Rowley.  It is too probable that Lady Rowley in her despair and dismay had been indiscreet, and had told secrets which should never have been mentioned by her.  And the wife of the English minister, who had some grudges of her own, lifted her eyebrows and shook her head and declared that all the Glascocks at home would be outraged to the last degree.  ’My dear Lady Rowley,’ she said, ’I don’t know whether it won’t become a question with them whether they should issue a commission de lunatico.’  Lady Rowley did not know what a commission de lunatico meant, but was quite willing to regard poor Mr Glascock as a lunatic.  ’And there is poor Lord Peterborough at Naples just at death’s door,’ continued the British Ministers wife.  In this she was perhaps nearly correct; but as Lord Peterborough had now been in the same condition for many months, as his mind had altogether gone, and as the doctor declared that he might live in his present condition for a year, or for years, it could not fairly be said that Mr Glascock was acting without due filial feeling in engaging himself to marry a young lady.  ’And she such a creature!’ said Lady Rowley, with emphasis.  This the British Minister’s wife noticed simply by shaking her head.  Caroline Spalding was undoubtedly a pretty girl; but, as the British Minister’s wife said afterwards, it was not surprising that poor Lady Rowley should be nearly out of her mind.

This had occurred a full week after the evening spent at Mr Spalding’s house; and even yet Lady Rowley had never been put right as to that mistake of hers about Wallachia Petrie.  That other trouble of hers, and her eldest daughter’s journey to Siena, had prevented them from going out; and though the matter had often been discussed between Lady Rowley and Nora, there had not as yet come between them any proper explanation.  Nora would declare that the future bride was very pretty and very delightful; and Lady Rowley would throw up her hands in despair and protest that her daughter was insane.  ’Why should he not marry whom he likes, mamma?’ Nora once said, almost with indignation.

‘Because he will disgrace his family.’

’I cannot understand what you mean, mamma.  They are, at any rate, as good as we are.  Mr Spalding stands quite as high as papa does.’

‘She is an American,’ said Lady Rowley.

‘And her family might say that he is an Englishman,’ said Nora.

’My dear, if you do not understand the incongruity between an English peer and a Yankee female, I cannot help you.  I suppose it is because you have been brought up within the limited society of a small colony.  If so, it is not your fault.  But I had hoped you had been in Europe long enough to have learned what was what.  Do you think, my dear, that she will look well when she is presented to her Majesty as Lord Peterborough’s wife?’

‘Splendid,’ said Nora.’she has just the brow for a coronet.’

‘Heavens and earth!’ said Lady Rowley, throwing up her hands.  ’And you believe that he will be proud of her in England?’