ttering, and almost better than
flattering. Jeffrey Palliser had been her friend, and would, had she
so willed it, have been more than her friend. But now she felt that
the halls of the Pallisers were too cold for her, and that the sooner
she escaped from their gloom and hard discourtesy the better for her.

Mrs Marsham, when the three ladies had returned to the drawing-room
together, was a little triumphant. She felt that she had put Alice
down; and with the energetic prudence of a good general who knows
that he should follow up a victory, let the cost of doing so be what
it may, she determined to keep her down. Alice had resolved that she
would come as seldom as might be to Mr Palliser's house in Park Lane.
That resolution on her part was in close accordance with Mrs
Marsham's own views.

"Is Miss Vavasor going to walk home?" she asked.

"Walk home;--all along Oxford Street! Good gracious! no. Why should
she walk? The carriage will take her."

"Or a cab," said Alice. "I am quite used to go about London in a cab
by myself."

"I don't think they are nice for young ladies after dark," said Mrs
Marsham. "I was going to offer my servant to walk with her. She is an
elderly woman, and would not mind it."

"I'm sure Alice is very much obliged," said Lady. Glencora; "but she
will have the carriage."

"You are very good-natured," said Mrs Marsham; "but gentlemen do so
dislike having their horses out at night."

"No gentleman's horses will be out," said Lady Glencora, savagely;
"and as for mine, it's what they are there for." It was not often
that Lady Glencora made any allusion to her own property, or allowed
any one near her to suppose that she remembered the fact that her
husband's great wealth was, in truth, her wealth. As to many matters
her mind was wrong. In some things her taste was not delicate as
should be that of a woman. But, as regarded her money, no woman could
have behaved with greater reticence, or a purer delicacy. But now,
when she was twitted by her husband's special friend with ill-usage
to her husband's horses, because she chose to send her own friend
home in her own carriage, she did find it hard to bear.

"I dare say it's all right," said Mrs Marsham.

"It is all right," said Lady Glencora. "Mr Palliser has given me my
horses for my own use, to do as I like with them; and if he thinks I
take them out when they ought to be left at home, he can tell me so.
Nobody else has a right to do it." Lady