Lady Bygrave, with other ladies of consequence
in the county, undertook to be patronesses. In his prospectus Mr Lerew
dwelt especially on the importance of young ladies being carefully
trained in religious principles, and removed from the pernicious
influence of unauthorised instructors; whereas at Saint Agatha's they
would be placed under the direct superintendence of their lawful
priests, and instructed in catholic doctrine. Lady Bygrave had already
recommended as mother superior a lady of great piety and experience, and
the teachers were to be sisters of the community of Saint Mary the
Virgin, in the neighbouring town of Bansfield, who were celebrated for
their truly religious and self-denying lives. The young ladies, thus
judiciously trained, would, it was hoped, become the mothers of
England's future legislators, and materially contribute to the
establishment of catholic principles throughout the land. Mr Lerew
had, however, another prospectus more generally circulated among those
of whose principles he was uncertain, and in which he simply set forth
that an excellent first-class school was about to be established for the
benefit of their own and neighbouring counties, and asking for
subscriptions and support to so desirable an institution.
Subscriptions, however, did not come in with the same rapidity as he had
hoped, and he saw that he must employ other means for raising the
necessary funds. Mrs Lerew wrote to all her more wealthy
acquaintances, and Lady Bygrave was, as usual, most liberal. Few of the
parishioners would subscribe, with the exception of some of the
principal tradesmen, who hoped to do business with the new
establishment, Mr Rowe, an apothecary, who expected to be employed as
medical attendant, and the solicitor who had been engaged in making the
legal arrangements.

People had begun to grow suspicious of the vicar, and even of Lady
Bygrave, in consequence of the long stay at the Hall of the abbe and
Father Lascelles. Lady Bygrave did her utmost to maintain her
popularity by incessantly driving about and visiting the houses of the
better-to-do people and the cottages of the poor, much as she would have
done on an electioneering canvass. She was, of course, politely
received by all classes; but though she won over some, a large number of
people were too sound Protestants to be influenced by her plausible and
attractive manners. It would have been happy for poor Clara and her
Aunt Sarah, ha