Roger Carbury’s half-formed plan of keeping Henrietta at home while Lady Carbury and Sir Felix went to dine at Caversham fell to the ground.  It was to be carried out only in the event of Hetta’s yielding to his prayer.  But he had in fact not made a prayer, and Hetta had certainly yielded nothing.  When the evening came, Lady Carbury started with her son and daughter, and Roger was left alone.  In the ordinary course of his life he was used to solitude.  During the greater part of the year he would eat and drink and live without companionship; so that there was to him nothing peculiarly sad in this desertion.  But on the present occasion he could not prevent himself from dwelling on the loneliness of his lot in life.  These cousins of his who...