very young."

Mr Bott also had declared that Lady Glencora was very young. It was
probable, therefore, that that special phrase had been used in some
discussion among Mr Palliser's party as to Glencora's foibles. So
thought Alice as the remembrance of the word came upon her.

"She is not younger than when Mr Palliser married her," Alice said.

"You mean that if a man marries a young wife he must put up with the
trouble. That is a matter of course. But their ages, in truth, are
very suitable. My cousin himself is not yet thirty. When I say that
Glencora is young--"

"You mean that she is younger in spirit, and perhaps in conduct, than
he had expected to find her."

"But you are not to suppose that he complains, Miss Vavasor. He is
much too proud for that."

"I should hope so," said Alice, thinking of Mr Bott.

"I hardly know how to explain to you what I wish to say, or how far I
may be justified in supposing that you will believe me to be acting
solely on Glencora's behalf. I think you have some influence with
her;--and I know no one else that has any."

"My friendship with her is not of very long date, Miss Palliser."

"I know it, but still there is the fact. Am I not right in
supposing--"

"In supposing what?"

"In supposing that you had heard the name of Mr Fitzgerald as
connected with Glencora's before her marriage with my cousin?"

Alice paused a moment before she answered.

"Yes, I had," she then said.

"And I think you were agreed, with her other relations, that such a
marriage would have been very dreadful."

"I never spoke of the matter in the presence of any relatives of
Glencora's. You must understand, Miss Palliser, that though I am her
far-away cousin, I do not even know her nearest connections. I never
saw Lady Midlothian till she came here the other day."

"But you advised her to abandon Mr Fitzgerald."

"Never!"

"I know she was much with you, just at that time."

"I used to see her, certainly."

Then there was a pause, and Miss Palliser, in truth, scarcely knew
how to go on. There had been a hardness about Alice which her visitor
had not expected,--an unwillingness to speak or even to listen, which
made Miss Palliser almost wish that she were out of the room. She
had, however, mentioned Burgo Fitzgerald's name, and out of the room
now she could not go without explaining why she had done so. But at
this point Alice came suddenly to her assistance.

"Just then she was often with