induced to spend
two days in the following month at Castle Hautboy, and then the
arrangements for the Welsh alliance were completed.

From that time forth a feeling of ill-will on the part of Lady
Kingsbury towards her stepson had grown and become strong from month
to month. She had not at first conceived any idea that her Lord
Frederic ought to come to the throne. That had come gradually when
she perceived, or thought that she perceived, that Hampstead would
hardly make a marriage properly aristocratic. Hitherto no tidings of
any proposed marriage had reached her ears. She lived at last in
daily fear, as any marriage would be the almost sure forerunner of a
little Lord Highgate. If something might happen,--something which she
had taught herself to regard as beneficent and fitting rather than
fatal,--something which might ensure to her little Lord Frederic
those prospects which he had almost a right to expect, then in
spite of all her sufferings Heaven would have done something for her
for which she might be thankful. "What will her ladyship say when
she hears of my maid Marion?" said Hampstead to his sister on the
Christmas Day before his further visit to Holloway.

"Will it matter much?" asked Lady Frances.

"I think my feelings towards her are softer than yours. She is
silly, arrogant, harsh, and insolent to my father, and altogether
unprincipled in her expectations and ambitions."

"What a character you give her," said his sister.

"But nevertheless I feel for her to such an extent that I almost
think I ought to abolish myself."

"I cannot say that I feel for her."

"It is all for her son that she wants it; and I agree with her in
thinking that Freddy will be better fitted than I am for the position
in question. I am determined to marry Marion if I can get her; but
all the Traffords, unless it be yourself, will be broken-hearted at
such a marriage. If once I have a son of my own the matter will be
hopeless. If I were to call myself Snooks, and refused to take a
shilling from the property, I should do them no good. Marion's boy
would be just as much in their way as I am."

"What a way of looking at it."

"How my stepmother will hate her! A Quaker's daughter! A clerk at
Pogson and Littlebird's! Living at Paradise Row! Can't you see her!
Is it not hard upon her that we should both go to Paradise Row?" Lady
Frances could not keep herself from laughing. "You can't do her any
permanent injury, because you are