wal of acquaintance with Frederica, and
an introduction to Sir Edward, after which Mary was taken to the
schoolroom and made known to the governess, a kindly, sensible woman,
who, according to previous arrangement, made the visitor free of her
domains as a refuge.

The prettiness and luxury of the guest-chamber was quite a shock, and
Mary would rather have faced a dozen naughty girls than have taken Sir
Edward's arm to go in to dinner. However, her hostess had decided on a
quiet course of treatment such as not to frighten this pupil, and it had
been agreed only to take enough notice of her to prevent her from feeling
herself neglected, until she should begin to be more at ease. Nor was it
long before a certain sparkle in the brown eyes showed that she was
amused by, and appreciative of, the family talk.

It was true, as Lady Kenton had told her, that she had nothing to
unlearn, all she wanted was confidence, experience, and ease, and in so
humble, gentle, and refined a nature as hers, the acquisition of these
could not lead to the disclosure of anything undesirable. So, after the
first day of novelty, when she had learnt the hours, could distinguish
between the young people, knew her way about the house so as to be secure
of not opening the wrong doors, and when she had learnt where and when
she would be welcome and even helpful, she began to enjoy herself and the
life, the beauty, and the leisure.

She made friends heartily with the governess, fraternised with Freda,
taught the younger girls new games, could hold a sort of conversation
with Sir Edward, became less afraid of George, and daily had more of
filial devotion to Lady Kenton. The books on the tables were a real
delight and pleasure to her, when she found that it was not ill-mannered
to sit down and read in the forenoon, and the discussion of them was a
great help in what Freda called teaching her to talk. Visitors were very
gradually brought upon her, a gentleman or two at first, who knew nothing
about her, perhaps thought her the governess and merely bowed to her.
There was only one real _contretemps_, when some guests, who lived rather
beyond the neighbourhood, arrived for afternoon tea, and, moreover, full
of curiosity about Lord Northmoor. Was it true that he was an attorney's
clerk, and was not he going to marry a very inferior person?

'Certainly not,' said Lady Kenton. 'He is engaged to my friend, Miss
Marshall.'

The said Miss Marshall was