"I am afraid she is hardly equal to it; besides, poor child," added
Mrs. Poynsett, "she seems to have been strictly brought up, and to
think our ways rather shocking; and Miles wrote to me not to press
her to go into society till he comes home."

"Ah! well, I call that a mistake!" puffed out good-humoured Mrs.
Bowater. "Very bad for the poor girl's spirits. By the bye, I hope
Julius does not object to Herbert's dancing--not at a public ball,
you know, but at home--for if he did, I would try to arrange
something else, it would be so hard for the poor boy to have to look
on."

"I don't know, I don't think he could," said the mother,
considering.

"You see, we thought of a dinner-party for as many as possible.
Frank and Charlie won't mind dining in the schoolroom, I know, and
having the rest for a dance in the evening; but if Julius did think
it unclerical--Jenny says he won't, and papa laughs, and says, 'Poh!
poh! Julius is no fool;' but people are so much more particular
than they used to be, and I would not get the dear boy into a scrape
for the world."

Mrs. Poynsett undertook to ascertain his opinions on this knotty
point, and to let her know if they were adverse; and then she begged
for a visit from Jenny, whose brother had no accommodation for her
in his lodgings. She could not be spared till after the
entertainment on the 3rd, nor till a visit from her married sister
was over; but afterwards, her mother was delighted that she should
come and look after Herbert, who seemed as much on the maternal mind