you gather； miss！ Very red and brown。〃
Meta rather liked； than otherwise； those pretty teasings of Dr。 May；
but they always made Norman colour extremely； and he parried them by
announcing news。 〃No； not the Bucephalus； a marriage in high life； a
relation。〃
〃Not poor Mary！〃 cried Ethel。
〃Mary！ what could make you think of her？〃
〃As a hen thinks of her ducklings when they go into waters beyond her
ken；〃 said Ethel。 〃Well； as long as it is not Mary； I don't care！〃
〃High life！〃 repeated Meta。 〃Oh； it can be only Agatha Langdale。〃
〃There's only Lord Cosham further to guess；〃 said Ethel。
〃Eh！ why not young Ogilvie？〃 said Dr。 May。 〃I am right； I see。
Well； who is the lady？〃
〃A Miss Dunbara nice girl that I met at Glenbracken。 Her property
fits in with theirs； and I believe his father has been wishing it for
a long time。〃
〃It does not sound too romantic；〃 said Meta。
〃He writes as if he had the sense of having been extremely dutiful；〃
said Norman。
〃No doubt thinking it needful in addressing a namesake； who has had
an eye to the main chance；〃 said the doctor。 〃Don't throw stones；
young people。〃
〃Well！〃 exclaimed Meta； 〃he did not look as if he would go and do
such a stupid thing as that！〃
〃Probably； it is anything but a stupid thing；〃 said Dr。 May。
〃You are using him very ill among you；〃 said Norman eagerly。 〃I
believe her to be excellent in every way； he has known her from
childhood； he writes as if he were perfectly contented； and saw every
chance of happiness。〃
〃None the less for having followed his father's wishesI am glad he
did；〃 said Ethel； coming to her brother's side。
〃I dare say you are right；〃 was Meta's answer； 〃but I am disappointed
in him。 He always promised to come and stay with you； and made such
friends at Oxford； and he never came。〃
〃I fancy there was a good deal to hinder him；〃 said Norman； and； as
Mrs。 Arnott proceeded to inquiries after the Ogilvies in general； the
master of Glenbracken was allowed to drop。
Meta； however； renewed the subject when walking to the minster that
evening with Norman。
〃You may defend Mr。 Ogilvie； Norman； but it is not what I should have
expected from him。 Why did he make promises； and then neglect his
relations？〃
〃I believe that conscientiously he did not dare to come；〃 said
Norman。 〃I know that he was greatly struck with Ethel at the time of
the Commemoration； and therefore I could never again press him to
come here。〃
〃Oh； Norman； you hard…hearted monster！ What a bad conductor！〃
〃I do not wish to be a conductor；〃 said Norman。 〃If you had seen
Glenbracken and the old people； you would perceive that it would not
have been suitable on our part to promote anything of the kind。〃
〃Would they have been so violent？〃
〃Not violent； but it would have been a severe struggle。 They are
good； kind people； but with strong prejudices； and； though I have no
doubt they would have yielded to steady attachment on their son's
part； and such conduct as Ethel's would have been； I could not lead
in that direction。〃
〃Is that pride； Norman？〃
〃I hope not。〃
〃It is doing by others as you were doing by yourself；〃 half whispered
Meta； 〃but； after all； if he had no constancy； Ethel had an escape。〃
〃I was afraid that she had been rather touched； but I am glad to find
myself mistaken。〃
〃If you thought so； how could you make such a public announcement？〃
He laughed。 〃I had made myself so nervous as to the effect； that； in
desperation； I took her own way； and came out at once with it as
unconsciously as I could。〃
〃Very naturally you acted unconsciousness！ It was better than
insulting her by seeming to condole。 Not that I do； though； for she
deserves more steadiness than he has shown！ If a man could
appreciate her at all； I should have thought that it would have been
once and for ever。〃
〃Remember； he had barely known her a fortnight； and probably had no
reason to believe that he had made any impression on her。 He knew
how such an attachment would grieve his parents； and； surely； he was
acting dutifully； and with self…denial and consideration； in not
putting himself in the way of being further attracted。〃
〃Umph！ You make a good defence； Norman； but I cannot forgive him for
marrying somebody else； who cannot be Ethel's equal。〃
〃She is a good little girl； he will form her； and be very happy；
perhaps more so than with a great soul and strong nature like
Ethel's。〃
〃Only he is a canny Scot； and not a Dr。 Spencer！〃
〃Too short acquaintance！ besides； there were the parents。 Moreover；
what would become of home without Ethel？〃
〃The unanswerable argument to make one contented；〃 said Meta。 And；
certainly； to be wife to a Member of Parliament is not so very
delightful that one would covet it for her。〃
〃Any more than she does for herself。〃
Norman was right in his view of his friend's motives； as well as of
Ethel's present feelings。 If there had ever been any disappointment
about Norman Ogilvie； it had long since faded away。 She had never
given away the depths of her heart； though the upper surface had been
stirred。 All had long subsided； and she could think freely of him as
an agreeable cousin； in whose brilliant public career she should
always be interested； without either a wish to partake it； or a sense
of injury or neglect。 She had her vocation； in her father； Margaret；
the children； home； and Cocksmoor； her mind and affections were
occupied； and she never thought of wishing herself elsewhere。
The new church and the