fourth, he
asked her to be Lady Harcourt. She told him that she would be Lady
Harcourt; and, as far as she was concerned, there was an end of it
for the present.

Then Sir Henry proposed that the day should be named. On this subject
also he found her ready to accommodate him. She had no coy scruples
as to the time. He suggested that it should be before Christmas.
Very well; let it be before Christmas. Christmas is a cold time for
marrying; but this was to be a cold marriage. Christmas, however,
for the fortunate is made warm with pudding, ale, and spiced beef.
They intended to be among the fortunate, the fortunate in place, and
money, and rank; and they would, as best they might, make themselves
warm with the best pudding, ale, and spiced beef which the world
could afford them.

Sir Henry was alive to the delight of being the possessor of so many
charms, and was somewhat chagrined that for the present he was so
cruelly debarred from any part of his legitimate enjoyment. Though
he was a solicitor-general, he could have been content to sit for
ten minutes with his arm round Caroline's waist; and--in spite of
the energy with which he was preparing a bill for the regulation of
County Courts, as to which he knew that he should have that terrible
demi-god, Lord Boanerges, down upon his shoulders--still he would
fain have stolen a kiss or two. But Caroline's waist and Caroline's
kisses were to be his only after Christmas; and to be his only as
payment accorded for her new rank, and for her fine new house in
Eaton Square.

How is it that girls are so potent to refuse such favours at one
time, and so impotent in preventing their exaction at another? Sir
Henry, we may say, had every right to demand some trifling payment in
advance; but he could not get a doit. Should we be violating secrecy
too much if we suggested that George Bertram had had some slight
partial success even when he had no such positive claim--some success
which had of course been in direct opposition to the lady's will?

Miss Baker had now gone back to Littlebath, either to receive Adela
Gauntlet, or because she knew that she should be more comfortable in
her own rooms than in her uncle's dismal house--or perhaps because
Sir Lionel was there. She had, however, gone back, and Caroline
remained mistress for the time of her grandfather's household.

The old man now seemed to have dropped all mystery in the matter. He
generally, indeed, spoke of Caroline as