fore, then," said the unabashed Captain. "Deuced hard to follow up those
American husbands!"

"And their wives wouldn't thank you, if you did," said Lady Griselda
Armiger, with a sweet smile.

"If it is the Mrs. Bradley I mean," said Lady Canterbridge from the
lower end of the table, looking up from her letter, "who looks a little
like Mrs. Summertree, and has a pretty cousin with her who has very good
frocks, I'm afraid you won't be able to get her down here. She's booked
with engagements for the next six weeks. She and her cousin made all the
running at Grigsby Royal, and she has quite deposed that other American
beauty in Northforeland's good graces. She regularly affiche'd him, and
it is piteous to see him follow her about. No, my dear; I don't believe
they'll come to any one of less rank than a Marquis. If they did, I'm
sure Canterbridge would have had them at Buckenthorpe already."

"I wonder if there was ever anything in Frank's admiration of this Miss
Macy?" said Lady Mainwaring a few moments later, lingering beside her
husband in his study.

"I really don't know," said Sir Robert, abstractedly: "his letters were
filled with her praises, and Richardson thought--"

"Pray don't mention that man's name again," said Lady Mainwaring, with
the first indication of feeling she had shown. "I shouldn't trust him."

"But why do you ask?" returned her husband.

Lady Mainwaring was silent for a moment. "She is very rich, I believe,"