CHAPTER LII.

SHOWING HOW THINGS WENT ON AT NONINGSBY.

Yes, Lady Staveley had known it before. She had given a fairly correct guess at the state of her daughter's affections, though she had not perhaps acknowledged to herself the intensity of her daughter's feelings. But the fact might not have mattered if it had never been told. Madeline might have overcome this love for Mr. Graham, and all might have been well if she had never mentioned it. But now the mischief was done. She had acknowledged to her mother,--and, which was perhaps worse, she had acknowledged to herself,--that her heart was gone, and Lady Staveley saw no cure for the evil. Had this happened but a few hours earlier she would have spoken with much less of encouragement to Peregrine Orme.

And Felix Graham was not only in the house, but was to remain there for yet a while longer, spending a very considerable portion of his time in the drawing-room. He was to come down on this very day at three o'clock, after an early dinner, and on the next day he was to be promoted to the dining-room. As a son-in-law he was quite ineligible. He had, as Lady Staveley understood, no private fortune, and he belonged to a profession which he would not follow in the only way by which it was possible to earn an income by it. Such being the case, her daughter, whom of all girls she knew to be the most retiring, the least likely to speak of such feelings unless driven to it by great stress,--her daughter had positively declared to her that she was in love with this man! Could anything be more hopeless? Could any position be more trying?

Now, provide a numbered list of answers to these questions:

1. Who was the woman's daughter enamored with?
2. What was the daughter's name?
3. And her mom?
4. Had she admitted her feelings to her mom?
5. To herself?
6. Did her mom see a solution for the situation?
7. Where was the man currently?
8. Where did he spend a lot of time there?
9. Was he going to be there for awhile?
10. When was he expected today?
11. Was he wealthy?
12. Did he have a promising occupation?
13. Did the mother feel he was a suitable husband?
14. How did she describe his level of sutability?
15. Who else had the mother spoken to?
16. Was her daughter outgoing?
17. How did her mom characterize her personality?
18. Did the mom find the situation hopeful?
1. Mr. Graham
2. Madeline
3. Lady Staveley
4. Yes
5. Yes
6. No
7. The house,
8. The drawing-room
9. Yes
10. Three o'clock,
11. No.
12. No.
13. No.
14. Quite ineligible
15. Peregrine Orme.
16. No
17. Retiring
18. No