ough the time at
which he had been told that he might come was now ten days past?

She was sitting one afternoon in the drawing-room listlessly
reading, or pretending to read, a novel, when, on a sudden, Hugh
Stanbury was announced. The circumstances of the moment were most
unfortunate for such a visit. Sir Marmaduke, who had been down at
Whitehall in the morning, and from thence had made a journey to St.
Diddulph's-in-the-East and back, was exceedingly cross and out of
temper. They had told him at his office that they feared he would not
suffice to carry through the purpose for which he had been brought
home. And his brother-in-law, the parson, had expressed to him an
opinion that he was in great part responsible for the misfortune of
his daughter, by the encouragement which he had given to such a man
as Colonel Osborne. Sir Marmaduke had in consequence quarrelled both
with the chief clerk and with Mr. Outhouse, and had come home surly
and discontented. Lady Rowley and her eldest daughter were away,
closeted at the moment with Lady Milborough, with whom they were
endeavouring to arrange some plan by which the boy might at any
rate be given back. Poor Emily Trevelyan was humble enough now to
Lady Milborough,--was prepared to be humble to any one, and in any
circumstances, so that she should not be required to acknowledge that
she had entertained Colonel Osborne as her lover. The two younger
girls, Sophy and Lucy, were in the room when Stanbury was announced,
as was also Sir Marmaduke, who at that very moment was uttering angry
growls at the obstinacy and want of reason with which he had been
treated by Mr. Outhouse. Now Sir Marmaduke had not so much as heard
the name of Hugh Stanbury as yet; and Nora, though her listlessness
was all at an end, at once felt how impossible it would be to explain
any of the circumstances of her case in such an interview as this.
While, however, Hugh's dear steps were heard upon the stairs,
her feminine mind at once went to work to ascertain in what best
mode, with what most attractive reason for his presence, she might
introduce the young man to her father. Had not the girls been then
present, she thought that it might have been expedient to leave Hugh
to tell his own story to Sir Marmaduke. But she had no opportunity of
sending her sisters away; and, unless chance should remove them, this
could not be done.

"He is son of the lady we were with at Nuncombe Putney," she
whispered to her