But Mary was perilously near the brink on either side, and as it was to be her lucky fate at last to sit down to a plentiful but work-a-day life at Chowton Farm she ought to have been kept away from the maundering idleness of Lady Ushant's lodgings at Cheltenham.

But Mary heard nothing of this during these two days, Mrs.Masters bestowing the load of her wisdom upon her unfortunate husband.
Reginald Morton had been twice over at Mrs.Masters' house with reference to the proposed journey.

Mrs.Masters was hardly civil to him, as he was supposed to be among the enemies;--but she had no suspicion that he himself was the enemy of enemies.

Had she entertained such an idea she might have reconciled herself to it, as the man was able to support a wife, and by such a marriage she would have been at once relieved from all further charge.

In her own mind she would have felt very strongly that Mary had chosen the wrong man, and thrown herself into the inferior mode of life.