nding her money to get all her things at once. He shall come to
the scratch, though I go all the way to Norfolk by myself and fetch
him by his ears. He shall come, as sure as my name's Greenow,--or
Bellfield, as it will be then, you know."

"And I shouldn't wonder if she did have to go to Norfolk," said Kate
to her cousin. That event, however, cannot be absolutely concluded in
these pages. I can only say that, when I think of Mrs Greenow's force
of character and warmth of friendship, I feel that Miss Fairstairs'
prospects stand on good ground.

Mrs Greenow's own marriage was completed with perfect success. She
took Captain Bellfield for better or for worse, with a thorough
determination to make the best of his worst, and to put him on his
legs, if any such putting might be possible. He, at any rate, had
been in luck. If any possible stroke of fortune could do him good, he
had found that stroke. He had found a wife who could forgive all his
past offences,--and also, if necessary, some future offences; who
had money enough for all his wants, and kindness enough to gratify
them, and who had, moreover,--which for the Captain was the most
important,--strength enough to keep from him the power of ruining
them both. Reader, let us wish a happy married life to Captain and
Mrs Bellfield!

The day after the ceremony Alice Vavasor and Kate Vavasor started for
Matching Priory.

CHAPTER LXXIX

Diamonds Are Diamonds

Kate and Alice, as they drew near to their journey's end, were both
a little flurried, and I cannot but own that there was cause for
nervousness. Kate Vavasor was to meet Mr Grey for the first time. Mr
Grey was now staying at Matching and was to remain there until a week
of his marriage. He was then to return to Cambridgeshire for a day
or two, and after that was to become a guest at the rector's house
at Matching the evening before the ceremony. "Why not let him come
here at once?" Lady Glencora had said to her husband. "It is such
nonsense, you know." But Mr Palliser would not hear of it. Mr
Palliser, though a Radical in public life, would not for worlds
transgress the social laws of his ancestors; and so the matter was
settled. Kate on this very day of her arrival at Matching would thus
see Mr Grey for the first time, and she could not but feel that she
had been the means of doing Mr Grey much injury. She had moreover
something,--not much indeed, but still something,--of that feeling
which made the Pa