"My dear Bell will receive your polite offering, with a determination to persevere in drawing, I am sure, Sir John."
"And our friend, Sir Jacky, is upon sale too," cried Mrs. Pynsent. "Here he stands, framed and glazed, for manœuvring mothers to contemplate!"
"Sir John Spottiswoode is worthy many manœuvres," answered her ladyship. "Every lady will be forgiven for wishing her daughter happily engaged to worth and high principle."
Sir John bowed low, and looked gratified by the compliment. Certainly Lady Wetheral ably sustained her claims to good generalship. She addressed Mrs. Pynsent.
"Perhaps my daughter may be awake; may I be allowed to enter her room?"
"No one enters her room but Tom. She is not awake: I hope she will not think of it these two hours."
Lady Wetheral acted upon her own often-expressed principle of never contending with "vulgar people;" she, therefore, rose to depart, and Christobelle unwillingly rose to accompany her. She begged her kindest love to her son and daughter.
"Yes, my Lady Wetheral, I'll tell my daughter Tom, you have called at last," interrupted Mrs. Pynsent.
"Her kindest love to Mr. and Mrs. Tom Pynsent, and she hoped to be more fortunate at a future visit."