deny," she said, with
a mother's pride and a mother's humility, "that she is very much
admired. She is asked out a great deal more than I can take her,
and to houses to which I myself by no means wish to go. I could not
refuse her as to Lady Hartletop's first ball, for there will be
nothing else this year like them; and of course when with you, dear
Lady Lufton, that house will be out of the question. So indeed would
it be with me, were I myself only concerned. The duke was there,
of course, and I really wonder Lady Hartletop should not be more
discreet in her own drawing-room when all the world is there. It is
clear to me that Lord Dumbello admires Griselda much more than I
could wish. She, dear girl, has such excellent sense that I do not
think it likely that her head should be turned by it; but with how
many girls would not the admiration of such a man be irresistible?
The marquis, you know, is very feeble, and I am told that since this
rage for building has come on, the Lancashire property is over two
hundred thousand a year!! I do not think that Lord Dumbello has said
much to her. Indeed it seems to me that he never does say much to any
one. But he always stands up to dance with her, and I see that he is
uneasy and fidgety when she stands up with any other partner whom he
could care about. It was really embarrassing to see him the other
night at Miss Dunstable's, when Griselda was dancing with a certain
friend of ours. But she did look very well that evening, and I have
seldom seen her more animated!"

All this, and a great deal more of the same sort in the same letter,
tended to make Lady Lufton anxious to be in London. It was quite
certain--there was no doubt of that, at any rate--that Griselda would
see no more of Lady Hartletop's meretricious grandeur when she had
been transferred to Lady Lufton's guardianship. And she, Lady Lufton,
did wonder that Mrs. Grantly should have taken her daughter to such a
house. All about Lady Hartletop was known to all the world. It was
known that it was almost the only house in London at which the Duke
of Omnium was constantly to be met. Lady Lufton herself would almost
as soon think of taking a young girl to Gatherum Castle; and on these
accounts she did feel rather angry with her friend Mrs. Grantly. But
then perhaps she did not sufficiently calculate that Mrs. Grantly's
letter had been written purposely to produce such feelings--with the
express view of awakening her ladyshi