I give you my word, was broken off a long time ago; they
did not suit each other at all,' said Mrs. Barton. Now that she was
relieved of the presence of her young, the mother fought admirably. But
in a few minutes the enemy was reinforced by the arrival of the Hon.
Miss Gores.

'Oh, how do you do? I am so glad to see you,' said Mrs. Barton, the
moment they entered the room. 'Have you heard the news? all is
definitely settled between the little Marquis and Violet. We were all
talking of it; I am so glad for her sake. Of course it is very grand to
be a marchioness, but I'm afraid she'll find her coronet a poor
substitute for her dinner. You know what a state the property is in. She
has married a beggar. The great thing after all, nowadays, is money.'

It would have been better perhaps not to have spoken of Lord Kilcarney's
mortgages, but the Marquis's money embarrassments were the weak point in
Violet's marriage, but it would not be natural (supposing that Olive had
herself refused Lord Kilcarney) for her not to speak of them. So she
prattled on gaily for nearly an hour, playing her part admirably,
extricating herself from a difficult position and casting some
doubt--only a little, it is true, but a little was a gain on the story
that Olive had been rejected.

As soon as her visitors left the room, and she went to the window to
watch the carriages drive away and to consider how she might console her
daughter--persuade her, perhaps, that everything had happened for the
best.

'Oh, mamma,' she said, rushing into the room, 'this is terrible; what
shall we do--what shall we do?'

'What's terrible, my beautiful darling?'

Olive looked through her languor and tears, and she answered petulantly:

'Oh, you know very well I'm disgraced; he's going to marry Violet, and I
shall not be a marchioness after all.'

'If my beautiful darling likes she can be a duchess,' replied Mrs.
Barton with a silvery laugh.

'I don't understand, mamma.'

'I mean that we aren't entirely dependent on that wretched little
Marquis with his encumbered property; if he were fool enough to let
himself be entrapped by that designing little beast, Violet Scully, so
much the worse for him; we shall get someone far grander than he. It is
never wise for a girl to settle herself off the first season she comes
out.'

'It is all very well to say that now, but you made me break off with
dear Edward, who was ever so nice, and loved me dearly.'

Mrs. Bar