Of course he must choose a bride for himself,--only not a Roman Catholic wild Irish bride of whom nobody knew anything! As to that other matter concerning Jack and Sophie Mellerby, she could not bring herself to believe it.

She had certainly seen that they were good friends,--as would have been quite fit had Fred been engaged to her; but she had not conceived the possibility of any mistake on such a subject.

Surely Sophie herself knew better what she was about! How would she,--she, Lady Scroope,--answer it to Lady Sophia, if Sophie should go back to Mellerby from her house, engaged to a younger brother who had nothing but a commission in the Engineers?
Sophie had been sent to Scroope on purpose to be fallen in love with by the heir; and how would it be with Lady Scroope if, in lieu of this, she should not only have been fallen in love with by the heir's younger brother, but have responded favourably to so base an affection?
That same afternoon Fred told his uncle that he was going back to Ireland on the day but one following, thus curtailing his promised three weeks by two days.

"I am sorry that you are so much hurried, Fred," said the old man.
"So am I, my lord,--but Johnstone has to go to London on business, and I promised when I got leave that I wouldn't throw him over.

You see,--when one has a profession one must attend to it,--more or less." "But you hardly need the profession." "Thank you, uncle;--it is very kind of you to say so.