father's son,' said Aubrey, in his low lazy voice.

'Well,' said Mary, 'even to the last, I do believe he had as soon
drive papa out as walk with Blanche. Flora was quite scandalized at
it.'

'I should not imagine that George had often driven my father out,'
said Aubrey, again looking lazily up from balancing his spoon.

Ethel laughed; and even Richard smiled; then recovering herself, she
said, 'Poor Hector, he never could call himself son to any one
before.'

'He has not been much otherwise here,' said Richard.

'No,' said Ethel; 'it is the peculiar hardship of our weddings to
break us up by pairs, and carry off two instead of one. Did you ever
see me with so shabby a row of tea-cups? When shall I have them come
in riding double again?'

The recent wedding was the third in the family; the first after a
five years' respite. It ensued upon an attachment that had grown up
with the young people, so that they had been entirely one with each
other; and there had been little of formal demand either of the
maiden's affection or her father's consent; but both had been implied
from the first. The bridegroom was barely of age, the bride not
seventeen, and Dr. May had owned it was very shocking, and told
Richard to say nothing about it! Hector had coaxed and pleaded,
pathetically talked of his great empty house at Maplewood, and
declared that till he might take Blanche away, he would not leave