where in_. If she had
been yielded to in that respect, her going-away dress would have been
lavender with black lace, quite second mourning. But not only her mother
and sister, but Mrs. Wilberforce and even Mr. Thynne himself, who did
not fancy a bride in mourning, remonstrated so strongly that she was
obliged to yield. "I am in favour of showing every respect to our dear
ones who are gone; but there are limits," the bridegroom said, and Mrs.
Wilberforce declared that, though herself a Conservative and staunch
upholder of the past she did think dear Minnie sometimes went a little
too far, notwithstanding that the Warrenders were Liberals. This
determined stand on the part of all belonging to her resulted in
Minnie's departure from the Warren clothed in a suit of russet brown,
which was very becoming to her,--much more so than the whiteness of her
bridal dress and veil.

This withdrew Minnie's thoughts in great measure from the other events
which were preparing, and finally carried her off altogether on the eve
of many and great changes, such as turned topsy-turvy the life of the
Warrenders. She was naturally very much taken up by her husband and her
new surroundings, and the delightful trouble of settling down in her new
parish and home. And she was at a considerable distance from them, half
a day's journey, which made very frequent visits impossible. It has been
already said that we do not pretend to give our opinion as to whether,
if Minnie had not married, things might not have gone very differently
in the Warrender family life.

After the wedding guests had departed Warrender ordered his horse to
be brought round, as usual. He had, of course, been occupied all the
morning with his own family, and with the marriage and the entertainment
afterwards. Geoff had got a holiday, which he prized very much. (Lady
Markland and the boy had been asked, of course, to the wedding, but it
was perhaps a relief to all that they declined to come.) And if there
ever was a moment in which Mrs. Warrender wanted her son it was that
day. She was tired out, and in the nervous state to which the best of us
are liable at agitating moments. Minnie was not, perhaps, in absolute
sympathy with her mother, but Mrs. Warrender had a great deal of
imagination, and partly by those recollections of the past that are
called up by every great family event, and partly by inevitable
anticipations of the future, she was in special need of kindness and
fi