Some few days after Lady Tringle had been at Kingsbury Crescent, two visitors, who knew little or nothing of each other, came to see Ayala. One was a lady and the other a gentleman, and the lady came first. The gentleman, however, arrived before the lady had gone. Mrs Dosett was present while the lady remained; but when the gentleman came she was invited to leave him alone with her niece — as shall be told.

The lady was the Marchesa Baldoni. Can the reader go so far back as to remember the Marchesa Baldoni? It was she who rather instigated Ayala to be naughty to the Tringles in Rome, and would have Ayala at her parties when she did not want the Tringles. The Marchesa was herself an Englishwoman, though she had lived at Rome all her life, and had married an Italian nobleman. She was now in London for a few weeks, and still bore in mind her friendship for Ayala, and a certain promise she had once made her. In Rome Lady Tringle, actuated by Augusta, who at the moment was very angry with everybody, including her own lover, had quarrelled with the Marchesa. The Marchesa had then told Ayala that she, Ayala, must stay with her aunt — must, in fact, cease for the time to come to the Marchesa’s apartments, because of the quarrel; but that a time would come in which they might again be friends.

Soon afterwards the Marchesa had heard that the Tringle family had discarded poor Ayala — that her own quarrel had, in fact, extended itself to Ayala, and that Ayala had been shunted off to a poor relation, far away from all the wealth and luxuries which she had been allowed to enjoy for so short a time. Therefore, soon after her arrival in London, the Marchesa had made herself acquainted with the address of the Dosetts, and now was in Kingsbury Crescent in fulfilment of her promise made at Rome.

“So now you have got our friend Ayala,” said the Marchesa with a smile to Mrs Dosett.

“Yes; we have her now. There has been a change. Her sister, Lucy, has gone to my husband’s sister, Lady Tringle.”

The Marchesa made a pleasant little bow at each word. She seemed to Mrs Dosett to be very gorgeously dressed. She was thoroughly well dressed, and looked like a Marchesa — or perhaps, even, like a Marchioness. She was a tall, handsome woman, with a smile perhaps a little too continuously sweet, but with a look conscious of her own position behind it. She had seen in a moment of what nature was Ayala, how charming, how attractive, how pretty, how clever — how completely the very opposite of the Tringles! Ayala learned Italian so readily that she could talk it almost at once. She could sing, and play, and draw. The Marchesa had been quite willing that her own daughter Nina should find a friend in Ayala. Then had come the quarrel. Now she was quite willing to renew the friendship, though Ayala’s position was so sadly altered. Mrs Dosett was almost frightened as the grand lady sat holding Ayala’s hand, and patting it. “We used to know her so well in Rome — did we not, Ayala?”

“You were very kind to me.”

“Nina couldn’t come, because her father would make her go with him to the pictures. But now, my dear, you must come to us just for a little time. We have a furnished house in Brook Street, near the park, till the end of the season, and we have one small spare room which will just do for you. I hope you will let her come to us, for we really are old friends,” said the Marchesa, turning to Mrs Dosett.

Mrs Dosett looked black. There are people who always look black when such applications are made to them — who look black at any allusions to pleasures. And then there came across her mind serious thoughts as to flowers and ribbons — and then more serious thoughts as to boots, dresses, and hats. Ayala, no doubt, had come there less than six months since with good store of everything; but Mrs Dosett knew that such a house as would be that of this lady would require a girl to show herself with the newest sheen on everything. And Ayala knew it too. The Marchesa turned from the blackness of Mrs Dosett’s face with her sweetest smile to Ayala. “Can’t we manage it?” said the Marchesa.

“I don’t think we can,” said Ayala, with a deep sigh.

“And why not?”

Ayala looked furtively round to her aunt. “I suppose I may tell, Aunt Margaret?” she said.

“You may tell everything, my dear,” said Mrs Dosett.

“Because we are poor,” said Ayala.

“What does that matter?” said the Marchesa, brightening up. “We want you because you are rich in good gifts and pretty ways.”

“But I can’t get new frocks now as I used to do in Rome. Aunt Emmeline was cruel to me, and said things which I could not bear. But they let me have everything. Uncle Reginald gives me all that he has, and I am much happier here. But we cannot go out and buy things — can we, Aunt Margaret?”

“No, my dear; we cannot.”

“It does not signify,” said the Marchesa. We are quite quiet, and what you have got will do very well. Frocks! The frocks you had in Rome are good enough for London. I won’t have a word of all that. Nina has set her heart upon it, and so has my husband, and so have I. Mrs Dosett, when we are at home we are the most homely people in the world. We think nothing of dressing. Not to come and see your old friends because of your frocks! We shall send for you the day after tomorrow. Don’t you know, Mrs Dosett, it will do her good to be with her young friend for a few days.” Mrs Dosett had not succeeded in her remonstrances when Sir Thomas Tringle was shown into the room, and then the Marchesa took her leave. For Sir Thomas Tringle was the other visitor who came on that morning to see Ayala.

“If you wouldn’t mind, Mrs Dosett,” said Sir Thomas before he sat down, “I should like to see Ayala alone.” Mrs Dosett had not a word to say against such a request, and at once took her leave.

“My dear,” he began, coming and sitting opposite to Ayala, with his knees almost touching her, “I have got something very particular to say to you.” Ayala was at once much frightened. Her uncle had never before spoken to her in this way — had never in truth said a word to her seriously. He had always been kind to her, making her presents, and allowing himself to be kissed graciously morning and evening. He had never scolded her, and, better than all, had never said a word to her, one way or the other, about Tom. She had always liked her uncle, because he had never caused her trouble when all the others in his house had been troublesome to her. But now she was afraid of him. He did not frown, but he looked very seriously at her, as he might look, perhaps, when he was counting out all his millions in Lombard Street. “I hope you think that I have always wished to be kind to you, Ayala.”

“I am sure you have, Uncle Tom.”

“When you had come to us I always wished you to stay. I don’t like changes of this sort. I suppose you didn’t hit it off with Augusta. But she’s gone now.”

“Aunt Emmeline said something.” That accusation, as to “encouragement”, so rankled in her heart, that when she looked back at her grievances among the Tringles that always loomed the largest.

“I don’t want to hear anything about it,” said Sir Thomas. “Let bygones be bygones. Your aunt, I am sure, never meant unkindly by you. Now, I want you to listen to me.”

“I will, Uncle Tom.”

“Listen to me to the end, like a good girl.”

“I will.”

“Your Cousin Tom —.” Ayala gave a visible shudder, and uttered an audible groan, but as yet she did not say a word. Sir Thomas, having seen the shudder, and heard the groan, did frown as he began again. “Your Cousin Tom is most truly attached to you.”

“Why won’t he leave me alone, then?”

“Ayala, you promised to listen to me without speaking.”

“I will, Uncle Tom. Only — ”

“Listen to me, and then I will hear anything you have to say.”

“I will,” said Ayala, screwing up her lips, so that no words should come out of them, let the provocation be what it might.

Sir Thomas began again. “Your Cousin Tom is most truly attached to you. For some time I and his mother disapproved of this. We thought you were both too young, and there were other reasons which I need not now mention. But when I came to see how thoroughly he was in earnest, how he put his heart into it, how the very fact that he loved you had made a man of him; then how the fact that you would not return his love unmanned him — when I saw all that, I gave my permission.” Here he paused, almost as though expecting a word; but Ayala gave an additional turn to ............