"Understand her! I should think not; nobody can understand her. A young woman to become engaged to a gentleman in that way,--before all the world, as one may say;--to go to his house, as I am told, and talk to the servants, and give orders about the furniture and then turn round and simply say that she has changed her mind! She hasn't given the slightest reason to my knowledge." And Lady Midlothian, as she insisted on the absolute iniquity of Alice's proceedings, almost startled Lady Glencora by the eagerness of her countenance. Lady Midlothian had been one of those who, even now not quite two years ago, had assisted in obtaining the submission of Lady Glencora herself. Lady Midlothian seemed on the present occasion to remember nothing of this, but Lady Glencora remembered it very exactly. "I shall not give it up," continued Lady Midlothian. "I have the greatest possible objection to her father, who contrived to connect himself with our family in a most shameful manner, without the slightest encouragement. I don't think I have spoken to him since, but I shall see him now and tell him my opinion."

"Understand her! I should think nobody can understand her. A young woman to become engaged to a gentleman in that way, and then turn round and simply say that she has changed her mind! She hasn't given the slightest reason." Lady Midlothian almost startled Lady Glencora by her eagerness. Lady Midlothian had been one of those who, not quite two years before, had assisted in obtaining the submission of Lady Glencora herself.
"I shall not give up," she continued. "I have the greatest objection to her father, who contrived to connect himself with our family in a most shameful manner, without the slightest encouragement. I don't think I have spoken to him since, but I shall see him now and tell him my opinion."
