At that old house at Desmond Court company was scarce, money was scarce, servants were scarce.

She had been confided to the care of a very ordinary governess; and if there was about her anything that was great or good, it was intrinsically her own, and by no means due to intrinsic advantages derived from her grand family.

Why should she not give what was so entirely her own to one whom she loved, to one by whom it so pleased her to be loved?
And then they entered the house, and Clara followed her mother to the countess's own small up-stairs sitting-room.

The daughter did not ordinarily share this room with her mother, and when she entered it, she seldom did so with pleasurable emotion.

At the present moment she had hardly strength to close the door after her.
"And now, Clara, what is all this ?" said the countess, sitting down in her accustomed chair.
"All which, mamma ?" Can any one blame her in that she so far equivocated?
"Clara, you know very well what I mean.