'No, papa, I think not. There are times when one feels that one
ought to be almost alone. Don't you feel that?'

'I do not wish you to feel it, nor would you do so long if you had
other people round you. With me it is different. I am an old man,
and cannot look for new pleasures in society. It has been the
fault of my life to be too much alone. I do not want to see my
children follow me in that.'

'It is so very short time as yet,' said she, thinking of her
mother's death.

'But I think that you should be with somebody,--with some woman who
would be kind to you. I like to see you with books, but books
alone should not be sufficient at your age.' How little, she
thought, did he know of the state either of her heart or mind!
'Do you dislike Lady Cantrip?'

'I do not know her. I can't say that I dislike a person whom I
don't think I ever spoke to, and never saw above once or twice.
But how can I say that I like her?' She did, however, know that
Lady Cantrip was a countess all over, and would be shocked at the
idea of a daughter of a Duke of Omnium marrying the younger son of
a country squire. Nothing further was then said on the matter, and
when the Duke went to town, Lady Mary was left quite alone, with
an understanding that if he went into Barsetshire he should come
back and take her with him.

He arrived at his own house in Carlton Terrace about five o'clock
in the afternoon, and immediately went to his study, intending to