impulsively. "I shall get
him to tell me all about himself, and we shall see what he can do. Of
course there mustn't be any misunderstanding."

Mrs. Toplady had not been prepared for this tranquil reasonableness.
May was either more primitive, or much more sophisticated, than she had
supposed. Her interest waxed keener.

"Between ourselves, my dear," she remarked, "that is exactly what I
should have anticipated. You are very young, and the world is at your
feet. Of money you have no need, and, if Lord Dymchurch _had_ had the
good fortune to please you--. But you are ambitious. I quite
understand; trust me. Poor Dymchurch will never do anything. He is
merely a bookish man. But, whilst we are talking of it, there's no harm
in telling you that your aunt doesn't quite see the matter with our
eyes. For some reason--I don't know exactly what it is--Lady Ogram is
very favourable to poor Lord Dymchurch."

"I have noticed that," said May, quietly. "Of course it makes no
difference."

"You think not?" asked Mrs. Toplady, beginning to be genuinely
impressed by this young woman's self-confidence.

"I mean that my aunt couldn't do more than suggest," May answered,
slightly throwing back her head. "I have only to let her know how I
think about anything."

"You are sure of that?" asked the other, sweetly.

"Oh, quite!"

May's smile was ineffable. The woman of the world, the humourist and
cynic, saw it with admiration.

"Ah, that puts my mind at ease!" murmured Mrs. Toplady. "To tell the
truth, I have been worrying a little. Sometimes elderly people are so
very tenacious of their ideas. Of course Lady Ogram has nothing but
your good at heart."

"Of course!" exclaimed the girl.

"Shall I confess to you that I almost fancied _this_ might be the
explanation of Miss Bride's engagement?"

"Miss Bride--? How?"

"I only tell you for your amusement. It occurred to me that, having set
her heart on a scheme which had reference to Lord Dymchurch, your aunt
was perhaps a little uneasy with respect to a much more brilliant and
conspicuous man. Had that been so--it's all the merest supposition--she
might have desired to see the brilliant and dangerous man made
harmless--put out of the way."

A gleam of sudden perception illumined the girl's face. For a moment
wonder seemed tending to mirth; but it took another turn, and became
naive displeasure.

"You think so?" broke from her, impetuously. "You really think that's
why she want