y little intimacy with either of the two
Miss Pallisers. It had seemed to herself as though there had been two
parties in the house, and that she had belonged to the one which was
headed by the wife, whereas the Miss Pallisers had been naturally
attached to that of the husband. These ladies, as she had already
seen, almost idolized their cousin; and though Plantagenet Palliser
had till lately treated Alice with the greatest personal courtesy,
there had been no intimacy of friendship between them, and
consequently none between her and his special adherents. Nor was
either of these ladies prone to sudden friendship with such a one
as Alice Vavasor. A sudden friendship, with a snuffy president of a
foreign learned society, with some personally unknown lady employed
on female emigration, was very much in their way. But Alice had not
shown herself to be useful or learned, and her special intimacy with
Lady Glencora had marked her out as in some sort separated from them
and their ways.

"I know that I am intruding," said Miss Palliser, as though she were
almost afraid of Alice.

"Oh dear, no," said Alice. "If I can do anything for you I shall be
very happy."

"You are going to-morrow, and if I did not speak to you now I should
have no other opportunity. Glencora seems to be very much attached to
you, and we all thought it so good a thing that she should have such
a friend."

"I hope you have not all changed your minds," said Alice, with a
faint smile, thinking as she spoke that the "all" must have been
specially intended to include the master of the house.

"Oh, no;--by no means. I did not mean that. My cousin, Mr Palliser, I
mean, liked you so much when you came."

"And he does not like me quite so much now, because I went out in the
moonlight with his wife. Isn't that it?"

"Well;--no, Miss Vavasor. I had not intended to mention that at all.
I had not indeed. I have seen him certainly since you came in,--just
for a minute, and he is vexed. But it is not about that that I would
speak to you."

"I saw plainly enough that he was angry with me."

"He thought you would have brought her in earlier."

"And why should he think that I can manage his wife? She was
the mistress out there as she is in here. Mr Palliser has been
unreasonable. Not that it signifies."

"I don't think he has been unreasonable; I don't, indeed, Miss
Vavasor. He has certainly been vexed. Sometimes he has much to vex
him. You see, Glencora is