It was perfectly true. Except in her inability to attract eligible suitors to herself, Hester was the sort of daughter with whom the most exacting parent might have been pleased. She always did as she was told, and never argued about it. She indulged neither in sulks nor in hysterics; and if she was unable to attract the right men, at least she had never been known to encourage the wrong ones. She was a good sister, too; and could always be relied upon to take charge of her young nephews and nieces in times of crisis; or to entertain, uncomplainingly, the dullest man invited (willy-nilly) to a dinner-party.

The first person to discuss Sir Gareth’s proposal with her was not Lady Widmore, but the Reverend Augustus Whyteleafe, the Earl’s chaplain, who seized the earliest opportunity that offered of conveying to her his own reflections upon the occasion.

“You will not object, I know, to my adverting to the topic, painful though it must be to you,” he stated. “His lordship, I should perhaps mention, did me the honour to admit me into his confidence, feeling, I collect, that a word from a man in my position might bear weight with you.”

“Oh, dear! I am sure it ought to,” said Hester, in a conscience-stricken tone.

“But,” said Mr. Whyteleafe, squaring his shoulders, “I found myself obliged to inform his lordship that I could not take upon myself the office of Sir Gareth Ludlow’s advocate.”

“How very brave of you!” Hester said, sighing. “I am so glad, for I don’t at all wish to discuss it.”

“It must indeed be repugnant to you. You will allow me, however, to tell you that I honour you for your decision, Lady Hester.”

She looked at him in mild surprise. “Good gracious, do you? I can’t think why you should.”

“You have had the courage to spurn a match of mere worldly brilliance. A match which, I daresay, would have been welcome to any lady less highminded than yourself. Let me venture to say that you have done just as you should: nothing but misery, I am persuaded, could result from an alliance between yourself and a fashionable fribble.”