family, Philip. The birth of Irma
made things still more difficult. But fortunately old Mrs. Theobald, who
had attempted interference, began to break up. It was an effort to her
to leave Whitby, and Mrs. Herriton discouraged the effort as far as
possible. That curious duel which is fought over every baby was fought
and decided early. Irma belonged to her father's family, not to her
mother's.

Charles died, and the struggle recommenced. Lilia tried to assert
herself, and said that she should go to take care of Mrs. Theobald.
It required all Mrs. Herriton's kindness to prevent her. A house was
finally taken for her at Sawston, and there for three years she lived
with Irma, continually subject to the refining influences of her late
husband's family.

During one of her rare Yorkshire visits trouble began again. Lilia
confided to a friend that she liked a Mr. Kingcroft extremely, but
that she was not exactly engaged to him. The news came round to Mrs.
Herriton, who at once wrote, begging for information, and pointing out
that Lilia must either be engaged or not, since no intermediate state
existed. It was a good letter, and flurried Lilia extremely. She left
Mr. Kingcroft without even the pressure of a rescue-party. She cried a
great deal on her return to Sawston, and said she was very sorry. Mrs.
Herriton took the opportunity of speaking more seriously about the
duties of widowhood and motherhood than she had ever done before. But
somehow things never went easily after. Lilia would not settle down in
her place among Sawston matrons. She was a bad housekeeper, always in
the throes of some domestic crisis, which Mrs. Herriton, who kept her
servants for years, had to step across and adjust. She let Irma stop
away from school for insufficient reasons, and she allowed her to wear
rings. She learnt to bicycle, for the purpose of waking the place up,
and coasted down the High Street one Sunday evening, falling off at the
turn by the church. If she had not been a relative, it would have been
entertaining. But even Philip, who in theory loved outraging English
conventions, rose to the occasion, and gave her a talking which she
remembered to her dying day. It was just then, too, that they discovered
that she still allowed Mr. Kingcroft to write to her "as a gentleman
friend," and to send presents to Irma.

Philip thought of Italy, and the situation was saved. Caroline,
charming, sober, Caroline Abbott, who lived two turnings away