m. Once in the year they left
home for a couple of months and went,--wherever the daughter wished.
Sometimes there was a week or two in London; sometimes in Paris
or Switzerland. The mother seemed to be only there to obey the
daughter's behests, and Cecilia was the most affectionate of masters.
Nothing could have been less disturbed or more happy than their
lives. No doubt there was present in Cecilia's manner a certain
looking down upon her mother,--of which all the world was aware,
unless it was her mother and herself. The mother was not blessed by
literary tastes, whereas Cecilia was great among French and German
poets. And Cecilia was aesthetic, whereas the mother thought more of
the delicate providing of the table. Cecilia had two or three female
friends, who were not quite her equals in literature but nearly so.
There was Maude Hippesley, the Dean's daughter, and Miss Altifiorla,
the daughter of an Italian father who had settled in Exeter with her
maternal aunt,--in poor circumstances, but with an exalted opinion
as to her own blood. Francesca Altifiorla was older than her friend,
and was, perhaps, the least loved of the three, but the most often
seen. And there was Mrs. Green, the Minor Canon's wife, who had the
advantage of a husband, but was nevertheless humble and retiring.
They formed the _elite_ of Miss Holt's society and were called by
their Christian names. The Italian's name was Francesca and the
married lady was called Bessy.

Cecilia had no lovers till there came in an evil hour to Exeter one
Sir Francis Geraldine. She had somewhat scoffed at love, or at the
necessity of having a lover. She and Miss Altifiorla had been of one
mind on that subject. Maude Hippesley had a lover and could not be
supposed to give her accord. Mrs. Green had had one, but expressed
an opinion that it was a trouble well over. A husband might be a
comfort, but a lover was a "bother." "It's such a blessing to be able
to wear my old gloves before him. He doesn't mind it now as he knows
he'll have to pay for the new." But at length there came the lover.
Sir Francis Geraldine was a man who had property in the county but
had not lately lived upon it. He was of an old family, of which he
was very proud. He was an old baronet, a circumstance which he seemed
to think was very much in his favour. Good heavens! From what a
height did he affect to look down upon the peers of the last twenty
years. His property was small, but so singular we