Catholics,--and especially Irish Roman Catholics,--were people whom,
as she thought, every one should fear in this world, and for whom
everything was to be feared in the next. How would it be with the Earl
if this heir also were to tell him some day that he was married? Would
not his grey hairs be brought to the grave with a double load of sorrow?
However, for the present she thought it better to say not a word to the
Earl.




CHAPTER III.

SOPHIE MELLERBY.


Lady Scroope thought a great deal about her friend's communication, but
at last made up her mind that she could do nothing till Fred should have
returned. Indeed she hardly knew what she could do when he did come
back. The more she considered it the greater seemed to her to be the
difficulty of doing anything. How is a woman, how is even a mother, to
caution a young man against the danger of becoming acquainted with a
pretty girl? She could not mention Miss O'Hara's name without mentioning
that of Lady Mary Quin in connexion with it. And when asked, as of
course she would be asked, as to her own information, what could she
say? She had been told that he had made himself acquainted with a widow
lady who had a pretty daughter, and that was all! When young men will
run into such difficulties, it is, alas, so very difficult to interfere
with them!