Courcy Castle was certainly a dull place to look at, and Frank, in his former visits, had found that the appearance did not belie the reality.  He had been but little there when the earl had been at Courcy; and as he had always felt from his childhood a peculiar taste to the governance of his aunt the countess, this perhaps may have added to his feeling of dislike.  Now, however, the castle was to be fuller than he had ever before known it; the earl was to be at home; there was some talk of the Duke of Omnium coming for a day or two, though that seemed doubtful; there was some faint doubt of Lord Porlock; Mr Moffat, intent on the coming election—­and also, let us hope, on his coming bliss—­was to be one of the guests; and there was also to be the great Miss Dunstable.

Frank, however, found that those grandees were not expected quite immediately.  ’I might go back to Greshamsbury for three or four days as she is not to be here,’ he said naively to his aunt, expressing, with tolerable perspicuity, his feeling, that he regarded his visit to Courcy Castle quite as a matter of business.  But the countess would hear of no such arrangement.  Now that she had got him, she was not going to let him fall back into the perils of Miss Thorne’s intrigues, or even of Miss Thorne’s propriety.  ‘It is quite essential,’ she said, ’that you should be here a few days before her, so that she may see that you are at home.’  Frank did not understand the reasoning; but he felt himself unable to rebel, and he therefore, remained there, comforting himself, as best he might, with the eloquence of the Honourable George, and the sporting humours of the Honourable John.

Mr Moffat was the earliest arrival of any importance.  Frank had not hitherto made the acquaintance of his future brother-in-law, and there was, therefore, some little interest in the first interview.  Mr Moffat was shown into the drawing-room before the ladies had gone up to dress, and it so happened that Frank was there also.  As no one else was in the room but his sister and two of his cousins, he had expected to see the lovers rush into each other’s arms.  But Mr Moffat restrained his ardour, and Miss Gresham seemed contented that he should do so.

He was a nice, dapper man, rather above the middle height, and good-looking enough had he had a little more expression in his face.  He had dark hair, very nicely brushed, small black whiskers, and a small black moustache.  His boots were excellently well made, and his hands were very white.  He simpered gently as he took hold of Augusta’s fingers, and expressed a hope that she had been quite will since last he had the pleasure of seeing her.  Then he touched the hands of the Lady Rosina and the Lady Margaretta.

‘Mr Moffat, allow me to introduce you to my brother?’

‘Most happy, I’m sure,’ said Mr Moffat, again putting out his hand, and allowing it to slip through Frank’s grasp, as he spoke in a pretty, mincing voice:  ’Lady Arabella quite well?—­and your father, and sisters?  Very warm isn’t it?—­quite hot in town, I do assure you.’