an there as well. If Fanny takes
that for scolding, why--"

"Oh! no, Lady Lufton; and it's so kind of you to say so. But Mr.
Robarts was so sorry that he had accepted this invitation to
Chaldicotes, before he heard that Sir George was coming, and--"

"Oh, I know that Chaldicotes has great attractions which we cannot
offer," said Lady Lufton.

"Indeed, it was not that. But he was asked to preach, you know; and
Mr. Harold Smith--" Poor Fanny was only making it worse. Had she been
worldly wise, she would have accepted the little compliment implied
in Lady Lufton's first rebuke, and then have held her peace.

"Oh, yes; the Harold Smiths! They are irresistible, I know. How could
any man refuse to join a party, graced both by Mrs. Harold Smith and
Mrs. Proudie--even though his duty should require him to stay away?"

"Now, mamma--" said Justinia.

"Well, my dear, what am I to say? You would not wish me to tell a
fib. I don't like Mrs. Harold Smith--at least, what I hear of her;
for it has not been my fortune to meet her since her marriage. It may
be conceited; but to own the truth, I think that Mr. Robarts would
be better off with us at Framley than with the Harold Smiths at
Chaldicotes--even though Mrs. Proudie be thrown into the bargain."

It was nearly dark, and therefore the rising colour in the face of
Mrs. Robarts could not be seen. She, however, was too good a wife to
hear these things said without some anger within her bosom. She could
blame her husband in her own mind; but it was intolerable to her that
others should blame him in her hearing.

"He would undoubtedly be better off," she said; "but then, Lady
Lufton, people can't always go exactly where they will be best off.
Gentlemen sometimes must--"

"Well--well, my dear, that will do. He has not taken you, at any
rate; and so we will forgive him." And Lady Lufton kissed her. "As it
is,"--and she affected a low whisper between the two young wives--"as
it is, we must e'en put up with poor old Evan Jones. He is to be here
to-night, and we must go and dress to receive him."

And so they went off. Lady Lufton was quite good enough at heart to
like Mrs. Robarts all the better for standing up for her absent lord.

CHAPTER III

Chaldicotes

Chaldicotes is a house of much more pretension than Framley Court.
Indeed, if one looks at the ancient marks about it, rather than
at those of the present day, it is a place of very considerable
pretension. There