great discussion whether or not there should be any more. If there
were to be one more there must be two. Now Miss Moffat had expressed a
direct wish, and Augusta, though she would much rather have done
without her, hardly knew how to refuse. Alexandrina--we hope we may
be allowed to drop the 'lady' for the sake of brevity, for the present
scene only--was dead against such an unreasonable request. 'We none of
us know her, you know; and it would not be comfortable.' Beatrice
strongly advocated the future sister-in-law's acceptance into the bevy;
she had her own reasons; she was pained that Mary Thorne should not be
among the number, and if Miss Moffat were accepted, perhaps Mary might
be brought in as her colleague.

'If you have Miss Moffat,' said Alexandrina, 'you must have dear Pussy
too; and I really think that Pussy is too young; it will be
troublesome.' Pussy was the youngest Miss Gresham, who was now only
eight years old, and whose real name was Nina.

'Augusta,' said Beatrice, speaking with some slight hesitation, some
soupcon of doubt before the highest authority of her noble cousin, 'if
you do have Miss Moffat would you mind asking Mary Thorne to join her?
I think Mary would like it, because, you see, Patience Oriel is to be
one; and we have known Mary much longer than we have known Patience.'

Then out and spake the Lady Alexandrina.

'Beatrice, dear, if you think of what you are asking, I am sure you
will see that it would not do; would not do at all. Miss Thorne is a
very nice girl, I am sure; and, indeed, what little I have seen of her
I highly approve. But, after all, who is she? Mamma, I know, thinks
that Aunt Arabella has been wrong to let be here so much, but--'