vote. But those who made the remark did not know Lady
Honoria; she was incapable of kissing a butcher, or indeed anybody else.
Her inclinations did not lie in that direction.

In the end Geoffrey was returned by a magnificent majority of ten votes,
reduced on a scrutiny to seven. He took his seat in the House on the
following night amidst loud Unionist cheering. In the course of the
evening's debate a prominent member of the Government made allusion to
his return as a proof of the triumph of Unionist principles. Thereon a
very leading member of the Separatist opposition retorted that it was
nothing of the sort, "that it was a matter of common notoriety that the
honourable member's return was owing to the unusual and most uncommon
ability displayed by him in the course of his canvass, aided as it was,
by artfully applied and aristocratic feminine influence." This was a
delicate allusion to Honoria and her blue parasol.

As Geoffrey and his wife were driving back to Bolton Street, after the
declaration of the poll, a little incident occurred. Geoffrey told the
coachman to stop at the first telegraph office and, getting out of the
carriage, wired to Beatrice, "In by ten votes."

"Who have you been telegraphing to, Geoffrey?" asked Lady Honoria.

"I telegraphed to Miss Granger," he answered.

"Ah! So you still keep up a correspondence with that pupil teacher
girl."

"Yes, I do. I wish that I had a few more such correspondents."

"Indeed. You are easy to please. I thought her one of the most
disagreeable young women whom I ever met."

"Then it does not say much for your taste, Honoria."

His wife made no further remark, but she had her thoughts. Honoria
possessed good points: among others she was not a jealous person; she
was too cold and too indifferent to be jealous. But she did not like the
idea of another woman obtaining an influence over her husband, who, as
she now began to recognise, was one of the most brilliant men of his
day, and who might well become one of the most wealthy and powerful.
Clearly he existed for _her_ benefit, not for that of any other woman.
She was no fool, and she saw that a considerable intimacy must
exist between the two. Otherwise Geoffrey would not have thought of
telegraphing to Beatrice at such a moment.

Within a week of his election Geoffrey made a speech. It was not a long
speech, nor was it upon any very important issue; but it was exceedingly
good of its kind, good enough to