"I'm afraid, Miss Vavasor, that we can hardly bid her not come," said Mr. Palliser. In answer to this, Alice protested that she would not for worlds have been the means of keeping Lady Midlothian away from Matching. "I should tell you, Mr. Palliser, that I have never seen Lady Midlothian, though she is my far-away cousin. Nor have I ever quarrelled with her. But she has given me advice by letter, and I did not answer her because I thought she had no business to interfere. I shall go away, not because I am afraid of her, but because, after what has passed, our meeting would be unpleasant to her."
"You could tell her that Miss Vavasor is here," said Mr. Palliser. "And then she need not come unless she pleased."

"I'm afraid, Miss Vavasor, that we can hardly ask her not to come," said Mr. Palliser.
Alice protested that she would not wish it. "I should tell you, Mr. Palliser, that I have never met Lady Midlothian, though she is my distant cousin. But she has given me advice by letter, and I did not answer her because I thought she had no business to interfere. I shall go away because our meeting would be unpleasant to her."
"You could tell her that Miss Vavasor is here," said Mr. Palliser to his wife. "And then she need not come unless she pleased."
