"And you can—jilt him," said Nora.
"It would not be jilting him."
"He must decide that. If he so regards it, it will be so. I advise you to think no more about it; but if you speak to anybody it should be to him." This was at last the result of Nora's wisdom, and then the two girls descended together to the room in which Lady Rowley was sitting with her other daughters. Lady Rowley was very careful in asking after Miss Spalding's sister, and Miss Spalding assured her that Olivia was quite well. Then Lady Rowley made some inquiry about Olivia and Mr. Glascock, and Miss Spalding assured her that no two persons were ever such allies, and that she believed that they were together at this moment investigating some old church. Lady Rowley simpered, and declared that nothing could be more proper, and expressed a hope that Olivia would like England. Caroline Spalding, having still in her mind the trouble that had brought her to Nora, had not much to say about this. "If she goes again to England I am sure she will like it," replied Miss Spalding.
"But of course she is going," said Lady Rowley.
"Of course she will some day, and of course she'll like it," said Miss Spalding. "We both of us have been there already."
"But I mean Monkhams," said Lady Rowley, still simpering.
"I declare I believe mamma thinks that your sister is to be married to Mr. Glascock!" said Lucy.
"And so she is;—isn't she?" said Lady Rowley.
"Oh, mamma!" said Nora, jumping up. "It is Caroline;—this one, this one, this one,"—and Nora took her friend by the arm as she spoke,—"it is this one that is to be Mrs. Glascock."
"It is a most natural mistake to make," said Caroline.