At the same time the contrast between Miss Fanny's wardrobe, and what she herself reported, in every tone of grievance and disgust, of the family poverty, was surprising, though no doubt a great deal of the finery had been as cheaply bought as possible.
By luncheon-time Diana had shown some symptoms of fatigue, perhaps--Mrs.
Colwood hoped!--of revolt.

She had been already sharply questioned as to the number of servants she kept and the wages they received, as to the people in the neighborhood who gave parties, and the ages and incomes of such young or unmarried men as might be met with at these parties.

Miss Merton had boasted already of two love-affairs--one the unsuccessful engagement in Barbadoes, the other--"a near thing"-- which had enlivened the voyage to England; and she had extracted a promise from Diana to ask the young solicitor she had met with in the train--Mr.Fred Birch--to lunch, without delay.

Meanwhile she had not--of her own initiative--said one word of those educational objects, in pursuit of which she was supposed to have come to England.

Diana had proposed to her the names of certain teachers both of music and languages--names which she had obtained with much trouble.