Mrs.Fellmer was quite maternal towards Rosa, and it appeared that she had decided to welcome the inevitable with a good grace.

The pretty girl was to spend yet another afternoon with the elder lady, superintending some parish treat at the house in observance of Christmas, and afterwards to stay on to dinner, her brothers to fetch her in the evening.

They were also invited to dine, but they could not accept owing to an engagement.
The engagement was of a sombre sort.

They were going to meet their father, who would that day be released from Fountall Gaol, and try to persuade him to keep away from Narrobourne.

Every exertion was to be made to get him back to Canada, to his old home in the Midlands--anywhere, so that he would not impinge disastrously upon their courses, and blast their sister's prospects of the auspicious marriage which was just then hanging in the balance.
As soon as Rosa had been fetched away by her friends at the manor-house her brothers started on their expedition, without waiting for dinner or tea.