De Lancy Candish,
and Fred Rangely. It was wholly by chance, and without malicious intent
that Edith assigned Ethel to Mr. Kent, while Rangely took Mrs. Greyson
in to dinner. Mrs. Fenton, of course, knew that gossip had sometimes
connected the names of Ethel and Rangely in a speculative way, but she
partly suspected and partly knew by feminine intuition that Fred was
practically out of the running, and that Ethel's heart was given to
Thayer Kent. It was hardly to be expected that Rangely should be
pleased at the sight of his rival's advantage; but having passed the
morning in squiring Miss Merrivale, his conscience was hardly case-
hardened enough to have made him at his ease had he been able to
exchange places with Kent.
To Mr. Candish was given the care of Miss Penwick, since with her Edith
knew that his sensitive awkwardness would be as comfortable as was
possible with any one; and the guests were so arranged that the
clergyman sat upon his hostess's left hand, being thus in a manner
intrenched between her and Miss Penwick against the raillery which Mrs.
Fenton knew her husband would press as far as his position as host
would allow. Edith always made it a point to do all that she could for
Mr. Candish's comfort, and it was largely on his account that she had
included Miss Penwick in the list of guests. She had a certain
tenderness for the forlorn old lady, but it might not have found active
expression had not the rector's pleasure come into the question.
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