al;--I may
say, very pleasantly social."

"What a taste Mr Palliser must have!" Alice thought to herself.

"But I need not tell you that Lady Glencowrer is--very young; we may
say, very young indeed."

"Mr Bott, I will not talk to you about Lady Glencora Palliser."

This Alice said in a determined voice, and with all the power of
resistance at her command. She frowned too, and looked savagely at Mr
Bott. But he was a man of considerable courage, and knew how to bear
such opposition without flinching.

"When I tell you, Miss Vavasor, that I speak solely with a view to
her domestic happiness!"

"I don't think that she wishes to have any such guardian of her
happiness."

"But if he wishes it, Miss Vavasor! Now I have the means of knowing
that he has the greatest reliance on your judgement."

Hereupon Alice got up with the intention of leaving the room, but she
was met at the door by Mrs Conway Sparkes.

"Are you running from your breakfast, Miss Vavasor?" said she.

"No, Mrs Sparkes; I am running from Mr Bott," said Alice, who was
almost beside herself with anger.

"Mr Bott, what is this?" said Mrs Sparkes. "Ha, ha, ha," laughed Mr
Bott.

Alice returned to the room, and Mrs Sparkes immediately saw that she
had in truth been running from Mr Bott. "I hope I shall be able to
keep the peace," said she. "I trust his offence was not one that
requires special punishment."

"Ha, ha, ha," again laughed Mr Bott, who rather liked his position.

Alice was very angry with herself, feeling that she had told more of
the truth to Mrs Sparkes than she should have done, unless she was
prepared to tell the whole. As it was, she wanted to say something,
and did not know what to say; but her confusion was at once stopped
by the entrance of Lady Glencora.

"Mrs Sparkes, good morning," said Lady Glencora. "I hope nobody has
waited breakfast. Good morning, Mr Bott. Oh, Alice!"

"What is the matter?" said Alice, going up to her.

"Oh, Alice, such a blow!" But Alice could see that her cousin was
not quite in earnest;--that the new trouble, though it might be
vexatious, was no great calamity. "Come here," said Lady Glencora;
and they both went into an embrasure of the window. "Now I shall have
to put your confidence in me to the test. This letter is from,--whom
do you think?"

"How can I guess?"

"From Lady Midlothian! and she's coming here on Monday, on her road
to London. Unless you tell me that you are quite sure this is