re was another son gone, in a different way, beyond her reach.
She had seen comparatively little of him since his University days;
and though always a good and conscientious person, there had been
nothing to draw her out of secular modes of thought; nor had she any
connection with the clerical world, so that she had not, as it were,
gone along with the tone of mind that she had perceived in him.

He did not return to the subject, and they were soon joined by his
elder brother. At the first opportunity after dinner, Frank got
Rosamond up into a corner with a would-be indifferent "So you met
Miss Vivian. What did you think of her?"

Rosamond's intuition saw what she was required to think, and being
experienced in raving brothers, she praised the fine face and figure
so as to find the way to his heart.

"I am so glad you met her in that way. Even Julius must be
convinced. Was not he delighted?"

"I think she grew upon him."

"And now neither of you will be warped. It is so very strange in my
mother, generally the kindest, most open-hearted woman in the world,
to distrust and bear a grudge against them all for the son's
dissipation--just as if that affected the ladies of a family!"

"I did not think it was entirely on his account," said Rosamond.

"Old stories of flirtation!" said Frank, scornfully; "but what are
they to be cast up against a woman in her widowhood? It is so
utterly unlike mother, I can't understand it."

"Would not the natural conclusion be that she knew more, and had her
reasons?"

"I tell you, Rosamond, I know them infinitely better than she does.
She never saw them since Lady Tyrrell's marriage, when Eleonora was
a mere child; now I saw a great deal of them at Rockpier last year.
There was poor Jamie Armstrong sent down to spend the winter on the
south coast; and as none of his own people could be with him, we--
his Oxford friends, I mean--took turns to come to him; and as I had
just gone up for my degree, I had the most time. The Vivians had
been living there ever since they went on poor Emily's account.
They did not like to leave the place where she died you see; and
Lady Tyrrell had joined them after her husband's death. Such a
pleasant house! no regular gaieties, of course, but a few friends in
a quiet way--music and charades, and so forth. Every one knew
everybody there; not a bit of our stiff county ways, but meeting all
day long in the most sociable manner."

"Oh yes, I know