Essex; land going begging; worth nothing a year, encumbered up to the
eyes, and loaded with first rent-charges, jointures, settlements. Money,
indeed! poor Kynaston! It's my brother Marmaduke's I mean; lucky dog,
_he_ went in for speculation--began life as a guinea-pig, and rose with
the rise of soap and cocoa. He's worth his half-million.'

'Oh, Mr. Marmaduke Ashurst'

Lady Georgina nodded. 'Marmy's a fool,' she said, briefly; 'but he knows
which side of his bread is buttered.'

'And Mr. Tillington is--his nephew?'

'Bless the child, yes; have you never read your British Bible, the
peerage? Astonishing, the ignorance of these Girton girls! They don't
even know the Leger's run at Doncaster. The family name's Ashurst.
Kynaston's an earl-- I was Lady Georgina Ashurst before I took it into
my head to marry and do for poor Evelyn Fawley. My younger brother's the
Honourable Marmaduke Ashurst--women get the best of it there--it's about
the only place where they do get the best of it: an earl's daughter is
Lady Betty; his son's nothing more than the Honourable Tom. So one
scores off one's brothers. My younger sister, Lady Guinevere Ashurst,
married Stanley Tillington of the Foreign Office. Harold's their eldest
son. Now, child, do you grasp it?'

'Perfectly,' I answered. 'You speak like Debrett. Has issue, Harold.'

'And Harold will inherit all Marmaduke's money. What I'm always afraid
of is that some fascinating adventuress will try to marry him out of
hand. A pretty face, and over goes Harold! _My_ business in life is to
stand in the way and prevent it.'

She looked me through and through again with her X-ray scrutiny.

'I don't think Mr. Tillington is quite the sort that falls a prey to
adventuresses,' I answered, boldly.

'Ah, but there are faggots and faggots,' the old lady said, wagging her
head with profound meaning. 'Never mind, though; _I'd_ like to see an
adventuress marry off Harold without my leave! _I'd_ lead her a life!
I'd turn her black hair gray for her!'

'I should think,' I assented, 'you could do it, Lady Georgina, if you
gave your attention seriously to it.'

From that moment forth, I was aware that my Cantankerous Old Lady's
malign eye was inexorably fixed upon me every time I went within
speaking distance of Mr. Tillington. She watched him like a lynx. She
watched _me_ like a dozen lynxes. Wherever we went, Lady Georgina was
sure to turn up in the neighbourhood. She was perfectly ubiquitous