314
WYLDER'S H.iJV£>.
also came, and the presence of mother and son at the so-
lemnity, averted the family scandal which the old lady's
first access of frenzy threatened.
This duty discharged, she insisted, in the interest of her
rheumatism, upon change of air; and on arriving at Dux-
ley, was quite surprised to find Lady Dulhampton and her
daughters there upon a similar quest.
Lord Chelford was not long away when the story of
Lady Constance was again alive and vocal. It reached
old Jackson through his sister, who was married to the
brother of the Marquis of Dulhampton's solicitor. It
reached Lake from Tom Twitters, of his club, who kept
the Brandon Captain au courant of the town-talk; and
it came to Dorcas in a more authentic fashion, though
mysteriously, and rather in the guise of a conundrum than
of a distinct bit of family intelligence, from no less a per-
son than the old Dowager Lady Chelford herself.
Stanley Lake, who had begun to entertain hopes for
Rachel in that direction, went down to Redman's Farm,
and, after his bleak and bitter fashion, rated the young
lady for having perversely neglected her opportunities and
repulsed that most desirable parti. In this he was in-
tensely in earnest, for the connection would have done
wonders for Captain Lake in the county.
Rachel met this coarse attack with quiet contempt; told
him that Lord Chelford had, she supposed, no idea of mar-
rying out of his own rank; and further, that he, Captain
Lake, must perfectly comprehend, if he could not appre-
ciate, the reasons which would for ever bar any such rela-
tion.
But Rachel, though she treated the subject serenely in
this interview, was sadder and more forlorn than ever, and
lay awake at night, and perhaps, if we knew all, shed
some secret tears; and then with time came healing of
these sorrows.