It was four days
before he returned to London. But his visit to Exeter was not
without results, for he asked his mother about Caranby's
romance. Mrs. Mallow knew all about it, and highly
disapproved of her brother-in-law.
"He's crazy," she said vigorously, when the subject was
brought up one evening. "All his life he has been queer.
Your father should have had the title, Cuthbert!"
"Well, I shall have it some day," said her son soothingly.
"Caranby is not likely to marry."
"Yes, but I'll never be Lady Caranby," lamented Mrs. Mallow,
who was intensely selfish and egotistical. "And I should have
adorned the title. Such an old one as it is, too. But I'm
glad that horrid Selina Loach never became his wife. Even
that Saul girl would have been better."
"Don't speak evil of the dead, mother."
"I don't see why we should praise the bad dead," snapped Mrs.
Mallow. "I never liked either Isabella nor Selina. They were
both horrid girls and constantly quarrelling. They hardly
ever spoke to one another, and how you can contemplate
marrying the daughter of Isabella, I really don't know. Such
a slight to me. But there, I've said all I had to say on the
subject."
To do her justice, Mrs. Mallow certainly had, and never ceased
nagging at Cuthbert to break the engagement. Had she known
that Mrs. Octagon had forbidden the marriage she would have
rejoiced, but to save making awkward explanations to a woman
who would not hold her tongue, Cuthbert said nothing about the
breach.
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