"When Aldous remembers his mother, how can he ?--undisciplined! self-willed! Why, she laid down the law to _you_, Henry, as though you had nothing to do but to take your opinions from a chit of a girl like her.

Oh! no, no; I really can't; you must give me time.

And her father--the disgrace and trouble of it! I tell you, Henry, it will bring misfortune!" Lord Maxwell was much troubled.

Certainly he should have talked to Agneta beforehand.

But the fact was he had his cowardice, like other men, and he had been trusting to the girl herself, to this beauty he heard so much of, to soften the first shock of the matter to the present mistress of the Court.
"We will hope not, Agneta," he said gravely.