His self-love had to some extent been gratified.
But now he saw that he and his house had been simply used in order that a vile project of marrying two vile people to each other might be furthered! As he was thinking of all this, Lady Carbury came out to him in the garden.

She had changed her travelling dress, and made herself pretty, as she well knew how to do.

And now she dressed her face in her sweetest smiles.

Her mind, also, was full of the Melmottes, and she wished to explain to her stern, unbending cousin all the good that might come to her and hers by an alliance with the heiress.

'I can understand, Roger,' she said, taking his arm, 'that you should not like those people.' 'What people ?' 'The Melmottes.' 'I don't dislike them.