the notion of a
coronet will do with a girl. After all her pretensions she may be the
more liable to the temptation. I have not told her aunt, that she may
be the more unbiassed. Not that I say anything against him, it is
everything desirable in the way of connection, and probably he is an
amiable good sort of man. What do you know of him! Are you intimate with
him?'

Violet explained the extent of their acquaintance. 'I do not see my way
through it,' said Lord Martindale. 'I wish I could be clear that it is
not all coquetry. I wish John was at home.'

'I do not think,' said Violet, gathering courage--'I do not think you
know how much Theodora wishes to be good.'

'I wish she was half as good as you are, my dear!' said Lord Martindale,
as if he had been speaking to a child. And he talked to her warmly of
her own concerns, and hopes of her visiting Martindale on their return;
trying to divest himself of a sense of inhospitality and harshness,
which grew on him whenever he looked at her slender figure, and the
varying carnation of her thin cheek.

She felt herself obliged to set forth to call on Lady Martindale.
Theodora was busy, packing up, and could not accompany her;
unfortunately for her, since Mrs. Nesbit took the opportunity of
examining her on the same subject, though far from doing it in the
same manner; commenting with short sarcastic laughs, censuring Mr.
Fotheringham for trying to domineer, but finding much amusement in
making out the grounds of his objection to Mrs. Finch, and taking
pleasure in bringing, by her inquiries, a glow of confusion and distress
on Violet's cheeks. Next she began to blame her for having visited
such an imprudent person; and when Lady Martindale ventured to suggest
something about her not knowing, and Mrs. Finch having formerly been
a friend of the family, she put her down. 'Yes, my dear, we are not
blaming Mrs. Arthur Martindale. We know it is not possible for every one
to be fastidious. The misfortune was in Miss Martindale's being brought
into society which could not be expected to be select.'

Violet did not think herself called upon to stay to be insulted, and
rose to take leave, but did not escape without further taunts. 'So you
are to be in London alone for the next month?'

'Perhaps only for a fortnight!'

'I can promise you that it will be a month. Young men are not apt to
spend more time at home than they can help. I am sorry to interfere
with your scheme of being