taken without any great
violation of confidence on her part. She had said nothing as to which
Lady Glencora could feel herself aggrieved.

On the next morning she was down in the breakfast-room soon after
nine, and had not been in the room many minutes before Mr Palliser
entered. "The carriage is ordered for you at a quarter before ten,"
he said, "and I have come down to give you your breakfast." There was
a smile on his face as he spoke, and Alice could see that he intended
to make himself pleasant.

"Will you allow me to give you yours instead?" said she. But as it
happened, no giving on either side was needed, as Alice's breakfast
was brought to her separately.

"Glencora bids me say that she will be down immediately," said Mr
Palliser.

Alice then made some inquiry with reference to the effects of last
night's imprudence, which received only a half-pronounced reply.
Mr Palliser was willing to be gracious, but did not intend to be
understood as having forgiven the offence. The Miss Pallisers then
came in together, and after them Mr Bott, closely followed by Mrs
Marsham, and all of them made inquiries after Lady Glencora, as
though it was to be supposed that she might probably be in a perilous
state after what she had undergone on the previous evening. Mr Bott
was particularly anxious. "The frost was so uncommonly severe," said
he, "that any delicate person like Lady Glencora must have suffered
in remaining out so long."

The insinuation that Alice was not a delicate person and that, as
regarded her, the severity of the frost was of no moment, was very
open, and was duly appreciated. Mr Bott was aware that his great
patron had in some sort changed his opinion about Miss Vavasor, and
he was of course disposed to change his own. A fortnight since Alice
might have been as delicate as she pleased in Mr Bott's estimation.

"I hope you do not consider Lady Glencora delicate," said Alice to Mr
Palliser.

"She is not robust," said the husband.

"By no means," said Mrs Marsham.

"Indeed, no," said Mr Bott.

Alice knew that she was being accused of being robust herself; but
she bore it in silence. Ploughboys and milkmaids are robust, and the
accusation was a heavy one. Alice, however, thought that she would
not have minded it, if she could have allowed herself to reply; but
this at the moment of her going away she could not do.

"I think she is as strong as the rest of us," said Iphigenia
Palliser, who felt that