The same thing was repeated over and over again during the month that Miss Effingham remained at Baddingham, but Lady Baldock had no power of interfering, and Violet bore her persecution bravely.  Her future husband was generally spoken of as “that violent young man,” and hints were thrown out as to the personal injuries to which his wife might be possibly subjected.  But the threatened bride only laughed, and spoke of these coming dangers as part of the general lot of married women.  “I daresay, if the truth were known, my uncle Baldock did not always keep his temper,” she once said.  Now, the truth was, as Violet well knew, that “my uncle Baldock” had been dumb as a sheep before the shearers in the hands of his wife, and had never been known to do anything improper by those who had been most intimate with him even in his earlier days.  “Your uncle Baldock, miss,” said the outraged aunt, “was a nobleman as different in his manner of life from Lord Chiltern as chalk from cheese.”  “But then comes the question, which is the cheese?” said Violet.  Lady Baldock would not argue the question any further, but stalked out of the room.

Lady Laura Kennedy met them at Saulsby, having had something of a battle with her husband before she left her home to do so.  When she told him of her desire to assist at this reconciliation between her father and brother, he replied by pointing out that her first duty was at Loughlinter, and before the interview was ended had come to express an opinion that that duty was very much neglected.  She in the meantime had declared that she would go to Saulsby, or that she would explain to her father that she was forbidden by her husband to do so.  “And I also forbid any such communication,” said Mr. Kennedy.  In answer to which, Lady Laura told him that there were some marital commands which she should not consider it to be her duty to obey.  When matters had come to this pass, it may be conceived that both Mr. Kennedy and his wife were very unhappy.  She had almost resolved that she would take steps to enable her to live apart from her husband; and he had begun to consider what course he would pursue if such steps were taken.  The wife was subject to her husband by the laws both of God and man; and Mr. Kennedy was one who thought much of such laws.  In the meantime, Lady Laura carried her point and went to Saulsby, leaving her husband to go up to London and begin the session by himself.

Lady Laura and Violet were both at Saulsby before Lord Chiltern arrived, and many were the consultations which were held between them as to the best mode in which things might be arranged.  Violet was of opinion that there had better be no arrangement, that Lord Chiltern should be allowed to come in and take his father’s hand, and sit down to dinner,—­and that so things should fall into their places.  Lady Laura was rather in favour of some scene.  But the interview had taken place before either of them were able to say a word.  Lord Chiltern, on his arrival, had gone immediately to his father, taking the Earl very much by surprise, and had come off best in the encounter.