very unfairly, died before he had given her a right
to call herself Lady Ballindine. She was naturally shy and reserved,
and the seclusion of O'Kelly's Court did not tend to make her less so;
but she felt that the position and rank of her son required her to be
dignified; and consequently, when in society, she somewhat ridiculously
aggravated her natural timidity with an assumed rigidity of demeanour.
She was, however, a good woman, striving, with small means, to do the
best for her family; prudent and self-denying, and very diligent in
looking after the house servants.

Her two daughters had been, at the instance of their grandfather, the
courtier, christened Augusta and Sophia, after the two Princesses of
that name, and were now called Guss and Sophy: they were both pretty,
good-natured girls--one with dark brown and the other light brown hair:
they both played the harp badly, sung tolerably, danced well, and were
very fond of nice young men. They both thought Kelly's Court rather
dull; but then they had known nothing better since they had grown up,
and there were some tolerably nice people not very far off, whom they
occasionally saw: there were the Dillons, of Ballyhaunis, who had
three thousand a-year, and spent six; they were really a delightful
family--three daughters and four sons, all unmarried, and up to
anything: the sons all hunted, shot, danced, and did everything that
they ought to do--at least in the eyes of young ladies; though some of
their more coldly prudent acquaintances expressed an opinion that it
would be as well if the three younger would think of doing something
for themselves; but they looked so manly and handsome when they
breakfasted at Kelly's Court on a hunt morning, with their bright tops,
red coats, and hunting-caps, that Guss and Sophy, and a great many
others, thought it would be a shame to interrupt them in their career.
And then, Ballyhaunis was only eight miles from Kelly's Court; though
they were Irish miles, it is true, and the road was not patronised by
the Grand Jury; but the distance was only eight miles, and there were
always beds for them when they went to dinner at Peter Dillon's. Then
there were the Blakes of Castletown. To be sure they could give no
parties, for they were both unmarried; but they were none the worse
for that, and they had plenty of horses, and went out everywhere.
And the Blakes of Morristown; they also were very nice people; only
unfortunately, old Blake