ven no thought to it.
Thought is the beginning of pessimism, especially with young men; for if
they think at all, they naturally think of themselves."

"Well, I suppose I think as much of myself as other people."

"Possibly; but I doubt it. Will you ring the bell? We will have some
tea."

He obeyed, and she watched him with approval. For some reason--possibly
because he had not sought it--Lady Cantourne had bestowed her entire
approval on this young man. She had been duly informed, a few weeks
before this visit, that Miss Millicent Chyne had engaged herself to be
married to Jack Meredith whenever that youth should find himself in
a position to claim the fulfilment of her promise. She said nothing
against the choice or the decision, merely observing that she was sorry
that Jack had quarrelled with his father. By way of counsel she advised
strongly that the engagement be kept as much in the background as
possible. She did not, she said, want Millicent to be a sort of red rag
to Sir John, and there was no necessity to publish abroad the lamentable
fact that a quarrel had resulted from a very natural and convenient
attachment. Sir John was a faddist, and, like the rest of his kind,
eminently pig-headed. It was more than likely that in a few months he
would recall his son, and, in the meantime, it never did a girl any good
to be quarrelled over.

Lady Cantourne was too clever a woman to object to the engagement. On
the contrary, she allowed it to be understood that such a match was
in many ways entirely satisfactory. At the same time, however, she
encouraged Guy Oscard to come to the house, knowing quite well that he
was entirely unaware of the existence of Jack Meredith.

"I am," she was in the habit of saying, "a great advocate for allowing
young people to manage their affairs themselves. One young man, if he be
the right one, has more influence with a girl than a thousand old women;
and it is just possible that he knows better than they do what is for
her happiness. It is the interference that makes mischief."

So she did not interfere. She merely invited Guy Oscard to stay to tea.

CHAPTER V. WITH EDGED TOOLS

Do not give dalliance
Too much the rein; the strongest oaths are straw
To the fire i' the blood.

"And what do you intend to do with yourself?" asked Lady Cantourne when
she had poured out tea. "You surely do not intend to mope in that dismal
house in Russell Square?