h on the
subject of Kitty. She dared not tell him any of the gossip which
reached her.

Meanwhile these weeks meant for her not only the dread of disgrace, but
the disappointment of a just ambition, the humiliation of her mother's
pride. The political crisis approached rapidly, and Ashe's name was less
and less to the front. Lady Parham was said to be taking an active part
in the consultations and intrigues that surrounded her husband, and it
was well known by now to the inner circle that her hostility to the
Ashes, and her insistence on the fact that cabinet ministers must be
beyond reproach, and their wives persons to whose houses the party can
go without demeaning themselves, were likely to be of importance.
Moreover, Ashe's success in the House of Commons was no longer what it
had been earlier in the session. The party papers had cooled. Elizabeth
Tranmore felt a blight in the air. Yet William, with his position in the
country, his high ability, and the social weight belonging to the heir
of the Tranmore peerage and estates, was surely not a person to be
lightly ignored! Would Lord Parham venture it?

* * * * *

At last the resignations of the two ministers were in the <i>Times</i>; there
were communications between the Queen and the Premier, and London
plunged with such ardor as is possible in late July into the throes of
cabinet-making. Kitty insisted petulantly that of course all would be
well; William's services were far too great to be ignored; though Lord
Parham would no doubt slight him if he dared. But the party and the
public would see to that. The days were gone by when vulgar old women
like Lady Parham could have any real influence on political
appointments. Otherwise, who would condescend to politics?

Ashe brought her amusing reports from the House or the clubs of the
various intrigues going on, and, as to his own chances, refused to
discuss them seriously. Once or twice when Kitty, in his presence,
insisted on speaking of them to some political intimate, only to provoke
an evident embarrassment, Ashe suffered the tortures which proud men
know. But he never lost his tone of light detachment, and the conclusion
of his friends was that, as usual, "Ashe didn't care a button."

The hours passed, however, and no sign came from the Prime Minister.
Everything was still uncertain; but Ashe had realized that at least he
was not to be taken into the inner counsels of the party.