miled down upon her, but more gravely; 'and failing
dismissal from you, we should be married as soon as it was
reasonably possible. Was that right, darling?'

She evaded the question.

'Well--and then?'

'Then he broke out. Sir Henry of course was the _bete noire_. You
can imagine the kind of things he said, I needn't repeat them. He is
in a mood of perfectly mad opposition to all this war legislation,
and it is not the least good arguing with him. Finally he told me
that my allowance would be stopped, and Mannering would be left to
Desmond, if we married. "All right!" I said, "I daresay, if he and I
survive you, Desmond will let me look round sometimes." Not very
respectful, perhaps, but by that time I was fed up. So then I wished
him good-night, and went back to the drawing-room. In a few minutes
he sent for Miss Bremerton--nobody knew why. I was dog-tired, and
went to bed, and didn't I sleep!--nine good hours. Then this
morning, just after breakfast, when I was strolling in the garden
with a cigarette waiting for Pamela, who should come out but Miss
Bremerton! Have you seen her?'

'Only in the distance.'

'Well, she's really a very fine creature, not pretty exactly--oh,
not pretty at all--but wonderfully well set up, with beautiful hair,
and a general look of--what shall I say?--dignity, refinement,
knowing her own mind. You feel she would set you down in a moment if
you took the smallest liberty. I could not think what she wanted.
But she came up to me--of course we had made acquaintance the night
before--"May I speak to you, Major Mannering? I wish to say
something private. Shall we walk down to the kitchen garden?" So we
walked down to the kitchen garden, and then she told me what had
happened after dinner, when my father sent for her. She told it very
stiffly, rather curtly in fact, as though she were annoyed to have
to bother about such unprofessional things, and hated to waste her
time. "But I don't wish, I don't intend," she said, "to have the
smallest responsibility in the matter. So after thinking it over, I
decided to inform you--and Mr. Desmond too, if you will kindly tell
him--as to what I had done. That is all I have to say," with her
chin very much in the air! "I did it, of course, because I did not
care to be mixed up in _any_ private or family affairs. That is not
my business." I was taken aback, as you can imagine! But, of course,
I thanked her--'

'Why, she couldn't have done anything else!