"Jack is pleased that I am going away!" she said to Bridgie as the two
sisters sat together for the last confidential chat. "He knows that I
watch him flirting with Sylvia Trevor, and thinks he will get on better
without me. You really ought to be careful, Bridgie, and not let them
be too much together!"

"Does he flirt with her? Not more than he does with every other girl,"
said Bridgie leniently. "I don't see why I should worry myself about
it. Sylvia is a sensible girl, who is not given to fancying that every
man is in love with her, and Jack is just a dear, soft-hearted boy, who
can't help making pretty speeches, but he would never make serious love
if he did not mean it, and if he did--well, why not Sylvia as well as
anyone else?"

But Mrs Geoffrey Hilliard was not to be so easily appeased. She threw
back her haughty head, lowered languid eyelids, and drawled out--

"My dear Bridgie, remember whom you are speaking about! Jack is the
head of the family--he's O'Shaughnessy of Knock! Eventually, as we hope
and believe, he will go back to take up his own position, and, thanks to
Geoff, the property will be in a very different condition from what it
was when he left. He must make a marriage which will be a help, not a
hindrance. And who is she? Answer me that! What do you know about
her?"

"She is a dear girl! She is very attractive! Her father is abroad.
She lives with an old aunt."

"Exactly! A pleasant girl in a London suburb!" Esmeralda's voice was
full of ineffable condescension. "There are thousands of them, and no
doubt they are charming in their way, but not for Jack. He owes a duty
to the family as well as himself, and you ought to tell him as much.
You really ought, Bridgie! Speak to him at once, before it goes too
far!"

"Suppose you speak to him yourself! When you are so hot upon it, it's a
pity to leave it to me."

"No, I'd rather not. Jack is so stupid about taking advice. He would
snap my nose off if I said anything."

"I really don't see why my nose is not as valuable as yours! Why should
I do your disagreeable work for you?" retorted Bridgie with spirit.
"You did not know that Geoffrey was a rich man when you promised to
marry him, and it's the last thing I would think of myself, so why
should we expect any more of Jack? I am not going to interfere,
whatever happens, and if you take my advice you won't mention Sylvia's
name to him!"

"I don't intend to, but--"