me at once."

There was another letter for her from Kate, full, of course, of
congratulations, and promising to be at the wedding; "that is," said
Kate, "unless it takes place at the house of some one of your very
grand friends;" and telling her that aunt Greenow was to be married
in a fortnight;--telling her of this, and begging her to attend that
wedding. "You should stand by your family," said Kate. "And only
think what my condition will be if I have no one here to support me.
Do come. Journeys are nothing nowadays. Don't you know I would go
seven times the distance for you? Mr Cheesacre and Captain Bellfield
are friends after all, and Mr Cheesacre is to be best man. Is it
not beautiful? As for poor me, I'm told I haven't a chance left of
becoming mistress of Oileymead and all its wealth."

Alice began to think that her hands were almost too full. If
she herself were to be married in September, even by the end of
September, her hands were very full indeed. Yet she did not know how
to refuse any of the requests made to her. As to Lady Macleod, her
visit to her was a duty which must of course be performed at once.
She would stay but one day in London, and then go down to Cheltenham.
Having resolved upon this she at once wrote to her aunt to that
effect. As to that other affair down in Westmoreland, she sighed
as she thought of it, but she feared that she must go there also.
Kate had suffered too much on her behalf to allow of her feeling
indifferent to such a request.

Then her father came in. "I didn't in the least know when you might
arrive," said he, beginning with an apology for his absence. "How
could I, my dear?" Alice scorned to remind him that she herself had
named the precise hour of the train by which they had arrived. "It's
all right, papa," said she. "I was very glad to have an hour to write
a letter or two. Poor Lady Macleod is very ill. I must go to her the
day after to-morrow."

"Dear, dear, dear! I had heard that she was poorly. She is very old,
you know. So, Alice, you've made it all square with Mr Grey at last?"

"Yes, papa;--if you call that square."

"Well; I do call it square. It has all come round to the proper
thing."

"I hope he thinks so."

"What do you think yourself, my dear?"

"I've no doubt it's the proper thing for me, papa."

"Of course not; of course not; and I can tell you this, Alice, he is
a man in a thousand. You've heard about the money?"

"What money, papa?"

"The